This has been a dramatic week in parliament. Boris Johnson finally resigned yesterday (Thursday), after an intensive parliamentary build-up and a record number of resignations from his cabinet.
He finally realised he had to go, and did so, with a not very convincing resignation speech in Downing Street.
Even Larry didn’t look very impressed by it.
The majority of the British media completely ignore the reality of people’s lives away from the Westminster soap opera.
One in five of the people of Britain live in relative poverty: 14.5 million in total, 4.3 million of which are children.
In London the average per borough is 28 per cent of the population and in Islington the figure rises to 34 per cent.
Ten years of Tory and Lib Dem government, and three successive Tory prime ministers have left us with more food banks than branches of McDonald’s, a deep and deepening mental health crisis, and horrendous levels of housing stress, plus millions of young people deeply in debt merely because they went to university to study with the aim of improving their lives.
None of this is an accident.
We have a government which has ruthlessly pursued an economic strategy of deepening inequality, with more billionaires in Britain than ever before, and deeper poverty than I can remember, many of the poor actually working.
We should never be condemning those who are defending their jobs and trying to reverse the trend of ever falling wages and deteriorating work conditions.
Rail workers deserve support not opprobrium.
In our wonderful borough of Islington, I remain inspired by the work of so many in the public services and voluntary organisations.
On Wednesday it was a pleasure to accompany the Whittington See ME First team who were shortlisted, and regional winners in their specialist equalities area and do wonderful work in restoring real inclusion in health care and policies.
I applaud them and all others who work in our health and care services.
This week I also visited Islington Boxing Club, a local voluntary group in Archway who have helped thousands of people develop their own fitness and in doing so enable them to better manage mental health challenges.
These groups and so many more show the resilience of unity, in contrast to this government which is obsessed only with management and economy that favours the super rich, rather than the majority of the population.
Over the next few days our schools will be reaching the end of the summer term and our young people will progress: some from primary school, Year 6, to secondary school, Year 7; others from school or college to face the world and all of the responsibilities that come with it.
No young people should be forced to face the uncertainties of expensive and unaffordable housing, or debts of over £60,000 merely by wanting to get a university qualification.
For those who enter the workplace, many will take on insecure jobs with zero-hours contracts.
I don’t know who the new Tory leader will be but what I do know is the people of this country deserve positive change and direction, after having been treated appallingly.
Everyone deserves something better, and we should be offering our young people hope, and nothing less.
Find the original article here in the Islington Tribune:
Corbyn: Now people need positive change and direction | Islington Tribune
