I recall Attlee's Government of 1945-1951, the birth of the NHS and the UN, and I foolishly thought that after WW2, everything would improve and people would have learned their lessons. But here we are in 2026, and everything seems to be going down the plughole- the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer. The World is in turmoil, with wars, global warming, the NHS being privatised, bullies and liars in power. Those in power ignore the truth and reward sycophants and liars. It seems now there are too many politicians in it for their own benefit, looking after their own interests and not the interests of the people they represent.
Yes, it is this upsetting notion that the same lessons have to be learned by each new generation - how many people will suffer because we can't learn from past mistakes, but have to make them all over again?
Very good appraisal of the situation. Powerful and wealthy men will escape relatively untarnished, their 'brushes' with the scandal glossed over and forgotten in months. The women who were their victims - whether victims of actual sexual molestation and rape, or victims of men who preferred to ignore what was going on - will continue to have their lives ruined by their experiences. More will likely take their own lives.
This is not just about Epstein, hundreds of women continue to be sexually harassed every day by men who are more powerful than they are, men who control their career progress or their academic success. For as long as powerful men are believed and their victims dismissed, this will continue.
An excellent appraisal. The root cause being the spread and acceptance of knowing blatant lies, lying that goes unpunished unlike perjury. Until lying aided and abetted by the growth of AI is made a criminal offence with severe penalties, like 50% of the criminals net worth plus prison, the problem will continue. A lie can be quickly proved and not take decades like the obscene Epstein crimes.
I agree with you, it is frightening how the Epstein affair has brought it home to us that there is a layer of society that regards society"s rules as optional, that cares only for only adding to their obscene wealth, and has no care or compassion for the rest of us as we struggle with what's left after they've had their grubby little trotters in the trough. I have never envied the wealthy their money, but it tears at me to see them, with more money than they could spend in their lifetime, dodging paying taxes, which would still leave them with more money etc....Their greed makes me sick!
Completely agree. They make and increase their wealth by exploiting the poor. There is a law, Green's Law, that the more you acquire the greedier you become, richer and richer greedier and greedier.
Just think how much money has been spent from the public purse (that is funded by you and me) over the decades, paying to give personal protection, to these criminals who have behaved with impunity and exploited their positions to benefit themselves as individuals and their allies and supporters as a cohort.
Starmer's defence today that he believed Mandelson's lies is a desperate attempt at a cover up. He had the briefing from the security services about the long association (more than 20 years) between Epstein and Mandelson.
Or is he telling us that the security services were not doing their job - and that was something that he oversaw as PM?
The BBC has said that there are emails which suggest that Mandelson stayed in Epstein's flat in New York in 2009 whilst Epstein was in jail for sex offences.
So there had been a relationship between them for more than 15 years, now proven.
The problem is that there is no one strong enough to force the matter to its necessary conclusion, so most of 'the Guilty' will wriggle away, escaping the justice they have hitherto circumvented. The Epstein Rot is a vivid example of how civilisation is doomed. Despair and anarchy (or totalitarianism to throttle freedom of thought) will prevail, and what can we do to prevent that, when even the honourable are hobbled by the system?
You've certainly shown how to powerfully use the 'art of words' in this piece, Matt. And YES to the use of art generally in protest - from glorious banners and placards, Red Rebels and drummers - to a very arrestable jumping kangaroo 🦘.
I'm a big proponent of anarchy, which isn't a product of despair, but of hope.
Anarchy allows the honorable to reject the system that hobbles them and build something better.
'V for Vendetta', whose prescience becomes more obvious with every year that passes, points out that 'Anarchy means "without leaders", not "without order"'. It is essential reading, a story of hope in the face of oppression, but also a warning that things may get much worse before they get better, if we don't heed its lessons.
An absolutely spot on appraisal of the sorry state of both UK / US politics.
Unless and until those responsible are truly punished for their corrupt and decadent crimes - and are really made an example of - it's going to be extremely difficult for genuine and decent politicians to make a breakthrough and restore peoples faith in democracy and politics.
