UK politics - NOT amateur radio

Since the UK Labour party came to power several months ago, they have been mired in controversy with the media feasting on free gifts for leading politicians and the withdrawal of winter fuel payments for many. For a Labour party set up to support workers, neither looks great.

The UK Conservative government lost heavily with the right wing Reform party picking up much support. The Conservative party is about to pick a new leader and the choice seems to be between two right wing candidates.

Moderation seems to have gone from politics in many countries, with disaffected people often voting for parties with extreme views.

UK General Election, July 4th - NOT amateur radio

Last night was the first TV debate between the leaders of the 2 main political parties.   If you can imagine what 2 cats fighting over a dead bird is like, that was it. Sad, pathetic.

All parties make promises in the run-up to a General Election. Come the election all these will be forgotten, or there will not enough money. What is certain is that whichever party governs, tough times are ahead. Either taxes have to rise, or public services will be cut, or both. Saying either of these things is a vote loser.

Come the General Election I shall be tactically voting for the least worst party. My heart says Green,but I know they have no chance in our constituency. 

My prediction?  Labour will be the governing party, but the majority will be smaller than expected. The minor parties may well hold the balance of power. I also expect closer ties with Europe since BREXIT has turned (as some expected) into a dreadful mistake. I am sure some expected a UK like the 1950s forgetting just how inter connected the world now is.

Above politics - NOT amateur radio

When I was first on HF, I recall talking to many stations in the old USSR. Their background and politics were very different, but it did not matter: we were all united by our interest in radio. 

That is one of the things that I like about our hobby.  We can rise above politics. All systems of living have faults - capitalism is meant to encourage people to be resilient. Communism is meant to share wealth equally.

In the end, we are all just humans, with weaknesses. Not one of us is perfect.

Whatever our views on politics and religion, we must all do to others as we would wish them to do to us. Kindness and fairness.

It is very easy to think we are always right and others are wrong. In reality, we are usually all wrong!

International conflicts - NOT amateur radio

On the whole, I prefer a quiet life. 

In many of the conflicts in the world, the West is shown as the good, whereas "the axis of evil" is shown as the bad. The truth is more nuanced. 

Often we support regimes that are corrupt and evil. Time and again, we get involved only when our (often dubious) vested self interests are threatened.  Russia was able walk into Crimea in 2014 with most of us in the West barely noticing.

What I think I am saying is this. We can only act as the world's policemen if we are morally right. Where this is in doubt, we often do more harm than good.

We like to think we get an honest, unbiased view of world affairs. I somehow doubt this.

UK General Election year - NOT amateur radio

Every 5 years (at least) the UK population holds an election to choose a governing party. .

We are expecting one this year.  For many years the government has been by the Conservative Party, which likes to tax less and people themselves decide how they spend their money. In recent years, Covid has cost a lot, so taxes are higher than they would like.

According to the polls, the opposition Labour party should win.

Politics has a habit of throwing surprises and it would not surprise me at all, if the outcome, in the end, is far closer than many suggest. All parties have good and bad things.

My politics tends to be near the centre.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68079726 .

Politically neutral? - NOT amateur radio

Politically, I have always been what they call "a floating voter".  This means I have no idea who I shall vote for in a local or a General Election. 

I was amused to read in The Knowledge today of some view of the UK Labour Party leader, who expressed a view that the UK is gradually losing its status in the world. I think this is true and in the 21st century it is more likely we will see China and India on the rise.

It was strange to see Keir Starmer suggest last week that the UK is “drifting off the international stage”, says Dominic Lawson in the Daily Mail. Has he forgotten about the AUKUS deal, signed earlier this year, uniting the UK, US and Australia in a pact to use nuclear-powered submarines as a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific? Or the new UK-Japan Hiroshima Accord, which includes plans to collaborate on a next-generation fighter jet? Or indeed that Britain has become the first European member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement? The Labour leader has always been “intensely Eurocentric”, so he’s probably thinking about the EU. But even the Europeans acknowledge that, as the German magazine Internationale Politik Quarterly puts it, “Britain is Back”. Why can’t Starmer see it too? 

Politics - NOT amateur radio

Isn't it amazing that Mr Trump is so popular in the USA? It is surprising that a nation so vast cannot find a young, sharp, intelligent potential president. It looks likely both candidates will be older than me and I retired 14 years ago!

In the UK the leaders of the major political parties are younger. I am so glad we live in a democracy and can change parties every few years. Some policies need long term agreements like health and social care.

The way we elect people in the UK can probably be improved. The important thing is that we use our vote. There are good people and bad (sadly) in all political parties in all nations.

UK politics - NOT amateur radio

In the UK a General Election, after which the next ruling government will be formed, is expected late 2024. The ruling Conservative party is expected to lose power. 

Sadly, the leading opposition party is led by Sir Keir Starmer. He seems an honest man, but rather lacks charisma. 

In my view, the outcome could well be closer than expected.

British politics - NOT amateur radio

It turns out that our one time chancellor (in charge of money) made an error with his taxes and has paid a very large sum to settle his mistakes. Our Prime Minister is married to a very rich woman who is worth millions (at least).  There are many we just do not know about.

In my view ALL in high office must be above reproach. It is also important that they understand the common man.

