As always with politics, nothing is quite what it seems. Take for example the recent resignation of Iain Duncan Smith as work and pensions secretary. Was it a principled stand against the Conservative party’s ‘squeeze them until the pips squeak’ approach to welfare benefits? Or an opportunistic strike by this leading Brexit supporter to weaken George Osborne and cause damage ahead of the European referendum? Well, I’m going for the latter. I just don’t believe his bleeding heart Damascene conversion.
To his supporters, IDS is a great social reformer. Aneurin Bevan was a great social reformer, slasher Smith has spent the last six years presiding over cut after cut after cut. He may have disagreed with some of them, but ultimately he toed the party line and did Osborne’s bidding. After all, it’s easier for a government to take money away from the little people than, say, tax-dodging multinationals.
