Another year

I guess another year is starting my 68th. It would be great if some semblance of sense could be engendered across the world. It won’t happen. The unpredictability of  human existence is always to live in chaos. Peace and comfort for everyone is nothing more than a dream, a distant and impossible dream. Much as I hate to embrace the horrors, they are here to stay. My life has been lived in peace but whilst no world wars have broken out, there has been much cruelty and bloodshed. I need not dwell on the many other afflictions that still exist, we all know them, they continue to blight all societies. We never learn the lessons of the past and much as tolerance has been enshrined in law (not everywhere) there is still many many minds that need educating.
I know I appear pessimistic, although I prefer realistic but I genuinely have hope for the future and I get that from the brief interaction I’ve had with young people this year. My generation, has largely failed that great promise we showed, sacrificed to the world of commerce and the consumerism but I am optimistic that those behind can do better?

Michael Ellis Northampton North MP

This is my email sent today to my MP

Hi Michael,
Yes it’s me.
Firstly, as difficult as it is, well done on retaining your seat and on your parties huge overall win.
I am now willing to concede that the reversal of the referendum or another People’s Vote is a very very remote possibility and regrettably we will be leaving the EU.
Do not think for one moment, though, that I won’t be paying close attention to both how you and your party perform and most importantly pressure will be applied to stop any likelihood of a “no deal” Brexit.
Boris said it is time to start the healing and for once he spoke the truth!
The country is divided, the last few years have brought bubbling to the surface, all the seething, prejudices, bitterness, injustice, xenophobia and much more, that have cursed our country for so long!
There is mighty social injustice and inequality, breakdown of health and education, social services, Police, local councils bankrupt, food banks, homelessness and more poverty than any civilised country of our standing should tolerate.
Try as you might you cannot deny, the the Tories deliberate political decision to implement austerity and massive underfunding is not at least partly responsible for all of this and I am being restrained! Others may share the blame but it has been your party in government. Of course you will as always “big up” your record but the state of our Union is undeniable and needs radical and urgent rebuilding.
I sincerely hope your party can address most if not all of these issues, not with glib promises or spreadsheet figures but with real purpose and care?

I wish you good fortune in your next term, let see if you can finally persuade me that your party does really take seriously the fate of ALL the people and can show real care for the have nots and not just the haves!

Regards

Language

I had the great pleasure of attending the inaugural meeting of a Writing Club yesterday. Naturally it was local and took place in a very pleasant place called the J Gallery.
Meeting others who appreciate language and the use of it, for me is a delight. Language is power, it’s romance, information, tragedy, joy, infinite stories and everything in between. Language can persuade, destroy, depress, enlighten it can transcend the everyday and equally describe it in vivid reality. I wax lyrical deliberately and to make a point!
A word out of place can be the most hurtful of things but the right words can change lives forever.
I love words for there own sake, the feel of them, the spelling, the multiple meanings, there variety, colloquialisms, sayings, phrasing, puns and all the myriad ways we use them in our daily lives.
Language changes all the time, it morphs and bends, admitting the new, whilst other words fall into disuse. It’s a remarkable living, unlimited kaleidoscope,  a pandora box’s full of delights and horrors all at the same time.
I hope we cherish our language, keep it safe, make it live and breath, making sure each generation understands and loves it.

Downbeat but VOTE

I sit here on this cold and frosty morning in my warm dinning room pondering on many things! Since retiring earlier this year I have had more time to ponder! I’ve always been ponderous, just musing on everything that is happening both foreign and domestic, big and small. When one has the time to ponder ones mind wanders into uncharted territory and you realise there is no solution to almost all the worlds issues because in reality both yours and the collective will is unable to find them!
I humbly suggest that we all know what is right but are either unwilling , unable, incapable or just to apathetic to try?
Selfish, self-centered, insular, to wrapped up in our own little lives, we find every excuse we can to not engage. It does not matter what I say or do it won’t make any difference. In many cases this is true.
People do engage, protest, demonstrate, write, broadcast and it can have an effect. Voting is one way of enacting change but I would suggest that when looking at our choices, after the shenanigans of the last few years and the many before, it promotes a reaction in most of a heavy sigh!
We don’t believe anymore, we have no faith, no trust, we feel betrayed and bereft, no one listens, so why bother!
All sounds very depressing doesn’t it?

