Tag Archives: austerity

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Sunak and the strikes: misreading the mood of the nation

‘At prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak challenged Keir Starmer to back even tougher anti-strike legislation.’ Photograph: Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament/AFP/Getty Images
‘At prîm̦inistr’z qsćnz on Wnzde, Riśi Sūnac ćalinjd Cir Starmr t bac īvn tufr antīstrîc lejsleśn.’ Foṭgraf: Jesica Teilr/YC Parḷmnt/AFP/Geti Iṃjz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Sūnac n ɖ strîcs: msrīdñ ɖ mūd v ɖ neśn

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 7 Dec. 2022)

Ɖ prîm̦inistr z sīcñ confṛnteśn wɖ ɖ yńnz in ɖ b’lif h wl rīp a p’liticl rword

Wnzde 7 Dsmbr 2022

Ɖ  rplesmnt v ɖ haplis Liz Trus bî Riśi Sūnac wz wîdli asymd t heṛld ɖ rtrn v a “groun-up”, maṇjirịl stîl v poḷtics t Dǎnñ Strīt. Wɖ ɖ marcits dyli pḷcetd bî Jeṛmi Hunt’s ōtmstetmnt, sm sīńr Tōriz īvn bgan t wuri ɖt Sūnacịn stbiḷti n fiscl orʈ̇doxi wd b tù borñ a platform on ẃć t fes Lebr at ɖ nxt ilex́n.

Bt it trnz ǎt ɖt, ǎtsd ɖ Siti, Brítnz r’nt bord bî Mr Sūnac’s flejlñ premịrśp; ɖe r fyrịs n insrjnt. Rel n postl wrcrz, nrsz, ambyḷnswrcrz n sivl srvnts r cuṛntli planñ t g on strîc in Dsmbr. Ɖe me b jônd bî tīćrz n jūńr doctrz in ɖ ny yir. In ol, mor ɖn a miłn membrz v ɖ wrcfors me wɖdrw ɖer lebr in ɖ līd-up t Crisṃs – numbrz reṃnisnt v ɖ “wintr v discntnt” in 1978/9. Ɖs z dspt lowr levlz v yńnmembrśp n far mor strinjnt rūlz guṿnñ strîc ax́n.

Dzastṛsli, aftr biyñ buḟtd intu U-trnz on hǎsbildñ n onśor windfarmz bî intrnl parti rvolts, Mr Sūnac apirz t si ɖ strîcs az a ćans t cnfǎnd ɖoz critics hu akz him v biyñ wìc. At prîm̦inistr’z qsćnz on Wnzde, h ćalinjd Cir Starmr t bac īvn tufr antīstrîc lejsleśn, t b intṛdyst nxt yir. Az ɖ transportsecṛtri, Marc Harper, hz admitd, ɖs wl nt afct industrịl ax́n ɖs wintr, bt ɖt z nt ɖ pônt. Ɖ guvnmnt’s cuṛnt straṭji z t ẃip p a confṛnteśn wɖ ɖ yńnz in ɖ b’lif ɖt ɖ public wl b on its sîd.

Ɖs “hu guvnz?” aproć feṃsli endd badli fr Edẉd Hīʈ, hu lost an ilex́n cōld on ɖt besis in 1974. Bt Mr Sūnac no dǎt prifŕz t dwel on Marġrit Ʈaćr’z trîumf in 1979, ẃn ɖ arğmnt ɖt yńnz wr “holdñ ɖ cuntri t ransm” – a lîn rpitd bî ministrz ɖs wīc – cntribytd t a Tori landslîd. Unforćṇtli fr ɖ prîm̦inistr, ɖt wz ɖen.

