The BV magazine, July ‘22 POLITICS
A personal reckoning
The Tory byelection defeat had everything to do with Mr Johnson, says North Dorset Green Party’s Ken Huggins Boris Johnson has just claimed that his government’s record is ‘exceptional’. He has never spoken a truer word. He blames the crushing Tory defeats in the Wakefield and Tiverton/Honiton by-elections on the media, for focussing more on his personal conduct than on his policies. That he considers his personal conduct to be of no consequence says it all. There has been plenty of media focus on his policies, many of which do not stand up to close scrutiny. And whilst Government spokespeople take every opportunity to remind us of the speed of the vaccine rollout, they deliberately ignore the massive failings elsewhere in dealing with the covid pandemic. For example, the Government claim
that a ‘protective ring’ had been thrown around care homes. Not true. My mother caught covid in Yeovil hospital, but was promptly discharged right back into her care home. Tens of thousands of vulnerable care home residents caught covid and died. Then there was the debacle of PPE procurement, with eye watering profits, commissions being paid without proper scrutiny and billions spent on unusable items. Wasted taxpayers’ money that could have been profitably used to increase supplies of renewable energy, and reduce energy consumption by insulating homes. For us to have such a Prime Minister at this time is more than just an embarrassment, it’s a
disaster. With the enormity and urgency of the environmental crisis ever more apparent, now more than ever we need strong, compassionate and caring leadership, with recognition that we are all in the same boat. Accepting that everyone has to be taken care of, regardless of which school they went to, or how wealthy they may be. For any conservatives pondering their next steps, as an ex Conservative voter myself I can confirm the warm welcome that awaits in the Green Party.
The world of trade unions has changed Workplaces have moved on from archaic trade union power, forging a more productive way to work together, says North Dorset Lib Dems’ Mike Chapman
The second amendment to the US Constitution dates from 1791. It was about preventing central government wielding excessive power: people might bear arms to be equipped to stop those in authority from exceeding themselves. Fortunately, we have developed the more modern approach – with less collateral damage – of the ballot box plus a wholly independent judiciary. This government is over-reaching, over-reacting and bullying. What mandate is there for tearing up the Northern Ireland protocol? The migrant export deal with Rwanda? For acknowledging the European Court of Human Rights only when convenient, and for their mission to dumb down and commercialise the BBC? What is to be done with a government whose response to the crisis on the railways has been a resounding “bring it on, if you are hard enough”? It is earnestly to be hoped that our education
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system, the very essence – and already undervalued - of our future prosperity, does not end up in a similar stand-off. These strikes are ridiculous and wholly contrary to individual, corporate and societal best interests. The best performing enterprises work as partnerships; together, for mutual benefit. Us v Them, Theory X (more stick than carrot) and other such confrontational practices went out with the ark. Trade Union membership has become a marginal factor outside the public sector. Employee share-ownership is growing strongly. Today, modern organisational imperatives and internal cultures are directed towards balancing the interests of all stakeholders; boards are supported by non-executives specifically there to find balanced positions; employee engagement in continuous improvement is becoming the norm. I note our campaign in Tiverton and
Honiton was dubbed the coming of the ‘The Yellow Peril’. If that means old orders, old school ties and outdated, self-centred attitudes, left and right, are under threat from people with the passion, standards, experience and up-to-date understanding to make a better fist of it, then caveat Boris. Let Boris and all who ride with him beware. Now is a good time to join in, to bring your own understanding to bear, to make your own positive, constructive voice be heard. Thank goodness we don’t have the 2nd Amendment here.
