There has been UK Labour market news published this morning. The following are worth noting:
- Regular real pay remains below its pre-crash levels. This lost decade for living standards is unprecedented since the Industrial Revolution.
- Unemployment has fallen slightly but the quality of work has declined hugely since 2010. The majority of people in poverty are in working households. (IFS)
- Today's earnings figures do not include self-employed people, half of whom (1.85m workers) earn less than the minimum wage. (TUC)
- 3.7m workers are in insecure work (notably zero hours contracts, self-employment below minimum wage, casual work and agency work).
- A quarter of all workers have trouble meeting their basic living costs because of income volatility (RSA, up from a fifth in 2017).
- 36% of all workers would struggle to deal with an unexpected bill of £100. (RSA)
- The growth in employment since the financial crisis is in large part the result of second earners in low income households entering the labour force to make up for the decline in household income, as primary earners' wages and benefits have declined. (“Feel poor, work more”, Resolution Foundation)
- A prolonged lack of investment and decline in worker bargaining power (including declining membership of trade unions) have contributed to the UK's poor labour market performance.
- UK productivity growth has flatlined since 2008 because of low investment and workforce skills. Without significant investment in workers and education, the UK will continue to underperform.
If you think a decade of Tory rule has not helped working people you would be right.
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Yet millions still vote for them. “My mind is made up; don’t confuse me with the facts.” Just goes to prove the power of propaganda. And still 4 more weeks to go. Conservative & Brexit Party HQs will be pumping out press releases that Goebbels would’ve been proud of.
A depressing conclusion from Stephen Bush in this this morning’s NS, confirming my own prediction of a few weeks back: ‘If he (Johnson) can maintain his strong position in the Conservative-Labour battleground, a parliamentary majority awaits him.’ (https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2019/11/nigel-farage-has-given-boris-johnson-reason-celebrate).
Depressing, innit?
Yes
Their voters are an army of pensioners numbering 4m-5m who are no longer part of the labour force and are removed from the housing market and education. That number is supplemented by 2.5m landlords and their dependants plus high earners and the non pensioner ranks of British nationalists and social conservatives ( a large proportion of whom are current and ex armed forces plus their families).
There is no point trying to reason with these people about the economy because they are either removed from it, doing very well from it or have other strong ideological connections to the Tory party.
Labour cannot reach these people. The only way to victory is via the young and non voters.
Here’s some ‘lighthearted relief’
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1194320833977733123
Boris Johnson
â€@BorisJohnson
I’ve answered a few questions about Brexit, the economy and Marmite.
Watch our first election broadcast now.
That’s relief?
I would strongly advise people not to read stuff like this.
There is a long way to go yet.
You cannot argue with angry, repressed and austerity abused people who have been led astray as many of us have been.
I’m afraid time will be the revelator on this one. Once BREXIT has been done who else will there to be blamed?
Steel yourselves folks.
Indeed; once the oven ready turkey of Brexit is roasting and we’ve had another few years of Tory govt. it’s going to be hard to find a readily kickable scapegoat for the resulting debacle.
Junker Barlow says:
“Indeed; once the oven ready turkey of Brexit is roasting and we’ve had another few years of Tory govt. it’s going to be hard to find a readily kickable scapegoat for the resulting debacle.”
Fine, but who’s got another five years to waste. ?
The Tory’s claim 2.9 million more workers since 2010 yet official government figures show we have LESS income tax payers than 13 years ago!
https://www.conservatives.com/-/media/CRDJobs-GraphicJune-20171-1.ashx?h=628&la=en&w=1200&hash=65F1266B3179153690308EEE83ABA91887249762
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/812855/Table_2.1.pdf
They say that is because they have helped people by charging fewer to tax
I say that means there are more people earning not a lot