Cry Havoc, And Let Slip the Dogs of War!!

I thought that the above quote from Shakespeare (Julius Caesar Act 3 Scene 1) might have appeared in David Cameron's speech the day the General Election was called.

But no, he's kept his powder dry until tonight. Undoubtedly the performance we were waiting for.

Clegg-over came across as rattled. Gordon Clown as desperate, like a man about to be made redundant pleading for his job. David Cameron as calm, collected, statesmanlike, unflappable and completely Prime Ministerial material.

The only thing I missed was the statement to Brown "you talk of experience, but I'm going to get this country out of the hole you have dug for it over the last 13 years before you dig it so deep we can never get out."

You know, its completely changed my total antipathy towards the general election, I might even go and vote next Thursday.

Lib/Lab Coalition?

WILL THE LAST ONE OUT OF THE COUNTRY ON MAY 7TH PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.

Just off down to Bedford's Civic Theatre to join in the protest about its closure. The Civic is a lovely little venue and while the Mayor suggests that we should use the Harpur Suite or Corn Exchange instead he really hasn't got a clue what the AmDram groups need in the way of facilities.

I directed the last production that the Bedford Marianettes put on at the Corn Exchange and that cost us £15K before we had even started!!

Roll On the 7th May

At the beginning of last week I thought to myself "hmmm, General Election ..... how much would it be for a ticket to New Zealand for the next month."

Those who know me of old know that in the past I've been something of a political animal, feasting on the prospect of elections and all the activity that goes with it. But to be quite honest, media experiences of the last 3 Generals, and the quite frankly atavistically sanctimonious and policy-less posturing being now displayed by Clegg-over and the LibDems (knowing damn well that hell will freeze over before they can come within a gnat's breath of forming a goverment) have contributed in no small amount to my tendency when either approaching or in a hyper-phase, to not suffer fools at all, let alone gladly.

"Its the economy, stupid" - yes, its the economy.

Back in 1997 when almost the entire country seemed to be voting NuLab, I just could not bring myself to do it. I could remember what the country was like before 18 years of Conservative Govermnent. I said as much when the Labour Party came round canvassing.

Think back - if you are old enough to remember. The stranglehold the Unions (with their Communist or Soviet agenda at the time) had on the country. The Miners' Strike and the Three Day Week which brought down the Heath Government. Further industrial unrest following both General Elections in 1974 with the Union Leaders being invited for "beer and sandwiches" at No 10. Technological advances being delayed or scuppered by the Unions because they would result in job losses. The Callaghan Government being unable to stand up and deal firmly with industrial unrest and political agitators in the Unions in the leadup to the Winter of Discontent in 1978/79. Sudden power cuts because the miners were on strike - again. Rubbish piling up in the streets because the dustmen were on strike. The dead going unburied. Bread being rationed due to some other strike. Denis Healey being sent, cap in hand, to the International Monetary Fund for a loan to prevent the country from going bankrupt.

Compare that with 2010. Rubbish piling up in the streets (Leeds) because the dustmen were on strike. The Brown Government being unable to stand up and deal firmly with the industrial unrest at British Airways and the Railways because the Unions are the Labour Party's paymasters . The Prime Minister and Chancellor presiding over the biggest financial con at the expense of the taxpayer that has ever happened.

Yes, a financial con. "No more boom and bust". As if he could single-handedly end the established economic cycle. The only phrase we didn't hear uttered from Gordon Clown's lips was "You've never had it so good". Instead, we were conned by him and his touchstone, his friend Prudence. What prudence sells off the country's entire gold reserves at a rock bottom price? What prudence removes regulation of the banking system from the most senior Bank Manager of them all and hands it to the bankers themselves? What prudence saddles the country with the biggest national debt in recorded history?

So as you can gather, I had already made up my mind how I would be voting. Exactly the same way as at every General Election since 1983. In a way, I'm rather looking forward to either Patrick Hall's or Henry Vann's minions coming and knocking on my door (that's assuming that they can actually get in to the apartment block to start with).