Them & Us


Filthy rich

The Financial Times (12 September) included a supplement called: ‘How to spend it – special men’s style edition’.

Readers of the Socialist will no doubt be rushing to buy the featured items, such as the passport holder at a giveaway £220, or the trilby for a mere £375, or the backpack – a snip at £6,220.

But the look really won’t be complete without the £238,000 titanium watch (take it out of your bonus payment).

Thanks to Dave Gorton

Wales bust

By the time of the next general election many households in Wales will be considerably worse off both financially and in the services they rely on, than today.

According to a report by the Bevan Foundation, poorer families, by 2020, will face a £40 a week drop in income, with fewer low-skilled jobs available. To add to the gloom it goes on to predict higher rates of cancer and diabetes, a 60,000 shortfall in new homes, a risk of electricity blackouts and water shortages, and a £1 billion cut in spending on services.

All this will come under the combined stewardship of a Tory central government and, to date, a Labour-run Wales Assembly.

Housing sell-off

Despite a desperate shortage of affordable housing, council homes continue to be sold off under the Tories’ right-to-buy legislation. Many end up in the hands of private landlords.

These valuable properties are being sold off based on valuations years out of date. According to the Guardian, councils have disposed of 130,000 council homes over the last decade at discounts of up to 70% on their market values – costing the public purse a staggering £4 billion.

Reach for the sky

According to the Office for National Statistics London house prices over the summer reached a new record average of £525,000 – up £12,000 in July alone.

Bristol: Hands off our NHS protest

Over 100 people came out on a lunchtime protest in Bristol against the £28 million privatisation of NHS Children’s Community services. Speakers attacked the profiteering by companies bidding for the contract, including multi millionaire Branson’s Virgin Care.

Following a march, we occupied the foyer of the Community Health Partnerships chanting “Whose NHS? Our NHS!” A petition of over 6,500 was handed in calling for mental health services, school nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other services to remain in the NHS.

Mike Luff