To the Government - a Rant

As a youngster, as a student, I was “left-wing” (and still). I was notionally pro-Labour, anti-Conservative (or more accurately anti-Thatcher). Don't you remember wearing a Socialist Workers Party “Stuff the Jubilee “ badge at university in our (pretty pathetic) protest against the establishment? I wore it at school at the age of fifteen with pride. We've grown up since then ...

I received a loan-free university education (so did you), worked for the U.K. government, received another U.K. government discretionary grant to do a Masters and worked again as a VSO volunteer (an unofficial arm of U.K. aid policy as, although not government, it's c. 90% government funded). I am grateful.

I now work for our alliance partner, promoting our common goals (!). I am grateful.

I still firmly believe in the old education policy of giving tertiary education for free ... although when she abolished this, it wasn't enough to make me vote against Thatcher. I never voted. Labour was too right-wing for me. Then, as a long-term ex-pat with no residence in the U.K., I lost the right to vote.

The abolition of free tertiary education was shameful. Anyone with today's student loan burden/debt has my heartfelt sympathy ,,, and I apologise to you for not having voted.

Now the (Labour “left-wing”) government, that notionally I would vote for, threatens my National Health Service.

The NHS would probably treat me, illegally, without questions. It is treating my British Citizen (not her fault) daughter without questions illegally, and my wife and (unofficial) stepson (both non-British thanks to-Mrs Thatcher) illegally without questions. I am grateful.

The staff of the NHS, I praise and bow to you. Thank you also to all the people who have overlooked the illegalities (my embassy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, the Department of Health and Social Security, the Department of Education and Science, our GP, our local primary school etc). Thank you especially to the woman in the local Primary Care Trust accounts department. Thank you for your humanity. Thank you for saving Kezia's life. I am very very very grateful.

And, thus, now I have the vote gain, and as a very small token of my appreciation, I will not be party to he reelection of the current administration.