NARCISSISM, EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND THE RISE OF TRUMP AND CORBYN

We are within days of historic change.  With Jeremy Corbyn’s government we will not only see a change to our economic system, but also to the ideology that accompanies neo-liberal policy.  A policy that has promoted in society the damaging mindset of Chomsky’s often quoted Vile Maxim, “all for ourselves, nothing for anybody else”.

We have been attacked at our very core to enable this monster to continue ravaging through our society.  Our empathy and compassion has been attacked and shamed at every turn, because these fundamental human emotions must be driven out in any society that wishes to deny the vulnerable their human rights.  Our media has manipulated our tolerance of horror by dehumanising refugees as cockroaches.  Our rage toward the injustice that has ravaged our society under the politeness of austerity has been deceitfully turned toward immigrants.  We have been encouraged to generalise all Muslims, as terror has been exploited in the pursuit of the largest transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest we have ever seen.  Our proud and humane system of Social Security has been decimated as we were led to believe that those in need are shameful scroungers and fraudsters.  We have allowed the disabled to be treated with callousness, and benefit claimants to be humiliated and treated as criminals for using a system that many have paid into all their lives.

If we fully experienced our most basic human emotions, we could not accept increasing child poverty and mortality in one of the richest countries in the world.  We would not tolerate homelessness, attacks on the poor, or the essential need for food banks.  We have become numb in the face of such cruelty and hopeless in an environment where we have been told it cannot be any different.

We are social beings and we need to feel a sense of community and connection with others.  Jeremy Corbyn has tapped into a rising unease as our basic needs are denied, distorted and suppressed.  The groundswell of support we are seeing is reflective of an urgent, deep and desperate call in all of us to reclaim our natural freedom of expression, our humanity and our hope.

We are witnessing a resistance not just from the 1% whose self-interest can be understood however unacceptable that is in a fair society, but from those people just like you and me who will themselves be harmed by the continuation of Conservative rule.  There are many reasons for this, media manipulation and the people we are supposed to rely on being allowed to lie and keep our population economically illiterate obviously plays a part.  Our tendency to self-sabotage complicated by the often harsh society we grow up in deserves an essay of its very own.  Perhaps the most sinister reason for me as a therapist is the promotion, acceptance and tolerance for the psychologically damaged mindset of the Narcissist.  This broke through any sense or reason when Donald Trump was elected, becoming a model for the most powerful position in the free world.

The prevalence of Psychopaths and Sociopaths in positions of power is well known, and these disorders are often co-morbid with Narcissism.  The amount of clinically diagnosable Narcissists in society is difficult to estimate as so few present for Psychological treatment.  Narcissistic traits though appear to be rampant, and the more these traits are viewed as not just acceptable, but preferable and even admired in an intensely unequal and often callous society, the more we are seeing people happily expressing them.  These traits perfectly compliment the Neo-liberal agenda and a dangerous lack of empathy is becoming widespread as we are desensitised to and distracted from the pain our brothers and sisters are experiencing.  As a society we seem to be encouraging the expression of the very worst parts of human nature. 

Craving a particular type of power, the Narcissist must have control over others to bolster a highly fragile self-esteem.  With an Ego built around how the person is seen and how much power over others they can attain, there is a constant need to feel superior and to make others feel inferior.  The world of the Narcissist is one of War, where almost every interaction is about win or lose, and every transaction is about taking advantage of someone or being taken advantage of.  Empathy is absent or severely lacking and so whilst giving to others can be one of the greatest joys to us as connected human beings, for the Narcissist giving is experienced as a loss, the recipient viewed as taking advantage if the action is not reciprocated.  Insecurity, inferiority and rage can result from the smallest perceived slight, and the desire to punish or readdress the balance becomes the strongest force.  The very idea of paying taxes to assist others in society creates deep resistance because the damaged ego-self is unable to receive normal pleasure from fairness and justice, and unequipped to deal with the anger resulting from the flawed perception of persecution from faceless others benefiting at the narcissists expense.

