Rishi Sunak is a terrible person.
Broken promises, refusing to take responsibility for his actions, and regressive policies. This is Rishi Sunak’s legacy.
Rishi Sunak, as we all should know by now, is the chancellor of the exchequer of the UK. A proud member of the conservative party under the leadership of the prime minister Boris Johnson.
He had not long been in the new role when the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, yet he has already been praised by critics for his quick and decisive action considering the unprecedented gravity of the crisis.
The Promise.
Reminiscent of George Osbourne during the financial crisis, he has claimed that “we’re all in this together” and will do “whatever it takes” to make sure that we come out of this in one piece. This was reassuring to people who have recently lost their jobs because of his recent lockdown of the entire country to fight the pandemic.
One of Rishi’s prize policies is the furlough scheme, which has promised to pay staff 80% of their income during the lockdown in return for job security by firms across the country. Unfortunately, this policy is where Rishi’s friendly and approachable persona begins to see cracks.
The furlough scheme has a cut off date. Originally February the 28th (now pushed to 19th of March), which has seen thousands and thousands of people who were unlucky enough to have started their job after this date being unable to claim furlough. This has left them in an impossible situation where they are now jobless, with no government support, but also unable to find new work because of the lockdown. Many of which, like myself, who do not qualify for universal credit or job seekers allowance.
Rishi has suggested that we can simply ask to be furloughed by our previous employer. Unfortunately, this short-sighted solution is very much a fantasy, with many companies refusing to take on previous employers…and why should they? They owe nothing to people who have left their company for better opportunities elsewhere. This may help a few with a lifeline but still leaves a large majority of people exactly in the same pit of despair they were before.
The Broken Promise.
Rishi Sunak has more recently been confronted about this issue by journalists only to be presented with the line “We cannot help everyone”. Certainly a far cry from the promises of “we’re all in it together” and “whatever it takes” at the beginning of the crisis.
Rishi’s regressive ideas.
With the furlough scheme looking to cost around £40bn in total. This is a staggering amount of money to leave thousands of people behind. A lot of the victims of Rishi’s empty promises are working-class people. Care workers, recruitment consultants, supermarket workers, while middle-class professionals such as accountants, solicitors and managers are getting full coverage. Imagine that, £40bn in future tax rises which new starter furlough victims (often the poorest in society) will still be expected to pay.
Rishi’s immorality.
The lockdown was the right thing to do to battle the coronavirus, but it has cost thousands of people their jobs, and as a consequence is preventing them from finding a new job too.
While promising everyone that “we’re all in this together” then subsequently continue to forget thousands of people, he is openly lying to people who are suffering because of his actions.
It is also forcing working-class people to pay higher taxes in the future (or face harder cuts, which they will be disproportionately affected by) while subsidising well off middle-class professionals. This is regressive and unfair.
If Rishi’s actions have cost you a job, then he has a moral responsibility to support you.
The Excuses.
Rishi Sunak has been confronted for not covering new starter furloughs during a Twitter Q&A and replied with concern over the system being open to abuse.
Imagine that, refusing to help a large majority of good people. Families. Working-class people, who were put in a painful situation by his own actions, refused help because a handful of bad apples may take advantage. This argument falls immediately flat as you could argue this for literally anything. Should we abolish disability benefits because someone may abuse it? Should we not have universal credits because someone could easily lie?
Of course not!
There are numerous other ways in which new starter furloughs can be supported. A stimulus payment, an average furlough payment worked out over the past 3 years of PAYE (like with the self-employed). I could go on, but fundamentally, he is aware of the problem but doesn’t want to find solutions.
The Conclusion.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no movement by Rishi. Journalists have been quiet on the subject recently, moving onto other causes and stories. Campaigners are slowly becoming quieter and less active as they focus all their energy on doing anything they can to keep food on the table. It seems all is lost for the new starter furlough campaign.
For all of you out there reading this who have completely lost faith, let’s stick together and keep fighting the good fight. As its the right thing to do — Not that Rishi would understand that.
#NewStarterFurlough #NewStarterJustice #NewStarterBacklash
