The Government’s fresh package of measures to suppress the virus contains the fatal flaw that people suddenly losing their incomes are not fairly compensated.
Reasonable people accept sacrifices must be made to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
But in the tension between lives and
livelihoods, there will be those forced to gamble with their health to pay their bills.
To give Britain a chance of bouncing back when this nightmare is over, we must put parts of the economy into hibernation, not kill them.
And that requires decent support.
Instead, this parsimonious Tory Government expects workers currently on the £8.72 minimum wage to survive on a third less.
Letting unemployment rip, incomes plummet and otherwise viable businesses go to the wall isn’t just incompetence.
It is political and economic criminality.
Hear hear, Keir
Keir Starmer is on the money in condemning inflation-busting pay rises for MPs during the coronavirus crisis.
The Labour leader has blasted potential 4.1% increases of £3,300 to £85,000 a year.
His party should fight in Parliament to block the raise, or at least sign up every MP to donate the extra money to local good causes.
This isn’t about asking MPs to live on the breadline up or whip up hostility to politicians.
This is about recognising that 2020 and 2021 are completely unlike other years.
MPs can’t hide behind a formula triggering a fat pay rise for themselves when millions are enduring cuts in earnings and losing jobs.
Starmer has taken a lead on this issue in the public interest. Let’s demand that the 649 other MPs do the right thing and support him.
Hamburglars
Nicking chips from a fellow diner’s plate has been revealed as the second most rude thing you can do over dinner.
The worst faux pas you can make, a survey found, is take a bite of someone else’s burger.
So be warned. You’ll be told to burger off.
