27 September, 2005

Browns speech at Labours conference

Since all the parties started having their annual meetings I have been waiting for someone to speak with passion and commitment. Today Gordon Brown spoke and I thought great, what a speech but after careful reflection I started to think. Today his speech concentrated on the future of our country and making it great again. He also spoke of what Labour was doing for our children, in education and training ect. Which I think is great but he didn't say much about what he was doing for the adults or youth of today. He didn't say anything about improving pensioners lifestyles, about giving them a fair pension. He did say that he wanted a future great British society that didn't say me me me all the time. His words were, never again should we say them and us, but in today's climate it seems like those words will be lost because there are those that have and want more and those that have nothing, having less then nothing. I was just wondering after seeing all these programs on what the government has done in reality. It seems to me only a little change has come since this government first took power and it's not really in the poorest areas of Britain. The fact that crime seems to have risen and the poorer have actually gotten poorer seems to have eluded some politicians Any change is a good thing for this country as it was run down by the last government but shouldn't this government be listening and supporting its people. We all know governments give with one hand and take with the other. It's an accepted thing now days, but wouldn't it be great for a government just to say, if you want us to do this then we have to put tax up. As the beer ad says a refreshing change and I think this government would find that people are willing to pay more for what they want. For what Gordon Brown was proposing he will need to put tax up. What with his shortfall on the economy.
As yet nothing for the homeless who are not part of a society it seems. Are they the second class citizens we are to afraid to talk about? Yet they live and breathe the same air. They spend the same money, they pay the same VAT and when they work they pay the same taxes. How can a country like ours accept that we do have poor people and still not allow them to live decently? But that's what we do everyday we see them on the streets asleep in shop doorways. When we walk through run down estates. We walk past because it's an everyday scene. Something we have gotten used to. Sometimes we say to ourselves oh what a shame or I couldn't live here. When we see people living on rundown estates. our automatic reaction is am I going to be mugged or something? Its that feeling of trouble. We want to get away as soon as possible. We maybe came from some estate like the one we pass through on our way to work? We just can't wait to dissociate ourselves because we know that this was where hope was at it's lowest and it was only luck that we manage to escape. How can a country like ours stand still while people are homeless through no fault of their own or maybe have problems beyond their control. How can we stand still and say to ourselves at least we're okay?
I have to admit this government has reduced the number of people sleeping rough but not by the figures they say. I go out and speak to people at night that are sleeping rough and I seem to be seeing more and more. I truly believe that by trying to cure one problem the government has now created another in what is now being called hidden homeless. These are the people stuck in limbo as it were. In hostels, B and Bs and don't forget the people that are still sleeping on friends floors. To be truthful I don't think Mr Browns speech said too much, only that I am pruning myself to be the next prime minister and this is what I think you want to hear. Do I agree with Labours future policies? I have to say I do, but what is it going to actually cost? And what about the people of today? They are the ones that are going to teach our future children. They are the ones that need financial help now. What about those that cannot possibly afford a bed or cooker on benefits, can't afford loans because they already owe. They are the ones that I believe these politicians should be thinking about and not tomorrow. If poverty exists today then no matter what the governments plans for the future are I do not see change so long as there is poverty. It has to be tackled today not tomorrow. Hope has to be given back to those who have none because they can't work or want to, but it's not available. Hope has to be given to those children of today that see no future when they leave school. Hope has to be given to those on benefits. These are the people that voted hoping for change.
We can all be politicians in one way or another and can make passionate speeches but the saying action speaks louder than words really does apply to our government.

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