Viewing history through the rear view mirror ......

Even in my rear view mirror I cannot see or recall a Government as poor as the one we currently have.

I am old enough to remember Harold McMillan who assured us that we had never had it so good. McMillan built houses, nurtured the NHS, supported the Welfare State and generally governed in the public interest.

I remember Margaret Thatcher and whilst I had little or no time for the Thatcher Government she had principles, principles which I disagreed with and opposed, but she was principled.

The best post war Prime Minister that I remember with huge affection and respect was Harold Wilson, as his Biographer commented, Mrs Thatcher was remembered for the Poll tax and the Falklands War. Harold Wilson was remembered for The Open University and keeping Britain out of Vietnam.

Now we have a litany of shameful policies which will embarrass us as a nation for years to come the most recent and the worst the shabby, shameful deal with Rwanda to process those who arrive in the UK to seek Asylum.

What is Asylum?

Dictionaries variously describe Asylum as a place of retreat and security, a place offering shelter to those who are fleeing war and famine in their own countries.

In particular Asylum Seekers should be offered protection from arrest and extradition. This should, of course, apply especially to refugees by a nation, an embassy, recognising that basic human freedoms and rights have been withdrawn from those who seek asylum and who are in for of their lives and their freedom.

Why do people flee their countries and seek asylum elsewhere?

There are major disruptions these days as the tectonic plates of change are buckling across the world. The first and most harrowing reason is War, whether it is in the Middle East or in Africa, or tragically now in Ukraine, people are fleeing for their lives, the three worst affected nations are Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan and increasingly Ukraine.

Why do people travel thousands of miles and endure hardship to seek Asylum in the UK.

There are three major reasons: Language, English is the Lingua Franca of the modern world so to move to England makes perfectly practical sense. 

Climate change, global warming is creating a degree of inhospitability across the Globe, whereby it is impossible to live human lives, crops don't flourish, animals perish, life is not sustainable, there is no shelter until the storms come and then everything is washed away.

The third reason put simply is the memory of empire. Britain ruled the world. many people have British Passports. Many people think of Britain almost as their heavenly home on Earth.

Put simply that is why Priti Patel and Sajid Javid's families mover here.

But now the drawbridge has been lifted. The safety ladder has been raised. Welcome to Britain and here is your one way ticket to Rwanda where Britain has already registered its concerns about human rights infringements as has been reported from The Independent to The Big issue:

'Britain condemned Rwanda for failing to investigate human rights violations just months before Boris Johnson agreed to deport thousands of asylum seekers there'.

 Now the faker has gone to India possibly we might guess to join a Hindu Seminary to train as a Fakir? 

Who knows?

But from party gate to the cost of living this Government has surrendered its reputation not only to the country at large but remarkably from within its own party to be considered worthy of the responsible task of governing at all.