VINCENT NICHOLS : CARDINAL IDIOT.

Following the comments of Archbishop Welby a few months ago, another holier-than-thou prelate has decided to take issue with the government's financial policy. This time, it's the Cardinal-designate Vincent Nichols and his remarks are equally wrong and inappropriate.

Nichols believes that the government's social reforms are a disgrace and are leaving people 'facing destitution'. He claims that the 'basic safety net' for the poorest families has been 'torn apart' and that there is now a 'real dramatic crisis'.

As a representative of one of the richest organisations in the world, Nichols lives in palatial style. His organisation, the Roman Catholic church, purposely keeps many millions of its supporters in poverty and ignorance in order to maintain its vice-like grip on their lives; it denies the realities of today's world and does its best to ensure that its members remain rooted in out-dated tradition, flummery and mysticism. That he can criticise any government while supporting the world-wide activities of his church defies logic.

As well as the basic incongruity of his position, Nichols is also so factually wrong in his remarks that they become meaningless. The current government has done very little by way of 'social reform', other than introducing its perfectly sensible and fair reform to eliminate the 'spare room subsidy' previously enjoyed by many council tenants. Other than this, it has increased the basic personal allowance for income tax and kept interest rates at historically low levels, both policies which strongly benefit the less well-off, while seriously disadvantaging the better-off by the manner of their operation. Unemployment is falling dramatically and employment is at levels never before seen; exactly what is Archbishop Nichols wittering about ? Does he believe that the idle should be allowed to remain idle, or that the workshy should not be encouraged back into work ? If he does, he is in a serious minority.

The 'basic safety net' remains in place for those who need it, while those who are able to look after themselves are being made to do so. This is nothing but social justice. No one in this country, barring those who choose to be, can be called destitute and true poverty has been unknown here for at least the last 60 years. True poverty in the world exists only in countries dominated by religions, such as his.

One can only assume that, with his elevation to the College of Cardinals due to take place on 22nd February, Nichols felt the need to draw attention to himself. That he has done so is certain, as is the fact that he's made an idiot of himself.