Tag Archives: Gordon Brown

Fṛm ɖ Obzrvr: Steve McQueen voices ‘dismay’ after MPs snub Grenfell Tower film invitation

Artist Steve McQueen said he sent dozens of invitations to MPs to attend a screening of his Grenfell Tower film, but only four have replied and visited. Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Artist Stīv MQīn sd h snt duznz v invteśnz t MPz t atnd a scrīnñ v hiz Grenfél Tǎr film, bt onli for hv rplaid n viẓtd. Foṭgraf: Frazer Harisn/Geti Iṃjz
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Stīv MQīn vôsz ‘dsme’ aftr MPz snub Grenfél Tǎr film invteśn

(Transcription of an Observer article of 7 May 2023)

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Aword-winñ Britiś artist sz lac v poḷtiśnz’ rspons t atnd a scrīnñ spīcs volymz abt ‘ẃt z haṗnñ in ɖs cuntri’

Vnesa Ʈorp, Arts n mīdịcorispondnt
Súnde 7 Me 2023

Wn v Britn’z līdñ film n teḷviźn d’rectrz, ɖ aword-winñ artist Stīv MQīn, hz xprest hiz dsme at ɖ lac v rspons bî poḷtiśnz t hiz film Grenfél, a pǎrfl viźl stetmnt on ɖ devstetñ Lundn fîr v 2017. Ɖ YC’z p’liticl clas hz, h sz, larjli avôdd cmñ t woć it.

“Ɖer sîḷns sz a lot abt ẃt z haṗnñ in ɖs cuntri. F MPz r trnñ ɖer bacs on smʈñ lîc ɖs film, ẃt dz it mīn?” MQīn tld ɖ Obzrvr.

H invîtd duznz v MPz t woć hiz 24-minit film at ɖ Srpntîn Gaḷri in Lundn. So far, wɖ onli ʈri dez t g bfr ɖ scrīnñz end on Wnzde, MQīn sd ɖt h nz v onli for poḷtiśnz hu hv rplaid n viẓtd.

Ɖe r ɖ formr Lebr prîm̦inistr Gordn Brǎn, Cnzñtn MP F’liṣti Bucn, Mîcl Gov, ɖ hǎzñsecṛtri, n Devid Lami, ɖ śado foṛn secṛtri, hu lost a frend in ɖ fîr n hu wz t atnd a scrīnñ ɖs wīcend.

Ɖ vast mjoṛti v ɖoz invîtd hv feld īvn t rplî, MQīn sd. “Ɖ fact ɖt ol ɖz uɖr MPz hv bn invîtd n yt hv’nt hd ɖ crṭsi t īvn rspond z jst nt gd inuf. It z wn v ɖz sićueśnz, ẃɖr ɖe r Lebr or Cnsrṿtiv, ẃr ɖe śd hv hd ɖ dīsnsi t rplî,” ɖ Lundn-born artist sd.

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A still from Steve McQueen’s 24-minute film about the Grenfell Tower fire. Photograph: Steve McQueen/PA
A stil fṛm Stīv MQīn’z 24-minit film abt ɖ Grenfél Tǎr fîr. Foṭgraf: Stīv MQīn/PA

Hiz śort, wrdlis film hz bn wîdli hêld az wn v ɖ most d’rect n p’liticli pǎrfl artwrcs śoun in Britn in rīsnt yirz, mcñ an apaṛntli īqli poẓtiv impact on critics, trōṃtîzd nebrz n membrz v ɖoz faṃliz b’rivd bî ɖ fîr in Norʈ Cnzñtn, ẃć cild 72 ppl.

MQīn, hu wún ɖ bst picćr Oscr fr hiz 2013 film 12 Yirz a Slev n ɖ Trnr prîz fr cntmprri art in 1999, sd h dz nt b’liv ɖt ɖ fełr v so mni MPz t rspond cn b xkzd bcz ɖe r unśur hǎ t aproć a wrc v modn art.

