Gordon Brown was in Greenock on Saturday (27 May) on the campaign trail for next week’s UK General Election in support of local Labour candidate Martin McCluskey
FORMER UK prime minister Gordon Brown has warned that the British people will be at least £1,000 a year worse off in an event of a Tory election victory.
Speaking in Greenock on Saturday on the General Election campaign trail, Brown also spoke of Manchester being a “global symbol of courage, defiance and unity” as campaigning for next week’s UK General Election resumed after the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena last week.
The former chancellor said that it is essential to elect Labour MPs who will “fight for social justice and will be voices for the mainstream – the middle and lower income Britain that is being hardest hit”.
Brown claimed that almost 45 per cent of the British population – around 23 million people- will be poorer under a Tory government by £1,000 a year on average by 2020.
“We are a nation where the Tories are creating living standards stagnation.” Gordon Brown
Brown warned that if the Tories get elected at next week’s UK General Election, they will continue hurting families by completing a “decade of decline” with no end in sight, and with a raft of benefit cuts.
Brown said: “Wages will be rising more slowly than prices – especially for nurses, teachers, carers and others among five million public sector workers, who will see only a one per cent rise in wages while prices rise much faster.
“Areas facing job losses such as Wales, the north and Scotland will feel it even more acutely.
“We are a nation where the Tories are creating living standards stagnation.
Research from the Resolution Foundation has suggested that a couple with two children and a full-time earner on national minimum wage with a household income of £21,000 will be £1,000 worse off by 2020.
“The value of children’s benefits and tax credits are now falling even faster than predicted as inflation bites even harder than previously thought due to the unexpectedly fast pace at which prices are rising.”
Research from the Resolution Foundation has suggested that a couple with two children and a full-time earner on national minimum wage with a household income of £21,000 will be £1,000 worse off by 2020.
The study also found that a working couple – one working full time and one working part time – with three children and a household income of £32,000 will be £3,000 worse off by 2020.
The research concluded by stating a single earner with one child working part-time with a household income of £14,000 will be £1,900 worse off by 2020.
“Conservatives talk about the many and the few but they are actually harming the many while helping the few.” Gordon Brown
Brown added: “The Tories talk about uniting the nation but rising poverty and worsening inequality will leave us more economically polarised and socially divided under Theresa May than at any time in living memory.
“The claim that her government is about helping mainstream Britain is undermined by the stark future of declining living standards ahead for the majority of people.
“The mainstream is being marginalised as the majority see their living standards fail to rise, or for millions, fall significantly.
“Conservatives talk about the many and the few but they are actually harming the many while helping the few.
“[In response to the terrorist attacks in Manchester] They may think we are vulnerable but our strength of shared purpose makes us invulnerable.” Gordon Brown
“That’s why it’s essential to elect Labour MPs who get up in the morning to fight for social justice and will be voices for the mainstream – the middle and lower income Britain that is being hardest hit.”
Brown also paid tribute to Manchester following the terrorist attack last week at Manchester Arena after the concert of American pop singer Ariana Grande.
Brown said: “Hearts have been broken but our resolve remains unbreakable. Lives have been destroyed but our spirit is indestructible.
“They may think we are vulnerable but our strength of shared purpose makes us invulnerable.”
The Scottish Conservatives were unavailable for comment.
Picture courtesy of David Thomson
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