As I trudged home from my local sports club through the snow this evening I began to focus on the conversations which occurred around the table and I realised that actually nothing much has changed. We have supposedly had a change of government and we now have The Coalition replacing NoLab.
The Coalition was born out of the demise that none of the three major parties had an overall majority. So two of them got together to form a government. So far so good because most of us were so pleased to see the end of the inept Gordon Brown and his team that we would have accepted almost anything.
Well it appears that we got almost anything because frankly nothing much has changed down here at ground zero. The Tories and the LibDems had campaigned from almost opposite ends of the political spectrum. Both parties had made electoral pledges and The Coalition has allowed them both to renege on almost anything that they stood for.
We the voter, Joe Public, the people who voted, have been denied almost everything that we actually want. All the British people (well the honest people who bring up families and obey the law) want is a fair deal. Inherently we know that the European Union is wrong for Britain so we would respectively request a referendum.
We cannot understand how our troops are being killed and maimed in Afghanistan so that we remain safe from terrorism when the very people who would cause that terrorism regularly riot in Luton! When they abuse the freedom of speech which we must abide by they cannot be deported because of something called the Human Rights Act!
Now the so called Human Rights Act only applies to people who break the law. When they break the law along comes the Human Rights Act to save them from punishment. It does not apply to victims or the indiginous population because we apparently don't qualify.
When they do get banged up then they enjoy a lifestyle not available to most of us including a regular supply of hard drugs. Now I ask you how does that work? When they eventually qualify for a jail sentence after about three hundred crimes then they also qualify for parole even if they have murdered a headmaster and led a gang that raped an Austrian tourist. I cannot get my head around that.
We have MPs who are quite clearly crooks. I don't mean the few who have actually been sacrificed but I mean those who have friends in high places that protect their mates. We all know this and yet the Political Class act as if we can't see their corruption. We have seen the blatant corruption of the NoLab peers appointed by Tony Blair...the arch villain. In my book he rivals anything that comes out of Russia/Qatar/ etc etc.
To tell the truth the only reason that I write this blog is because I have lost all faith in the political system. Fortunately I remember this country when we had a sane and sensible code of conduct so might I remind people of the system that I inherited.
Dad worked and mum stayed at home. Mum was always available when I needed her. If girls fell pregnant it was a disgrace and would never have been rewarded. It helped to keep the welfare bill down.
Teachers were respected and feared but we loved them. They taught us important subjects like arithmetic, geometry, algebra and calculus. They also taught us English grammar spelling and punctuation. We knew about our history and geography and they also taught us right from wrong. They also picked the school sports team when we played other teams. We ran races in the playground. We competed and the kids who won the races were rarely the clever kids.
Everyone knew the local policeman. He served everyone and was respected and liked. He had total command of his patch and when he caught someone they were prosecuted and jailed...nobody had heard of the CPS in those days.
When we entered hospital we knew that we would be safe. There were no grime born diseases or imported diseases and the nurses really cared for their patients. The matron led the team and her sisters bossed the wards. Everyone knew who the matron was and the sister ensured that the nurses were up to the mark. The nurses cared for the patients and were not allowed to skulk in front of computers and ignore the elderly who could not fend for themselves.
I have started so I will finish but it is getting late so I will continue this tomorrow...I just want to record for my grandkids what they should expect from their government. This is achievable but we must radically change our political system in order to achieve it.
So where was I? Oh yes health and the modern world. We used to have institutions for mentally ill to keep them safe and ensure that the public were protected. These days we have an amazing number of innocent members of the public killed by people who should be lcoked up. I really don't know where we have gone wrong but we just don't seem to be coping on the mental helath front and it is worrying.
The transport system in this country is actually worse than it was in the early sixties. I was brought up with British Rail and it wasn't perfect by any means but the trains ran, the costs were reasonable and the network was safe and maintained properly. Today I would hate to be a commuter and some of the tales that I hear about our railways are horrific.
Consequently the roads are clogged with private cars and freight, some of which should surely be moved by rail. Some motorways grind to a halt day after day and the reason is that rail travel is overpriced, unreliable and uncomfortable. The private companies who now hold thr rail franchises should get their acts together because every country needs a decent rail service.
