Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

Working Hours

The New Economics Foundation, an out of the box Think Tank, has just issued a report to say the quality of life, especially for children, would be hugely improved if people worked earned and spent less and had more time for family, children, civic contributions and leisure.

This is bold and worthwhile thinking. The manic approach to work now prevalent in order to endlessly consume more and more is a daft way to organise life and causes much suffering.It reduces life to an adjunct of commerce rather than the reverse.

The solution of a 21 hour week proposed in this report may not be realistic, however. For the well paid to earn less would be no problem because their reduced living standard would remain comfortable. For those on low pay it would not be possible to make ends meet. This is why we desperately need a plan to reduce the overall cost of housing and the false value base which inflated domestic property has created in the national balance sheet.

Baroness Tonge

The Lib Dem Health spokeswoman in the House of Lords, Baroness Tonge, has been sacked by Nick Clegg for suggesting that  the Israeli Army has been accused of trafficking in organs from bodies in Haiti and that the Israeli authorities should investigate to refute the allegations. Whether the allegation is true or not I have no idea, but it needs investigating if only to reassure that it is groundless. Lady Tonge was right to raise the issue. Although she is a known supporter of the Palestinian cause (for which she is to be admired) it is no more anti-Jewish to refer to these issues than it is anti-British to call for investigations into torture complicity by MI5.

I had thought that Nick Clegg was doing rather well. Well he has just blown a lot of chips. It is a very bad thing when in a free democracy politicians are sacked for raising uncomfortable issues or supporting minorities. It is also very un- liberal. This is a serious mistake which diminishes Clegg’s leadership rating. The trouble with all the parties at the moment is that none has a decent leader, but the more Cameron and Clegg fumble the better it is for Gordon.

Archbishop Nichols

The new Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, has spoken out courageously and wisely about the culture behind treatment paths in various parts of the NHS. He is so right. I have direct experience to confirm and reinforce every word he says.

It is so refreshing to hear wise words about every day experience coming from any branch of the Christian Church. This is its proper Mission. It is so much more useful and so much more a power for good than introverted arguments about condoms, sexual orientation and gender.