Well that was deliberately pessimistic, not a false report on the way I see things but purposely downbeat.

I urge you all please register to vote and then use it!
You may not demonstrate, protest, write, broadcast but you ALL can VOTE!

Privilege

I not a great supporter of the  Royal family. Frankly I don’t care about them one way or the other, though I will confess to having enjoyed The Crown.
This Prince Andrew thing is just more proof of how this privileged twat has continued to get himself in serious trouble. He obviously cannot be trusted and is morally compromised, his judgement is flawed, not least because he agreed to do this interview, which just makes him look guilty of everything he is accused of!
This too will pass and we have more important stuff to concern ourselves with.
He is a first class knob though!

Green or pest?

The environment and green conservationist politics are rightly at the top of the agenda and have been for some long while. Naturally the vast majority of humans are appalled at how we have treated our home. Earth is full of wonder and beauty. Whilst I  support the call to treat our environment with respect and to try to reverse the terrible damage, humans have inflicted and continue to inflict, I am very sceptical of either our collective ability or will to do so?
I separate my rubbish into different plastic bins, try to be frugal with water and energy, drive as little as possible, as do many I’m sure. I have know idea if this has even the slightest minuscule effect but we must try. I suggest that while people do think about their green credentials for most it has no impact on their daily lives. We are essentially selfish by nature and want a comfortable life with all the perks that modern consumerism gives us. We want good health, long lives and to look after our families. We wonder what more we can do? We are frustrated by the power and profit makers who may talk a good game but are really only interested in furthering their own growth and to protect their wealth! All whilst so many of us enjoy the benefits of what is produced.

The solution, if there is one, in addition to all the so called green measures, offsetting carbon footprint, stopping deforestation, reducing greenhouse gasses etc: is a complete overhaul of the social and commercial structure we currently operate under, a radical change of the way most of us live. No cars, no planes, complete change to alternative energy sources. Less humans, yes I do mean restricting the world population! Our ingrained habits have to undergo a fundamental rewrite.
I understand that this is easy for me to pontificate upon in my warm house, with fast broadband, writing on my iPad  and that I am not offering much in the way of detail or how we effect this change, frankly I’m not clever enough but I know one thing if continue to operate the same way we have we will continue to get the same results!

One more thing, I’ve said it before and I know I’m not alone in this opinion, humans are just a the biggest pest nature has produced and it is our ultimate fate to destroy the very planet that sustains us!

Have a good day!

Election UK

So here we go again! Boris wanted an General Election and finally, after some parliamentary manoeuvres, he got his wish. So off we go to the polls and put our cross in the box of our choice? 
Except many of us have little choice and our vote is meaningless. You must vote, if you do not and you can, don’t ever complain after and especially not to me, you will get no sympathy. Having said that, in a first past the post system, for many of us our vote is wasted! In the constituency I reside in, it is or has been for the last 3 elections a safe Tory seat. Michael Ellis is the incumbent, his majority is not large and who knows he could lose. When he first stood, I made it my task to study all the candidates and decide who would best represent our constituents, irrespective of the party they represented. Indeed at the time I espoused the idea, that should everyone vote on that basis and not just for the party they supported nationally, it might change the face of Parliament as we know it? I voted for Michael. To be fair he is not the worst MP we have had. I could not bring myself to vote for him again. The party he belongs to (Conservatives) just horrify me and he has become yet another Tory toadie, who when questioned (I have had much email correspondence with him) just tows the party line and supports everything their leader does without fail.
He is now in the Cabinet, so it works! 
If Sally Keeble stands again, as his Labour opposition, I cannot in all conscience, vote for her. My darling wife, is bitterly opposed to her for reasons I won’t explain here but her reasons are good enough for me!
So that leaves us with the other candidates, Liberal Democrat, Green etc and they, as past history shows, don’t have a prayer. 
I’m sure this scenario is repeated in many constituency’s, up and down our country. 
So what to be done? You MUST vote, it is your right and the only way everyone can take part in the democratic🤣 process! Who for? If you go in knowing your vote is a waste, what is the point? You could spoil your paper as protest but that in itself is a meaningless gesture! You could argue that if you don’t vote for a candidate whom has little chance of winning, they never will. 
It is a dilemma that I would suggest will tax many people’s minds over this campaign. It might be one reason why many never vote or won’t vote this time?
We know the main issues and we all know why this election is so important.
Our countries future is always at stake but now more so than ever.
The way many in Parliament have behaved is outrageous and at times disgusting, over the period since Mrs May disaster at the 2016 General Election (and before), their inability to reach any agreement or consensus, the insults, intransigence and plain hostility towards each other and us, has been plain for all to see (naturally there are many exceptions)!

