My best friend Daniel hung himself three days ago. He was a kind and gentle soul who had lived in London for almost 15 years. He had always managed to support himself on limited means. He was a man of simple pleasures. I had never known him to need any support from the welfare state or anyone else for that matter.
But recently as the cost of living in London increased exponentially, directly as a result of successive government’s savaging of affordable housing. Selling council homes off en mass to private landlords, encouraging the worlds elite to funnel their billions into the London property market, and through our despicable tax haven ‘crown dependencies’. Dan was unable to continue to cover the ever-increasing costs of accommodation, as work became harder to find and the work that he did get continued to pay the same wages they had 15 years previous.
Dan became increasingly depressed, but there was no tonic our national health service could provide other than ever-increasing dosages of antidepressants and a pat on the shoulder. The ideological destruction of our most cherished service, our universal healthcare, meant that the resources weren’t available for doctors to spend the time with him and care for him in the way that he deserved.
Meanwhile the welfare state judged him ‘fit to work’, despite the fact he was increasingly becoming a danger to himself. And offered no help despite the fact he was being evicted from his flat due to being in arrears. Eventually the burden of having to rely on handouts from friends and family became too much for him. He was a proud and generous soul.
The relentless juggernaut of the free market, and the ideological destruction of the post war consensus has diminished our humanity. Our commitment to each other and to the weakest members of society has been slowly eroded. And for what? Progress? Growth? We have all been sold a monumental lie, and as result can only look forward to a darker future.
For me personally, I have lost more than just a friend, but a brother. And the world has lost one of the good guys.
Matt (surname not provided)
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