Lying and manipulating is second nature.  Blaming others is the knee jerk reaction of a personality unable to accept the consequences of their actions.  Accountability is a foreign word and apology a sign of weakness.  The Narcissist must be able to behave in any way they choose regardless of the pain caused to others.  At the same time they desperately need to maintain the facade of perfection so that others do not break the spell by seeing through their flawed personality, and causing them narcissistic injury.  Those who can’t or won’t reflect on their actions and how they have affected others fail to build the sufficient empathy and self-awareness required to mature into healthy functioning adults, and this is in part why you will hear Psychologists refer to Trump as a toddler.  Tantrums are common, reasoning is largely absent and mental fragility is mindblowingly apparent. 

The drivers for these behaviours are largely unconscious processes in the Narcissist.  Many of the abusive and manipulative techniques used (consciously and unconsciously) by Narcissists to defend their fragile egos and keep their victims in check and under control are however, being consciously employed by those in power to keep a population in check.  Once in Power, those who have craved it will do everything possible to maintain the high.  Taking control of the mainstream media was an obvious requirement and we are experiencing the results of this right now.  Lying and manipulation has reached such a peak that politicians do not think they have to hide even the most transparent lies.  We are in a bizarre world beyond doublespeak and into, as Russell Brand describes it, ‘a hegemonic narrative singularity’.

Taking on the Neo-liberal establishment in a sea of manipulated public support was always going to be an almost impossible task, and the person to do it had to be very special indeed.  In Corbyn we have seen the necessary qualities required not just to raise the groundswell of support and revolt we are seeing, but also to beat the establishment at their own game.  Never have we seen the phrase ‘killing them with kindness’ acted out with such integrity and success.

True mental strength comes from building an identity around the very opposite characteristics of the Narcissist.  It comes from embracing personal power rather than power over others.  The person in essence has to demonstrate sufficient wholeness and congruence, the very cornerstones of mental health.  Emotional expression must be allowed to survive and grow rather than be suppressed.  This requires that self-empathy is nurtured, because we can only demonstrate effective empathy toward others equivalent to the level of empathy we show to ourselves, for both our weaknesses and strengths.  Core principles have to be built and nurtured and to do this identity has to be secure and strong.  Perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our children is the freedom to develop into who they are at core, to protect them as much as possible from the media onslaught and societal shoulds and musts, so that they can discover who they are and what they believe in, without suppression or shame.  Jeremy Corbyn mentions that he had parents who did this and it shows.

"My parents were liberal thinkers who believed people should think for themselves and discover themselves and a path for themselves so we were brought up to think for ourselves, read for ourselves, do for ourselves and be ourselves." (8:45 onwards)

As we build and nurture genuine self-acceptance we gain an increasing ability to look inside.  To consider our own actions in relation to others and build self-awareness that nurtures not only the ability to take accountability for our behaviour and offer generous and unconditional apologies where necessary, but also to gain wisdom and maturity.  Foresight and the ability to be on the right side of history time and time again is a benefit of this process. 

 

A non-judgemental attitude comes from this kind of acceptance of self and others, and inclusivity is a natural consequence of this.  Jeremy received the Gandhi award for 30 years of upholding Gandhian principles of social justice and non-violence.  In his work to bring us peace he has undoubtedly studied the principles of non-violent communication and his mastery as he bats off attack after attack whilst maintaining a calm, composed and most importantly kind attitude is more than impressive for any student of the art.

As a society many of us have been convinced that strength is in the facade, that harshness and lack of empathy are qualities to be impressed by.  A suit and a clean shaven face does not define strength or respectability, an articulate person may speak for hours without saying a single thing.  What we have seen in Corbyn is realness, it’s human, it’s beautifully flawed, it’s kind and empathic, inclusive and genuine, trustworthy in its’ integrity and dependable in its’ stability, and at the risk of repeating the ‘strong and stable’ mantra of the psychologically weak and wobbly, it’s strong.