Bî ɖ end v ɖ 1970z, mć v ɖ popyleśn agrìd ɖt yńnz hd bcm tù pǎrfl. Forti yirz on, az Mr Sūnac proṃsz t leɉslet t “pṛtct” ɖ public, popylr simṗʈi fr ɖ rît t strîc hz acć̣li groun sins Jūn. Ɖ rīznz fr ɖt g bynd ptiklr dspyts, n dīpr ɖn ɖ cuṛnt cost-v-livñ crîsis. Ɖr z a wîdspred n akṛt public pspśn ɖt, sins ɖ craś, ɖ cuntri hz witnist a būm in unrnd-aset wlʈ n pe at ɖ top, cmbînd wɖ stagnetñ or fōlñ riyl-trmz wejz fr olmst evrwn els. A deced v undr-invstmnt in ɖ public sectr hz olso fyld a pspśn ɖt mć v ɖ cuntri jst dz’nt wrc proprli eni mor. Rsponsbiḷti fr ɖs dsfuñśnl stet v aferz z dīmd nt t lî wɖ 1970z-stîl militnt tredyńnists, bt wɖ s’xesiv Cnsrṿtiv guvnmnts.

F onli fṛm an instñt v slf-preẓveśn, a wîz admiṇstreśn wd rec̣gnîz ɖs bacdrop n ngośiet, n compṛmîz, acordñli. Ahd v a wintŗseśn ɖt strîcs wl onli dīpn, ɖs wd olso b ɖ rît ʈñ t d fr ɖ cuntri. Bt fr nǎ, Mr Sūnac’s fiscl cnsrṿtizm mīnz h wl nt cǎntinns sć an aproć. Instd, h apirz dtrmind t f’mnt sośl strîf in ɖ hop v îṣletñ Lebr n ynîtñ hiz ǒn parti wɖ sm retro reṭric. Ɖt z msgîdd n irisponsbl oṗtynizm, nt groun-up poḷtics. It olso sirịsli msrīdz ɖ mūd v ɖ neśn.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement: setting a trap for Labour

Jeremy Hunt gives his autumn statement in the House of Commons on 17 November. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/Reuters
Jeṛmi Hunt gvz hiz ōtm stetmnt in ɖ Hǎs v Comnz on 17 Nvmbr. Foṭgraf: Jesica Teilr/Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Jeṛmi Hunt’s ōtmstetmnt: setñ a trap fr Lebr

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 17 Nov. 2022)

Ɖ guvnmnt wonts votrz t ʈnc ɖ ic̣nomic qsćn z abt rdysñ dét rɖr ɖn Tori fełr

Ʈrzde 17 Nvmbr 2022

Ɖ  ćanslr, Jeṛmi Hunt, wonts t fît ɖ last wor. Bt firmunġrñ clemz abt record déts ɖt wrct fr prīvịs Tori ćanslrz, ẃn votrz cd b scerd intu votñ fr osteṛti, r les pswesiv at a tîm v rseśn. Nxt yir, unimplômnt wl jump az ɖ icoṇmi śrincs bî 1.4%. Hǎsholdz wl record ɖ bigist fōl in dspoẓbl incm sins recordz bgan, n it w’nt rtrn t prīpandemic levlz untl aftr 2028. Rents, eṇjibilz n morġjz r ol gwñ p ẃl hǎsprîsz n riyl wejz drop.

It z īzi t si ẃ Mr Hunt ʈncs ɖt az loñ az ɖ iśu z cntrolñ infleśn or rdysñ dét, rɖr ɖn ɖ fełr v Tori ic̣nomic manijmnt, it me b ɖt ɖ guvnmnt hz a ćans t prospr. H nz ɖt ilex́nz r fòt nt btwn cnflictñ ansrz t ɖ sem qsćn, bt rɖr btwn cnflictñ qsćnz.

Yt Lebr z nt oḟrñ eni comṗtiśn fr ppl’z ʈncñ. Ɖs hz alaud Mr Hunt’s ōtmstetmnt t b drest p in Lebr cloɖz. Ɖ plan fr hayr taxz on wejz n diṿdndz az wel az an xtndd windfōl tax on ôl n gas cumṗniz z abt p’liticl pziśnñ. Mr Hunt wl d ɖ bér minimm t śltr pnśnrz, ɖ pur n p’liticli snṣtiv srṿsz bcz public opińn hz śiftd agnst spendñcuts. Bt h ʈncs sm unpopylr ćôsz cn b p’liticli ysfl. Ɖt z ẃ h admitd Britn cd nt mīt ɖ guvnmnt’s fiscl rūlz n rplest ɖm wɖ ny slf-impozd cnstrents ɖt rqîr £55bn in cuts aftr 2025.

