Roll of the Dice, The Last Time, Pinball Wizard

This Government continues to provide an amazing amount of material, even for a novice like me, and over the last week it has arguably risen to Premier Status. It could even qualify for a BAFTA as Best Comedy but I doubt it will qualify for much else.

This article is my first and definitely my last attempt at embracing a TRILOGY of recordings; Roll of the Dice by Bruce Springsteen, which I do not consider a classic but definitely has resonance but also two classics; The Last Time by The Rolling Stones and Pinball Wizard by The Who.

Re-employing David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary via the House of Lords as he is no longer an MP, and, if we were not already aware, with a diametrically opposed view to the Prime Minister on EU membership, has to be the final Roll of the Dice for Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet.? Arguably, this appointment is also a bit of a slap in the face for The Clever Man whose new responsibility has now been downgraded to ‘Boat Watch’ as he replaces that natural team player, Suella Brave Man. It’s clearly not what you say but how you say it.? Suella Brave Man may have touched on some important issues but her unilateral approach to premature articulation was clearly untenable, even for Rishi Sunak, who had no other option but to sack her.

When Shakespeare wrote his Comedy of Errors he couldn’t have imagined it would be replayed by a Government in its last throws as it fights to save its political credibility.? Now December beckons and it is also beginning to look a lot like The Twelve Days of Christmas when you take into account how many Prime Ministers, Deputy Leaders, Party Chairmen, Foreign Secretaries, Home Secretaries and Chancellors etcetera we have had to endure in the last thirteen years.? Answers on a post card as to who you think is The Partridge in a Pear Tree.? I couldn’t possibly comment.?

Perhaps a Conservative Advent Calendar will also be one of the surprise packages yet to be unveiled and, pardon my French, but Christ Knows who would appear behind the door on the 24th December. Perhaps Nigel Farage as the leader in waiting for a Party and with a genuine backbone, after his tenure in The I’m a Celebrity Jungle.? We do of course have the Autumn Statement to very much look forward to this week as Jeremy Hunt attempts to convince us all that his team have done a fantastic job harnessing the rate of inflation.? They are clearly desperate to be loved but don’t be taken in by this unadulterated bullshit as the latest sub 5% figure for October CPI merely reflects a big number for Energy Costs that has fallen out of the annual data and this outcome could have been achieved by Larry the Downing Street Cat.? It will of course provide our Chancellor with a great strap line to discover and perhaps uncover some unfunded tax cuts as he dons his Father Christmas outfit and gives us all some Yuletide Cheer.? He has, however, been quite clear that he won’t loosen his grip on inflation as he carefully crafts these tax cuts.? Rich words from him as his predecessors and, indeed, the Bank of England have been engaged in and responsible for creating one of the biggest inflation boosts post the Financial Crisis and COVID etcetera.

It will therefore be no surprise that I don’t have much confidence in our Government’s attempt at an Inflation Jail Break.? However, this view also extends to other Western Administrations, especially in the United States where the debt burden fuelling economic growth and inflation is nothing short of horrendous.? Let’s also not forget the European Union which David Cameron as our Prime Minister wanted to stay within.? At least Germany recognizes the problems on the horizon and is about to blow a hole in the EU’s proposal to increase the annual Budget by Euros 100bn.? Half of this funding is needed for Ukraine where our media coverage now appears at best to be modest as tensions in the Middle East gain prominence and the other half is needed to repay common debt, migration spending and, last but definitely not least, salary increases for those poorly paid EU Officials.

If there is a glimmer of light or hope for any highly indebted borrowers out there, the chance of more monetary tightening is, however, now extremely slim even if inflation were to re-assert, because the negative consequences of higher rates would significantly outweigh any benefits and it would also appear, like Johnson's the Cleaners, that recessionary fears may just around the corner. In short, Central Bankers have lost the plot but they will never admit it and they no longer have the ability or indeed the desire to operate independently from their Governors.

However, I do apologise for deviation so getting back on track to The Comedy of Errors, when Tom Bradby’s interview with David Cameron in 2019 and soon after he lost the EU Referendum, totally unexpectedly, he categorically said that he would never return to front line politics; and that was well before we all learnt about his heavy involvement in The Lex Greensill Lobbying Scandal which, however you slice and dice your opinion, should have buried any attempt for him to return. ?If this name doesn’t ring a bell just Google it.? ?No wonder David Cameron gained the label Dodgy Dave and it does raise questions over the credibility and judgment of the Prime Minister. ??However, on the issue of judgement, ?let’s not forget that Rishi Sunak did sound a few alarm bells when he re-instated Suella Brave Man as his Home Secretary after she had previously been sacked by the one and only Liz Truss. This move to re-introduce David Cameron must therefore smack of desperation and is definitely A Last Roll of the Dice from a Government and Prime Minister that is not only running out of ideas but is also running out of time and also MP’s to fill the all of those important Cabinet Posts.

This backdrop therefore provides a useful lead into the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s Roll of the Dice

Maybe I'm just a clown throwin' down, Lookin' to come up busted I'm a thief in The house of love and I can't be trusted Well I'll be making my heist in just Another roll of the dice Move on up. Come on seven. Roll me baby.? In this fool's Heaven

These lyrics also provide an appropriate lead into the Rolling Stones lyrics, The Last Time

Well I told you once an’ I told you twice; that someone will have to pay the Price but here's a chance to change your mind; 'cause I'll be gone a long, long Time well, this could be the last time; this could be the last time; may be the Last time I don't know; Oh, No, Oh, No.

To complete this Trilogy of numbers I will sign off with some of the lyrics from The Who’s Pinball Wizard.

Ever since I was a young boy, I've played the silver ball from Soho down to Brighton I must have played 'em all but I ain't seen nothing like him in any Amusement hall; that deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball

Metaphorically speaking this Government has to be deaf, dumb and blind to the majority of The Electorate, the silent majority, and their needs.? It is therefore no wonder, as a lifelong supporter of Conservative Values, I have finally thrown in the towel but I must stress that I don’t see SKS and the Labour Party as the panacea to the deep rooted problems that have been created over the years.? Whoever wins the next General Election will therefore need to prioritise and focus on the important issues that will allow our country to re-discover its past.? We spend far too much time driven by a WOKE culture debating issues that are sometimes trivial and are generally more important to our Media and the vocal minority.? All successful economies need strong foundations and definitely not the economics of quick sand that, latterly, have been created by inadequate Governance in Parliament and at The Bank of England

?To quote John Lydgate;

You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

We are in desperate need of a Government that recognizes the need to promote policies for the fit and able.? Caring and sharing policies are also important but will be a function of success at the top level because you can’t furnish the house until you have fixed the roof.? This is clearly harsh medicine for some to stomach and some may well disagree with my conclusions.? However, those that do disagree are of course entitled to their opinion but everyone is also entitled to mine.