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Felicity Buchan, the Conservative MP for Kensington, was one of only four politicians who replied and attended the screening of McQueen’s short feature. Photograph: David Woolfall/UK Parliament
F’liṣti Bucn, ɖ Cnsrṿtiv MP fr Cnzñtn, wz wn v onli for poḷtiśnz hu rplaid n atndd ɖ scrīnñ v MQīn’z śort fīćr. Foṭgraf: Devid Wŭlfōl/YC Parḷmnt

“I d’nt nǒ ẃɖr it cn b ɖt,” h sd. “Aftr ol, ɖs z ɖ cuntri v Śecspir n v Wiłm Blêc n v [Devid] Hocni, so I d’nt nǒ ẃ ɖt śd b ɖ ces. Ɖe r edycetd ppl. N enwe, ɖs z ol abt Grenfél n ɖe śd hv bn ebl t unḍstand ɖt. It z jst a śort wōc fṛm parḷmnt.”

Ɖ jenṛli aprīṣ́tiv riax́n t MQīn’z Grenfél film hz bn in marct contrast t mor sspiśs fīlñz vôst rīsntli in ɖ Cnzñtn eria abt planz t mc a BBC teḷviźn draṃsiriz cuṿrñ ɖ ivnts līdñ p t ɖ fîr n its p’liticl afṭmaʈ, n t a Naśnl Ʈiytr ple ɖt wl b best on vbetim acǎnts fṛm svîvrz n uɖrz v ɖoz afctd.

MQīn, hu rīsntli md ɖ popylr teḷviźn filmsiriz Smōl Ax fr ɖ BBC, sd it wz nt p t him t se ẃɖr hiz Grenfél film wz jujd mor axptbl bcz ɖr wz no daylog.

“Ɖt z fr uɖrz t dsîd,” h sd. “Ol I nǒ z ɖt I wz vri hapi wɖ ɖ rspons fṛm ɖoz hu hv sìn it. It z nt a fīćrfilm. It z nt a TV siriz. It z an artwrc. N it z ol abt ɖ subjictmatr. Ɖ content, I ʈnc, olwz dictets ɖ rît form fr smʈñ t tec.”

Raitñ abt hiz artwrc last munʈ, h sd: “Ẃn I hŕd abt ɖ fîr, I nīdd t d smʈñ. I wz in pen lîc mni uɖr ppl at witṇsñ a traɉdi ɖt simpli dd nt hv t hapn, yt dd dy t dlibṛt nglect. Ɖ qsćn fr m at ɖ tîm wz: ‘Hǎ d I ingej wɖ ɖs traɉdi?’ Ɖ onli ʈñ I cd ʈnc v wz t vizit ɖ bildñ agn, aftr nirli 30 yirz.”

MQīn hd faṃlifrendz in ɖ eria n in hiz yʈ hd run a cloɖñstōl in nirbî Porṭbelo Rod: “Ɖr wz a wundrfl eṇji, a fmiliaṛti, an xćenj ẃć wz unlîc enẃr els in Lundn. Olso, it wz cūl. Ɖr wz a búz. Ɖr wz prǎdnis. Y wr in ɖ rît ples.”

Ɖ film̦cr z t tec hiz frst dokmntri t ɖ Cannes film fstivl lêtr ɖs munʈ. Tîtld Okpaid Siti, it z set in Amsṭdam jrñ ɖ secnd wrldwor. MQīn sd hiz art n enttenmnt projects r olwz p’liticl “bcz evrʈñ z p’liticl”.

“Īvn fōlñ in luv z p’liticl,” h add. “Nʈñ cn b dvorst fṛm it.” MQīn rīsntli xprest hiz cnsrn ɖt Grenfél Tǎr wd fed fṛm public meṃri n so wz dtrmind t mc śr it wz nt fgotn, ẃɖr or nt ɖr r criminl proṣkśnz.

Ɖs wīcend h sd h wd stl welcm eni poḷtiśnz hu nǎ dsîd t cm t si ɖ film in its fînl fy scrīnñdez n ɖt h hopt mor wd at līst rspond t ɖ invteśn. “Ɖ îdīa z fr it t tur arnd Britn at sm pônt,” h sd.

