Meeting held on Monday 21st November 2022
Ten people were present. five gave their apologies.
We were very saddened by Peter’s death since we last met and he will be greatly missed at our meetings.
The Chancellor’s mini-budget and the recently ended COP27 were both reflected upon.
The budget was a great disappointment in that it offered little in the way of much needed support for public services, and did little to force the very wealthy to support the economy. However it did impose considerable costs upon the middle-classes. Consequently the Tory press, almost without exception, condemned the budget. While it did extend the windfall tax on oil companies, this was not nearly enough, and it offered no encouragement to develop green energy.
Like the budget, the agenda for COP27 was also subverted by the energy companies. While the Loss and Damage agreement was to be welcomed, it was a distraction from the way in which fossil fuel interests dominated proceedings.
Relating to the Just Stop Oil campaign of civil disobedience, we heard how one ex-local authority chief executive had been given a suspended sentence following a number of arrests. While we gave no clear view about Just Stop Oil we were aware of the frustration and powerlessness we feel in the face of destructive oil interests. We reflected on the lack of attention paid to public services and the ways that privatisation has undermined them to produce profit for shareholders. However, we sensed that there may be a changing attitude to wealth inequality and greater sympathy with the poor. Starmer has done little to capitalise on these changes of sentiment. Similarly there are signs of support for Proportional Representation in parliament which is rejected by the LP leadership. There are, however, many different forms of PR, so any changes in that direction will not be made easily. Furthermore, PR does not necessarily lead to more radical policies and is as likely to produce entrenchment of the right as a more to the progressive left.
Again, we expressed frustration at Starmer’s hostility towards any kind of cross party collaboration as well as his apparent opposition to any criticism of Israel. In this regard we noted that Ruth George (ex Lab MP for High Peak) had been barred from being a candidate because of her support for Palestine. We looked positively, however, on moves towards a closer relationship with the EU. And looking towards a future Labour Government, we wondered whether Starmer would be radical enough to consider wealth/property taxes in order to address gross inequality.
The January meeting will take the form of our annual winter solstice party, so our next meeting for conversation together will be on January 16th.