It's been a while... right now I'm sat in the home of the family who've put me up so I could move to my new place of work, surrounded by the washing I failed to do over the weekend and which now urgently needs to dry before I leave for Italy in two days. In the oven downstairs are my chocolate and ginger cupcakes. In a flat across town is a table full of half-addressed envelopes and wedding invitations. In the office a few miles away is an incomplete draft of a PR article that I've been having a complete mental blank about. In Lincolnshire is my great grandmother, who this evening warned me not to go anywhere in Italy by myself, because "you never can be sure in these foreign countries". In my head is the thought that she could be a casual racist, but then again she is in her eighties and maybe Italy wasn't so safe last time she went there.
These are the strings of my life for the moment, or at least those most immediately memorable. In the background, buzzing like a fly I can't bring myself to swat, is the thought that the abandonment of this blog over the last few months has been more than just distraction. Maybe I've lost some of the urge to engage politically since I "settled" into a "regular work routine". And actually, I never intended to be a bludgeoning maniac here anyway. Brown may have called me a bigot if he'd met me, but I like to think it would only be because I was right, and not because I was obnoxious. There's more to politics than the 'big P'.
So I've been thinking a little about intentions and declarations this week. In the light of the Lib Dems' complete turnaround on tuition fees, it seems appropriate to consider the compromises we make. Admittedly mine have less national consequence than the government's... ladening the next generation of degree-holders with even greater debt is hardly comparable to my occasionally failing to wash my hair because I stayed up too late watching Strictly on iPlayer. On the other hand, if I were more disciplined and determined, especially in other more significant areas of my life, perhaps I would have a greater positive impact on those around me.
Politics, whether national or personal, never comes down to positive thinking or crowd-pleasing, whatever we might think. In the end a compromise has to be made one way or the other - do you stick with what you believe to be right, or do you bend with the most favourable wind? The reason so many people my age are not interested in what our government does except to whine about it is probably this exact problem - a lack of consistency. Don't the decision-makers think we can see through their bluffs? Inconsistent politics, and inconsistent living, put people off and make them cynical. Yes, somebody needs to pay for the cost of higher education, and if it's not feasible to make it free or subsidise it anymore then we have to come up with a plan. But I do wish people wouldn't make promises they cannot, or will not, keep.
On a lighter note, my cupcakes are done, and I'm going to ice them. I intend to bring some 'positive impact' to the workplace tomorrow... :)
Watch this space for "Vive le Nomad: summer reminiscence" in a week or two...
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Monday, 18 October 2010
Monday, 10 May 2010
Ring It Up
Four days, forty-five minutes on... Here we are my friends, on the brink of, well, nobody knows. Three days, eight hours ago it was officially almost definitely certainly a hung parliament. Three days ago, that was about all that was definitely certain. Two days ago, it was a Labour/Lib Dem will they, won't they. This morning, the Mirror went with this fantastic headline:
"CON DEM
NATION"
You've gotta love the red-tops. If you go to their website there's an even better treat - you can read about Gordon Brown's pending resignation as Labour leader alongside such articles as "Kerry Katona's Tongue" and "Guiness Guzzler". Wow, the news really is a revelation.
But I'm forgetting myself: the big revelation for the day is surely the aforementioned political announcement: that the Labour Party Conference in September will now be the campaign-ground (sorry to use such a tired phrase) for whoever wants Brown's job. And as, unlike last time, I don't think anyone has called dibs, it could be interesting. In fact, 'could be' is putting it mildly; it's looking increasingly likely that said position will also have "PM" tagged onto it.
I have to say, it's a clever tactical move. Crow if you want to, all you haters of Brown, but he's not going just yet - and he's not promising that his party will, either. Oh no. Labour is in it for a fight. It's not for nothing that Clegg has been labelled 'the king-maker' - the fate of this nation lies in his hands. And before you accuse me of melodrama, the facts speak for themselves: Brown can potentially negotiate a Labour-Lib Dem deal as a result of this decision alone, which is nothing to do with the policies which the parties fought so hard over, and on the strength of which we (presumably) elected our MPs. If a change of personality at the top is all it takes, then we should have genuine concern for the good of our nation at the hands of those who may be bargaining more for power than for policy. It remains to be seen whether or not Clegg will cave at this point; it will be a test of both his character and his political morals.
For those of us who see politics combining pleasure and business, watching the reactions of voters in the fallout of Thursday's results has been interesting to say the least. I was there, huddled on a leather couch into the wee and then positively breakfast-time hours of Friday morning, staking out the college bar with a group of die-hard first-time voters. We "ooh-ed" and "ah-ed" as the hopes of a series of candidates were dashed or elevated, and the Green Party enthusiast on the couch beside me stopped just short of physical violence as the screen showed more and more blue - he finally went to bed when Brighton got its Green MP, leaving his pepsi cans behind him. I would not have wanted to be the person clearing up that bar the following day, nor would I have wanted to be a boss trying to coax work out of shattered employees on Friday morning.
