More than ever before we now need a (PMA) positive mental attitude in Britain, and in my opinion, before talking about the public’s happiness, we need to find our get up and go and address our whinging. Britons are renowned for complaining about the weather and most things for a laugh. It was endearing, cute and even funny (ha-ha) to watch, hear and join in its fun, down the pub and in social gatherings. Complaining became the third sport for many to indulge in, similar to football and cricket – a pastime people lightly engaged in but quickly forgot about and moved on to more important matters.

Not now, not anymore, these days we are over the top with our whinging and complaining. It’s no longer cute, like an epidemic sweeping the nation and infecting people of all ages and from all walks of life. It became an excuse to hang on every problem. Yes times are hard and folks need to release some steam. However, lately, it seems, we complain about everything and anything and do it constantly – the weather, the government, our lives, our work, our kids, our schools, the NHS, Europe, housing, our pensions, the Olympics…. just everything. Nothing and no one is safe. But that is it, we seriously just complain, not constructively, not offering any solutions or remedies! We are sadly becoming just negative. We dislike everything and everyone, and it seems we have nothing good or nice to say about anything anymore!

There is no balance whatsoever – surely not everything in all our lives is almost always bad? But that’s how we paint it and how it appears to outsiders looking in and listening to us!? Especially when most of the world is going through a similar tough time and unlike most, we happen to have one of the best social security blankets to catch us when we fall. Even that safety blanket, that generous welfare estate – which many other nations can’t even dream of – is not safe from our relentless complaining, yet we offer no alternatives beside just moan and grumble!

Long ago, I learnt that we make our own luck; we think it, believe it, work for it and slowly but gradually make it happen and when it does, talk it and built it up – if it doesn’t happen then the satisfaction come from knowing we gave it all and did the best we could. Everyone should have a dream and work it; wish it into happening and when it does nurture it. The same applies to lack of luck. If we are always negative, only see, feel and expect bad things to happen – then only negative will happen and equally if we foster negative, it will flourish.

The sun is out and life is good. The glass is always half full and life is what you make it. We have one life to live and it’s up to us what to make of it even when times are hard. Keep smiling and stay positive!

I confess I am a big ‘C’ Conservative and those who know me will confirm it. Liberal on almost all issues that pertain to personal freedom, because I deeply believe people are the best stewards of what is best for them; small non- meddling governments are the most effective leaderships. Personal responsibility is the cornerstone of a good society and should be learnt at home, ideally from two parents, private charity is just that, private, and no body’s business. I am also a cheerleader for low taxes, controlled, monitored and managed immigration, harsh prison sentences (time should mean time) and an encourager of enterprising – and of course I strongly believe small businesses are the backbone of a successful economy.

After the 2010 elections – the idea of forming a coalition with anyone deeply pained and disturbed me – but all other alternatives were simply selfish and short sighted substitutes. Forming a coalition was the best outcome for the nation and to lay down the foundations for a fast recovery and a better future. For the two opponents to put to one side their ideological differences in order to sort out the mess (yes, it was one great big mess Labour left behind) was the honorable thing to do.

That feeling of selfless unity for the greater good is what convinced me and many on both parties to put to one side our differences and work as a team. It was never going to be easy and we all understood the seriousness of the task at hand.

Another thing those who know me will attest to is that I don’t like to publicly criticize my own and nothing can be more public than a blog.

However, both sides of the coalition need to take a step back and take a good hard self-examining look, both need to use the midterm results to ask themselves one crucial question – what is it the public wants us to do and what worries and concerns them the most?

It will surprise both parties to lean that the public’s disillusion mainly comes from not understanding clearly what the government is doing. For instance, this budget, at the heart of it is not a bad budget but it should have been explained better – and there is still room to do so. Non-politicos don’t care one bit if MPs are elected via AV or FPTP, just as they don’t see the point of an elected House of Lords. What the public wants is a clear, uncomplicated explanation of how they can keep more of their money, how the tax breaks will help their lot, how public services reforms will not have adverse impacts on their lives and if they work to the bone, will they live their winter years decently? They also don’t understand things like why can’t we send Abu Qatada back home when other EU member nations, in similar situation, were able to before, how come his human rights trump Christopher Tappin’s, the 65 year old retired businessman extradited to the US. Why is it, we seem to always be so righteous when it comes to others but never fight as hard for our own!?

As for Conservatives, the larger and senior partner in this coalition and the party of business, the party of sound and better management, of cutting taxes, reducing waste and creating a fertile and welcoming environment for enterprising from all over the globe – the grown up party. The public sees us as the firm party and expects us to be firm.

Historically Labour made the mess and the Conservatives marched in and cleaned it all up. They, the public, two years on are not interested to hear about who made what mess (they know who did what, they were there, remember) what they need is to be reassured by this government that it means business and that it has the remedies to the economic problem and the confidence to deliver them.

