11/10/2026
Being an ex-Mariner I have a soft spot for the brave crews of the RNLI.
They answer any call for help, irrespective of who is in need, and often risk their lives in doing so. The events of late summer when so-called protestors hassled and filmed crews for social media were appalling.
Last year the RNLI launched 9,058 times with just 109 of those launches in the channel. A mere 1.2% of the charity’s overall rescue work. So, let’s not have any more far right attacks on the RNLI, nor cancellations of membership because people think they are a “ferry service for immigrants”. The stats speak for themselves. And bear in mind that even the RNLI can’t always help. Last week saw three deaths in the channel. A ten-year-old boy and two women crushed in the scramble to get onboard an overcrowded dinghy.
Conference season is over. Reform will be remembered for the £72 million. Labour for announcements for the future but nil now for Defence, nor tackling the burgeoning welfare budget. The Lib Dem conference? Did it actually happen? I can’t recall anything, can you? Apart from rumours of Ed Davey being given the heave ho!
Reform’s £72m is a huge amount. But we all know money doesn’t buy your vote, doesn’t buy the best candidates, and time has proven here and in America that the parties that spend the most don’t always win.
As for Mr Trump promising five thousand dollars to everyone if his Party wins the mid-terms – words fail me.
I’ll write more on the Conservative Conference next time.
Talking of money, Lib Dem run Gloucester City, who borrowed £15m off the government, now probably going back for another £8m. No wonder their leader was ousted last month. Cheltenham Lib Dems? Were we surprised that at a recent Cabinet meeting they forecast an £838k overspend. They now need over £0.5m from reserves. The very same reserves that Council Officers say should stay at £1.5m, but will now drop to around £900k. And not one single Lib Dem Cabinet member questioned the report, nor even asked what happens when savings targets can’t be reached nor overspends curtailed? Accountability out the door again.
With Lib Dem disarray at the Muni and Shire Hall, and Labour sticking to their natural Socialist homeland, I smile every time I see my car sticker that says “Don’t blame me, I voted Tory!”
