As last week`s Leader pointed out, the country has
discovered that there was as "little plan for Brexit" as there was "for a
post-invasion reconstruction of Iraq", so what`s new (The Iraq War and its
aftermath,8th July, 2016)? Joined-up thinking isn`t exactly the forte of our
current crop of politicians, with the prime minister`s decision to announce
both his future resignation and, practically simultaneously, a referendum on the
EU, the prime example.
Corbyn`s opponents in the PLP are equally
culpable; it`s little wonder that, as George Eaton informs us, his allies
believe the petulant MPs "have not learned" the lesson of their previous defeat
(Politics,8th July, 2016). Even if Corbyn`s percentage of the vote goes down,
and as they apparently hope, "repeated challenges" can be made, how can they
possibly think this will increase the chances of unifying the party, or winning
an early election?
Far better to stick with him this year, and rather
than dismiss his policies as unelectable, explain as one, how fairness can be
injected into our society, and much-needed transformation can be achieved.
A start could be made with the true cost of Trident, and its relevance in a
post-Cold War world!
Prior to the forthcoming vote in Parliament, on
spending £100-150bn on renewing Trident, could the Guardian please email the
last three paragraphs of Mary Dejevsky`s article to every MP (Will Nato`s warmer
words prevent a new cold war?11/07/16)? Perhaps then a decent debate could take
place, and the inevitable result ensue? The cold war is over, and as the Nato
secretary-general said, it "should remain history".
Of course, Jonathan Freedland is right when he sees
the similarity of myopia in the leadership of Blair and Cameron, especially over
their "lopsided view of Britain`s place in the world", concentrating too much on
being close to America , and too little on our relationship with Europe (Cameron
really was the true heir to Blair: both were totally reckless, 09/07/16). Sadly,
Cameron still displays the same short sightedness, wanting Britain to be
America`s best friend and taking position at the "top table", even if it means
over-spending on defence at a time when expenditure is badly needed elsewhere..
There is no other explanation for his government`s insistence on spending
probably a hundred billion on the renewal of Trident. The threat of Russia, yet
again, will be exaggerated, as if the Cold War had never gone away.
History, it is often said, repeats itself, but
only because politicians lack the courage to prevent it.
History is allowed to repeat itself, largely
because politicians lack the original and daring thoughts needed to introduce
change, so why Simon Jenkins is so optimistic, following Brexit, is baffling
(Ignore the prophets of doom. Brexit will be good for Britain, 07/07/16). There
may well be "a great evacuation", and leaders may change, but will policies and
attitudes? Did the huge expenses` scandal significantly alter the behaviour of
our politicians? The economic crisis of 2008, brought about largely by the greed
of the banks, was followed by a massive £375bn of quantitative easing given to
the banks to kick-start the economy, and now Brexit has, in Jenkins`s words, led
to the Bank of England "pumping money into the economy, or at least into the
banks". Putting so much faith in the economic sagacity of bankers, whose raison
d`etre appears to be profits and bonuses, has to be a mistake.
As many lies were told by politicians in the lead
up to the referendum as in the preparation for the Iraq War. Of course, social
democracy and capitalism need "hitting over the head from time to time", but
there is little or no empirical evidence to suggest that causes anything other
than short-term pain, which is generally passed down to those least able to
endure it! A new prime minister there may be, but it is difficult to see her
ending the "ugly, uncontrolled greed" which has dominated society in the 21st
century.
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