I have been posting on just this. There is a nexus of political power, and financial wealth, to which we can add the techbros and much of the media, social and traditional. They are never held accountable despite the colossal damage they have done to economies and societies, whilst massively rewarding themselves. Regulation does not work as it does not have the teeth or resources, the wealth is used to deploy hefty legal resources, and any fines are just the cost of doing business.
The businesses need to be broken up and cut down to size. Directors of these businesses need to be made fully accountable with crippling personal fines. The money and lobbying needs to be surgically removed from politics.
The reporting in the national media over the Epstein files is justified, but it begs the question: Why aren't the horrors that are taking place in Gaza and the West Bank not given the same amount of time, space and condemnation?
Witnessing a live streamed genocide of the Palestinians over the last 2 years has already lowered the bar of the evil and that laws and justice don't apply all the epstein stuff, absolutely no surprise no shock, no further horror to have
Your assumption is incorrect. I was going to be much more pithy.
There is no doubt Labour have been inept and made wrong decisions but they are not in the lying league of the Tories. Starmer is basically honest and has integrity but he lacks oomph and charisma.
Leaving only Reform is a disaster. Deceit and lying over 15 years created the mess we are in, Reform are only beaten for deceit and lying by Trump. Brexit lies have caused a £250bn drop in our GDP. Lies will always cause harm.
FACT-Brexit lies were of Tory party making Labour while
in opposition did nothing to fast track Brexit.
So what about the lies over Mandelson Labour Leader put to
H.O. Com??
Tory -Labour have proven they cannot be trusted running our country
or our way of life in the U.K. NOW.
So, they will be a BIG price to pay come next G.E. in the U.K. when Tory -Labour lose voter on a mass scale when they move to other parties -NOT just Reform you cannot blame reform or Nigel for the Crap of Tory -Labour party way of runing the U.K. FULL STOP!!!
F ACT - Brexit lies were from some Tory MPs not the Tory Party. Labour Party under Corbyn were not sufficiently against leaving the EU. Brexit lies were from all Brexit Party members led by Farage.
Specify the lies in detail you allege were put to the HOC by Starmer.
The Tory Party over nearly 15 years proved they were not fit nor trustworthy to run our country, they even sacked their PM for lying. It is not possible to undo 15 years of gross incompetence in 1.6 years.
No one, save perhaps you, are blaming Farage for 'Tory crap'. UKIP/BREXIT/REFORM have created oodles of 'crap' and lies of their own.
FACT --DID BORIES Tory leader say he would deliver Brexit for our voter YES he did--But failed to deliver Brexit fully so he lied to us Brexit voter of Lancashire along side his Tory M.P. A FACT.
FACT Nigel was NOT IN GOVT at the time of Brexit you need get your head from up your ASS and STOP protecting Tory -Labour party failing on Brexit both main U.K. Govt parties failed us Brexit voters a FACT you and other Tory-Labour voter cannot dispute at all.
I am a free voter I have NO ties to any U.K. Govt parties in power or not and I pay NO fees to any party elections --Apart from my taxpayers money they screw out of our taxpayer money pot-- I am also Not a memebr of Reform party this is a fact!!
You definitely cannot predict what *will* happen, but you can look at what Reform and its MPs have done in the past to predict what is *likely* to happen.
Reform, under another name, were instrumental in the most detrimental policy in living memory: Brexit. That gives you an indication of what is likely to happen if they win the GE.
Reform led councils already exist and they have not delivered the things they promised. That gives you an indication of what is likely to happen if they win in May.
I find it hard to trust Reform given its past form.
SO, the rest of U.K. voter can take it you will Not vote for reform
so you will only have the 3 parties that have failed the U.K. for years left
Tory?
Labour?
Lib-Dem?
So you will keep the failing parties in power to carry on trashing our U.K. and our British people way of life Oliver??Y-N?
I will state another fact the Green party have never been in Govt power
in the U.K. WILL you vote for them also Y-N?
