Oh Great-the recession is good for us

Hazel Blears has really lost it: The communities’ secretary will argue the effects of economic crisis can have the "constructive" effect getting people more involved in politics.

BBC NEWS The recession can be a "catalyst for communities to come together", Hazel Blears will say in a speech later.

The communities’ secretary will argue the effects of economic crisis can have the "constructive" effect getting people more involved in politics.

Ms Blears will also say the "democratic recession", involving voter disillusionment, preceded the downturn.

The mistakes of previous recessions, where "distrust" between people grew, must be avoided, she will add.

This is coming from a member of the Government that are ripping us off left right and centre with the “expenses” fiasco, who then says ‘"distrust" between people grew, must be avoided,’

She will add: "We simply cannot allow a recession to mean another generation reliant on benefits, more estates where few adults are in work, and where children live in families where no-one has a normal job.

"Our welfare system must not allow anyone to withdraw from society as the consequence of forced withdrawal from the labour market."

Ms Blears will say: "In some ways the democratic recession started many months before the economic one.

"We'd already seen the collapse of trust in politics, long before the collapse of confidence in the financial system.”

I wonder why?

She also said "I am in no doubt whatsoever that the row over MPs' allowances, and the leaked emails, are as corrosive to our democracy as the row over bankers' bonuses and the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, Woolworths and so on is corrosive to our economy.

"My hope is that the public's response to the crisis of legitimacy characterising our politics will be as constructive as at the moments of fulcrum in our democratic development: when rejection of the Rotten Boroughs led to the Reform Acts, or when women's demands led to us getting the vote.

"I am optimistic that the long, loud howl of outrage at the state of our politics can find practical expression through positive reform of the political system."

And in order to achieve that, MPs have refused to change the “expenses” system; that really gives me confidence in the Government and politics.


“I think we do need a long term settlement for political funding in this country otherwise, you know, politics costs money, and this kind of thing is going to happen again and again” Hazel Blears


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