Who wears the trousers?

Over the past year or so, I have become more and more interested with politics on a local level in particular because I believe disabled people like myself should put up a fight and hold those in power to account. Everyone knows that my personal battle has been to get the council to remove ridiculous speed-humps from a pedestrian path as they make the route inaccessible and the whole scheme was a calamitous idea in the first place.  I am pleased to announce that after several meetings, ‘Wheelchair Boy’ has won the argument and the humps will be removed soon.

I should confirm that this is not an arrogant post boasting that I have forced the council to make a U-turn (because other people have been instrumental such as the St Albans District Access Group). I just wanted to point out something that I’ve noticed in politics of late and fits in well with some of the points Russell Brand recently made. I completely disagree whit his suggestion that people shouldn’t vote because I feel it does empower you, even for a minute, and not turning up to the ballot box is just laziness and ignorance in their purest forms. Nevertheless, Brand is correct when he points out that most are “utterly disenchanted by politics”.

Now the public mood has been identified and raised by an influential figure, a constructive way to change this general angst (not just by abstaining from the voting process) needs to be agreed upon. The only way politics can move forward is if it is explained why people don’t take an interest in Westminster and the like. The reason is clear and is described by Brand as “the absolute, all-encompassing total corruption of our political agencies by big business”. Some might call it privatization whereas I like to think of it as the submissive British government getting in bed with dominant businessmen.

Of course profit is important and is the sole motivation of any company but surely there is a point where doing what is right for the country is more important than making money, especially when ‘democracy’ is involved. The example that I want to use is the local bus services in St. Albans. Most routes are under the control of companies such as Uno or Arriva who seemingly can do what they like (discriminate against disabled passengers or persistently run behind schedule), which quite frankly I find a joke. Those who the people vote in to do a job seem to be under the thumb of corporate executives who get away with all but murder.

That’s where the problem lies. Politicians no longer wear the trousers. All the importance is given to money and business. The system is messed up because most politicians want to help society but end up being bought off by rich businesses. There’s no quick solution but I just don’t want people to completely give up on politics otherwise change (big or small) will never happen.

Bye for now!