Walaa’s Weekly Wrap-Up ~ February 15th, 2014

The week was diversely eventful, weather, by-election, Ed Miliband liking himself to Mrs T and did I mention the weather?

Rain and winds everywhere, even by British standards the weather has surpassed anything in recent memory.

Politicians of every hue donned their wellies and hit the flooded cities, towns and villages of the south west. Blame was flying from every direction; everyone blamed everyone – the government for the cuts, the environment agency for not preparing enough and God for sending too much rain all at once!

Is it Climate Change, bad flood defences or the cuts? Whatever went wrong, the storms were biblical in their proportions.

At the moment, NOW, no one really cares what didn’t work. That should come later. But at the present time, what affected families and businesses need is support, help and some kind of normality.

Politicising this natural disaster is the lowest kind of politics. What people, animals and businesses at the centre of it need and deserve is collective help.

This is the time to put politics aside and work towards helping the victims.

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Amidst all this weather madness, Deirdre Kelly aka White Dee, Benefits Street’s leading lady, and the matriarch of James Turner Street. Announced she intends to stand for parliament in the 2015 General Election as an independent candidate.

Of course everyone had an opinion and most weren’t positive. Some more sensible than others, but if Ms Kelly can fulfil all the legal requirements to stand; I say ‘good for her’.

We keep saying we want our parliament to be more representative of our society and our MPs to look and sound more like us. Channel Four’s Benefits’ Street showed us how a segment of our society lives. White Dee can bring an actual prospective of life on benefits. She also saw first-hand what drugs, gambling and drink can do to a person and to families.

As for her qualification for the job, let’s then recap. She can read, write and speak – reads and writes most letters for residents’ of the street. She already holds a drop in surgery in her front room for everyone to drop in with their problems. She helps residents (phone calls, writing letters and emails) sort their benefit claims, doctor/hospital appointments, and a variety of issues form her front room using her own resources. She campaign for issues that affect the community – pushed the council on rubbish collection, noisy tenants helped her neighbours with their housing issues.

She might not ‘look’ the part now but I am sure that can be sorted. All she needs is some public speaking coaching and a little direction. Many men and women sitting in parliament today, on both sides of the house, did just that to polish their image and look the part. So can Dee!

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I like and admire Tony Blair because he is a conviction politician, who did what he believed is right even when it was unpopular with his grassroots. But will never use him as a benchmark for what I believe in and want to achieve in politics. Why? Because I am a Conservative and he is not. I am fortunate that our history is littered with conviction Conservatives that I never need to use Blair.

However, can’t say the same about Ed Miliband who wants to lead a ‘One Nation’ Britain like Disraeli with the conviction of Mrs Thatcher.

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A day late, but Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all!