Petty point scoring

 

Subject: Petty point scoring.

It's a wonder we ever get anything done.
The infighting between our cabinet ministers seems to have made our negotiation with the EU Commission virtually impossible. The political intrigue and jockeying for power has made our position at the bargaining table very difficult and it would seem the hubris of some would rather see us go over the cliff than survive.
People, especially politicians live in a bubble of their own contrivance, for them it's a talking shop of phraseology of scoring debating points rather than understand the definition of their conclusions. People's livelihood, the countries livelihood is at stake and yet claims, made in the heat of battle during the run up to the referendum, claims which were shaky then and now seem clearly wrong are still defended. Their minds seem to exclude the facts around and whilst faith and belief are useful in religious debate they are indefensible in a reasoned economic strategy.

I was reading a book by Lord Beaverbrook, one of the press titans of the 20th century in which he describes the political brinkmanship and backstabbing which went on whilst the First World War was being fought. While men in there thousands laying down their lives in the trenches the politicians intrigued amongst themselves like schoolboys. Narcissistic, self indulgence ruled the political corridors of power whilst the nation plunged ever deeper towards defeat and its only when one reads a historical account written by people close to the actual workings of government does one feel nothing but shame for those we once admired.

And so we repeat our inglorious past, not with decisions which should be the binding us together in the national interest but in petty point scoring, the eternal manoeuvre to secure our own advantage over all others.