the brilliantly leaping gazelle

Further to my post yesterday the pain in my left arm has not abated and has if anything increased. So if I were typing this I’d be in excruciating pain by now. Thankfully it’s not me but my glamorous assistant Julie doing the typing.

She did however draw the line at wearing a bikini to do it but hey we can’t have everything…

Say what you will about Jeremy Corbyn, he does like a gamble. To this end he’s massively gambled Labours election chances by criticizing the war on terror, and by implication, blaming British military intervention abroad as being a causative factor in the terrorist attack on Monday. Whilst this is an opinion that I strongly support – and I’m possibly not alone in this – for the vast majority who feel the same, now is not the time to apportion blame. It’s a risky strategy and lays the Labour leadership guilty of using the tragic events of Monday night for their own political ends. By the time you read this, it might have already started. They could easily be accused of ghoulish insensitivity. Some of the more extreme elements of the press might level the charge that he’s in some way giving succor to terrorists by attempting to rationalise their actions

If the Conservative party have any sense they will remain above apportioning blame. They will strive to maintain a dignified and respectful silence on the matter, as if to underline the fact that they are not making the terrorist outrage a party political issue. In so doing it will enhance their reputation as serious minded politicians whom are getting on with the job at hand.

This in turn presents the smaller parties with a problem. After the events of Monday night the electorate will be properly focused on security concerns and not whether or not primary school children continue to have free school meals. They want decisive leadership and they don’t as yet see Corbyn as offering that, It is a truism of electoral thinking that in times of crisis the electorate are not willing to vote for change when they want is political continuity and for better or for much worse that’s what the Conservatives offer.

No matter that the Greens might have an innovative solution for the problems that beset this country at this time, so to might have UKIP. And not forgetting Plaid Cymru. Or the SNP, who haven’t even launched their manifesto yet? As the news media is focused the aftermath of the Manchester attack will their policies get the scrutiny manifesto they warrant.

Isn’t democracy great?