You could be forgiven for thinking many in high office are not there really for the common good and are out of touch with many.

At one time, those in high office had very high standards and went into politics with high levels of integrity. These days many enter politics for totally the wrong reasons.

Being wealthy is not a crime. Being out of touch with the common man is sad.

Right wing politics - NOT amateur radio

It puzzles me that many right wing candidates get elected to high office in many countries. Now I know many on the left and right of politics are less than perfect and we are free to elect the candidates we choose in most countries. This is fair. If we don't like the candidate we vote them out.

However, we seem to have a swing to the right in politics in many countries.

Perhaps this is a protest vote and these candidates better represent certain minorities?

All I can say is this. Politicians with extreme values can be dangerous. History has taught us this many times in many nations. Be very careful what you wish for!

My own politics is centralist. I think it is better to be fair to everyone and extreme left or right rarely works.

Our political leaders

Certainly in the UK, Russia, Belarus and the USA it would appear our leaders are out of touch with reality. I am not a political animal, but it would help if they were honest. Honesty and the ability to admit mistakes seems in very short supply.

As mentioned before, I find it very hard indeed to find anyone in politics these days who is there for anything other than their vested self interests. We desperately need real leaders with backbone and integrity. 

Oh, there's another pig flying by......

BREXIT and UK elections

Basically I have given up on our politicians Just before an election they all make rash promises that rarely get changed into actions. They are all guilty of it! As my mother-in-law said their promises are like pie crusts.

As for BREXIT, most have lost the will to live, whether we voted "remain" or "leave" the EU. It seems few in politics or the UK can agree or even agree to disagree!

Politics - NOT amateur radio

Although I am not basically a political animal, the shift to the right in many countries bothers me. I well know that socialism does not hold all the answers, but extremism can so easily morph into fascism and hate.

In my view, we need moderate governments in which the will of the people is well represented. In many countries there is a knee-jerk reaction to the parties on the right that promise a lot, and which mostly cannot be fulfilled.

Nero fiddles and Rome burns - NOT amateur radio

Whilst there is the risk of war in the Middle East and the EU is in crisis over the loss of a major member, what does the UK do? We spend weeks deciding who will be the next leader of one major party who, by default, becomes the next Prime Minister and hence the most important person in the UK. There are 2 candidates left, neither of whom exactly fills me with excitement.

Personally, I think UK politics is in a mess. It is my view that we are, in the main, run by idiots in all parties who are more interested in their own careers than the greater good of the UK or world. There may be some exceptions, although I am struggling to think of them.

The future of UK politics - NOT amateur radio

OK, I have a crystal ball and this is my look at the next 6 months:

• Boris Johnson will be elected Conservative leader in the UK.
• He will also become UK Prime Minister
• He will try to get a better deal for BREXIT
• The EU will not play ball.
• There will be a no confidence vote in the UK parliament. 
• This will be lost by the Conservative government.
• There will be a General Election in the UK.
• A coalition government of Labour (now pro EU remaining) and Lib-Dems would become the governing party.
• A second national referendum on leaving the EU will be held.
• We vote to remain in the EU.
• The EU will reform or eventually fall apart. The ascendency of right wing parties forces reforms.

In June 2020 it will be interesting to see how right (or wrong!) I am.

Political leaders - NOT amateur radio

In the coming weeks, a few Conservative party members are voting to elect a new leader. As the ruling party, he will also be the new Prime Minister of the UK. On his shoulders will be the BREXIT negotiations.  People are banking on a strong leader who can negotiate strongly with the EU. Otherwise we crash out without agreement.

Politically, the UK is at a critical point.

UK politics - NOT amateur radio

The UK Labour Party managed to win a byelection in Peterborough. It already held the seat.

At the moment UK politics is in a right mess. I cannot foresee the future and have no idea about how the BREXIT "thing" will be resolved. Clearly, a large number of people are fed up with the EU. Equally, quite a large minority see what the EU can do for us. If only the EU had been more flexible.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48532869

New politics? - NOT amateur radio

Something on the BBC website this morning hit me and got me thinking. Are we on the verge of a sea change in politics?

Here in the UK and probably much of the west, young people are finding meaningful work hard to get. In the UK houses are generally far too expensive for young people to buy. In several countries right wing parties are picking up the disaffected votes.

Maybe we are seeing the ending of traditional politics and a new wave of politics is about to be ushered in? The old ways on the left and right probably have had their days, so maybe now is ripe for something different?

I have no idea what this will be, but just maybe we will see the beginnings of a fairer, more sustainable economy in the UK, the rest of the EU and the USA? We live in challenging times.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48069016 .

UK politics - NOT amateur radio

So, 7 people have left the UK Labour party. As my politics is fairly centralist, I support them and hope they are soon joined by others from whatever party. I hope they form a new centralist party. Come the next election, I expect another coalition which, I hope, is more on the centre than the extremes of both Conservative and Labour parties.

Dutch Politics - NOT amateur radio

Well, I for one am pleased that the far right was NOT well supported in the Dutch elections yesterday. In my view there is no place for extreme right wing politics anywhere.

The recent BREXIT vote in the UK and the election of Mr Trump in the USA were reactions. People generally are saying, "politicians be honest" and, "listen to our views".  The swing to truly representative politics will take time. Politicians everywhere need to truly represent the people.