Sunday 13 April 2014

Useless Politicians

Watched the Sunday Politics Show today first we were treated to a 'debate' by four politicians Conservative, UKIP, Liberal and Labour, due to the upcoming European elections - farcical; all pre-prepared statements of their own party's positions, when they weren't bickering and talking over one another that is. At least they were prepared, after a fashion, as we then had a Tory and a Labour politician debating a controversial local TV programme from earlier in the week about benefit fraud; neither one had watched the programme, but it didn't stop them talking about it and they wonder why the general public think all politicians are a waste of rations and oxygen!

Friday 28 March 2014

The Scottish Independence Referendum

Per head of population it seems to me that Scotland is over represented at Westminster. On top of that they have their own Parliament, with not inconsiderable powers. Not so long ago we had an unelected Scttish Prime Minister who bankrupted the country and whose minions left an apologetic note in the treasury before turning out the lights.

Scottish kids can get a free education where English, Welsh and Northern Irish kids can't. Scottish patients can get free prescriptions and access to some drugs which English, Welsh and Northern Irish patients cannot.

Whether you call this a United Kingdom or Great Britain it is not united because it isn't equal. The Scots claim the English have taken their oil. I've sailed across the North Sea and let me tell you those rigs are not in coastal waters, they're out there in the middle.

When Norway prospected for oil in the North Sea, they asked their neighbours the Swedes if they wanted to share in the adventure, the costs and the benefits. Sweden declined, Norway went ahead without them and solely reaped the benefits of their investment.

Great Britain also invested in exploration and drilling, not Scotland, Great Britain and all of us benefited, but most of the jobs were in hard done by Scotland.

Cameron promises a referendum on Europe and talks about leverage to get a better deal for Britain. I think the English, Welsh and Northern Irish should have a referendum on whether we want to stay with Scotland, perhaps that would give us the leverage to demand a fair deal for us on prescriptions, dentistry and educational equality.

Don't get me wrong. For the record I think Britain should stay in the EU on business grounds and that the break up of the United Kingdom would be a mistake for all concerned. Our grandparents and parents fought shoulder to shoulder with the Scots through two world wars, we were all brothers then, and we're a small group of islands, multi cultural but brothers and sisters nonetheless. I cannot understand why on earth sixteen year olds can vote in the Scottish referendum when they can't vote in a general election, if anyone's going to vote with their heart rather than their head it's a sixteen year old. One up for for the independence lot, and look out for multiple re runs of the Braveheart propaganda film.

So, if the Scots vote for independence the oil should be divided pro rata by population, because we all invested in it. Scotland should create its own currency, not try to claim ours and pick and choose the bits of independence they happen to like. If companies move south don't whinge about it. An independent Scotland should apply to join the EU and if they're considered too bad a risk then tough. But if they want to stay in a United Kingdom then we, the rest of us in this land should get our say and proper equality as should be our right now, today. Note Labour are promising to devolve still more power to Scotland as a carrot to get them to stay, ie even more inequality for the rest of us.

And where did all this Scottish angst come from? Norman Tebbit wasn't so far off the mark with his football test. If England aren't playing but Scotland, Wales or one of the Irish teams are I always root for the 'home' nation, but the Scots create the impression they'd sooner see anyone win than England.

I actually love Scotland and want to remain friends, but if we are to remain a United Kingdom then we should all live under the same laws and conditions, Scotland has had an unfair advantage for too long and now they want even more, it may not be politically correct to say so, but that's the truth of it.

Domestic Murder

I was appalled to learn that three women a fortnight are murdered by partners or ex partners. I had no idea, I thought the occasional media reports I came across were the whole story, but no, it's so commonplace it's not headline news anymore, it's more than one per week. And still the Police do not respond adequately to pleas for help, they print posters, but fail to respond responsibly, promptly and fully to domestic violence when it happens. The British Police Force is currently not fit for purpose and possibly never was.

Keeping Our Kids Fit

28% of British kids are overweight or obese, so someone in government, it is reported, is considering the introduction of a sugar tax. Don't ever let it be said that a problem is not an opportunity (for someone).

Does anyone remember a previous government selling off school playing fields for short term gain? Oops now the kids are overweight, wonder why.

So, and this isn't a proposal if I understand correctly, but a fact; £1 and half million is being cut from the government subsidy to the FA for grass roots football because fewer kids are playing. Now it is possible, and many of us suspect, that the FA is really only interested in the upper echelons of the sport which are dripping with money anyway. So why not take all their government money away and spend it on playing fields and tennis courts and other facilities up and down the country where real grass roots people and sports clubs can use them, oh and maybe schools too.