By Professor Peter Jones MBE FCGI FIH FRACA: The Absurdity of British Politics – What happened to politics for the ‘common good’?
The current political pronouncements by the rival candidates to be the next prime minister of Great Britain, are being made, not on the basis of the strategic or short-term needs of the country, but on the rhetorical political soundbites likely to match the political groupthink of a very narrowly focused sector of society. An ‘electorate’, that can really only be described as a minority group with some of the characteristics of a cult caught in a time warp of hubris of national greatness. A more unrepresentative group of the UK population it would be hard to find.
The complete absence of sound rational thinking and policies for the “common good” is and has been a feature of the past 12 years of government. A government of which the two prime ministerial candidates have been prominent members. This begs the question of what will be different with a new prime minister? Why are they proselytising that they, and only they, can put right many of the problems facing the country that they, as part of the government, have been unable to fix in the past 12 years? This is before the immediate and significant problems of recession, household energy bills and the general cost of living.
The focus on short-term soundbites, does nothing to suggest that there is any recognition of the ‘big picture’ long-term strategic problems facing the country, many that have been exacerbated by the governments short-term policy expediency of pandering to mostly internal pressure groups. Short termism is a major failing of our current democratic system that discourages considered political debate on the long-term strategic issues that have an impact on the ‘common good’, not just those minority political stakeholders who are key influencers of policy and often party paymasters. The rising evidence of cronyism, political patronage, cakeism, collusion, and a clear decline in standards in public life, are examples of a government that has no hesitation in behaving both illegally and unethically. Whether this is in relation to personal gain, advancement and honours, or multi million pound contracts to favoured “friends”, it indicates a government that has no moral compass nor operates within the guiding principle of the ‘common good’.
There is no evidence to suggest that this will change with the new prime minister. Indeed it could well be true that many of the promises made by the current candidates will worsen an already bad situation. Rather than set the tone and tenor for a new moral direction the candidates rhetoric suggests otherwise. As does the rhetoric of “governing for all” when one candidate seems to be deliberately setting out to abuse and denigrate the devolved administrations in some self belief that belittling, and ignoring, they can be overridden, overruled, and overlooked. A surefire way of alienating at least three of the four countries that are currently Great Britain.
The arrogance of the rhetoric is an accurate reflection in how we are viewed by the rest of the world. The self aggrandizement and populous belief that the country has international stature, influence and international importance is very much at odds with the rule breaking, clownish, self harming, damaged, deluded country as seen by others.
How can the “common good” become the aim and objective, when the government cannot match a fraction of its rhetoric with measurable achievable improvements to everyone’s self-worth, health, education and well-being? How many government pledges and promises have actually been met over the last 12 years? Did they get Brexit done? Do we have any indicators that we are moving to a high skilled high wage economy? Has illegal migration reduced? Have they a costed scheme that prevents pensioners having to sell their properties to pay for the care services in later life? Is the NHS properly resourced for the changing needs of the population? Do we really value all members of our society including the dispossessed and the disabled? Have any infrastructure developments actually improved the common good? And do we have a long term plan on climate change and environmental degradation?
The answer to all of those many more of the social and economic questions that impacts on us all is a resounding NO. How long can this go on before the UK electorate realise that rubbing on government snake oil only makes the problem worse not better, and that a radical review of who should govern, how should we choose those to govern, and how should we be governed in such a way that always puts the ‘common good’ first is now long overdue.
Professor Peter Jones MBE FCGI FIH FRACA, is a Director of Wentworth Jones an international hospitality consultancy company as well as holding the post of Dean of the eHotelier Academy. He has recently undertaken the role of chair of the Crumbs project, that provides vocational hospitality catering trainee for adults with learning and other mental health disabilities.
He is recognised as a leading international hospitality educator and innovator. He holds a number of company directorships and honorary appointments and has undertaken national and international projects for a wide variety of organisations within the hospitality and hospitality education sectors.
He was the project director for the development of the Edge Hotel School, the first of its kind in the UK.
He authored the influential report on ‘Hospitality in the Post Covid-19 world’ and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to the Hospitality Industry in 2007.
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