Oyez! Oyez!

Spring’s a bit slow showing up this year isn’t it? All to do with the jet stream pointing the wrong way or something.

What hasn’t slowed up is this government’s rolling programme of daft ideas. A multi-multi billion quid high speed train. A hundred million quid link road from Hastings to Bexhill which will take the hapless drivers across a well-established flood plain. How useless can you get? Useless that is, in terms of yer ordinary plebs like you and me. For Dave and his independently rich chums, it's not unlike Mrs Thatcher’s Falklands War. Granted, the UK recomissioning a few obsolete bombers, steaming warships down the Atlantic and sacrificing soldiers and sailors whilst knocking seven bells out of Argentina’s c class war machine including a 300 year-old cruiser didn’t last long, but it did win an election on a wave of Churchillian pride. With Dave’s super–train, it’ll take a tad longer (20 years) but the important thing is the ANNOUNCEMENT, not the completion.

It's not unlike the re-hash of the benefits system ("Hooray, hooray!" from the Daily Mail wing). What an utter balls-up that is. One of Dave’s rich boy chums said the other day that whilst in the past, rent was paid direct to landlords, NOW the tenant would be responsible for doing that. He added that this change would “educate” people about the management of money. How incredibly arrogant can one rich kid get? Its no wonder leeches like Wonga and all the pay-day lenders are getting fatter and fatter.

Then there’s the laughable bedroom tax. A kid leaves home for university. Does he/she still have a room at home? Short answer. Dunno. Long answer. Dunno.

Enough. Happier things … you must all hey-ho to the Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival for its 10^th Anniversary show, 19^th-21^st April. This year’s theme is “TIME” it’s the biggest corralling of notable cartoonists in the country, all of whom will be seen working live, all for free! Best and busiest day is usually the Saturday (20^th) Even smoothiepants London can’t offer this level of attraction.

OK – plug over.