The thing is, even with the mess and excruciating drawn-out-ness of the whole thing, it was incredibly satisfying in a way that the lack of conclusive result should negate. As long as I've known what the word 'politics' means, I've had a fascination with how it works. Maybe it came from family get-together which turned into heated debates over foreign policy. Maybe it's the imposing tome of Margaret Thatcher's Statecraft in my parents' bookshelf, which, though I have never attempted to read it, exudes a steady sense of its own significance in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it's the local politics that made me accost a TV reporter outside my primary school at the ripe age of seven or eight, to give him a piece of my mind. Whatever it is, on Thursday I finally had the immense privilege of officially participating in a system which, whatever it's flaws, is the mainstay of modern democracy in our nation. And as the result came in for my constituency, I saw how much my vote had mattered.
Obviously there are problems with the way democracy is outworked in Britain. We hear it every four years when people start making noise about an archaic electoral system. We hear it when devolved bodies are not given the powers they were expecting. We hear it when a promised referendum is persistently denied us. And I, for one, am not content to sit and put up with that which is in clear need of change. But I am glad that we have the opportunity to voice our opinions at all, and I am encouraged that so many young voters recognised the significance of their voices last week. It may take time to iron out, and we can be sure that the result will not be to everyone's liking, but if there's one thing I've learnt from this election, it's that Britain hasn't sunk into apathy just yet. And if those of us cutting our teeth can join those measuring up their walking canes, there's no reason why we can't preserve that freedom, and take steps to improve and safeguard it. As long as we are able to hold our leaders and representatives accountable, then Britain isn't down the proverbial toilet. If it looks like it's going that way, then let's stop complaining and make something happen.
Vive la revolution!
"CON DEM
NATION"
You've gotta love the red-tops. If you go to their website there's an even better treat - you can read about Gordon Brown's pending resignation as Labour leader alongside such articles as "Kerry Katona's Tongue" and "Guiness Guzzler". Wow, the news really is a revelation.
But I'm forgetting myself: the big revelation for the day is surely the aforementioned political announcement: that the Labour Party Conference in September will now be the campaign-ground (sorry to use such a tired phrase) for whoever wants Brown's job. And as, unlike last time, I don't think anyone has called dibs, it could be interesting. In fact, 'could be' is putting it mildly; it's looking increasingly likely that said position will also have "PM" tagged onto it.
I have to say, it's a clever tactical move. Crow if you want to, all you haters of Brown, but he's not going just yet - and he's not promising that his party will, either. Oh no. Labour is in it for a fight. It's not for nothing that Clegg has been labelled 'the king-maker' - the fate of this nation lies in his hands. And before you accuse me of melodrama, the facts speak for themselves: Brown can potentially negotiate a Labour-Lib Dem deal as a result of this decision alone, which is nothing to do with the policies which the parties fought so hard over, and on the strength of which we (presumably) elected our MPs. If a change of personality at the top is all it takes, then we should have genuine concern for the good of our nation at the hands of those who may be bargaining more for power than for policy. It remains to be seen whether or not Clegg will cave at this point; it will be a test of both his character and his political morals.
For those of us who see politics combining pleasure and business, watching the reactions of voters in the fallout of Thursday's results has been interesting to say the least. I was there, huddled on a leather couch into the wee and then positively breakfast-time hours of Friday morning, staking out the college bar with a group of die-hard first-time voters. We "ooh-ed" and "ah-ed" as the hopes of a series of candidates were dashed or elevated, and the Green Party enthusiast on the couch beside me stopped just short of physical violence as the screen showed more and more blue - he finally went to bed when Brighton got its Green MP, leaving his pepsi cans behind him. I would not have wanted to be the person clearing up that bar the following day, nor would I have wanted to be a boss trying to coax work out of shattered employees on Friday morning.
The thing is, even with the mess and excruciating drawn-out-ness of the whole thing, it was incredibly satisfying in a way that the lack of conclusive result should negate. As long as I've known what the word 'politics' means, I've had a fascination with how it works. Maybe it came from family get-together which turned into heated debates over foreign policy. Maybe it's the imposing tome of Margaret Thatcher's Statecraft in my parents' bookshelf, which, though I have never attempted to read it, exudes a steady sense of its own significance in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it's the local politics that made me accost a TV reporter outside my primary school at the ripe age of seven or eight, to give him a piece of my mind. Whatever it is, on Thursday I finally had the immense privilege of officially participating in a system which, whatever it's flaws, is the mainstay of modern democracy in our nation. And as the result came in for my constituency, I saw how much my vote had mattered.
