08 November 2014

Propaganda? I think perhaps the government's tax-spend graphic probably is

The British government is putting out a statement to all taxpayers showing how their tax has been spent over the last year
At this point I can't find the official one online. However, this one appears to have the categories fairly similar especially in having 'welfare' as a single, huge, category.
The TUC has accused the government of propaganda. At first I though "Oh come on; they're just showing the figures, whether you like them or not ...", however, having seen the alternative graphic below, I've changed my mind.


Looking at that, where 'welfare' is broken down further, it becomes obvious that the choice to show it as 'welfare' is a political, propagandistic, decision. Even the fact that it's going with "welfare" is significant: redolent with the connotative meanings that we all pick up from USA TV which have the non-verbal subtitles like "scroungers" or "drag on prosperity". It is also mostly used when discussing what used to be called "social security", but look at what is included in reality: all sorts of stuff that people actually approve of -like health. And look at the proportions of expenditure on the approved stuff compared with the political-football stuff. Disingenuous or what?

So, do let your colleagues, team-mates, friends and relatives know: "they're hiding things under the labelling: it's propaganda for the Conservatives and it's paid for by the state and so isn't included in the restrictions on political spending in the year running up to an election". Very clever and rather cynical.

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"Spend and tax" not "tax and spend"

 I got a response from my MP which got me kind of mad. You'll see why as I reproduce it here. Apologies for the strange changes in types...