The Conservative Party are angry about the recession. Really, really angry. Not at global capitalism and the ruling classes who caused it, though. No, they’re angry because they don’t think enough of the rising number of people who are shoplifting food are being put in prison.
Police recorded 320,846 incidents of shoplifting in 2008/09 – a 10 per cent rise on the previous year and the highest level under Labour’s time in office, according to Home Office crime statistics.
Leftfield says: Is it a crime to steal a loaf of bread to feed your family? No. And nor is it a crime to steal cakes and wine to feed yourself and your pals.*
According to the Daily Telegraph, this “growing problem was highlighted in a report by the Conservative Retail Crime Commission, set up amid concerns that retail crime is not a priority for the police or ministers.
The study also suggests theft of basic food has increased during the economic downturn.”
Well, boohoo. In the past six months, Morrisons made a profit of £449million, Sainsbury’s made £543million, Asda made £442.9million and Tesco’s profits for this year are expected to exceed £3billion. Remember, this is pure profit! So I think they can afford for poor people to be slipping a few extras in our bags.
The Conservatives don’t think so, though, they think that stealing is bad bad bad. So what are they going to do about it? Maybe if they were in power they would create jobs and increase wages so no one would have to shoplift? Maybe they would freeze food prices and ensure that healthy nutrious food is accessible to everyone? Nah, that would make too much sense for the crazy Conservatives. No , they just want to lock shoplifters up and throw away the key.
Philip Dunne, Tory MP and chairman of the Commission, said: “Despite all its tough talk, Labour has ignored retail crime, which is on the rise as the recession bites.”
James Brokenshire, the shadow minister for crime reduction, said: “Shop theft has been largely ignored under Labour with police forces being told to de-prioritise it. Offenders receive little more than a slap on the wrist when they are caught.”
Well, as Labour said in their retaliation to the reort, since 1997 the number of people sentenced to immediate custody for shoplifting is up by 50 per cent. The fact is, shoplifters are more likely to go to prison than sex offenders.
So, Conservatives, please get your facts straight. If you think shoplifting is so terrible, remember it is only a symptom of our shitty capitalist society and the only way to get rid of the symtoms is to get rid of the underlying cause.
*This remark is meant to be taken humourously, Leftfield do not condone shoplifting or breaking the law,blah blah… – bullshit! We absolutely encourage shoplifting as much as possible. What we don’t condone, however, is getting caught.
Shoplifters, this is for you.
The Tory claim that Labour has ignored shoplifting is totally untrue. New Labour have been responsible for the jailing of thousands of shoplifters, much more so than at any other time in recent history. Free them all!