LONDON - MEGACITY OR ERSATZ THEME PARK
Ah London.
It isn’t all caviar-gobbling bankers robbing you of your livelihood and jellied-eel-swilling cockneys trying to fleece you fifty notes for a union Jack bowler hat. We also have narcissistic sociopaths, murderers, perverts and thieves, who, in a bizarre reversal of logic are protected from you by armed guards at Buckingham Palace, in Whitehall, in Smiths Square, as they quaff champagne in parties that never happened, honest Constable it’s the truth.
We do also have some monumental culture, history and heritage here too. With nice white quinoa-munching middle class people to take care of ripping you off for those things. Twenty-four quid per person to visit Westiminster Abbey. “Ah but it’s a thousand years of history”, claims the simpering, regally-cloaked apparatchik at the gate. Really? Well Durham Cathedral is older, and Wells Cathedral is architecturally more interesting and they only ask for voluntary contributions, so how about no. On principle. Remember principles? We may be running short of them in this septic isle but they are not as yet directly monetiseable so I’ll stick to mine as long as I can afford it, thanks.
I was shocked. £24. Presumably it’s just too much history for someone on benefits. Obviously I’m not on benefits but years ago, I was. Back then, young and unemployed, I enjoyed most of our culture - you know the stuff that is already ours, stuff that our mandatory contributions already pay for, for free. There is a saying; the poor man always pays twice. So there you go. We are all poor men now. We all pay twice. If we can afford to, that is.
Back in those simpler times, the government also didn’t employ six armed police - wartime-level protection – just to guard the gates of Downing Street. Do you see the connection? They’re not there for the overseas terrorists. They’re at war with you. Because we’re paying at least twice for everything. They’re terrified of the day you wake up and realise no one can realistically be as fumblingly inept as Boris, Liz, Gavin, Dominic, Prince Andy et al. They’re terrified you’ll one day see through the amusing distraction of their jolly incompetence, and fully acknowledge the breathtaking theft of your money (literally billions), the heart-breaking humiliation of ordinary people reduced to using foodbanks (millions) the mouth-watering genocide-through-neglect of your friends and family, of you (150 000 covid deaths, 50 000 poverty-related deaths per annum and rising).
As if to confirm this, across the river, The Covid memorial wall stretches a full kilometre from Lambeth Bridge to Westminster Bridge. In sharp contrast to the history, heritage and luxury of Westminster, this grafittied wall of hearts is a simple but moving testimony to how many the government has allowed to die courtesy of neglect, misinformation and limited nhs funding. It is a grim middle finger to government, though they no doubt see it as a rollicking leaderboard of achievement. Look, we disposed of 200 000 plebs. Not bad!
Clearly if there is a nanny state, it is the kind of nanny that lets the bullies steal and extort your pocket money and beat you up, then leaves you coughing in the gutter. Not, presumably Jacob Rees Mogg’s nanny then.
So good luck with your “democratic vote” next time. Given that they have all the guns, I cant see it really counting, can you?