Government is a business, and like all businesses it needs to be fluid, flexible and have a clear goal, many of the things being carried out are in the coalition agreement, but two years on the extend of the damage inherited must be a lot clearer now than when the coalition agreement was drawn up. It is therefore, the responsibility of the two partners to revisit that agreement and readjust it to fit the public’s mood and interests, not the parties’ political ambitions.

A word of caution to those who think having two elected houses is democratic and will be better for our politics. On the face of it, it is democratic but scratch below the surface and it is neither practical nor sensible. Just look at the US, for the best part of four years the poor souls hardly passed anything. Not because they are incapable but because of politics, and make no mistake that will be us if we turn our upper house into an elected house. It will become a filibustering chamber, our law making mechanism will stall and nothing will get passed.

Now, we do have our share of ping ponging between the two houses, but still lots get done and many bills become law, they get amended and passed with the cooperation of the majority. However, if our Lords become elected, it will lose not only the ability to be pragmatic and cooperative but also the specialist expertise of learned men and women from all walks of life who are loyal to queen and country, not a political party.

As it stands, we have elected local councilors, elected regional assemblies, elected members of parliament and elected members of the European parliament. We most defiantly don’t need another elected body when many of our laws come ready made from Europe anyway!

There is defiantly no need for an elected Upper House!

However the Lords can do with becoming less of a chamber for those who failed electorally and those rewarded for political niceties and revert to being primarily a body of specialist knowledge that scrutinizes in greater detail bills that have been approved by the Commons. That expertise lent itself to knowledge but not political alliances and thus it should stay.

It will be wise to keep the Lords unelected, just reform how and why peers are appointed.

Before the 2008 US elections, when the Obama birth certificate saga first started, like many people I was intrigued but kept an open mind. Because there was every possibility he was born outside the US just as there was a very good chance that he was born inside it. However, I knew his supporters; especially his African American supporters will play the race card. Simply because they can, and because race is a great weapon to use to hush people fast!

The matter was never fully resolved, no full birth certificate was produced before the 2008 elections, but ‘the powers that be’ killed the issue and took it out of the national and international media. As it turned out, it (the issue) was just comatose till after the elections and a couple of years later it resurfaced. The second time the search for Obama’s birther took center stage, it was led by non-other than the Donald himself.

When Donald Trump chased and pushed for a birth certificate to be made public, somehow one magically surfaced. Again the race card was tossed around here and there but this time folks have a paper document verifying Mr. President’s legitimacy, end of story!

Or so we though until a few days ago, when questioning Barack Obama’s birther authenticity has become a global subject discussed as far as Russia, or as close …… depending on which state you’re in.

My question is, if it turns out that Obama is not an American by birth, what does it say about the mighty US Security Services and who should be punished for that mistake/cover-up/ irresponsibility?

Personally I would like to see the Democrats banned from holding the office of President of the United States for the remainder of this century.

Dear Mr. Hasan,

Your piece ‘Not a dull grey man in a suit’ about the relationship between Baroness Warsi and the Conservative party had what I call a number of lazy assumptions. As a card carrying Conservative since 2000, I know a thing or two about my party. Add to that, I am a woman, black and also Muslim. I also know Sayeeda on a personal level and find her business minded yet down to earth, she is plain talking easy to understand and relate to. That’s why I find your article in the New Statesman unfair, not only did it manipulate the truth but it painted the Baroness as an unable woman.

Under Baroness Warsi’s chairmanship and while in government [parties usually do badly at the ballot box whilst in government] the Conservatives did better than expected during the 2011 local elections and very well in the Alternative Vote referendum. Nonetheless, most party members’ frustration with Warsi come from the feeling that she is invisible when the party or its leadership is under attack. I see you covered yourself regarding recent events by claiming ‘your sources’ had informed you that she wasn’t asked to take to the airwaves on the Monday morning because the decision had already been taken to send out Maude and Michael Fallon. However, last year during and after the London Riots where her no nonsense Northern charm would have been a tremendous help she was nowhere to be seen. Also her interview with Andrew Neil about party membership [her brief] wasn’t helpful.

There is no denying in many areas the Baroness is doing a great job – confronting Nick Griffin on Question Time and the extremist Anjem Choudary on Newsnight are testament to her abilities and no other Tory could have handled both men better than she did. But it is that level of skirmish that grassroots and party members expect form her when the party is under attack, and when she vanishes they feel disappointed and letdown. Now, if as your sources say, Downing Street has decided not to use her then they [Downing Street] are doing both her and the party a disservice!

Nonetheless, here is where your laziness shine through; Judged by the intensity and sheer volume of the anti-Warsi vitriol, it is difficult to come to any other conclusion than that her critics don’t like her because she ticks three very un-Tory boxes: she is female, Asian and Muslim. Since it is 2012 and they can’t say as much in public, her right-wing opponents target instead her alleged lack of “competence” and “ability”.

