Who are 'they'?

One of my political greats, in that he made such a dignified exit on being ousted from his seat, and incidently the man for whom I voted in the Labour Leadership ballot in 2010, Ed Balls:

You may have noticed that we now have a Conservative Government. Some of us are not happy about it. I refer to the Tory Party as 'they' because it takes the sting out a little bit. And also, as an oblique reference to a comment by Youngest Daughter: 'Who voted for them? I haven't met anyone yet who will admit to it. Who are they?'

We are not quite three weeks into this new government and of course 'they' are still getting used to the fact, as indeed are the general electorate. The size of their majority was unexpected. It may surprise some of you to know that I did not vote for them. Like many like minded friends I posted on various social media sites 'awful warnings' of what I feared 'they' would do if 'they' got into government. Those fears may have been the subject of a few blogs on here too. I went out and worked for my local Labour party parliamentary candidate. The night of May 7th into the morning of May 8th was truly horrible, not helped by the fact that I had dropped my smart 'phone down the lavatory on the morning of May 7th and couldn't quickly text friends and family when the lamentable results began to roll in.

Now, when I eventually wake in the morning, I tend to think - not necessarily my first thought, but high on the list of early thoughts - 'I wonder what 'they' are going to do today?'

Because [never start a sentence with a conjunction but this is permissible when politically grieving] now 'they' have the permission of the electorate to carry out so many 'promises' they had headlined in their manifesto and campaign speeches 'they' will. Because the electorate have ratified their promises. Promises like cutting the welfare spending by £12bn, without detailing what and where these cuts will be. [Don't worry about this too much all, those people who voted for this government. Because the kindly man who is again in charge of this is that sympathetic figure, Ian Duncan Smith. Sarcasm alert]

Of course 'they' have given plenty of encouraging sound bites since their election victory. Like the pledge for a seven day National Health Service. The same pledge that they gave in the last Parliament but for which we are obviously still waiting. As Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, comments: 

David Cameron’s plans for a seven-day NHS are simply not credible without the extra resources and staff the NHS needs – particularly in areas like general practice, where the Tories have created a GP workforce crisis.........  

to read full comments please go to  http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/news

So a bit of consumer advice here, buyer beware. Election/manifesto promises are not covered by trading standards/consumer law. It is up to the electorate to complain. And those who voted for the Government - or didn't vote at all -aren't really in a position to do that. I didn't so I can. And I will. Watch this space.






Best moment of the Election results: Nick Farage NOT being elected:

History Lessons. Why really all should have voted for the Labour Party on May 7th.

This blog is a joint production of the terrible twins Elizannie and Clarice and appears on both their blog sites. If that seems a little odd, well so do the events of May 7th to the writers.





As Elizannie has have been having a bit of a blog overload in the aftermath of May 7th, she has decided to let Clarice help out for this one. After all she should know more about History and English Lit having lectured for the WEA on both subjects [plus Popular Culture] for many years.


In a discussion with their cousin about what may come next after the May 7th result, it was decided that now history is not a compulsory subject on the school curriculum, perhaps not enough voters on Thursday realised what it was like to live in the patriarchal, capitalist society of the 19thC where money said everything about an individual down to the fact that the poor were showing God's disapproval by being poor and the rich his approval by their riches. This was further extended by having the 'deserving poor' - allowed to receive the charity of the rich [quite often the leavings from their table] and the undeserving poor. The rich were morally bound to reinvest their business profits/wages and by becoming even richer  showed even more God's approval of their life style - which included of course their treatment of the poor and this would extend to the minimum wages paid to employees [dare I add zero contracts?] If an employee became ill/unable work, well basically hard luck. Obviously some sort of sinning somewhere along the line as God once again is showing his disapproval. [An awful lot of sibulance in that sentence. A bit more effort could do something with that]


To reinforce this 'God Given Right', think of the words of the third verse of 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' by Mrs Alexander. Now no longer sung in our churches, it was sung by rich and poor alike in churches up until the 1970s/80s:

The rich man in his castle,

The poor man at his gate,

God made them high and lowly,

And ordered their estate.

This blog is also a homage to the wonderful singer and socialist, our mate Roy Bailey and his 'gigging mate' the equally wonderful but sadly late Tony Benn . They used to perform a wonderful 'gig' which we saw on many occasions, singing along in our cracked voices, which was basically the history of dissent with songs provided by Roy and narration by Tony. Luckily everyone can still enjoy and learn from their inspiration by following this link .


So it was decided that perhaps a reading list should be provided of 19thC and early 20thC novels which would provide a fictional but accurate overview of the differences between rich and poor in this country, which was becoming more affluent in the light of the industrial revolution. But that affluence was not shared by all who produced it. To make a profit three parts are needed: production; investment; labour. The suppliers of the first two were enriched exponentially, the suppliers of the third actually became worse off it their living conditions and welfare is taken into account. And because there was an ever increasing pool of labour [sound familiar] due to the agricultural revolution with workers flooding into the newly growing industrial towns from the countryside, any industrial revolt would be pretty pointless.


