Hmmm, so given the close affiliation between the Telegraph and the Tory party - do we know why the Telegraph is so pro-cash? What's the political angle on it? We can be certain it's not because of its importance to the disadvantaged.
Low c conservative, not too fond of new technologies or rapid change.
Also classic upper l Liberal tendency towards freedom from tracking, Id cards etc.
In terms of money, limiting cash affects small businesses whose owners tend to vote conservative.
In recent years the Tory party has a larger share of "working people" lower middle class, who also prefer cash, (cash in hand etc) but who won't read the Telegraph.
Basically it's about their voter base.
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For me, I tend to use cash often for small things from smaller places but in larger amounts for street taxis (good, fast and very easy to get), for street / box charity and church service donations.
At the risk of being reductive, basically “Aging Tory readership thinks all change is bad” and the Telegraph will capitalise on that. That doesn’t mean there can’t be good reasons, only that the source is something to be skeptical of.
It’s similar to their “we should switch back to imperial measurements” campaigning - a sop to a particular kind of conservative UK reader.
I'm pro-cash but now I must wonder.