Ɖ film z dedcetd t ɖoz hu daid in ɖ fîr, t ɖ svîvrz n ɖ b’rivd, n public scrīnñz at ɖ gaḷri foloud a pirịd v prîṿt vywñz, ẃć prîoṛtîzd b’rivd faṃliz n svîvrz. Aftr its preznteśn at ɖ Srpntîn, ɖ wrc wl b plest in ɖ cer v ɖ Têt n ɖ Ḿziym v Lundn’z c’lex́nz.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

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"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

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In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Labour’s devolution plans: regional inequality is a blight

Gordon Brown (left) and Sir Keir Starmer. ‘The former Labour prime minister has produced a serious – and sweeping – set of proposals that would change the face of the country, largely for the better.’ Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA
Gordn Brǎn (left) n Sr Cir Starmr. ‘Ɖ formr Lebr prîm̦inistr hz pṛdyst a sirịs – n swīpñ – set v pṛpozlz ɖt wd ćenj ɖ fes v ɖ cuntri, larjli fr ɖ betr.’ Foṭgraf: Jen Barlo/PA
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Ɖ Gardịn vy on Lebr’z dīṿluśnplanz: rījnl iniqoḷti z a blît

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 5 Dec. 2022)

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Britn z hedñ in ɖ roñ d’rex́n, n radicl ćenj z nīdd in hǎ muni n pǎr wrcs

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Munde 5 Dsmbr 2022

Gordn Brǎn wonts ɖ nxt Lebr guvnmnt t win pǎr – n ɖen gv it awe. Ɖt mt xplen ẃ Sr Cir Starmr hz prezd Mr Brǎn, bt nt yt cmitd t hiz cmiśn’z rec̣mndeśnz. Yt ɖ formr Lebr prîm̦inistr hz pṛdyst a sirịs – n swīpñ – set v pṛpozlz ɖt wd ćenj ɖ fes v ɖ cuntri, larjli fr ɖ betr.

Ɖ 40 rec̣mndeśnz g far bynd ɖ vri welcm sjsćn ɖt ɖr śd b deṃcratic rform v ɖ Hǎs v Lordz on a fedṛl besis. Ɖs pṛpozl wd si ɖ slf-guṿnmnt in Scotḷnd, Wêlz n Norɖn Îrḷnd bcm part v ɖ śerd guvnmnt v ɖ YC. Ɖr r olso incuṛjñ planz t dvolv ic̣nomic pǎrz t cḿṇtiz. Mr Brǎn z rît t asc ẃ, f secnd jobz cn b bánd in ɖ YS Congres, ɖs cd nt aplî t ɖ YC parḷmnt.

Dīṿluśn śd b gvn paṛmǎnt importns in ic̣nomic dveḷpmnt. Ɖ YC z biyñ hld bac bî its form v guvnmnt, sntrd on Ẃîthōl n Wsminstr. Ɖz cntrol arnd 95% v ɖ YC’z taxreṿny n 75% v ɖ YC’z public spendñ – a far hayr consntreśn v fiscl pǎr ɖn in eni cmpaṛbl cuntri. Ɖ rzult v ɖs hz mnt ic̣nomic groʈ n pṛspeṛti consntretd in Lundn n ɖ sǎʈ-īst v Ñgḷnd. Mr Brǎn z rît ɖt ɖ YC hz bcm “ɖ most sntṛlîzd cuntri in Yṛp. Tù mni dsiźnz afctñ tù mni ppl r md bî tù fy.”

Rījnl iniqoḷti z a blît. Mr Brǎn’z rport pônts ǎt ɖt ɖ Midḷndz n ɖ norʈ v Ñgḷnd r sìn t ofr a lowr qoḷti v lîf ɖn Aḷbama – wn v ɖ purist YS stets. Cnsiḍrñ GDP p’ capita, haf ɖ YC popyleśn livz in eriaz no wlʈịr ɖn ɖ purr parts v ɖ formr Īst Jrṃni. It z hardli s’prîzñ ɖt trust in MPz n sntṛl guvnmnt dclînz ɖ frɖr awe cḿṇtiz r fṛm Wsminstr n Ẃîthōl.

