The analysis and debate of the tumultuous events in the Capitol, Washington are raging across the pages and the internet at the moment. They lurch between impeachment of Trump, to letting him slide into obscurity. Let me say, narcissists such as Trump, crave, seek, desire and must have constant attention. Ignoring them is the dagger in their heart and the most swingeing thing for them to endure. “Sending to Coventry” is a hugely powerful action. All humans need, acknowledgement and to be valued, and so every responsible leader and influencer across the institutions (not just government) of America must now completely ignore and emasculate Trump, and let him slide into obscurity forever.
Any attention given to him will be eagerly lapped up by him and give credibility to his claims and further galvanise his rump supporters. Do not even give them the “whiff of grapeshot” they so desperately crave.

All of America must now look to the future, and examine their systems of everything they hold dear. The American dream is riddled with racism, inequality and lack of opportunity for whole swathes of the country. Nothing exemplifies this more than Yellowstone Wolf Man’s rantings and indescribable rubbish spoken in his viral “you tube” outburst.
He is a product of a system that does not care about huge swathes of America, who are poorly educated, have easy access to high powered weaponry, have no decent social security or healthcare and who are encouraged by this environment, to be feral in keeping themselves safe, secure and well fed.
The American Dream, is just that and the majority of Americans have no or little access to it, when the Ivy League and “big business” hold all the levers.
And so, this helplessness breeds anger and despair and eventually violence.
Trump and people like him have created this lopsided society

The majority of decent, law abiding Americans must now sideline Trump, and look carefully at a political system which uses an unacceptable methodology of bringing people like him to office, and ignore his rants and diminish him into a mere byline of world history. The new administration must genuinely embark on change, change, change for ALL Americans !

I have just finished reading a book called “ How I became a Yorkshireman”. It was given to me by a very good Yorkshire friend of many years, to help me to understand this race of people, who live in the back of beyond of our wonderful country.

It is hilariously amusing in that it tells the story, of a young man who came to Yorkshire in the 1960s, much like me, and was introduced to the ways of Yorkshire folk. His introduction was both daunting and strange for a “soft, effete” southern lad, who because of economics had inadvertently strayed over the border from south of Bawtry, into the misgiving territory of God’s own County.

To be fair the book title is a misnomer, in that one cannot become a Yorkshireman. You are either born one or not, and if not, one is destined to a life of inferiority in one’s own country forever. Putting that aside, there are some interesting truisms which are as relevant now as then in the book and from my own experience remain and always will remain of living in Yorkshire.

Let me explain.

I first ventured foot into God’s own County in 1967 when I joined the Army and upon receiving my rail warrant was overjoyed to see I only had to travel to Richmond. As a Londoner I was pleased I did not have to go too far from the bright lights and big city known to us cockneys as “the Smoke”. Upon arriving, bleary eyed at Richmond railway station Catterick,  I soon realised my mistake.

There was nothing except dark and gloom and everything seemed to be a black and white photograph that my parents showed me of their childhood days before the War. I then went on to spend sometime in Yorkshire off and on over the years with the Army, but never for too long and I always looked forward to leaving it and going somewhere warm, sunny and lively.

That was until the dreaded day I was posted permanently to Yorkshire and the city of York.

Everyone told me I would love it. I have come to realise in that time, several lessons, enthusiastically taught to me by ever willing throngs of Yorkshire folk, how astute Yorkshire people are. I have now been here over 30 years, in the same house, in the same village, where I know most of the people and whenever I open my mouth I still get the same retort from everyone I speak with.

Tha’s not froom rownd ere, are ye?

I now realise how perceptive Yorkshire folk are and this lesson is constantly reinforced on a daily basis.

I also learnt very quickly how “Brass” or money plays a big part in Yorkshire life. A good friend of mine, who lived in our village until his passing, was a Yorkshireman through and through. We would often go to the pub on a Friday evening at the end of a long hard weeks work. One Friday as we got to the pub door in our village, he propelled me in through the door quite forcibly to the bar in front of him. I was non-plussed to say the least. I duly bought the round and we sat down. He did not seem upset and chatted away amicably as usual about the wonderful Yorkshire cricket side, the beautiful Yorkshire dales, good Yorkshire eating pubs and how much food one got for the lowest price, the best Yorkshire beer to be had and how much it cost, and lastly Yorkshire!

I then tentatively posed the question. “ Why did you push me in the door like that when we arrived, have I upset you or something”?

