Lefties sneer, says Boris

"But those brave souls on that Titanic sub were heroes pushing the frontiers of human knowledge". This is the headline grabber in today’s Daily Mail from a man returned to his craft of sensational journalism illustrating why he is best kept away from steering wheels or leadership roles. Yes, this is from the "poor soul" drummed out of Parliament by a kangaroo court now forced to earn a crust with the papers – where he was once fired for telling lies.?

It is global safety standards people and not lefties who are leading the critique on the sub – to ensure that an industry doesn’t collapse. While we are at it - kangaroo courts. Perhaps Boris will one day work out how he managed to trash a huge majority in a matter of months for his own party to kick him out of Westminster - no kangaroo in sight. Boris doesn’t do evidence; he does stand up.?

Meanwhile, former New Zealand PM is writing a book on leadership – rather than on politics or a record of her years in power. How “different”! At last someone who may start with a vision of how she sees a future New Zealand or even world. And then sets out the map of how to get there with enough in the tank to deal with the challenges of climate, pandemics, conflict and the unforeseen.?

Perhaps she will focus on capacity – how to build the infrastructure needed for SMEs (not just massive offshore Corporates) to survive and thrive. And this may mean nationalisation rather than the failed privatisation model that has eliminated competition, created monopolies to ensure shareholder dividends whilst ignoring stakeholder pain. Try telling your employer that you are late for work – again – because the train didn’t show up.?

Then, how to build capability – what economist Amartya Sen sees as key. Ensuring that people have the skills to realise freedom and their full potential. This means education with an emphasis on critical thinking, diversity and problem solving – a blend of the arts and sciences. And that this may include a nationalised health service as a means to ensure that we have a productive workforce. And when we are old; the lottery of dementia, cancer and the rest is not punishing one family over another. We are all in this together.?

And politics. Surely it is time for more collaboration. Less of the punch and judy show that they teach at Eton and carry on at Westminster. First up - proportional representation. Next. A second chamber of achievers – people who have contributed in business, community dynamics and sport – all walks of life apart from the “!, me and mine” sycophants being rewarded for loyalty to an individual not on what they can do for their country.?A 29 year old with barely an internship behind here now has a peerage for life. Yes - lefties (and Tories) ALL sneer at that one!

Lewis Caroll's the Hunting of the Snark?– an agony in eight fits; is about a crew in a boat crossing the ocean to hunt the Snark. It has a navigator - The Bellman - just like Boris. No need for lines on a map or a compass – just ring the bell as loud as you can when you see danger. Boris has been ringing that bell again. No vision, no plans, no sense of leadership, nothing but an arrogant strop after strop after strop.

Oh for a leader with a vison that will seek to pull together and not divide – have a coherent industrial plan and not leave all the details to the market. Markets need investors - and they don’t go where there is uncertainty. And that is really what Boris has achieved. Leaving everyone else to pay off the mortgage.