This Thursday vote for us all, vote for society, vote for people, vote for our psychological health and emotional freedom.

Labour vs Tories - Who's More Economically Competent?

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The Conservaties have over doubled the national debt borrowing more than every Labour government combined.
 
The way the Tories have reduced the deficit has damaged the economy and society, demonstrating severe economic incompetence.
http://the-vilemaxim.blogspot.com/2017/05/deficit-reduction-provides-more.html

 The Tories have refused to allow the Office for Budget Responsibility to compare their manifesto with Labour's so that the public can be properly advised.  Ask yourself why?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7pgpVlhYig&t=3s 2:50 onwards


41 Economists back Corbyn - "His opposition to austerity is actually mainstream economics, even backed by the conservative IMF."
http://news.sky.com/story/corbyn-wins-backing-from-over-40-economists-10348576


The Conservatives imposed austerity against majority academic opinion
https://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/economic-competence-revisited.html

The Conservatives have always borrowed more and paid back less than Labour
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/03/13/the-conservatives-have-been-the-biggest-borrowers-over-the-last-70-years/

Historically Labour has always been more economically competent than the Tories
https://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/economic-competence-revisited.html
Wasteful Tories have spent millions more than they have saved on welfare cuts. 
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/27/labour-tory-welfare-spending-universal-credit-housing

The Tories can't keep blaming Labour for their mistakes.  The financial crisis would have been even worse under the Tories who wanted less regulation for the banks.
https://www.thepileus.com/economics/last-time-labour-not-bankrupt-country/

Even Plutocrats agree with Corbyn's Economics
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2gO4DKVpa8 

Deficit Reduction Provides More Evidence of the Tories Economic Incompetence

We know the Tories economic policy has more than doubled our debt since 2010.  We know that they have borrowed more than every Labour government combined and that they have always borrowed more and paid off less debt than Labour. In an attempt to defend against their economic incompetence Teresa May correctly informs us they have reduced the deficit.  The deficit is the difference between incomings and outgoings, we run a deficit when we are spending more than we are taking in, it is currently informing us how much we have to borrow each year.  On the surface a decreasing deficit appears to show that tightening our belts and enduring austerity is working, but the increasing debt tells a different story.  

The issue is how the Tories have reduced the deficit.  Spending cuts make sense to us because this is what we have to do when our outgoings exceed our income in our household budget.  The flaw in this argument is that the economy cannot be run like a household budget, it is in reality an eco-system.  We can’t simply cut spending in one area, without affecting other elements.

The majority of Economists agree that promoting economic growth is the best way to cut the deficit and stabilise the debt over the long-term.  The Tories have prioritised drastically reducing the deficit through any means possible, but critics argue that the pace of the deficit reduction has been self-defeating, causing a double-dip recession. 

A healthy growing economy requires high levels of employment, which increases tax revenue and reduces the welfare spend.  Once we understand that workers are the source of prosperity in Capitalist societies, not the consequence of it, the economic model we need to have in place becomes clear.  A living wage puts more money in our pockets, this provides businesses with more customers, the more profitable they are as a result the more employees they need, the more taxes we collect and the more we save on welfare payments, which reduces the deficit.   This makes perfect sense, and the Tories are claiming to have done both, increased employment and reduced welfare spending, so what’s the problem?  Again, it is the way they have done it that betrays their utter economic incompetence.

The 'Angry Birds' approach to understanding the deficit in the modern economy

The Tories have deceitfully massaged employment figures without decreasing the welfare spend as a direct result of effective employment.  Meanwhile, they have cut the welfare spend by targeting the most vulnerable in the harshest way possible, ultimately increasing poverty and mortality rates in children and adults, and creating a looming mental health crisis.

