OCCUPIED COUNTRY

Elected !

Well....it’s that time of the year again. Local democracy once more rears its bloodied and battered head and sticks it forlornly over the parapet.

I must to admit to once being fascinated by all the swings, predictions, shocks and late night TV associated with politics both local and national, but, these days its all I can do to muster the strength to walk to polling booth. The fact that its just over the road from my local makes it feel a little churlish though, not to pop in and do my bit as I head bar-wards.

The reason for my lethargy is probably echoed all over the country. In a word: Spin !

There hasn’t been any passion in politics for such a long time. Now its been hijacked by managerial consultants and their ilk who have brought business-bollox-speak to a committee room near you. Psephologists can pontificate and speculate about the reasons for the continuing drop in turnout year after year, but the ordinary punter is wise enough to hear absolute patronising crap when s/he hears it......and votes with his/her feet !

Here in North Manchester things are probably going to be a little different this year though. In Oldham there are a record number of BNP and NF candidates standing in a borough that, a mere two years ago, was ablaze with race riots.

There’s no doubt in my mind that if the mainstream Parties don’t address perceived grievances – in some cases even stifle debate about them for fear of appearing ‘politically incorrect’, then they shouldn’t be surprised when other Parties (no matter how odious their views) hove into view promising solutions.

One thing’s for sure, tomorrow’s election should be a damn site more interesting than they have been for the past 10 years or so.

It would be sad though if Oldham Athletic gain promotion to the 1st division at the same time as the electorate of Oldham vote neo-Fascists into the council chamber.

Taxman

My mother and father have been retired a good few years. My Dad spends his days at home still trying to come to terms with the PC my youngest built for him a few years ago. My Mam has always needed to keep busy and she frequently does a little part-time work in the industry she spent her life in (upholsterer’s machinist).

Last November she was approached by an Upholsterer who worked for a Facilities Management company that renovated pubs. They provided all the craftsmen and women, Labour etc., that could turn a tired old pub into a tired, new shadow of its former self. You know the type of thing: false Olde Worlde charm, prints on the wall and pints of cold lager on the bar.

Anyway, this went on until last month when my Mam parted company with them. All the time she had worked there they deducted the full rate of income tax with NO allowances whatsoever.

“Don’t worry Mam” I said, “we’ll claim it all back – you’ll have quite a tidy little sum coming. Could arrive in time for your holidays”

We went on the Inland Revenue website and extracted the relevant information.

With a bit of luck we will have understood and filled in the form, posted it to Fife Inland Revenue Office (they look after the Manchester area !), replied to – no doubt – numerous queries emanating from that corner of Scotland and finally received the relevant monies due by.........ooooh.........2005 I reckon.

So to whoever it is who writes the pamphlets that are supposed to help, as well as those who actually formulate the forms that people need to fill in to claim anything, I’ll repeat the quote from Pete Seeger I referred to a couple of weeks ago:-

Any damn fool can get complicated; it takes genius to keep things simple.