The conservative government

So, we have a new government and this government has inspired me to start blogging. That is one positive thing right?

Today I read how Cameron has dished up the UK government's portfolio of country houses among his new ministers. And it made me feel sick. Our leaders really have no clue about what life is really like. These 'cuts' will not affect them. Yeah, a 5% pay cut for ministers... most of whom are squatting on their inherited fortunes amassed by exploitation by their prestigious families. They don't use the public services. Their jobs will not be cut. Cameron promises to cut the number of MPs in Parliament... will he really?

They have put aside £6bn to use for redundancy in the NHS. No cuts to the NHS then Cameron?

It makes me sick to think of some people losing their jobs whilst the cabinet ponce around their state funded stately homes at the weekends. Oh, I know its nice to do such things, but how many of us can actually afford to do such things? Sell off the stately homes and keep people in their jobs.

Another thing that erks me somewhat, is this cutting child benefit for 'middle classes'. Child benefit is a universal benefit paid directly to the mother in each family. This universal payment means that the payment is not stigmatised, and it also contributes in a small way to redress the gender inequality in our welfare system ( / society). I reluctantly agree to a trial in removing the benefit for households over a certain income. However, I think it needs to be done very carefully. How about households earning over 30,000 per child in household? Not some arbitary cut off point- and if an arbitary cut off point then at least make it quite high.

Has anyone checked to see the costs of bringing up a child in our ragingly capitalist consumerist society? Healthy food, exercise...? Extra tuition costs? Posh baby clothes all that is available? Nursery fees (which the government will raise and proliferate) And that is just for those who can afford to be picky in how they bring up their children.

Not to mention the administrative costs of enforcing a threshold. More forms to be filled out to 'claim' for child benefit? Accidental overpayments (mistakes of government) to be paid back (at expense of child and family). Staff, forms, helplines, computer systems... £££. And less money actually spent on child welfare.

So, I wait with bated breath about this threshold.

Now, I don't even want to get started on the gender/ethnic inequalities in cabinet.

I will move swiftly along to a final thought about the budget deficit. Countries have them you know. Shit happens. So what is the big deal? Well, I believe that the government are pushing through this cutting the deficit as a mask for their own neoliberal agenda. They keep scaremongering about the deficit and how we need to pay it all off now. It makes no sense. And it isn't the only option! We certainly don't need to pay it all back in 5 years.

Conservative governments like CUTS and they ideologically oppose government spending on public services. They would have wanted to cut these anyway. However, they now have an excuse- a huge deficit! Why can't they just be honest admit that they are doing this for ideological reasons. Economics is not a straight forward science, it is value-laden, and I wish politicians and the media would be transparent about this.

They are pushing through cuts on the back of ideology and using the deficit as an excuse.

Well, I feel better now.