What a shambles! The loser receives all the media coverage, thousands of voters locked out of polling stations, and a party of third-world observers from tinpot African countries report that the UK's electoral system needs modernizing!
How can the Tories, who received the largest number of votes by far, agree to implement policies from the Lib. Dems. which the voters largely rejected? What a farce. In this high-tech digital age, should we really be seeing images of runners with cardboard boxes, rushing to get to the counting houses on time? Should we really be seeing queues of people, right round the block - bringing memories of the Odeon picture-house matinees of my youth? And what about individual voter id fraud?
Of course, from a French-resident point of view, there may well be some Lib. Dem. pro-Euro ideas in the package that could be advantageous to us. Steve Webb, their spokesman for work and pensions said that if you accrue years of entitlements in a country but later go to live elsewhere, you should still be entitled to the benefits you paid for. Hear hear!
And Him indoors? He says the new Cabinet should use Liberal ideas, Conservative taste and Labour-saving devices.
Showing posts with label UK election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UK election. Show all posts
25th April 2010
Everybody's watching it. No, not American Idol. The British election race! I can't remember one being this close, ever. From the innovative TV debates to the opinion polls, it's riveting. However don't look at the superficial things: which one looks the best, which wife is the most stylish etc. No, no, no! It's too important for that. If I had my way, every voter should take a test on the policies and leaders of the country before being let loose at the polling booth.
A leader should have the essential gravitas to be able to act on the world stage. A wishy-washy style just won't do. The job requires strength and above all a superior education and intelligence to deal with the difficult tasks ahead. Let's not return to the old class-wars in Britain. In the US, if you see someone with a high style of living, you try to emulate them. That's how it should be, not trying to knock everyone down to the same low level as everyone else.
Why am I interested? I live in France but British policies like pensions still affect me. I do hope that on May 6, the 'best' party wins: the most intelligent leader, with the best back-up team. A 'hung parliament' is no good to anyone. When such a committee meets to discuss a horse, you end up with a camel (an attempt to please everyone, but which in fact pleases no-one).
Whatever you think of Sarkozy, he shot to power saying "The mark of a statesman is to change the course of events, not just to describe them". Blair: please note.
Let the race begin.
A leader should have the essential gravitas to be able to act on the world stage. A wishy-washy style just won't do. The job requires strength and above all a superior education and intelligence to deal with the difficult tasks ahead. Let's not return to the old class-wars in Britain. In the US, if you see someone with a high style of living, you try to emulate them. That's how it should be, not trying to knock everyone down to the same low level as everyone else.
Why am I interested? I live in France but British policies like pensions still affect me. I do hope that on May 6, the 'best' party wins: the most intelligent leader, with the best back-up team. A 'hung parliament' is no good to anyone. When such a committee meets to discuss a horse, you end up with a camel (an attempt to please everyone, but which in fact pleases no-one).
Whatever you think of Sarkozy, he shot to power saying "The mark of a statesman is to change the course of events, not just to describe them". Blair: please note.
Let the race begin.
4th April 2010
Everywhere I look these days, health issues are in the news. The current French system is that the government pays 70% of a patient's costs, the remaining 30% paid by the individual. French working people contribute via their pay towards this 30%, but some hardy, optimistic expats hope they'll never get ill. The remaining worriers (like me) take up top-up insurance. There are a few problems with this. Some new early-retiree expats with a residual medical history are discovering that private insurance companies are refusing them cover to bridge the gap until they reach full retirement age.
But I've now discovered that we British expats shouldn't be paying this 30% at all (however it's funded)! I think there's a big con going on. It seems that the UK pays France c.100% for each of its pensioners who've paid N.I. contributions all their lives, but then individuals pay the French government this 30% anyway. So France wins hands-down!!
As it's a large part of our monthly outgoings here, I've written to my British MP, Lynne Jones - who may listen in this run-up to the election. In any case, let's hope that, if the Conservatives get in as predicted, the only big con in the future is David Cameron. And Him indoors? He says all parties are short-sighted anyway, like him. Yesterday he said, you'll never guess who I bumped into? Everyone.
But I've now discovered that we British expats shouldn't be paying this 30% at all (however it's funded)! I think there's a big con going on. It seems that the UK pays France c.100% for each of its pensioners who've paid N.I. contributions all their lives, but then individuals pay the French government this 30% anyway. So France wins hands-down!!
As it's a large part of our monthly outgoings here, I've written to my British MP, Lynne Jones - who may listen in this run-up to the election. In any case, let's hope that, if the Conservatives get in as predicted, the only big con in the future is David Cameron. And Him indoors? He says all parties are short-sighted anyway, like him. Yesterday he said, you'll never guess who I bumped into? Everyone.
7th March 2010
Lots of UK election sound-bites afoot about much-needed changes, particularly in education and health. Good! Generations of UK schoolchildren have been short-changed. The brain must be trained to think independently before introducing PCs, calculators and more advanced education. Bevan's original postwar NHS ideal has collapsed due to too-many people chasing ever-increasing health treatments and cost-driven drugs. Result: blow-out.
French schoolchildren have always followed a traditional regime, primary children attending 6h p.d., 4 days p.w.
French healthcare is rightly lauded as the best health system in the world, but I doubt if the UK would ever accept the switch from free care to one based on regulated payments and refunds. Besides, illegal immigrants wouldn't like the automatic id checks via the health cards! A new French innovation is a website like http://www.icalin.sante.gouv.fr/ where results on 5 key indicators, superbugs, illness prevention, post-operative infections, antibiotic use, post-operative deaths, can be checked hospital by hospital.
And my experience? In our French village I see that even primary children greet me politely in English in the street, and that hospital patients return home praising their treatment. Enough said. And Him indoors: he tells the doctor he has a low pain threshhold, so the doctor says the next procedure will hurt a bit....here's the bill!
French schoolchildren have always followed a traditional regime, primary children attending 6h p.d., 4 days p.w.
French healthcare is rightly lauded as the best health system in the world, but I doubt if the UK would ever accept the switch from free care to one based on regulated payments and refunds. Besides, illegal immigrants wouldn't like the automatic id checks via the health cards! A new French innovation is a website like http://www.icalin.sante.gouv.fr/ where results on 5 key indicators, superbugs, illness prevention, post-operative infections, antibiotic use, post-operative deaths, can be checked hospital by hospital.
And my experience? In our French village I see that even primary children greet me politely in English in the street, and that hospital patients return home praising their treatment. Enough said. And Him indoors: he tells the doctor he has a low pain threshhold, so the doctor says the next procedure will hurt a bit....here's the bill!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
