The mainstream media has highlighted the scandals surrounding 10 Downing Street as the reason for the collective resignation of his cabinet. However, if the economy was going well and workers were quiet, such scandals would be treated as gossip and soon would be forgotten. But inflation increases every month, recession looms and workers are
fighting.
By Margaret McAdam – ISL (International Socialist League), Britain
However, Johnson and his cronies are unable to resolve the cost of living crisis, solve the economic problems or defeat the militant workers. These crises are generated by the world system of capitalist production and imperialism. The government lost the media war against workers on strike over their pay, rising prices, conditions and rights. Strikes will continue to grow as pay offers are measly and profits continue to soar. Wide support for the RMT strike has shown the bourgeoisie that the political situation could become out of control and that Johnson could not defeat this struggle.
As the rail workers’ strike is gaining the majority support of the population and inspiring many other workers to strike or to start ballots, the bourgeoisie and their parties chose to lose the saddle but keep the horse.
Workers are giving their answer to the crisis of the economy. They should not have to pay for the cost of living crisis because wages do not cause inflation! It was not the workers that invaded Ukraine, workers do not make extortionate profits out of gas and oil and are not receiving the super profits made by the big retail food firms. What workers experience is a deepening attack on their wages, jobs, conditions, pensions and living conditions.
The internal crisis of the Tory party with all the lies and corruption of the top leadership was a factor, but that crisis gave added strength to the strike movement first of the RMT and now Aslef, CWU and the many other strikes.
Boris was incapable of managing the cost of living crisis and inflation. Most importantly, the general support for the RMT strike showed the bourgeoisie that the political situation could become out of control as new strikes could follow.
The two candidates competing to lead the country align themselves with Margaret Thatcher’s legacy. Rishi Sunak vows to: stop “left-wing agitators” from “bulldozing” British values, change the Equality Act so that “sex means biological sex”, double deportations and attacked the pulling down of statues of colonial oppressors.
Liz Truss is known for her extreme right-wing leaning and being one of Boris Johnson’s biggest advocates. Both candidates say nothing about climate change. They both agree on increasing the anti-trade union laws and accelerating a Thatcherite programme of attacking benefits and workers’ rights.
That is, they want to do to the RMT what Thatcher did to the NUM. At that time the union leaders avoided both a strike wave and a general strike.
Whoever gets elected will increase class warfare because that is the only way they know of trying to save their decrepit system.
The scandals at 10 Downing Street were just the surface of the real cause of Johnson’s fall. Once more, it was the working-class struggle that led to his downfall and though not a defeat of the Tory government it led to its disarray.
Tory crisis created by class struggle
