Tories celebrate ‘levelling down’ as the UK descends further into chaos

Tories dance at conference


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As the 2021 Conservative Party conference drew to a close, it coincided with rocketing gas prices and a notable rise in food prices and petrol prices. As always, it will be the poor who suffer the most. And it was during the conference that a £1,040 cut from Universal Credit payments, affecting millions of people on benefits or low income, took place.

Tories celebrate

Despite this levelling down, the Tories were in a celebratory mood at the conference. Indeed, perhaps the most defining image of the conference was of secretary of state for work and pensions Thérèse Coffey wildly dancing with other Tories to the song Time Of My Life.

Institutionalised poverty

One example of levelling down is the government’s institutionalising of poverty by persuading the public that foodbanks are a good thing. Or to put it another way, they’re a ‘normal’ part of society:

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Nor is it certain that the foodbanks will be in a position to support everyone in need this winter. So perhaps it’s not unsurprising that former Finland prime minister Alexander Stubb is proposing the EU provide aid to the UK in its hour of need:

Even the pro-Tory and pro-Brexit Telegraph reported on the proposal.

Discontent

Moreover, come next spring increased gas prices could mean an annual bill of £1,660 for gas and electricity for the average home. And food prices could increase by 5%. According to the Royal Automobile Club, a tank of fuel costs approximately £12 more than last year. For many families these increases – coupled with the £20 reduction per week in Universal Credit – are unaffordable. And in reality they may mean freezing cold homes or malnutrition.

Once price rises take their toll and the Universal Credit cut begins to bite, we may be heading for far more than a 2021 version of a ‘winter of discontent‘,

Covid cases rise for children

Meanwhile, while price rises and benefit cuts are bad enough, it’s also reported by Independent SAGE‘s professor Christina Pagel that coronavirus (Covid-19) cases are climbing for school-age children:

No doubt this is mostly thanks to the government’s easing of mitigation restrictions in schools. Though a few simple steps are needed to change that:

A reintroduction of mandatory mask wearing on public transport could also help reduce overall numbers. Professor of primary care Trisha Greenhalgh explains why:

Sleaze and corruption

And just when you think that the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) corruption scandal has evaporated, another alleged example has come to light:

But it’s not just PPE.

The recently released Pandora Papers have shone a light on money laundering. And The Canary had previously revealed how British peers were implicated in money laundering from Russia-based oligarchs. Also, we reported on how the Conservative Party was a recipient of several donations from oligarchs.

More lies

Amid this chaos, prime minister Boris Johnson continues to spew more lies:

However, Johnson also neglected to mention that the Pfizer vaccine was developed in state-funded labs in Germany. And he further neglected to refer to the shockingly high number of coronavirus deaths in the UK:

Class war

In summary, the Johnson government could be described as a government of chaos or a government of corruption – or both.

Or perhaps it’s much simpler than that: Labour MP Zara Sultana describes what’s going on as nothing less than “Class war”:

Destructive practices

But how can the Tory government face retribution from those who suffer the most from its destructive practices?

That’s the million dollar question. Though the answer to that may have nothing to do with a ballot box.

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