Ɖ dlema fr Mr Brǎn’z ajnda z hǎ t dīl wɖ ilectd rījnl poḷtiśnz hu r îdịlojicli opozd t hiz instñts. Hiz pṛpozd s’lūśn z ɖt a ny consttyśn śd gaṛnti ny sośl rîts sć az axes t hlʈcer on ɖ besis v nīd, nt profit acrs ɖ YC. Ɖ ʈret z riyl. NHS trītmnt z pṛvîdd fri, bt ɖr z nʈñ t hindr ministrz in Lundn, Ednbra, Cardif or Belfast pṛmotñ lejsleśn t ćenj ɖt. In rtrn fr YC-wîd sefgardz, Mr Brǎn wd consttyśṇli pṛtct Scotiś n Wlś dīṿluśn, ẃć at ɖ momnt cn b rvrst bî a parḷmntri mjoṛti.

Ɖ stet plez an instṛmntl rǒl in śepñ ɖ icoṇmi. Covid-19 hlpt xplod ɖ arğmnt agnst dīṿluśn ɖt sntṛl guvnmnt z mor compitnt ɖn its locl vrśn. Ñgliś caunslz’ tst-n-tres scīmz in ɖ pandemic wr mć betr valy fr muni ɖn ɖ feld sntṛl scīm. Mr Brǎn’z ces fr rībildñ trust aftr Boris Jonsn’z trnzgreśnz agnst istabliśt p’liticl cnvnśnz z wel md. Brexit hz nt léd t votrz tecñ bac cntrol bt rɖr pmitd a pǎrgrab bî ɖ xektiv.

Sr Cir hz welcmd ɖ last Lebr prîm̦inistr’z rport, bt its apil me wen f h winz pǎr. Ɖt wd b a mstec. Ɖr z a cnsnss, Mr Brǎn nots, ɖt Britn z hedñ in ɖ roñ d’rex́n, n radicl ćenj z nīdd in hǎ muni n pǎr wrcs hir. Pasñ p on ɖ oṗtyṇti t rît ɖ cuntri wd b a historic mstec.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

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"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

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In Ñspel: The Observer view on fuel poverty measures freezing out poorest Britons

Washing hangs outside to dry on a fence of a home in November. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
S’xesiv Cnsrṿtiv ćanslrz hv irodd ɖ valy v ɖ fînanśl seftinet aveḷbl fr lo-peid peṛnts n dsebld ppl. Foṭgraf: Crisṭfr Frloñ/Geti
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Ɖ Obzrvr vy on fylpoṿti meźrz frizñ ǎt purist Brítnz

(Transcription of an Observer editorial of 27 Nov. 2022)

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Ny anaḷsis rvilz ɖ līst aflụnt nīd rjnt guvnmnt s’port ɖs wintr

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Súnde 27 Nvmbr 2022

Ɖs yir wl g dǎn az a yir v hardśp fr so mni ppl: 2022 bròt spîcñ eṇjibilz n record levlz v infleśn ɖt hv irodd ppl’z incmz. Bt az formr prîm̦inistr Gordn Brǎn wornz in tde’z Obzrvr, nxt yir wl b hardr stl n hardist fr lo-incm hǎsholdz, includñ les aflụnt pnśnrz, lo-peid peṛnts n ɖer ćildṛn n ppl wɖ dis’biḷtiz.

