This issue includes:
The serious case of voter apathy
plagues the UK political system
Rising cost of electricity is a
major factor in the rise of infla-
tion
Plus more...
A weekly political newsletter for pragmatic progressives
Issue #2, 22 nd April 2017
This week in Naturally Unnatural, we cover the well-
publicised Conservative social care policy. Hopefully,
shedding some light on the issue and why most people
are against it. We also have a look at voter apathy ahead
of the general election, because the UK does have one of
the lowest turnout percentages for young voters. Ex-
plored briefly is the relationship between the rise of
inflation and the cost of electricity.
Conservatives unveil
manifesto with a nasty
surprise for pensioners
By Matthew Clifton
Late Wednesday night, a manifesto
pledge from the Conservatives was
revealed by the press prior the mani-
festo launch on Thursday. It was their
policy on pensioners and care. Firstly,
they are to remove the winter fuel al-
lowance from rich pensioners and sec-
ondly, remove the upper limit on what
people can be expected to pay for their
care. At first glance these policies
seem like token gestures, especially
the former. However, if you look at it in
more detail, it shows something that is
a concern.
The rhetoric being repeated daily by the Conservative
Party is exhausting, that’s why I have penned a couple
articles about political rhetoric and what society should
aspire to, to inspire those to think further on the sub-
jects. There will be no Naturally Unnatural newsletter
next Saturday. Instead there will be a general election
special released the following Saturday 3 rd June, this will
be a slightly longer edition than normal.
Labour have mentioned heavily about
protecting pensioners but how do their
policies on care stack up to the Con-
servatives? What do the details of the pol-
icies show each party are offering?
This will allow implementation of the Ethi-
cal Care Charter adopted by 28 councils,
end 15-minute visits and provide carers
with paid travel time, access to training
and an option to choose regular hours.
They have also said they would increase
the Carer’s Allowance for unpaid full-
The Labour Party have said that in their
first term, they would lay the foundations time carers to align with the benefit rates
of Jobseeker’s Allowance. Labour’s mani-
of a National Care Service. Firstly, they
festo says the National Care Service is to
would address the funding crisis by im-
mediately increasing social care budgets be built alongside the NHS “with a shared
by £8 billion over the lifetime of the next requirement for single commissioning,
parliament, with £1 billion being invested partnership arrangements, pooled budg-
in the first year. They have stated that this ets and joint working arrangements.”
would be enough to pay carers a real liv-
Continued on page 3...
ing wage without cutting the quality of
care provided.
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