In the 1950's we would regularly travel by rail to Scotland and the old steam engines would chug up Beattock Summit in the snow. Nowadays a modern engine cannot move in the snow. It is ridiculous.
The really major decline lies however within the justice system. Successive governments weakened the powers of the police and in 1986 the CPS arrived. Now I don't know how it was conceived but I am sure that the original intention was that common sense should prevail. Common sense seems to have evaporated in the justice system. The outcome is that children in Britain are so threatened by the lack of a police presence on our streets that they cannot play without parental protection. That is the most powerful indictment of our failing system and yet nobody seems to be able to reverse the trends.
Local services are always being cut and are under threat and the sole reason is that local government officials have voted themselves astonishing pay increases and final salary pension schemes. Our council taxes rise annually and the services decrease as the council officers are taking a far too large a slice of the cake. It should cease but nobody seems to be even addressing the issue.
And so on it goes and it doesn't seem to matter who gets elected all we ever get is more of the same. I have only addressed a few issues but everyone I meet seems to want the same things. We want the quality of life that a civilized community deserves. It is up to the politicians to deliver but they don't seem to have the political will to care about the public. I am afraid we accept their pitiful performances far too readily.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Why does everyone hate the English?
After the humiliation of our best effort being almost ignored by the FIFA committee when most people knew that we have better facilities and more experience at international level than Russia we must accept that it was a deliberate snub. It seems apparent that certain FIFA delegates promised us their vote and then reneged on the promise so we must face the fact that we are, for whatever reason, disliked in the footballing world but does it go further than that?
The Scots, the Welsh and the Irish certainly don't view England with any warmth. The Muslim community while welcoming our money demonstrate noisily at every opportunity against this country.
Despite the sacrifices of all our troops the Afghans, according to Wikileaks, don't really want us there and who could argue against that. The only people who want us in Afghanistan are a few politicians who can't seal our borders and prefer sacrificing soldiers.
Again according to Wikileaks the Americans don't think that we have done a very good job in Helmand Province and they are supposed to be our closest ally. Certainly we seem to have few friends in Europe as we have ignored the Euro and kept the pound.
We continue, despite cuts in every government department, to fund an enormous Foreign Aid programme and what do we get back from it. On the surface I think that we are just throwing good money after bad and hopefully after his humiliation at the hands of Sepp Blatter and his gang David Cameron will revisit this hopeless waste of money.
We are losing respect everywhere and the decommissioning of the Ark Royal is another example of how weak we have become. I just wish that David Cameron was 'a child of Thatcher' but he most certainly isn't and I fear that we have not had a decent leader since she was betrayed.
It is high time that we got off the world stage and concentrated on our own people. Clearly we are not wanted on it and Gordon Brown and the EU have ensured that we can't afford it.
The Scots, the Welsh and the Irish certainly don't view England with any warmth. The Muslim community while welcoming our money demonstrate noisily at every opportunity against this country.
Despite the sacrifices of all our troops the Afghans, according to Wikileaks, don't really want us there and who could argue against that. The only people who want us in Afghanistan are a few politicians who can't seal our borders and prefer sacrificing soldiers.
Again according to Wikileaks the Americans don't think that we have done a very good job in Helmand Province and they are supposed to be our closest ally. Certainly we seem to have few friends in Europe as we have ignored the Euro and kept the pound.
We continue, despite cuts in every government department, to fund an enormous Foreign Aid programme and what do we get back from it. On the surface I think that we are just throwing good money after bad and hopefully after his humiliation at the hands of Sepp Blatter and his gang David Cameron will revisit this hopeless waste of money.
We are losing respect everywhere and the decommissioning of the Ark Royal is another example of how weak we have become. I just wish that David Cameron was 'a child of Thatcher' but he most certainly isn't and I fear that we have not had a decent leader since she was betrayed.
It is high time that we got off the world stage and concentrated on our own people. Clearly we are not wanted on it and Gordon Brown and the EU have ensured that we can't afford it.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
The Winter Wonderland - a laughing stock...
