THE mainstream media are already beginning a narrative about the forthcoming triple whammy of crises facing workers this coming winter. As a misleading distraction they are repeating the old trope about the 1979 winter and the role played by trade unionists in making it a difficult time.

Tories often refer back to this traumatic period as an example of wildcat strikes, reckless unions wanting to run the country and a Labour government hamstrung by its relationship with the TUC.

For socialists, this travesty has been challenged by an alternative narrative that shows workers struggling in the face of plummeting living standards, out-of-control inflation at a staggering 13 per cent and the unemployment rate doubling to over 5 per cent, with half a million extra people thrown onto the dole. It was a winter of struggle against a right-wing Labour government attacking the people who funded it.

But there is a useful comparison with the Winter of Discontent referred to in Shakespeare’s drama Richard III. Substitute Boris Johnson for the Duke of Gloucester, Richard III, and there are striking similarities.

“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this sun of York” was lifted by the Sun newspaper to portray those harsh times in 1979.

In Shakespeare’s play Richard III manipulates his audience just as he manipulates the characters around him. He is able to manipulate everyone around him because he’s a good actor and wordsmith, which mirrors Johnson’s serial lying, showmanship and utter ruthlessness.

But make no bones about it: workers, the poor, vulnerable people and older citizens are in for a hammering this coming winter. Households are already facing a rise of 12 or 13 per cent in the energy cap, an average of £139, this October, and there is no guarantee that it will not rise further next year in response to the global gas price shock.

People are facing a triple whammy from rising energy costs, the National Insurance hike and a cut to universal credit. The mishandling of the Covid pandemic has crippled the NHS, which after 11 years of austerity cuts is barely functioning, with staff already burnt out as Covid hospitalisations steadily trend upwards.  

The weakening of flu resilience due to lockdowns is also predicted to result in much higher levels of respiratory illnesses requiring hospitalisation. Staff shortages and a failure to train medics are amplifying the crisis, as GPs also report being overwhelmed with increased demand and ambulance trusts constantly underperform on their emergency-response targets.

The cut to universal credit will hit nearly six million people. Thirty-eight per cent of those who will see their income hit are already in employment, while one in six (16 per cent) are under 25. Latest figures show roughly 1.9 million families with children will see their benefits cut. Combined with the imminent end of furlough, unemployment is set to jump as firms go bankrupt or sack staff to try to survive.

It has been predicted that child poverty will rise to a staggering 5.5 million. Regions that will see the biggest proportion of residents hit by the cut are London and the north-east of England. Tax rises are already baked in for next spring, just as people will be reeling from a decline in living standards as inflation accelerates ahead of any wage rises.

The last winter of discontent ended with the election of Thatcher and led to 18 years’ Tory rule. The difference this time round is that Starmer’s Labour Party is more preoccupied with a purge of socialists and rigging future leadership elections than attacking the Tories.

Starmer’s recent ideological dissertation is a complete let-down and bears no resemblance to the 10-point plan that enabled him to secure the leadership. Johnson has a solid majority in Parliament and won’t call an election after the winter.

As usual, it will be up to trade unionists to take on this shambolic, shameless government and lead the Labour Party by the nose to become an effective opposition and defend the working class.