Here’s a family story that has always hung in my mind, and I am going to share it. Have you read Ian Banks’ The Wasp Factory? It reminds me of my brother. When we were young he always loved nature more than anything. He loved it so very much and wanted to care for it, he would injure birds with a catapult, so he could nurture them back to health. Think about that. It’s really not a healthy attitude.
Now think about Boris Johnson and the Tories. They used public money to bailout the banks, then hit the public with years of austerity.
I cannot keep silent any longer. Hearing Johnson say the Tories will fix things like mental health care, housing, NHS, knife crime, social services, prisons etc just triggers everything inside me to call out for some TRUTH.
Because the TORIES imposed austerity and caused ALL of these problems by stripping local authorities, charities and any social welfare bodies to the bone. Fill potholes? Why not resurface the roads properly, instead of refilling them every few months and closing all the roads while it happens. Repeatedly.
Climate change? Use less cars? Put the transport back in the hands of the public. It is by its very name and nature, public transport – but is only available for city people and the price is phenomenal. Making the urban/rural divide even bigger. Give country dwellers more buses, not less.
Where I live, tourism is a priority – yet our ‘destination organisation’ is a Trust with no employees, run by very kind, generous volunteers. Tourism is an industry, not a leisure activity! Public services are ene essites – not just for those who can afford them, for everyone. I just nipped into a local co-op in Cinderford. I paid 20p to park to pop in. There was a tear off slip to claim back the money, but the co-op don’t refund and the shop that did has closed. Why are we surprised that our High Streets are dying?
I work in the arts and have seen so many organisations seriously affected by austerity. They hardly have the capacity to exist. Indeed many no longer do exist. Am not sure the sharing of the Turner Prize made a strong enough statement – but they have drawn attention to the social nature of the arts sector and their desire for fairness and balance. The four said they wanted to make a collective statement at a time when there is “already so much that divides and isolates people and communities”.
There used to be lots of opportunities for artists to show, but now they have to compete, by entry fee, to be selected to show. The organisations that should be showcasing the best art in the world are having to scrimp and save and bring in money, from the very people that make the work. And the artists are probably one of the lowest paid people in the country! A lifetime of zero hours. Would you pay to have an interview for a job, in the hope that you might fight off the other 75 people you are competing with? (NO money-grabbers, don’t even GO there!)
The Labour Party are the only hope. Put aside whether you like Corbyn or not. ignore the BBC’s not-so-covert attempts to keep the Tories in.
Lets simply go where there is some TRUTH.
[this is a personal opinion and does not relate to my professional life]
