August 28th 2024.
To put it bluntly, there's no need to keep reminding people how the Tories have messed up Britain. It's been almost 30 years since Tony Blair famously made D:Ream's 'Things Can Only Get Better' his theme tune before the Labour Party's big win against the Tories in the 1997 General Election. But now, as we fast forward to present day, it seems like a more fitting tune for Keir Starmer would be 'Things can only get worse.'
Even the new Prime Minister himself has acknowledged this, stating that we will have to endure more difficult times before we see any improvement. This is not what people voted for. They were promised 'change', not a downward spiral before things get better.
In his recent speech, Keir Starmer used familiar phrases like 'black holes', 'tough choices', and pointed fingers at the Tories for leaving behind a mess for the new government to clean up. But let's be honest, people don't need any more reminders that the Tories have ruined the country. What they really want to hear is how the Labour Party plans to fix it.
It's time for Starmer's party to be upfront and admit that they have the power to make things better for everyone, if only they were bolder and braver in their choices.
Leading up to the General Election, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that the next government would have to either cut spending or raise taxes. The Green Party was the only one that had the courage to be honest with voters and lay out a plan for protecting public services through a fairer, more environmentally friendly tax system.
But during the election campaign, Rachel Reeves from Labour claimed that their spending plans didn't require any extra funding. Now, they're suddenly talking about tough choices and being forced to make difficult decisions, like cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners.
But let's not forget, these so-called 'tough' choices are actually political choices. Their refusal to tax the wealthy fairly means they have to choose to hit the most vulnerable and poorest members of society, while allowing the rich to keep getting richer.
We need a different approach. We need to make different choices. Most importantly, we need real hope and real change.
Do you agree with Keir Starmer's strategy for handling the current crisis in the UK? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
We have the means to generate the necessary funds to fix our broken NHS, improve our care system, and make our homes more energy efficient, which would reduce both energy bills and carbon emissions. We can do this by shifting the burden from the poorest to the wealthiest, which would also help address the inequality crisis.
The Prime Minister's recent speech was full of contradictions. On one hand, he warned that the upcoming budget would be painful, but on the other hand, he stated that those who can afford it will have to carry the heaviest load.
The super-rich billionaires and multi-millionaires won't feel any pain from a 1% tax on their wealth and assets – a long-standing policy of the Green Party. They also won't suffer from reforms to Capital Gains Tax, which would align it with income tax rates.
While the wealthiest may not be thrilled with these policies, they certainly won't suffer from them. In fact, the Patriotic Millionaires – a group of British millionaires – are actively campaigning for fairer taxation and a more equal society.
But let's not forget that these tough choices are actually political choices. And yet, Labour has not shown any indication that they are willing to properly tax the super-rich. So when Keir Starmer warns of a painful budget in October, what he really means is that we should expect more cuts to public spending that will impact the most vulnerable in society.
In his speech, Starmer also mentioned the recent riots and how they exposed a deeply unhealthy society. But we can't improve the health of our society if we keep taking the same failed approach.
One positive solution would be to stop scapegoating immigrants and asylum seekers and for Labour to show true leadership by addressing the root causes of our problems – decades of underinvestment.
A fairer, greener tax system could raise billions of pounds to invest in the needs of our communities. This would create hope and unleash the potential of people to make positive changes in their communities.
With this approach, things can truly start to get better. Do you have a story you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you, so please email James to get in touch. And don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments below.
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