 

Zero hour contracts and low wages have improved employment figures but there is no substance behind them.  The Tories subsidise Corporations paying low wages, by paying working people tax credits and housing benefits.  Low wages do not result in higher tax collection from the population or a lower welfare bill.  Only a living wage can do this.

 

Forcing the disabled and jobless into this kind of employment by making the welfare system almost impossible to navigate and imposing unfair sanctions, has also provided no economic benefit.  In fact the Tories have paid private companies so much to impose sanctions that we are paying £153 million more per year to impose them than we have saved in benefit cuts.  Although, deaths have lowered the welfare bill (that statement can’t be made without referring you here) those still alive will undoubtedly end up costing the state even more as we deal with the mental health crisis and likely the physical health cost of forcing the disabled to work.  The appalling Tory culture of waste on welfare spending continues here.  The profound economic and social incompetence of the Conservative government is demonstrated in this paragraph alone.

The Tories claim that they need to do all they can to keep businesses and corporations in the UK, by reducing their taxes and allowing them to pay poverty wages, to ensure high employment rates.  But this is a false economy as described above.  Business can only thrive in an environment where people are earning enough to have money to spend.  Billionaire Plutocrat Nick Hanauer who is part of the 1%, describes how essential this fair economic model is even to a Capitalist society in this video:

Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming | Nick Hanauer

 

Tax reductions to corporations are also taking money out of the economy as most of the profits are being funnelled out into tax havens.  A healthy economy aims to have as much money circulating in the system as possible, any money taken out of the system creates a drain.  It is much more economically effective to tax corporations fairly and ensure a living wage.  

Under the Tories corporation tax has been reduced from 28%, is currently at 19% and will be reduced to 11% by 2020.  When the global average rate is 27%, surely this is economic suicide?  Jeremy Corbyn meanwhile has said that he will reverse the damaging Tory cuts to 21% for small companies and 26% for larger companies.

Is there any basis to the Tory claim that they are valid in using their economic model because businesses will leave the UK taking their jobs with them?  There is no evidence that cutting the rate has brought jobs, growth or new corporation tax revenues to the UK.  Business itself did not lobby for low tax rates, and ours will remain around the average global rate.  Corporations do make significant profits in the UK, they can afford to pay fair taxes and wages, and when they do they contribute to our economy.  Bearing the above in mind, the question we should be asking is, is it really economically valid to keep businesses here if they are creating a drain on our economy through welfare subsidies and the removal of money from circulation? 

   

The Tories have reduced their investment in infrastructure and industry and sold off assets to private firms.  Whilst this provides an injection of money in the short-term, it impacts the economy negatively in the long-term.  One way to reduce the debt in a stable way is to increase our income by bringing profitable industry back into state ownership.  Currently we pay massive subsidies to private firms who own our rail and energy, and the profits they make are going abroad!  This obviously has to change if we want a stronger economy.

  

Labour is also correct to invest in infrastructure and industry in the UK, this not only makes the state more profitable in the long-term but immediately creates an increase in the availability of effective employment that will boost economic growth.

Despite manipulated public opinion The Tories are the party creating economic and social chaos and this will only increase over time.  The best way to create a growing economy and reduce the deficit and debt in an effective way is to create effective employment.  A £10 living wage, fair Corporation tax, and investment that creates jobs will be transformational for all. Labour are introducing economic policies backed up by majority economic consensus that will create a social and economic stability we are all desperately crying out for.  

Is it any wonder that at Labour's request the Tories have refused to provide the Office for Budget Responsiblity a copy of their manifesto, so that it can be compared to the Labour manifesto and the public can be properly advised?

CAN THE DEBT THE TORIES INHERITED AFTER THE FINANCIAL CRISIS BE BLAMED?

