19th August 2012

And when ahr wages they bring,

We are often short of a string,

And while we’re fratchin’ the gaffer for snatchin’,

We know to ’is brass ’e will cling.

Chorus:-

Poverty, poverty knocks,

Me loom it keeps sayin’ all day,

Poverty, poverty knocks,

(The) gaffer’s too skinny ter pay,

Poverty, poverty knocks,

Wi’ allus one eye on the clock,

Ah know Ah can guttle when I ’ear me shuttle (guttle = eat)

Go poverty, poverty knocks.

Traditional song, Tommy Daniel of Batly

Soon the Party Conferences will be underway and, with the exception of Ed Milliband singing the Red Flag, it’s doubtful if there will be much singing in the Conservative and Liberal Conferences and certainly no singing of Poverty Knocks.

The commentariat will of course have a great time explaining the policy differences whilst enjoying the hospitality in the conference hotels.

The differences between the Labour Party and the Tory Party and the politicians who make the headlines is becoming increasingly clear.

An open letter from Alastair Darling to George Osborne sets some of this out, Plan A is not working it is time for a Plan B otherwise there will be long term damage to the economy, poverty is knocking.

Meanwhile the Chancellor is setting out a plan to continue to cut the cost of welfare because the anticipated income from taxation has not materialised and once again poverty is knocking.

How does that work?

It is interesting to reflect on the thinking that underpins the con-dem economic strategy.

The deficit is too high and must be reduced in order to make Britain’s economy sustainable.

However, the economy is not working, it is stagnant, even the Bank of England has given up on growth, poverty is knocking.

So in order to get business investing and working it is necessary to energise the business community and the way to do this is to reduce taxation.

Reducing taxation of course reduces the income to the exchequer and by definition increases the deficit.

But this is not an avoidable accident it is in fact part of the strategy that conservatives have always used and which the Liberals have bought into.

The peculiar logic of the conservative mind-set means that cutting taxes, which is generally seen to be a good thing, actually increases the deficit, this then adds further weight to the conservative approach, providing the necessary justification for deeper and deeper cuts in spending which are almost invariably aimed at welfare so again poverty is knocking.

So with apologies to Tommy Daniel, altogether now:

Regressive taxes we hate

But the Chancellor is stood at the gate

He’s waving his red box, we’re in for some shocks

It seems we can’t rely on the State