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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Hughes: Profits must no longer go to the few at the top
August 14, 2011 10:19 AM
• [Aug 13] Simon Hughes writes: FOR several hours from late afternoon last Monday people defying law and authority dominated much of my south London constituency. I made public appeals for people to get off the streets and saw at first hand the immediate effects of the destruction and violence. I said publicly that the police should be allowed to use water cannon and curfews. Liberal Democrats feel as strongly as anyone that we cannot have a free and liberal society when people are too scared to walk the streets.
Training and equipping many more police to deal with crime on our streets is a priority. Strong sentences should of course go to previous offenders, but also to those who should set the best examples - adults, including parents, in work and with qualifications. We must be careful with punishments for young people with no criminal record; for some of those of school age or with no work and no prospects, short custodial sentences could be no deterrent. A community which has so far offered them little may equally treat its judgments with little respect.
We need to demonstrate ambition to have a responsible society where all people understand and are aware of their obligations to each other. This means we must not cut taxes for the rich or public support for the needy. We should be careful not to rush into knee-jerk solutions, including over-hasty moves to change the social contract and approaches to sentences which may have the reverse effect to that intended.
We must strengthen our communities, both economic and social, so that many more people feel that they have a positive stake in society. Activity, training and employment have to be on offer in every region. To put it bluntly, we need to give many more people and families something to lose.
This must mean a fundamental shift in the politics of the last 30 Conservative and Labour years which have sacrificed people's jobs and security in the name of efficiency, and then seen the profits go only to the few at the top.
We must now focus on the redistribution of wealth. But this will not succeed by means of greater hand-outs. Financial benefits must seek to engage people positively. The redistribution of hope and opportunity means the redistribution as well as the creation of work. Co-operative and mutual businesses and social enterprise should be prioritised. The private sector, like the public sector, should not be allowed to get away with obscene pay ratios and bonuses. All employers should be required to consider how they can increase employment and training, by themselves or with others.
Where communities are unable to provide work the government must be prepared to intervene.
A responsible economy is necessary for a responsible society. Building local, regional and national economies which provide the opportunity for all to participate in for fair reward will build much stronger communities. This will counter the appeal of the gangs and the get-rich-quick merchants. Other people and activity must now capture the energies and abilities of a generation that has greater potential than any we have had before.
• Profits must no longer go to the few at the top [Observer Aug 14]
• England riots: coalition row grows over 'kneejerk' response: Senior Liberal Democrats attack 'hasty' measures as housing charities condemn the threat of eviction [Observer Aug 14]
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