A response to welfare reform - a poem

by SSP Campsie member "Socialist Anon"

Scotland 2013

We were forged in the fire of hardship,

Within which we are melted into one another

From which we emerge stronger, flexible, able to withstand

It is no longer clear where you begin and I end

We are forever linked arm in arm - a never ending chain

“We are responsible for one another”

That is why if you should be harmed,

though you are far from me,

though I do not know your name

or even see your face

I will stand up for you.

I am prepared to stand in front of you

For we are forever connected and I shall forever feel your pain.

The Rich are not being fair

Letter:

Jo Swinson started off to the left of Labour but since going to Westminster has moved steadily to
the right. Charles Gray, a long time Labour supporter, doesn't seem to recognise Labour too has
been corrupted by the same Westminster virus and has ,likewise, moved to the right so now it would
be appropriate to describe New Labour as pink Tories.

At the end of WW2 old Labour, which no longer exists, brought in the welfare state, a glowing
example of social development. Unfortunately most of the millionaires,the rich people and their
party, the Tories, have always been antagonistic to the welfare state and have steadily moved to
undermine and destroy it. Welfare – health, education and the many public services we all need
have to be paid for and this is done by taxat ion It is generally agreed that progressive income tax
is the fairest way to do this.

For many it is now clear that tax dodging is out of control. In the UK alone we have a £120
billion tax gap-- comprising tax avoided through obscure accounting and the use of tax havens,
illegal tax evasion and even uncollected tax. The 3 main parties Tory, Lib Dem and Labour all bear
responsibility for failure to tackle this as the people of Bradford seem to have realised. The rich
don't pay a fair share of tax.

Ron Mackay,
Milton of Campsie.

Millionaires fooled us by control of Head Fixing Industry

I served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and like many of the returning servicemen, I hoped for a socialist future. The Labour Party sensing the mood of the people, put forward a socialist programme to restore the economy. The major industries, transport, energy and all the main branches of the economy were nationalised. The welfare state of the National Health Service was started. Pre-fabs were introduced to ease the housing shortage. Scarce commodities were shared. We had our ration books, clothing coupons, petrol coupons etc. Nobody, but nobody talked about cuts. With control of industry we could plan out our future and provide better prospects for all.

Unfortunately the Labour Party was never a socialist party, as Tony Benn said, though there were many socialists in it. What started so promising deteriorated as private interests were allowed to regain power. The biggest industry of all, “the head fixing industry”- the media – was left in private hands and the millionaire owners ensured their interests were promoted in the sneaky way that has slowly eroded our democracy and impoverished millions.

I hope it won’t take a major global catastrophe before people realise that socialism is the only possible future for all.