What's The Nul Point?

Warning... Party pooper alert!

Today sees the 60th anniversary of one the most unusual and puzzling phenomena of recent history. 

A group of nations who normally only ever talk to each other in parliaments or conference tables on subjects ranging from fish to the shape of bananas suddenly start to, and I use this term loosely, sing at each other, first party poop there, as I said I used the term loosely. 

The Eurovision Song Contest has defied taste and logic for 60 years, or has it? 

My first memory is of the likes of Dana, Mary Hopkin, Vicky Leandros and of course ABBA. A time when the entrants at least tried to live up to the name of the contest and write or sing a song. 

Yes there was a lot of naff then as well but those songs provided the entertainment, the novelty whilst the good songs fought it out for the judges vote, remember that? A judges vote? Not the public of nations who will inevitably vote for the neighbours or the country they go on holiday to or the country they want a loan from later in the year, the quality has gone.

I did warn you about the party pooper alert.

The contest is now a show to challenge who can be the loudest, strangest, in your face act on the continent, the song, remember the contest title? Takes second and even third place. 

Boo I hear the visionites cry... But sadly if you take away the costumes and hype you'll know I'm right, and oh yes, take away the microphones as well... If they did that and brought music judges back even this party pooper might watch again... I did say might. 

The Powerless Powerhouse

Well it's been a while...

Even though my New Years resolution was to attempt to keep the rambles light hearted, a little different,  it was always going to be difficult not to get involved with the circus that has been the General Election.

For those of you who read this in foreign climbs and I know there are many...thank you! It may be hard to understand how something as potentially simple as an election can completely take over a society, or rather 65% of a society as the other 70%(according to U Gov figures) couldn't be bothered, perhaps an even greater puzzlement for our non British friends, fancy be able to vote and not bothering?

What puzzles most people though, apart from supporters of the two main parties is how can 35% of 65% be called a mandate? 11million votes for one equals 320+ seats nearly 5 million votes for others equals 2?? I'll leave that one with you.

The other thing that kind of lingers like a bad smell is the use of rhetoric over the past month or so, words thrown about easily with no real plan as to how they will be put into use. Let me give you an example.

As a bit of background I live in Cheshire though it used to be Lancashire, another story. Cheshire is in the North West of England and is apparently part of something called a Northern Powerhouse...let's explore further.
 
The term Northern Powerhouse was coined by our chief coiner the Chancellor, basically what it means is if all the major northern cities and areas work together they may, may, at some point be able to buy a one bedroom apartment in London.

The rhetoric of northern powerhouse is I believe extremely patronising and here's why.

Firstly, it implies that all is well in London, this is far from the truth. London is a fantastic city and I love going there but it is being isolated from everywhere else by an executive that loves to divide and instead of it being a capital to be proud of, we are encouraged to look at it suspiciously and aspire to be like it. I'm not sure London likes that image...don't forget this ramble is my opinion.

Which now brings me to the cities in the powerhouse, these aren't one horse towns, sleepy hamlets, these are major cities with an awful lot to offer, they don't need to prove anything and I believe that the distraction of trying to become a powerhouse member could hinder them.

Greater cooperation between them is needed apparently, work together grow together but before you do Manchester will have a form of devolution, just Manchester, is that another division?

So how is this cooperation going to work we ask? Not much in the way of a reply apart from a possible new rail line across the Pennines in around 20 years...ooooo dynamic. I hope the following example will help to show the issues this powerhouse faces.

As I said I live in Cheshire and I have particular contact and interest with four of these major cities, Liverpool Manchester Leeds and Hull.

I live 15 miles from Liverpool, my office is based in North Manchester, a lot of my clients are in the Leeds area and and my son studied and lives in Hull so this is real experience.

I am going to relate to you a typical example of issues we face.

I can drive to our Manchester office...35 miles...easy I here you say...yep it is until around 5:30 am then it takes around 2 hours... If I drove to my office each day I would spend 20 hours of my working week in my car...and that's a good week that's 20 hours per week, 80 hours per month etc etc etc good for business?

So, let's say I need to go to Leeds, if it's in the city I can jump a train...well I can if I'm quick and time it right as it dashes through my station as only 1 train a day will through to Leeds from where I live, I can though change at Manchester, happy days, oh no! Hang on! Only 1 train an hour stops at my station so that's two trains, if I miss that I can get another to another Manchester station and then walk or wait for a train that has gone through my original station to get to the other Manchester station...still with me? Talk about joined up thinking...this powerhouse is looking distinctly less powerful by the minute. 

And if I want to go to Hull on the train I can't...unless I go to Manchester, even though the same train company will then take me to Hull. The ultimate irony though is I can get a train from my own station straight through to...Norwich!! You couldn't write it...oh I just did. 

This is just the tip of the ice berg, I haven't mentioned the northern villages of Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Lancaster, Sunderland as yet,  God knows what will happen when they get electricity and want a piece of this powerhouse. 

The above is reality not rhetoric, this is where we are this is what we have and the inept roads and frankly crazy railway systems will still be here even if the name was changed to immense region or the great north universe, action on infrastructure is needed and then the North would be able to not only challenge London but work with it for the good of everyone, a very foreign concept. 

Speaking of foreign, I mentioned earlier about our friends abroad, and I don't mean Scotland, I ask you, can you really see a U.S. Or Japan or Germany putting up with what I've described? No, neither can I.