BG readers will well know that I have oft quoted and posted links to the wise and learned words of Doctor Richard North. Far less often I have quoted those of his son, Peter North (who has been referred to on occasion as “North the Younger”). Peter North does in fact contribute to his father’s blog “Turbulent Times” on a fairly regular basis and his output has always been well informed and well written. His recent contribution to national wisdom is typical and at this particular time very apposite: https://www.turbulenttimes.co.uk/news/brexit/food-the-rotten-state-of-europe/
In his post, Peter North correctly describes the parlous situation that pervades across the EU and the UK. His references however to greedy businessmen and exploitative employers in Britain’s and the EU’s food industries , whilst “on the button” does not encompass all the guilty parties. There are two more groups: the retail industry and their customers. Their customers are of course, you and me!!!
Here is a FACT that politicians across the world know they have difficulty with. You see, political systems vary enormously across the world – from the newly created theocracy in Afghanistan through to the democratic EU member state, Malta and onto the failing state, Zimbabwe – but the ONE thing all the leaders of these have in common is the knowledge that the ONE thing you DO NOT say to the citizens is “It’s YOUR fault!”
You see, whilst the average Briton is not wholly to blame for the system, they are not totally free of all blame. They are to blame to a contributing degree – albeit some more than others. In addition, the degree of mitigation varies in each case as well.
For instance, take the hypothetical example of a young single mother who has a low income, has difficulty in paying for her accommodation and the utility bills associated with the same and often finds herself struggling with an invidious choice, does she pay the rent, pay the utility bill or buy food for herself and her children.
In many, many cases, these young mothers will often go without food so as to enable the children to eat. In such cases it is offensive pomposity of the greatest magnitude to criticise such a woman. Naturally, if the food bank does not cater for all her needs she will go to the shop that has the cheapest food, often going at a time when the shop might have reduced food to the very lowest prices due to their legal requirement to discard the item when they close the shop that day/night.
Thus it is all very well to castigate the “greedy businessmen” for exploitative behaviour. The FACT is that the General Public themselves want to buy goods of the highest quality at the lowest prices!
What this means is this: We are ALL (NB: To a greater or lesser extent) guilty! I include myself in this cadre!
The FACT of the matter is this: The political system of the UK is broken and has been for some time. Another FACT of the matter is this: The politicians are not the only ones to blame! We the voters also share some of the blame!
Brexit is a classic case in point!
Had the Leave campaigners stated that whilst leaving the EU could be achieved overnight (meaning at a certain time on a certain date), Brexit (in the sense that we would be a de-facto self governing sovereign state) would not have come to pass for let us say a decade, the Leave campaigners would have lost!
They would have had less chance of winning the vote that the present theocratic despot ruling Afghanistan has of being invited to the bar mitzvah of a member of the President of Israel’s family!
In other words, “Leave” won the referendum by making claims that could not be put into effect!
And to be even handed, the “Remain” campaign grossly misrepresented their case as well!
We have a political system that is so broken that our politicians are not tackling the disaster about to overtake us in the lack of reliable power generating capacity! The FACT of the matter is this: Wind turbines whether they are in the middle of the North Sea or on the tops of English moorlands, CAN NOT provide a reliable output as the wind CAN NOT be relied on! Similarly, the FACT of the matter is this: Electric batteries ARE NOT a practical source of fuel for motor vehicles that are designed to be used on the Queen’s highways! Furthermore, no amount of eloquent words coming from the mouth of Sir David Attenborough will make them so!
Of course, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that it is now FAR TOO LATE to prevent severe consequences occurring!
Of course, as the BG has stated on previous occasions, the problems (and very BIG ones at that) for our politicians will come about when people will witness – FIRST HAND – that some people (namely THEM) will be suffering more than others!
I give you TWO examples:
The mansion below is on Rodona Road on the gated St George’s Hill outside Weybridge, Surrey.
The terraced house below is on Frampton Terrace in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
The likelihood is THIS: Whilst the mansion will have a back-up diesel generator to supply ALL it’s power needs in the event of a power cut, it is a CETAINTY that the terraced house does not! What this means is this: WHEN (it is no longer IF) the power cuts happen, the occupier (tenant or mortgage payer) will sit in the cold and the dark; whilst the multi-millionaire residing in the mansion will have all their power needs catered for!
You see, Boris The Buffoon’s problem will be when the residents in properties like the terraced house on Frampton Terrace see the multi-millionaires living in the gated St. George’s Hill estate are NOT sitting in the cold and the dark but in the warm and the light and will still be able to watch TV and go on the internet!
This unfairness will make people angry. VERY ANGRY!