Them & Us

Them and us fishes, photo Suzanne Beishon (Click to enlarge)

Theresa May

War in Iraq

Voted for
1,033,000 - Estimated casualties between 2003 and 2007 as a result of the conflict (ORB, 2007)

Benefit cap

Voted for
64% - Of people affected by the benefit cap are single parents (Mirror, 2015). This autumn it will lower even further, while the cost of living continues to rise

Income

Theresa May: Ł117,350 (declared taxable pay, 2014-15) plus MP's expenses
UK median disposable income: Ł25,600 (ONS estimate, October 2015)

Bedroom tax

Voted for
Three in four benefit claimants hit by the bedroom tax had to cut back on food to pay it; 46% had to cut back on heating (CCHPR/Ipsos Mori, 2015)

Tax dodging

Voted against measures to reduce it
Ł122 billion a year - Estimated combined cost of illegal tax evasion - Ł85 billion, legal avoidance - Ł19 billion, and non-payment - Ł18 billion (PCS, 2014)

Net worth

Theresa May: Ł1.6 million (estimated value of property portfolio, 2010) - over ten times the national average
UK average: Ł147,134 (Irwin Mitchell solicitors, 2014)

This isn't just any pay cut...

This is an M&S pay cut. The retailer has announced plans to slash premiums for Sundays, bank holidays and unsocial hours, affecting 7,000 workers. It will also cut pensions contributions for 11,000.

This is an attempt to pass a dip in sales profits onto hard-pressed staff.

Management is trying to hide the cut by also introducing a basic rate increase of 15%.

The Socialist says: make the bosses pay! Take the loss from their profits, not our wages.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.