SILLY STRIKE SEASON ....Where's all the money supposed to come from???

OK TIMES ARE REALLY TOUGH BUT DIDN'T THEY HEAR THAT

THE COUNTRY IS IN RECESSION???

Things haven't been great since 52% of the country voted for BRExit.

THAT was predictable and is in fact why I voted to stay in the EU when most of the "damage" had been done and to exit would be an incredibly expensive, disruptive and onerous transition into the unknown.  But speculators and scare-mongers won the day by the slimmest of margins and sent us into the political wilderness.

No sooner as the country and its border security just about catching up with all the new procedures and paperwork when COVID sent us into a spiral of expense, NHS overload, social restriction and business decline.

Incidentally, it was NHS and community care staff that were in the front line - exposed to risk and enduring incredible strain and workload to save lives.  THESE were the heroes.  Postal - and many other workers - were able to keep working and keep earning through the restrictions but this did NOT make them heroes and it is offensive to the real heroes that postal workes claim that status now!

And then just as COVID restrictions were finally ebbing and the UK economy could at last hope to strive towards whatever would pass for normality in the post-covis, post-BRExit world, PUTIN had other ideas and callously invaded Ukraine.

I have little doubt that his timing ruthlessly exploited the opportunity of a world (economically) weakened by covid and his resolve stemmed from that world's passive acceptance of his illegal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean pensula since 2014.

But of course the effect on the UK has been to increase government spending on expensive military aid towards Ukraine's defence whilst driving up world fuel and grain prices, hence the current economic crisis.

Times ARE tough but we cannot ignore or deny being involved in an economic war against Putin's aggression and recession is the least price of waging war.  Just ask some of the Uklrainian refugees, widows and orphans, the troups still facing live fire or the civilian population facing terrible conditions of threat, cold, hunger and homelessness through their bitter winter!

So with government borrowing at record highs and most business struggling with their own fuel and supply increases in the immediate wake of both covid and BRExitlosses and expenses then where is the money for pay rises?

OF COURSE front-line NHS and community care staff should be properly remunerated and rewarded for the self-sacrificing dedication that should NEVER be used as an excuse to undermine their income levels.  But even for them is the money there now?  Seemingly not. Match cost of living now and plan better terms as we overcome this recession seems the best way to go.

For most of the others I say "suck it up" - whatever you win now will only increase the cost/burden on the rest of our struggling society.  Don't be so selfish!

NONE of us are responsible for Covid - that's just tough
52% of us (you!) must take some responsibilty for BRExit and its lingering economic aftermath
BUT irresponsible industrial action now only weakens our economy and serves Putin's goals