Support for Tories is detached from reality
JMB Hinckley (“What government’s critics seem to forget”, Mailbox, March 23) struggles to “find the downside” of several things the Conservatives have done during the last few years.
Here are a few suggestions: A falling rate of inflation is not a good thing when the Tories themselves created that inflation. They did Brexit, they split Europe, they ushered Putin into Ukraine with all the inflationary impacts this had. They caused labour shortages through Brexit which are still manifest in rabid food price inflation.
A falling interest rate (this has not yet happened) is not a good thing when the Tories themselves racked up rates with their incompetent (Truss) budget.
A “falling” (it isn’t falling) rate of illegal immigration is nothing to be celebrated when the problem of “illegal immigration” (whatever this is?) was created by the Tories. They did Brexit, they broke our ability to deal with the issue at source – within Europe and the boats are still coming.
Pensions going up is hardly something to be celebrated. All the Tories are doing is taking money from hard-working people and giving it to people who do no work.
“Support” during Covid is not to be celebrated. Unless you are a Tory MP or a company who is mates of a Tory MP.
The rest of the economy is left largely with significant business loans which could easily be written off with progressive system of taxation.
JMB says we can look forward to investment in Leicester’s hospitals. Very much like the Tories promised us 40 new hospitals, none of which have been constructed.
The problem with letters from Tory supporters like that of JMB’s is that they are detached from reality.
JMB suggests that Labour will “wreck the economy”. There is no evidence for this; moreover, Labour historically have proven far more competent. The historic macro-economic data proves this time and time again.
No, JMB’s views are bunk. The Tories have tripled the National Debt, given us the biggest fall in living standards since Napoleon, the highest tax burden in history, some of the highest real interest rates ever, record levels of inequality and child poverty, a collapsing NHS, a huge shortage of affordable housing, failing infrastructure, collapsing local authorities and a wrecked education system.
On top of this we have had a collapse in the political system with five Prime Ministers (and possibly shortly Sunak as a sixth), the rise of the right and the further dissolution of the United Kingdom as Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales seek to distance themselves from the English who promoted Brexit.
JMB should do some research and fact finding.
Dr Andrew Golland, Leicester