You know that game called Consequences, where names, what they said, and what happened next are compiled into random stories mostly to comical effect. Recently I discovered there is a similar game called Mad Libs, in which names and comments are also added randomly to a story with typically unrelated actions and consequences.
Politically, it reminds me of the coalition government, partly because the Liberal Democrats inclusion was so random in electoral terms. And so many of the Government’s actions are unrelated to either Party’s manifesto. But also because of the way in which many Liberal Democrats – not least, Cornwall Councillors – would so much rather behave as though the consequences of their Government’s actions are nothing to do with them.
Unfortunately the consequences of their actions are all too predictable in hurting most the people – and places – who can least afford it.
It doesn’t take independent research to show in Cornwall that people with least are being hit hardest by Tory and Liberal Democrat cuts (although that is what it says); it can already be seen amongst other things in the growing demands on local food banks.
This month, cuts to housing benefit come into effect. It is clear that in Cornwall this will particularly affect people below the age of 35 in self-contained accommodation, who will lose housing benefit. Nationally, there are fears that housing benefit cuts will lead people without work to move to places with cheaper rents, less buoyant economies and fewer available jobs. In Cornwall as elsewhere, Shelter predict cuts to housing benefit will increase homelessness.
In Cornwall, Labour and European investment had positive impacts – Cornwall’s economy grew ahead of the UK and SW average, and unemployment fell including a 90 per cent fall in youth unemployment. Cornwall was the only UK region to receive EU convergence funding because our economic output was lower; much was made of previous increases in Cornwall’s Gross Value Added (GVA). But the latest GVA figures (from 2009) show Cornwall’s recovery stalling as our economy began lagging further behind in the bottom five. (Even though in 2009, with Labour in government, the UK economy had started to climb out of recession, and unemployment here currently remains below the UK average.)
Investment and jobs growth, as well as the minimum wage, made a difference for many workers in Cornwall. But latest figures show local wages, which had started to rise, are about 80 per cent of the UK average. Reduced hours and Government pay freezes affect many people working in Cornwall. And as people have less to spend, businesses are feeling the pinch too. Business leaders and Trades Unions in Cornwall are united in their opposition to proposed regionalisation of public sector pay.
Cornwall needs a strategy for economic growth and jobs, which the Tories and Liberal Democrats are failing to construct.
