My mother said

I am not generally known for quoting my late mother, except to use an unexplainable saying "That's a daddy that is" when failing to find something she had lost. But this week's budget does call to mind something my mother said when I was a teenager and thought I knew it all. When, briefly speaking about some socialist idea I then had heard from elsewhere, there were few "discussions" in our house, my mother replied " God help us if Labour get in. They will bankrupt the Country if they do.  They did it last time and they will do it again." My mother has long since crossed over. Her education was that of living for nearly ninety years and through 2 world wars, bringing up 3 children, all born before the welfare state began. With hospital treatment as it was then she suffered from a thrombosis giving birth to me and was left with leg problems that led to leg ulcers that troubled her for the rest of her life. My father, having a serious knee injury when a young man had what was known as a "stiff leg", being unable to bend it at all. This did not prevent him one bit from carrying out his trade as a general builder, still hopping up ladders and on to the roof when 80 years of age. Nor did it stop him from riding a bicycle, with only one pedal and no free wheel, so he could pedal with just the one leg. 

Dad didn't earn very much and was not the best person to manage his finances. There were many nights when we sat with just a candle after the electricity had been cut off, the bill being left just a little too long after the red reminder, and days when it was a case of emptying out the drawers and many tins and pots to find enough coins to "nip up to the shop" for something for tea. But we were brought up with the knowledge that you had to earn your own living and, as important, "if you made your bed you had to lie on it".

I have to admit that I voted for the fresh faced Tony Blair back in when ever it was. But the Loony Left of the 60s has been replaced by the Loony Centre of the 00s, the fat cat Tories replaced by the fat cat Labour cronies. the age of equality has meant a dumbing down of just about everything that we once held in high regard and we are "as good as Dammit is to swearing" bankrupt. Sorry Mum.