Equality – in reponse to Neil’s prod.

I’m always spouting about equality. I believe in it. But is it really clear what equality really means? No it isn’t.

I certainly do not want everybody being the same or having the same.

I certainly understand that people are not all equal. People have greatly different talents, skills, abilities, intelligence, physical attributes etc. They cannot all be the same.

So what do I mean when I talk about equality? I’ve had to think quite hard about how to explain my thoughts.

1. I want people to have the same opportunities regardless of their gender, race, age, religion, geographical position, disability, wealth, class or anything else.
2. I want the world to be fairer with rewards for efforts, abilities, risks and responsibilities being proportionate.I do not think it is fair for someone like Rees-Mogg or Johnson to make millions out of a few speeches or a Brexit vote, while others work all their lives in hard circumstances and never earn a million. I see this as part of equality. I do think that exceptional sportsmen and women, risk-takers, business people and managers deserve to be paid well for what they do. I think that needs to be in proportion to those at the bottom. I want a more equal world where those at the top cannot earn say – more than twenty times those at the bottom.
3. I want a level playing field for education, health, courts and job prospects where the rich cannot buy privilege, where there is a meritocracy, not one based on nepotism, advantage, cronyism and privilege (like this Tory government handing out huge contracts to donors and Johnson putting his father forward for a knighthood). You should earn your position and reward through effort and ability – not patronage.

So when I talk about equality I do not want everyone the same. I merely want everyone to be equally important and have the means to prosper through their own efforts and abilities. I want to put an end to the situation where some are fast-tracked to wealth and power through privilege and not ability.

I want a more equal world.