I have no clue as to the answer to everything I’ve just typed! I’m baffled and tired of it all but I know we have to decide, I just don’t know what my decision will be? 🤔😬😱 

Oh how we’ve bitten the hand!

I am a believer in science and scientific evidence. As I have written before I do not believe in a God, therefore I am atheist. So as a believer of the first, I fully realise we are killing the planet we live on. Call it what you will, Climate Change, Environment, Green or any other epithet you care for, the human race is destroying Earth in the name of progress, money and most importantly power.
I have espoused previously that the human race are a pest, not in the numbers that we generally think of in the insect world but more deadly and dangerous.
There are too many of us and we are increasing too quickly. In all the media I hear or read not one person has (to the best of my knowledge) suggested that we cull ourselves!  What a horrific idea! Let me clarify, we have to put the brakes on a continual rise in our populations. Let nature take its course with its natural way of balance! Unpalatable, sounds like the suggestion of a madman, brings to mind all sorts of historical horror, yes it does sound like that! I’m not suggesting wholesale slaughter to reduce our numbers, just control of our future growth.
It’s not palatable to most and I don’t like suggesting it. It has obvious implications that will cause major outrage.
I merely suggest it should at least be discussed? Realism is never comfortable.
Personally, and I hate being pessimistic, I think the “ship has sailed” and whatever we do now is too little too late!
I have read this morning about Greta Thunberg’s  impassioned speech, she is absolutely correct, how dare we! What a terrible future we have provided for our youth, we should be ashamed. We may have not realised soon enough but once we did, what have we done, not enough! I write lots of words but I’ve done little myself, so I know my hypocrisy!
I began this piece by stating I believe in science and scientific evidence, unfortunately it’s as responsible for our current position as much as it is for providing the evidence of where we now are, ironically! You can’t win!

Lies lies contempt & more lies

Prompted by the photo of Jacob Rees-Mogg lounging in a Parliament, last night, I felt compelled to send the picture to my local MP Michael Ellis and ask if he could either explain or defend the behaviour of The Leader of the House? This one demonstration of smug privilege has quite possibly done more to damage Boris and his cohorts slim chance of persuading the voters of his “cause” than almost anything else . Rees-Moggs reaction when finally told and shouted at by fellow MP’s on all sides, to sit up, was one of a naughty schoolboy, who cares little for the rest of the members of his chamber, contemptuous does not do it justice, it is utter disdain for his fellow parliamentarians and demonstrates exactly how the Johnson Government is treating us!
These are desperate times and how desperately we need sensible leadership, a succession of MP’s have let us down, they have been and continue to be in complete disarray.
What’s to be done, I wish I knew, there has been so much spouted by all sides that I’m sure that none of us are able to make a coherent decision, to what would be the best way forward. There are many who stick to their steadfast view that we must leave and those who stick to a second referendum to allow the “people” to decide. All I know is it is a total mess and one that could have been avoided.

Strange times

We live in strange, one might say bizarre times. Odd leaders in the West, great division everywhere, disenfranchised electorate in many European countries, the right wingers ebbing and flowing in and out of favour and always some maverick voice able and willing to stir the pot!
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it? We were supposed to be in a bright future of plenty, harmony beginning to reign and equality becoming accepted no matter what your persuasion. Plenty for all and fair distribution of wealth! Okay that all sounds a little utopian and unrealistic perhaps even harks back to the days of “peace & love” but not a bad thing to wish for no matter how unlikely? Instead we stumble on, into what many consider is chaos and anarchy. It is not all doom and gloom, very often the world needs shaking up in order for a better future, however uncomfortable it is, whilst the shaking occurs. And things have improved, generally, many would say not enough and still to slowly but slow has always been the pace of progress in human improvement. Change is often resisted particularly by those who have wealth and power. It is said that “money is the root of all evil” and there is much truth to that but power is a far stronger aphrodisiac, there will always be those who want it and those who will fight to keep it!
For some unfathomable reason, I am still optimistic and believe things will get better. For me personally, it’s not so important, I am comfortably off and no longer involved in the daily rat race,  thats the reason I can pontificate from the comfort of my electric recliner but I do have hope that the younger generations will sort out this mess, my generation has left them in, our complacency having fucked it all up.
I should have involved myself far more in causes but I was and am too lazy. Like I said pontificating is easy!

