The 'Brilliant ideas keep coming!"

If any right thinking UK citizen would like to know the capability, the competence of their government, or indeed their political representatives, think no further. One of the most brilliant decisions made by the Labour government - Eligible prisoners serving more than five years can now be automatically released after only 40% of their fixed-term sentence, rather than the usual 50%. Right, brilliant decision, arn’t we wonderful? The problem though is as already seen across the nation, the increase of homeless people sleeping rough. Just as in Wales, which is not yet overpopulated except in holiday time when brainless English come to defecate on its beaches, the borough of Bridgend seems to be taken over by rough sleepers. Cardiff as well, like other big UK cities. Just like all these other badly researched, badly managed political decisions this one very quickly has bitten us all in the bum! With the housing crisis in full swing who in all honesty thought that releasing prisoners early was a good thing? Not only that, just throwing them out onto the street without any thought whatsoever where they would find a place to stay? Find food, find a toilet? Ah, we already have closed all public toilets because of all the paedophiles, you know. Another of those brilliant decisions councillors come up with from time to time.

So, how did this wonderful idea come about? Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system. “Our prisons are on the point of collapse”, new Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said today (Friday 12 July) as she set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system”. (This from the gov.uk site). Well, right, did the Lord Chancellor think why this came about then? No? Ah, maybe because we haven’t built any new prisons since King William I invaded England? Just alone in Wales the prison buildings are mostly Victorian and falling apart. This is probably true for the rest of the UK as well. But as we know it is indicative of British (London) politics to ‘solve’ problems without thinking about why there are these problems. On the spot government, you ‘solve’ one crisis and six others are caused. I have called this in the past ‘Stop-gap government’.

In fact I begin to believe the whole world is like this. Listen to President-elect Trump ‘I will stop the war in Ukraine’. That can be done of course, simply stopping all aid immediately. But will it solve the underlying problem? Good question! In fact it will just make it worse. If just only little ol’ me can see that, why can’t the president-elect? Or was it just the usual sound-bite on the campaign trail? There are many more. The climate situation is another. But it is easy to think – “We are doomed”, fortunately there are still many good people about, so let’s hope sense prevails.