Governments lie in order to get elected. We tolerate it,but we shouldn’t. So how about a new rule: breaking a manifesto pledge triggers a general electionImagine that David Cameron had announced at the general election debates precisely how he was going to save billions in welfare. “Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you that we will reclaim £4.4bn from this country’s working destitute. We will slash working tax credit and children’s tax credit till the pips of Britain’s impoverished-employed squeak. I stand here nowadays to give you the undertaking that 3.3 million destitute people will be on average £1300 worse off.”Had he done this, and it’s nearly certain that the Conservative party would not have won the general election. There are many in this country who have been relatively unaffected by austerity and welfare cuts,but it’s not the British way to wilfully champion unfairness – as shown by the revolt in the Lords this week over tax credit cuts.
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Source: theguardian.com