An Anglican Bishop has spoken out against government spending cuts, saying they will affect the “most vulnerable and poorest” in society.
The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Right Reverend Peter Price, said attention should be drawn to cuts which caused “suffering, hardship or deprivation”.
Bishop Price also said people should join protests against the cuts.
I read this with sinking heart. First of all, if in a spirit of inquiry he visited places where budget cuts were looming, then he should, in a spirit of fairness, have engaged in dialogue with those who argue that the cuts are a regrettable necessity, to hear their point of view also. Second, our national government has pointed out again and again that these cuts are coming to local government where the salaries at the top are huge. Over 1000 local government adminstrators have salaries that in US terms are over $165,000 a year. Somehow services to the old, to children and culture get cut and not these salaries and these jobs. Third, I was struck by his statement that “Nurturing and encouraging volunteering in the community is good. But it is not something that can be done without resources, any more than the Hebrews could make bricks without straw.” Well, yes; but this does not automatically imply government money. The same day that I read this I read a letter from the co-ordinator of our local churches homelessness project. We open our church halls to the homeless in winter seven nights a week in rotation and provide a hot meal, counselling if it is sought, a bed for the night, and a breakfast the next morning. We had provided, he told us, over 5400 bed nights so far this year. And I have to say that it involved not one penny of government money – the Christian communities and other charities did all the fund-raising.
Addendum: the district of South Somerset is in Bishop Price’s diocese. It has a population of 158,000. There was a furore very recently with the revelation that they had paid off their former chief executive with a package that came to around $900,000. See:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8342025/Council-boss-who-got-record-pay-off-in-line-for-another-lucrative-position.html
Why is it when politicians and theoreticians of the right demand sacrifice and budget cuts, they never require them of themselves or their friends for whom they are always eager to grant sizable tax benefits? Is Wisconsin’s right-wing hero and those he admires suggesting he take even a 10% cut in salary? Is he insisting the legislators reduce their salaries and their staffs? Why, how absurd! The Bishop is suggesting that if pain is to be dispensed it ought to be dispensed equally. That’s not such an outrageous idea – though of course it is to those who profit most from the public trough.
RE: “The Bishop is suggesting that if pain is to be dispensed it ought to be dispensed equally.”
Right — and thank God it finally will be in Wisconsin! Now let’s spread it to the other states to those who are profiting most from the public trough.
The bloated corrupt governments need to be slashed and that money given to the citizens.
Vive le Wisconsin governor!
#1: You are right, Terry – I have been amazed to learn of the salaries of people in the top end of local government and the civil “service” in Britain, many of whom earn more than the Prime Minister. The wage inflation can be found at the top level of schools and the National Health Service as well. I am sure this is one of the factors that is destroying jobs at the lower and entry levels.
The British PM has wanted to dictate to the Church of England. Now the boot is on the other foot.
It *is* amusing to watch! them get stuck into each other!