It is always a delight to see the first signs of spring coming towards us, despite the seemingly never-ending rain! I hope like me, you are looking forward to warner days.
It is certainly warming up on the political front with the starting gun fired on a long-drawn-out election campaign. I delayed writing this commentary, my last as Chairman of the 1964 Club, due to the budget, thinking there might be a surprise or two within the Chancellor’s speech. Sadly, there wasn’t, although I can’t help feeling it was unfinished business and another statement will be forthcoming nearer the general election. Whether that be for implementation immediately or as part of the Conservative manifesto, maybe a bit of both. I find it irritating, that most decisions are leaked beforehand, we want a few surprises. The cut in National Insurance is huge, with £900 to the average earner over the last two budgets. However, those I speak to who have benefited, don’t seem to have noticed and are not aware of how generous this is. The expectation seems to be far above that which is possible, especially with ever increasing demands for the government to fund day to day life.
Our overall tax burden is less than many comparable European countries, so comparison about how good public services are elsewhere is unfair. There is huge waste in our public services, with low productivity, even more so, post Pandemic. Someone is going to have to tackle this, but they will have to be brave. I can’t see a Labour Government being so, in fact they will likely oversee a further decline.
Senior citizens did not benefit from the NI cut, but you can’t have a discount on something you don’t pay! However, I can see the Chancellor being keen to keep us pensioners on side, perhaps by increasing the basic rate tax allowance to always keep above the pension payable. We should always bear in mind, the basic allowance has doubled since the Conservatives came into power in 2010, far more than inflation. The continued freezing of fuel duty has also benefited us all. Had labour been in power and continued their policy of annual increases in fuel duty, petrol and diesel would be well over £3 a litre by now.
There were some obvious traps for a potential Labour government in the budget which will be difficult to overcome. I get the impression the Government are not preparing for another term, rather mitigating the damage, ready to regroup and restrict a Labour government to a five-year term or if a low majority, maybe less!
We have seen an increasing number of demonstrations and whilst in favour of peaceful demonstration, the recent number of such across the UK, is no longer acceptable, tying up the police and often about events about which we can do nothing. Witness the recent debate, when the SNP had a rare day to themselves in parliament and chose a ceasefire in Gaza, rather than take advantage of the chance to address issues in Scotland. A complete waste of parliamentary time, maybe it was the intention,
to draw attention away from the hash the SNP are making in Scotland. Luckily, we can see the dress rehearsal for a Labour government in Wales. Voters beware.
The changes to our country with the import of so many immigrants under the previous Labour administration and continued under the present government has brought with it a sizable minority of people who do not share our way of life and trying to change our country. Unfortunately, they are succeeding, with pandering to minority interests, whilst forgetting the common-sense majority. In fact, the latter, are often held up as wrong! As I often say, whilst I am considered an eccentric these days, thirty years ago, I was considered normal and I haven’t changed! It is the world around me that has and not for the better. I can see snippets of commonsense coming out from the Government, but they are quickly slapped down, by the media.
Defence is the single most important aspects of a government’s responsibility and whilst we spend more than most, we don’t spend it well, with huge overspend and delay. Poland is a far smaller economy but are rearming given their proximity to Russia, with a smaller budget than we have. As an island nation, our Navy and Airforce are instrumental in defending the UK, we need to invest and quickly. If we don’t deter, we will end up spending far more to defend our interests. However, I question the ability to recruit the number of sailors, air men and soldiers we need, given the “couldn’t care less” attitude we often witness in the general population. Many won’t want to fight for our causes, as they don’t share them.
More recently, I have had occasion to walk through various towns and cities and take in the scene. There appears to be many people apparently fit for work who are not, often having a coffee or two in Starbucks. Mental health is often cited, but as a long-term sufferer of clinical depression, I know the only way to overcome such a terrible affliction, is to keep busy, to work hard and enjoy the fruits of one’s labours. Sometimes you have you make yourself do things, but if you don’t, it needs others to do it for you. If that means complete review of the benefit culture, so be it, concentrating the monies on those who really can’t work, not because they choose not to, even if the latter only in their mind. We can’t afford to do anything else.
As a fully paid-up member of the common-sense society, things are not going well at present. The Labour party are only ahead, because the Government are so unpopular and often with good cause, given the infighting within the parliamentary party. We know that taxation is at its highest since 1948, hardly surprising as we were post war then and following the pandemic and the energy shock, the same need to pay back applies. If we follow a “conservative “ path going forward, we might just get back to “never having had it so good”, any alternative will put us back years.
On that note, thank you for your support over my five years as Chairman, I have greatly enjoyed my stint and look forward to continuing my association with the club.
Steve Whiteway FCILT