Warning to Ian Duncan Smith: Don't pander to prejudice

It increasingly seems that too many within of our political class suffer from Lacunar amnesia - the loss of memory about one specific event. The Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown famously told Britons that after the economic housing disaster of the nineties, Britain would never again be a nation of ‘boom and bust’, only to preside over an even bigger housing ‘boom and bust’, some years later.

Browns apparent loss of memory allowed the housing market, caused by excessive borrowing, to reach a margin that clearly was unsustainable.

The Work Pensions Secretary Ian Duncan Smith is, like me, old enough to remember the British industry and Government call during the 70’s and 80’s to ‘Buy British campaigns’, in which politicians, industry and newspaper editors urged Britons to, ‘Buy British’. One famous ad epitomized the era: the iconic comedian Spike Milligan gave his services for free to help sell British Leyland motor cars. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRUMDEZRBeo

Despite the patriotic force feeding British Leyland went bust. Why? Simply because the Japanese, and German cars were more reliable. Likewise, the other big voice of the ‘Buy British campaign was the larger than life Daily Mirror editor Robert Maxwell. ‘Buy British products’, his newspaper urged. But it quickly become clear that aside from his infamous stealing of his own British workers pension pots, he was also outsourcing printing his many publications to Eastern Europe.

Sadly today’s proposals by the Duncan Smith highlight his own Lacunar Amnesia that will not help Brits get into work, but are likely to hinder non white candidates being given a job.

The majority of companies will totally ignore the Minister’s call, arguing we want ‘the right type of labour for the job’. That means for example, if it’s picking fruit and vegetables it has to be cheap’. First port of call for cheap labour is Eastern Europe. If it’s in those areas such as technology they ‘have to be skilled’. Here again companies are looking abroad for this match.

Where some employers might respond to the Minister will have little to do with merit and all to do with prejudice of the ‘other’. Sadly ‘British’ for some employers will crudely mean white. Therefore, without a meaningful qualification by the Duncan Smith as to what he means by ‘British’, he inadvertently gives a nod and a wink to those who see British in black and white terms

As Minister charged with helping our young to find and stay in work his knee jerk, clumsy way will have the opposite effect.

A more inspirational Minister and Government should not charge into the migration debate and force feed ‘buy British’ he goods or talent, but rather create a climate that up-skills our young putting them better placed to contend for jobs. Simultaneously, Unions, and organisations such as TELKO have constantly argued if the minimum wage was raised to a ‘liveable wage’, those on State benefit would feel the back breaking seasonal work in the fields was rewarded with a small but decent salary.

Force feeding patriotism and pandering to prejudice is a recipe for disaster, both economically and socially. However, Investing in home grown talent, and paying decent salaries will surely help our nation’s prosperity and dignity.

Simon Woolley