Thursday, 11 February 2010

Reader's Letter Of The Day

From The Grauniad:

You can hardly claim that after 1929 Britain leapt leftwards. The 30s were dominated by cross-party government that segued into wartime government in the 40s. Then came a 50s post-war consensus around the mixed economy.

The only break with this ... tradition is the present homeownerist consensus around the need to keep house prices ahead of inflation, not because any party dissents, but because it is so unusually divisive.

One of the last things Labour did in 1931 before it was swallowed by coalition government was to institute a land value tax that would have prevented this.

DBC Reed, Northampton


Bonus marks for getting the expression 'homeownerism' into a national newspaper. For the second time, as DBC himself points out in the comments.

4 comments:

DBC Reed said...

You're too kind,especially after all the disagreements over banking.
Actually, the first recorded occurrence of "homeownerist" came in my previous letter to the Observer 8.xi.09.If only the term would come into currency ,if that's not a taboo word.( I was going to say "to coin a phrase";strange how the language has fastened onto the money question.You can't say "the money issue" either without ambiguity.I suppose its "the issue of money issue".)

Witterings from Witney said...

One can but applaud the efforts to have the word 'homownerist' included in financespeak, when it is an important factor. Neither can it be considered 'wonga' of anyone to try!

James Higham said...

Eh?

ScotsToryB said...

James, in his wisdom was of course referring to: http://eh.net/

Case rested unless you want a Columbo type question.
'When you saw me approaching the door...what did you think?'

'The game is up'.

STB.