Obviously there are problems with the way democracy is outworked in Britain. We hear it every four years when people start making noise about an archaic electoral system. We hear it when devolved bodies are not given the powers they were expecting. We hear it when a promised referendum is persistently denied us. And I, for one, am not content to sit and put up with that which is in clear need of change. But I am glad that we have the opportunity to voice our opinions at all, and I am encouraged that so many young voters recognised the significance of their voices last week. It may take time to iron out, and we can be sure that the result will not be to everyone's liking, but if there's one thing I've learnt from this election, it's that Britain hasn't sunk into apathy just yet. And if those of us cutting our teeth can join those measuring up their walking canes, there's no reason why we can't preserve that freedom, and take steps to improve and safeguard it. As long as we are able to hold our leaders and representatives accountable, then Britain isn't down the proverbial toilet. If it looks like it's going that way, then let's stop complaining and make something happen.
Vive la revolution!
Friday, 9 April 2010
Riding Through the Glen
Green tights and bows and arrows? Try masks and petitions...with tights as an optional extra.
The great count-down has begun, and for the next 26 days we are at the mercy of every political agent that can get us to spare five minutes of our time. Your mail will suddenly become colour-coded blue red yellow green, the local newspaper will be full of vying prospective MPs visiting primary schools, and Ian Hislop will continue to use Have I Got News For You as a soap box (I won't begrudge him the opportunity as it's highly entertaining, but don't expect me to concede the political neutrality of the BBC).
Now I'm one of the kids who lost out by a few weeks last election (June babies), but that doesn't mean I'm going to join several million 18-21-year-olds in going in blind. Did you know that voter turnout last time was only 61%? That it was only 59% the time before that? In 2005, more eligible people opted not to vote at all than voted for Labour. Their percentage of votes (36) was the smallest percentage that any government has been elected on in UK history.
My point isn't to question the legitimacy of their government or to propagate my own political views (which, while fixed on some issues, are as much in flux as anyone's in the current climate). But there has to be a reason for the apathy - and to be honest, I think we're all just a bit confused and fed up with spin.
So for the next 26 days, this blog will be dedicated to exploring the issues surrounding May's election, in the hope that a few more people (including myself!) will be able to make an informed decision come May 6th.
All well and good, I hear, but what's with the tights reference? Thank you for your patience, good reader - I will explain. Ever heard of Robin Hood? So have these guys:
http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/
The Idea: tax banks and hedge funds a tiny percentage (0.005-0.05%) on their major transactions, and use the money for work on poverty and climate change in the UK and abroad.
The People Behind The Idea: A group of charities, campaigning groups and other organisations that focus on reducing poverty and tackling climate change - there's a huge list, from Care International and the YWCA to Unicef and Tearfund.
The Proposed Method: Levy a very small tax on transactions over a certain size within banking and other large financial institutions: the tax is not meant to be applied to customer transactions but to share deals, currency exchanges and other such trading that these organisations carry out.
The Money: The scheme can only be implemented on a national level, for obvious reasons, but the funds raised are intended to be used for international work as well as home-front projects. At the moment, no straight answers for who exactly would control the funds are being given on the website, but the 'best practice' standard according to economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs 'will surely engage civil society in very practical, programmatic ways in the use of the funds'. Idealism is rife among the Robin Hoodies (I really wish I'd coined that but sadly it's theirs) - they want to set a global standard for all kinds of funds from healthcare to education.
The Holes: The campaigners have done their best to reassure us that the cost of such a tax wouldn't be passed on to the general public, and based on past evidence and the minute percentage proposed, it doesn't seem likely that the average householder will be affected, unless that householder is a billionaire hedge-funder. BUT - short of very complex statutory regulations if this goes to Parliament, there's no guarantee.
Who's In: If you want to go through the Robin Hoodies' bibliography, you'll find a nice big list of names that I probably can't pronounce, but failing that, some people you might have heard of are Gordon Brown, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. You can also go to this page:
http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/homepage/the-robin-hood-tax-campaign-responds-to-the-budget/
to see Alistair Darling photo-edited into a Sheriff-of-Nottingham beard. They didn't bother to doctor his eyebrows.
The Campaign: this is the fun bit, for those of you who are keen - anywhere near London tomorrow? Fancy dressing up as Robin Hood and going to Speaker's Corner? Public demonstration hasn't been this entertaining since Fathers 4 Justice (yes, that's how they spelt it) in their hero outfits. I wonder how many capes there'll be this time. Hopefully anyone turning up with a REAL bow and arrow will be sent packing rapidly - arrests for weapon possession might not help the cause...
For those without the guts, means or legs to pull off the tights 'n' shorts look, facebook may just be the answer - uploading a photo of yourself in a green eye mask is supposed to be helpful. But don't make the mistake I did at my primary school World Book Day - face paint is very uncomfortable when it melts down your face in the sun.
