The Durham Miner's Gala...
I'll admit I know very little about it even though it has happened for 131 years...it is steeped in the history of trade unions and trying to give the "Working Man" a fairer life as an employee by getting better working conditions, a decent wage, better hours which it has to be said there were many employers who took advantage of the workers and in the early days of our industrial revolution, the politicians in Parliament were from the same social class and were often rich on the backs the workers and they owned many of the factories and mines so why would they want to change things.
Sadly, there are still employers who take advantage, politicians that still make life difficult for many, that's why so many jobs are low paid(not a living wage)and have to be made up by the State still and yet in the next breath they are trying to reduce the help given.
And I do not lean any particular way politically, I just call it as I see it and if I see a policy I believe to be good I'll praise that party.
So today for the first time in something like 23 years the leader of the Labour party attended and addressed the gala. The people attending cheered but what is he offering as an alternative political choice for the future of the UK and the people who are hurting. The vulnerable, the ill and disadvantaged. When the speech is analysed I bet everyone will be asking what did he actually say that gives us hope?
Ed Milliband Speech at the Gala(some not much)
He said "A few years ago the Tories tried to say, 'We're all in it together.' But now we know they never meant it. Because we have seen what they do when they get back in power"
"One rule for those at the top and another rule for everybody else. They cut taxes for millionaires and they raise taxes on pensioners."
"It's business as usual in the banks and small businesses go under."
Sounds nice but what concrete policies is he signposting for the future?
Also..."Community. Looking out for each other. Never walking by on the other side. These are the value of the people of Durham. These are the values of the people of the North East. These are also the values of the British people."
He acknowledged past Labour stalwarts who have spoken at past galas, some who are now names in the history of the UK such as Keir Hardie and Clement Attle.
"I am proud to follow in their footsteps," he said. "I am proud to be here today."
Lots of platitudes...
When you talk on a local level it is the values of the British people and we do look out for each other and step in and help when the chips are down. That's proven how we give when a disaster hits abroad. How we donate to food banks in our own country even if we are hard up ourselves...but the media and Government play the divide and rule game. We are also back into the territory where the question is asked who are the deserving poor and the undeserving poor.
Sadly, there are still employers who take advantage, politicians that still make life difficult for many, that's why so many jobs are low paid(not a living wage)and have to be made up by the State still and yet in the next breath they are trying to reduce the help given.
And I do not lean any particular way politically, I just call it as I see it and if I see a policy I believe to be good I'll praise that party.
So today for the first time in something like 23 years the leader of the Labour party attended and addressed the gala. The people attending cheered but what is he offering as an alternative political choice for the future of the UK and the people who are hurting. The vulnerable, the ill and disadvantaged. When the speech is analysed I bet everyone will be asking what did he actually say that gives us hope?
Ed Milliband Speech at the Gala(some not much)
He said "A few years ago the Tories tried to say, 'We're all in it together.' But now we know they never meant it. Because we have seen what they do when they get back in power"
"One rule for those at the top and another rule for everybody else. They cut taxes for millionaires and they raise taxes on pensioners."
"It's business as usual in the banks and small businesses go under."
Sounds nice but what concrete policies is he signposting for the future?
Also..."Community. Looking out for each other. Never walking by on the other side. These are the value of the people of Durham. These are the values of the people of the North East. These are also the values of the British people."
He acknowledged past Labour stalwarts who have spoken at past galas, some who are now names in the history of the UK such as Keir Hardie and Clement Attle.
"I am proud to follow in their footsteps," he said. "I am proud to be here today."
Lots of platitudes...
When you talk on a local level it is the values of the British people and we do look out for each other and step in and help when the chips are down. That's proven how we give when a disaster hits abroad. How we donate to food banks in our own country even if we are hard up ourselves...but the media and Government play the divide and rule game. We are also back into the territory where the question is asked who are the deserving poor and the undeserving poor.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 5:44 pm
3 Comments:
I hope these comments are going to the right subject, Gildy. I'm having trouble with my computer today.
Much the same is happening here. Divide and conquer seems to be the way of things. And I don't know about over there, but here people are usually very compassionate about the poor and the sick. It seems now that they're mad at them and want to blame the country's woes on them instead of where it really belongs.
The bankers in this country started this whole mess by trading debt like a commodity. Since this had never done before they did this without the benefit of the same oversight and regulation that commodity trading must succumb to. Other countries jumped on the bandwagon, the result being a few people made huge amounts of money...for awhile.
Now it's time to pay the piper and they're pushing it over on the very folks who can least afford it.
I swear I don't know how these people sleep at night.
I'm all for business and people who risk their capital should be able to make money but making obscene amounts of profit on the backs of people who either didn't understand what they were doing or didn't have anything to do with it in the first place is worse than greed, imo.
And if the leaders of this country really wanted the "We're all in this together" line to work, they would start with cleaning their own house.
They should be paying for their own pensions, their own health care and take immediate pay-cuts like the rest of the country.
I challenge them....even just one of them to do this voluntarily.
I think there'll be snowball fights in h*ll before that happens.
Grrrrr!
This is a very sore subject for me. Sorry about that...just needed to vent a little. :o(
Jan
Jan,
You are absolutely right(I would say that wouldn't I)but I would if I was not in the situation I am in.
You have summed it up very well. You have also helped dispell the impression that the media gives of how the American population sees things but like here talk to people at street level you often get a different and more compassionate take on it all.
It's the silent majority but in the media you hear the vocal minority.
The worry is that people start to believe and not question what they see or hear and think sometimes opinions and views are fact.
We're not so very different and mostly have the same hopes and worries for our family and friends, and I suspect that is true of just about any country on the planet.
We are a big country, Gildy, with a lot of different opinions, but their are plenty (I would say most) who feel the banking sector is getting away with murder.
Most people still don't even understand exactly what happened.
What they were doing is so convoluted and complicated it's hard for people in the industry to understand, let alone everyday folk.
It took Frontline (PBS program here) two full episodes to even begin to explain. Their programs are called Frontline - Money, Power and Wall Street. If you can watch this you should. It's pretty comprehensive and they make a complicated situation much easier to understand.
If you weren't foaming at the mouth before...you will be!
I do agree that everyday people all over the world are basically the same. We all want good jobs, decent healthcare and schools and to be relatively safe.
I'm really tired of not having any decent leaders in this country. There is no one, and I mean no one in this whole presidential campaign that I feel comfortable voting for, now that's sad.
I was always taught you lead by example. With the lot we've got it's no wonder we're in such a mess. :o/
Jan
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