After a year like 2024, trilling “Things can only get better” would not normally seem to be an unreasonable expectation. These, however, are not normal times. In the modern world, a degree of turbulence must be expected but we do now seem to be buffeted by gale forces from every direction. It would be a rash pilot who advised that it was now safe to unbuckle seat belts.
So, in asking Father Christmas for gifts to last beyond December 26, it seemed wise to aim – relatively – low, while, naturally, adding that a large helping of ’Joy’ (the Jean Patou version) would never go amiss. World peace, the extinction of famine and a reversal of climate change would be very welcome but it would take more than a year’s efforts from the white-bearded St Nicholas and his helpers to deliver on those.
Hence my wishlist for 2025 may look unambitious but if the year could produce some surprises on the upside, that would be a delightful bonus. Experience advises always to budget low!
1) There is no longer any excuse for the British government to continue prevaricating over the issue of the EU. The reset that is required is drastic. Without it, any chance of economic growth is extremely slender. Sir Keir Starmer and his colleagues have no need to be squeamish about this since the polls show a majority of people now realise that Brexit has not been a success. If rejoining the single market is a step too far – and it may be for the EU as well as the UK, we must move quickly towards alignment on regulation.
And what on earth could be the problem with a youth mobility scheme that involved limited-time visas and allowed our youngsters some of the benefits that their elders enjoyed?
2) Anyone who mentions missed “Brexit opportunities” or “benefits of Brexit” yet to be realised should have to spell them out, in detail.
3) Those countries which have frozen Russian deposits after Putin’s outrageous incursion into Ukraine should now, and speedily, unite to make the money available to Ukraine in order for it to step up its counter-offensive and win the war. It is pointless to claim that the money will eventually be put to work rebuilding Ukraine. Unless the war is won, there will be no country to rebuild.
Last July, the EU began paying over profits of 1.5 billion euros that had been generated on holdings of Russian deposits but the total Russian sovereign holdings frozen in the EU are estimated at more than $200 billion while the UK has at least $20 billion.
More problematic are around another $20 billion of assets the UK has seized from Russian individuals, money that has helped the UK’s capital earn the title of Londongrad. But handing over $220 of sovereign wealth would give Ukraine a fairer chance of success.
4) Sir Keir Starmer must start communicating more effectively with the public, and if he can’t, then he has to find someone to help him. Coming up with successive lists, whether wishes or missions or milestones, understandably fails to enthuse voters. In fact, the ‘milestones’ he revealed in December, targets to achieve by the end of this parliament, were largely in tune with what the public wants, but dull verbiage left them sounding as exciting as the weekly shopping list.
5) Please could there be joined-up thinking in government? The National Insurance increases in the last Budget were not just silly but potentially dangerous and certainly go counter to the professed aim of getting people back into work. Effectively putting a tax on low-paid and part-time work will cut jobs and hit swathes of crucial services. The government is already having to promise funding to effectively pay the increased costs to keep hospices, for instance, functioning. That is not clever!
6) Will the BBC tell all interviewees that there is absolutely no need for them to waste time thanking the programme “for having me on’”. Theviewers and listeners have no wish to hear that this person actually wanted to be asked questions on air. It actually gives the impression that there is a message that the individual is keen to impart and is about to do so rather than be subjected to a rigorous interview.
It would also be appreciated if there was a gong that sounded and fine levied every time someone said “you know” on air. I have tried to be tolerant about this but the epidemic seems to have worsened over the last 12 months and “y’know” now seems more infectious than measles – and even more irritating.
7) The remaining Conservatives in Parliament might remember that it was actually their party that was in charge of the country for the last 14 years. They now seem to think that there are an awful lot of things wrong in the UK, from the shortage of housing to the state of the National Health Service and the lack of prison provision. Well, who do they blame for that? Could they please start taking responsibility for being incompetent and ineffective even before the Johnson era of immorality and the total debacle of Truss?
8) A Happy New Year to all our readers. You deserve it!
