1 October (Part 2) - Oh Je-re-mee Corbyn. Oh Theresa May, what have you done?
I only have one twenty year old memory that I can clearly date to 1997, the 1st of May to be precise.
On my way to the polling station I caught up with my neighbour, Barbara. She
said “I suppose you are going to vote for Tony Blair?” “No I am not” came my
emphatic reply. “I have not fallen for that charlatan”. ”Nor have I” Barbara
admitted having found just the one ally in the whole of Belvedere.
I was devastated next day to see the scenes in Downing Street. ‘Hasn’t my life
been dragged down enough already by socialism in my 53 years’ was among many thoughts.
In the event and looking back things could have been worse. Gordon Brown wrecked the
pension system, hung millstones around the necks of the banks and the recently privatised industries and sold off the gold reserves at rock bottom prices but
it took more than ten years for the economy to totally collapse.
At the time I thought that Tony Blair was the worst Prime Minister ever but
since then - Brown, Cameron and May - every single one of them has been progressively worse.
Now
the country seems to be in a mood to take that progression one step further and elect the new Messiah.
One can perhaps understand young people with zero experience of political
history falling for it but how has Corbyn managed to brainwash older people too?
It’s not much more than a year since most of his Shadow Cabinet was refusing to work with him.
A friend not much younger than me - it’s OK he never reads Bonkers - gave me a
long lecture on Britain’s new Saviour last Thursday.
He had listened to Jeremy Corbyn’s conference speech and was completely won over.
Saint Jeremy was going to sort out all the problems right across the world
caused by a malevolent British Empire. The Palestinian problem would be solved
in days, India and Pakistan would be best mates again and no he didn’t care what became of the Jews.
A few words in Kim Jong-Un’s shell like and he would be around the conference table in no time
and become President Trump’s poodle, except that JC was going to instill some common sense into Donald, put an end to his Tweeting
and put him and his war planes back into his box.
The European Union problem would be ended. They too would be charmed by JC
and a generous trade deal would be ours for the asking before a triumphant Brexit.
The housing problem would be solved overnight, just flick a switch and everyone
would get good inexpensive accommodation. All education would be free and the NHS
would be given all the money it needs. Child poverty abolished, pay caps
scrapped and a police officer on every street corner.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Do you really believe all that?” I
asked. “If it was that easy don’t you think someone would have done it by now?”
“It will be easy, Jeremy is a very different sort of politician to any we (the
world?) have seen before. Our only hope is that he should be PM right now”.
I was speechless, and I am not making this up. A man I have known for 20 plus years, a political fence sitter, perpetual critic of politicians of all persuasions and strong Brexiteer had been totally mesmerised by
a snake oil salesman and one political speech.
I have just read it through, God knows where every bit of my friend interpretation’s came from
but it sure does illustrate just how big a mess Theresa May has got us in to.
Suddenly a man who has in the past told me how much he loves this country seems
to hate what it has stood for. Seven years of Cameron and May must have failed
the country big time but when was frying pan to fire ever a good idea?
Dear Councillor Read, please note carefully. BiB is not a Labour
supporting blog. It is anti-Tory only because you and your
cronies have been so damned dishonest!