Can the Tories blame Labour for the debt they inherited 10 years ago?  Government spending did not cause the financial crisis despite the Tory perpetuated myth, the banks did.  And, if we are looking to blame Labour for not preventing it from happening, we need to consider that the Tories argued for LESS financial regulation at the time.  Labour did not overspend and bankrupt the economy and here is the superbly presented data.  The Tories need to take responsibility for their mistakes and continued failure at running our economy. 

QUESTION

My question to the Tories is this; you have imposed austerity for years and yet the debt keeps rising, where exactly has all the money gone? 

This BBC article provides a great explanation of debt and deficit and also:

"A neat, if rather simplistic, illustration of the different philosophies of the right and left in UK politics, some might say."

"If the government is running a deficit, it may make investments on top of this, and will therefore need to borrow to cover both.  For example, in the calendar year 2007, the Labour government borrowed £37.7bn, of which £28.3bn was invested in big projects (the balance of £9.4bn represents the current budget deficit).  Conversely, in 2013, the Conservative-led coalition borrowed £91.5bn, with just £23.7bn invested."

How have the Tories got away with it for so long?
 

References and further information:

Videos on the economy:

Stephanie kelton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d57M6ATPZIE The 'Angry Birds' approach to understanding deficits in the modern economy.

Nick Hanaeur - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2gO4DKVpa8   Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming | Nick Hanauer

Articles: 

They say Labour is financially inept.  Yet just look at Tory welfare spending: 
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/27/labour-tory-welfare-spending-universal-credit-housing
 
The Conservatives have been the biggest borrowers over the last 70 years:

http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/03/13/the-conservatives-have-been-the-biggest-borrowers-over-the-last-70-years/  

UK Budget Deficit:

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5922/economics/uk-budget-deficit-2/

Should the Pace of UK's Deficit Reduction be Slower?

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5149/economics/should-the-pace-of-uks-deficit-reduction-be-slower/  

We need to talk about the threat posed to UK citizens by Teresa May's Tory government:
http://the-vilemaxim.blogspot.com/2017/05/we-need-to-talk-about-threat-posed-to.html

Official report reveals the hated benefit sanctions regime costs taxpayers £153 million more a year to run than it saves:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/official-report-reveals-hated-benefit-9361944 

Jeremy Corbyn wins economists' backing for anti-austerity policies:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/22/jeremy-corbyn-economists-backing-anti-austerity-policies-corbynomics

Economic Competence Revisited:
https://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/economic-competence-revisited.html

The Tory Deficit Myth and Other Lies:
https://politicalsift.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/the-tory-deficit-myth-other-lies/

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE THREAT POSED TO UK CITIZENS BY TERESA MAY'S TORY GOVERNMENT.

You have the power to change what you are about to read, in just a few short weeks. 

"we should be piling up the bodybags and tiny infant coffins outside number 10 Downing Street, and making our Prime Minister and Chancellor walk that gamut every day"  

The information is disturbing, it will shake you to the core.  Even if you have heard it before you may not have processed it fully.  As human beings we react to horror, to unnecessary deaths, with cognitive dissonance, because it is uncomfortable to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously.  Beliefs that the people in government are working in your best interests, and that the people in government are neglecting your fellow citizens to death are two such beliefs.  Because of this we try to explain evidence away, we try to reason where there is none, we try to find some explanation that will keep us feeling safe and stable.  It is too late for this, we are at too crucial a time to allow this natural defence to keep us from doing the right thing for our fellow citizens.

When the argument “we have to do this for the economy, we have to save money” goes through your mind, think about what we are saying, is money worth more than life?  Then consider the fact that Austerity is a choice not a necessity.  Not only is Austerity leading to the deaths below but it is also destabilising our economy even more.  Defunding and privatising our NHS is completely unnecessary and can only cause chaos for the population and increase the profits of the wealthy.  The next piece of information will leave you flabbergasted - the sanctions imposed that are leading to some of these unnecessary deaths and suicides cost us the tax payer 153 million more than we are saving per year.  Every single year, it costs more to harm these people than we will save.  Did you agree to this?  I know I didn't?  The Tories know this, they have been advised against it, they went against majority economic academic opinion to impose austerity in the first place. 

