What a difference a year makes @ No 10

Arturo and I looked over last year's news. An appropriate thing to do on New Year's Day, you will agree. How things have changed! Or not!!

At the beginning of 2012, the pamphlet 'The Politics of Optimism' by Antony Seldon was published. In this he wrote:

It is perfectly possible to be happy, indeed happier, with the current or even reduced levels of affluence. It merely requires an adjustment in thinking.

http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/publications/

"And that, mi old pal," Arturo said, "has been 'Boy David' Cameron's thinking all year. You merely need 'an adjustment in thinking' to see yourself through unemployment; reduction in benefits; an NHS going steadily up-the-creek; your local high street with more empty shops than ever - less money to buy anything, anyway! Some adjustment in thinking!"

Last year, Cameron said in his New Year speech:

I will be bold about working to cure the problems of our society. While a few at the top get rewards that seem to have nothing to do with the risks they take or the effort they put in, many others are stuck on benefits, without hope or responsibility. So we will tackle excess in the City just as we’re reforming welfare to make work pay and support families.

I profoundly believe that we can turn these things around. That’s what I mean by the Big Society. The British people have got what it takes – and the government has got the ideas and policies we need.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/2012-new-year-message-from-david-cameron/

At the time, he knew the British public would be distracted from the plight of the economy by the Jubilee celebrations and the Olympic Games. But as for tackling excess in the City!! And as for curing the problems in UK society - no great shakes there, Davy Boy!! However, what more could you expect from a man who doesn't know the difference between Laugh Out Loud and Lots of Love!! LOL!!

However, it wasn't only 'Boy David' Cameron who has failed to bring home the goods, this year - no siree - his old Etonian pal, 'Georgy' Osborne, has done his own little bit to worsen the situation, as well.

Osborne's real calamity of the year was the much 'leaked' Budget! In the Guardian's News Review of 2012 written by Toby Helm, Vanessa Thorpe, Robin McKie and Peter Beaumont, the following appears about 'Georgy' Osborne:

The decline and fall (almost) of George Osborne Whatever you might have thought of George Osborne a year ago, he began 2012 with a pretty decent reputation in Westminster as a political strategist. Then came his March budget – an "omnishambles" that unravelled day after day and all but destroyed Osborne's career with it. It was the politics, more than the economics, that were awful. The decision to drop the upper (50p) rate of tax in the thick of painful austerity at the same time as imposing taxes on pasties, caravans and even charity donations (the spring from which the "big society" was supposed to be watered) was a catastrophe and a gift for Labour.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/30/2012-review-biggest-surprises

Oh dear! To go from a 'pretty decent reputation' to 'omnishambles' to 'catastrophe' - and all in one year! Now that takes some achievement! Almost worthy of an Olympic gold - you might say! The Politics of Optimism surely turned on its head!

We must not forget the third member of the triumvirate who head the Coalition - none other than 'Wailing Lad' Clegg. At the start of 2012, though students were no longer in love with him, he was still the 'almost-darling' of the LibDems. But the Lad's fortunes have sunk lower and lower and lower - gone is the smooth brow of youth to be replaced by lines of misery! No longer the jaunty step and winning smile but now the slouch of care and grimace of woe! What a transformation! Even the kiss-and-make-up with 'Boy David' Cameron in the yard of CNH Tractors in Basildon, Essex, did little to raise his profile. And now - the final ignominy.

The BBC News website has a recent article by Ben Wright & Andrew Fagg . They wrote, quoting Peter Kellner, president of YouGov,

"Nick Clegg is a toxic brand," he argues. "Fewer than 20% think he's doing well as party leader and deputy prime minister.

"Around 70% typically think he's doing badly."

"These are simply terrible figures. I find it hard to see how the Liberal Democrats could recover with him leading the party at the next election."

'Toxic brand', eh! Sounds nasty! No wonder he looks so miserable, I would too!

The BBC News web site concluded with another quotation from Peter Kellner:

"So the Lib Dems' challenge in 2013 is to find that big, deus ex machina, that thing that none of us can quite foresee, which will change people's minds about him. I don't know what it is. "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20795452

That deus ex machina - an illusive thing, at the best of times, and 2013 does not promise to be one such year.

According to the 'Lord High Everything' Francis 'Weasel' Maude:

Tories must modernise or face 'oblivion': The Conservatives will be “unelectable” if they do not abandon “backward looking” social attitudes and catch up with modern society

On the last day of 2012, Tim Ross quoted Maude in the 'Telegraph'. The article went on to state about Francis Maude:

But he had changed his views on social questions over the years. “I’ve become more socially liberal. That's where the party has changed the most as well – but it's where British society has changed even more,” he said.

The next decade in politics “will demand even more” reforms, he said.

“As British society continues to evolve so must the Conservative Party, if we are not to face electoral oblivion.

“If we fail to keep pace – fail to understand and influence the spirit of the age – we will be rightly punished by the electorate.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9771950/Francis-Maude-Tories-must-modernise-or-face-oblivion.html

So there you have it - the two parties that make up the Coalition - one has a 'toxic' leader!! The other, unless it wishes to face electoral oblivion, needs to evolve!! Since the Tories are nine-tenths backwoodsmen, evolution seems unlikely!!

Arturo was giggling - I peered over his shoulder and saw he was playing some videos from Mail Online. The headline read:

And these people are running the country...

To see the full farce go to:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255293/Best-political-videos-2012-politicians-singing-gaffeing-zip-wiring-bell-ringing-way-12-months.html

Take a look! And they're not even supposed to be comedians! Doesn't fill you with much confidence for 2013!

However, before we disappear to gather the left-overs from today's lunch, Arturo and I wish all of you:

A GREAT 2013

Bye