Philip Hammond was not, as accused, “boasting” that he doesn’t have the same money troubles as the younger generation. Even if these comments did unfortunately coincide with a nurses’ march about low pay, Hammond, worth a reputed eight million, wasn’t “boasting”, but being unusually open about not having the slightest clue about the difficulties facing ordinary people.
During the address to the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Hammond, it’s reported, was trying to empathise with the problems facing young people. “Look at us, no mortgage, everybody with a pension and never had more money in the current account,” he said, according to a Tory MP present. (Big warning here – there are plenty of Tory MPs eager to dish on Hammond.) He then asked colleagues to submit helpful ideas. Whether this sudden interest in youth was out of the goodness of Hammond’s heart or in response to the last election, where student-aged voters seemed more likely to commit hara-kiri during rag week than vote Tory, must remain an eternal mystery.
Still, who’s “us”? The disturbing thought occurs that Hammond is basing his assessment of all older Britons on a roomful of Tories. That, in his mind, being young has morphed from being one reason why somebody might face financial pressure to the only reason. Because all older people, just like him and his Tory mates, have paid off mortgages, got great pensions and several million in the bank. Which sounds perfectly splendid, though, sadly, completely untrue.
Here’s yet another telling indicator that Hammond et al are not “the voice of middle England” or “just like you and me”. The only people that high-ranking Tories are similar to are… well, each other, which may go some way to explaining their unfathomable callousness towards people less fortunate.
