The country decides

And off we go to, the polls in the UK, once again. Vote for a party, vote for an individual, vote for a leader but vote! Staunch Labour, committed Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, UKIP (spit when you speak their name) or Scottish or Welsh party, we choose whether we believe they have a chance or not. Many of us live in constituencies, where any kind of change from the incumbent party is unlikely but we still vote for the opposition, in the forlorn hope that just maybe it can. Will May still be the PM, well this old diplomat hopes not but who ever wins they have a tough job, not least because the British public have painted us into a corner, with the referendum vote on European Union membership. No matter how much you supported the exit, if you did, you would not wish that negotiation on anyone, least of all an elected politician! 
Perhaps we should ask ourselves what motivates some one to take up public service, albeit it paid public service. Billy Connolly once said, though he was only half joking, that the very desire to be a politician should prevent you from ever becoming one! We know that there is a small proportion of MP's who are on an ego trip and use the office as a stepping stone to either greater rewards or high ministerial positions or both! I am sure though, the vast majority have genuine reasons and really try to engender change to improve the lives of their constituents. It is unenviable task, complex, complicated, involved, full of bureaucracy, lack of funds, alliances, double dealing, human fragility and well, politics! I for one could not, nor would I wish to do it. They are on a hiding to nothing, damned if they do, damned if they don't. Every slip of the tongue or unguarded comment, is leapt upon by a hungry media and magnified and analysed beyond any reasonable, normal, level. Of course history provides the public with many instances of corruption, poor decisions, promises broken, u turns and all sorts of other stupidity and lies, that make us distrust our elected representatives. Do we forget, that like all us they are only human with frailties, faults, insecurities and emotions?
Now this piece is not meant as a support of MP's or a plea to treat them with a more sympathetic attitude, they should be held to the highest standards and very much to account. If they falter and fail to deliver then the ballot box will be used to replace them. 
I merely point out how difficult it must be. They are their own worse enemy (stoked by a rapacious media with unceasing hunger to fill their columns and airtime!) but be thankful that we live in a Democracy where we can vote for our politicians, I for one am!