Elections, Eruptions
There can only be one topic to muse upon this month – the long awaited election on the oft predicted date of May the 6th. Last week when it was announced, I was down in beautiful Pembrokeshire in lovely sunny weather but being down there gave a different perspective on the election campaign. I deliberately bought the Western Mail; the main national Welsh paper, and watched the Welsh TV news over the week and the issues there were often different to national issues. The Welsh Assembly has made some very good decisions in my view – free hospital parking, free prescriptions and no student fees for Welsh children who go on to Welsh universities. Roll on the day when student fees are abolished in England as well. It is a really unequal system for students across the UK and I am convinced it is stopping able pupils from moving on to university education when unsure of the financial commitments they are taking. Why is this key issue not being addressed seriously by all the parties? Only the Lib Dems have made some effort and commitment to wanting to reduce these over time.
What struck me most down in Wales was the radical change in visible party support. In the past, Wales was so controlled by Labour that it was almost pointless for anyone else to stand in some areas. This time, virtually a week into the election campaign, I saw several posters in support of the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru candidates but not a single one for the Lib Dems or for Labour which is an extrodinary change. After crossing the border this trend continued – working around Nottinghamshire in the last week, I have seen plenty of support for the Conservatives, a smattering for the Lib Dems and UKIP but not a single sign of support for Labour even in Mansfield, Kirby in Ashfield or even in Sheffield.
The most important factor in this election, however, has to be the dire state of the economy and the huge debt we owe as a country and now more importantly how we get out of this mess. What bothers me is the imbalance of factors involved in this. The public sector is obviously extremely important for us all but unless there is a thriving private sector to support this, who pays for it? The private sector have been hammered in terms of pensions and job security compared to the public sector – you can forget security and final salary pension deals in the private sector for the majority of people.
Both my husband and I work in private sector companies who work with the NHS and various government agencies. Throwing government money at these without proper allocation, planning and implementation is not the answer. The waste we have both seen in terms of time management and the culture of having to spend money or lose it the following year just would not be tolerated in the much leaner private sector.
Tonight, we have the historic first live debate between the party leaders in the UK. My background is psychology and I am really looking forward to watching the body language of each candidate as much as what they have to say. It seems quite ironic that for the second time in recent history, Iceland has had a significant effect on the British economy – the banking fiasco previously and today the travel chaos caused by complete cancellation of UK flights due to a volcanic cloud. It could be said a day of hot air all round and perhaps the portent of change...
Whatever your views, this is the chance to air your views so if you care about the country’s future, go out and do so!
Best wishes until May when we will know the direction for the next five years.
Awen |