Clarice has been awful lazy of late. So she promises that she will go through the list and 'review' each novel in turn in a socio historical way. And so she should. You will notice no Marx is included. Although he may be referred to in the footnotes... but only as are other 19th/20thC commentators and politicians.


So this is the list, no particular order, no particular preference:

19th Century
Mary Barton                         Elizabeth Gaskell
Shirley                                 Charlotte Bronte
A Christmas Carol                  Charles Dickens
Felix Holt                              George Eiliot
Sybil or Two Nations              Benjamin Disraeli
Hard Times                           Charles Dickens
The Nether World                  George Gissing
A Child of the Jago                 Arthur Morrison
Dombey and Son                   Charles Dickens


20th Century
The Ragged Trousered             
Philanthropists                        Robert Tressell
Love on the Dole                     Walter Greenwood
Tono-Bungay                          H.G.Wells
People of the Abyss                 Jack London 




Some, more modern, but giving a good historical overview:
Rape of the Fair Country           Raymond Cordell
How Green was my Valley         Richard Llewellyn
Animal Farm                            George Orwell

Fame is the Spur                      Howard Spring

                        

Blog dedicated to all those Labour Activists who worked so hard in the weeks leading up to 7th May 2015 including Roy Bailey and Elizabeth Ann Mills. It was not in vain.

That's called Democracy! But it doesn't always supply a government fit for the vulnerable......

The picture above just appeared on my timeline on facebook, posted by the facebook group 30th anniversary of the miners strike . I shared it onto my own 
timeline for others to see with this comment:

I just know I am going to get loads of opprobrium for sharing this! I loved this guy although I didn't agree with everything he said. He probably wouldn't have agreed with everything I said. That's called democracy. What he says about becoming a trade unionist I endorse as my reasons for becoming both a trade unionist and a political activist for the Labour Party nearly 50 years ago. And I ain't giving up now just because we failed to win the election last week. That is also called democracy. But living in this democracy means I can start campaigning again tonight for the 2020 election! But only if we can all make sure that there will still be a democracy worth fighting for then. And by 'fighting' please remember I mean this in the pacifist sense!

And to all the media who are writing off the Labour Party, often 'interviewing' party heirarchy by not letting the individual finish a sentence please remember that we have been here before and come back to sort out the country. Just hope that too many people from the 'have nots' won't die when their welfare benefits are cut, they cannot afford to heat their homes or buy medicines they need. Or the bright but poor youngsters who won't get the education they deserve fail to get the 'good' jobs in the future and won't therefore get the wages to pay the taxes to support the welfare system that their parents and grandparents need. Because sure as hell the 'haves' won't be doing it.

A letter to my Godson on his joy at the Conservative election win in May 2015

My Godson sent me a message to say how glad he is that the Conservatives have won the General Election and maybe Labour would have done better with a more liked front man. Godson knows me so well that he surely would not have been surprised when he received my answer as shown below.


"Firstly I hope you and your lovely family keep well and that none of you need to use the health and welfare services which will surely now slowly disappear. Secondly, I hate the fact that the 'cult of celebrity' may be deemed responsible for Labour losing the election. As a Labour Party member, I didn't vote for Ed in the leadership election, but when he became our leader I naturally supported him. I actually think that there was huge media slur campaign against him, but that is btw. We vote for the principles of a party not whether someone can eat a bacon sandwich neatly. [Ask Youngest Daughter about Ed because she worked with him in Westminster when she was there] A party is a conglomerate [ especially the Labour Party] where even the very 'ordinary' member votes on policy through their local meetings.


You and I will never agree about politics and that is not a problem. But it is the Socialist ideals that I have always believed in that have - strangely enough! - never let me down throughout my life. The 'free' National Health Service that saved my life on a couple of occasions and that of more than one of my children. [Remember we lived abroad for a time where it was only by throwing more and more money at the problem that Other Half's life was saved when he nearly died' If the money had not been there, neither would the life saving meds]; 'Free' universal education gave my children university degrees and got them good jobs - they have 'paid back' the money the State spent on their education through the tax system ever since then, of course. Having never claimed on the Benefits system for unemployment benefit as luckily there have never been employment problems in our family [a lot of the reason for that of course was the help given by the Trade Union movement over the years.More on that later], I must admit I have been a bit profligate on having children so have been a bit of a drain on the Family Allowance system. After all in 1971 when I had Eldest Daughter I was 'rewarded' by the promise of 7/6d [371/2p] Family Allowance that I would get for the Eldest Son when he eventually arrived in 1975. And the suceeding children. And all that bounty was more than repaid in the tax system. Now I receive my State Pension [I know. I just don't look old enough!] and that and some of the other benefits I get [bus pass, free prescriptions, winter fuel allowance] are often begrudged by the younger generations. Conveniently ignoring the fact that I have been 'paying in' and promised these all my working life.