Ɖs z ɖ rzult v Britn’z rseśn, fōrcast bî ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd t last tū yirz, n eṇjibilz ɖt r fōrcast t cntiny t rîz az guvnmnt s’port wɖ eṇjicosts fōlz. Fṛm nxt Epril, ɖ guvnmnt’s eṇjiprîs gaṛnti wl bcm les jenṛs, capñ ɖ aṿrij bil at £3,000 rɖr ɖn £2,500 a yir n ɖ yṇvrsl £400 wrʈ v s’port ɖt wz peid t ol hǎsholdz in wintr 2022 wl b wɖdrwn. T ofset ɖs rdux́n, ɖ guvnmnt hz incrist ɖ levl v tarġtd s’port at ɖoz in rsit v mīnz-tstd beṇfits: ol pnśnrz n ɖoz rsivñ dis’biḷtibeṇfits wl gt £300 n £150, az ɖe dd last yir, n ppl on mīnz-tstd beṇfits wl gt a wn-of pemnt v £900, p fṛm £650 last yir. So ɖr z les s’port t g rnd, bt it z mor tarġtd on lo-incm hǎsholdz.

Bt az Brǎn hîlîts in ny anaḷsis, ɖs wl stl līv xtrordnṛli hî numbrz v vulnṛbl faṃliz xpozd t fylpoṿti, dfînd az hǎsholdz peyñ 10% or mor v ɖer incm on eṇjibilz ć yir. Sevn in 10 pnśnrz r fōrcast t b xpirịnsñ fylpoṿti best on ɖs meźr bî nxt Epril, rîzñ t 96% v lon-peṛnt faṃliz wɖ tū or mor ćildṛn n 85% v cuplz wɖ ʈri or mor ćildṛn. Olmst 4 miłn faṃliz wl nīd t b spendñ jst undr a ʈrd v ɖer incm on eṇji t cīp worm, a cmplitli unsstenbl propziśn gvn ɖ costs v hǎzñ, fūd n uɖr isnślz.

Ɖ rīzn z ɖt, dspt ɖ guvnmnt mcñ eḟts t mc ɖ smōlr amǎnt v s’port on ofr mor tarġtd twdz purr hǎsholdz, it z a vri imprisîs we v gtñ s’port t ɖ hǎsholdz ɖt nīd it ɖ most, n līvz ǎt mni v ɖ hardist-up faṃliz. For in 10 v ɖ purist fifʈ v hǎsholdz r nt in rsit v mīnz-tstd beṇfits, so d nt īvn qoḷfî fr ɖ £900 top-up. Yzñ mīnz-tstd beṇfits az a pasport fr ɖs pemnt mīnz ɖt f a faṃli gz ovr ɖ beṇfitsʈreśhold bî jst £1, ɖe wl lūz ɖ £900 in its intîṛti. Last, eṇji ys z hayr ɖn aṿrij in purr hǎsholdz ɖt r larjr, or ẃr ppl liv in purli insyletd, bad-qoḷti hǎzñ – mor lîcli t b ɖ ces fr ppl livñ in poṿti in ɖ frst ples.

Ɖ ǎtcm z ɖt, īvn tecñ intu acǎnt ɖ mīnz-tstd s’portpacij, anaḷsis bî ɖ Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn śoz ɖt haf v hǎsholdz in ɖ purist fifʈ v ɖ incmdistṛbyśn wl stl b fesñ eṇjibilz v mor ɖn £1,000 mor ɖn ɖe dd in 2022. Ɖs xtra £1,000 z nt muni ɖe cn aford; so mni v ɖz indivijlz r olrdi livñ in imposbl srcmstansz, fesñ ćôsz btwn cīpñ ɖer homz worm or ptñ fūd on ɖ tebl fr ɖer ćildṛn, forst t rlî on fūdbancs bcz ɖe c’nt aford besic isnślz. It z ɖ purist hǎsholdz hu fes sm v ɖ hîist prîsz az wel, az a rzult v hvñ t rlî on prīpeid eṇjimītrz n t śop in smōlr n mor xpnsiv fūdśops bcz ɖe hv no trnsport t gt t ćīpr sūṗmarcits. Ɖ Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn hz esṭmetd ɖt ɖ purist 10ʈ v hǎsholdz r nǎ fesñ an ifctiv infleśnret v 12.5%, cmperd wɖ 9.6% fr ɖ rićist 10ʈ, ɖ bigist gap in ɖz rets sins 2006 ẃn ɖz meźrz wr c’lectd.