Exasperated

So Johnson has finally got what he wanted, Trump remains in power, it is beyond my understanding and at the same time I understand?
I have begun to doubt my own beliefs and opinions, perhaps I am wrong and not one of the “right minded” people, perhaps their supporters are correct, these are the right leaders?
And yet I know this can’t be! I have not spoken to a single person (admittedly a small sample) who has not expressed their complete disbelief at these two being in power. I should clarify and say with one or two exceptions the average age of those I have spoken with is 60 plus!
I would like to write something insightful or meaningful about these two and why they have risen to the top but my overall emotion always comes back to disbelief and increasingly speechlessness, so pissed off with the events happening before me that I cannot react, other than to throw my hands in the air, shrug, with a rueful smile, exasperated at the current turn of events!
For the first time in my life I just want them to go away or someone to tell me it really was all a bad dream!😤😫🤪😖😱👎

Homeless Shelter

Recently I have volunteered, in my home town, to help at the homeless shelter (men only)
It sleeps 17, when full and they can stay a while, leave their possessions, the purpose is to assist them using all the agencies and social services, to progress towards, permanent residence, jobs and get their lives back to some semblance of “normalcy”. It doesn’t work for all and many don’t stay or leave and maybe come back two or three times. They have to fill in a questionnaire before entry and if the break the rules, they are excluded, temporarily or if serious for good. No alcohol, no drugs.
I have done a few evenings and one morning (they aren’t allowed in before 9pm and have to leave by 9am), generally it’s a calm place, relatively quiet and the residents are very appreciative of the volunteers. We do basic stuff, serve food and drink, wash up, clean. They can charge their phones, shower, clean clothes etc and everything is donated and free.
The residents are young and old, the reasons for their situation are as varied as they are. Job loss, relationships breakdown, drugs, drink both, bereavement, being kicked out of home, all of the above and many more stories besides.
The overriding impression, is one of, complete lack of confidence, life has beaten them down and they find it difficult to trust anyone or anything. They’ve been let down many times, of course they have contributed to their own problems but society has not treated them well. Don’t get me wrong, there is humour, kindness, love and the spark of determination,  to get themselves out of their current situation. It’s not a sad place, though there is sadness present. There is the presence of how substances have affected many of them, how their character has been altered by this abuse.
It humbles one to understand how some are trying to rebuild their lives. Many will never achieve it, some don’t really want to or are to entrenched in their homelessness.
If one person can be helped then that’s enough.

To nobody in particular

I have for sometime been thinking about removing myself from all forms of social media. This may seem ironic to write in a blog! 
I have written previously about the triviality of the format but of course it is also a platform for abuse, bullies, predators, groomers, racists, right wing and left wing agitators and every other label you care to mention. Whilst some steps have been taken to police the medium, it’s not really in the Facebook and the Twitters of this worlds interest to be to stringent and is always open to interpretation, as media has always been. It’s worldwide openness, makes it particularly difficult to legislate against (although China seems to be quite successful at it).
It is, as with many things about revenue, the more they have they more they want. Power and influence is the game and anyone who does not understand that these “younger” players are just as dangerous as Murdoch and his ilk are fooling themselves.

I am not a prolific commentator on social media but I confess it is quite difficult to wean oneself from spouting into the void. I have had to make a conscious effort to either not view or having looked not commenting! To be honest this is just an exercise to clarify my own thoughts! We all think we have something to say but a period of absence, perhaps permanent is required!

