Who should I vote for in the forthcoming election? A person or party with political gravitas, one that shows qualities of statesmanship. Or should it be statespersonship? Where are such people? I only see squabbling fourth-formers exchanging slogans as if they embody the solution to the world’s problems.
Our politicians try to do their best but they are products of the system which seems to me to be flawed. But that is a story for another day.
We all want better welfare services and better infrastructure paid for by the state. We all want to pay less tax, have better paid jobs and cheaper houses. We all want better pensions, security in old age, better and free education. Above all, and we should not lose sight of this, we all want freedom.
A statesman should tell us where we stand now and where he or she hope to take us in the next 5 years.
Where are we now? None of the politicians has assessed the current state of our country in the world. We have a devalued currency, wages are going down, productivity is decreasing, inflation is increasing and we rely heavily on international loans. Furthermore, our transatlantic allies are less reliable and predictable than they were. Then we have decided to cold shoulder our friends in Europe.
Of the two political parties which may form a government one is promising everything we want for free. The other is leading us into and unknown future in the hope that it will be ‘all right on the night’ but with no clue about exactly where we might stand.
Political Slogans
Strong and Stable
Forward Together
For the many, not the few
Change Britain’s Future
Confident and Caring Britain
Britain Together
Stronger for Scotland
What do they mean?
What do these political slogans mean? We ought to be sanguine about them, even about the one of your own favoured party. Let us try to be critical. You can compare their manifestos here,
Strong and Stable. (Conservative)
We are heading for anything but a strong and stable situation. What is stable about Brexit? Do British emmigrants and European immigrants feel stable in their situation?
Strong. Will we be strong out of Europe? How do you get strong by giving your friends the cold shoulder? Forward Together is the title of the conservative manifesto but it does not explain where we are going.
For the many, not the few. (Labour)
Part of the deal of our democratic system is that the winners will not neglect or persecute the losers. This slogan implies that there are a few persona non-grata who must pay for the rest of us.
Change Britain’s Future (Lib Dem)
Britain’s future will change no matter who governs. The future will be shaped by world events more than by local politics. Some things politicians seem unable to change. Does anyone remember a time when the NHS was not in crisis? Does anyone believe that in two or five years’ time we will not be discussing a crisis in the NHS or the burgeoning national debt?
Confident and Caring Britain (Green Party)
These, in my opinion are qualities that come from the bottom up and cannot be imposed from the top down. It is an ‘motherhood and apple pie’ statement, everyone approves of the idea but it is how you plan to get there that matters.
Britain Together (UKIP)
This watchword, Together, is chosen by the most divisive of all our political parties. Those useful, and industrious, immigrant workers – we don’t want to be together with them, do we? Those Europeans – anathema.
Stronger for Scotland
Could this be the converse of the Labour party slogan and translate as ‘For the few, not the many’?
What’s to do?
You should vote this week. Vote for the one which you think will be least damaging to the country. None of parties seem to have any great vision for the future and they have very little idea of how to improve matters.
Political parties could start putting their houses in order. The party system is failing. It selects political candidates who will ‘fit in,’ who won’t ‘rock the boat’ or have awkward ideas. Parties select professional committee people who have never had to make decisions of any consequence, who have never studied in the University of Life and who are practiced in the art of doing nothing in case someone criticises them. As for nepotism, there is none of that is there?
Of course, there are dangers to choosing candidates who have studied at the University of Life. Look at what has happened in America. We could have had Fred the Shred or Philip Multiyacht Green of BHS as prospective prime ministers.
Freedom
Freedom used to be paramount, parties claimed that under their rule we would be freer. Now we are losing our freedoms and we should ask why.
It is the duty of governments to strive for the maximum freedoms for its subjects. One of the best definitions of democracy is a political system that gives freedom to do whatever is not contrary to the rights of others. We strive for and defend our freedoms; my parents’ generation even gave their lives for it.
We will shortly lose our freedom to travel throughout Europe; our European passports will be revoked.
We will lose our freedom to trade unhindered, in Europe.
We will lose our freedom to work and research with our academic colleagues in Europe.
Those millions of Britains living in Europe face an uncertain future, fearing that many of their freedoms will be lost. Similarly, those Europeans who have chosen to live in Britain.
Universities will have their freedoms to research and exchange with the world’s scientists curtailed.
Daily we hear of attempts to limit freedom of speech in the interests of something or other. By ‘freedom of speech’ we must include the freedom of the internet, Facebook, Twitter etc and the freedom of encryption as well as the traditional freedoms like freedom of the press.
We will be unable to associate freely with non-UK citizens. Indeed, the government is planning to ask us to spy on them in case they are not on a government approved list. This has happened before of course, at the beginning of the Third Reich, in Eastern Europe during the communist regimes, at the start of the Sri Lankan civil war and, nearer to home, in Northern Ireland.
What I did.
I wrote to my MP, Steve Brine, about the impending loss of freedom and particularly about losing the freedom to travel ‘without let or hindrance’ as our passports quaintly phrase it. He replied saying that he would bear my points in mind. In fact, he will vote the way his party tells him to vote.
