Class, Wealth and Money

This trip always has the added pleasure with the knowledge that I am in Liberal Democrat country - both an M.P. and the County Council. Somerset was also one of the first counties to introduce a comprehensive waste collection system.

Our conversations, with our friends, always range far and wide and after the usual catch-up of family matters the subject often becomes a little more political. A somewhat heated discussion developed from 'Did you see that John Prescott programme on the class system?'

For me the programme sadly demonstrated that if John Prescott is typical of many M.P.s, they are not in touch with the electorate. John's life experiences included being a waiter on a cruise ship with the opportunity to meet the then prime minister, attending university as a mature student and representing a northern constituency. All of these should have given him a wide experience of the class system as it operates. It should also have brought home to him that it is not necessary to be born into the upper classes to succeed in life.

What the programme did demonstrate is that there is, still, more privilege and opportunity afforded to those born into those classes. However with some brains and the opportunity to use them John Prescott himself demonstrates that it is possible to have an influence on the lives of others.

Sadly it is that great evil money which causes the greatest divide. Those with the most are able to live life as they please while those without, struggle in the most basic of ways whether to heat their homes or put food on the table.

As I write this there is debate over whether the Chancellor's proposals in his pre budget report will succeed in redistributing wealth sufficiently to prevent this country slipping deeper into recession. As ever, no mention is made of the damage which was done by the Thatcher government, much of it being the source of today's problems and still the Conservative opposition does not come up with firm alternatives, merely saying the proposals on the table will not work.

The Chancellor has still not set out sufficient measures to put more money in the pockets of those on lower incomes.

The Liberal Democrats know for certain that the proposal to tax higher earners at a higher rate is neither a vote winner nor will it be an economic success. Put simply those with more money and thus able to employ canny accountants will find ways of not paying the tax.