Editorials

#YEAR12PROBLEMS

21 November 2016

By Lauren E. White

JAMs – don’t get me started…

Over the weekend, our Prime Minister and Chancellor, Theresa May and Philip Hammond, coined a new acronym: JAM.

It stands for ‘Just About Managing’. If you’re confused, worry not. I’m here to explain.

So, Just About Managing are three words used by our government to describe those who work hard and can barely pay the bills. The real people who might have two jobs and struggle to put food on the table for their children. Of course, these people need help. They should also damn well be a priority for a government.

However, a line is crossed when dehumanisation occurs. Mrs May and Mr Hammond are abbreviating thousands of people. Thousands of real people and that is not okay. In doing this, they group people together and, if that wasn’t bad enough, they reduce them to three letters in a speech and a press conference and an interview.

It is wrong.

Some of us talk about statistics and how behind the numbers using food banks are real people, real families in need. I know I have spoken about not forgetting this and not losing sight of humanity in the panic and dismay at figures.

But the government quite clearly doesn’t care. Unemployment, the NHS, education and welfare are all just numbers that need balancing. Viewing people like this is dangerous. It becomes you in your own bubble. In May’s case, it’s one of the worst in Britain: the Westminster bubble.

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