The Prospect of an Independent Scotland

It is not without irony that the prospect of an independent Scotland should gather momentum under a British New Labour Government dominated by Scots like Chancellor Gordon Brown and Home Secretary John Reid (another possible contender for prime minister ?)

Although I have a Scottish surname, I don't feel a particularly strong connection with Scotland, having been brought up and educated in North Wales, and lived most of my adult life in Southern England. I do, however, consider myself British, with ancestors from all parts of the UK and Ireland, as well as close relatives in Australia.

Nevertheless, I have some sympathy with those who would like to see independence for Scotland and, indeed, for Wales. This is, after all, a regional issue. London-based government has far too strong an influence over the English regions and other countries of Britain. Notwithstanding Scottish and Welsh devolution and the creation of regional government in England, the economic and political power of London has increased under New Labour, largely because of the policies of the Treasury, and the "globalisation ideology" at the heart of the Blair Government which emphasises the role of London.

Therefore, the prospect of an independent Scotland - should the Scottish Nationalist Party come to power - is something I view with interest and sympathy (if that's the right word), but do not necessarily support. This was also my position when I lived in Wales in relation to the prospect of Welsh independence. However, if I lived there now - or indeed in Scotland - I might feel differently.

Ideological or Evidence-based Policy-Making ?

We're regularly told by people who should know (better ?) that evidence-based policy-making has triumphed over ideology-based policy during the New Labour administration of Britain. However, I wonder whether this is true in the case of the UK's current involvement in Iraq. I have my doubts, and not only on this policy issue. Either way, perhaps the law of unintended serious consequences should be consulted in advance of major new policy offensives at home and abroad.

Postscript to My Previous Blog on Housing and Depression

As I was still pondering the housing market last Friday afternoon, another radio item came up which struck me as something of a syncronicity. This time the subject was the Spanish housing market which apparently has some 3 million empty appartments, more "homes" having been constructed there in the last (recent ?) year(s) than in Britain, France and Germany combined.
Meanwhile, there were protests on the streest of Madrid by many ordinary working people for whom home purchase is unaffordable, although 50 year mortgages are on offer (as they are in this country). So much for housing supply being the core problem in providing "affordable" homes ! UK Government take note !

The Housing Market and Psychological Depression

There was an item on the radio recently which reported that the subject of depression (pyschological rather than economic) was replacing house prices as the talking point for Londoners. I far as I'm led to believe the London housing market is buoyant - albeit more bouyant for some people than others - and it was unclear from the item whether it was homeowners or non-homeowners for whom the subject of depression was coming to the fore.

I would suggest (although I am not a psychologist, except like most people in an amateur way)
that psycholiogical depression tends to exist where there are "uncertainties, troubles, doubts" (to use a literary quotation of whose origin I am uncertain), and, possibly, deeper clinical or "structural" problems. There are also some "uncertainties, troubles, doubts" around the UK housing market just now, in London and elsewhere, together with structural concerns.

Those people who have experienced a depressed housing market in the not-so-distant past may tend to wonder whether house price mechanisms are "bi-polar", and having entered a manic phase in recent years may yet plunge again into another depression, particularly in some areas, at some point in the future. "What goes up, must come down" as they say. Yet we are (re-)assured by official sources that the housing market is in a state of unprecedented strength.

There are certainly unprecedented forces bouying up the UK housing market at present, particularly in London, and in parts of London more than in others. One of these is the global growth in the number of people (individuals and organisations) with money to spend on housing and property in general, and for whom London/UK is an attractive destination. Thus it should come as no surprise that the UK is currently the world's Number One destination for inward investment, and that alot of this investment is in property (from mega commercial schemes to small housing portfolios). Aside from "foreigners" buying property, UK national have also invested hugely in "bricks and mortar" in recent years beyond their own immediate accommodation needs. Thus, in retrospect, it is hardly surprising that house prices have risen.

A number of questions arise from the above trends. Are these trends really good for the economy in general, especially in the longer term ? Linked to this question : is the housing market sustainable - economically, environmentally and socially ? My answer to both these questions is probably not, and, therefore, I'm not at all surprised that people, perhaps especially in London, are starting to feel dpressed about it all.