Ɖ prîm̦inistr n ćanslr wd no dǎt argy it z ǎt v ɖer handz; ɖe wd clem t hv dn az mć az ɖe cn gvn ɖ grim ic̣nomic srcmstansz ɖ cuntri fesz n ɖ crîsis in eṇjiprîsz cōzd bî Ruśa’z wor in Ycren. Ɖs z nt creḍbl fr ʈri rīznz. Frst, s’xesiv Cnsrṿtiv ćanslrz hv irodd ɖ valy v ɖ fînanśl seftinet aveḷbl fr lo-peid peṛnts n dsebld ppl, bî cutñ taxcredits n beṇfits ovr ɖ last deced ẃl gvñ awe xpnsiv taxcuts ɖt hv dispṛporśṇtli beṇfitd betr-of hǎsholdz. Ɖs hz md lo-incm hǎsholdz mć les fînanṣ́li rziłnt ovr ɖ loñ trm. Secnd, az Brǎn argyz, ɖr r obvịs sorsz v xtra reṿny aveḷbl t ɖ ćanslr, Jeṛmi Hunt, includñ taxñ nondomz n incrist taxz on bancrz’ boṇsz, huz rsits cd b ćanld az xtra s’port twdz ɖ purist hǎsholdz nxt yir. Ʈrd, Britn’z dredfl groʈprospects r nt jst a product v globl hedwindz, bt v 12 yirz v Cnsrṿtiv ic̣nomic poḷsi: a fełr t invst in prodctivti-būstñ meźrz sć az scilz n infṛstrucćr n ɖ îdịlojicl psyt v ɖ hardist form v Brexit ɖt hz left Britn – n evrwn hu livz in it – cnsidṛbli purr fr ɖ loñ trm.

Ɖ sićueśn fesñ Britn’z līst aflụnt faṃliz nxt yir z an ic̣nomic imrjnsi. Unls ɖ guvnmnt inṭvinz swiftli t incris levlz v s’port fṛm nxt Epril, mor ćildṛn, pnśnrz n ppl wɖ dis’biḷtiz wl b livñ in abject fylpoṿti, in frizñ homz, wɖ loñ-trm consiqnsz fr ɖer hlʈ. Ɖ guvnmnt mst hīd Gordn Brǎn’z wornñ, n act.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

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"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Our country yearns for unity – but Truss’s government is mercilessly dividing it into rich and poor

Illustration: Sébastien Thibault/The Guardian
IỊstreśn: Sébastien Thibault/Đ Gardịn
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Ǎr cuntri yrnz fr yṇti – bt Trus’z guvnmnt z mrsilisli dvîdñ it intu rić n pur

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 21 September 2022)

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Fr ɖ frst tîm sins ɖ welfér stet wz crietd, ɖ fūdbanc wl b ǎr seftinet n ćaṛti ǎr last lîn v dfns

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Gordon Brown

Gordn Brǎn, Wnzde 21 Sptmbr 2022

Hvñ bn promist an eṇjiprîs frīz, miłnz v hard-prest faṃliz wl b śoct n firfl ẃn, on 1 Octobr, ɖe r hit wɖ a 25% rîz in ɖer fylbilz.

Aftr a sumr v dwñ nʈñ, ɖ guvnmnt lct az f it hd dn a lot, bt it hz nt dn enẃr nir inuf. In 10 dez’, ɖ cap on eṇjibilz wl rîz t an unpresdntd £2,500 a yir. Ɖs z an aṿrij incris v £10 a wīc, on top v Epril’z rîz v £14 a wīc. Fylcosts wl, acordñ t Joṇʈn Bradśw n Antońa Kñ at Yorc Yṇvrṣti, cnsym an unpresdntd 20% v ɖ incm v 4.1 miłn faṃliz in Octobr. Bî Me, ɖt figr cd rîz t 7.4 miłn. Fr 2.2 miłn faṃliz, eṇjibilz wl tec p an unpeybl 30% v ɖer incm, n ɖs cd rîz t 3.8 miłn faṃliz bî Me.