Undr Mr Hunt’s ny fiscl straṭji, osteṛti w’nt arîv untl aftr ɖ end v ɖ cuṛnt parḷmntri trm. Ɖs z a trap. A fełr bî Lebr t sîn p t tuf fiscl poḷsiz wl xpoz, ɖ ćanslr hops, a deḟsit v comn-sns. Yt most v ɖ blt-tîṭnñ z dy t hayr dét-inṭrest costs – in ifct forsñ Britn t spend a larjr śer v its bujit peyñ bondholdrz. Ɖs z nt a flw bt a fīćr v Sūnacomics. It wz Riśi Sūnac hu az ćanslr imbrest selñ infleśn-linct naśnl dét ẃn ɖr wz no nīd.

Ẃl eṇjifrmz rîtli fes a windfōl tax, ɖ banclevi z roñli biyñ cut fṛm 8% t 3%. Yt lendrz r nǎ rsivñ 3% on ɖ rzrvz – p fṛm 0.1% last yir – ɖt ɖe hv parct at ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd sins 2009. Ɖs, recnz ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti (OBR), costs ɖ Treẓ́ri abt £60bn. Mr Hunt hz ćozn t lc fr public-spendñ cuts instd v taxñ bancs or forsñ ɖm t hold rzrvz at ɖ Banc at a lowr – or ziro – ret.

Ɖ Cnsrṿtivz hv vri dlibṛtli n radicli ćenjd ɖ strucćr v ɖ Britiś icoṇmi t fevr ɖer inṭrests. Campenrz worn ɖt rplesñ ɖ Solvnsi II inśuṛnsreźīm ɖt wz adoptd ẃn Britn wz in ɖ YY z lîcli t wìcn cnsymrpṛtx́nz n pṛvîd a windfōl fr Siti śerholdrz. A naśnl ambiśn t rdys eṇjicnsumśn bî 15% bî 2030 z tù litl tù lêt ẃn fosilfylz r bhnd rejñ infleśn. Mr Hunt’s clem ɖt Britn hz wn v ɖ strongist seftinets in ɖ wrld z b’laid bî śrivld beṇfits. Ẃl scūlz n ɖ NHS r śīldd, uɖr dpartmnts fes brūtl spendñcuts.

Fr ol ɖ tōc v trboćarjñ ɖ icoṇmi, ɖ onli groʈbūst ɖ OBR notd wz hayr iṃgreśn. Brexit wz mnśnd wns bî Mr Hunt – a tsṭmnt t ɖt poḷsi’z growñ unpopylaṛti. Lebr nīdz its ǒn anaḷsis v ɖ Britiś icoṇmi. It z nt inuf jst t se ɖ parti in pǎr z yslis or irisponsbl. Ɖ Cnsrṿtivz’ grim record hz nt privntd ɖm fṛm winñ ilex́nz – wɖ dizṃl rzults fr ɖ cuntri.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Rishi Sunak: profits in the City, austerity in the country

The new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is congratulated by party members outside Conservative headquarters in London. Photograph: Hugo Philpott/UPI/Rex/Shutterstock
Ɖ ny prîm̦inistr, Riśi Sŭnac, z cngrać̣letd bî partimembrz ǎtsd Cnsrṿtiv hedqortrz in Lundn. Foṭgraf: Hygo Filpot/YPI/Rex/Śuṭstoc

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Riśi Sŭnac: profits in ɖ Siti, osteṛti in ɖ cuntri

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 24 October 2022)

Simblz r importnt, bt ɖ Tori līdr’z bacgrǎnd az a hejfund manijr rɖr ɖn hiz rês xplenz hiz poḷtics

Munde 24 Octobr 2022

It z a sîn v deṃcratic progres ɖt Britn’z nxt prîm̦inistr wl b v Indịn heṛtij. Ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti z nt ɖ naćṛl hom fr mni v ɖ cuntri’z non-ẃît votrz. Yt so mni Tori MPz wontd Riśi Sŭnac t b ɖer līdr ɖt h wz ilectd un’pozd. Mr Sŭnac wl b ɖ frst prîm̦inistr v culr n ɖ frst Hindu in Dǎnñ Strīt. Hiz eḷveśn jrñ Diwali, ɖ Hindu fstivl v lîts, wl b a sors v prîd fr mni v hiz co-rliɉnists – n fr Britn’z p’liticl sistm.

