The focus in Parliament, as with the media, was on Boris Johnson. The Privileges Committee report was more scathing than anyone imagined and no doubt the former PM himself as his response was even more petulant than usual. He really is a charlatan who has demeaned the office of Prime Minister. Exposed at last, he shows no remorse either for those who suffered through his actions or even for his former party colleagues as he trashes recent allies.
His legacy is the Brexit shambles, a country now denigrated if not despised around the globe, and a society and economy on its knees. They say all political careers end in failure, but he has taken it to a new nadir.
Punishment should be severe, but he’ll be well looked after by his billionaire pals. The price of course is paid by ordinary folk, as he swans off to make millions. That was show by a report carried out by Loughborough University on behalf of the End Child Poverty Coalition, a broad-based grouping of charities, faith groups, trade unions and others. It disclosed that 21.1% of children in East Lothian were living in poverty. That’s 4765 bairns of all agas.
These aren’t the offspring of the feckless or ne’er do wells. 67% were in a household where at least one adult was working. Despite seeking to do their best by their family, they just couldn’t make ends meet. Households with additional needs, such as through disability whether with the adults or through the health of a child, were also there. Along with others simply floundering, as the cost of living lapped over them.
That’s the Johnson legacy, and it’s been worsened by Truss and her crazy economics. More of the same simply won’t fix it. The Scottish Governments Child Payment has helped mitigate the hardship. But much more’s needed and a more radical agenda requires being pursued.
Another recent report confirmed that the richest 50 families in the UK have more wealth than the bottom half of the population. That’s obscene and why it’s time for a wealth tax and wealth redistribution.