And now for the bad news

Two bits of news leapt off the screen for me today.

The first is about Gordon Brown lying about spending cuts. Lying? Gordon Brown?

"The Treasury papers show that the Government is actually expecting the average cut to be 9.3 per cent. "

That was from the The Telegraph, but the lines that froze me on the spot:

The leaked papers also show that by 2013/14, the Treasury expects to be paying out £63 billion on interest payments on the national debt.


Can that be right?

And then there is this, from The Times:

The number of young people out of work hit a record 947,000 in July as total unemployment hit in Britain hit 2.47 million.

Official data today showed that the number of jobless 16-24 year olds jumped by nearly 60,000 in the three months to July to the highest level since 1992, when records began.

What appalls me about these two stories is not that the news is very bad indeed, which of course, it is, but that the general public have believed Labour lies for so long that we are in a parallel universe where 20% of the population still intend to vote Labour. Why? What do they think will happen? That it will only get better?

The guy from D-Ream who wrote and performed "Things Can Only Get Better" on the 1997 election night now works for CERN as an Astro Physicist. I hope the bugger disappears up his own Boson.


On a much lighter note, my kids are staying with me (both in their twenties). They hate my new car, a Peugeot Partner Quicksilver.

"But it's so practical" I bleat.
"It looks like a disabled car. It looks like it's for mental people" they chime.

On the way from the airport, they are gurning and waving maniacally at other motorists to make the point.

"but look at all the stowage space!"

"That'll be to keep the feeding tubes and spare nappies"

The Young are so cruel.

So what's your verdict on the Peugeot Partner Quicksilver?

Does it make the cool wall or does the driver look like a nob and do the passengers look "special"?

9 comments:

Jim Baxter said...

'fraid I'd have to say it's likely to make the driver look 'special'. He probably chose it, after all.

The passengers are weird only if they are not signalling wildly to be let out.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Thanks Jim.

vote SNP said...

The 20% voting for Labour is quite predictable. This will be the long term unemployed and their unemployed parents who are quite happy with the staus quo. Keeping their benefits just above what they would get working for the minimum wage. Also many public sector employees ( 1 in 6 of the working population by the way )who rely on Labour to keep the pay and golden pensions rolling in. Oh and everyone at the BBC.
The car isn't very pretty but is functional and fit for purpose. A bit of an Alex Salmond I'd say.
Don't let your kids lick the windows. That's going too far !

Norton Folgate said...

Well at least it isn't light blue with 3 wheels.

King Athelstan said...

Not a thing of beauty is it Ged?

strapworld said...

I admire you! I wanted to get one but my kids were exactly the same. Goodness me hours of abuse and I was only THINKING about it.
I got a sporty exstate instead!

Sad me but I hand you all my praise.

p.s. it is for disabled people!I am one so I should know!

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Thank you for your pity.

Administrator said...

In the world of special cars it's a Joey Deacon to Ferrari's Draco Malfoy

Jez said...

Nice practicable car. Nothing wrong with it. If the quotes from your "grown up" children are accurate:

Then: I suggest that they spend time with some crippled - elderly - sick people. That might wipe the smirk off their faces.

and:

Get themselves some therapy and do some growing up.

Yours etc. elderly, and disabled.