As I write this, we await two highly significant events – the Labour government’s first budget and the election of the next US President. While the result of the US election is sure to have world-wide ramifications, the Labour budget will undoubtedly have major consequences closer to home.
The US presidential election is worryingly too close to call, and the possible consequences of Trump winning do not bear thinking about.
At a time when the world urgently needs to come together to address the environment, climate and conflict, Trump’s deliberately inflammatory and divisive brand of politics and his climate denialism would add hugely to the challenges we face. His well-documented routine of repeatedly saying things that are clearly and demonstrably untrue is both astonishing and alarming. Astonishing that he says them in the first place, and alarming that if anything they seem to increase his popularity with a large part of the American electorate. That said, we don’t have to look too far to find politicians of our own who have a somewhat distant relationship with the truth.
In advance of the Labour government’s first budget much has been made of the so called ‘black hole’ in public finances inherited from the previous government. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed there will be no return to austerity, but it’s hard to reconcile that promise with her recent demand that ministers draw up billions of pounds in cuts to infrastructure projects. This could affect projects such as hospital improvements – which are urgently needed, as anyone who has anything to do with the NHS – especially the staff – knows only too well.
Having been badly let down by the last government, including its phony pledge to build 40 new hospitals, the NHS urgently needs investment if the health of our nation is to be rescued from the depths to which it has plunged, with 2.8 million people too ill to work and rising rates of cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health issues.
The NHS is just one example of how vital it is for the bean counters to focus on the long-term benefits of investment, rather than the short-term costs.
The same goes for the environment & climate. As always, prevention is better (and much cheaper) than the cure.
Ken Huggins, Greens
