History dictates that the Conservative party should be on for a land slide victory. Throughout the 20th century , strong economic performances have been mirrored by strong electoral performances. Yet, as the frantic campaigning would suggest , this is not the case. Worryingly for the Conservatives, the economic revival is not translating into polling points and the voters simply aren't responding in the expected way. But why ?
Firstly , I strongly believe that the trickle down system has failed. The holes are plugged and economic success in the financial sector mean little to those who have suffered at the hands of cuts in welfare and public spending. Britain being the fastest growing G7 economy means literally nothing to those who have lost the vital disability benefit that has in times past maintained the standard of living that we would expect in the UK. The anger many feel toward their government after seeing it throw the sick and disabled to the ground can not be undone with cold , albeit positive statistics.
Furthermore , some feel that people are worse off. I draw particular attention to the debate on zero hours contracts. People are told that life is improving and that work rewards , yet 700 000 people in the UK can't plan , can't move on and simply can not create a better life. If this past government has marked the beginning of the death of social mobility for the working class, then surely the problems our society faces are bigger than the problems solved by this economic recovery.
Finally , people have become tired of the rampant inequality in British society. The government punishes welfare cheats but not tax dodgers. People earning millions of pounds escape tax using their wealth and status , while those who work the hardest at the bottom are forced to pay every penny. The Conservative party have created an economic revival that has been extremely beneficial to those at the top but which has been almost non existent to the large majority. This is dangerous. As when the majority do not like the wealth creators then the wealth creators will leave, and , if this does happen , the economic recovery may become one of the most counter productive events in British history.
In defence of the Conservative party , those at the bottom would be feeling a lot worse if our economy was in bad shape. For those who have taken one of the 1000 extra jobs created per day , life is undoubtedly better off. The fact that the top 1% now pays a higher percentage of tax than ever before (33%) surely suggests that those most privileged are paying their way. Progressive tax reduction for those on the lowest incomes and a raising of the personal allowance are the first few contributions from the economic recovery. But often these arguments are ignored. As a society we don't like hard medicine , we don't like tough policy and we don't like listening to bad news. In other words , we don't like listening to Tory policy.
I do not believe that the Conservatives have deliberately withheld the benefits of economic success. More likely , the damage from the last government was so severe that the recovery is taking more time to help the rest of us. That is why the Conservatives must be re-elected. To quote the Conservative campaign "There is still more to do". Because if people feel worse off now , I don't know how bad people will feel under the economic incompetence and economic failure of Labour.
But to conclude , I think it is a sad reflection on society, that the next government could be elected with the line, "well ... it could be worse".
By: Samuel Parritt - Gell, Post 16 student from London. Twitter : @samueloliverpg
Firstly , I strongly believe that the trickle down system has failed. The holes are plugged and economic success in the financial sector mean little to those who have suffered at the hands of cuts in welfare and public spending. Britain being the fastest growing G7 economy means literally nothing to those who have lost the vital disability benefit that has in times past maintained the standard of living that we would expect in the UK. The anger many feel toward their government after seeing it throw the sick and disabled to the ground can not be undone with cold , albeit positive statistics.
Furthermore , some feel that people are worse off. I draw particular attention to the debate on zero hours contracts. People are told that life is improving and that work rewards , yet 700 000 people in the UK can't plan , can't move on and simply can not create a better life. If this past government has marked the beginning of the death of social mobility for the working class, then surely the problems our society faces are bigger than the problems solved by this economic recovery.
Finally , people have become tired of the rampant inequality in British society. The government punishes welfare cheats but not tax dodgers. People earning millions of pounds escape tax using their wealth and status , while those who work the hardest at the bottom are forced to pay every penny. The Conservative party have created an economic revival that has been extremely beneficial to those at the top but which has been almost non existent to the large majority. This is dangerous. As when the majority do not like the wealth creators then the wealth creators will leave, and , if this does happen , the economic recovery may become one of the most counter productive events in British history.
In defence of the Conservative party , those at the bottom would be feeling a lot worse if our economy was in bad shape. For those who have taken one of the 1000 extra jobs created per day , life is undoubtedly better off. The fact that the top 1% now pays a higher percentage of tax than ever before (33%) surely suggests that those most privileged are paying their way. Progressive tax reduction for those on the lowest incomes and a raising of the personal allowance are the first few contributions from the economic recovery. But often these arguments are ignored. As a society we don't like hard medicine , we don't like tough policy and we don't like listening to bad news. In other words , we don't like listening to Tory policy.
I do not believe that the Conservatives have deliberately withheld the benefits of economic success. More likely , the damage from the last government was so severe that the recovery is taking more time to help the rest of us. That is why the Conservatives must be re-elected. To quote the Conservative campaign "There is still more to do". Because if people feel worse off now , I don't know how bad people will feel under the economic incompetence and economic failure of Labour.
But to conclude , I think it is a sad reflection on society, that the next government could be elected with the line, "well ... it could be worse".
By: Samuel Parritt - Gell, Post 16 student from London. Twitter : @samueloliverpg
Where's the Consevative landslide?
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