I don't want to live in a world where (Poem)

I don't want to live in a world
Where nuclear weapons are valued higher
Than young people out of work.
Or where papers attack a son
By twisting the words of his dad.

I don't want to live in a world,
Where politicians bow down before
Bankers and Newspaper barons,
Or where freedom of speech
Only applies if you agree.

I don't want to live in a world,
Where poverty can be 'deserved'
and 'strivers' pitted against 'skivers'
Or where foodbank use growing
and for some it is heat or eat.

I don't want to live in a world
Where it's always the fault of the 'other'
Be they foreigner, poor or the government before.
Or where the suffering of anyone
Should be none of my concern.

I want to live in a world
Where people are people
Not just numbers and figures.
And where people are at the centre
Not money and power.

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This wasn't the blog post I thought I was going to write today... I have one bouncing around in my head that I just can't articulate about my idea of what Church should be. I guess that will come when it is ready. But instead I found myself writing a bit of a protest poem.

Every Greenbelt I rediscover my love for Grace Petrie, a wonderful singer-songwriter with some amazingly passionate songs, and I have been listening to They Shall Not Pass a lot recently (You can listen to it here, but be aware, there is a little bit of ripe language at the start), and the last lines of verse four this poem is taken from the line in They Shall Not Past which really chimes with me.

A Radical Idea for Reforming Politics

I feel I should go and put my Che t-shirt on to write this, as I'm going to propose a radical change to the British political system.

Recently, I have been listening to old episodes of The Mark Steel  Solution (which can be found here), in which Mark Steel suggests radical solutions to social issues. These include that the Royal Family should be chosen by a weekly lottery, everyone should be force to move house and change families annually, and public transport should be paid for by the people who don't use it. (Although it is obviously a satirical programme, when you hear his reasoning, you do start to see his point.)

Anyway today I am going to suggest the Matt Collins Solution:

Anyone who wants to be a politician should automatically be barred from the House of Commons.

Maybe this is a bit of a kneejerk reaction to the last few days, but I am ashamed of the British Political system at the moment. Repeatedly we see big business and bankers, media types and millionaires getting tax breaks or bail outs, while we see those most in need being vilified, attacked and pushed deeper into poverty.

Public opinion is carefully selected to fit the message politicians want to portray, and debate is shut down. In the past couple of days, when four churches were critical of Benefit reform, the Chancellor dismissed this as the church having 'vested interests'. I fail to see how Churches have a vested interest in millions in poverty... And when a Cabinet Minister claims that he could live on the same amount as a person on benefits, people asking him to prove it is dismissed as 'a stunt'

Now I don't want to tarnish all MPs with the same brush, that would be unfair. Many do a great job of representing the concerns of their constituents. But it seems the higher up the party system you go, the less the public seem to matter. They only matter when elections loom, and then it is a rush to outdo each other in pandering to popular support. (I could go on a whole rant about the failing of the Party Political system, but I'll leave that for another time.)

But with the advent of career politicians, who go straight for their PPE course are a Russell Group university to a PR job or policy researcher, then gets parachuted in to a safe party seat a rocket up the ministries, I believe the wrong people are getting into politics. This is a planned rise to power, but someone who obviously has the drive to make it to the top, and stay there once they get there. It becomes about power, not about service.

And this is why, under the Matt Collins Solution, these kinds of people would automatically be barred from become politicians. Instead, people would be able to select a person who they believe would do the best job. These would most likely be people who never gave a thought to being an MP. You would be able to elect someone who has a passion for their community, and wants to make a difference for the people around them, rather than ideologues who seem more interesting in power for themselves.

Now this isn't perfect; there are details to be worked out, such as an effective vetting system. But Comrades, who is with me?

Rants on Trident and the Lib Dems

Quite a bit has happened in the past week or so since I last blogged.

There has been more talk about cuts. Schools budgets (in England at least) have been ring fenced, and the MoD isn’t taking as big a cut as it thought. So much for every department taking its share. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to see schools losing money, but the MoD… Give up Trident and there is a lot of money saved.

As an International Politics student, I have thought a lot about Trident. I remember watching the Leaders debates before the election, and listening to Cameron and Brown saying that Trident is necessary for the safety of the country. The whole time I wanted to ask them one key question. ‘A country attacked the UK, would you really sign the death warrants of hundreds of thousand civilians, and press that red button?’ Because that is the ‘safety’ Trident offers. The Geneva Conventions forbid the deliberate targeting of non-combatants (civilians), so to use a nuclear weapon would be a war crime. And imagine having the deaths of hundreds of thousands on your conscious… I know I wouldn’t.

Also I have lost a lot of respect for the Liberal Democrats since the election. We had very similar views, or so I thought. Looking after students, scrap Trident, etc. They get a sniff of power, ally with the Conservatives and suddenly they are giving in to £7000 student fees, saying they won’t vote against Trident, and generally being the fall guy face of all the cuts. I hoped the Lib Dems would be the voice of reason in a tricky coalition, but instead they seem to be there just to make up the numbers. But oh well, only four and a half years to go.

But, I’m going to be positive to finish. Twice a week Methsoc, or a contingent of us at least, invade our local Weatherspoons, and usually end up chatting to one of the barmaids who’s shifts seem to match our visits. Last week she said she was interested in coming to church, so I persuaded her to try St Pauls. This Sunday she came, and really enjoyed it. So I feel Methodist visits to pubs, as it is a great place to witness.

And on that note, I’ll live you. Sorry for my rants.