Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/626/9585
From The Socialist newspaper, 26 May 2010
Fast News
Public servants
A GOVERNMENT for the rich, of the rich. Nothing new in that of course, but the Cabinet in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition with its 18 millionaires weighs in at least £15 million richer than it was in the previous Labour government.
Topping the cabinet rich list is property developer turned transport secretary, Philip Hammond. His estimated fortune is £7.1 million. PM David Cameron is only sixth wealthiest with £3.4 million and is ranked behind chancellor George Osborne, who while cheerfully cutting low paid workers' jobs and slashing benefit payments to the poor, scrapes by on £4.6 million.
Although the cabinet is dominated by wealthy Tories, Lib Dem members also contribute to the ranks of the cabinet millionaires. The richest is energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne, whose £3 million wealth is based on property deals.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, while shedding crocodile tears over the billions in cuts to services, gets by on £1.8 million. And David Laws, the chief secretary to the Treasury is sitting on £1.3 million thanks to stints as an investment banker at JP Morgan and Barclays.
Deal, no deal
ANOTHER MILLIONAIRE under the spotlight this week is BT's chief executive Ian Livingston. He scooped a £343,000 bonus payment on top of his salary of £808,000 this year. But at the same time as Livingston is stuffing his pockets with cash, ordinary BT workers have been offered an insulting below-inflation pay offer of just 2%. As a result 60,000 CWU union members in BT are balloting on taking industrial action to secure a living wage.
Meanwhile, a survey reveals that 97% of UK companies will offer below inflation pay rises to their workers, while 16% of workers face a pay freeze - some for a second year running.
It's too late
THE INVASION of Iraq in 2003 by US and UK armies and the subsequent occupation of that country, has proved to be an absolute disaster for the people of Iraq and, to a lesser extent, for people in Britain.
However, it has taken seven bloody years and being booted out of government for Labour Party leadership contender Ed Miliband to admit the conflict had led to a "catastrophic loss of trust" in his party and fellow contender Ed Balls to call the war "a mistake". On that time delay we will have to wait until the end of this century for the Labour leaders to question capitalism.
Driller killer
AS THE BP oil spill disaster continues to devastate vast areas of the Gulf of Mexico another energy giant is threatening the environment with a planned deepwater drilling operation off Alaska's coast. This time it's Shell oil - whose gas flare-offs in Nigeria have wrecked people's health and the local environment over many decades. The flare-offs have also significantly contributed to greenhouse gas emissions and thereby to global warming and climate change.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 26 May 2010:
Millionaire ministers butcher public services
Con-Dem cuts - 'only the beginning'
National Shop Stewards Network
National Shop Stewards Network conference: Time to organise against con/dem attacks
Socialist Party news and analysis
NHS cuts: The Con-Dem sting in the tail
Sri Lanka: One year after the war
Socialist Party national committee discusses building the fightback
Socialist Party workplace news
PCS conference: Preparing for action
Local government: Where's our pay award for 2010?
Youth
Young people: organise to fight the cuts
Socialist Party National Youth meeting
Students must pay, say the rich
Pamphlet: Our Education Under Attack: why a mass campaign is needed
Socialist Party feature
London 2012 Olympics: A big business spectacle
International socialist news and analysis
Greece: 2,500 hear Socialist MEP Joe Higgins declare week of action
Romania: Mass protests against EU/IMF deal
Puerto Rico: Students and workers fight austerity cuts
Education
Education under attack: Con-Dem government prepares for battle
Unions must defend public services
Tory government says rich must pay less
Comment
Diane Abbott and the Labour Party leadership battle
Home | The Socialist 26 May 2010 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
