In last week's Review you printed a letter by Gerald Morgan (English Parliamentary Party) asking in light of the new (un)employment figures showing the number of British employed declining while the number of foreign workers employed (in the UK) increasing), why British politicians hate the British so much. It is not that our political leaders 'hate the British' it is for the last 30 years governments of both sides have pursued a neo-liberal agenda that is now falling apart at the seems – and throwing into sharp contrast inequities that in the boom years went unnoticed.
Neo-liberalism, introduced by Thatcher and continued by New Labour has seen the dismantling of British manufacturing, mass immigration and the rampant deregulation of markets and financial institutions.
This is not a nationalist issue and the problem is not foreign workers – the problem is a system that prioritises profit over everything else. Foreign workers aren't prioritised over British workers because they are foreign – they get the jobs because they are willing to work for less money – increasing the profit margin. Neo-liberalism holds that because this leads to a growth in the economy it is good for everyone. (The famous 'trickle down theory' and an absolute falsity – basic wages have not gone up in real terms since 1979, though the gap between rich and poor has continued to increase.) In reality what happens is a rapid race to the bottom where any pay increases or gains made by UK workers are quickly eradicated by people willing to work longer for less money in worse conditions – whether that be in Britain or elsewhere.
The relentless march of globalisation (which has been of relative benefit to Britain but which has done a lot to keep 'third world' countries poor) means that this is only of temporary benefit to new workers who sooner or later will have to compete with even poorer people willing to live and work in even worse conditions and before you know it we really are back in 'Hard Times'. Good for the owners of industry but bad for the rest of us.
I would rather a system and a political class who were unwilling and unhappy to see the exploitation of anyone, British or foreign. And it is in this internationalist, humanitarian spirit that 'The Monmouth Left' is organising an event on April 17 at Monmouth Rugby Club where a variety of speakers will analyse the financial crisis and attempt to find solutions.
Following the speeches there will be a performance by the political poet and songwriter Attila The Stockbroker. For anyone interested in attending please contact me at [email protected]">[email protected] – all welcome. – Tyler Chinnick.