SANDFORD STORES

My local shop and staff have been nominated as “Local heroes” for their efforts during the Covid Lockdown. They are into the last 20 in a competition run by Boost Energy Drinks.

The reasons why I think they should be in with a chance for the winners title are as follows. At no time did they ever ask for anything in return – shopping was done, drugs and prescriptions collected, co-ordination with volunteers was arranged without fuss. Days off were not contemplated. All done quietly and efficiently. Local councillors were hiding in their nuclear bunkers. Thanks should also be made to Thatchers Cider who set up a dedicated help line for locals. All this was co-ordinated by Aaron Bleach who fortunately is still an invaluable member of our community.

WINSTON MOMENT

So the press have dragged up a story of a labour MP and 2 from SNP getting drunk on a flight to Gibraltar. Is this really the best they can come up with? It reminded me of Winston’s response when accused of being drunk “Yes madam, and you are ugly, but I shall e sober in the morning!”.

BELARUS

threatens the EU with cutting gas pipeline from Russia. Not sure Putin would be too keen on this? I(t is interesting how Eastern Europe is so different from Western Europe. Not just the economic differences, but the social and even football ones too. To keep it close we could look at Hungary – formerly part of the Habsburg Empire, and yet seemingly inherently racist and homophobic. Even Austria seems more remote from the liberal west.

CORRUPT

I am ashamed that this country has become one of the most corrupt on the planet. We have moved beyond cronyism and favours. Shakespeare would have been besides himself with ideas for tragedies based on the present shambles.

CHINA

Can we please stop the hypocrisy. China is not a virtuous virgin of world politics, but neither is a panacea of all ills. Its human rights record is appalling – we will never know if Covid originated in a lab, but can be sure that if it did we would suffer from a pandemic sooner or latter. The odds are that it developed from bush meat or the strange eating habits associated with traditional Chinese medicine.

BOOSTER JAB

Cool, so I get a text asking me to book, so I do at 10.20 on 15 November. In Singapore people without vaccination will pay the full cost of treatment. Vaccine passes being tightened in Wales and France.

HILARIOUS and SABATICALS FOR MINISTERS

Dominic Raab thinks it is important to have someone who has some knowledge of what is going on in BVI. General consensus in even the nasty party seems to be that serious questions need to be asked about his commitment to constituents. I suspect that he charges about £1000 an hour and therefore rationalised that he should only spend 70 hours a year dealing with constituents.

JOHNSON’S TIME RUNNING OUT

With the Daily Mail and The Times running front page articles about the sleaze in the Tory Party I suspect that our PM may soon retire and make a profitable living with after dinner speeches and (to him) witty newspaper articles. Unlike other ex-PM’s he is unlikely to be asked about policy or anything intelligent! It is possible he will head for a safe haven with no extradition treaty with the UK.