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I posted an earlier version of this a while back – inspired to do update following THAT discussion about all things ULEZ.
The “manifesto”, in terms of transport, only mentions stopping HS2, but there’s plenty on the usual right-wing obsessions: Brexit, immigration, veterans and climate change. I had another look because I worry about the ongoing decline of the two main political parties.
If the Cons stay wedded to Brexit, then we will go into the next GE with all the widespread impoverishment Brexit has ushered in – not helped by Covid, Putin, etc. People generally vote according to their pockets. I don’t get Labour’s current position on Europe either, but let’s see how that evolves, and even the Cons may also evolve, or even pivot, but time is already running out for them.
Several roads now lead to the horrors of a further lurch to the right in this country. Let’s hope Labour get the GE landslide the polls are predicting – but we’re still at least a year out from the real campaigning beginning.
A cycling angle? With the Reform Party and its ilk, Facebook Steve and Nextdoor Dave attain real political influence. It’s not spelt out in the manifesto, but you can see where this is probably heading and what it is likely to mean for cycling. You can bet that this lot are very much “on the side of hard working drivers” etc.
As you all know, Dave’s going to “sort the traffic” and no doubt show them lazy planners how it’s done: Steve thinks the Council are corrupt, the police blinkered and is, if he can fit it in to his busy schedule he’s going to “teach them Lycra’s a thing or two.” It won’t concern him that his Mondeo is 3 months out of MoT or that Mrs Steve sometimes drives the kids in it uninsured.
As vulnerable road users, vulnerable people, we rely a great deal on the rule of law for protection. The rule of law means that we understand what the laws are, they are in general fair, and how they are applied and to whom is even-handed and consistent.
The fascist position is broadly the opposite – it’s all off-the-cuff to support today’s particular agenda – that’s why the Iain Duncan-Smith “happy to see ULEZ infra vandalised” comment is, as an example, so very worrying. In the Conservatives, here is a party happy to send signals to enable the mob to attack RNLI stations, beat up immigrants, shout at teachers, doctors etc.
This right-wing stuff works by allowing/enabling significant privileged groups to to think of themselves as the downtrodden underdog and here is a way to fight back. The pro Brexit campaign played on people’s ignorance, fears and prejudices exactly as this does.
It’s all about freedom, innit, less regulation, less tax burden, and damn the climate. There’s more polar bears now, so it’s fine. Let’s have open-cast coal mining, lithium mining and fracking. The section on climate change stumbles around like a Friday night drunk, trying to explain he wasn’t being racist to the barman – a denier position emerges, unsurprisingly.
In places, the mask really slips: “We must keep divisive woke ideologies such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) and gender ideology out of the classroom.” – to be honest, I don’t even know what those two are.
The standard enemies are put up – the civil service, the BBC. Amid all the thrust and parry, there’s nothing about making a better, more inclusive and cohesive world to live in; arts, sports and culture don’t feature in this barstool view of the world: a dullard’s grim vision.
Don’t be a member of the wrong sort of minority would be my advice, should any of this come to pass.
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Kent CC meetings calendar for
Kent CC meetings calendar for June – I make it 11 out of 22 either cancelled or postponed. The most amusing thing I think is the Member Development Committee – this lot are the most in need of this stuff, but are running scared of it.
The one that terrifies them the most, because it undermines the mindset, is equalities /diversity/inclusion. It starts off by saying “Other people exist. Their story, situation, level of privilege and perspective may be different to yours and are equally valid.”
They might even do this: https://www.lakelandcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/InclusionDiversity-Classroom_Activity_Privilege_Walk.pdf
I thought my wife was making
I thought my wife was making a joke when she said that the new leader of Warwickshire CC looked about 18 – he really is! So having come back from holiday in the Dominican Republic, the original leader stood down for health reasons.
Council boss quits, leaving 18-year-old in charge
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93knke95peo
Reform UK councillor demands
Reform UK councillor demands removal of town hall Pride flag
He’s not happy!
…I did ask the town hall to take it down as it is causing some upset amongst residents and if it were not flown it would cause upset to no one.”
Cllr Hopley said he felt under attack. He wrote: “I have now been called prejudiced and racist by members of the town council. I am not in any way prejudiced. I was simply expressing a view of my constituents who felt they did not have a voice.”
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