Can Rishi Sunak Really Empathise With Struggling Families If He's Never...

[sandyRoe]

... known poverty himself?
That was the thrust of some questions addressed to him during an interview on Radio 4 this morning.
Incidentally, which of his rivals for the role of leader of the Tories did rise above grinding poverty to get where they are today?

[bednobs]

"Can many if any politician ever say they have suffered poverty and know how the 'common' man feels"
i think Sandy was taking the *** - it's not fair to ask if rishi sunak will be able to empathise with poor people cause he's rich - you could say the same about every other prime minister we've ever had (or will probably have in the future)

[andy-hughes]

I don't think any MP can 'empathise' with struggling families once they are no longer struggling themselves, and their status as MP's instantly removes them from the 'struggling' bit.

I always used to gripe about the fact that MP's were, from day one, given free first class rail travel from their constituency to London, which instantly removed them from the experience of any of their constituents, aside from those who work for a train or rail company.

But I don;t believe it is necessary to have direct experience of anything in order to have an understanding of it, and a knowledge of how to deal with it.

As I often cite as an example, I write knowledgeably about musical instruments, and talk to high-level professionals about them in detail, without knowing a single note on anything but a piano.

Likewise, theatre critics do not have to have been actors - the list goes on.

So I would not criticise Mr Sunak for his upbringing, which is an accident of birth, or his attached wealth, which is personal circumstances.

I would however criticise him for his statement that he wants to 'sort out the economy ...' which clearly implies that he needs to take over the mess the economy is in from whomever left it in that mess, when in fact he has been Chancellor for two years, so any 'inherited' mess to sort out' is entirely of his own making.

[bednobs]

in his resignation letter he stated that he and the PM have different thoughts about how to handle the economy - i think his wording in the letter makes it clear he was being asked to do things he was unhappy with

[sandyRoe]

Veering a bit off topic here. Didn't Creon survive? He'd walled up a disobedient subject and his son hanged himself.
Living on, he would have been a sadder but wiser man.

[New Judge]

He had terrible problems as a child. He must have wondered what on Earth was to become of him as his parents struggled to raise the £46k a year required to send him to Winchester just on the income from a GP's salary and their chemists shop.

But that said, and as mentioned, he was a terrible Chancellor and many of the financial problems the country now faces stem from his mismanagement during the pandemic. Best not to allow him anywhere near the levers and pedals again and hopefully, if the Tory MPs don't see him off, the Conservative party members will.

[jno]

I think the question to ask about wealth is whether you've made it yourself or inherited/married it.

[bednobs]

Why JNO?

[bednobs]

ps whether you made it yourself or inherited it, you still have it, you can still spend it.

[anneasquith]

I doubt, no. 10 will ever have an ‘ ordinary ‘ person in residence.
But honesty and decent morals would be a bonus.

[youngmafbog]

Sunak made money in his own right and then married even more of it.

So, jno I suppose thats really terrible in your book?

Having said that I do think Sunak made a pigs ear of the economy. I know he had little choice during the pandemic as that was driven by Johnson. However implementing draconian taxes worthy of a left wing party on the nation and employers when we need to rebuild the economy is ridiculous. Tax stifles an economy not grows it.

[jno]

ymb, no, that's fine by me. Nothing wrong with working and making money out of it, most people do that. I'm less impressed by dukes and earls who only have money because their ancestors worked. Mark Thatcher was said to be worth £60 million; as far as I'm concerned he's worthless.

[tomus42]

Untitled at 09.45 pretty much what I was going to say.

Empathy or personal experience of something not necessary.

He just has to understand it's a problem and be prepared to do something about it.

[Old_Geezer]

Experience in this life isn't a necessity to be empathic. However if being empathic doesn't come naturally to you, it's going to be harder. There again emotional stuff can sometimes interfere with the ability to make hard but necessary decisions; so... {shrug}

[Old_Geezer]

Understanding, even with an ability to tackle something, is hardly empathy.

[naomi24]

//I'm less impressed by dukes and earls who only have money because their ancestors worked. //

Most of us leave our money to our children, don't we?

[Ryzen]

Rishi has said he will not be cutting taxes,etc. Spot on IMO. However, to safeguard Tory jobs after the next GE the PM and his/her sidekicks need to dole out as many artificial sweeteners as possible to regain support.

[Untitled]

the problems in our economy are much older than two years

[youngmafbog]

No, not really. In fact it was ok until the Ukrainian war caused the fuel problems.

I suppose one might argue the underlying cause of that is the ridiculous race to Net Zero though.

[Untitled]

our economy was not ok until the ukrainian war

[Peter Pedant]

yes he did
Creon is led back into the palace
whilst the Chorus sums up

The great words of arrogant men have to make repayment with great blows, and in old age teach wisdom.

not wittering readers ( in case the witter-wonder strikes again!)
this could be about Boris , huh? how true how true

when will they ever learn? ( Dylan, I thought Peter Paul and the other apostles)