Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith says Tories imposed too much regulation when they were in power – UK politics live as reflected on by Rabbi Miriam Levin
In our quiet corner of Highland Woods, civic life often feels distant from national political theater. Yet, when I read of British politicians debating economic stewardship and whether they imposed too much regulation, I am reminded of how easily public discourse devolves. The contrast between juvenile publicity stunts and solemn governance is stark. It touches an ethical nerve far beyond Westminster.
Jewish tradition regards the public square as a sacred commons, not an arena for frivolous rivalry. Our sages discuss ona’at devarim, prohibiting wronging someone through speech or public humiliation. Taunting opponents with promotional gimmicks demeans individuals. It also coarsens the civic soul. Leaders who treat policy disagreements as opportunities for cheap derision teach a fragile culture. They imply mock-combat matters more than truthful deliberation.
Beyond Taunts: The Purpose of Regulation
Beneath the theatrics lies a genuine debate about regulation and freedom. Andrew Griffith’s reflection that his party over-regulated raises a perennial moral question. What is the true purpose of law and restriction? Our tradition does not view law as the enemy of human flourishing. The covenant at Sinai established boundaries precisely. Human dignity, fair commerce, and mutual protection could then endure. The Mishnah in Tractate Bava Metzia establishes meticulous rules for market conduct. It covers weights, measures, and consumer protections. Unbridled self-interest, after all, inevitably exploits the vulnerable.
Healthy self-examination requires an honest accounting of our deeds, what we call heshbon hanefesh. Any civic movement may reasonably ask if its rules have become cumbersome. Have they choked the vitality and innovation needed to support families and communities? However, when deregulation becomes an absolute dogma, it detaches from worker welfare or earth preservation. It ceases being a practical tool. It becomes an idolatry of unencumbered power. Responsible governance always requires finding a delicate equilibrium. We must balance dynamic enterprise with communal safeguards.
Stewardship Beyond the Electoral Cycle
This balance becomes even more urgent with long-term infrastructure questions, such as energy policy and nuclear power. True stewardship, or shomrei adamah, demands leaders look beyond the immediate electoral cycle. They must care for generations yet unborn. The ancient sage Honi the Circle-Maker famously met a man planting a carob tree. It would not bear fruit for seventy years. When asked why he labored for fruit he would never eat, the planter replied that his ancestors planted for him. So he plants for his children. Dismissing essential debates over energy, climate, and generational safety for media stunts betrays that covenant of intergenerational care.
In my pastoral conversations with parents, teachers, and business owners in our synagogue, I witness exhaustion. People are tired of political leadership confusing noise with substance. They carry real burdens: the cost of raising children, the care of aging parents, the quiet anxieties of a rapidly changing world. They do not need leaders to hand them bottled water branded with petty insults. They need public servants who possess moral seriousness. These leaders must wrestle with complex economic realities while upholding human decency. They must consider whether they imposed too much regulation, but with true purpose.
Our task, whether in a suburban congregation or in parliament, is to resist the degradation of our common life. We must remind ourselves and our leaders that authority is a trust granted by the community. Its purpose is to serve the common good. If we wish to repair our fractured world, we must begin by rejecting trivial stunts that divide us. Let us choose instead the patient, respectful labor of building an economy rooted in justice, accountability, and genuine mutual concern.
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