Councillor Judith Holt from Havering laments Labour's quick switch to the 'Nasty Party'
Do you know anyone who’s all sugary and sweet on the outside, but you only have to scratch the surface and you see what they’re really like? They gang up with others in their party to complain about you; or, they put up Facebook posts saying you are racist, far right-wing and calling your political party “the devil’s own” (yes, really – this all happened to me). I know at least one Labour Councillor in Romford like that. And, it seems to run in the Party!
“Shameless, ruthless and malignant.” Words of a Conservative Councillor in Brent in a speech about the cutting of the Winter Fuel Allowance – but which also just about sum up the new Labour Government. I guessed they would be bad – but I never envisaged this: freeing criminals, capitulating to the unions, taxing the elderly, hard-working and lower middle classes, whilst they themselves accept freebies worth thousands. And this is just the first three months. This is the so-called party of the people, Starmer, Reeves and their chums - hypocritical and sickening.
Axing the winter fuel payments is an act not only of cruelty but injustice. Many pensioners are living solely on their state pension and the £200 or £300 they receive as the Winter Fuel Allowance is a godsend. However, all pensioners, whatever their financial circumstances, have paid taxes into the system for all their working lives, longer than those of us who still work - so, like the free television licence, why should they not have this extra perquisite in retirement? They are free to give the money away if they feel they don’t need it.
The single person's council tax discount removal suggestion, as well as hammering further pensioners and lone parents, would affect people like me, too. I have never married nor had children so I get nothing extra from the Government apart from this crumb - and now it looks as though this may be swept away. Singletons get a raw deal in life - we pay more proportionately for everything. There's this misguided, outdated belief that single people are wealthy, have no responsibilities in life, swan around doing little and should have to pay for everyone else. Well, all I can say is, as a single lady who has worked all my life to pay off my mortgage and my bills, I reckon I have paid out twice as much money over the years as if I had been married. You don't have more time and money as a singleton; you have less.
I see similarities in the London Borough of Havering where I am a Councillor. Now a Havering Residents Association (HRA) Administration since May 2022 (formerly in coalition with Labour), among their cost-reducing exercises have been to cut SEND Transport, introduce a charge for older people’s safety alarms….and the latest is to close five (yes, five) of the branch libraries: community hubs for all ages. This is in parallel to the HRA Administration increasing their number of Cabinet members from six to nine –who are paid an extra £25,000 on top of their basic councillor’s allowance.
What kind of country are we living in when national and local governments are picking the “low-hanging fruit” – our most vulnerable and easy-to-reach residents – to make financial savings? Was not this reflected on a wider scale with the Grenfell Fire, when corners in safety and expense were cut, plus concerns of its largely working-class residents were ignored continually? Would this have happened in the Barbican Estate or in one of the tower blocks overlooking The All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon? No, thought not.
As usual, the Labour Government are keen to blame the nasty Tories for the financial predicament, i.e. the £22 million alleged “black hole”, in which they find themselves and claim they have no choice but to make these cuts, etc. etc. Well, here are some ideas for the chopping: stop giving back-dated pay rises to the rail unions, reduce foreign aid, cut the number of government ministers, take a large pay cut of your own and give up your heating allowances. Oh –and give away some of Lady Starmer’s freebie clothes to those who now won’t be able to afford them.
It is The Labour Party which is in Government now and the choices are theirs to make. Less than one hundred days into their administration, they have shown clearly the way they are heading – back into the bottle of Champagne Socialism. Scratch the surface and we can see lucidly the true nature of this Labour Government.