When you hear yourself saying “people who claim benefits are fraudsters, we need to be harder on them”, read the facts on benefit fraud and consider the official figures in this graph (Tax fraud here does not include Tax Evasion which is much higher):

Then consider this:

And ask yourself what the hell is going on?  All of these figures and statements are factual, they can all be supported with independent research.  Tax avoided, evaded and uncollected is a drastically far greater drain on our resources, and yet the Tory government promotes this, they continue to cut taxes for corporations and refuse to take action on Tax Havens. So why are we asking the most vulnerable to pay the price?  Benefits going unclaimed far exceed any fraud, so why is this the focus?

There were 30,000 excess deaths in 2015 (the largest increase since WWII) linked to Tory cuts in health and social care.  These were largely in the older population most dependent on health and social care, but more and more we are hearing about urgent and essential operations being cut for all sections of the population by an NHS at breaking point.  We are hearing of people being turned away and the Red Cross declared "a humanitarian crisis" in our NHS earlier this year.  Hospitals themselves are issuing black alert status, this means they are unable to guarantee life-saving emergency care.  None of us is safe from this breakdown of care, even personal fortune may not save you.

A major study State of Child Health 2017 has warned that child health in the UK is in jeopardy due to an alarming gap between the rich and poor.  Our children's health is falling behind many European countries and the report confirms a strong link between rising poverty and inequality in the UK and increasing poor health and mortality.  Despite these findings child poverty is at its highest level since 2010 and is predicted to increase by 50% by 2020 under the Tory government.

The Tory overhaul of disability benefits has been on a level of callous and cruel, I have not witnessed before.  People are being declared fit for work despite severe disability and even terminal illness.  We can't reason that this is in anyway justified, we can't say that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) are targeting people who are not "disabled enough", or people who are abusing the system, because thousands of people, 80 people per month, are dying after this declaration, many within weeks of the decision.  How fit and healthy can they have been do you think?  Ordinary people are being denied basic care, really, denied basic humanity, despite many having paid into the system all their working lives.  Ken Loach's recent film 'I Daniel Blake' recently highlighted many of these issues and is highly recommended. 

"The figures revealed that between December 2011 and February 2014, 50,580 recipients of ESA had died. Of this number, 2,380 – or 4.7% – had received a decision that they were fit for work. Many of these would have appealed the decision, a process that can take many months. Another 7,200 claimants had died after being awarded ESA and being placed in the separate work-related activity group – a category which identifies claimants who are unfit to work but may be able to return to work in the future."

Unsurprisingly, some of these deaths may have been suicides linked to welfare assessments.  The intense stress people are put under leave many to believe they have no other option. Calum's list details some of the most harrowing and heartbreaking accounts of people who's suicides have been linked to the Conservative Government's welfare reforms.  Despite this the private companies earning millions from the Government to run the disability assessments, have been regularly asking claimants "why haven't you killed yourself yet" type questions, that are clearly potentially harmful in this often dehumanising atmosphere.  The United Nations have severely criticised the Government for 'systematic violations" of the rights of the disabled. In an unusual move The British Psychological Society together with leading Counselling organisations, recently issued a statement opposing all welfare sanctions, not only because there is no evidence they work, but also to warn that their will be a mental health crisis if this continues. 

We are used to blanket denials from the Conservative Government, the Party line is to deny, deny, deny and avoid taking responsibility.  Thankfully the Professionals speaking out are the people we trust, including Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses, Psychologists, Counsellors, Psychotherapists.  The denials increasingly look as ludicrous as they are in the face of the evidence and these expert assessments.  Even one of the Tories arguably most biased reporters admits “This is the fourth Number 10 team that I’ve covered, and their (Conservative Government) attitude to all of this is very, very different - where they basically try not to respond to anything".

