For those of us who entered the world of work at around the time of the financial crash and the coalition government coming to power, next year’s election could offer us the first opportunity in our working lives to not be living under Tory rule. The prospect of a Labour government should be a time for celebration, relief, getting ready to roll up our sleeves and getting stuck into making progressive change. But as the Labour conference gets under way in Liverpool, we see the leadership telling us to have no hope.
Our working lives have seen two deep recessions caused by the crash, a global pandemic, huge cuts to public services, Brexit, high inflation and the cost of living scandal. Student debt has gone up, and the housing crisis has deepened, with rents continuing to increase as the Bank of England tries to induce a recession and drive down wages through hiking rates. The UK has had the hottest temperatures on record and rising numbers of wildfires. It becomes difficult to ignore the glaringly obvious: that systemic change is required.
