Theresa May gives a speech at a Conservative party conference. Photo: Stefan Rousseau / PA Archive/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.Theresa May’s speech after she became prime minister was a revelation. On 13th July, she spoke about the racism, classism, and sexism inherent in British society. She talked of inequalities in education, in income, in the justice system, in mental healthcare provision. She spoke about how out of touch Westminster was with the electorate. She promised that her government would make Britain work for everyone – that it would prioritise those in need above the wealthy, that it would listen to those without the most power, that it would break down socioeconomic barriers to allow Britain to become a true meritocracy. In an era where ‘social justice warrior’ is bandied around Twitter as an insult rather than an encouragement, ‘social justice’ was, unexpectedly, one of the key phrases of the new prime minister’s speech.
I was, I will admit, somewhat confused. If anyone else had given that speech, I would have been ecstatic, reinvigorated with hope that there were people in power who cared, who could see the problems, who weren’t afraid to speak truth to power in order to eliminate injustice, who wouldn’t put their heads in the sand and who would fight for those who most needed fighting for.
If anyone else had given that speech, I would have been ecstatic
