Contrary to the usual assumptions about a “business” newspaper, the Financial Times has, some columnists aside, been a reliable advocate for the soft left, a Pravda for Brussels and Davos, and, increasingly, radicalized “centrism.”
Camilla Cavendish is one of those exceptions.
In this article for the FT she gave her view on the budget recently put forward by Britain’s Labour government (spoiler: not impressed). Here’s an extract:
The Budget’s smorgasbord of attacks on aspiration and saving is not what the country voted for. But then for this government, deceit and delusion seem to be standard operating procedure…[The finance minister’s] claim to fiscal responsibility relies on the pretence that she can borrow to spend now, then raise taxes and curb spending just before the next election. This is not credible, especially from a woman who breezily promised us a year ago that she wouldn’t be back for more…
That’s very well said and those interested in Britain’s gathering economic crisis should, if they can get past the paywall, read the whole thing.
For now, please note that it includes this:
When [Labour leader] Sir Keir Starmer came to power, he appeared to have vanquished Jeremy Corbyn. But this was, at best, a temporary reprieve. The economic illiteracy of the left has found a new home among the “lanyard class”; the graduate professionals who look down on farmers, landlords, entrepreneurs and pretty much anyone who creates a real job rather than one that is state-funded.
Here’s another quote, although it’s not from Cavendish:
The new aristocracy was made up for the most part of bureaucrats, scientists, technicians, trade-union organizers, publicity experts, sociologists, teachers, journalists, and professional politicians.
The author, writing nearly eighty years ago?
George Orwell.
The Book?
1984.