Government is burying its head

Sir, – It has long been a failing of many politicians that they cannot admit a mistake.

When faced with overwhelming evidence that indicates that a policy is not working they persist in their course of action.

Some are a little more honest and say it is not working but we are going to do it anyway.

Over the past month we have a series of reports on research that reinforces what some of us have known for a long time.

The press has reported that bodies as diverse as the UN, Shelter, Police Scotland, the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have pointed out that the Tory Government’s policy of Universal Credit is not working.

These reports collectively conclude that the introduction of Universal Credit has made poor people even poorer, contributed to an increase in the number of burglaries, increased homelessness and increased inequality.

The Tory response to all these reports is, at best, to ignore them or to try to discredit them.

For instance, the UN report concluded that levels of child poverty in one of the richest countries in the world is “not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster”.

Asked to respond, a spokesperson for, Theresa May is reported as saying “we strongly disagree with the analysis”.

Faced with such overwhelmingly consistent evidence from such a variety of sources the Tories shrug their shoulders and carry on making life a lot worse for the poorest in our society.

I think the majority of us feel that this government lives in a bubble that allows them to ignore the reality that faces the rest of us.

This attitude of why let evidence overcome a good prejudice is no way to govern the country.

This arrogance that “we know best” (despite evidence to the contrary), leads eventually to bad decisions made not in the interests of the many but rather for the few.

The quicker we get rid of this arrogant and blind Tory Government the better we will all be. Brian Batson.

7 Lour Road, Forfar.