ieatpenguin

Whilst there is scant choice within the British political system, a few notes of Labour’s reign will hopefully convince people not to vote for them.

Here is a few of Labour’s achievements from their last few terms in government:

• University Top-up Fees, huge student loans, debt and low job prospects
• Gap between rich and poor biggest since the war
• Lies on the EU constitution/treaty and refusal to offer a referendum
• Immigration uncontrolled intentionally for political purposes
• Bailing out the banks whilst they stick two fingers up with their continued bonuses
• PFI finance schemes
• Private pensions wrecked
• Selling our gold when it was at the lowest price for 20 years costing £2bn, it has since trebled
• Out of control burgeoning public sector and public pensions
• Over officious local councils and council tax rises over the rate inflation, doubling since 1997
• Scrapping of the 10p Tax band hitting the poor, claiming it to be a good thing before changing it back
• DNA database
• ID cards
• Selling of DVLA data to anyone who will pay
• Peter Mandelson back after being booted out twice for wrong doing and given the title ‘Lord’
• Impending energy crisis by dithering on new power stations
• Failure to build more prisons, deciding to release prisoners early instead
• Poverty at a nine year high
• Quangos
• NHS superbugs and dirty hospitals
• Carelessness over vital personal data being lost on numerous occasions, HMRC, housing benefit, criminals and so on
• Over use of CCTV and speed cameras used as cash generators rather than safety tools
• Billions wasted on NHS computer system
• Record numbers of young people not in employment, education or training
• Nations credit rating downgraded, making our massive debts even more expensive
• “Positive” Discrimination
• FTSE returns down as they have for every single Labour government since the war
• Longest and deepest recession since the 1930s
• 9 out of 10 cars bought under the car scrappage made abroad
• An Illegal war and insufficient equipment for our soldiers
• National road pricing scheme plans and “pay as you drive”, on top of existing fuel duties.
• Unaffordable housing, and failure to meet house building targets leaving those under 30 struggling to find a home of their own

Not to forget the countless sound bites driven by a corrupted media team, a few choice ones being:

“No more boom and bust”
The biggest bust since the war, needs no further explanation.

“British jobs for British workers”
A hollow sound bite. Uncontrolled immigration taking up low paid unskilled work whilst the welfare system encourages people to stay on benefits.

“Education, Education, Education”
Record numbers of young not employed, in education or training. Spiralling student debt, top-up fees and low job prospects.

“Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”
Prisoners sentences cut short due to a lack of prison places. PCSO plastic police and police investigation little more than handing out a crime reference number for insurance purposes. The re-offending rate among young prisoners is close to 90%.

“Best placed internationally to weather the economic storm”
One of the first in and last out of the deepest recession since the war whilst increasing our debt significantly in the process.

We don’t have any great alternatives, but none of the parties in opposition can be worse then this travesty of a government.

I’ve often been told that I’m an old man trapped in a young man’s body. This is mostly true, except for the young man’s body bit as that is getting increasingly age weary..

Anyway. Having lived, studied, worked and socialised in Cambridge for several years now I would like to think I have something of an understanding of etiquette. In particular, the good old fashioned waistcoat. Why we don’t really wear these any more I’m not sure, and the Edwardian in me somewhat laments the loss of this garment of clothing.

Worse however is, I find, the lack of proper waistcoats seemingly anywhere, but worse – in the hive of evening wear etiquette and culture that is Cambridge. Black-tie is formal wear of a seemingly failing age. No one I’ve spoken to seems to know the proper etiquette of Black-tie wear. Cummerbunds are all well and good for friendly formal dinners, but for the most formal of occasions they simply are not done. The correct dress is a waistcoat. Wide open in a sort of u-shape to three, or four if you are feeling sufficiently flamboyant, buttons; to allow the shirt to be properly seen.

The only waistcoats available in Cambridge are morning waistcoats, high-breasted, oft-six buttoned garments which in many cases where lovely items, but not for formal dinner wear. Extensive searching found what I was after on-line, but given the cost I’d much rather just get one tailored.

Of all places, I had expected Cambridge to maintain an observation of proper etiquette, but as most suit shops there now seem to stock American style tuxedos, I suppose I have to concede that perhaps I was born about a hundred years too late.