It would seem that our esteemed Chancellor of The Exchequer has reneged on a manifesto promise, by raising National Insurance Contributions for the self-employed.
And what is all the fuss about?
That question is not aimed at whether the raise is fair, or justified, or merely a means to pay for the temporary plug-in the drain that is tugging mercilessly at the social care budget.
It is just an enquiry as to why we should be surprised. At all.
What else do you, me, the media, the chattering classes, and any other interested or disinterested party, expect.
A promise is only a promise for as long as it serves its purpose. A commitment is only there until the goalposts are moved / the world changes / the sun rises.
Will we ever learn that whatever comes out of a politician’s mouth is only seeing the light of day to achieve a short-term goal.
And at least now we have a term, of sorts, to describe it. A ‘post-truth’ world is a less confrontational phrase than ‘all politicians are lying bastards’, but, until there is a tectonic plate shift, we should expect nothing more – or less.
In all my years of listening to, and responding to, political debates and election verbiage, there has never been a time when the ‘promises’ made survived unscathed.
If a majority does, we can count ourselves lucky.
So, until we can find a different way of managing society, and one that is fairer, more just and more compassionate, salt will be flying in ever larger pinches.
Save the high dudgeon for moral imperatives – manifestos belong on the fiction shelves!
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