All Britain is drowning in election propaganda. I can't decide who to vote for - they all seem to be rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic as far as I can see. I am glad to live in a democracy - and so I shall use my vote - but I often wish there was a good alternative to the adversarial politics of parliament. The real issues seem to get lost in the need to come out on top and the consequent name-calling and petty arguing.I took this photograph outside the railway station in the noble Yorkshire town of Huddersfield, a few miles south of Saltaire, when I visited it a couple of weekends ago. (The Victorians had grand ideas and were very proud of their railways - can you tell?!) The statue is of a former politician, Harold Wilson (1916-1995), born in Huddersfield, who was Labour Prime Minister from 1964-70 and 1974-76. He has two claims to fame as far as I'm concerned...He shook my hand! (as he was chancellor of Bradford University at the time I received my degree). And he had the vision for The Open University, founded to give adults who had missed out on tertiary education a chance to gain a degree through part-time study and distance learning, and which is still going strong.
Coincidentally, Alan had a marvellous story about the 1974 election this week on his News From Nowhere blog - do read it.
"rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic" - what a wonderful expression and so apt! :o) I am kind of hoping for a hung parliament - maybe the MPs being forced to work together - eliminating some of the worst extremes of the parties - will work for us? I shall follow that link to Alan's blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about vote; I vote for the "less worst"! I LOVE your picture! Wilson seems to be alive and in a hurry for a rendez-vous!! I remember him.I leave you to go to Alan!
ReplyDeleteEven here "Down Under" we are getting lots of coverage on your election campaigning. The whole Brown visiting Buck House for a dissolution of parliment was top news.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take long to get sick of all the kissing babies and endless promises....
Loved your bushy tailed visitor a few posts back by the way. We have packs of them here living on the beach and around the rivers - at least they keep the rabbits down. Hard to believe they all came out from England all those years ago and have settled in like natives.
Cheers,
Cindy
"The pound in your pocket .... " Once again it's the economy.
ReplyDeleteYes, holding the power seems to be more important that doing the right thing. I hope you can get it all figured out because it is difficult when you found out you did the wrong thing once they get elected.
ReplyDeletePolitics is depressing for sure -- sometimes one just has to hold one's nose and vote for the one who's not quite as awful as the other.
ReplyDeleteSoon, I have to chose a candidate for mayor. I, too, am uncertain about which candidate to vote for. I am almost not interested in voting at all. Great photo in B&W too.
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