Nvr hz fylpoṿti hit so mni ppl so hard, n unls ny hlp z anǎnst fr lo-incm faṃliz on Frîde, Liz Trus’z £150bn eṇjipacij wl rmen so purli tarġtd ɖt it wl nt privnt 5 miłn ćildṛn fōlñ intu poṿti ɖs wintr, n an evr larjr pṛporśn v ǎr neśn fṛm trnñ p at wn v ɖ cuntri’z 3,000 fūdbancs.

Ẃn in Jūn, ɖ ɖen ćanslr, Riśi Sŭnac, wz wîdli aplōdd fr apirñ t solv ɖ hītñcosts crîsis, I rout ɖt it wd nt b inuf t privnt hardśp. Ɖen ɖ cap on aṿrij hītñbilz wz £1,971, hvñ rizn fṛm £1,200. Ɖ Sŭnac pacij gev hǎsholdz on yṇvrsl credit £24 xtra a wīc (£1,200 a yir, f y rsivd a caunsltax rībet). Stl, ɖt sem faṃli z olrdi £20 a wīc wrs of az a rzult v ɖ £1,000 a yir cut last Octobr, n £25 a wīc dǎn bcz beṇfits rouz bî onli 3.1% ẃn infleśn hit 10%. Ẃn ɖ hefti Octobr gas n ilectriṣti incris z add t ɖer bilz, ɖe r, acordñ t updetd figrz on rlịr calkleśnz bî Doṇld Hirsch at Lufḅra Yṇvrṣti, £28 a wīc, or £1,450 a yir, wrs of.

Faṃliz wɖ mor ɖn tū ćildṛn r īvn wrs of, az r dsebld ppl, dspt ɖ £150 ɖe r dy t rsiv fṛm ɖs wīc. Ɖs z bcz ɖ flat-ret pemnt v £13 a wīc (£650 a yir) t ɖoz on beṇfits tecs no acǎnt v faṃlisîz or speśl nīdz, n ofrz onli £2.60 a wīc p’ prsn ẃn spred acrs a cupl n ɖer ʈri ćildṛn, hardli inuf t cuvr ɖ xtra n rîzñ costs v fūd, fyl, travl, teḷcomz, cloɖñ, lōndri n tôḷtriz. Ɖt z ẃ Cir Starmr n Rećl Rīvz hv nt onli pṛpozd a prîscap at ɖ lowr levl v £1,971, bt rdyst prīpemntmītr ćarjz n a mor jenṛs worm-homz dscǎntscīm. Sadli, ɖ guvnmnt sīmz so intnt on śort-ćenjñ lo-incm faṃliz ɖt nt īvn a jenṛs Epril 2023 rîz in beṇfits wl undu ɖ damij nǎ biyñ dn.

N ẃt v ɖ lo-peid hu gt jst £550 in guvnmnt hlp, dspt fesñ ɖs yir’z £1,300 rîz in fylbilz n esc̣letñ fūd n uɖr prîsz? A wejrîz v 5% wl stl līv miłnz fesñ ɖer bigist cut in livñstanddz fr 50 yirz.

Fr ɖ frst tîm sins ɖ welfér stet wz crietd, it z ɖ fūdbanc, nt sośl s’kṛti, ɖt z nǎ ǎr seftinet, n ćaṛti, nt yṇvrsl credit, ɖt z ǎr last lîn v dfns. Yt, jst az nīd rîzz, ǎr cuntri’z voḷntri sectr fîndz itslf az b’līgrd az ɖ ppl it z hlpñ. Cmpaśn z nt runñ ǎt bt caś z. Donrz hu hv a litl n jenṛsli gv t ɖoz hu hv nʈñ wl sn b unebl t gv at ol. Gifts left on sūṗmarcițroliz r dclînñ. Mni ćaṛtiz, lîc a locl welfér fund I nǒ, r flat brouc. Īvn ćrćz, ẃć hv slflisli ofrd ɖer hītd hōlz t hlp eldrli ppl ste worm, fir ɖe wl nǎ strugl t pe ɖer ǒn fylbilz.

