Is it me?

So, having made our wills about ten years ago, and given the various legislative changes since, my wife and I decided that it was time for the family solicitors to undertake a review.

Two interesting things have come to light - both rather laughable. First, that much heralded NuLab IHT change - where personal allowances can be transferred- has yet to be enacted. Still. Strange, that when the Government seeks to enhance its income its done overnight - like fags and booze -yet when some benefit is set to accrues to the ordinary voter implementation is delayed. What about the proposed new legislation to improve protection for savers deposits.

Why am I not surprised - dismayed but not surprised.

Secondly - and this prompts a mixture from me of tears and laughter - on speaking with our solicitors to fix an appointment to talk about our wills I was told by Debbie the secretary that we must (not should) bring with us our passports as means of identification. Me "But you have known us for twenty years" Debbie "Sorry but that's the law now" I thought that was it but no. Debbie then went to to say "and one other thing would you please bring with you a utility bill to establish your address"

Whilst I recognise that some rules need to be in place to establish identities, surely there must be some allowance for common sense to be exercised otherwise we will march further and further into " PC la la land". Frankly it appears that laws are made and enforced on the soft targets of society, yet other issues, like losing data, pre-releasing prisoners, no control on our borders, eaningless initiatives and pointless reviews, go by mainly unchallenged.

To more important things, like whats been going on in Horsham. Well, my weekly survey of the performance of the main post office has thrown up the following - with twenty seven people waiting there were three counters open (Monday) later in the week there were twenty one people waiting with two people serving. Not actually getting any better. This week the Post Office Pension Fund Trustees are to meet to discuss a pension shortfall of £3.2b - against projected future out turns (profits) of say £50m - good luck. My solution - get rid of the rubbish stock, provide a better service aimed at the customer and perhaps maybe, performance and profitability would improve.

It also seems that HDC have ideas about the future of the Town Hall. Yes its likely to be a restaurant - lets hope its not yet another pizza parlour.

In and around the garden our robin is still trying to become a blue tit but has yet to achieve a wing flap rate that enables him to hold his position on the bird feeder. The deer have once more nibbled the tulips -well gulped them actually -but at least the cherry blossom is starting to appear.

Wish I could get these photos the right way up.

Horizon Scaning and others.....

God help us.

It seems that "Horizon Scanning" is the newest political buzz word of NuLabour. Its a sort of "make the public think we might be doing something, even if we are not, but we would not know what to do anyway, and whats more, we don't have any money." Yes, there are risks out there, whether political, economic, social, but frankly, I don't have the feeling that Government would/could protect me from them anyway. Moreover, its the Government that have set these risks running in the first place.

So with the birth of Horizon Scanning what other great and profound rhetoric has failed in the past. Well there was "Blue Sky Thinking" Has anybody recorded any NuLab BST that has achieved anything. What about "Partnership" and "Dialogue" and the all time classic "Consultation" All the former represent political failings - words can never take the place of action - but perhaps the greatest bureaucratic failing, although politically supported, is that all embracing cop out "multi agency working" The only thing multi agency working achieves is to provide the participants with no responsibility, time out of the office and lots of mileage claims. "Not me Guv" and "I was on holiday" spring to mind.

Anyway back to today. So, according to Gordon and Darling the fundamentals are fine, the economy is fine, inflation is fine, Iraq is fine, schools are fine, the NHS is fine, parliamentary expenses are fine et al. its all fine in Westminster. Its the rest of the country that's got it wrong. Fuel prices up, food prices up, HDC council taxes up.

Time for a little rant. So the MoD is getting hot under the collar about Coroners Reports into the death of UK soldiers - minded to gag publication of evidence, gagging the Coroners verdict. Seems that the truth can be suppressed but what about the Blair WMD document - OK you can report lies but not the truth. And another thing. With seven children by five partners do you (a)obtain financial support from your partners or (b)claim off the state. Answers in no more than ten words. Presume "Horizon Scanning" will be picking up all these potential abuses of the public purse and righting wrongs. I can only hold my breath for thirty seconds.

So what is Francis Maude up to -perhaps silence would be good. Is it time to take the peerage Francis? Conservatism should be for smaller government, efficiency in public services, no government ego trips - like the Dome, Iraq and the Olympics, less waste, greater openness, and then, ultimately tax cuts. Conservative MPs should be hounding NuLab given its ineptness and not leave it to the daily papers. Francis has had a good run but seems to have forgotten that the basics of conservatisum is about smaller government, reducing taxes and giving people the choice how to spend their money. Could it be time Francis to spend more time with the family?

So whose idea was it to have Easter in March. There are 60million people in the UK and we all deserve better than allow some old cleric or rule to dictate when Easter is. OK its an important religious festival but its also a holiday. Should we leave it to a few elders of the CoE to decide or some 1928 enactment. Is this the 21st Century or what.

On a more important note the daffs have been good this year but the snow drops have been unsurpassed