The language of Tory Class War 1974-2022
There are times when the class struggle in Britain provokes robust language from Tories. A glance at Editorials in The Times in recent days on strikes reflects an enhanced tone of Bufton-Tuftonism.
When the miners started an overtime ban and then proposed a strike in early 1974 Tory MP’s language went into class war mode.
Peter Crowther Tory MP for Ruislip hoped to have the chance of driving a lorry through a miners picket line while Jill Knight Tory MP for Edgbaston opined that strikers were the enemy of the State (Tony Benn, Diary 29th January 1974)
Fast forward to December 2022 and Tory Minister Steve Barclay stated that health unions were putting the public in ‘harm’s way’ and that they would be responsible for patients suffering.
This despite the fact that Barclay was aware that unions had reached agreements with local NHS Trusts to protect patients during strike action. That led the General Secretary of UNISON to accuse Barclay of being a liar.
The historical point is that when the Tories ramp up the rhetoric of class war it’s because they know they are in danger of losing
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