Left and right

Disclaimer: this post was written in December 2023, and scheduled for future posting. Its contents may no longer be accurate or appropriate.

It's difficult to know for sure, when this post has been scheduled so far in advance, but there will probably be elections today, for various things in various parts of the country. Council elections, probably, mayoral and PCC elections too. Who knows, there might even be a general election with a bit of luck, though I doubt it (I don't think Sunak will be in any rush for that [assuming he's still PM by the time this post goes live which, given the last couple of years, is far from certain]).

Anyway, if you have a chance to vote today, please do. And we're all of a mind here, aren't we? You know what to do, but in case you need something to help you remember, here's a little ditty from Gavin Osborn at his Braggiest. I've posted it before, a long time ago, but it bears repeating.

Never been to Russia, it's only girls I've overthrown
Never met a communist in my living room at home
And I've never read Das Kapital deep into the night
But I'll always know my left side from my right
And I've never trashed McDonalds but their burgers make me sick
Even when I want to, well, I can never find a brick
I just sit here writing songs when I should get on out and fight
But I'll always know my left side from my right
These days, it always seems the same to me
Cultural stability can't be solved by my TV
But I know I can play my part by loving you, yeah that's a start

I was only two years old when Thatcher came to power
Just old enough to eat on my own and tell my sweet from sour
But now I think I'm old enough to sit and sing this song
Cause I'll always know my right side from my wrong
And I've never held a banner for the men on the miner's strike
Cause in the nightmare of the eighties I just rode my mountain bike
But if you trace back those tyre tracks you'll find me to be true
Cause I'll always know my red side from my blue
These days, it always seems the same to me
Cultural stability can't be solved by my TV
But I know I can play my part by just loving you, yeah that's a start

Never set up a trade union but I've been to the union bar
Listen to all those students discussing life after the Tsar
You know it's better to try and lose than to not try and still fail
But there's always one that buys the Daily M**l
So I've never been to Russia, it's only girls I've overthrown
Never met a communist in my living room at home
And I've never read Das Kapital deep into the night
But I'll always know my left side from my right
I'll always know my left side from my right

I know politics isn't as cut and dried as Gavin's song would have us believe. And I'm the first to acknowledge that the alternatives to the Conservatives aren't perfect either. But without doubt fourteen years of Tory rule has been ruinous for the nation, its people, its public services and its very way of life. It's well past time for a change.