Yesterday, I had a heated conversation about politics that turned to fury as the other people looked at me with increasing disdain… I’m proud I voiced my views anyway even though one of the group accused me afterwards of having ‘political anger‘, presumably to embarrass me. I replied ‘no, I have strong views‘.
I’ve written before about the expectation that we accept what we’re told without dispute or even sufficient questioning. This is particularly directed at women. I haven’t seen men accused of ‘political anger’ in order to belittle their opinion. However, if a male reader has experienced something like this has happened please do let me know.
Apart from dismissing my views, it was also implied that my opinion and right to voice it was not valid. He ignored completely that my views are based on my knowledge and experience of politics, not just hype and the resultant anger.
I’ve been involved in politics for two years now. I’ve canvassed over a 1,000 doors and spoken to many people at length about their views and concerns. My resulting perspective on how our country should be run both now and in the future are well thought through. I have read many political and historical books, read the newspapers, watch the News, and until recently watched Prime Ministers Question Time until I realised the same false promises were issued every week! I joined the LibDems in October 2023 after Liz Truss so incensed me, letting down my gender, let alone the country. She blamed others whenever a problem arose, gave sporadic instructions, and introduced a new policy a day without any continuity or projection of how those decisions would impact on our population. I subsequently volunteered in support of my local LibDem MP Olly Glover, who won after years of Tory representatives!
I put my time and money where my mouth is and campaigned. I’ve been to three Party conferences, canvassed hundreds of doors, and delivered thousands of leaflets. I am qualified to comment on the state of our government and where we’re heading. It is a free country, a democracy and we have the right to debate and disagree, albeit without personal accusation or excessive force. I used neither of these yesterday.
I spoke of how appalling it has been to find out that the Post Office have paid Senior Management bonuses on the pretext that the Post Office scandal is resolved. It’s not. Falsely accused Postmasters have not received any compensation as yet. It’s not resolved, it’s fraud.
I spoke of similar awards happening in Thames Water, with Senior Management and Shareholders getting paid out from supposed profits. These profits allocated while utterly failing to invest in the infrastructure required to supply us with clean water and provide decent sewage plants. It is obscene eroded these services now are after years of underinvestment; how are these Senior Managers able to retain their roles with such a failure to establish and future proof these services? It’s fraud.
We need to invest, we know how many additional houses are planned that will need water and sewage services. The leaders of these organisations must have set goals that match these projections, if not they are not doing their job. Thames Water know that appropriate goals have either not been set or not been achieved, and still think paying profit based rewards is reasonable. It’s not, it’s fraud.
Who advised Paula Vennells, CEO of the Post Office from 2012 to 1019, to conceal the truth? She seemed determined to camouflage incompetence and conceal true profits to accelerate privatisation? Who advised her to apologise for ‘not listening’ to her staff? She was the leader for seven years, how long was she planning not to listen? It’s at least very poor leadership or at worst, it’s fraud. At one level I think she is being made the inquiry scapegoat. Or I would if any of the results had actually been published and acted on. It’s another superficial inquiry that has not resulted in any change. It’s deception of the public, it’s fraud.
Where are the results of the coronavirus inquiry? What has been done or not done? It’s deception of the public, it’s fraud.
The Grenfell inquiry has also faded in the news and the attention it’s being given by the government. Where are the results? What has been done? It’s deception of the public, it’s fraud.
We live in a country where we no longer trust our leaders. At every door I visited the same message was repeated by most voters. It’s not surprising as with every inquiry does anything change? Are senior leaders still being paid generously without being held to account for results? Regular workers would not be paid bonuses unless they achieve their objectives. Why are our leaders paid for a lack of achievement and incompetence.
It’s incompetence. it’s deception of the public. It’s fraud.
I am very glad the LibDems now have 72 MPs in Parliament. I supported them because I believe their leader Ed Davey is honest and has real life experience. He’s also fair, balanced and informed. I trust him and his team trusts him and that’s a massive step in the right direction.
Keir Starmer has already suspended 6 MPs for voting against him regarding the two-child limit in Universal Credit. They represent the views of their constituency and their voters, whatever the party policy. They should not have been suspended, they act for us collectively. Someone has to prevent a dictatorship government and that is what MPs do. They vote with good conscience for the good of the nation, whichever party they belong to. Labour’s manifesto has already been changed since the General Election, and our Prime Minister cannot deny that new policies are being introduced every week. The argument that the MPS elected should vote with the Labour Party line is a nonsense already as they are facing policies introduced post appointment. The MPs, all MPs wahtever their party allegiance are custodians of our country and maintain our personal freedoms. They should have personal freedom to vote with their own conscience and interestingly can switch parties mid-term if they choose to so have no need even to stick to a particular party ( it’s a somewhat bizarre option but it is currently in place).
Fury aside…
Please do stand for your own right to debate, discuss, and disagree. Please act to maintain the freedoms of the next generation. Please act to retain our freedom now to vote as we choose and expect our leaders to be trustworthy and competent.
I really want to keep our democratic rights, freedoms, and be able to expect better for the future. I hope you do too.
Kind regards, Ruth
Well Thought Through 