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When the rats were lining up to desert Boris’ sinking ship, I made the point that I was gravely concerned that the Government would rush headlong to appoint a new leader. I didn’t think I was saying anything ground breaking, because the delay the country needs to take stock of the mess we are in simply isn’t viable; the wheels of democracy must keep turning. However, the predicted rush has led us to a far worse scenario than I had initially feared. In my view, neither Sunak nor Truss offer genuine change, indeed their performances on the televised debates have been nothing short of terrifying. Not only did they, or any of the other candidates, lack any personality or true charisma, they were simply uninspiring, dull, and downright mediocre. If these are the shining lights of the Conservative Party I despair for our future. Largely all of them were completely complicit in Boris’ train wreck of a Cabinet/Government, and as I feared it looks like same old, same old will be the inevitable outcome.
I actually believe that it would have been better for the country to accept Boris’ resignation, but with a clear direction that he could serve on for a further 6 months, whilst the UK political system was subjected to a complete overhaul. I appreciate that the naysayers will immediately ridicule this suggestion, but how else can we define and implement true change. Admittedly, this would inevitably return the same party to Govern post Boris’s departure, but under a revamped constitution; a Tory government going forward is guaranteed in any case. Surely this approach would at least deliver some long overdue change and update the constitution which is no longer fully capable of supporting appropriate governance. The very least the British public deserve is an in-depth review of a system that seems to accept wholly inappropriate behaviour, unacceptable standards, and weak, ineffective leadership.
I have always championed the view that there are multiple ways to address problems; I do not have all the answers but I do know that simply sweeping things under the carpet will never resolve anything. As a people we need to be brave, accept that radical change is overdue and that unless we do something, we will continue to make the same mistakes. Boris, Rishi, or Liz, it makes no difference whatsoever, the same old approach will prevail. To ensure success in business, change is a wholly accepted necessity, as stagnation guarantees failure; government is no different and let’s be clear, large parts of our constitution and laws are simply outdated and unfit for purpose.
Current reality dictates that the brightest and most capable amongst us will simply never enter politics, and as a consequence our politicians are, in the main, second rate. To attract the very best will never be easy, but why would the elite want to constrain themselves to a career in the mediocrity of politics, where they will earn less, and be restricted by a constitution and laws that are largely decades, even centuries, out of date. Unless we change these factors, our future as a nation can never be optimised and for clarity, it is largely the same the world over, and for the same reasons. But who, or which nation has the courage and determination to create the time in which to bring itself up to date. Why not the UK; we have been amongst the strongest nations in the world for centuries, defending not just our own shores but much of the world at the same time. Why not do the right thing again, but this time with the interests of our own citizens of the UK front and centre.
The UK has the qualities, in terms of people, technology, and innovative strength to tackle this huge issue head on. To create the conditions in which we could stabilise day-to-day government, identifying and managing the necessary time period in which to completely review, update, and implement the level of constitutional change necessary to set our country on the road to success. In doing so, we could provide the kind of government that is rid of historical shackles, is focused on making this country the best place to live on the planet, and utilises a modern, future proofed model to manage our country’s growth and development moving forward. I genuinely believe this is the level of change we need, but I somehow doubt that it will ever occur. Still, I am a positive person who can dream and the truth is, anything is possible.
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