Euro Elections

Whatever spin you put on the results of the U.K. Euro elections, however you add the percentages to determine leave or remain, the fact is the political landscape of our country is a giant mess! Perhaps just perhaps this political shambles is in the long term exactly what was needed?
Brexit (how I hate that word) has brought into sharp relief the divide in both the population ,our parliamentary representatives and politicians in general. Is there now an opportunity to bring people together? The underlying feelings that have been festering within society have surfaced into the light, might we have the chance of doing something about it? I know these issues have been talked about, discussed and around for a long time but Brexit has shone a torch 🔦 highlighting nearly all of the the broad range of attitudes across the generations. It has brought out the worst and given a platform to many, most do not want to hear from, the racist, bigots, misogynists, anti-semites, isolationists etc but has also shown there are many who care passionately about society and their country.
So with a nod to what could be misguided optimism, maybe we can use this time to grasp the change that is obviously needed and get a consensus on how to go forward. It will take time, probably a long time but it must be worth the effort because we cannot go on as we are!

P.S. I find it rather ironic thar Nigel Farage a man who clearly despises the EU has been a member of their Parliament for three decades🤪

Monday

I have tried very hard to be optimistic and upbeat in recent weeks about everything and generally have succeeded. It’s not easy given the state of the world. The people in charge at the present time are frightening. I have always erred on the side of looking for the best in people, albeit with a healthy dose of cynicism but it is difficult with the Trumpster and 
May’s in power. I am not going to harangue you about them, I’ve made my feelings very clear in this column!
So something to gladden your Monday. I’ve recently volunteered to help at a homeless shelter in Northampton. It is a men only facility and takes up to 17 residents. 
Homelessness is a huge problem and my poor understanding of it has been disabused by the training given prior to starting. The cause of homelessness are many from the obvious of drink and drugs through bereavement, divorce, loss of employment, mental illness and much more. It happens to all ages, rich or poor, men and women. 
The shelter opens at 9pm and empties again at 9am. A resident can leave their gear. When you return at night a hot meal (all supplied by charity and everything is free) and drink is available. You can have a shower. Charge a phone. If you want to talk fine, if not fine. 
Now this is not a place just to sleep at night, the whole idea is to encourage , help, assist in  anyway to help get them back to normality, jobs, homes etc: but off the street. Sometimes it takes a while and may not succeed straight away. 
There is a whole network across the county and country of all stripes that can be part of the path back to life off the pavement. 
Unfortunately the problem is increasing and the resources reducing, so I encourage you to help if you can.

Stuff

I understand Trump is arriving for a state visit in June, fortunately I will be on a state visit to our home from home in Crete. I understand he is the elected (cheated) President but really, without re-stating all of his faults, he should not be afforded any pomp and ceremony.
Having said that, I do think he should be allowed to address Parliament because that will be hysterical. Just imagine the rubbish that he will spout and without doubt he will try to tell us how to put things right. Parliament has itself has talked so much rubbish over the last few months that he might actually, in a strange way, make sense!
Please line the streets in your thousands and jeer and boo, don’t stay home as a protest!
You know I’ve read a number of articles, recently, espousing the idea, that we get the leaders we deserve! Well if this is the lot we have got, the world is in a shocking state! Blindingly obvious!
Most democracies are no longer fit for purpose and the primary problem is the voting systems that are antiquated and do not fairly represent the voters.
For many elections I and my peers have had little or no representation in local or National Assemblies because of the “first past the post” system in the U.K. I know it is an old cliche and has been promoted for many years but proportional representation is the only solution.
I am approaching the final stage of my life, I turn 67 this year and am retired, so I am not so concerned for myself but I do despair for the future of those generations just starting their paths. Not just because of our failure of democracy but also the other massive issue Global Warming, much bigger than politics and anyone who denies it, surely do not believe the evidence of their own eyes and the irrefutable scientific evidence. Unfortunately the politics and action are intertwined and look at those who are in charge😬
I have put forward the argument, that it is inevitable that humans will destroy the planet and it is why we are here and just the inevitable consequences of nature’s intention. Everything dies and we are the pest that will kill the Earth.
I will sign off with that cheerful conclusion 😇

Optimism

It has occurred to me that, generally people are miserable, pessimistic, apathetic and pissed off? Not every one of course there is always those who remain positive and happy. I myself vacillate between complaining and positivity.
So I am going to make a conscious effort to be happy and optimistic, banish negativity, try to see the best side of things!
I am not suddenly going to become one of those insufferable people we all have met, who are so naturally high, you want to punch them. Joy and happiness are to be aspired to but one must temper these emotions with everyday life. I am older and I believe it is our obligation to set an example for the generations that follow. If we are not optimistic about the future then how can they be? 
There are numberless wrongs that need to righted, prejudices to be eradicated, equality to be achieved, cruelty and killing for any reason eliminated, these unfortunately all part of the human condition and don’t seem possible but unless we are positive and optimistic about the viable solutions it won’t happen, never if we don’t try!