"There's a bit of a recession on at the moment"

This morning I met one of the most entrepreneurial people I've come across in Worcester, having a cigarette outside her business premises. During our short conversation, she expressed the view that : "There's a bit of a recession on the moment". This is certainly my impression too , and I responded that, for me, "the "recession in some sectors had been going on for a long time". The entrepreneurial young woman, an excellent salesperson whose work brings her into contact with a wide range of commerical and not-for-profit organisations, agreed that there is indeed a "problem" with the "real" economy. Therein lies the problem. As far as I can make out, this Government and those with a serious stakeholding in its policiesinhabit a different economic reality from the rest of us : a theme I shall take up in subsequent posts.

There's No Accounting For Taste

I can sympathise with schools encountering problems with their pupils's take-up of the healthy meals inspired by Jamie Oliver's "School Dinners". Last year, a cat decided to relocate from his hard working family's home, where he was the recipient of a top-brand organic catfood, to live with me. He soon displayed a strong preference for one of Tesco's own brand non-organic ready meals, even when given the option of fresh meat. This, or course, raises a number of ethical issues, including an additional requirement to shop at Tescos. Nevertheless, the cat seems quite healthy, engaging in a reasonable amount of exercise : mainly fighting with other cats in the early hours of the morning. He mostly spends the rest of his time sleeping.

Returning to Jamie Oliver, I must be one of the few people not to have a followed his various TV shows, although I understand that his appearance in advertisements for Sainsburys is generally regarded as having helped improve their fortunes. It seems to me that the "Food Issue" has tended to polarise people between those who are obsessed with what they eat, and those who prefer the most convenient option, whether take-away or ready meal. Personally, I find both extremes equally unattractive. People who are fixated with food can be rather tedious. There's nothing like a foodie to make me reach for the salted peanuts, crisps and a few bottles of lager. However, a diet which consisted only of these could be quite limiting, not to say unhealthy.

Nevertheless, it has come to my attention that some people, young and old, who seem to live quite unhealthy lives in terms of what they eat and drink still stay remarkably healthly, whilst other food fad following folk are always ailing. I've no doubt this can be attributed to other factors such as genetic make-up, predisposition to allergies, and general lifestyle and wellbeing.
Personally, I have quite a fondness for oily and fatty foods. One consequence of this seems to be that I find the British Winter easier to cope with than many people. Indeed I've taken animal fats seriously ever since I heard Clarissa Dickson-Wright (my chef of preference to Jamie Oliver) say that these are an excellent tonic for seasonal adjustment disorder : No SAD for me !

Calm Down, I'm only a Pedestrian & Cyclist !

This morning's chilly wind suggests that the season of the woolly hat may be upon us. In my case, this means a fleecy Russian-looking peaked one with ear muffs, which evokes the same reaction in some people as the sight of hooded youths.

To illustrate this, shortly after the introduction of the "Hunting Ban", and attired in my woolly hat and anorak, I spotted Mr Fox himself, Michael Foster, the New Labour MP for Worcester. The subject on which I wished to speak to Mr Foster was planning, although I'm no fan of the "ban". Perhaps detecting a lack of empathy, Mr Foster, on seeing me approach him attempted to dash into the offices of the Transport and General Workers Union. However, I was too quick for him. No sooner had he disembarked from his "People Mover" than I had accosted him with hand outstretched. On hearing the words "planning", and "pedestrians and cyclists" from me, I noticed an expression of relief pass over Mr Foster's face. Equally, I had the strong impression that this was an MP of which not much useful action could be expected ! However, even on the subject on planning, Mr Foster had cause to be nervous as someone who had a swimming pool constructed in his garden without planning permission (which Worcester City Council, rather supinely in my opinion, granted retrospectively).

The great irony is that if I'm cycling along Worcestershire's country roads, similary attired in my woolly hat, and chance to meet one of the local hunts, the Master is just as likely to look nervous at my approach as Mr Foster. For my appearance no doubt evokes the possibility, if not now of a saboteur, of someone who might still regard people charging around on horses as a reminder of the class war and, therefore, legitimate target for abuse. However, my gripe with the Hunt is altogether different, and concerns the "fitness" of horses which follow hounds . The other day one horse dropped dead on the road, and whilst this was almost certainly a tragic misfortune of the kind that can happen to people out jogging, it was also a reminder of the importance of "fittening" horses in advance of the Hunting Season. In my experience, fitness work happens rather less these days than it should for a variety of reasons, and I have yet to "meet" a horse in Worcestershire myself whom I would regard as fit for hunting, although I'm sure they do exist.

The one group of people who didn't seem intimidated by my appearance were Chinese business executives (from the car industry ?) who greeted me most courteously at Droitwich railway station to inquire after the next train to Worcester. Perhaps they thought me one of few remaining English peasants : perhaps at heart I am.