Yesterday, for the third time in a fortnight, I was present when somebody received their first food voucher. He was a 52 year old man, who is out of work for the first time in his life. His wife died a year ago, and his three children all live far away, one of them in Saudi. He has not told his children that he has no work. They would, he says, be ashamed of him, as he would have been ashamed of them. Both people I have previously been with when they were given a food voucher were women. Both cried, looking straight ahead of them, silent, sobless tears. This man thanked the Housing Officer who gave him his card in its shame covering plain brown envelope, and left the building with me trotting at his heels, In my car, he ran his hands through his hair, and howled. When he had stopped, he began a long, one noun chant, punctuated occasionally by a gerund. Then he apologised.For swearing. Then he tore up the voucher, and said, Id sooner starve David Cameron. George Osborne. Ian Duncan Smith, Theresa May. Danny Alexander. Alistair Carmichael. There is no point in telling you that this is what you are doing, with calm deliberation, to the people who are, and have been the best of British. You neither know, nor care, that they have for centuries supported the edifice of your self interest, prosperity, and power. But if you have any insight at all, you should listen to their howls, and to their rage, and know that even the most docile, the most acquiescent, can be radicalised.And it is happening now.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 05:39:38 +0000
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