In response to the floods in the South and West of England, they have announced that ‘money is no object’ in assisting the people who live there.

The hypocrisy of the Conservative and Lib/Dem government has reached new levels.

This is the same government that has dis-invested in climate control measures and cut the Environment Agency of 1,800 jobs.

A government that has slashed public sector funding, and implemented swinging cuts in the armed services, the police and emergency services like the fire service. The same government that has implemented a savage cut in workers’ living standards and slashed welfare benefits. The government that has imposed austerity on the majority, and given tax cuts to the already-rich.

Where were the unlimited funds for the flood victims in the North of England, Northumbria and the Calder Valley last year?

This government is blatantly using public funds to buy votes. The flood disaster in the South and West of England has hit the Tory and Lib/Dem heartlands – the electoral base of ‘small’ government and low taxation.

And who will pay the price? Once again it will be the workers in the northern towns and cities, whose Labour-controlled councils will have funds robbed from them again to subsidise the Tory South. And it will be the hard-hit workers already suffering pay cuts and job losses that will be asked to pay higher home insurance as the greedy insurance companies attempt to get their outgoings back.

Whilst not wishing suffering or hardship on anyone, we believe the government’s response to the flood crisis is determined solely by electoral expediency and not conducted in the interests of the country, in either the short or long term.

As such, they are unfit to govern, and the sooner they are gone the better for all.

Steve Davison Unite Keighley branch secretary and KTUC president