Paper 2, Section B – Inequalities
Leader of the Labour opposition, Keir Starmer has written an article in the Guardian newspaper today outlining some of his vision for a New Labour government. I have picked out some of the points most salient to the inequality topic:
- “If you work hard, you can achieve whatever you want.” That’s what parents have told their children for generations. It is more than just something we say: it is part of the social contract of our country that people and places are able to realise their potential. It is a matter of pride. It is the reason people the world over dream of making Britain their home. But for the first time in living memory, we are in danger of breaking that promise: young people unable to achieve the dream of home ownership, pensioners stuck on waiting lists for operations, working people paying more but getting less. Everywhere you go, the story is the same. Everywhere you look, things are broken.” Starmer is discussing what he perceives to be the current failure of the Conservative government to secure a meritocratic Britain – NHS waiting list, difficulties of buying a house, lower living standards…
- “Labour will stand on a promise of new powers for towns, cities, regions and nations to reignite our economy, while scrapping unaccountable ones in Westminster, and restoring trust in our politics.” Starmer is promising to decentralise power away from Westminster
- “No longer will taxpayer money be doled out to ministers’ mates or in crony contracts. Sunak’s reaction to losing billions to fraud was to shrug his shoulders. That will change too.” Starmer also promises to end cronyism.
SOCIOLOGY 