I like 'Private Eye,' yet reading this copy I find myself somewhat depressed. While the cartoons and articles can satirise the world around us, and can be very funny when hitting nails on head, it also leaves me profoundly depressed with the state of the world and this nation in particular. Page after page show corruption, insider dealing, governments allowing themselves to be used by big business, the banks, or indeed anyone who has clout. Individuals in high places putting themselves before the people and, in short, the corruption of power! It is a disgrace the way this nation is run, and we have the cheek to complain about others?
Africa, we frequently are told, is owned by the politicians who put 90% of the cash into their own pockets. This may well be true, but it goes on here also. It always has and it always will! Integrity in public or business affairs is always to be doubted, even from those you know to be on the whole honest. For example, the Motherwell manager Craig Brown has moved camp to Aberdeen. Now he is blubbering that folks doubt his integrity during this move and threatening any who insist on questioning his motives. Hmmm sounds guilty to me. Had he notified his chairman, had Aberdeen done the same through politeness, then nothing would have been said. He was not on a contract and could walk away. A bit of openness and honesty would not have gone amiss. Iam afraid in my eyes he now has less integrity than McGhee, and he had none! He stayed in his job until he was sacked, long after he had given up making any effort. A bit of integrity may have led to a 'mutual agreement,' but money talks.
A glance through the latest 'Private Eye,' shows such lack of integrity everywhere. Vodafone, owing £6 billion in tax, come to an agreement, led by a Tory donor allegedly, to pay £1.25 billion instead. (welfare cost £5.5 billion said Cameron). Now it appears they don't have to pay up front but can stretch this out over years. This company also owes the Indians a similar amount, watch this space I say. Honesty is lacking in the media ("What, really?" you say.) with the press rehashing old stories and even publishing invented ones found on Wikipedia! However at an all party Commons committee on the future of the Welsh language TV channel S4C it appears everyone who is in favour of the millions wasted on a channel nobody watches appears to be the ones working for or providing programmes for this channel. Integrity where art thou? We fond man of the people 'Dave' Cameron's party receiving donations from people who live in million pound houses and make their money out of bailiff work, throwing the debtors onto the streets so the 'Daily Mail' can shout about their benefits. The Office of Fair Trading have had to step in on this company to hinder its manner of dealing with people. Does 'Dave' know I wonder? We find dirty dealings, which cost us, in the energy business, overpaid executives in the BBC talking about cutbacks, but not for them, high ups in the NHS holding dubious enquiries about Bristol hospitals in London and even more dubious goings on among town councillors.
As I read I get so depressed. While many people do show a great deal of integrity in the way they work or run their business it always appears that those at the top soon get corrupted into 'the ways of the world,' even if they start with good intentions. Having spent two years in the NHS offices I can tell you many care nothing for patients and just live to expand their empire, and wage! How many 'suits' are there increasing their salaries while reducing the number of staff? How many little deals are greased through 'legitimate' gifts I wonder? Reading this magazine I wished I had stood at the last local election. I have nothing to say to a Tory dominated group, but I could at least ingratiate myself with the developers, business folks, and those looking for a fast buck. It appears that is the way forward, everywhere!
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