Hands up those of you who have been angered and disappointed by the actions of politicians following the flood disasters in the north of England? Not just Boris Johnson, who was pathetically slow when stumbling into inaction, but also the leaders of the Labour and Lib Dem parties, Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson. Nothing spoke louder than “vote for me”. It was sheer, unadulterated politicking. Whilst people’s homes were flooded, whilst possessions were lost and ruined, whilst life was even being lost, the politicians were touting for votes. I felt sick.
I know that it could and probably would be said that Britain’s leading politicians – and that’s a very generous way of describing Johnson and Corbyn in particular – had stayed away. Whoever turned up to cry crocodile tears would soon be attacking those who didn’t, accusing them of being heartless and lacking in sympathy. An honest, decent politician would easily deflect such accusations but we have Johnson and Corbyn. Anything for a few extra votes.
There’s nearly a month more of horrible politicians promising the earth and then delivering nothing. That’s what has happened under every single government since I was first able to vote in 1979, with the honourable exception of Tony Blair’s New Labour. Modern politicians are, by comparison, pygmies, unfit to lace the boots of the man even David Cameron called “the master”.
The flood victims are mere collateral for the major parties, whose spokesmen and women spout weasel words and worthless pieties that have nothing to do with the lives and fears they are living with.
Johnson was terribly slow off the mark, waiting something like four days to bring in our wonderful troops to assist the heroes on the ground. There is no evidence that Corbyn would have been any better, but that’s beside the point. Politicians of all colours have been exposed for the cynical, uncaring vote-grabbers they are and in a month’s time when they are no longer begging us to out our cross in their box, they know they can and will forget about us.
