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London
CNN
–
The United Kingdom is enduring a summer of misery as its beloved health service descends into crisis, inflation soars, taps run dry and trains grind to a halt. Meanwhile, the government is nowhere to be seen.
The sense of decline is only growing; Health leaders on Friday issued a dire warning of a “humanitarian crisis” without action to stem the rise in winter energy prices.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the National Health Service Confederation, said in a statement that many people “could face the dire choice between forgoing food to heat their homes and living in cold, wet and very unpleasant conditions … this outbreak will only strike.” As the NHS is likely to experience the toughest winter on record.”
The highly unusual intervention comes after weeks of warnings that the worst cost-of-life crisis for UK firms is just beginning.
Inflation surpassed 10% earlier this week, putting more pressure on families who are already struggling to make ends meet. The country is on track to enter recession, with GDP expected to continue to decline through the end of the year and beyond.
On top of the economic pain, transport and dock workers are striking, and there are warnings of further industrial action in the public and private sectors. Some lawyers in criminal cases have also gone on strike, disrupting the already packed courts.
Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, however, is on his second summer holiday. When pressed on why Johnson has not returned to London with an immediate action plan, Downing Street says the next prime minister should take on big spending plans.
Johnson’s replacement – either Liz Truss, the current foreign secretary, or Rishi Sunak, the former finance minister whose resignation led to his eventual downfall – will not be in place until September 5. It’s been almost two months since Johnson made the announcement. On the one hand, ignoring calls for him to leave office immediately and let a new leader get on with the business of governing.
The next prime minister will not be chosen by the British public, but by members of the ruling Conservative Party, which comprises fewer than 200,000 people in a nation of about 67 million.
This is completely constitutionally sound. In the UK, voters elect a local Member of Parliament. The party with the most seats – and, with any luck, the majority needed to pass legislation in parliament – requests the king’s permission to form a government. Traditionally, the leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister.
In 2019, Johnson won an 80-seat majority in Parliament. While it has declined, the Conservative Party still has a majority and is, therefore, still able to govern.
Why, then, are Johnson’s allies saying that it is for the next prime minister to take steps to provide financial support for those suffering amid the cost-of-living crisis, given the urgency of the situation and the fact that a professional civil service could deal with a myriad of problems if directed. do
A government spokesperson told CNN that “while the financial decisions for the coming months will be for the next Prime Minister, we are continuing to support people now with direct financial assistance as part of our existing £37 billion package which will continue to come in over the coming weeks. And with the rising cost of living Months ahead to help people.”
But critics across the political spectrum believe this is insufficient and more drastic measures should be taken now.
Conservative member of parliament Daniel Kawczynski, who is backing Truss in the leadership contest, thinks the seriousness of the situation means the party must end the contest early and install a new PM, or give Johnson the power to act now.
“The competition has gone on for too long and we need leadership now. Navel gazing is never a good thing when critical decisions need to be made. So we must either empower the current leader to take action, or we end the contest. The British people rightly expect us to overcome this crisis,” he told CNN.
In a possible foreshadowing of what could be a scathing criticism of the government in the future, Labor MP Chris Bryant told CNN that “Johnson must act now on the cost-of-living crisis.” It is only a mixture of laziness and complacency that prevents them (Conservative leadership candidates) from taking action.”
The opposition Labor Party called for an immediate recall of parliament this week so lawmakers can take immediate action to stabilize energy bills, set to almost double in October after the regulator raised caps on supplier prices.
In a letter sent to Johnson and the two leadership contenders, Thangam Debonair MP, Labour’s shadow leader of the House of Commons, urged the Conservatives to “bring back Parliament early on Monday 22 August so we can freeze the energy price cap now.”
She added that next week, the UK’s energy regulator will “announce an increase in the energy price cap. Against a backdrop of inflation rising to 10.1%, this will not only send households into a further spiral of anxiety, forcing them to cut further ahead of winter. But it will be for our economy.” Another shock will set in. With businesses and homes on the brink, we can’t wait to act.
An energy price cap is a government-enforced backstop that prevents energy companies from overcharging consumers.
CNN contacted Downing Street and multiple government officials for comment on the proposal, but no response was on the record at the time of publication.
Given the seriousness of what is about to happen to the country, even Johnson’s former allies and conservatives of color do not understand why the party in power is happy on the brink.
Neither leadership candidate offered concrete examples of what specific policies would be implemented to combat what is shaping up to be a winter of hell for many. A cynic might say that because any solution would require huge amounts of public spending, anathema to traditional Conservative members who will choose the next PM.
It may also be because public spending on such a scale cannot be explained in the same breath as promises of immediate tax cuts and a refusal to raise taxes on big businesses, including energy companies, to fund a recovery from the crisis.
However, it won’t be long before Johnson’s successor will have to answer to a wide array of critics. First, his political opponents in Parliament. Then, the masses at the ballot box.
As dire warnings come weekly, inaction could be the terminal mistake that will cost the Conservatives the next general election. And after more than a decade in power, it would be a tall order for the public to forgive him for falling asleep in the crisis.
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