Tory policies have fragmented society and left us all feeling isolated. Creating a 'Minister for Loneliness' now is too little too late
Theresa May appointed Britain’s first ever Minister for Loneliness yesterday.
Created on the recommendation of a commission set up by the late MP Jo Cox, the new role will seek to tackle the record-high levels of isolation and depression plaguing modern society.
Loneliness, the commission said, can be as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Over 9 million adults in the UK describe themselves as ‘often or always lonely’, according to the British Red Cross; the appointment of a minister to address the problem is clearly a good thing, and hopefully will make a difference to the lives of those affected.
However when our society is entirely geared toward profit accumulation, where those at the top get rich at the expense of those at the bottom, it’s clear that the Tories themselves bear significant responsibility for the problem.
“For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life,” May said in a statement announcing the role.
“I want to confront this challenge for our society”. But she made no mention of the policies — her policies — that created “this challenge”.
It’s no wonder that 58% of migrants and refugees in London described ‘loneliness and isolation as their biggest challenge’ when May’s government has worked to create a ‘hostile environment’ towards them, which leaves many increasingly isolated from society and scared even to access basic services like healthcare.
Or that 50% of disabled people ‘will be lonely on any given day’ when the crisis in Universal Credit has meant crucial lifelines being torn away from some of the most vulnerable people in our society, leaving many at home burdened by worries, unable to afford to go out and socialise.
Whether it’s cuts to disability allowances and mental health provision or the closing of libraries and social centres, the Tories have actively worked toward creating a fragmented society where people are isolated from each other and support networks are underfunded and shut down.
Competitive self-interest and individualism are the driving factors of the ‘big society’ the Tories have created. In a neoliberal world where we’re constantly forced to compare ourselves and to compete with the people around us, is it any surprise that those who are left behind feel isolated and lonely?
A policy response is welcome, and hopefully the Jo Cox Commission can work with this new ministerial role to address some of these crucial issues. But perhaps time and effort could be better spent fixing the broken society that successive Tory-led governments have created.
Charlotte England is a freelance journalist and writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow her on Twitter.
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