Ẃn ɖs ōtm’z flud v nīd trnz intu a wintr tsūnāmi v hardśp, w r lîcli t si ćaṛtiz hv t stop fīdñ ɖ hungri so ɖe cn hlp ɖ starvñ, cut bac on s’port t ɖ purli hǎzd so ɖe cn foc̣s on ɖ fast-rîzñ numbrz v homlis, n gv p on hlpñ ɖ dǎn-at-hìl bcz ɖer prîoṛti hz t b ɖ desttyt. Ɖ scel v ɖ crîsis z olrdi so svir ɖt wn ćaṛti, ɖ Hymn-Rlif Fǎndeśn, ẃć hz spent 30 yirz foc̣st intîrli on foṛn ed t ɖ wrld’z purist cuntriz, hz opnd its ǒn fūdbanc in Brmñm.

It z bcz ɖ ofiśl seftinet z so średd n ćaṛtiz r nǎ so strećt ɖt ćrćz n feʈgrūps, anti-poṿti campenrz n mẹrz n caunslrz r jônñ tgɖr t fors ɖ Trus guvnmnt t wec p t ɖ scel v ɖ poṿticrîsis ahd. Public opińn abt poṿti hz bn śiftñ.

An oṿẃlmñ mjoṛti v ɖ Britiś public – 73%, acordñ t Ipsos – cnsidrz poṿti n sośl iniqoḷti alñsd infleśn az ɖ top iśuz nǎ wuriyñ ɖm n cōzñ slīplis nîts. Wɖ, fr ɖ frst tîm in yirz, poṿti nt jst ingulfñ lo-incm faṃliz bt spredñ t midl-incm faṃliz tù, ɖr z a growñ sns ɖt poṿti z ol ɖ mor un’xptbl bcz it arîzz nt bcz w r a pur cuntri bt bcz w r a rić yt hîli unīql cuntri.

Wɖ Frîde’z anǎnsmnt t rvrs ɖ naśnl-inśuṛns rîz, ẃć gvz £1,800 t ɖ rićist n onli £7.66 a yir t ɖ pur, ɖ gap btwn ɖoz wɖ n ɖoz wɖt wl cntiny t wîdn, wɖ nn v ɖ “tricl dǎn” ifct fṛm rić t pur ɖt niolibṛl îdịlogz promis. N f ɖ guvnmnt’s fiscl stetmnt olso aboliśz ɖ bancrz’ boṇs tax, cuts corṗreśntaxz on sm v ɖ most profitbl cumṗniz, rjcts windfōl taxz on ɖ xes profits v ôlcumṗniz n laviśz biłnz on ɖ olrdi wlʈi at ɖ xpns v ɖ ny pur, it wl hv a ćilñ ifct – mrsilisli n unconśṇbli dvîdñ a cuntri ɖt ovr rīsnt dez hz śoun it yrnz fr yṇti.

Acordñ t rsrć bî Hirsch, bî 55% t 19%, ppl in Ñgḷnd ʈnc ɖ guvnmnt hz nt bn dwñ inuf t tacl poṿti – wɖ īvn mor seyñ so in Scotḷnd n Wêlz. Y canot rlî on a hartlis guvnmnt hvñ a ćenj v hart, bt cnsrtd ax́n bî ɖ public cn fors a ćenj v mînd – n a naśnl campen t ćenj poḷsi z ɖ onli ćôs. Wɖ a cold wintr fast aproćñ, ɖ tîm fr ax́n z nǎ. Ɖ cmñ wor mst b agnst poṿti, nt agnst ɖ pur.

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Gordn Brǎn wz YC prîm̦inistr fṛm 2007 t 2010

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Instroduction to Ñspel