STOP THIS TORY CULL

I am huge fan of Russell Brand, I love his humour (maybe not some of the naughty bits, but thats my age) and his passion and willingness to stand up and be counted.  I will be marching behind him come November, corns permitting. [not that close, I am not a stalker :)]

However, it saddens me to see him advocating that we shouldn't vote.  All his arguments for not voting are valid, politicians have indeed become indistinguishable from each other, grey men and women, many of them with sinister agendas.  They no longer 'work' before going into politics, they are groomed from the cradle to be leaders.  Old Labour consisted of men who worked in the pits, men who had come up through the Unions, men who knew all too well, the taste of poverty.  When Tony Blair suggested marching hoodies to the nearest cash point for an on the spot £100 fine, it was obvious he didn't have a clue, we were doomed.

Unfortunately, New Labour is all we've got right now to put a stop to the Tories ongoing cull of the weakest in our society.  If people don't vote it will continue. The Labour Party should be fighting the next election on the grounds of humanity, a promise to put an end to ATOS and the Bedroom Tax and give a guarantee to the people, that the NHS will never be sold off.  

What is happening NOW should be the priority, and a non vote will guarantee another Right wing government who will continue hammering the poor.  That is the reality.

Whilst on my soap box and suggesting policy, New Labour could be the first government to actually acknowledge the internet and the sociological changes it has made to our society.  Traditional working class jobs no longer exist, and no-one should be pandering to the hang and flog 'em brigade who would rather see the poor break stones, than doss on the sofa watching Jeremy Kyle.

Taking all forms of extremism out of the equation, how about accepting that new jobs must be created that take account of our huge increase in leisure time.  There, I said it, pass around the smelling salts.  We no longer get up at 6.00am to scrub our doorstep and get the washing out in order to feel good, and sneering at people with their curtains closed past dawn, is just childish. Ever heard of night work Gideon?

Eventually, a Government, one of them at least, will accept that we have an ageing population, and generations arriving at the age where their parents, grandparents etc went out to work, but for them, there are no jobs.  

When their job train gets there, it has hit the end of the line, and there are more trains coming in behind them, each filled with young and talented people who are about to face the scrapyard.

The nature of work has to change.  The Care Industry must get larger, there is no option, people are living longer. No only do these people have to be cared for, they have to be financed. From an economic perspective, if not from a humanitarian one, why not invest in the children who will be the taxpayers of tomorrow?

Create an industry.  Give ALL children free meals. Invest in science, technology and education.  Clear those dole queues by offering hope and inspiration. People are no longer factory fodder, and besides the factories have long since moved out East. Short of someone starting a war, the only way in which to create new jobs (no, not more call centres) is to change thinking and look at what the 21st century offers.  Heck, I wish someone would be brave enough to try a New New Deal.