So I make a sincere request, can everybody just try, try, to be a bit more positive, we all have problems, many have little to be positive about and cannot but lets

My MP

I have been corresponding with my Member of Parliament, Mr Michael Ellis. In the election before Mrs May disaster of an election, I am ashamed to say I voted for him. I am not and never have been a Conservative Party supporter but I based my decision on the candidate whom I though would best representative my constituency. I espoused the idea that if everyone did the same the face of British politics might be radically changed? How stupid I was!
Mr Ellis has proved to be a Tory toady and a tows the party line. Needless to say I did not repeat my mistake in Mrs May’s disaster in 2017, in spite of knowing he would win again, although with a small majority of 900. Since then we all know the saga that has beset the country and the impasse that has taken place in Parliament!
So recently, having been encouraged by a very dear friend, I emailed Mr Ellis. My missive explained my feelings and options regarding the current situation ( I am a remain man and my views are clearly laid out in previous posts)
I criticised him for being admonished by the Speaker of the House, twice, amongst other points.
His reply was long and detailed and I confess this surprised me. It was the standard reply one would have expected from a man who backs Teresa May and her deal and was in parts dull and completely predictable.
The enlightening part, was the kicker at the end which referred me to describing John Bercow from the year 2000 when he as an MP behaved badly and apparently was referred to as a “ Tory Rottweiler “ , as though this was an acceptable defence for his own behaviour 19 years later!
I have subsequently written to him twice more as now, though it is a serious matter, it has become an amusing distraction just to read how he spins his Tory bullshit.
I would suggest everyone writes to there MP expressing your opinion, of what ever stripe it is but NOT if you did not vote either, in the referendum or general election, you have forfeited any right to complain by not exercising your your democratic right!

Parliament

I know I have been scathing about our Parliament, indeed I have written about the death of democracy and that MPs are redundant. I have watched the BBC Parliament channel quite often, though only since Brexit has been on the agenda and actually only since last December. 
If I was an MP and I’m glad I’m not,I would find it the most frustrating institution, full of antiqued and arcane procedures and whilst it is full of tradition, it is no longer fit for purpose in the 21st century. Technology is not the answer to all things but it would streamline and speed up many parliamentary procedures, not least of all voting. They all sit there with their smart phones and tablets and I’m sure they belong to all sorts of groups and other media outlets, it’s not much of a leap to utilise them for parliamentary business?  It gives every member an opportunity to vote on crucial matters whether they are present or not. 
Westminster Palace is no longer fit for purpose, for one thing, there isn’t enough room for every member to sit, although much of the time the place is sparsely populated anyway. The building is in desperate need of major repair but even if this is carried out, a new building should be found or built to accommodate a modern Parliament. Westminster can still be used but can become a heritage site. 
Parliament cannot be taken seriously when most of its business is still conducted following procedure that is centuries old, it has to change. Whilst I appreciate tradition, as much as anyone and it can’t all be ditched, it must be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern world

She must go

Its time, actually it’s been time for a very long time, she must go and she must go now. Whilst I don’t relish who might replace her Mrs May has outlived her own ineptitude, stubbornness, intransigence and has lost , if she ever had it, any respect there might have been.
Never has there been a time when we needed a PM to be more priministerial and she has utterly failed? We needed strength we got stubborn. We need leadership we got weakness. We needed decisiveness we got dither. We needed flexibility we got intransigence.
What was required she cannot and has not provided and history will record that she was and is one of our worst PM ever.
She needed to unite and all she has done is divide. Granted she has not been helped by a bunch of wish washy bickering agenda ridden MPs but she has not once really tried to unite them only threatened and bullied whilst in thrall to the various factions in the Conservative Party.
In this the most important decision taken in recent history she has shown herself to be ill equipped for the task once she stepped into the breach left by her cowerdly predecessor Cameron, a man with whom the blame for this whole nasty mess almost completely sits, though others had a large part in it as well.
She must not be allowed to continue, she is a dead duck, boxed in by her own weakness and inability to understand the people she claims to represent.
Personally I would get rid of most of the current sitting MPs a weaker willed bunch of cry babies you could not elect?

