Neo-Victorian Britain.

The teachers' annual conference has heard that more and more children are turning up for school inadequately fed and clothed against the rigours of the season. They say they’re seeing a return to ‘Victorian poverty.’

I’ve been warning about this ever since Mrs Thatcher began dismantling the mixed economy in the 1980s. I’ve made ironic references to ‘a return to Victorian values’ (Mrs Thatcher’s proclaimed aim) several times on this blog. The present, mainly Tory, administration has engaged unashamedly and irrationally on a policy of dismantling the welfare state. They say it will encourage people to work, conveniently ignoring the fact that there aren’t the jobs for them to do.

This same government, unsurprisingly, hides behind the heavy walls of Westminster, their expensive suits and flashy cars, their country houses and London apartments, their taxpayer-sponsored expense accounts… and counters that the coalition government has reduced child poverty during its term of office.

They are, also unsurprisingly, basing their transparent sophistry on theoretical statistics. The teachers are seeing the real picture.