The Greatest Tragedy of Our Times

The search goes on for a politician of stature and gravitas. Of true integrity, following a call to serve his or her country. There are some but they remain on the back-benches or in minor parties. The ones making all the noise at the front continue to disappoint and enrage.

Really though? Can I really find myself so surprised and appalled yet again? After all the nonsense of the last 14 months, surely my eyebrows have stretched so high there is nowhere further to go?

Apparently not. Because Jacob Rees-Mogg has announced that the silencing of Big Ben is “the greatest tragedy of our times”. No, sorry. The greatest tragedy of our times is that conniving misogynists like this man are not only thriving in government but are making a realistic play for running the country.

How is it that in 2017 a man can proudly proclaim that he is father to six children but has never changed a nappy? That's not funny. It's not old-fashioned in a whimsical way. It is astoundingly disrespectful to his wife. It displays a refusal to take responsibility. And what message does it send to his children, that he can't even be bothered with the most basic early act of love that a parent might offer? A new born baby has very few requirements – food, warmth and nappy-changing probably covers most of it.

But I digress. The greatest tragedy? Really? So it's worse than the terrorist attacks in Europe of the last few weeks or earlier this year in the UK? Worse than the maniac in the White House trying to create nuclear war? Worse than White Supremacists and Nazis marching openly through the streets of the US and murdering a protester in full view? Worse than hundreds killed, injured, traumatised and made homeless by the fire at Grenfell Tower? Worse than British politicians openly lying to the electorate to engineer their own career-advancement at the cost of the country's future prosperity and security and getting away with it? Worse than unaccountable, non-domiciled billionaires controlling our media and skewing any chance of honest, informed debate in the country? Worse than Aaron Banks “buying” an election? Worse than MPs, campaigners and members of the public facing death-threats if someone else doesn't like their politics? Worse than the huge surge in hate-crime that leaves millions in our country living shadowy half-lives of fear? Worse than public-sector workers suffering a six-year pay-freeze? Worse than thousands, if not millions, of people in this country needing foodbanks to survive, even whilst working full time? Worse than millions displaced from their homes and lives in the Middle East through the despicable and selfish acts of war-mongers? Worse than those same refugees drowning as they flee, or even more cruelly, ending up starving, unwashed, unsheltered and hiding from police brutrality in the woods of Calais?

Worse than the alternative to silencing Big Ben? ie knowingly sacrificing the hearing of the people asked to carry out the work?

This man was elected and is paid to be part of the body responsible for drawing up and delivering a progressive vision for the country and to tackle the very real problems we and others face around the world. And in return he offers us some claptrap about a clock. A clock in a city that is home to 13% of the population. It's not even being silenced for ever and it's not the first time it has happened.

Is this really how North East Somerset voters want their MP to prioritise his time?

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