Liam Fox made a bid for fame recently, arguing that the only way forward for the country was deeper cuts and making it easier for employers to fire people.
What is becoming clear is that the con-dem government is in a sorry mess.
It is time that Nick Clegg apologised.
It is also time that we had an opportunity to pass electoral judgement on the posh folk we put in charge.
There is almost no agreement from economists, the commentariat or the opposition that austerity is the way forward.
The economy has continued to shrink and has slipped into recession.
Some years ago I had a meeting with an Architect to discuss work that needed doing on the church of which I was vicar.
Inevitably the conversation turned on how things were generally.
He told me that he did very little design work now because as his business had expanded and he had taken on more staff his role had changed and he spent his time ensuring that the work came in steadily because as he explained, he was now responsible for twenty mortgages being paid.
I saw him as a socially responsible employer.
Shame on Liam Fox for his right wing views which surely by now have been so discredited that they have no place in public discourse?
In France the remarkable resurgence of the socialist candidate is a strong indication that, at least in Europe, people are beginning to respond to the austerity programme adopted across the eurozone and to reject it as a way forward.
Time will tell whether here in the UK a similar sense will emerge that we are on the wrong path, socially and economically.
Despite the protests to the contrary there can be no serious justification made for the massive bonuses paid, either to CEO's or to Bankers.
It is a simple matter of plain fact that nobody needs £17.7 Million as an annual salary when, as an example, a young couple can raise a family of four on less that £25,000 a year or a pensioner couple live out the latter days of their life on an income in the teens of thousands.
Concern for the poor lies a the heart of the major faiths.
It is always God's preference that the poor should be treated with fairness and justice.
In Roman Catholic theology the preferential option for the poor is a key yardstick for measuring the justice inherent in any society.
In the Jewish tradition and in Islam there is an option for the poor at the heart of society which the community is constantly called to respect and honour.
An annual salary measured in the teens of millions is an offence not only in the sight of God but it makes no actual sense at all economically, socially or politically.
As a new report published by the Church of Scotland observes, 'some in our society are making huge financial gains whilst for too many this winter the stark choice is whether to heat or eat as they cannot afford to do both every day'.
This is of course considered careful language, for many people such language is no longer appropriate in the face of the scandalous disregard that some show toward the poor and the indifference with which they happily scoop up rewards out of all proportion to the effort they make.
Millions of pounds for advice and consulting and directorships that involve a couple of meetings a year.
The Prime Minister continues to protest that there is no alternative and that the policies he is pursuing are right and that he is the best person to lead the country.
Meanwhile the welfare budget will be raided again, many of the announced cuts are yet to take effect and whilst it seems daft to announce a drought in the middle of the wettest April it is not daft to demand an end to punitive measures which penalise the poor when the wealthy have so many ways of sidestepping their obligations.
If Liam Fox has his way it may become easier for employers to dismiss employees without much thought or consequence but by the same token we could demand that people should be able to dismiss governments as governments can dismiss delinquent cabinet ministers ......
What is becoming clear is that the con-dem government is in a sorry mess.
It is time that Nick Clegg apologised.
It is also time that we had an opportunity to pass electoral judgement on the posh folk we put in charge.
There is almost no agreement from economists, the commentariat or the opposition that austerity is the way forward.
The economy has continued to shrink and has slipped into recession.
Some years ago I had a meeting with an Architect to discuss work that needed doing on the church of which I was vicar.
Inevitably the conversation turned on how things were generally.
He told me that he did very little design work now because as his business had expanded and he had taken on more staff his role had changed and he spent his time ensuring that the work came in steadily because as he explained, he was now responsible for twenty mortgages being paid.
I saw him as a socially responsible employer.
Shame on Liam Fox for his right wing views which surely by now have been so discredited that they have no place in public discourse?
In France the remarkable resurgence of the socialist candidate is a strong indication that, at least in Europe, people are beginning to respond to the austerity programme adopted across the eurozone and to reject it as a way forward.
Time will tell whether here in the UK a similar sense will emerge that we are on the wrong path, socially and economically.
Despite the protests to the contrary there can be no serious justification made for the massive bonuses paid, either to CEO's or to Bankers.
It is a simple matter of plain fact that nobody needs £17.7 Million as an annual salary when, as an example, a young couple can raise a family of four on less that £25,000 a year or a pensioner couple live out the latter days of their life on an income in the teens of thousands.
Concern for the poor lies a the heart of the major faiths.
It is always God's preference that the poor should be treated with fairness and justice.
In Roman Catholic theology the preferential option for the poor is a key yardstick for measuring the justice inherent in any society.
In the Jewish tradition and in Islam there is an option for the poor at the heart of society which the community is constantly called to respect and honour.
An annual salary measured in the teens of millions is an offence not only in the sight of God but it makes no actual sense at all economically, socially or politically.
As a new report published by the Church of Scotland observes, 'some in our society are making huge financial gains whilst for too many this winter the stark choice is whether to heat or eat as they cannot afford to do both every day'.
This is of course considered careful language, for many people such language is no longer appropriate in the face of the scandalous disregard that some show toward the poor and the indifference with which they happily scoop up rewards out of all proportion to the effort they make.
Millions of pounds for advice and consulting and directorships that involve a couple of meetings a year.
The Prime Minister continues to protest that there is no alternative and that the policies he is pursuing are right and that he is the best person to lead the country.
Meanwhile the welfare budget will be raided again, many of the announced cuts are yet to take effect and whilst it seems daft to announce a drought in the middle of the wettest April it is not daft to demand an end to punitive measures which penalise the poor when the wealthy have so many ways of sidestepping their obligations.
If Liam Fox has his way it may become easier for employers to dismiss employees without much thought or consequence but by the same token we could demand that people should be able to dismiss governments as governments can dismiss delinquent cabinet ministers ......
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