The politics of austerity by guest blogger Tom McEnroe

I’m proud to present the first guest contribution to this blog and I’d like to thank Tom McEnroe for feeling that he could voice his opinion here.

Since the financial crisis in 2008 until the present moment, the people of the UK have been terrorised by the present government, right wing think tanks and a supportive mass media into believing and accepting that this country is bust and has no choice but to inflict austerity on the nation and its people. That "austerity" has not affected the rich, the extremely rich, politicians or indeed, the Monarchy. What it has done though, is decimate jobs, stilted growth and infrastructure; sliced damaging cuts into the NHS, and Welfare claimants, lowered wages AND continued to double the debt it inherited.  It has demonised the unemployed and working poor of this nation as if they, and not the bankers and Hedge fund managers, were somehow responsible for this state of affairs. 

We are constantly being told, "We have to make some very unpopular, but necessary decisions, as a government in order to tackle this financial problem."

In regard to that, let me just say this: in 1945 this country managed to create, introduce and implement the NHS, it did likewise with the Welfare state AND managed to build 100,000 new homes - all at a time when we had 5 times more of a financial burden due to war debts.  Social progress created under a truly socialist government.  Why can't this happen today?  Because the banks, the powerful and wealthy oligarchs who control government, won't allow it. There is no private money to be got from socialist ideologies. There is however, money to be made from privatising the NHS, cutting back on the Welfare state and restricting the creation of affordable social homes so that private landlords can push rents up to the ceiling.

This extremely right wing, Conservative government has inflicted more socially damaging and draconian policies than even Margaret Thatcher ever dreamed she could get away with.

And all in the name of "austerity!" All in the name of saving the country.

It is a political philosophy based upon an outrageous lie, AND a betrayal of the very people they were elected, in good faith, to serve. And one which may very well lead to the break up of this United Kingdom. If it does, the rich and the greedy have only themselves to blame.