First, old 'Bagpuss' Pickles tried to grab the headlines by announcing that there will be weekly bin collections!
Next - Iain Duncan Smith states that it is important for the UK to get things straight with the EU over benefits claimants coming to the UK and claiming benefits that are way and above those they could expect in their own country. He was cheered for this.
Now - we have another rabbit jumping out of the hat. This time the rabbit has the look of an overgrown schoolboy and he goes by the name of Philip Hammond. Not heard of him, eh? Mr Philip Hammond is Secretary of State for Transport. A pretty harmless and low-key job, you might think. How can this MP for Runnymede and Weybridge strike a pose that will attract attention? How can he ensure that the 'big' boys will want to play ball with him? How he must have racked his little brain over this. How he must have urged his assistants to come up with an idea - any idea! How the group must have brainstormed their way through the maze of possibilities.
Then, just like E=mc2 entered Einstein's head - an idea entered into that elegantly coiffured Hammond head!
And the idea? Nothing less than - 'I'll suggest raising the speed limit on motorways!'. Now that is what I call an idea, I'm sure you will agree! And - to be fair - 'Mr Teazy Weazy' Hammond has got the headlines he so desperately sought. It was on the 'Today' programme on BBC Radio 4! It was in the Daily Mail! It was in almost all the daily newspapers - and nearly everyone had an opinion.
In The Guardian, Damian Carrington's Environment blog had the headline 'Higher speed limit is the fast track to more fumes and funerals : Conservative plan to increase speed limit to 80mph will spark UK's spluttering economic engine in the most hideous ways'
However, Damian Carrington's blog highlights the grave disadvantages of raising the speed limit. He writes:
More people will die and be injured in crashes: more work for doctors, nurses and ambulances. More cars will be written off or damaged: good news for motor manufacturers and mechanics. And the biggest, most profitable companies in the nation – BP and Shell – will have yet more money poured into their coffers as drivers pump more petrol into their tanks. The fact that emissions of climate-warming carbon dioxide will leap too seems, astonishingly, a secondary concern in the short term.
He explains that many core Tory voters will be delighted that the 'nanny state' will have to 'pipe down'. Also, the Party contains many climate change sceptics who are not convinced that raising the speed limit will do any serious harm. His blog makes interesting reading.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/sep/29/damian-carrington-blog-fast-lane-to-nowhere)
A direct quote from 'Mr Teazy Weazy' Hammond was given in several papers. He said:
Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies and look again at the motorway speed limit which is nearly 50 years old, and out of date thanks to huge advances in safety and motoring technology.
Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph would generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times. So we will consult later this year on raising the limit to get Britain moving.
So - that's alright then! So long as we generate 'economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds' - why worry about Mr Carrington's concerns about faster speeds causing more serious crashes? Why worry about the increased usage of petrol as the speedometer creeps up? It will only mean more pollution - who cares about that? Of course, since the government gets a large proportion of its revenue from fuel duty - whoopee! more petrol usage = more money for the government!
Speaking on BBC news Mr Hammond made the following memorable statement:
Clearly there will be at the margin an impact on casualty numbers, but it will be very, very small and the economic benefits will... outweigh it. Mr Hammond also said he did not think the rise would have a "significant impact on safety. ... There are enormous economic benefits to be had by increasing the speed limit and shortening journey times.(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15116064)
Rather a cavalier attitude on the part of 'Mr Teazy Weazy' Hammond , I would have thought. If you or a loved one were counted among the casualty numbers that are 'very, very small' - I am sure you will be pleased to know that there are 'enormous economic benefits'. After all - a little bit of self-sacrifice on the part of others - goes a long way.
Stephen Joseph, chief executive of Campaign for Better Transportt, said:
Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph would not help the economy and would increase costs for drivers. It would also add to pollution and increase road casualties. Responsible motorists know that driving steadily at or below 70mph is most fuel-efficient, reduces jams and is safer. This is an empty gesture that in the end would not benefit anyone.(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15116064)
Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer at road safety charity Brake, said:
We are strongly opposed to the idea of raising the motorway speed limit. "We would be strongly opposed to any policy that would increase deaths on the roads. To have such a policy would be unethical. Each death on the road affects not only the victim but their family too.(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15116064)
His policy does, however, have a high profile supporter. One Mr Jeremy 'Air Head' Clarkson. In the Sun newspaper on Friday, he was quoted as saying:
An 80mph limit is good for the economy, polar bears and your soul. It is also good for parents who will get home quicker to stop their children becoming glue sniffers. The limit should be 180mph.It proves that all the dumb-heads are not in the government!
So - congratulations 'Mr Teazy Weazy' Hammond - give him a big hand, friends. He got the headlines! He got the attention! He's the man that Runneymede and Weybridge should be proud of - I don't think! Once again, we see that 'The love of money is the root of all evil.' And Boy, Oh Boy! - Do those politicians just 'love money'! Anything - at the present time - that smacks of 'making' money will grab headlines and be approved. As Arturo has so often said 'Plus ça change!'
Still - who am I to pass judgement - I'm only the under stairs cat!
'Bye'
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