譯/陳韋廷
經濟危機給英在野黨帶來意外良機
Accusing Britain's new prime minister, Liz Truss, of losing control of Britain's economy, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, on Tuesday staked his claim as the guardian of sound fiscal policy and centrist politics, in a speech aimed at capitalizing on the country's gathering financial crisis.
英國反對黨工黨領袖施凱爾周二在演講時，利用英國日益加劇的金融危機，指責英國新首相特拉斯失去了對英國經濟的控制，並稱自己是穩健財政政策以及中間派政治的守護者。
Speaking at his party's annual conference in Liverpool, Starmer derided the government over its recent announcement of tax cuts that largely favor the wealthy, which have caused a plunge in the value of the pound and a spike in borrowing costs.
施凱爾在利物浦舉行的工黨年會演說，嘲笑政府最近宣布的減稅政策主要是對富人有利，並造成英鎊大幅貶值，借貸成本飆升。
"The government has lost control of the British economy — and for what? They've crashed the pound — and for what?" Starmer asked. "Not for working people: for tax cuts for the richest 1% in our society."
施凱爾問道：「政府已失去對英國經濟的控制，這是為了什麼？他們讓英鎊貶值，這是為了什麼？不是為了勞工，而是為了我們社會中最富有的1%人減稅。」
In his 50-minute address, Starmer promised that Labour would tackle a crisis over the rising cost of living, create a new state-owned clean energy company and expand homeownership. With his party now riding high in the opinion polls — the latest gives Labour a 17-point lead — the country's new economic woes present an unexpected opportunity for the Labour Party.
在他50分鐘的演說中，施凱爾承諾工黨將解決生活成本上升帶來的危機，創立一個新的國營清潔能源公司，並擴大住房擁有率。他的政黨目前民調支持率走高，最新民調顯示工黨領先17個百分點，該國新的經濟困境給工黨帶來意想不到的機遇。
On Friday the chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced the government would cut taxes, including a surprise reduction for the highest earners. The new policies alarmed the financial markets because of the increased borrowing they entail, sending the pound spiraling almost to the level of the dollar.
周五，財政大臣夸騰宣布政府將減稅，包括對最高收入者的意外減稅。這些新政策引發金融市場恐慌，因為它們讓借貸增加，導致英鎊匯率幾乎貶至跟美元平價。
"Even if the pound recovers and this crisis goes away, I don't think people are going to forget this," said Steven Fielding, a professor of political history at the University of Nottingham. "It has seriously dented if not destroyed the Conservatives' advantage over Labour on the economy, and for Labour that's the golden ticket."
諾丁漢大學政治史教授費爾定說：「即便英鎊回漲，危機遠去，我不認為人們會忘記。此事即便未摧毀，也已嚴重削弱保守黨經濟方面對工黨的優勢，對工黨來說，這是張黃金入場券。」
Given the economic turmoil, any hope Truss had of a political honeymoon has evaporated, with the opinion polls suggesting that Starmer's more stolid and pragmatic brand of politics could be enough to propel him to power.
考量到經濟動盪，特拉斯對政治蜜月期的任何希望已破滅，民調顯示施凱爾更為冷靜與務實的政治風格，可能足以推動他上台執政。
"When Boris Johnson stood down there was a moment you thought whoever comes next surely is going to be more competent, more focused and will be a harder target for Labour," Fielding said, "but Keir Starmer must be pinching himself in terms of how the government has gone about what they have done."
費爾定說：「強生下台時，有那麼一刻你會覺得下一任首相不論是誰，肯定會更有能力、更專注，對工黨來說將是個更難對付的目標。但就政府最近忙著處理他們的作為而言，施凱爾肯定不敢相信他如此走運。」
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