Now to dodgy Cllr-Mayor alike Tory Cllr+Mayor crap Labour Cllr+Mayor crap
reform just took over LCC area so have not had time to put planes in place as the May election will change the area Cllr -Mayor jobs only in the area that Labour have allowed to vote that is.-- in my area we DO-NOT get to vote in may so we resident are being gaged and prevented from voting for reform by our dodgy Labour -Tory party leaders NOW.
The May election are NOW being rigged fully by Labour -Tory M.P. to keep reform from taking over ALL of Lancashire areas by a dictator Govt this is
NOT democracy it just like US-China- Russia-Turkey-Pakistan-India-Govt that give their resident NO SAY NOW.
I recall Attlee's Government of 1945-1951, the birth of the NHS and the UN, and I foolishly thought that after WW2, everything would improve and people would have learned their lessons. But here we are in 2026, and everything seems to be going down the plughole- the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer. The World is in turmoil, with wars, global warming, the NHS being privatised, bullies and liars in power. Those in power ignore the truth and reward sycophants and liars. It seems now there are too many politicians in it for their own benefit, looking after their own interests and not the interests of the people they represent.
Yes, it is this upsetting notion that the same lessons have to be learned by each new generation - how many people will suffer because we can't learn from past mistakes, but have to make them all over again?
We the UK and the USA need Proportional Representation NOW¡!
Proven the world over to keep extremists out of power... And an end to privilege in the UK..
Very good appraisal of the situation. Powerful and wealthy men will escape relatively untarnished, their 'brushes' with the scandal glossed over and forgotten in months. The women who were their victims - whether victims of actual sexual molestation and rape, or victims of men who preferred to ignore what was going on - will continue to have their lives ruined by their experiences. More will likely take their own lives.
This is not just about Epstein, hundreds of women continue to be sexually harassed every day by men who are more powerful than they are, men who control their career progress or their academic success. For as long as powerful men are believed and their victims dismissed, this will continue.
An excellent appraisal. The root cause being the spread and acceptance of knowing blatant lies, lying that goes unpunished unlike perjury. Until lying aided and abetted by the growth of AI is made a criminal offence with severe penalties, like 50% of the criminals net worth plus prison, the problem will continue. A lie can be quickly proved and not take decades like the obscene Epstein crimes.
I agree with you, it is frightening how the Epstein affair has brought it home to us that there is a layer of society that regards society"s rules as optional, that cares only for only adding to their obscene wealth, and has no care or compassion for the rest of us as we struggle with what's left after they've had their grubby little trotters in the trough. I have never envied the wealthy their money, but it tears at me to see them, with more money than they could spend in their lifetime, dodging paying taxes, which would still leave them with more money etc....Their greed makes me sick!
Completely agree. They make and increase their wealth by exploiting the poor. There is a law, Green's Law, that the more you acquire the greedier you become, richer and richer greedier and greedier.
My cynicism has been wasted and so has yours.
Just think how much money has been spent from the public purse (that is funded by you and me) over the decades, paying to give personal protection, to these criminals who have behaved with impunity and exploited their positions to benefit themselves as individuals and their allies and supporters as a cohort.
It is incalculable.
Starmer's defence today that he believed Mandelson's lies is a desperate attempt at a cover up. He had the briefing from the security services about the long association (more than 20 years) between Epstein and Mandelson.
Or is he telling us that the security services were not doing their job - and that was something that he oversaw as PM?
The BBC has said that there are emails which suggest that Mandelson stayed in Epstein's flat in New York in 2009 whilst Epstein was in jail for sex offences.
So there had been a relationship between them for more than 15 years, now proven.
Hardly knew each other?
What do you think?
The problem is that there is no one strong enough to force the matter to its necessary conclusion, so most of 'the Guilty' will wriggle away, escaping the justice they have hitherto circumvented. The Epstein Rot is a vivid example of how civilisation is doomed. Despair and anarchy (or totalitarianism to throttle freedom of thought) will prevail, and what can we do to prevent that, when even the honourable are hobbled by the system?
Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.
- Ursula K Le Guin
You've certainly shown how to powerfully use the 'art of words' in this piece, Matt. And YES to the use of art generally in protest - from glorious banners and placards, Red Rebels and drummers - to a very arrestable jumping kangaroo 🦘.