If if this does get resolved, which is doubtful, Parliament and so called democracy is in serious trouble, Mrs May has no credibility but neither do they!

European Union

A word or two about remaining in the E.U. Firstly let me say that I am not the greatest fan of the Euro fat cats the bureaucracy and there is no doubt serious reform is needed, having said that  I personally would rather remain in than out.
Here are my reasons :
I have had rights as a European citizen since 1974 I do not wish to loose them, I consider myself a European and freedom of movement in Europe is fundamental
I have absolutely no issue with immigration, go back far enough and there isn’t a person in England that does not originate from a race that did not come from Europe. The Scots the Welsh and the Irish can claim far more purity of race than we can. Our country would not function without people from other countries
There has been nothing stopping us making trade deals with any country we already do that plus we have the advantage of being in the European trade block
Whilst we may object to not being “ free” to form our own laws (and I confess there is some ridiculous Euro legislation) belonging to the European Court of Human Rights has provided protection that we did not have. One of biggest faults is the way Britain never argues at the time and politely implements every rule passed down.
Now a question, why are we so afraid after 45 years to be a member of a European organisation? The U.K. is not moving, the geography will remain the same. I know not every European country is a member and certainly we don’t have to be but ask yourself is the effort to disentangle ourselves really worth al the grief?
I know the is a large proportion of our population whose views are opposed to mine and will never be persuaded to change their mind and cosequently we have a divided nation right at a time in history when we need to be united!

Art

The UK

Democracy has died. In 2019 it slipped away unnoticed by many as our Parliament,s life support system was switched off due to a complete lack of interest in the proceedings! The speaker Mr Bercow last to leave switch off the lights and turning made a wistfully aimed nod at a chamber that was no longer fit for purpose. Unable to command any trust or faith by the people who voted for them it was deemed best to shut the whole thing down. Years of saying one thing and doing another has finally caught up with them! The voters apathy finally got to the point, that having MP’s represent us, is a complete nonsense and only drives the country further into ruin. The whole idea of a democratic process has fallen so far into disrepute that it is no longer tenable. A point has been reached where no government is better than any of the recent ones we voted for. Many have said this is anarchy and chaos but it seems that is what we already have so why not run with it? The civil servants carry out all the paperwork and implement the finances taxes etc let them continue and they can ask us what’s next when required. If any crisis come up we can do what we all usually do and ignore it, after all why bother,  it doesn’t really matter and most of us don’t know why we involve ourselves in the world anyway!
Some have said we cannot function without a democratically elected government but we have not been functioning for a long time with one so let’s try a more radical option. The BBC heavily object, not because of their fondness for MP,s, their objection is based on a redundant TV channel and the loss of many jobs as the machinery for reporting on Politics is no longer needed. Many other media outlets of every stripe, also object to the dismissal of Parliament,  even though they have been heavily criticising it for years!
Europe, which many would argue, is the main cause of the demise of our Parliamentary process, is sitting  back and quietly chuckling as the mother of all parliaments has died. Little do they realise that their time is near and their glee will turn sour as their democracies tumble into the same disuse as ours.
There are those who predict that a single force or more extreme movement will fill the political vacuum and indeed this could well happen but most believe any attempt to grab power would be quickly defeated by a people that no longer believe in leaders and will not stand for any dictator and frankly are so feed up with any leader would not let it happen.
RIP Parliament, it was a long but ultimately flawed experiment which finally breathed its last and was cocigned to the pages of history. Here is to a glorious future!