What will happen?
Whoever wins this election, negotiations on Brexit will start. Slowly and surely, we will begin to accelerate down the economic slope as we find we have to make compromise after compromise which we do not like. Trade will decrease, the government will receive less in tax and we will be unable to afford the services we now have.
Europe will strengthen under Merkel and Macron, America will lose further credibility and where will May’s ‘Global Britain’ be? Friendless in Europe and exploited by America.
Please can someone offer a better scenario?
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General Election 2017 Candidates Announced (Winchester; Eastleigh)
General Election 2017
Steve Brine MP: Call for Future Local Plan Exhibitions to Include Chandler’s Ford
Eastleigh Borough Council Explains Why Local Plan Exhibitions Exclude Chandler’s Ford
Chandler’s Ford & Hiltingbury PACT Meeting – Merdon School: Thursday 18th December 2014
Sadly, Mike, I agree with much of what you say. Thank you for this clear-sighted, if rather depressing, post. However, when people of good will come together to work for the future, however bleak the outlook, there is always the possibility and hope of change.
You have a very doom and gloom demena. It’s a shame you don’t have good things to say about out great country. To be Negetive does not help us in this situation. If you are for or against what has happen in Europe the die has been cast and we must pull together to make it work. I am sure if Cameron could have come back with agreement to control our borders we would not have moved away from Europe. But we have so be positive and work together to build Britain up again.
I too, have to sadly agree with Mike’s post.
The political situation in terms of choice is dire.
However, I note that Mike cannot resist getting on his anti-Brexit hobbyhorse again! I for one, voted “Leave” as I was against the so-called “Common Market” from the start, & I certainly did not want us to be part of an increasingly federalised ‘One-State’ Europe.
We have little choice I feel – As a Country our debts to the IMF (& others?) grows by the minute, but we demand more money is spent on our behalf.
No easy answer either way!
And I too must agree with Mike,”career politicians” whose only interest is “self” and little thought of the great majority of ordinary folk trying to get by. I think the country will soon have few friends and exploited by the rest.
The Tories have an unfortunate habit of sitting on their self-destruct button at a bad time; Socialists keep a finger on theirs, but like most Socialism, it doesn’t work; if Lib Dems had one, they would not know how to use it. I believe the only person ever to enter Parliament with good intentions was Guy Fawkes.
Agree with most of what you say Mike. I have always thought that almost nobody has enough knowledge and understanding to vote confidently for the best outcomes for the country or for its individual people. And every party has some good ideas and some bad ones. So, for me, I keep it as simple as possible and judge the parties only on their likely effects on the environment and countryside. It’s a subject the parties pay little heed to during the election build-up. I recommend following Mark Avery’s (ex RSPB) blog. He gives the Greens, Labour and Lib Dems B+ for what they say in their manifestos about their environmental policies. The Conservatives and others get D or unmarked as they say too little on the subject.
I can say lots of good things about the country but my gloomy demeanour is about our current political parties. They are not doing the country any favours.
A politician looks to the next election; a statesman looks to the next generation. We seem to have many politicians but very few statesmen (or women).
I’ll take into accounts the points raised by my 16 year old teenager (who wants to emphasise that he is not allowed to vote) when casting my vote tomorrow.
Ben’s concerns include:
1 – Improve the NHS (“not privatise it; we are not American”) as my son is grateful that his childhood illness was successfully treated by the NHS.
2 – Painless Brexit.
3 – Make sure he’ll have some affordable places to live when he grows up.
4 – No university fees.
5 – Lower voting age to 16.
6 – Stop intefering with the BBC.
7 – Stop cutting money from everything (education, NHS, national security, …) .
Maybe try explaining to a sixteen year old how much the national debt and deficit is, and how it was mis-managed by the Labour Party?
Then the reason for cuts might become apparent.
We can only spend within our means.
Socialists spend more than can be afforded, hence increased debts.
It’s hard to explain. He has heard a lot about ‘cuts’ in all aspects, but asked me, ‘Where has the money gone?’
(I told him about ‘cuts’ faced by school, NHS, police, and social care…)
Perhaps there was no money there in the first place?
Job done. Business was brisk at our polling station this morning.
Now we have to live with the consequences for five years before we get another go.
I also voted this morning. Didn’t see any dogs at the polling station this morning. I received lots of leaflets, and one this morning at 7am! (It must have arrived before 7am this morning and not last night.) I’m surrounded by hardworking supporters of a certain party. I must say I enjoy reading these leaftets as they give you different perspectives. Some leaflets are very nicely created. These are great to be used in school for text analysis: How does XXX persuade you to vote for him / her / their party? How does XXX present himself / herself through these leaflets? Arrogant, down-to-earth, practical, crazy, deceitful, honest and genuine, responsible…? I hope my chosen candidate wins. I’ve also persuaded my husband and I think I’m persuasive enough.