This is the final part of Bob Copeland’s series.
In the first part he looked at the often repeated claim that the only way we can spend more on our public services is for us all to work harder to grow the economy. In the second part he looked at some alternative funding options. Here he offers a way forward to break the control of the elite so that the policies needed can be planned, funded and implemented.
Part 3 – A stronger voice for public services
In its report The Public Sector Needs a Real Pay Rise, the Institute for Public Policy Research, sets out how restoring public sector pay can help renew our public services and calls on government to:
“Outline a clear, robust plan which will rebuild labour market confidence in key public sector professions …”
The response of parliament to our failing public services, the climate emergency and most recently the war in Gaza reflects the extent to which our electoral system fails to provide the number of MPs that reflect widely supported views such as:
- 57% of those who have an opinion think the government is not doing or spending enough to address climate change (YouGov March 2024)
- 60-65% want water, railways, electricity and gas to be publicly owned and run (Lord Ashcroft Polls 2023)
- 75% support the introduction of wealth taxes for those with £5 million or more (YouGov 2023).
Today landlords, financial institutions and the owners of the privatised public services, are largely free to exploit their workers and the public. The Prime Minister has set a non-negotiable pay award across the public sector, making the pay dispute with public sector workers a political one. We are stuck with the injustice of political parties funded by an elite and a voting system intended to maintain two party control.
Voting for better public services
Both those who uses public services and those who work in them want: higher investment, better pay, improved services, and fewer strikes. With the main parties linking public spending to economic growth, those wanting to vote for better funded public services will have to choose from one of the smaller parties or independents who advocate some sort of wealth tax. But our First Past The Post (FPTP) system of voting means that few of these will be elected.
The voting system cannot be changed before the next General Election, but together the Trade Unions in the public sector could use their power to encourage candidates to stand for better funded public services.
With their experience and resources to publicise and organise nominations, hustings and voting, the unions could persuade a ‘grouping’ of smaller parties and independents to enter into open primary elections. The winner of each primary would stand at the General Election endorsed by this grouping. Simply holding such primary elections will raise the issue of funding public services. The candidates who take part will gain publicity, and generate local interest that the national campaigns of the major parties may find difficult.
This method would give union members and the public a real say in who would best represent them on the ballot paper. Offering hope of a stronger voice in parliament to develop the clear and robust plan that is so obviously needed. Open primaries are more transparent than tactical voting, they have long been advocated by Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester and as Bernie Sanders has shown in the United States, it is possible to succeed and play a leading role in shaping policy as an independent.
The public need to decide about public services
The Government, and to some extent the Opposition, believe that the people have no option but to accept their economic policies. The elite class supporting the Government has demonstrated that they have no interest in delivering the public services the people want and need. If nothing changes this elite will continue to use their wealth to:
- influence the political parties so that governments will continue to run down and privatise public services, allowing global corporations and investment funds to take more of our wealth.
- use the media to misinform the public: that public services depend on economic growth, that continuous economic growth is possible, that global warming isn’t linked to economic activity, and that current economic policies are not designed to enrich the already wealthy at the expense of the poor.
There is though still a political alternative within the reach of the people, which with the help of grassroots organisations like trade unions is surely worth a try. As Brexit was the defining issue of 2019 election, how we fund the public services we need must be front and centre in the 2024 election.
We want to hear your views. Please send any comments to editor@westenglandbylines.co.uk
