Yesterday we saw 120,000 largely public sector workers marching through Dublin in protest at the Irish government’s cuts in state spending.
How long until our own government faces up to the bankrupt nature of our fiscal position? How long until we see Dublin-style protests at necessary restraint in British state spending? 120,000 people marched in a nation of four million. How many will march in sixty million citizens Britain?
In today’s News of the World, Fraser Nelson predicts that the Tories will inherit the unrest that will be needed to put right Labour’s mess:
"The first to
feel the pinch may be Boris Johnson, London Mayor. He’s up for re-election in 2012. “But by then,” a senior Tory told me,
“Cameron’s cuts will be in full flow. It’ll be war with unions. “Imagine it – teachers on strike. Nurses protesting in the streets. Litter
uncollected. No Tory could be elected then.” This augurs ill for Cameron’s re-election. Especially if tax rises mean the
economy double-dips BACK into recession. Cuts are vital – and inevitable. It’s also immoral to keep loading future
generations with debt because ministers won’t cut now."
At least four things seem necessary for the Tories to limit the risks of this scenario:
Tim Montgomerie