DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Militant unions must take PM’s peace offer
There has been a sense in the past year that Britain is engulfed in civil war.
The barricades manned on one side by the hard-Left public sector unions, hell-bent on crippling the country with strikes in pursuit of unreasonable and unaffordable pay rises. And on the other side, by a government – acting on behalf of the beleaguered taxpayer – trying to repair the nation’s ruined finances.
Minor peace treaties have been signed along the way with individual unions. But Rishi Sunak’s wage offer to state sector workers, averaging 6 per cent, is a pragmatic and politically astute attempt to agree an armistice, and draw a line under this debilitating conflict.
With national debt at a dizzying £2.5trillion, some may question whether such a spree is prudent. But the Prime Minister is walking a tricky tightrope. He is trying to get strikers back to work by giving fair settlements, while not breaking the bank.
By accepting the recommendations of all the independent pay review bodies, he has neatly observed precedent – and avoided a time-consuming and draining row over moving the goalposts. If the damaging walkouts cease, he’ll receive credit from the millions whose lives have been cynically held to ransom by the union barons.
Now the junior doctors and consultants, who are paid considerably more and are demanding an outrageous hike, must bow to moral pressure and end their politically motivated strike
The teaching unions deserve applause for backing the offer and calling off future strikes. Now the junior doctors and consultants, who are paid considerably more and are demanding an outrageous hike, must bow to moral pressure and end their politically motivated strike.
Mercifully, the Treasury hasn’t added to our borrowing mountain to fund pay offers. Some will come from increasing NHS and visa charges to migrants. But the bulk of the money will be wrung from existing departmental budgets. This is welcome.
During 13 years in power, the Tories have shamefully refused to make serious spending cuts or trim any of the plentiful fat from Whitehall. They need to start.
The need to get Britain’s finances in order is ever more urgent. The economy shrank in May (although partly due to the Coronation bank holiday). Inflation remains stubbornly high. Long-term sickness is costing an extra £6.8billion this year alone.
Meanwhile, the OBR warns national debt is on course to hit a terrifying 435 per cent of GDP by the 2070s. That would be a grotesque betrayal of future generations.
The attempt to get Britain moving again was a good start. Now Mr Sunak must bring the same focus to bear on stimulating growth and productivity. This means reining in public spending, getting the inactive back to work, reducing the huge tax burden on hard-working families and businesses.
In other words a return to sound Conservative economics.
Stop the blockers
The proper constitutional role of the House of Lords is to scrutinise and sharpen up laws proposed by the Government.
By blatantly seeking to torpedo the Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to stop people risking their lives crossing the Channel in small boats, peers exceed their role.
By blatantly seeking to torpedo the Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to stop people risking their lives crossing the Channel in small boats, peers exceed their role
Each time these unelected do-gooders try to neuter tougher immigration laws, which include the Rwanda deterrent, they are not only contemptuously sticking two fingers up at democracy. They are effectively encouraging this deadly and evil trade.
Students pay a small fortune for a university education so the least they deserve is for all their work to be properly assessed.
But as striking lecturers refuse to mark essays, the University of Nottingham has asked undergraduates to accept potentially inaccurate ‘guesstimate’ grades.
If they refuse, they could be kicked off the course or lose funding.
Can these academics turn their big brains to this question: Aren’t you meant to enhance young people’s life chances, not ruin them?
Source: Read Full Article