As our transport infrastructure crumbles at the first sight of snow, the media is beginning to reflect the astonishment emanating from the rest of the world. In Yakutsk, Siberia where the temperatures regularly drop to -40 degrees a duty airport officer ironically offered to give advice to Gatwick Airport.
In the really cold countries where snow falls heavily and regularly they shake their heads sadly at the sight of inept travellers not being able to cope. How can we design trains for example that can't cope with snow? Why does Southern Rail just pack it in whenever the snow arrives? How come a major airport like Gatwick does not have the equipment to keep the runways clear when Gander, Newfoundland, continues in far worse conditions.
The local councils are claiming that they gritted the roads and yet it really is not apparent in many of the southern counties. Despite that, it still comes down to driving standards. What this cold snap has proven is that driving standards in this country are very poor. The driving test does not prepare people for adverse conditions or even ensures that they can handle their car under normal circumstances.
When one witnesses drivers (most of the outstanding examples I have to say are female) who cannot reverse, cannot park and have little practical knowledge of the highway code then it is hardly surprising that they cannot alter their style of driving in the snow. The driving test in Germany is much tougher and encompasses motorway and night driving and we should seriously look at following their example.
There should be a far reaching government enquiry into what has happened in the past few days and then we must take action. The airports and railways just cannot be allowed to quit so easily without incurring huge penalties and councils who fail to cope must also be held to account.
The British public deserve a better transport system. It has been allowed under the NoLab government to drift into chaotic disarray and The Coalition must get it back in line again.
In the really cold countries where snow falls heavily and regularly they shake their heads sadly at the sight of inept travellers not being able to cope. How can we design trains for example that can't cope with snow? Why does Southern Rail just pack it in whenever the snow arrives? How come a major airport like Gatwick does not have the equipment to keep the runways clear when Gander, Newfoundland, continues in far worse conditions.
The local councils are claiming that they gritted the roads and yet it really is not apparent in many of the southern counties. Despite that, it still comes down to driving standards. What this cold snap has proven is that driving standards in this country are very poor. The driving test does not prepare people for adverse conditions or even ensures that they can handle their car under normal circumstances.
When one witnesses drivers (most of the outstanding examples I have to say are female) who cannot reverse, cannot park and have little practical knowledge of the highway code then it is hardly surprising that they cannot alter their style of driving in the snow. The driving test in Germany is much tougher and encompasses motorway and night driving and we should seriously look at following their example.
There should be a far reaching government enquiry into what has happened in the past few days and then we must take action. The airports and railways just cannot be allowed to quit so easily without incurring huge penalties and councils who fail to cope must also be held to account.
The British public deserve a better transport system. It has been allowed under the NoLab government to drift into chaotic disarray and The Coalition must get it back in line again.
World Cup 2018
Well I did tell you yesterday that Russia would win the vote from the esteemed committee that governs who gets the World Cup. The day after Wikileaks suggests that there is a strong link between the Kremlin and the Russian crime syndicates it surprises me not one jot that Russia won the vote.
They wrap it all up with words like history, culture and sport but I still believe that our slush fund just isn't large enough for this game. I doubt if we will ever see the World Cup in England again and we shouldn't waste any more time on it.
Ha! Ha! As I am writing this post Sepp Blatter has just announced that bloody Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup! Can you credit that? Qatar is probably the most unsuitable country in the world to host a major event purely on the grounds of climate if nothing else. However, this rich little oil state would of course possess a huge slush fund capable of greasing so many palms.
Don't tell me that the Panorama programme was out of line. They were spot on and probably didn't quite get to the full extent of the problem.
They wrap it all up with words like history, culture and sport but I still believe that our slush fund just isn't large enough for this game. I doubt if we will ever see the World Cup in England again and we shouldn't waste any more time on it.
Ha! Ha! As I am writing this post Sepp Blatter has just announced that bloody Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup! Can you credit that? Qatar is probably the most unsuitable country in the world to host a major event purely on the grounds of climate if nothing else. However, this rich little oil state would of course possess a huge slush fund capable of greasing so many palms.
