“Labour has the opportunity to ensure that the wealth hoarded by those at the top of the income scale is fairly and progressively taxed with the income raised, redistributed.”
By Matt Wrack, General Secretary, Fire Brigades Union
It might not feel like it for millions of our fellow working class citizens but the UK is a wealthy country, indeed it is the sixth biggest economy on the planet. Despite this it feels like a failing state.
Our once proud public services are reeling from fourteen years of Tory driven austerity; poverty rates are rising, there is a housing crisis, a social care crisis, the NHS has a huge patient backlog, councils teeter on the brink of bankruptcy, our rivers are polluted and the Fire and Rescue Service is in need of major investment to meet the new risks of the 21st century.
These are the conditions that are stoking division in our communities and these are the issues Rachel Reeves must address in tomorrow’s budget.
Labour has the opportunity to ensure that the wealth hoarded by those at the top of the income scale is fairly and progressively taxed with the income raised, redistributed.
The Labour Party came into existence to represent working class interests in Parliament and that is what it must do tomorrow.
The Chancellor should ignore the bleating voices from the usual suspects channeling their prejudices and self interest through the right wing media and instead concentrate on delivering an increase in living standards for those who go out to sell their labour every day, whilst ensuring the social security safety net that exists to help us all in our time of need, is strengthened.
Labour should always look after the most vulnerable in society so Rachel Reeves should begin by reinstating the Winter Fuel Allowance for the country’s pensioners and end the pernicious two child cap that entrenches child poverty.
She must end austerity and invest in our essential public services.
For the Fire and Rescue Service this means restoring central government funding so that fire service employers can deliver a negotiated pay settlement that builds on the agreements of the last three years, an end to job cuts, real investment in the fire service estate and implementation of recommendations of the Decon research. And it means investment in the housing, health service, schools and services FBU members and their families rely on.
The Labour Government has not had the best of starts. Yes, it has done some good things such as the introduction of the legislation that will deliver the ‘New Deal for Working People’ but it has also made some dreadful mistakes such as the Winter fuel allowance, the freebies scandal and Sue Gray debacle. The budget is an opportunity to get back on track by making decisions that will make the lives of millions of people better, they better not blow it or they will pay a very heavy price.
- Matt Wrack is the General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union. You can follow him on Twitter/X, and can follow the FBU on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.