Surgery though I may wander

A week ago I underwent back surgery. It was to correct a long standing problem. I was released the following day and now have three months of recovery, which was to be expected.
I have some mild exercise to do and must walk twice a day and as each week passes increase the distance, no driving for six weeks. So I have a lot of time on my hands. I have tried in vain not to watch to much TV but I was guilty of that even before the operation! I have also limited my time on my Tablet playing games checking the news etc. pretty poor at that as well!
My interest in politics and the world in general gives me the incentive to read a wide range of articles on these subjects. I have found that with so many trying to grab your attention that headlines are often misleading, especially when the site the article is posted on is not where it originated.
I am disappointed to observe that the overwhelming tone of these reports is not one that would encourage a feeling of optimism on the state of our world! There are of course feel good stories but generally these are of a trivial nature or based in the realm of the relentless celebrity culture that is now endemic in everyday life. I am not such a hypocrite that I would not admit to reading such stories but I’m often drawn to them because I cannot believe how trivial they are and that anyone would want or need to know there content?
If you reside in the U.K. your news cycle is dominated by Brexit, I will not expand on the reasons and current state of affairs in Parliament, I suspect like many I am ambivalent, bored, concerned, angry, flabergasted, incredulous, worried all at the same time as it grabs its feet kicking and screaming to a conclusion that nobody understands, properly planned for or may never agree on?
My instinct and experience tells me it will be a disaster and extremely painful but I hope I’m wrong?
Trump continues to protest to much and quite simply America should be ashamed he was ever elected and even more ashamed he remains!
Anti Semitic behaviour has raised its ugly head again, I have some experience of this behaviour and it’s exceptance as a normal attitude of society when I was a teenager and younger moulded my disgust with prejudice of any kind for any reason. That this behaviour should manifest itself within the ranks of one of the main political parties in 2019 is beyond belief and shows the extent to which older leadership with ingrained ideologies cannot shake off the past. These attitudes in this age of greater acceptance of every of sexuality, gender, colour and race is totally unacceptable and should be vehemently rejected.
I have just completed a course on Human Rights and aside from the fact that everyone should be aware of what they are even if you think you know, you would be shocked how much of the world still does not recognise these rights never mind follow them.
So in conclusion to today’s bluster the world I believe is improving but it’s slow going and often victim to the old adage one step forward but two steps back!

More art

More of the art

Parliament

I have taken great interest in watching the debates in The House of Commons about Brexit. It is interesting to see the procedures and how their business is conducted. It does not need me to tell you that from the beginning the PMs deal had no hope of passing either before or after Xmas and so there was no surprise from anyone when it was roundly defeated. The vote of no confidence was also bound to lose (only because of the DUP).
Listening to the various speeches from all sides it constantly amazes me that so many are critical of another parties stance and tactics. What do they expect The Labour Party in opposition to do meekly except the current situation and not fight for General Election to try and wrestle power? What ever you may think of each parties policies or opinions it is obvious that the Conservatives, if the positions were reversed, would do exactly the same! It’s called politics.
To keep accusing the SNP, who in my opinion, often talk quite a lot of sense, of not accepting the independence referendum is futile. Their parties foundation is to make Scotland an independent country. What else would you expect of them, just give up and except they will always be apart of our Union? So why wouldn’t they use Brexit as a tool to promote their own agenda? The Scottish people voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU. Tell me honestly if in the same position that anyone would not do the same?
I am sure there are many well meaning and genuine representatives in the House who want to do their best for their constituents but there are also many who are self-serving looking to manoeuvre and see how they can fulfill their own agendas whatever that maybe. Power is the aphrodisiac and it is, I am sure, a heady brew which for many must be difficult to resist. We have a few specific names who have used Brexit to further their own ambitions with success, followed by failure, which proves what a dangerous and fickle business politics is. Some may come again or fall in to obscurity. I am sure you know who the specific MPs I refer to?

So how does this mess get resolved? Mrs May come what may, is dead in the water, she will no longer be leader by the next election. Corbyn is untrustworthy, unable or unwilling to really inform us of what he stands for or really wants to do. There seems to be nobody waiting in the wings who has the trust or gravitas or support to step in?
The deal is dead harpooned by its backstop, no deal is abhorrent, taking the decision back to “the people” seems to negate the first vote, the EU will not make it easy for us, less more members decide to go and all the while the country grows more and more frustrated and disillusioned and no conclusion is in sight the U.K.  continues to fall into disrepair.
I write all this, as a man who is furious that my rights as a European citizen are being taken away and who passionately believes that we are better staying  in and changing and guiding a far from perfect and flawed EU. I freely admit I would like another vote with the hope the decision would be reversed but the ship has sailed and even if that happened  the country has fundamentally changed and the insidious divisions that have seethed underneath have come boiling to the surface and with apologies for mixing my metaphors that genie cannot be put back.
I fear not for myself but for those generations to come what a legacy we are leaving them!