There is poverty out there

But it is not where Labour are suggesting it is.  I watched in amazement at the poverty of new thinking in the speech by Mr Corbyn.  Rambling, incoherent, amateurish.  Even delusional.  A speech that was embarrassing to watch.  Worst of all, he talked as though the election in May had never happened.  It did, and Labour lost.

It really was exceptional.  And combined with the words of the shadow chancellor, it made for depressing listening.  And I suspect I’m not the only one to think that.  They are not my cup of tea when it comes to economics.  And when Guardian writer Zoe Williams was out batting for the Labour leader today she dropped this nugget explaining:  "Of course there is a money tree, it's called the Bank of England.  That's how countries make money."

Er, what?  Did you see John McTernan’s face?  It says it all.  He knows a gaff and how to avoid one having been around Prime Minister Tony Blair's Director of Political Operations from 2005 to 2007, director of communications for the Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, from September 2011 to June 2013 among other things.

I had hoped for a fresh stimulating argument to take to the Conservatives.  But what did we get? People like Zoe talking utter nonsense and she clearly doesn’t understand that governments actually have no money except that which we allow them to take off of us.   But there was one hint of light at the end of the tunnel that was not an oncoming train.  Tax avoiders.

Is it not ridiculous the local coffee shop owned by local people pays more tax than Starbucks it is competing with? Is it not ridiculous that the local chemist owned by a local person is paying more tax than Boots the Chemist that they are competing with.  Is it not ridiculous that the local electrical shop is trying to make a living competing with Amazon that is paying less tax?   I certainly think so.  And I suspect the vast majority of people in the UK do to.  (Yes, I know Amazon have agreed to paying more tax.  But there is a long way to go).

Think of it this way.  Every £ in tax these businesses avoid means an extra £ of tax the honest taxpayers have to pay just to keep the funding to the NHS, police, armed forces as they currently are.

If Corbyn (or is it string puller Watson) is smart Labour will focus on this inequality.  It strikes a chord across the country.

Unless the Conservative get their act together on this issue, this could just be the vote winner the Labour party needs.