Archbishop: no one voted for Coalition reforms
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Archbishop of Canterbury has accused the Coalition Government of threatening democracy by pushing through reforms "for which no one voted".
In his most notable step into politics yet, Dr Rowan Williams said that policies drawn up on health and education were being met by feelings of "bafflement and indignation" among the public. He also claimed that "anxiety and anger" were being provoked by the lack of debate or probing of changes.
"With remarkable speed, we are being committed to radical, long-term policies for which no one voted," the head of the Church of England wrote in New Statesman magazine, while serving as a guest editor. "At the very least, there is an understandable anxiety about what democracy means in such a context."
He extended his attack to David Cameron's flagship Big Society initiative, calling it a "stale" slogan that aroused "widespread suspicion". Dr Williams added that cuts to housing benefits and the emphasis placed on the harm being done by benefit cheats were the result of "steady pressure to increase what look like punitive responses to alleged abuses of the system".
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments