X : Won't brexit harm the poor?
Me : We live in a society where the CEO of a company that exploits the weakest earns £200M+ p.a. whilst people providing essential services (e.g. nurses) use food banks. The status quo already hurts the poorest and it won't stop by itself ...
Me : We live in a society where the CEO of a company that exploits the weakest earns £200M+ p.a. whilst people providing essential services (e.g. nurses) use food banks. The status quo already hurts the poorest and it won't stop by itself ...
... if you want me to support remain, I need something that matters as much as democracy i.e. fairness. A "remain" campaign involving a £300 bn+ wealth fund focused on alleviating poverty raised through one off wealth taxes (e.g. 15% on property over £1M, 10% on share capital)
I am utterly opposed to the idea of we just go back to the status quo because that fundamentally means we return to ignoring those left behind, the least well off in society again. It's also why I want the House of Lords to be replaced with a system almost entirely of sortition.
For me, brexit is not only an opportunity to reclaim democratic control from what is basically a neoliberal machine, it also provides an opportunity to rebalance society. The existing system is broken and has been broken for a long time.
X : People won't support a wealth tax on property over £1M.
Me : There are only 600k homes worth over £1M. They do not represent the majority, they represent the privileged minority. They would cope with a 15% wealth tax especially as most would be beneficiaries of remaining.
Me : There are only 600k homes worth over £1M. They do not represent the majority, they represent the privileged minority. They would cope with a 15% wealth tax especially as most would be beneficiaries of remaining.
X : But that would be unfair on ...
Me : Stop. Life is unfair. We do not live in a meritocracy. Those who have shouldered the burden of recent years have been the least able despite decades of being ignored. The affluent will cope and as we all know ... money trickles up.
Me : Stop. Life is unfair. We do not live in a meritocracy. Those who have shouldered the burden of recent years have been the least able despite decades of being ignored. The affluent will cope and as we all know ... money trickles up.
X : But the Tories won't ever ...
Me : Stop. The Tories will continue to do what they've always done. Many have good intentions but shy away from such state intervention on redistribution. You'll need someone like Corbyn who is willing to do what is right regardless.
Me : Stop. The Tories will continue to do what they've always done. Many have good intentions but shy away from such state intervention on redistribution. You'll need someone like Corbyn who is willing to do what is right regardless.
X : But the EC protects workers rights etc.
Me : Oh, don't get me started on the EC and efforts to improve workers rights e.g. paying a decent wage in government contracts vs "not to go beyond the mandatory requirements" - www2.gov.scot/Resource/0045/… ...
Me : Oh, don't get me started on the EC and efforts to improve workers rights e.g. paying a decent wage in government contracts vs "not to go beyond the mandatory requirements" - www2.gov.scot/Resource/0045/… ...
For me, the EC (and an unelected commissioner) telling the Scot Gov (and an elected representative) that it couldn't increase the wages for workers in a Gov contract above the "mandatory requirements" is ... well, just a long list ...
e.g. on privacy / whistleblowers - corporateeurope.org/pressreleases/… ... it's always a good idea to get into how the EC actually works i.e. it initiates law and controls the schedule. Oh, and the recent whistleblowers protection limiting rights to report to the police ... lol.
By the time the EC has finished with the combination of its so called "whistleblower protection" and its trade secrets directive then in the future there will be no Panama Paper scandals in the EU ... well, none that you'll be able to report about.