Ɖ Tōriz hv nǎ hd ʈri fīmel prîm̦inistrz, for non-ẃît ćanslrz n Mr Sŭnac az prîm̦inistr. Ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti cn wɖ gd rīzn clem ɖt îdntti z nt a bar t ɖ hîist ofis in ɖ land. Lebr canot se ɖ sem. In poḷtics, simblz r importnt. Bt iṃjz ɖmslvz r pǎrlis. Mr Sŭnac, ɖ cuntri’z yungist prîm̦inistr in modn tîmz, asndd t ɖ top job wɖt seyñ hǎ h wd dīl wɖ a lūmñ rseśn n roc̣tñ infleśn.

Ɖ ny prîm̦inistr z ɖ rićist man in parḷmnt. Dspt hvñ no popylr mandet, h dd litl t ri’śur ppl hu r wurid sic abt rîzñ costs or leñʈ̇nñ NHS wêts. Ɖ imrjnsi z riyl. Yt Mr Sŭnac sīmz intnt on trnñ of hǎshold s’port fr eṇjibilz nxt Epril. H plenli ʈncs ɖt mītñ an arbitrri targit v rdysñ naśnl dét z mor importnt ɖn sevñ ppl fṛm peńri. Wɖt fiscl xpanśn n ɖ eṇjiprîs gaṛnti, infleśn wl b hayr n ɖ rseśn dīpr. Inṭrestrets r lîcli t rîz. Aṇlists at Morgn Stanli se borowñ costs fr homz cd hit 6%, ẃć – alñ wɖ hayr ytiḷtibilz – wd si p t 40% v hǎsholdz strugl t pe ɖer morgij.

Mr Sŭnac z a smart poḷtiśn in ẃt hz bn cōld ɖ stypid parti. Hiz wonciś dlivri dz litl t xît felo Cnsrṿtivz. In ɖ sumr, Tori membrz prifŕd Liz Trus’z tricl-dǎn īc̣nomics t hiz unflaśi planz. Yt Mr Sŭnac lct atractiv aftr Trusonomics blù p on ɖ lōnćpad bfr it tc of. Ɖ parḷmntri parti bcem unguvṇbl wɖ Mz Trus az līdr. Mr Sŭnac z luci, az h z ebl nǎ t blem Mz Trus fr ɖ pen ɖt ɖ cuntri wl indyr.

Phps it z Mr Sŭnac’z bacgrǎnd az a hejfund manijr rɖr ɖn hiz rês ɖt xplenz hiz poḷtics. Ɖ big winrz fṛm hiz arîvl in ofis wl b ɖ ǒnrz v YC guvnmntbondz. Ɖ yīld on 30-yir gílts z nǎ bac t rufli ẃr it wz bfr ɖ Trus guvnmnt’s minibujit. Ẃl ɖ Siti profits, votrz wl pe ʈru osteṛti.

Ɖ nxt Tori prîm̦inistr hz a mǎntin t clîm. Poulñ fr ɖ rîtwñ ʈnctanc Onẉd śoz ɖt Lebr z līdñ ɖ Tōriz on evri iśu fesñ ɖ cuntri uɖr ɖn dfns n Brexit. Ɖ bad nyz fr Mr Sŭnac, a fiscl cnsrṿtiv, z ɖt jst wn in six votrz hv ic̣nomicli rîtwñ valyz. Mor prifŕ iqoḷti ovr groʈ. Clîmñ dvuljz hidn truɖz abt ɖ clîmr. Mr Sŭnac cd eḿlet ɖ formr Tori prîm̦inistr Benɉmin Dizreli, hu wz born Juiś, wɖ a promis t hīl sośl dvîdz. Wɖt sć a cmitmnt n poḷsiz t bac it p, Mr Sŭnac’z premịrśp z lîcli t b śort n mesi. Britn canot aford anɖr prîm̦inistr ilectd bî Tori MPz or partimembrz. Ɖ cuntri’z nxt līdr mst b ćozn ʈru ɖ baḷtbox.

Instroduction to Ñspel