The Politics of Class Warfare

Hi readers! Welcome to Paddy's Politics, a blog that discusses politics and current affairs from a Left-Wing Social Democratic perspective. All views published are my own, unless stated otherwise. This is my first article -  Hope you enjoy. Please feel free to comment, whether you are of a Left or Right political persuasion. All endorsements/ arguments welcome. Also, follow me on Twitter: @paddyjpf1992

I don’t think I was the only person dismayed at David Cameron’s speech at the Conservative Party conference. He announced that his party doesn’t do ‘the politics of class warfare’ yet this government is waging class war on overdrive. It certainly feels like Total War to those on the receiving end of their attacks.

Take the alleged ‘deficit reduction’, for example. Apparently, we don’t have enough money for the NHS, Social Security, Public Services and Public Sector Wages so benefits have been slashed, wages have been frozen and the health and public services have either declined, been axed or been sold off, not to mention the rise in VAT. Yet there seemed to be enough money to hand the wealthy a 5% tax cut. To me, that doesn’t add up. If, as is the premise put forward by Cameron and Osborne, that there is an enormous structural deficit which we need to pay down, why are we handing out tax cuts? If you include the blatant diminishing of workers’ rights and the ATOS Work Capability fiasco under this government, working and vulnerable people are under attack from a government of the wealthy for the wealthy by the wealthy – even Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have complained that the Tories are ‘beating up the poor with relish’ while not expecting the wealthy to pay towards deficit reduction.

Voters have a stark choice on May 7, a party hell-bent on power for the wealthy and dehumanisation of the poor, who are also intent on consigning the NHS to the history books, or a party who will work to improve rights and living standards for those at the bottom, whilst ensuring the NHS remains a service that puts patients before profit.  When Conservatives attack the Left over the politics of class warfare, they don’t have a leg to stand on as it is they who have declared class war in the first place. Let’s put an end to this Tory war on the poor.