The worst of times

On Monday, the streets of Whitehall were full of protesters. Not an unusual occurrence in Westminster of course, except that on this occasion the demonstrators were junior doctors, a societal group not known for their rabble rousing. In fact, it is so rare for them to engage in political action that the last time they threatened strike action was in 1975, when I was ten years old.

Back then, I was only vaguely aware of politics.  I knew the name of the Prime Minister (Harold Wilson) and the Leader of the Opposition (Ted Heath), but that was about it. Even so, I had the sense that politicians were respected,  and whilst I knew I was lucky to live in a nice middle class suburb,  an even greater sense that the UK was a good place to grow up.

I know that as one gets older, it is easy to look back on the past with rosy tinted spectacles. But, when I view the world my children will soon enter as adults,  I can't help feeling things are a lot worse for them than they were for me.  

The doctors' protest on Monday was just one tiny expression of the strain the NHS is under. Elsewhere we see threats of privatisation, cuts, and lack of nursing staff. And the NHS isn't the only public body to be struggling.

Every level of education, school, further education and higher education faces similar funding problems. Whilst those who wish to go to university now have to find ways to pay extortionate tuition fees.

And of course, we have had continual cuts to welfare and local government which have had a disproportionate impact on sick and disabled people.

Meanwhile housing is in a crisis, with cities like London becoming unaffordable due to an overinflated property market, high rents and the sell-off of council housing.

Even the criminal justice system is not immune. Not only is the prison system stretched,  but the most respectable professionals - barristers and solicitors - were striking earlier this year in protest at legal aid cuts. Whilst the unjustness  of the criminal charge has resulted in a slew of magistrates resigning. 

Free healthcare, education,  a welfare safety net, affordable housing, the right to justice were all things I took for granted when young. So I don't think it's an exaggeration to think that I was born into the best of times, whereas my children appear to be growing up in the worst.

Nonetheless, this week I'm feeling just a little bit cheerful this week. Because it feels to me that the cracks in the austerity are beginning to show everywhere.  When all the major public  servants are in revolt, former Conservative voters are questioning the government, and Jeremy Corbyn is able to raise the UN inquiry into violations of disabled people's rights, it suggests every section of society is noticing something is wrong. And it becomes more and more difficult for the Prime Minister to continue with the pretence that the UK is flourishing.

All of which leads me to conclude that we maybe living in the worst of times right now, but if we work together to keep this pressure up, better times might be just around the corner.

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© Virginia Moffatt.

Virginia Moffatt is the Chief Operating Officer of Ekklesia.