Shiny New House on Rotting Foundations

If someone spent time and money putting up a shiny new conservatory at the expense of sorting out the subsidence and rotting foundations in their house, what would you think of them?

If a business tried to launch a shiny new product with expensive advertising and a fancy, high profile launch at the expense of repairing the decrepit machinery in their crumbling factory that limits their ability to make the product, what would you think of them?

In both cases you would think they are fools.

So why should we think any less of the Government today.

Electoral reform and democratising the House of Lords will be the shiny product launch today, the new conservatory under in which the coalition can bask while ignoring the crumbling social care system which is subsiding fast under the Governments lack of action on supporting the most vulnerable in society.

The plight of millions is being ignored, the millions of unpaid carers who look after the millions of individuals who need care, the millions who receive funded services or who have to pay for those services themselves and the million or so low paid workers who are expected to deliver high quality care yet are in danger of being in a poverty trap themselves.

And while the coalition basks in the vain glory of their shiny House of Lords they forget another important point. Those millions affected by social care are also voters and why should those ignored by the coalition, left sinking in the financial quagmire of social care, even consider voting for the two parties that have flagrantly displayed contempt for the most vulnerable in pursing political expediency over the more pressing needs?

Of course the previous Government was no better but now at least the Labour leopard has the chance to change its spots and pursue the goal of achieving the best possible outcome for those who need and deliver care services.

The Government have exposed themselves as fools by, yet again, prevaricating over social care. Social justice is what underpins modern democracy and the shiny new house will be sitting on the rotting foundations of social justice presided over by the current Government