Riots

Back in 2011 I was attending a music concert in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. But just before the concert was about to start the venue’s manager announced that only a single song would be played as the police had requested the venue close due to the probability of riots in Manchester city centre (as part of the national breakout of rioting). As I travelled back home via the main road through Manchester’s centre I saw a thin line of police on one side of the road while on the opposite side rioters were looting several shops. The police stood by and watched without trying to stop them. It was obvious to me then that the reason for this standoff was likely due to a lack of staff and resources. Nationwide, and especially in London, rioters destroyed, looted and set fire to businesses.

Fast-forward to August 2024 and little has changed. Rioters are free to injure police, damage, loot and burn. Some police used dogs and horses which seemed desperate and a poor substitute for staff and equipment. Where was the water cannons? Where was the tear gas? The government stated that there had been around 400 arrests but the damage had been done, and the fear of ordinary law-abiding people aroused. It is the first duty of the government to keep citizens safe and secure. After many years of woefully inadequate government the justice system is broken almost beyond repair (as are most of the country’s public services). Even Internet social media are getting away with allowing disruptive and false information to be communicated. In the current circumstances, in my mind, it would be acceptable for the government to shut down the offending social media companies until they stop promoting all abuse.

It is surprising that suddenly another 500 plus prison places have been ‘found’ while rape victims wait years for justice and the prison system is totally broken…And will a few months in prison stop these hooligans starting trouble again? Perhaps perspective and current employers should ensure that these criminals never work again and that social security payments are not granted to them…

These riots will come to a relatively fast end but, like the Pandemic, will we be prepared for the next round of violence and destruction?

Mental Health

The profoundly sad and inexplicable stabbing of many young children in Southport, including the death of three young souls is hard for anybody to accept and understand. The fact that the assailant was just 17 years old is even more shocking. This is not the first time that such events have taken place and led to deaths. The only explanation can be that the person involved had severe mental problems such as Schizophrenia, and it’s yet another case of inadequate mental  care. NHS mental health in the UK is on its knees with ‘care in the community’ an absolute failure through lack of funds and qualified people. It represents one of many critically important public sector services that over many years, due to political inadequacy and incompetence, is failing and causing dire consequences. How often do you hear the phrase “learning the lessons”? One hears it with sickening regularity but still people are suffering - both patients and victims. The young man who murdered and injured these children may never be convicted for murder, because of his likely mental state, leaving victim relatives unable to forgive or forget.