Anton Coaker: Labour Leader

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
It’s been a bit of a ‘rite of passage’ for various youngsters hereabouts this week. The boy decided to put one of his show cows on a course of anti-botics when she was still under the weather. And so, he’s been made to learn the joys of keeping up the medicine record….and to spell ‘pneumonia’. I’d have put ‘lung problems’ if it was me. Eldest Agnes meanwhile, is flapping about, trying to ensure she has everything ready she needs next month, starting at the unsuspecting University which has foolishly admitted her. I’d say one less mouth to feed, but I suspect we might be remotely feeding her for a while yet.

And then a couple of fresh faced carpenter lads turned up early one morning to collect some oak beams. Being new to the Coaker emporia, they foolishly left a truck door open as we loaded them. Bouncy banana brained collie Fly was soon found in the cab, munching her way through their breakfast. Oops..sorry boys.



OK, onwards. I’m not altogether sure what I feel about the choice of a leader for the Labour party. Obviously I’m mightily amused by the whole debacle. Apparently, anyone has been able to join up for tuppence, and vote. Even if, as it seems, they’re only joining to sabotage the party. Multiple layers of allegations and issues are growing like mushrooms on this situation. And anyone trying to call a halt is seen as being afraid they’re preferred candidate won’t win. Never mind who wins…how on earth could you trust such an organisation to run the country. Well meaning, but blind to, and ill prepared for, the scheming of furtive minds…..that’s socialism in a nutshell isn’t it?

Beyond this sideshow I have a bigger problem. Despite the almost universal advice from experienced hands within the party, it looks like they’re going to select

an old school leftie. And this is perceived to be electoral suicide, as other parties will focus-loudly- on his more radical policies in the run up to a general election, scaring the living bejesus out of anybody with any kind of collateral stake in the country.
Jeremy-Corbyn-10_3328947b.jpg

Now goodness knows I abhor the concept of leftie idealism, and its empty logic – no reward for extra effort and ability, and its close cousin, unjustified reward in the ‘equality for all’. And that inevitable dead end trade union thinking, which left unchecked can only crash an economy.

But, and here’s the thing, by selecting a leader perceived outside as an unelectable old dinosaur –and who I’m quite sure is a lovely human being and jolly nice chap in every way- the Labour Party cease to be an effective opposition. Cuddly Dave and his chums will, rightly or wrongly, sit back thinking they’re unassailable masters of creation. I sense that despite a wafer thin majority, he and the Eton/Oxford set will see themselves as beyond challenge. And that, my friends, is not going to make for a happy country at all.

Even Gruppenführer Ghengis Coaker is uncomfortable with some of what he’s hearing. To take benefits as an example…While I’m happy to boil alive anyone who won’t work when they could……oh alright you wet blanket, if you must, we’ll merely print giro cheques with absorbable contraceptive ink then*……but I do absolutely accept that there are unfortunate individuals who legitimately cannot pull their weight, and that they should be reasonably fed and housed. Failure to do so is little short of barbarism. Where you draw the line is another matter, but Dave looks like he’s drawing it pretty tight. And it looks increasingly like he’ll sideline renewable fuel policies, in favour of the short term rush to wring the last drop of fossil fuel out of the ground under our feet.

I’m far from happy with the feel of it. And I’d be far happier with an opposition in a stronger position, who might keep the smarmy beggars in check.


*With the epidemic of ‘benefit lifestyle’ TV shows reaching saturation level, here’s a little science for you.

It is conjectured, if not statistically demonstrable, that having a lower….um… ‘educational achievement’ is associated with poor lifestyle choices, leading in turn to shorter lifespans. In evolutionary nature, this leads to earlier breeding, the faster turnover being a defence mechanism. Conversely, pursuing higher education and chasing a career leads other social groups to delay breeding, lengthening generational gaps. A theory is currently being tip-toed around that western civilisations are diverging into 2 ever distinct sub-groups, Universities and Social Housing estates respectively being the theatres where the roads part. Hmm.


About the author

Originally published in The Western Morning News, these articles are reproduced for the enjoyment of TFF members World-wide by kind permission of the author Anton Coaker and the WMN

Anton Coaker is a fifth generation farmer keeping suckler cows and flocks of hill sheep high on the Forest of Dartmoor and running a hardwood and mobile sawmill.

A prodigious writer and regular correspondent for The Western Morning News, NFU and The Farming Forum, Anton’s second book “The Complete Bullocks” is available fromwww.anton-coaker.co.uk
 

The_Swede

Member
Arable Farmer
Fair enough analysis that.

I too have issue with fracking and some foreign policy choices to cite but two stances of our current government, at the other end of the political spectrum I await with interest some thoughts from the minister as to how to sort out a woeful net migration figure... economic growth or not this is a very crowded island.
 

Old Boar

Member
Location
West Wales
I agree that the opposition needs to be strong to mitigate the more punitive policies that seem to be creeping in. When a man is deprived of his benefits because he has a heart attack in the middle of his assessment, and so is judged not to have completed the assessment, something is wrong. Very wrong.
I am not in favour of a labour government at the moment, I just think things should be balanced, and at the moment, the balance is all wrong.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
I agree that the opposition needs to be strong to mitigate the more punitive policies that seem to be creeping in. When a man is deprived of his benefits because he has a heart attack in the middle of his assessment, and so is judged not to have completed the assessment, something is wrong. Very wrong.
I am not in favour of a labour government at the moment, I just think things should be balanced, and at the moment, the balance is all wrong.
That's wrong but I don't see Cameron or IDS thinking that's right either. More like some donut bureaucrat or worse some civil servant trying to make a political point
 

Osca

Member
Location
Tayside
He might allow Labour to re-group up here, too; the SNP needs an opposition as well, and I'm afraid it isn't going to be the Conservatives.
 

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