Here is a genuine question for you, do you actually believe that, or is that what you and the left are prepared to accept because it is what makes you feel righteous ……

Finally, thank you for acknowledging our progress, a 450% increase in one parliament is not a small task but it is only the beginning.

Yours sincerely

Walaa Idris

This is a good week for both Conservatives and Lib Dems. After months of ping ponging between the Commons and the Lords and many amendments later, the Health and Social Care bill was quietly passed on Tuesday night.

Giving GPs the power to decide and mange patients’ care is one of the many logical changes that should have been introduced years ago. Love or loath the reforms, the NHS needed a shakeup and needed it yesterday. The only reason Labour is angry about them is because they are prove, Labour did not have the guts or the wit to make them when they had the chance.

Nobody likes change and we all know it is not always easy, but we will only truly know the effect of these changes after they are implemented and fully tested. However, leaving things as they were in the NHS and many other institutions was not an option. Not because this government wants or likes change but because if things don’t change these organizations will simply die.

For me less bureaucracy is always better, more efficient and that is at the heart of these reforms.

It is also the week George Osborn delivered his second budget. Considering the state of our economy – this budget is what the country needs, it is good for business and encourages individuals to work. It is a balanced budget and gives as much as it takes. Taking within reason from those with broader shoulders and giving with aspiration to hard working low income earners and those with families.

In my opinion, the most important things in yesterday’s budget is that it lifted millions out of tax all together by increasing personal allowance because people know best how to spend their own money and they are much happier when trusted with it. Plus it defused Labour’s deliberately planted time bomb, the 50p tax rate.

Despite the left’s efforts to paint it as a budget that snatched money from the old and venerable and those who worked hard all their lives! From this April pensioners will get the largest pension increase and a less complicated self-assessment system, giving them a better understanding and use of the system.

It is also a budget that says Britain is open for business. An invitation the whole nation will profit from, specially pensioners. When the economy flourishes everyone will benefit from its prosperity via lower inflation and better interest rates. We already saw this morning; as a result of yesterday’s announcements, Glaxo Smith Kline announcing they are to invest £500 million in the UK to create 1000 jobs due to cuts in patent profit tax.

Like many Chancellors before him, Osborn is attempting to close as many loopholes in taxation making it as difficult as possible for individuals and corporations to use creative taxation. While at the same time he reduced corporation tax to encourage more businesses to come and stay in the UK. All of that makes the Coalition Government a winner.

The Loser sadly is one of my favourite Hollywood greats who acted in movies such as, The Deer Hunter, The Godfather II and Goodfellas. Although I am not one to make a song and dance about lighthearted quips involving race or skin colour, plus do think sometimes we need to lighten up a little. Robert De Niro clearly did not think before speaking when he intrduced Mrs Obama by saying ‘the White House is not ready for a white First Lady’! And although it was funny, it still makes him a loser because the star of Midnight Run, Meet the Parents and Analyse This can definitely do better than that.

In a few weeks’ time this coalition government will be two years old. And although the two parties spent part of the first year finding their feet and getting to know one another closely; a great deal was achieved in two years. But at the same time lots came out about their characters.

Of the three main parties, the Liberal Democrats believe coalition government can be better than a majority party government. Not a surprise, because as things stand, the only way they can govern is in coalition. However, what I find surprising, liberals seem constantly criticizing this government, their own coalition government, as if they are on the outside looking in and not an active and invested partner!

For us, non-coalition types, this behavior just confirms the traditional belief that in the future what’s best for the nation especially at a time of crisis is the stability of a minority government for some time followed by a snap election and a majority government. Because what started as a new era of selfless politics turned out to be a destabilizing public display of power struggle between associates.

Where Conservatives minsters are constantly working towards a harmonious union of the two ideological divides, liberals are busy claiming victories and putting their stamp on every detail. While Tories strive to do what’s best for the national interest (the main reason for forming this partnership) LibDems are too busy scoring points for their own future manifesto.

My worry is, all this point scoring business is getting in the way of the main reason we are in partnership and that is sorting out the country’s economy. As an optimist, despite my disappointment, I still hope the novelty of being in government has in two years wore off and the Libs are now ready to spend the remaining three years of this parliament working as part of a team and stop acting like the enemy within.

Don’t get me wrong, despite the frustrations, a great deal was achieved and there is much for the two partners to celebrate together. But going forward the aim should be to focus on the reasons the two parties came together to achieve, highlight their benefits and not compete internally against their one goal, sorting out the mess inherited from Labour. And since coalition government is their lifeline and only hope of government, I would think it is in their best interest to show national coalition governments works and they, the Liberal Democrats, are an attractive trusted partner to work with.

Is Tim Farron saying the Liberal Democrats went into coalition to stop a Tory majority government!? When most of us are under the impression they did it for the national interest, for the the good of Britain and what’s best for people!