Alternatively, you could take the banks' side and form a Sheriff group, grow a pointy beard and turn up to Speaker's Corner wielding a spoon. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSUGp9Yz1sk)
So, that's my opening gambit done and dusted. My brain awash with informed-ness (I may have done some of my research while writing), I'm off to revise the delightfully lurid comedy of the 1720s and resist the urge to eat an Easter Egg instead. Join me over the weekend for a humorous trip back to school...
The great count-down has begun, and for the next 26 days we are at the mercy of every political agent that can get us to spare five minutes of our time. Your mail will suddenly become colour-coded blue red yellow green, the local newspaper will be full of vying prospective MPs visiting primary schools, and Ian Hislop will continue to use Have I Got News For You as a soap box (I won't begrudge him the opportunity as it's highly entertaining, but don't expect me to concede the political neutrality of the BBC).
Now I'm one of the kids who lost out by a few weeks last election (June babies), but that doesn't mean I'm going to join several million 18-21-year-olds in going in blind. Did you know that voter turnout last time was only 61%? That it was only 59% the time before that? In 2005, more eligible people opted not to vote at all than voted for Labour. Their percentage of votes (36) was the smallest percentage that any government has been elected on in UK history.
My point isn't to question the legitimacy of their government or to propagate my own political views (which, while fixed on some issues, are as much in flux as anyone's in the current climate). But there has to be a reason for the apathy - and to be honest, I think we're all just a bit confused and fed up with spin.
So for the next 26 days, this blog will be dedicated to exploring the issues surrounding May's election, in the hope that a few more people (including myself!) will be able to make an informed decision come May 6th.
All well and good, I hear, but what's with the tights reference? Thank you for your patience, good reader - I will explain. Ever heard of Robin Hood? So have these guys:
http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/
The Idea: tax banks and hedge funds a tiny percentage (0.005-0.05%) on their major transactions, and use the money for work on poverty and climate change in the UK and abroad.
The People Behind The Idea: A group of charities, campaigning groups and other organisations that focus on reducing poverty and tackling climate change - there's a huge list, from Care International and the YWCA to Unicef and Tearfund.
The Proposed Method: Levy a very small tax on transactions over a certain size within banking and other large financial institutions: the tax is not meant to be applied to customer transactions but to share deals, currency exchanges and other such trading that these organisations carry out.
The Money: The scheme can only be implemented on a national level, for obvious reasons, but the funds raised are intended to be used for international work as well as home-front projects. At the moment, no straight answers for who exactly would control the funds are being given on the website, but the 'best practice' standard according to economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs 'will surely engage civil society in very practical, programmatic ways in the use of the funds'. Idealism is rife among the Robin Hoodies (I really wish I'd coined that but sadly it's theirs) - they want to set a global standard for all kinds of funds from healthcare to education.
The Holes: The campaigners have done their best to reassure us that the cost of such a tax wouldn't be passed on to the general public, and based on past evidence and the minute percentage proposed, it doesn't seem likely that the average householder will be affected, unless that householder is a billionaire hedge-funder. BUT - short of very complex statutory regulations if this goes to Parliament, there's no guarantee.
Who's In: If you want to go through the Robin Hoodies' bibliography, you'll find a nice big list of names that I probably can't pronounce, but failing that, some people you might have heard of are Gordon Brown, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. You can also go to this page:
http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/homepage/the-robin-hood-tax-campaign-responds-to-the-budget/
to see Alistair Darling photo-edited into a Sheriff-of-Nottingham beard. They didn't bother to doctor his eyebrows.
The Campaign: this is the fun bit, for those of you who are keen - anywhere near London tomorrow? Fancy dressing up as Robin Hood and going to Speaker's Corner? Public demonstration hasn't been this entertaining since Fathers 4 Justice (yes, that's how they spelt it) in their hero outfits. I wonder how many capes there'll be this time. Hopefully anyone turning up with a REAL bow and arrow will be sent packing rapidly - arrests for weapon possession might not help the cause...
For those without the guts, means or legs to pull off the tights 'n' shorts look, facebook may just be the answer - uploading a photo of yourself in a green eye mask is supposed to be helpful. But don't make the mistake I did at my primary school World Book Day - face paint is very uncomfortable when it melts down your face in the sun.
Alternatively, you could take the banks' side and form a Sheriff group, grow a pointy beard and turn up to Speaker's Corner wielding a spoon. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSUGp9Yz1sk)
So, that's my opening gambit done and dusted. My brain awash with informed-ness (I may have done some of my research while writing), I'm off to revise the delightfully lurid comedy of the 1720s and resist the urge to eat an Easter Egg instead. Join me over the weekend for a humorous trip back to school...
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