At Least They’re Not Puritans! (or Wielders of the Spanish Inquisition!) By Mr Alfred N.Muggins

(who is definitely not being paid by any newspapers or media organisations (or political parties) as he writes this, and who therefore has no axes to grind!)

     Our jovial Prime Minister Boris allowed or encouraged, or omitted to stop, some outdoor garden party gatherings in May2020 and in May 2021, as well as an informal office gathering in late December 2020. (maybe they have unearthed some more, or more likely drip fed us some more by now? I really can’t keep up with the unfolding pantomime! (so why am I writing about it? Good question which I cannot easily answer!) (Does it concern the 17^th Century? Not really! Or the 16^th Century? Not really! So why am I writing about it? I am not sure!) At least he and his courtiers have a sense of humour, and seem to know what it is to enjoy life!

     I, Mr Alfred Muggins, attempt to defend what is apparently technically indefensible. I always like an intellectual challenge, but can’t promise to completely understand all the issues. Still if I attempt to say any words in their favour, I will merely be dismissed as ‘silly Mr Muggins puts his foot in it again’, and as I am rarely to be taken too seriously, I am unlikely to be politically damaged any more than I am already!

     I hope we realise that our government could be so much worse. They could arrest every suspect, follow and analyse every bit of information. They could put us all under so much more scrutiny! Just think how many of us might be caught if the police were asked to go back through all the information they had on us. How many of us could be could be fined for talking to neighbours a bit too close over the garden fence, walking too close to strangers in a park, or meeting up with family when we weren’t supposed to! I guess there might be a significant proportion of our population who don’t always bother to pick up their dog’s poo in the parks or on the streets! How many builders or plumbers, restauranteurs, and businessmen (and women!) of many kinds have declared all of their income on their tax returns and accounts?

     They say corruption of some sort is endemic in all societies. In our society a lot of it is let off or not policed, ignored as public service employees are cut to the bone. Look at the way big corporations are allowed to move their money to foreign countries, and tax havens, even when the profit really has been made here in the good old UK! If Labour were in power again maybe they would fund the police and councils and the revenue service a bit more generously, close more of the legal and business loopholes. The Tories, particularly under Boris are so keen to save money they would rather trust computers than use other methods to make sure everyone pays their taxes. Do you really want to live in a society where all infractions are chased to the nth degree?

     If Boris is to be forced to resign by media trial over hypocrisy, and petty standards, should we not turn the same standards upon ourselves? Who should turn themselves in for relatively minor infractions of Covid rules, 6 months or one year, or two years before? Who has not picked up a fallen coin, or better still, a fallen note, and pocketed it! Just think how many of us would cry and complain if we really did turn all the migrant boats back! Which punk fans have not been caught tapping their feet to Abba or some disco hit? How many of us have never looked at another man’s wife or another woman’s husband? Who amongst us has not broken some kind of rule or other? We are all sinners, so is it any surprise that we are led by sinners? How many of us are not really there all the time when we go to work? Thank God they haven’t really cancelled the celebration of Christmas yet (Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans did! Or maybe we’d prefer to have the Taliban in charge over here than fun loving Boris and his colleagues?)

     Well there I’ve said it. Shall we let them off, drag them over the coals for a time, make them think they’re going to lose their seats and lose the loyalty of their voters, or their backbenchers, but let them off in the end, as long as they don’t make the job of Government too efficient and unforgiving? Let him (or her!) who is without sin cast the first stone, and Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who trespass against us!!