Sunday 6 November 2011

Politics of Ignorance!

Whilst catching up on new developments at the Occupy London Protest, I was deeply saddened to view a comment left by another reader. They stated “I'm not a fan of bankers. My pension schemes have suffered by them. However as far as the protesters go I'm hearing the same old envy based politics which has been proved to be unworkable”.

Envy based Politics, what an insulting, ignorant statement, and why exactly we have reached this crisis.  I despair when I read this drivel,  I can only assume that they live very insular, blinkered lives.  So then a few, shameful statistics for the ignorant.

The top five Bankers with Barclays Bank shared a total bonus pot of £34.85m.  This did not include their own Salaries, with the top earner receiving £730,000 per annum.

Several of Central Governments top Civil Servant’s earn between £227,500 and £288,700 per annum with approximately 500 individuals from within the same Government Departments earning well over £100,000 per annum. 

In 2010 there had been 619,000 millionaires in the UK, which will reach 826,000 by 2020. 

A single person on Income Support will receive £65.00 per week, roughly £3,120 per year, before anyone has a go, yes they do receive help with housing costs, much of the time this does not cover the full cost of their rent, the shortfall being met from their own Benefits.  There is no low cost Electricity, Gas or Food for those on benefits and low incomes, contrary to popular belief.

Don't forget anyone can claim for extra help through the Benefits and Tax Credit system if you fulfil the criteria.  A single person with a child receiving Income Support can claim Child Tax Credit, if you have a child and earn £40,000 per year you also can also claim Child Tax Credit.

In 2009/10, the percentage of the population living in relative poverty stood at 17.1% (before housing costs) and 22.2% (after housing costs)

In 2009/10, 16% of children (2.0 million) were living in UK households in low income and material deprivation.

In 2009/10, 5% of children (0.7 million) were living in UK households in severe low income and material deprivation.

This list could go on and on.

So for those caught in the poverty trap with little or no prospects of earning anything like the figures previously mentioned, the future is very bleak indeed, forget the misguided notion of the Politics of Envy, for those trapped, there exists only the Politics of Deprivation, Exclusion and Struggle.

I don't think I have to say anymore, we are all welcome to our own opinions, as for those who buy into the notion of the Politics of Envy, at least have the decency, if only for the children living every day in these conditions, of trying, on some humane level to understand why people are taking to the streets.   

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