Them & Us


Seasons’ greetings

Christmas, we’re told, is a time for giving and for families. And it appears to be Christmas all year for MPs’ spouses and relatives who were paid a total £3.7 million from the public purse as office staff last year!


Pay cut

It’s not only low paid workers being hit by another year’s pay freeze ie cut, spare a thought for the chief executive of Easy Jet, Carolyn McCall. She only pocketed £7.7 million in pay and bonuses this year, down from £7.8 million in 2013.


Wealth gap growing

Income inequality in the OECD countries (including Britain and the USA) is at its highest level for 50 years. The average income of the richest 10% of the population is about nine times that of the poorest 10%, up from seven times 25 years ago.

The widening wealth gap between rich and poor is not only a social blight but, as the OECD report concludes, is actually restricting economic development.


Ukip’s hard shoulder

If readers believe that road congestion is due to poor public transport and the anarchy of capitalism, then think again. Ukip’s leader Nigel Farage has excelled himself in spouting xenophobic nonsense by blaming M4 motorway traffic delays on uncontrolled migration.

Next, a Ukip representative will be blaming the floods earlier this year on same sex marriage legislation – hang on, they did!


Don’t breathe deep

With an estimated 29,000 deaths in the UK due to air pollution (mainly from motor vehicle emissions) and the government continuing to break air quality laws, the best solution establishment MPs can come up with is to suggest siting new hospitals and schools away from major roads.

Capitalist politicians, slavishly obedient to vehicle manufacturers, seem to be missing the point ie reducing road traffic through an integrated, affordable public transport system and developing clean energy propulsion.


Cookery lesson

The launch of a Church of England-funded report into the rising use of food banks went off-message when panelist Tory Lady Jenkin blamed poor people for lacking cooking skills and poor food management.

In fact, the report blamed benefit delays and government cuts, coupled with low wages and rising living costs for the majority of families going hungry.


Wigged out

Judges, out of touch?… bigoted?… In the case of £165,000 a year judge Terence Richard Peter Hollingworth, well yes!

His ‘honour’, referring to crime victim and law student Deepa Patel, said: “With a name like Patel, and her ethnic background, she won’t be working anywhere important.”

Hollingworth resigned as deputy district judge when the Crown Prosecution made an official complaint. But incredibly he remains a top immigration judge.