He duly replied, “Nay lad, but Ah bort last rownd last week”!

A salutary lesson never to be forgotten.

I love living here and Yorkshire folk are no better or less friendly than people anywhere else in the country. There’s some real good uns and some others, who will remain nameless, exactly the same as anywhere else in my experience. It is a beautiful county and the dales are breathtaking all year round, the seaside towns like Whitby and Scarborough are very bracing, the food is traditionally cooked, and I never tell my southern friends how good it is, in case they come “oop north” and the house prices go up. I will not be leaving God’s own County ever.

But, the most important lesson ever taught to me by a gruff Yorkshire lad was the Yorkshire motto, which holds true for all Yorkshiremen to the day eternal, and it is this.

“Ear all, eat all, seh nowt and if tha does owt fer nowt, do it for thissen”

Hear ends the Yorkshire lesson from a lad “who’s not from round here”.

Teresa May, the Prime Minister has called a general election hoping to make it a one issue election around Brexit, in order to obtain an overwhelmingly large enough majority for the next five years in the House, to be able to continue the Conservative political philosophy of “Small State and Low Tax” government and put any reversal of that philosophy beyond reach of any incoming political party.

The situation that she feels favours this approach in the current political environment is, a weak opposition led by a an uninspiring leader, impending criminal actions against current Conservative politicians, who may lose their seats as a result of election expenses from 2010 and endanger her majority. Also very good opinion polls in her favour and a feeling that she has now defeated finally the outcry of the 48% who voted to remain in Europe. Who at every turn in the media are decried as “Remoaners” and whingers and who will not fall into line with the democratic process, which is alleged to be final as a result of a referendum, which incidentally had no legal basis for action by the government? (Read the Law!)

That aside, what are the issues in this election?

Well, May would have us all believe it is only about “strong and stable leadership” her constant party mantra for the election, as that is the only thing that can get us the right deal from Europe and she is the only person to do it. The fact is strong and stable leadership is always required from government, in order to ensure the prosperity and security of the nation. The conservatives do not have a prerogative on leadership, it all depends what kind of strong and stable leadership we want in terms of the type of country and society we want.

So, lets look at the options.

The Conservatives will have us believe their leadership is the best. What do they base that on?

The Economy.

We are currently running Net Debt at 86.6% of GDP, up from 66.9% in 2010 when the government took office.

The poorest households paid more of their disposable income in indirect taxes (such as Value Added Tax (VAT) and duties on alcohol and fuel) than the richest (27.0% and 14.4% respectively) and therefore indirect taxes cause an increase in income inequality.

Inflation stands at 2.3% and the trend is up. This will almost certainly continue whilst we negotiate our way out of Europe and the pound remains weak costing imports more and more.

More than 1 million people are on zero hours contracts.

Benefit Fraud costs the country £1.6bn

Tax Fraud/Evasion costs the country £43bn.

HMRC employ 3800 people investigating benefit fraud.

HMRC employ 700 people investigating tax fraud/evasion.

Housing.

The coalition government promised to build 200K homes per year. They built 70% and that figure is falling. People who cannot get a mortgage are consigned to short term lets, (6 months to one year).

The number of first time buyers has declined from 600,000 in 1985 to 200,000 in 2012.

Private Landlords number 27m and their income is £14.2bn from 5 million homes.

NHS.

The budget for the NHS in England for 2016/17 is £120 billion.

In the 2015 spending review the government announced that funding for the Department of Health would increase to £133 billion by 2020/21, a real increase of approximately £4.5bn once inflation is taken into account. *

Though NHS funding is growing, it is slowing considerably compared to historical trends. The Department of Health budget will grow by only 1.2% in real terms between 2009/10 and 2020/21. This was far below the long-term average annual increases in health spending since 1949/50 of 3.7% (in real terms).

Looking forward, between 2017/18 and 2019/20 the Department of Health budget will increase by less than 0.5% each year in real terms. This will place increasing pressure on the NHS, as demands for services are still projected to increase.

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*This is significantly less than the funding the government claims it has given to the NHS over this period, mainly because ministers have chosen to highlight the funding provided to NHS England only, rather than the Department of Health’s total budget.

The NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens, has said that under the government’s current spending plans, per capita health funding will fall in real terms in 2018-19, the year the NHS will turn 70.

Education.

