THE LONGEST RUNNING PANTOMIME EVER.
Since late spring of 1997 the UK has been subject to, what was initially, 'The Blair witch/which project'. It remains uncertain 'which' Blair was pulling the strings. What we are sure of is that what transpired has been a load of warlocks. The first scene opened with promises of fairness to all except for those not pulling their weight. Very soon however, some of the supporting cast were relegated to ugly sister or a mere walk on part. One such, a knave from the northwest, was suggesting a dramatic overhaul of the benefits system. A group of wicked barons were as one in response to these notions. For thinking the unthinkable, he was removed from the service of another wicked witch, who was subsequently promoted to deputy pantomime leader, the latter demoted to the occasional 'walk on part'. This is what happens to insubordinate knaves who wish to follow the letter of the manifesto instead of fielding votes.
By the time the ensuing acts came and went, the audience loved being told how well off they were by the bumbling Baron Saviour of the world. When he declared that all our financial worries were behind us, only a handful of us responded with, "Oh no they are not". The intervals every four years made little difference to the under-educated, the secret of socialist success. An increasing army of public servants, benefit claimers, in general a host of unimportant personnel doing little to enhance our standard of living apart from their own. It is naturally accepted that certain vocations are important, as long as they are carried out for the benefit of the public and not the Government. The sector that supersedes everything else, however, is the one that generates the money i.e. people doing a proper job. We can't afford anything without these folk. So what does gormless government do? It marginalises them, consigning us to a drift into a socialist dictatorship. The audience having failed to spot this probability, voted them in for a third season, history having told us that one season of this production has always been disastrous. By now the great god of plastic had seduced multitudes. The Baron Saviour ' was creaming off much VAT, whether or not the balance of the debt was settled was of no consequence to him.
With luck, this third season will include the final act; having brought the budget to it's knees, still finding enough funds to bring in yet another saviour. Lord Meddlesome appeared with a brief, not to save the world nor even the UK, but the PM's skin. This by someone who, had he been a Tory, would have done 'porridge' twice, based on his previous form. This being the ideal CV sought by this incompetent production. The German and IMF story writers have given up on the way the plot is going. They are a little late and would have been advised to listen to what the more astute observers had to say during the last decade. Being a good European carries no weight with the political thinker.
The last hurrah and rousing chorus will be ongoing promises of an even more spectacular new production, with no expense spared. The audience could ignore the fact that they have to pay for it twice, but it will be over many years.
A word of warning: Should our muted opposition think they can improve the situation just by having ugly sisters sporting blue wigs, it will take far more radical thinking than that.
A Happy New Year. It's what we make of it, not the Government.
"DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD" (Arlen/Harburg)
By the time the ensuing acts came and went, the audience loved being told how well off they were by the bumbling Baron Saviour of the world. When he declared that all our financial worries were behind us, only a handful of us responded with, "Oh no they are not". The intervals every four years made little difference to the under-educated, the secret of socialist success. An increasing army of public servants, benefit claimers, in general a host of unimportant personnel doing little to enhance our standard of living apart from their own. It is naturally accepted that certain vocations are important, as long as they are carried out for the benefit of the public and not the Government. The sector that supersedes everything else, however, is the one that generates the money i.e. people doing a proper job. We can't afford anything without these folk. So what does gormless government do? It marginalises them, consigning us to a drift into a socialist dictatorship. The audience having failed to spot this probability, voted them in for a third season, history having told us that one season of this production has always been disastrous. By now the great god of plastic had seduced multitudes. The Baron Saviour ' was creaming off much VAT, whether or not the balance of the debt was settled was of no consequence to him.
With luck, this third season will include the final act; having brought the budget to it's knees, still finding enough funds to bring in yet another saviour. Lord Meddlesome appeared with a brief, not to save the world nor even the UK, but the PM's skin. This by someone who, had he been a Tory, would have done 'porridge' twice, based on his previous form. This being the ideal CV sought by this incompetent production. The German and IMF story writers have given up on the way the plot is going. They are a little late and would have been advised to listen to what the more astute observers had to say during the last decade. Being a good European carries no weight with the political thinker.
The last hurrah and rousing chorus will be ongoing promises of an even more spectacular new production, with no expense spared. The audience could ignore the fact that they have to pay for it twice, but it will be over many years.
A word of warning: Should our muted opposition think they can improve the situation just by having ugly sisters sporting blue wigs, it will take far more radical thinking than that.
A Happy New Year. It's what we make of it, not the Government.
"DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD" (Arlen/Harburg)