A bit of balance

+Writing in the New Statesman Andrew Marr is keen to take a balanced view on the Labour government’s performance to date, citing a great expenditure on fixing potholes, on breakfast clubs and what it seems is a somewhat pared down version of Sure Start. Perhaps to his list we could add the potential recognition of a Palestinian state, albeit with conditionalities which will affix responsibility for that on Netanyahu’s shoulders in a kind of diplomatic swerve. At least there must be a small amount of satisfaction to be had in Starmer’s recognition that there may be a problem with the UK’s stance so far on the Palestinian issue, even if it doesn’t interfere with our military support for the Israeli fascist regime. However, what Marr does not say is that despite the good things the government is doing nothing it is doing is seeking any fundamental change to the system. Let’s remember that Thatcher and her neo-cons friends DID change the system, freeing up the financial ‘masters of the universe’ to wreak havoc wherever they roamed. Thus it came to pass that after New Labour left office, many things it sought to achieve, notably a better start for kids and families through Sure Start could easily be abandoned by the Tories. The change was not embedded, the culture wasn’t changed. I don’t see that this government has the appetite for that. Quite the opposite.
 
+Marr makes the point that modern life is perhaps full of little irritations which can affect people’s mood for the worse, like coping with potholes. Here’s another: online booking fees. You do the work and you pay for the privilege. It’s curious how this practice is not universal. LNER and Transpennine Express for example do not charge you for the work you put in to booking your own rail travel, although Trainline does. I came across an egregious example of the practice today, receiving a brochure advertising events in Hull city council-owned entertainment venues, it’s theatre and city hall. You do all the work online and they will charge you a £1.50 booking fee + £2.50 ’facility fee’ and if you want the tickets posting out to you, you will pay the postage plus another £1.20 ‘admin charge.’ Such extras are maybe justified on the grounds that the council is strapped for cash, but the phenomenon is rife and it must be one of those things to be considered ’very irritating’ about modern life. No wonder people feel they’re fighting a constant battle against being screwed. 

+I have long thought it must be time for Rupert Murdoch to join the fate of the News of the World and depart this life, but now I feel he (age 94) should press on, and trounce the upstart Trump in his vanity libel action over the Epstein stuff. If Trump's libel action ever gets to court (doubtful) it may reveal more about the actual relationship Trump had with Epstein than he would rather have known.  MAGA! (Make America Murdoch Again)