Schools are now so disparate and diverse that many parents who just wish to send their child(ren) to a good school are at a complete loss. Spending per pupil is set to fall significantly and the introduction of Free schools and the new Grammar selective schools are not a real choice for all parents but the select few who can afford tutoring and on school costs for extra-curricular activities. If that really is meritorious then perhaps we have all misunderstood the word.

A parent is quoted as saying to Burbalsinghe a renowned head of a new Free school. “ I could not afford to send my child to a private school and thank god you have opened this one”

 Crime.

Some 4.8 million offences of all types were recorded in 2016, up 9% on 2015.

Key statistics for 2016 include:

32,448 knife crimes recorded – an increase of 14% on the previous year

39,355 rapes recorded, up 13%

5,864 firearms offences, up by 13% largely due to a rise in crimes involving handguns

55,824 robberies, a rise of 10%

92,868 car thefts – 16% more than in 2015

Since 2010 there are nearly 20,000 fewer police officers, a reduction of nearly – 14%.

Overall funding for policing has been cut by 15% between 2010 and 2016.

Leadership.

Leadership is about honesty and integrity and whilst it is understood that politicians may need to adapt to the changing circumstances of the economy and world politics and trade, the electorate deserve an honest answer to why that is needed and not a continuous denial of the obvious.

This government has cut child benefit, promised tax-free childcare, a budget surplus by 2019, and no changes to NI and no tax increases.

All these promises have been broken without a comprehensive explanation.

So, we all have a choice on the 8^th June, this fact is undeniably right.

If you believe in small, uncaring, individually, privatised state and pull the ladder up low taxes and let the poor and vulnerable fend for themselves. Vote Tory.

If you believe in a country, which is willing to spend more to look after others, is facing peacefully outwards to the rest of the world, recognises the need to borrow whilst we invest in our economy and skills base, vote Labour or vote tactically for the alternative parties to form a caring alliance against May and her cronies.

Corbyn is not a poster boy politician or Labour leader or Prime Minister in waiting, but if like me you want people to be honest and principled, he is that man.

Not once during the times I have followed his communication in the media or at live PMQs or meetings have I ever heard him be abusive or personal towards other politicians of any party. He addresses the issues and stays firmly on the issues and what his alternative vision for those issues are and what he and his party will do to fulfill them.

He wishes to debate and when debating is never flustered, always calm, affable but committed and generous to others.

May on the other hand is a poor communicator, flustered when off message and unable to think innovatively and on her feet. She prefers to remain scripted and that is why she does not want her government’s record questioned by the other parties in open debate during this election campaign.

Is this really the style of leadership we want?

Finally, if we make this a personality contest and not an election about policy, we will end up with an authoritative, completely mandated government, which will be able to do whatever they want for 5 years. There will be no effective opposition to the policies and subsequent legislation and the threat to this country from that scenario is far greater than anything seen in the past and since the end of the Second World War.

Be careful what you wish for because you just may get it.

1. Out of Europe with No Deal.
2. Reduced public services resulting in a crippled NHS, more crime, less housing, two tier education, failing infrastructure and transport, a bigger deficit, tariffed trade with the rest of the world, a failing economy.
3. A Prime Minister to ride roughshod over any dissent both internally and externally who will say “You voted for strong and stable leadership and this is my vision of it irrespective what anybody else thinks!

I think we have seen this before in other countries. It is not called democracy!

If God exists and is omniscient and omnipotent, was he present on this day?

Did he guide the hand of those wishing to create mayhem and destruction in his name or did he decide for those who died, it was their time? Did he decide that those who were injured would be stronger and more courageous to bear the pain of their injuries? Did he decide that the families and friends of those who were injured and killed should also bear the loss and hurt?

Maybe he was present but did not intervene in the affairs of humankind, merely creating the environment in which we are all independent agents. Does God exist and is he present in all human tragedy both historically and forever in the future?

Ten years on as all people effected by these tragic events seek solace in their God, if he exists, do they feel less pain and hurt as a result of the trappings of monuments, symbolism and public outpouring of sympathy and grief to their God? Is the same God, if he exists, present for the parents, brothers, sisters, family and friends of those who created the mayhem and is he present in their grief and unbearable loss?

So if God exists and does nothing, why would he be omniscient and omnipotent, all seeing all powerful and all doing and still remain a bystander?

It is mysterious and his mystery moves in many ways according to those who believe, but it is also illogical and baffling to us mere humans.

If God exists for you, then I hope he cares, because he does not exist for us all and please remember that when you speak with your God and maybe the question should be not, “Does God exist? But why do we need a God?”