I see that Ken Clarke, the cuddly face of the Tory Party, has decided to point out to the 'middles classes' that they have yet to feel the true horror of the Government's spending cuts and other measures designed to address the calamitous state of the nation's finances.
He is, of course, quite right that the full weight of the cuts and tax rises has yet to strike home, however, to suggest that the nebulous 'middle classes' don't understand this is to be condescending in the extreme. Anyone with any claim to be 'middles class' already knows that VAT has gone up, petrol prices are increasing daily, their pay is being frozen and that their tax burden will rise exponentially. They already know that their child benefit and tax credits are due to be reduced, and whatever savings they have are not only returning nothing but are also been eroded by inflation at an ever-increasing rate.
Which parts of this scenario does Mr Clarke think people aren't aware of ? I fully accept that some, perhaps many, people have tried not to think about the horrors ahead and some may not quite understand the impact they will feel themselves, but that is not the same as 'the middles classes' not grasping the full scale of the problem. I have little doubt that many are already contemplating less exotic holidays, have already decided
not to replace that oldish car, won't be sending little Jimmy to private school after all, etc etc.
The 'middle classes' are bearing most of the effect of the profligacy of the previous Government, having profited very little from it in the first place. Before long, we will have only 2 classes in this country, the rich ruling class and the rest of us, all poor as church mice, and that's when the trouble will really start.
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