I'm a big proponent of anarchy, which isn't a product of despair, but of hope.
Anarchy allows the honorable to reject the system that hobbles them and build something better.
'V for Vendetta', whose prescience becomes more obvious with every year that passes, points out that 'Anarchy means "without leaders", not "without order"'. It is essential reading, a story of hope in the face of oppression, but also a warning that things may get much worse before they get better, if we don't heed its lessons.
An absolutely spot on appraisal of the sorry state of both UK / US politics.
Unless and until those responsible are truly punished for their corrupt and decadent crimes - and are really made an example of - it's going to be extremely difficult for genuine and decent politicians to make a breakthrough and restore peoples faith in democracy and politics.
I have been posting on just this. There is a nexus of political power, and financial wealth, to which we can add the techbros and much of the media, social and traditional. They are never held accountable despite the colossal damage they have done to economies and societies, whilst massively rewarding themselves. Regulation does not work as it does not have the teeth or resources, the wealth is used to deploy hefty legal resources, and any fines are just the cost of doing business.
The businesses need to be broken up and cut down to size. Directors of these businesses need to be made fully accountable with crippling personal fines. The money and lobbying needs to be surgically removed from politics.
Nothing less will do.
The reporting in the national media over the Epstein files is justified, but it begs the question: Why aren't the horrors that are taking place in Gaza and the West Bank not given the same amount of time, space and condemnation?
Witnessing a live streamed genocide of the Palestinians over the last 2 years has already lowered the bar of the evil and that laws and justice don't apply all the epstein stuff, absolutely no surprise no shock, no further horror to have
It's Time For Consequences.
**
well U.K. voter May 2026 election will be the start of the
following unfolding in U.K. Parliament.
1-
Tory and Labour losing seat in local area election and
loss of Party Cllr-Mayor also.
2-
Tory and Labour losing voters in droves to Reform and Nigel
in most parts of Lancashire (Brexit areas) both Tory -Labour have failed.
3-
Next G.E. we could or may see Tory -Labour to merge into one party to try
to keep our U.K. Govt under their control and Nigel out of No,10
4-
No matter what happen now until next G.E. the U.K. voter are sick of Tory party
and Labour party failing of our country and voter needs.
5-
So, the door to No.10 will be OPEN to Nigel and parliament will or could have
a new party (Reform) in power lets see what reform can do U.K. voters?
We do not want a proven LIAR like Farage anywhere near our Parliament.
UKIP/BREXIT/REFORM there is no difference all led by the same liars.
SO you want Tory -Labour still in Govt yes??
well I will say this ALL the U.K. voters will decide who win next G.E.
NOT you or me.
I and my team of free voters are now working on removing Labour from power
just like we aided in removing Tory last G.E.
So, I will state again after our work on removing Labour it will only leave reform
to run our country lets see want the U.K. voter think O.K.
Your assumption is incorrect. I was going to be much more pithy.
There is no doubt Labour have been inept and made wrong decisions but they are not in the lying league of the Tories. Starmer is basically honest and has integrity but he lacks oomph and charisma.
Leaving only Reform is a disaster. Deceit and lying over 15 years created the mess we are in, Reform are only beaten for deceit and lying by Trump. Brexit lies have caused a £250bn drop in our GDP. Lies will always cause harm.
FACT-Brexit lies were of Tory party making Labour while
in opposition did nothing to fast track Brexit.
So what about the lies over Mandelson Labour Leader put to
H.O. Com??
Tory -Labour have proven they cannot be trusted running our country
or our way of life in the U.K. NOW.
So, they will be a BIG price to pay come next G.E. in the U.K. when Tory -Labour lose voter on a mass scale when they move to other parties -NOT just Reform you cannot blame reform or Nigel for the Crap of Tory -Labour party way of runing the U.K. FULL STOP!!!
F ACT - Brexit lies were from some Tory MPs not the Tory Party. Labour Party under Corbyn were not sufficiently against leaving the EU. Brexit lies were from all Brexit Party members led by Farage.
Specify the lies in detail you allege were put to the HOC by Starmer.
