Politics

The killing of Charlie Kirk in the USA was a tragedy for him his family and for politicians everywhere.

                                    

Of course one can criticise USA gun laws but UK politicians both left and right of centre have been killed by seemingly madmen with knives.

Moving on from the murder of politicians, is  consideration of the poor  state of politics and governments in many countries. 

But focusing on the UK,  the current Labour  government with its huge majority one would normally have expected  if not to sail through many of the world's current problems, at least to govern effectively. 

As one who invariably votes Tory I am antipathetic to many of the Labour policies such as VAT on Public School fees, inheritance tax on farmers and the increase in employers' national insurance costs. Yet previous Labour governments have included Prime Ministers who have acted with integrity or seemed to, such as Gordon Brown or further back, pipe smoking Harold Wilson despite their policies which in my view, some at at least were appalling. For example Harold Wilson increased tthe rate of income tax for some to over 90%. Another issue then was the need to receive exchange control consent for taking even small amounts of money overseas,

Sir Keir Keir Starmer on the other hand appears slow, weak and with a capacity for accepting an  associate   for what most would regard as the top UK ambassador's post namely Peter Mandelson for  Washington DC. The fact that many were concerned at the time about Mandelson's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein cut no ice with the prime minister who has just sacked him. Of course UK taxpayers will have to pay for what may well be a six figure pay off which adds to the whole issue.

The current Labour Party/government has also sacked two cabinet members in as many weeks following Angela Rayner's resignation as the Party's deputy leader. Now Labour has an election process for a new deputy leader. The fact that the process appears to exclude at least unofficially, the male half of the Labour population suggests that the best person for the post is not being sought but rather a woman who might fulfill the role. 

Andy Burnham who is Labour mayor of Manchester is not at all my political cup of tea given his views on for example wealth taxes, but so far at least he appears to have more drive than our current PM.

Nigel Farage whose politics for Reform  are on the right of the Tory Party is not my cup of tea either so Kemi Badenoch who currently leads the Conservatives is my least worst UK politician. Farage may have issues which cast him in a less favourable light than he appears at present. Badenoch's main difficulty is that the recent Tory government ended its terms of office when extremely unpopular, so she will have a very difficult task in forthcoming local elections not to mention the next general election.

Reverting to recent American politics, it is to be hoped that open debate between those with opposing views  will continue there, as well as here though opposition at least in the UK to political free speech, seems sadly to be on the increase.