So it’s official, the British people want no one to govern them!! Anarchy rules. What fun.
The once famous smoke filled room discussions going on at the moment with two Political Parties who have dramatically diametrically opposed Policies attempting to find enough common ground to hobble together a Government does little for any notion that the ideas they spouted for four weeks had any value what so ever.
But this is not a time for knocking especially as we do not yet know what is going to happen.
We have an opportunity, a slight one, for a fundamental change in British politics and it all comes down to whether Clegg and his associates are seduced by Cameron’s “in the Nations interest” stance. I think most us know that the National Interest equals, what’s good for the Banks – the very people who landed us in this economic mess.
We stand on the verge of what could be a complete realignment in British politics, and many of us would say, “and about time to”.
Whether the ego’s of those involved in the discussions will allow this to happen is in the air.
I’d just like to make a few personal observations.
In my view Cameron has missed the biggest open goal in British Political history. Here was a Government fairly or unfairly labelled as one of the most unpopular in history, led by an individual also viewed as the most unpopular Prime Minister in Centuries.
The media lined up to throw their insults. The reporting on ITN and the Murdock Press in particular being the most vicious I’ve ever seen. OK we’ve seen some bad character assignation throughout the years but over this past four weeks the attacks on both Brown and latterly Clegg have been vicious to the extreme as the governing classes sought to protect themselves by giving what they thought was a helpful hand to Cameron.
Yet Cameron failed.
Think – Majors small majority of ten or so in 1992 was changed into a whopping one hundred and eighty Labour majority in 1997.
If Cameron has made the impact being claimed by the media then he should have won an outright majority as a bare minimum.
Unfortunately, this election demonstrates just what an achievement Blair’s victory in 1997 was, and just what a waste the following thirteen years has in many ways been. OK the man could win elections, but Blair lacked principles or even a modicum of the ideology of the Party he led – result a pick and mix approach to policy making which Brown was unable to turn around by the time that he took control.
Brown himself is damaged goods. It’s clear that there was a significant anti Brown vote going on. Somehow the Labour Party has to find a way of removing the man or encouraging him to stand aside to allow positive discussions with Clegg to take place.
Personally I feel a bit sorry for Gordon. It’s been one crisis after another for him, not helped by this idea pushed by the Press that he is a cuckoo in the nest, forgetting of course all the other Prime Ministers of this Country who never faced an election at the start of their tenure.
But given the need to immediately re-energise Labour ready for what could be a very early General Election, the need for a change of Leader is obvious. Who it is hardly seems to matter at the moment, who knows; perhaps Heriot’s time has come.
But whoever gets the crown will need to have the ability and creative imagination to manage the undoubted shifts that any form of Electoral Reform will bring.
Finally, four short observations.
The first was a Banker talking after the result was clear and advising the Leaders on what they will “have to do” to keep the Banks and markets happy.
Oh yes. And are these the same Bankers who threw the World economy into melt down – who relied upon you and me to bail them out? These arrogant b****** need sorting big time.
The second was waking up on Friday morning to that idiot Cash spouting off about immigration, Europe and the Euro – throw back to early nineties, you bet it was, and if Cameron is given the key to number ten, then you can expect to hear a lot more. Any thought that the Conservative Party has changed in any way should be forgotten.
Third, what ever happened to our usually red hot election machine? Thousands unable to vote because the Polling Stations could not cope – and why? Because the idiots who we over pay at the top of our Town / City Administration were cost cutting!! Resignations are in order I think.
And finally, the choice on my ballot paper was extremely thin. Where are the Parties of the Left? My choice was UKIP (Right) BNP (Fascist ) Tory (Right) Lib Dem (Not sure yet but we’ll soon find out once their hands have been greased) and Labour (not quite anything) Where are the Socialist Parties?
We stand on the brink, do the Party Leaders have the courage to capture the mood of the people and act.
Hey – and joy of joys. The BNP were virtually wiped out even in the Council Elections – though it’s worrying to see that in many places their share of the vote actually increased – we may have won the battle but the war carries on.
So all that rubbish aside it’s been a quiet week for The Mashers. Two weeks of flitting about from one place to another took its toll.
Not even a practice session.
However we did the gird the loins, and with the aid of matchsticks make it to Myke’s home Club, Play On at the Fat Cat on Friday and a fine evening of music it was to.
There’s something about hearing Rich Man’s Paradise and May Day being sung out with such gusto by a room full of singers that sends tingles down my spine. Great songs from a true Socialist, Matt McGinn.
The local news has been dominated by the sister of one our biggest music friends, Phillip Hartley going missing. We’ve all been trying to use our social network sites to get Melanie’s picture into the public domain in the hope that someone will see her and report it to Phillip or the Police.
Melanie is forty five and is a Mother to four and ten days ago left her home and has not been seen by her family since.
Sittings have been reported, but nothing concrete. An attempt has been made to use her debit card and the Northern General Hospital reported that she paid them a visit before disappearing before they could get the Police out.
We all go through crisis’s in life and sometimes we simply have no idea just how much misery we inflict upon our nearest and dearest when taking what may at the time seem a great idea to us.
All the family want is to know that she is safe and in good health.
So visit our News Page, down load the flier, and let’s see if we can help bring Phillip that peace of mind. HERE
In attempt to avoid the problems I created for myself with AR7 when I lost the list of people to whom I had promised spots I’m well ahead of myself with both Acoustic Rotherham 8 (25th July) and Acoustic Rotherham 9 (31st October).
Click the relevant link and it take you through to a list of the confirmed spots for each date.
The June Diary Page has gone up HERE don’t forget if you want your Festival or Club included please EMAIL me with the details.
The Mashers next main outing is the 18th May at The Cross Keys, Handsworth. We are hoping that we will be joined by a very special guest – so watch out for an announcement soon. But for sure it’s going to be night worth making the time to join in with. Everyone will be most welcome.
The Charity Festival at The Bridge on the 31st May is looking good. We’d like to see a few more songs entered into the Protest Song Competition though – AND I STILL HAVE SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE ON THE ACOUSTIC STAGE- so get your name down quick. EMAIL me.
And that’s everything for another week.
Oh and come and join us on
We’d love to have you as a friend.
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