We are being lied to, we are being pushed to blame our fellow vulnerable citizens of which any of us could become, for the drain on our economy. Who is actually responsible:

"It was the f*****g banks" - Frankie Boyle

The Tories are telling us that we must pay with our health care as they defund the NHS, we must pay with our social security as they take essential money away from the disabled and stop the money of people who have no other means of survival.  We cannot expect benefits when we are ill or disabled even though we pay for this in national insurance contributions?  You will undoubtedly be shocked to hear that this National Insurance Fund, that we all pay into to secure our health care, welfare net if we can't work and pension, has a surplus, 2016 figures showed this to be £30 Billion.  Yes Billion.  We must pay with our job security as 0 hours contracts become the norm.  We must pay with our security of a roof over our heads, as rents far exceed our wages.  It doesn't end because the Tory Party seem unconcerned as our Country and our revered Health and Social Care crumbles.

Next time you hear Teresa May or any of her fellow Conservative Politicians repeating the Strong and Stable hypnotic mantra, remember what kind of society they consider Strong and Stable.  It includes neglecting Citizens to death and presiding over a failing economic model that sucks the vulnerable dry and open handedly provides welfare for the richest. If they are this cruel or deluded (it can only be one or ther other) now, what the hell can we expect if they secure a win again?  

#Vote Labour - because Jeremy Corbyn is currently the only Politician who understands how broken our society is.  He is also the only Leader who has the economic strategy and policies in place to fix it.  He's been fighting this kind of injustice all his life, we couldn't be in better hands.

Defending Labour & Jeremy Corbyn on the Doorstep - Economics

 Labour vs Tory economics and how we pay for them, in two easily shareable images!  Labour policies costed image and a great tweet below.  Sources and further information at the end.

Black and white printable version at the end.

 Labour Policies Costed - Eoin Clarke, LabourEoin on Twitter: click to see full size

History suggests Labour have always been more competent than the Conservatives  Economic Competence Revisited

The Conservatives have been the biggest borrowers over the last 70 years:

"First Labour invariably borrows less than the Conservatives. The data always shows that.

And second, Labour has always repaid debt more often than the Conservatives, and has always repaid more debt, on average.

Or, to put it another way, the Conservatives are the party of high UK borrowing and low debt repayment contrary to all popular belief, including that of most radio presenters. Which means that the next time I am presented with that nonsense I will be very firmly rebutting it."

Economists Back Corbyn


Austerity does not work:

Myth of Tory economic competence video by EL4C

References and further research for all the information in the above red background graphics:

John Mcdonnell's full speech.

Parliament Borrowing & debt

Tax Research - Conservatives party of high borrowing and low repayment

Professor of Economic Policy Simon Wren-Lewis Economic Competence Revisited

Another Angry Voice - How to answer the Corbyn's unellectable trope

Tories Hated Benefit Sanction Regime Costs £153 million per year more than is saved

TORY ECONOMICS Austerity after the Bank crash.  Poor to pay for the mistakes and greed of speculators. Welfare and protection given to Corporations and wealthiest in the form of tax cuts and bonuses. Sell off assets through privatisation.  Severely limit investment.  Creating short-term returns but limiting our earning potential long-term. Economic crisis prolonged.  Tories plan to continue on this destructive path despite expert evidence advising the opposite.  Contrary to what many believe the Conservatives borrow more and pay back less debt than Labour.  In fact, the Conservatives have created more new debt in the last 5 years than all Labour governments combined. Wages lower than before financial crisis 2008 Zero hour contracts – 1 million unable to plan for rent or bill payments, creating severe instability.  Bogus Self-employment forcing people to be available for work without pay. Welfare for Corporations allowed to exploit workers and pay less than the living wage.  Many on benefits are now in full –time work.  We subsidise Corporations with our taxes. TORY ECONOMICS PUBLIC SERVICES NHS Reduce funding to breaking point.  Increase privatisation.  This strategy will likely lead to us adopting a similar system to the USA with insurance payments, rather than free at the point of use services.  Low pay for Nurses with many needing to use food banks to survive after a long and difficult working week. EDUCATION University education costs up to £9,000 per year.  Our children have to take on an average £50,000 of crippling debt.  Only the wealthiest can comfortably develop their talents. WELFARE Cut Tax Credits for working families and Personal Independence Payments for the disabled.  Sanction welfare recipients who have no other means to survive. Implementing sanctions cost the tax payer £153 million more per year to implement than was saved.  Again private companies paid extortionate amounts, transferring the wealth from the most vulnerable to the wealthiest.  80 people per month are dying after declared fit for work.  Time for the myth of Tory economic competence to end.

