A week in politics
Im not a very political person. I tend to be of the opinion that our politicians, whatever 'flavour' , are generally good and decent people who have gone into politics to try to make a difference and do good. I have never been a fan of moaning and complaining about policies and procedures because I have a vote and I do believe that in the exercise of my democratic rights I'm a heck of a lot better off than many people in the world who live under dictatorships. So, whilst I would have preferred to remain in the EU, I am happy to concede that more people wanted to leave, and I'm not going to moan about the process of leaving because I'm not in possession of any of the facts. I trust that the politicians are trying their best to do a good job in a mad world and I'm happy to leave them to it.
But today I do feel that I want to say something about politics - in relation to the virus and all that is going on in the world just now.
Like many people, two weeks ago pretty much all my work dried up and last week I was told by my boss that I was to go home and not come out till this was all over. I work part time and my hours are somewhat erratic so I wasn't quite sure if I was going to qualify for any of the possible handouts which were being talked about as a vague possibility. What's more, my boss hadn't been paid by some of the clients who owed her money and she was not sure if she was going to be able to pay me for the work I had actually managed to do in March. So, that was.... interesting. I don't really do worrying. So I didn't worry. I just wondered quite what God was going to do and how. At that point, if you can remember all the way back to a week ago, there was no plan really. People were being told to apply for Universal credit . The job centres were closed, the phones were permanently engaged and the website crashed. Tricky.
Over the past week I have watched the government implement social distancing, close down schools and universities, close down non-essential businesses, bring doctors and nurses out of retirement and source supplies of medical equipment and drugs from around the world, . They have put together emergency financial packages for big business, small businesses and the self employed. And yesterday I heard that they will be paying 80% of my salary - not 80% of my contracted hours, but of the average of the last three months payslips. Which for me is fantastic because I have been working in my job for a very long time and my hours have increased way over what is written in my contract.
The government have bombarded us with good, clear, public information on a daily basis, educating us all into the whys and wherefores of social distancing and 'flattening the curve'. They have commissioned McLaren and Dyson to make ventilators. They have facilitated schools operating online teaching for the forseeable future and have cancelled all exams. New laws have been passed in a matter of days. They have postponed the Olympics, provided emergency accommodation for countless hundreds of people living on the streets, disbanded Parliament and are in the process of arranging for the transportation home of thousands and thousands of stranded Brits abroad.
And thats in a week ! And its only the stuff I know about. What is going on behind the scenes doesnt bear thinking about. There must be people in Whitehall who haven't slept since the middle of March. It is truly astonishing and I , for one, and humbled and very very thankful that at a time of global panic I sense that those in charge are taking decisive action to keep people safe in as far as they are able and to keep the economic wheels on the bus so that when this is all over the country can get back to work. I know its not perfect. I know there are people in need and those who will inevitably fall through the cracks. But it could all be so much worse and right now I'm every bit as grateful to the councillors , MPs MLAs Police Chiefs, Health Trust executives, Government Departments and the Cabinet as I am to the doctors and nurses.
The world is going to be a different place on the other side of Corona Virus. And some of the changes we are making now will have long term consequences. We should be praying for our leaders. They are just people. People with kids and parents and mortgages. People with health problems and depression and anxiety. They are all working really hard Im sure and they get dogs abuse so much of the time. Once this is all over they are going have to pick up the pieces and help to steer the country through Brexit ( remember that?) and get the economy going again. Let's bless them rather than moan about them. There is power in our words to build up or to tear down.
But today I do feel that I want to say something about politics - in relation to the virus and all that is going on in the world just now.
Like many people, two weeks ago pretty much all my work dried up and last week I was told by my boss that I was to go home and not come out till this was all over. I work part time and my hours are somewhat erratic so I wasn't quite sure if I was going to qualify for any of the possible handouts which were being talked about as a vague possibility. What's more, my boss hadn't been paid by some of the clients who owed her money and she was not sure if she was going to be able to pay me for the work I had actually managed to do in March. So, that was.... interesting. I don't really do worrying. So I didn't worry. I just wondered quite what God was going to do and how. At that point, if you can remember all the way back to a week ago, there was no plan really. People were being told to apply for Universal credit . The job centres were closed, the phones were permanently engaged and the website crashed. Tricky.
Over the past week I have watched the government implement social distancing, close down schools and universities, close down non-essential businesses, bring doctors and nurses out of retirement and source supplies of medical equipment and drugs from around the world, . They have put together emergency financial packages for big business, small businesses and the self employed. And yesterday I heard that they will be paying 80% of my salary - not 80% of my contracted hours, but of the average of the last three months payslips. Which for me is fantastic because I have been working in my job for a very long time and my hours have increased way over what is written in my contract.
The government have bombarded us with good, clear, public information on a daily basis, educating us all into the whys and wherefores of social distancing and 'flattening the curve'. They have commissioned McLaren and Dyson to make ventilators. They have facilitated schools operating online teaching for the forseeable future and have cancelled all exams. New laws have been passed in a matter of days. They have postponed the Olympics, provided emergency accommodation for countless hundreds of people living on the streets, disbanded Parliament and are in the process of arranging for the transportation home of thousands and thousands of stranded Brits abroad.
And thats in a week ! And its only the stuff I know about. What is going on behind the scenes doesnt bear thinking about. There must be people in Whitehall who haven't slept since the middle of March. It is truly astonishing and I , for one, and humbled and very very thankful that at a time of global panic I sense that those in charge are taking decisive action to keep people safe in as far as they are able and to keep the economic wheels on the bus so that when this is all over the country can get back to work. I know its not perfect. I know there are people in need and those who will inevitably fall through the cracks. But it could all be so much worse and right now I'm every bit as grateful to the councillors , MPs MLAs Police Chiefs, Health Trust executives, Government Departments and the Cabinet as I am to the doctors and nurses.
The world is going to be a different place on the other side of Corona Virus. And some of the changes we are making now will have long term consequences. We should be praying for our leaders. They are just people. People with kids and parents and mortgages. People with health problems and depression and anxiety. They are all working really hard Im sure and they get dogs abuse so much of the time. Once this is all over they are going have to pick up the pieces and help to steer the country through Brexit ( remember that?) and get the economy going again. Let's bless them rather than moan about them. There is power in our words to build up or to tear down.
Comments
Post a Comment