The Left must find an answer to this difficult question: why should those who work hard, especially those on low incomes, support those who do not.
“We’re more Thatcherite than ever,” yesterday’s newspapers have proclaimed, either with triumph (in the case of the right-wing press) or alarm (in the case of the left). However, although the Daily Mail may insist that “public opinion has swung dramatically to the right”, the statistics simply don’t add up.
You may expect public opinion to move against a government over time. One party is elected, it takes the country in a certain direction, and the small-c conservatism of the public as a whole pulls in the other direction, eventually deciding that the administration has gone too far.
This appears to be the pattern in the United States, for example. While Americans tend to believe government does too much, this gap has widened when a Democrat is in the White House and narrowed when the incumbent is a Republican.
Three measures recorded in the British Social Attitudes survey, on which yesterday’s reports are based, follow this classic pattern to some degree, from 1987 to 2005. That is, in the period 1987-1997 under the Thatcher-Major governments, those saying the income gap is too large, agree that working people do not get a fair share of the nation’s wealth, and think that government should redistribute wealth, grow in numbers.
After 1997, with the Conservatives in opposition and Labour in power, the dynamic goes into reverse, with a drift to the right. However, after 2005, something strange happens. Despite Labour clocking up a decade in office, attitudes move to the left.
These social attitudes at least have been moving in a progressive direction for five years. Furthermore, they are set to accelerate that trend under a Conservative-led government. In fact, we may see a Blairite effect in reverse.
While newspaper reports have asserted that the public’s supposed shift to the right is due to New Labour’s triangulation, the Cameroonian Conservative insistence that inequality matters, may cut away at their own ideological support.
Where progressives do face a difficulty is on public support for increased spending on benefits. This has been on a downward trajectory for a quarter of century. While it was as high as 58 per cent in 1991, it had fallen to 50 per cent five years later and had hit 27 per cent in 2009.
If the Left is to regain ideological ascendenscy, it has to find an answer to this difficult question: why should those who work hard, especially those on low incomes, support those who do not. Valuable work has already begun on the issue, much more is needed.
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
37 Responses to “Statistics don’t show public’s attitudes have shifted to the right”
Eoin Clarke
Leo Howe wrote a very good book about life on the dole and people’s attitudes to it. The left has by and large failed people on the dole by refusing to talk about the black economy. An honest dialogue about the black economy could take on many of the Daily Mail mob head one. Let me explain a few examples as to the type of approach which could work….
We all know at least one person “doing the double” in some small way or another but we don’t talk about it… The JSA nets you £65 a week.. those who do the double [often a fast food delivery guy, or a cleaner [cash in hand role] get paid about £30 per day… They don;t get holiday rights, health and safety is often poor, and the minimum wage is rarely paid. Life on the double is therefore more about using the £65 JSA as a top up for already poor pay. Painter and decorators, farm hands, vegetable pickers, building site labourers… The list of occupations that fir well with doing the double are probably endless, and yet their combined income from JSA and job is rarely above the average wage. These people are vicitms, not cheats.
Another example of where we need to champion the long term unemployed, is their mental health. I call it the “four wall syndrome” but I am sure a more learned colleague has a more apt descriptor. In short, these people’s social interaction, daily life experience is debilitating on their confidence and health. Unwillingness to take up proper employment has as much to do with esteem, a low feeling of self worth than anything.. In Northern IReland last year, there were 38 million tranquillizers prescribed.. Doctors rather than help their patients, resort to this medication to easily. The average life expectancy of a man form the east end of Glasgow or Inner city Belfast is 54.. a quarter of them have severe mental health problems. Frankly, getting these people into work should only be an aspiration at the end of a long process of therapy, rehabilitation, healthy lifestyle and eating coaching… We as a society are the cheats.. since by not funding proper urban regeneration, and diversifying the metropolitian economy, we have cheated these communities out of fulfilling employment.
We should stand up for the under class and be proud of them. The only cheats are those who do not recognise their plight.
Edward T.Rifle
RT @SocialPolicy: Perhaps we're not moving to the Right, after all (social attitudes):
https://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/12/british-so …
NatCen
RT @leftfootfwd: Statistics don't show public's attitudes have shifted to the right http://bit.ly/dPmn9i
William O'Connor
RT @NatCen: RT @leftfootfwd: Statistics don't show public's attitudes have shifted to the right http://bit.ly/dPmn9i
Alison Park
RT @NatCen: RT @leftfootfwd: Statistics don't show public's attitudes have shifted to the right http://bit.ly/dPmn9i