LABOUR ECONOMICS Austerity is destructive for society.  The Tories went against majority academic opinion to impose austerity.  Losses outweigh savings made, the national debt has doubled, and recovery will be delayed as a consequence.   Investment in infrastructure, manufacturing, broadband, energy etc.  Invest in local businesses so they can grow and create more jobs.  Bring profitable services such as public transport back into government control. Pay off crippling private finance.   All so we start earning as a Country again. Labour will continue honouring their tradition of borrowing less and repaying more debt overall than the Conservatives.  Labour are listening to the advice of expert Economists, including Nobel Prize winner Joe Stiglitz. Living Wage £10 Minimum End to Zero hour contracts. Return to safe and secure well paid jobs. Making Corporations pay a fair living wage, so we don’t have to subsidise them by topping up exploitative low wages with benefits. LABOUR ECONOMICS NHS Fund the NHS.  Provide Doctors and Nurses with what they need to treat us.  Paying Nurses properly so they do not have to rely on handouts to survive. EDUCATION Free Education to help people who need it into well paid jobs.  We lose so much talent.  Think of the brilliant would be doctors, nurses, teachers and scientists etc, who just can’t afford to train. What a waste. Taking care of the most vulnerable in our society. Providing free school meals for primary pupils so no child goes hungry.  Tackling the consequences of Tory austerity including: 19m on edge of poverty 4m children in poverty Homelessness crisis More than 1m food bank parcels given out yearly, many for working families. 86% of cuts falling on women

HOW DO WE PAY? A 500bn National Investment bank will enable investment in local projects and businesses, generating growth into every community.  Private banks have had unreasonable power over who receives investment for too long. Every successful business knows they have to invest to increase and maintain stable ongoing profits.  After initial investment this economic strategy will pay for itself as our Country starts earning again.  Meanwhile, more jobs will be created ensuring that more tax revenue is collected and the welfare bill is reduced. Labour have been and will continue to be a more economically competent government than the Conservatives. Large corporations will be picking up the majority of the bill for this economic change.  We will be benefitting from higher tax collection and lower in-work benefits and welfare payments. HOW WILL WE PAY? Labour will shift the tax burden from those who earn wages and salaries to those who hold wealth. Tax fairly and effectively: Reverse Tory multinational Corporation Tax cuts (28% to 11% by 2020).  Patriots pay their taxes.   Global average Corp tax rates are 27%.  Raises £64 billion. Tackle wealthy tax avoiders who underreport their income, and evaders who use currently legal means to reduce their tax burden.  The Panama papers alerted us to the massive scale of this, we must hold wealthy tax dodgers to account. End tax havens, so the taxes that are supposed to come into our economy do.  Collect fair taxes from large corporations, rather than giving them deals.  You can’t negotiate your tax bill with HMRC, why should they? VAT on Independent schools raises 1.1 bn. Together with fairer taxation for the wealthiest, Insisting businesses pay a fair living wage to employees will reduce in-work benefits.  Creating more jobs through investment will lower the welfare bill overall and increase tax revenue.  Saving £153 million annually paid to private companies who put vulnerable poor + disabled into severe financial distress.