Would You Believe It

If you saw a film in which a moderately prosperous country continually voted for politicians who made glowing promises that were never fulfilled, and claimed that they had done many things – social improvements, raising living standards, making people better off, whereas, in fact, they had not made anything better, would you believe it? Or would you think, ‘After one round of broken promises and false claims, they’re going to lose all trust in the politicians. They will have seen the gap between words and reality, and recognised dishonesty.’ It wouldn’t make a credible film.

And yet, that is exactly what is happening in twenty-first century Britain.

Every Conservative government since 2010 made wonderful promises and claimed great achievements – paying off a “massive” debt, caused by “wild spending,” bringing prosperity, ending “burning injustices,” and making Britain prosperous and a major figure on the world stage by leaving the European Union. The truth is rather different; there was no “massive” debt, there was no growth in affluence, nothing happened to the “burning injustices,” and post-Brexit Britain was so mired in paperwork that some companies simply gave up on international trade.

The Child Poverty Action Group says that child benefit has fallen by almost a third since 2010. Half a million pensioners may be forced into fuel poverty this winter as energy bills jump again. (Ben Chapman. The Independent. May 26 2022.).

Poor families are missing meals and cannot afford heating, with the result that children are suffering health and nutrition problems which may cause long term harm. In addition, the rising cost of living might push another 400,000 children into food poverty.

There has been so much dishonesty, rule breaking and non-traditional Tory policy that the very identity of the Conservative party is in doubt. The United Kingdom is in danger of breaking up, the NHS has declared emergencies on an almost monthly basis, 6 million people are waiting for treatment, and the British economy is on the verge of collapse. The Brexit negotiations were so awkwardly managed that Britain’s relationship with the European Union is at an all-time low, and the EU may not trust the UK’s politicians for years to come. And still people are voting for them.

It must be admitted that the Conservative party is the maestro of persuasive presentation, with Boris Johnson the dazzling emitter of amiability and trustworthiness such that voters automatically trust him. In addition, there are newspapers that print a flattering version of whatever the Prime Minister may say, or what he or she has said, or is planning.

In addition, Boris has dropped a whole series of ‘dead cats,’ including the privatisation of Channel 4, regular criticism of the negotiated Brexit agreement with the EU, and, as Keir Starmer has pointed out, the merger of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development.

Starmer labelled this pointless exercise as 'pure distraction.' Boris had promised levelling up for months, with nothing of any importance actually happening. Then, suddenly, Nadine Dorries called for a review of the BBC licence fee, calling it a regressive tax. And privatisation of Channel 4 was announced. Whether either of these plans will ever come to fruition is another matter. it is doubtful that either of them have a significant degree of support from either the public or from parliament. But that is not the point. It is probable that their main function is to distract voters from Boris’s latest blunder.

But… 70% of those polled said the best word to describe Boris was “liar.” Many have been enraged by the many parties carried on in 10 Downing St, well ordinary people have been unable to attend the funerals of those closest to them. perhaps the tide is turning and voters are beginning to see the extent to which they have been deceived.