The Tory Party over nearly 15 years proved they were not fit nor trustworthy to run our country, they even sacked their PM for lying. It is not possible to undo 15 years of gross incompetence in 1.6 years.
No one, save perhaps you, are blaming Farage for 'Tory crap'. UKIP/BREXIT/REFORM have created oodles of 'crap' and lies of their own.
FACT --DID BORIES Tory leader say he would deliver Brexit for our voter YES he did--But failed to deliver Brexit fully so he lied to us Brexit voter of Lancashire along side his Tory M.P. A FACT.
FACT Nigel was NOT IN GOVT at the time of Brexit you need get your head from up your ASS and STOP protecting Tory -Labour party failing on Brexit both main U.K. Govt parties failed us Brexit voters a FACT you and other Tory-Labour voter cannot dispute at all.
I am a free voter I have NO ties to any U.K. Govt parties in power or not and I pay NO fees to any party elections --Apart from my taxpayers money they screw out of our taxpayer money pot-- I am also Not a memebr of Reform party this is a fact!!
Please don't say UK if you really mean England.
Or if you actually really do mean UK perhaps you can give your views on the Scottish and Welsh government elections this year...
FACT--I DO-NOT live in Scotland or Wales or N-Ireland that is still part of U.K.
and DO -NOT vote their M.P. into their Govt be you like it or not.
**
I live in the U.K. part of England -Wales-Scotland -N-Ireland are still part of
until their area vote to leave us in U.K. by way of a referrenom vote.
**
their elected Govt party could put it on the ballet paper at next G.E. to leave
to their votes to leave us in the U.K.
**
Have have team members in Scotland-Wales-N-Ireland area that vote
in May 2026 election some of us in the U,K, are being denied a vote by
Labour Govt now and its Cllr-Mayor-M.P. alike we will see what damage we
do in May election to Tory-Labour party before next G.E.
Que??
Makes no sense.
I do not mean your comment 'Que'.
But Reform are the tories! They literally all have been part of the Conservative party in the past.
Reform are made up of X Tories-Labour X M.P. that failed their party voters
MY POINT IS THE FOLLOWING!!!!
Tory party have failed the U.K. fully a FACT!
Labour party have failed the U.K. fully a FACT!
FACT new Reform party have NOT been in U.K. Govt so NO voter know this includes
me and you what will happen if they win next G.E. and May area election???
You definitely cannot predict what *will* happen, but you can look at what Reform and its MPs have done in the past to predict what is *likely* to happen.
Reform, under another name, were instrumental in the most detrimental policy in living memory: Brexit. That gives you an indication of what is likely to happen if they win the GE.
Reform led councils already exist and they have not delivered the things they promised. That gives you an indication of what is likely to happen if they win in May.
I find it hard to trust Reform given its past form.
SO, the rest of U.K. voter can take it you will Not vote for reform
so you will only have the 3 parties that have failed the U.K. for years left
Tory?
Labour?
Lib-Dem?
So you will keep the failing parties in power to carry on trashing our U.K. and our British people way of life Oliver??Y-N?
I will state another fact the Green party have never been in Govt power
in the U.K. WILL you vote for them also Y-N?
Now to dodgy Cllr-Mayor alike Tory Cllr+Mayor crap Labour Cllr+Mayor crap
reform just took over LCC area so have not had time to put planes in place as the May election will change the area Cllr -Mayor jobs only in the area that Labour have allowed to vote that is.-- in my area we DO-NOT get to vote in may so we resident are being gaged and prevented from voting for reform by our dodgy Labour -Tory party leaders NOW.
The May election are NOW being rigged fully by Labour -Tory M.P. to keep reform from taking over ALL of Lancashire areas by a dictator Govt this is
NOT democracy it just like US-China- Russia-Turkey-Pakistan-India-Govt that give their resident NO SAY NOW.
Yes, Labour cancelling May elections is totally unjustified and wrong.
Personally I would like more independent candidates - ones that don't have to do what the whip tells them, but actually represent their constituents.
The first thing a true dictatorship would do would be to remove us from the European Convention on Human Rights.