Dear Colleagues,
You may...or may not...have noticed that I haven't written anything
about the General Election being held in the UK today. It is a very
unusual election, with the electorate and the politicians and the
political parties, very much in a political, economic, social and
historical muddle, about what is the right way to go forward in the
future. 46.9 million citizens of the UK are registered to vote, out of
a population of around 65 and a half million, the largest registration
on record. There are 650 constituencies to be fought for and around 9
political parties, apart from independents contesting the election.
The issues are Brexit, hard or soft, a single market, large scale
immigration; and social and economic policies, mainly the national
health service, social service provision, looking after the elderly,
education and social welfare, with the main discussion about which party
can provide the people with the most secure and progressive future, and
which leader shows themselves to be the strongest personality for
leading the political struggle, particularly in exiting the European
Union in the next couple of years. The main parties are the
Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the nationalist parties, and
smaller parties such as the Greens and UKIP, along with small numbers of
independents.
The Conservatives, who were in power, decided to call an election so
that they could get a mandate from the people, by increasing their
majority in parliament, so that their leadership's hands wouldn't be
tied in the coming negotiations with the European Union, and to put them
in a strong negotiating position. Election law in the UK was changed a
few years ago, in that the right to call a general election was taken
away from the remit of the Prime Minister, into organising a regular
election once every five years, or if the Houses of Parliament decides
by a substantial majority decides to call one. The Conservatives wish to
continue with the austerity programme, cutting back public expenditure,
lowering taxes, including corporation tax and continuing with the
squeeze on the public sector wages and capital expenditure, and asking
the elderly and infirm who own their own homes to forfeit much of the
wealth in their estate to pay for their care when they become ill.
Very small increases, in public expenditure, not even keeping pace with
inflation is envisaged for the future, with further privatisation, and
cut backs in the civil and public services.
The Labour Party, whilst supporting an election, is in complete and
utter disarray, with most of its M.P.s opposing Brexit, wishing to
remain in the European Union, whilst many of its supporters are in
favour of Brexit. Their economic and social policies include increasing
public expenditure and taxes on the wealthier classes in our society, to
provide for extra funding for improving the infrastructure of our
society, the National Health Service, education and re-nationalise the
railways.
Historically, both leaders of the two main political parties, stood on
opposite sides over Brexit or remain, and both have shifted their
positions to the opposite view. And, in fact very little discussion has
taken place about what will be done about cutting back immigration or
about our negotiating position when it comes to leaving the European
Union. There has been lots of talk, but the main thing appears to be to
keep a single market, free of tariffs, at the same time avoid the free
movement of labour, which is a mainstay of the European Union and one of
the main sticking blocks, along with the alleged cost of leaving.
The recent terrorist activity has led to calls by the Conservatives for
the UK to leave the European Court of Human Rights, so that the
government and to increase the power of the Security and Intelligence
Services so that they can have carte blanche powers to control alleged
terrorists, without resort to the courts, in cases where there is not
enough evidence to prosecute them. It is most unfortunate that the
recent spate of terrorists, were all known to the Security Services, but
nothing was done about them, and for some reason there are many
Conservatives who think that removing human rights of all of us,
including themselves, is going to somehow prevent terrorism...it is an
old story of course.
It is in this background, that me missus and I decided to vote in an
election for many decades. Usually, we don't bother, not because we
don't believe in elections or democracy, but purely because we couldn't
find a candidate whom we felt could represent our views in parliament
adequately, and long experience has shown that they really want to look
after themselves rather than anyone else, and, if I were in their
position, I would most likely want to do the same.
So, this morning, off we went to the local polling station, in a local
community centre, to register our vote. I noticed that it was very busy
when we got there, the car park was full, there were many people about,
and the road was blocked by the local Labour Party candidate who was
ferrying some elderly folks in wheelchairs in his car, who was hoping
that they would vote for him, and had parked in the middle of the road
in a no parking area, preventing anyone from coming or going to vote,
resulting in a large traffic jam...but such is the nature of
politicians, they don't notice such things, they don't know what they
are doing, living in their own little world of dreams of political power
and being loved by the masses. When we eventually entered the polling
station, there was no sign of a policeman or policewoman, armed or
otherwise, no soldiers guarding the station, just some friendly civilian
public servants who were there to record our presence and issue our
voting papers, tick us off the list, and make sure that we put our
voting papers in the boxes.
In all the time of the elections, over 3 weeks, I think I saw about 3
election posters, all for the Conservative Party, which rules the roost
in this part of the country, here in the South of England, and there was
never any sign of vans with loudhailers fitted, and politicians spouting
their politics to the masses as they drove round the streets. No one
knocked on my door, though the UnRoyal Mail, did deliver some free
leaflets from the candidates. These days it is all about Facebook and
Twitter, and not being a member of those, I missed all the false news,
lies, deceptions and hypes. Hopefully, the candidates and political
parties will keep within their election expenditure caps in this
election, and hopefully, the Russians or the Americans haven't been able
to influence or muck up our voting procedures to bring about the
politics in the UK, that their leadership or the CIA or the Intelligence
services think they might want to make American Great Again.
Oh! Not that you will want to know, but I voted for Labour, even though
they are opposed to Brexit. I didn't use logic, or illogic, I didn't
use rationality or irrationality, I didn't vote with my head or my
heart, I didn't use emotional intelligence, but voted for them purely
because I wanted to do my little bit to try and make sure that the
Conservatives don't get elected with an overwhelming majority. One
should always try ones best to make sure that politicians work hard and
think hard for their money, and prevent polarisation of the biggest
parties, or monopolise the political scene, and of course globalisation
and huge international corporations now rule the roost, along with
groups of international elites these days, national governments have
very little power in the world economy.
I hope you enjoy this little treatise...if not I do apologise for
wasting your time.
ATB
Dougie.
P.S. Oh! And who do I think will win? The Conservatives of course,
with an overwhelming majority...
P.P.S. Can anyone tell me when the time was when America was Great in
the first place. I keep racking my brains but just can't work out what
Trump means...Was there a time when America was more charitable than it
is now...I wonder; a time when charities spent the money they raised on
the deserving and needy and poor, rather than subsidising the rich and
wealthy gentlefolk and elites of New York and Washington when they go to
play golf...:-).
