Happy New Year to you all, however, cynical old me thinks that it’s time to stop banging my head against the much-abused wall.
It suddenly occurred to me that I have been writing this blog for over 10 years, which is an awful lot of bollocks in anybody’s books. What has changed in that 10+ years? Not very much.
The same weary party are in power, and even though they have played numerous games of Musical Chairs in Cabinet Office and Number 10, not much else has changed.
The thing that winds me up the most, with particular reference to Policing, but many other aspects of government also, is that no matter how much carnage a variety of Home Secretaries and Chancellors have inflicted on policing and other public services, not one of them have been held to account. They lie to us, alter the truth to help get their message across, change the law to make unlawful policies lawful, and seemingly able to spend an awful lot of time in ‘second’ jobs.
My previous MP, Mr Owen Paterson had a second job for which he received the paltry sum of £500 per hour, which he DID declare to the Register of Interests. What could he possibly have been doing for them that could justify £500 per hour?
What have our elected MPs done about these savage interferences? Not very much in the case of government MPs, the current Whipping system ensures that the majority of MPs vote in support of the Motion in most cases.
What have the ACPO/NPCC wallahs done about it? With very few exeptions they have visibly done not much until they retire and they magically get gifted with all the answers.
In my opinion the Police Federation could have done more to oppose the Home Secretaries, but they seemed unwilling to also.
It is my opinion that anybody who has voted Conservative since 2010 is effectively voting in favour of the cuts. Here we are, nearly 14 years and heaven knows how many Prime Ministers, and Cabinets, later, and people are complaining about just about every facet of Policing. Most of which is valid, but directly attributable to the Tory cuts. Even some Conservative MPs have lost their memory and complaining that can’t get a Police response when they need one.
With all that in mind I have concluded that 2024 will be my Swan Song. Don’t all cheer at once.
When the ‘rental’ comes due on this website later in the year I won’t renew it, and it will vanish from t’interweb.
It’s been fun, I’ve learnt a lot, about many different topics, including building and maintaining a website. The whole project has amused and frustrated in equal measure, and I’m quite certain I shall miss the crotchety old git.
As an ex officer I despaired long before I retired. I seriously think that until the Police Service once more becomes a Police Force and is no longer an arm of social services, scraps the target culture, stops bending its knees to whatever social issue is in vogue and gets rid of the PCC’s that will free them of political meddling, will the public start giving them the respect they once had. It’s not difficult catch law breakers without fear or favour.
Before you go. I admit that I have not read your posts from years ago, but you may have evidence to support a theory. Would you consider helping me?
Good morning Tristram, if I have anything that will assist you then I will willingly share it. If you want to email me details of your requirements I’ll take a look. The blog may be retiring but I shall keep all of my data and charts. Happy to help if I can