Fool Britannia
Categories: uncategorized
Date: 04 June 2007 16:22:31
When our current government came into power 10 years ago we were promised a new era of politics and a new dawn. This new dawn became known as Cool Britannia; a time for Britain to throw off its old stodgy past and to reinvent itself as a modern go-getting nation.
Much of this "spin" has remained throughout the past 10 years. Everything new is good and everything old is bad. There is no consideration of historical relevance when polticians decide to renew the country. Old buildings have been destroyed to make way for modern, glass enclosed, odd angled monstrosities. English Heritage, the government body set up to preserve historic buildings, have had their powers cut. Our arts and cultural bodies have seen their funding cut to pay for the Olympics in 2012.
Many people are happy to deride the government for their lack of historical and cultural inclination. Bliar promised to preserve the arts and increase funding in a recent speech to the arts bodies in London. Then he revealed that the last thing he'd gone to see was a West End production The Sound of Music. More sounds of nervous, hysterical laughter from his audience.
The Culture Secretary, charged with promoting, protecting and improving such things, is the greatest Philistine since Goliath - but nowhere near as kind and warmhearted. She is happy to destroy what culture we have left in order to keep our (soon to leave) Leader happy.
Their greatest triumph has been the capturevof the 2012 games. No one expected London to win that competition; Paris were way ahead of us. Then the result was announced. Suddenly the reality dawned on the government - we'd presented a totally unrealistic budget. We forgot that the new constructions would need to pay VAT (Value Added Tax) on the materials bought. The budget has escalated from £3bn to almost £12bn and is still rising.
No one has any real clue on how its going to be funded. The taxpayers of London have to meet part of the cost. The government are inputting a certain amount of taxpayer's money and they're raiding the National Lottery funds to pay for the rest.
Today they have shown the depth of their vision. Behold the official symbol of the 2012 Olympics in all its majesty:
Have we really paid a professional to come up with this pile of junk? Do you think that this has cost less than 6 figures?
Seb Coe, the former Olympic 1500m record holder, and leader of our Olympic Dream has described this as: "The vision at the very heart of our brand. It is an invitation to take part and be involved."
I think that he's spent far to long mixing with politicians, spin doctors and mentally deficient trolls. Maybe we should take him out the back and put him out of his misery. A more positive call for voluntary Euthanasia, or sectioning under the Mental Health Act, I have not heard.