In general, I try my best to steer clear of topics which don't involve Scarlets. Recent events however have been so serious that, I feel almost obliged to share my feelings on matters close to me here in Llanelli. In western European standards, we are talking of poverty here, and the situation has been bad for a while. Now however, the cost-of-living crisis means, it's a whole lot worse.
I live near Myrtle house food bank and have been donating to it for several years. What we notice now however, is not just the elderly and those on benefit coming, its a host of others. Its dreadfully worrying to see this, particularly young family's dependant on handouts.
I would like to tell a story of an elderly lady called Joan, living not too far away from me. She struggled one week coming up our street carrying shopping bags, containing nothing but the cheapest tins etc. I offered to carry the bags, she wasn't happy, but I insisted. When I got to her little flat. I was shocked to see no carpet on the floor and very basic furnishings, and very little if any food there. Joan had always worked as a cleaner (sometimes three jobs a day), but chronic arthritis meant she had to give up. At that time, she was on basic universal credit Even before the energy crisis was anywhere near the horizon, this lady told me that she had to make a choice of eating or heating. She wanted no hand-outs, but my wife insisted, that when we made Sunday lunch etc, that we took a plate. She was grateful for that. I felt humble to think that this dignified, hardworking woman, was living like this. Since then, she has had her pension, so things have eased slightly, but not much!
Up and down the country we have tales that mirror this one! Good people, who have worked hard, struggling. Some unsure that they can pay their bills let alone feed their families.
Let's cast our minds back to the architects of our misery, starting with David Cameron, and his mate George Oborne. Both these guys, very wealthy millionaires, with no conception on how it is for ordinary working people to survive, let alone prosper. Of course, these are public schoolboys, like Johnson representing leafy, plush constituencies, alien to places like Llanelli, They introduced that wonderful word "AUSTERITY". This was meant to be tightening our belts collectively and lowering the national debt. Fine i thought, let's all pull together! It didn't work out like that, and instead of sharing the load, our friend George decided to punish those least able to defend themselves, by a benefit squeeze. Would he bring in a mansion tax for the rich. Of course not! People like Joan began to suffer then, and it felt no-one was listening!
We then had Brexit and Theresa May. Pretty soon we realised Brexit wasn't going to work particularly as the Tories had no plan or no intention of a deal with EU. Who gets hurt, when prices rise. People like Joan, who cannot defend themselves!
Then of course, we had Boris, a man who couldn't tell the truth, if it slapped him in the face. Here was a man of such appalling arrogance, but little attention to the detail of governance. He had a grand idea of "levelling up", and appointed Michael Gove to administer it. This was meant to ensure the inward investment came to places in the country which were struggling, particularly in the north. Some felt that this was purely a cynical attempt to hang on to Red Wall seats, previously held by Labour. A survey published the other day of local authorities in these allegedly "Red Wall" seats, showed that that there had been talk, but no real inward investment by the government! So much for "levelling up", leaving the poorest to fend for themselves We all know that lying and partying caught up with our friend Boris. Breaking his own rules during Covid, while the rest of us stayed at home. We all know that he was lucky to get away with just ONE police fine! The most galling thing is that the Tories were quite happy to keep him there, until he obviously became an electoral liability. He was then kicked out.
This of course brings us neatly to the present incumbent of no10. Truss is a woman, who has ticked so many boxes and made Houdini style swivels in her positioning, on so many things, she has been able to climb the greasy Tory pole. Unfortunately, too late, the Tories, and the country find, she is totally and utterly out of her depth, looking like a schoolgirl at a public speaking contest, when asked to address the country on the most serious pressing matters of the day! She and her crazed "kamikaze Kwarteng" former chancellor, cook up a mini budget which puts the whole of British financial stability at risk. Big Tax cuts for the wealthy and a drip down economy. The IMF and even joe Biden, comment on the madness happening at Downing St., regarding borrowing huge amounts of money for tax cuts, pushing up inflation Would tax cuts helped the majority of Llanelli residents, very little. What will affect them however is the higher Morgage rates, higher inflation, now a record (in recent times) of 10%, pushing up food prices and the cost of everyday living. This pushes people like Joan, even nearer the poverty line and they face a real battle to survive this winter.
It's good to hear that pensions will rise in line with inflation, but no such guarantees for those people on benefits, and consequently, many people in Llanelli (and across the country), will struggle. On top of this the new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (loved by so many in the health service after his stint as health secretary) announces that help with energy bills will only now last until next April, not 2 years as was originally planned. The future is so uncertain, for so many people.
It is clear that if the Tories kick out Truss, that will be 4 PM's in 6 years, and three removed. The mandate, they won, partly on the back of Brexit, and partly on the back of Corbyn's unpopularity has evaporated. Senior conservative backbencher Charles Walker described the bullying by Tory whips in the chamber as "inexcusable ", and a "disgrace", as they attempted to force backbench MPs into the division lobbies prior to the vote on fracking and confidence in the government. he also said that "he expects the PM to resign soon, as she is not up for the job"
The key thing now, is that we need an election. Tories, MOST not all (as there are some fair minded, decent MP's who will put country before party) will not want one, as turkeys don't vote for Xma's. We could find slippery Sunak returning or more middle of the road Penny Mordant.
The key issue is this, we cannot wait for another 2yrs or 18 months to see the back of this rabble. I look around Llanelli and see stagnation, I see despair and see suffering. WE OWE IT TO PEOPLE LIKE JOAN, SHE RAISED A FAMILY, WORKED ALL HER LIFE, LIVING DECENTLY, QUIETLY, NOW HER REWARD IS THIS! Community matters, people matter, caring matters. If it doesn't what are we, a group of assorted induvial flung together? I dispute that, even in a town where anonymity is sometimes easy.
We ALL need to stand together boldly now, shoulder to shoulder and speak with one voice for change. Maybe then, we can move a little closer to a better, fairer, more caring society we all deserve and crave!
------------- I stood yer on tanner bank
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