Love or hate Boris Johnson he tends to get things wrong as we all do because we are human and it's only natural but this time in my true and humble opinion BOJO has gone too far and overstepped the mark on all counts. His recent speech at the Centre for Policy Studies (titled "What would Maggie do Today?") defends greed, inequality and mimics the Thatcher era which spawned the growth of privatisation, crushed public sector industries and encouraged people to fend for themselves and not to look out for their neighbours which had led to us being part of a greed infested culture. It certainly sends the wrong message to the next generation and rogue bankers who put us in this mess.
Success can be sourced through respect, passion and ambition. Growing up in Thatcher's era was tough. If you were not middle class or originated from an affluent family you had to fight to survive. Government cuts were savage, the abolition of the Greater London Council, free milk removed from schools and so on. There was no place generally for poorer classes in society. London was a divided city ruled by class, position and wealth. Things have changed somewhat but the "underclass" continue to be ignored and suffer in silence. We have come so far from those dark and murky times. Let's not think about going back there.
To the majority of many hard working Londoners they will feel deeply hurt and disappointed by Boris's comments. "The harder you shake the pack, the easier it will be for some cornflakes to get to the top." Is this a pre Conservative party speech rallying all his supporters to stay true, stay blue and vote for BOJO if and when he decides to put himself forward for the party leadership? If so then I think its time to run for the hills and emigrate. I couldn't think of a worse time to make those careless and unjustified statements.
Food banks are on the rise - at an all time high, the gap between rich and poor widens. And we are generally anxious about the future, job cuts (London Underground, Firefighters), more strikes, shortages in social housing resulting in families being told to find properties outside of London or face homelessness, an eventual rise in interest rates is also imminent which will lead to an increase in our monthly mortgages besides many other things.
The worrying fact is Boris defends "boardroom greed" and "some measure of inequality" as the spur to economic activity. That might be appeal to his inner circle but how about the working class? With all this in mind Boris still insists on disregarding his position as Mayor of London and putting a raw and deep routed attack on the less fortunate and vulnerable in our society in favour of the rich and successful. It's certainly forms the plan of Boris gentrification.
Surely as Mayor of London there needs to be some sort of middle ground? Ok many of my views tend to be very left wing so feel free to call me a typical lefty. Maybe I am but whatever your political persuasion in terms of common sense and making sure we live in a fair and equal society, greed has no place and it should not be endorsed by the Mayor of London. I rest my case.