Don't tell me that the Panorama programme was out of line. They were spot on and probably didn't quite get to the full extent of the problem.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Ed Milliband
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Ed Milliband has overpitched his ambition. He should have left the leadership ambitions to his brother. He is being ridiculed by David Cameron who is a consumate professional at the despatch box.
David Cameron will continue to eat him alive. It is almost like watching a young Tony Blair attacking John Major. The brilliant debaters will always win the nation's hearts. Ed Milliband has no mandate to attack the government because he was part of the previous administration that wrecked the economy.
Ed Milliband will splutter and bluster but he will be replaced and not a moment too soon!
David Cameron will continue to eat him alive. It is almost like watching a young Tony Blair attacking John Major. The brilliant debaters will always win the nation's hearts. Ed Milliband has no mandate to attack the government because he was part of the previous administration that wrecked the economy.
Ed Milliband will splutter and bluster but he will be replaced and not a moment too soon!
World Cup 2018
I have just seen quite a sad sight on the national news. It was the sight of an aged Sir Bobby Charlton backing our bid for the 2018 World Cup Finals. He was the most magnificent player the like of which we have never seen again. To see him croaking with hands shaking was to me unnecessary.
This country is the home of football. Our heartbeat is football and we have everything necessary to stage a really professional World Cup. If that so called World Cup committee, who have been accused of corruption, cannot see that we are far, far, better placed than say South Africa to stage a large event then we know that unsavoury motives are involved.
There has to be a reason that this country has not been granted a World Cup final and I can only surmise that we don't have a large enough slush fund. To my mind the result is a foregone conclusion because Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, didn't even bother to attend. We sent political royalty, constitutional royalty and footballing royalty and I think it will be ignored!
This country is the home of football. Our heartbeat is football and we have everything necessary to stage a really professional World Cup. If that so called World Cup committee, who have been accused of corruption, cannot see that we are far, far, better placed than say South Africa to stage a large event then we know that unsavoury motives are involved.
There has to be a reason that this country has not been granted a World Cup final and I can only surmise that we don't have a large enough slush fund. To my mind the result is a foregone conclusion because Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, didn't even bother to attend. We sent political royalty, constitutional royalty and footballing royalty and I think it will be ignored!
The Winter Wonderland!
How can we be so inept? How can our transport services be so inept? How can the Highways Services be so unprepared for an event that happens every year? How does Helsinki airport remain open every year and yet Gatwick cannot cope?
We are hopeless when faced with adversity. This is the nation which bred the Dunkirk and Blitz spirit and when a few inches of snow arrive on our doorstep everyone collapses. Now don't get me wrong my daughter and her family arrived back from Edinburgh last weekened and they have had real snow.
Further north it can be really difficult. For example in Northumbria they have had bucketfulls and nobody could criticise the shepherds and farmers trying to feed their livestock. That is real hardship.
But down here in the soft Midlands there is no real issue. We have had a few inches but conditions are easily overcome. OK it may get worse but at the moment nobody has an excuse for opting out of anything.
How the rail authorities excuse their performance or those responsible for gritting down south can explain why they have once again let the public down I do not know. It happens every year and every year the nation grinds to a halt!
No Airport should shut! No HGV driver should pull over and claim defeat until conditions become extreme. Obviously there comes a time when winter defeats us all but in this country it arrives far too early and far too conveniently.
We are hopeless when faced with adversity. This is the nation which bred the Dunkirk and Blitz spirit and when a few inches of snow arrive on our doorstep everyone collapses. Now don't get me wrong my daughter and her family arrived back from Edinburgh last weekened and they have had real snow.
Further north it can be really difficult. For example in Northumbria they have had bucketfulls and nobody could criticise the shepherds and farmers trying to feed their livestock. That is real hardship.
But down here in the soft Midlands there is no real issue. We have had a few inches but conditions are easily overcome. OK it may get worse but at the moment nobody has an excuse for opting out of anything.
How the rail authorities excuse their performance or those responsible for gritting down south can explain why they have once again let the public down I do not know. It happens every year and every year the nation grinds to a halt!
No Airport should shut! No HGV driver should pull over and claim defeat until conditions become extreme. Obviously there comes a time when winter defeats us all but in this country it arrives far too early and far too conveniently.
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