I cannot see where the required economic growth is coming from, and certainly at the level required to properly invest in our vital public services, until and unless key radical decisions are made. And the real shame is that it is the younger generation who will suffer most from austerity that I am sure has no end. It wouldn’t surprise me to witness further increases in university fees and still further rises in rental rates which are already crippling (especially in the South-West, South-East of the country). Then there’s the many compensation schemes that exist through government, managerial incompetence and dishonesty which will ultimately cost the country many billions.

There are two other major challenges ahead with worldwide negative implications, both of which have grown more threatening due to previous government complacency and lack of ambition. The first is of course Climate Change. Thatcher as far back as the early 80s was right about the threat of  Global Warming  but took no action. It may well be too late to fully mitigate the effects as we can already see weather patterns emerging internationally which are causing devastation and starvation, especially on the African continent. It’s almost biblical with extensive flooding and massive fires. Labour pledged to spend 28 billion a year on the problem here in the UK but the plan was scuppered a couple of years ago due to the country’s financial problems (and they were shocked about the 22 billion Black Hole?).

Then there’s the problem of Mr Putin who is in the process of destroying Ukraine. All important countries, including the UK, turned a blind eye to what Putin instigated in Georgia, Syria, Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. He was allowed to get away with the murder of many thousands while generating massive migration to European countries. His corrupt friends were allowed to bank and invest billions in the UK, and even take up residence here. We allowed it to happen and even welcomed the ill-gotten gains in the City of London financial centre. He therefore had no hesitation in attacking Ukraine with several European leaders accepting his promise not to. When asked for major defensive weapons the world (and especially the USA) delayed important decisions over supplying advanced tanks and planes. Now they are dithering over the supply and use of long-distance ballistics. When will they learn?

I wish I could be more optimistic. But the size of the problems faced in the UK and internationally are mammoth, and require skilled and progressive leadership to start to solve. I just don’t see it...

When Tony Blair claimed, on the death of Mrs Thatcher in 2013, that he had always seen his mission as in part building on her achievements, it showed how lost he had become, even allowing for the hyperbole of funeral rites. Instead of consolidating a progressive intellectual alliance, he had drifted with the prevailing right-wing tide. It cannot happen again. Britain is at a decisive moment in its national fortunes. More of the same and we condemn ourselves to drop out of the front rank of nations, in every sense - in terms of personal and social wellbeing, economic performance, social cohesion and international influence. The position is precarious…There is scarcely a dial on the economic, social and democratic dashboard that is not flashing amber or red. None of these trends can continue for another twenty-five years.

Will Hutton 2024

Final Thoughts…

A message to the prime minister: taking personal and expensive gifts from donors is not about transparency or rules, it’s about judgement and integrity. Ask yourself the question: was I right or wrong? I also hope that, at last, Labour is more vociferous regarding Israel, Palestine and Lebanon. It is no longer enough to sit on the fence, afraid of upsetting the USA leaders. Israel is so wrong and it’s costing thousands of innocent lives and livelihoods. Social infrastructure is being destroyed with no place to hide; children losing parents, parents losing children, both losing everything. Thee is one prediction I can make in view of the last year’s events: Israel will be in even more danger from the people and places it has destroyed. And why is it that every claim made by Israel is believed unconditionally? For example, that the 6 rescued hostages were executed by Hamas. Why hasn’t the many Putin-style assassinations not been condemned, especially those carried out on foreign territory? And why did Starmer visit the felon Trumper?

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