Fat tax handouts for the highest earners plucked from a phantom magic money tree are proof that under Con woman Kemi Badenoch the Tory Party hasn’t changed.
Championing the fortunate few over the struggling many is traditional Two Nation feather-bedding from a dictatorial leader imposing an intolerant cult to rival fellow Thatcherite Nigel Farage’s tyrannical grip of Reform.
Lurching to the Hard Right, parading as an upmarket defender of vested interests against a poundshop Farage, isn’t pretty and it’s a political strategy that deserves to backfire spectacularly.
Because Nasty Party-bashing of the have-nots and migrants while showering supposedly free money on the already haves doesn’t add up financially or politically if centre voters with good values are repelled.
Badenoch is showering tax cuts like confetti and, should she somehow miraculously tie the knot at the election and move into Downing Street, the marriage would be extremely unhappy when she hasn’t the cash to stick by paper vows.
A potential £9billion inheritance windfall for the lucky one in 20 death lottery winners who are currently pocketing up to £1million tax-free is a priority warped to enhance inequality.
Or spending £1.4bn subsidising the private education fees of the one in 14 pupils whose parents shun the real public schools teaching 93% of kids.
I believe strongly in progressive universalism – all of us paying into the system according to our means and benefiting according to our needs, yet committing £700m to fund free childcare for people on £100,000-plus by erasing a Tory cut-off wouldn’t be top of my list.
Then there is last year’s £9bn scrapping of house purchase stamp duty plus the reintroduction of tourist VAT-free bungs on Armani, Louis Vuitton and other luxury goods – dumping another Con policy that reputable experts warn would cost British taxpayers £600m.
Badenoch has a dismal record in government, Farage mini-me values and wealthfare policies that should be sounding alarm bells among those seduced by a newly-developed smileyness.
King of South?
Bolstered by a poll giving Labour (30%) clear leads over fading Reform (25%) and distant Cons (17%), if Andy Burnham triumphs in the South this week, the King of the North will look a ruler of the whole country.
Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali successfully defending on Thursday a 11,500 majority in London’s Holborn and St Pancras after Keir Starmer did a runner would confirm Burnham’s revived his party nationally by uprooting Zack Polanski’s Greens.
And what a result when eight months ago the Greens turned Labour’s Gorton and Denton 13,000 majority into a 4,400 walloping.