Back to the wonderful Trade Union movement, who just over 100 years ago were amongst the founding fathers of the Labour movement. When I had a severe problem with the failure of my work pension, their financial backing of a very long campaign ensured our success and thousands of us would have lost up to 50% of our pensions - paid for over a 50 year working life - without them.


So we will agree to differ but you know how stubborn I am and I will never turn my back on those who have helped me and so many others. And although Hugh Gaitskell said it in a completely different context about the Labour Party in 1960, I will 'fight, fight and fight again to save the party that [I] love' - but as you also know, this will only in a pacifist way.


I honestly believe that the election results were a disaster for the old, sick, poor and vulnerable. The rich will be OK. I care about the first group. The second will look after themselves as usual. I am typing this sitting on the settee, wrapped up in a blanket with a viral infection. It has done me a favour to get this enthused to write as it is helping me 'sweat it out'! Writing is also my therapy. I have a feeling a lot of this will appear as a blog later on today. Don't take it personally! Or rather do and don't vote Conservative next time!"

Apologies for Absence

It may have escaped your notice, but Elizannie has been missing for a while. Although this blog has the title of an apology, it isn't really. So it's a bit of an oxymoron in truth.  It contains explanations of a sort, extremely late seasons greetings for the month of December and Happy New Year wishes for 2015. Elizannie's absence was due to extenuating family circumstances topped up with a severe chest infection. The latter was cured by our wonderful NHS and although there were times when the whole blog idea looked as if - like the little tramp* - it would disappear off into the distance it is back and metaphorically sharpening its quill pen ready for a few acerbic political attacks in the months running up to the General Election. Deep joy.

Of course, the past weeks would not have been 'normal' in the Elizannie household without 'happenings'. Like the Christmas morning happening when assembled adults and very small children were locked out on the front door step on their return from church because - in a very complicated process of events - Elizannie had managed to double lock all out into the frosty morning. Suggestions from three year old Granddaughter that if we could get Father Christmas back with his magic key he would let us in were studiously ignored. Eventually Son-in-law and Lovely Neighbour managed to break in through the most 'vulnerable' entrance which never the less took 45 minutes, heavy machinery and a bill for quite a lot of money when the locksmith and carpenter were contacted after the Christmas break. Looking on the positive side it will provide a good story for many Christmases to come: 'Do you remember that Christmas when Nana Elizannie locked us all out whilst the turkey was burning in the oven?'

The change over to vegan cooking for those not eating turkey was a great success, so much so that the actual vegans did not actually get a lot of this Christmas cake as it was - imo - the best ever home made cake. And incidentally contained no alcohol whatsoever:

New Year's resolutions were the usual: Write that book, de-clutter and a new one this year, to try and conquer the fear of going out on my own. And the big news is that I managed - with the help of copious amounts of Bach's 'Rescue Remedy' to get to my local shops on the second of January. So very small steps for [this] woman but ones upon which to build.

And as for de-cluttering - this could become a national campaign. It is truly empowering, except at bedtime when one has forgotten that the bed still has detritus covering it. May even find that bracelet lost in 2004, who knows? But this could also become a metaphor for all of our minds too, especially with a General Election looming. We need to de-clutter our thoughts to enable us to decide between all the 'lies, damn lies and statistics'^ to which we will be 'treated' by politicians and media in the next months. 

Which brings me in one of Elizannie's normal, circuitous routes back to one of the comments in the first paragraph - the political attacks. Whilst lying on the settee listening to  new radio and struggling to breathe but truly thankful for my free antibiotics which not only killed the chest infection bugs but a few others which had been hanging around [and would have killed bubonic plague and anthrax according to the notes on the internet when consulted. Which is a good reason never to look up drugs and symptoms on the internet] I heard reports of Nigel Farage's latest pronouncement. This is neatly explained in this Guardian article, so I will leave it to it to explain for now and write my own rant another day when I am fully restored to full ranting breath!: 
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-nhs-might-have-to-be-replaced-by-private-health-insurance-9988904.html

I have lived in a country where the second question that is asked when one visits a doctor after 'Name?' is 'Insurance Company' - before 'What's Wrong?' And depending on the answer to the second question is the treatment [if any] for the third question. I know what it is like to get a medicine that is not strong enough to treat one's ailments successfully. In that situation and offered the chance to pay more to 'supplement' medical costs once again the haves win out.

I will just leave you all with the last thought, would you trust our NHS to this man?:

OK, unfair photo. But Elizannie definitely doesn't trust the man whatever the picture opportunity result!

Stay well friends.

*The photograph is from the end of the 1915 Charlie Chaplin film The Tramp
^Often attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, but this is not confirmed. Mark Twain attributes it to a 'Wise Statesman' but whether or not he meant Disraeli or in fact it is Twain's own comment is unclear.