Peter Hitchens On Broken Britain: How Local Democracy Died

In recent years, the decline of local government and its impact on communities has been a growing concern. The transformation of traditional local councils into bureaucratic entities, the erosion of accountability, and the fading interest in and knowledge of local government have left citizens feeling disconnected and unheard.
Peter Hitchens suggests that the dismantling of proper education and the politicization of local government has contributed to this decline. With the decline of local newspapers and the rise of online platforms, the transparency and coverage of council meetings have diminished, making it even more difficult for citizens to stay informed and engaged. In this article, we will delve deeper into the issues surrounding the decline of local government and evaluate the emotional implications of this loss of connection.
Peter Hitchens tells Mike Graham: "Trying to explain it all, I used to wonder whether we had, in fact, put something in the water... the destruction of proper education, that proper old-fashioned conservative education, where the idea was that you, the pupil, learned a defined type of knowledge from teachers who were very well-educated and able to pass it on to you in disciplined surroundings, was just swept away."
#mikegraham #peterhitchens #democracy #brokenbritain

[@talktv]

Is Britain broken?

[@kennethdarby6783]

Yes

[@forthfarean]

No; it is smashed to smithereens.

[@martinsigley3957]

Britain is not broken, just the people who run it have forgotten their core purpose.

[@EnidAgnusDei]

No, it is f*****d

[@NuYiDao]

Britain has not noticed the marxist subversion. We must defend hierarchy and moral courage. Fairness and diversity has flattened competency.

[@steveg7718]

Hands up if you have totally disengaged from UK Politics, Hands up if your local MP, just simply blanks you, Hands up if you haven't got a doctor "Just some random Locum for 5 minutes. Hands up if You pay rediculous amounts of Tax but get nothing for it, just more stealth taxes, to punish you further.....Question. If you could travel either forward or backward in time, which one would you choose??

[@annewalden3795]

Steve I would travel back in time as I can't see the fundamental problems being addressed any time soon.

[@jerrydowse5061]

Back for sure..things will only get worse.Spineless Parliament,kick all Asylum out,pay them nowt.put the Army at Dover and turn them back,and all the dogooders too.

[@nikewilson1554]

Back to the sixties man

[@nikewilson1554]

Peace man ✌️

[@steveg7718]

@@annewalden3795 my sentiments exactely....

[@sticksman1979]

On looting, the police won't investigate unless they steal in excess of £800. The shop staff can't do anything unless they have left the shop and if they confront them they are threatened with a stabbing. What a country.

[@imbonkers3629]

Some councillors are on more then £200k 😮for what they are useless and shame I can’t swear 😮to call them what they really are 🙈

[@annewalden3795]

Imbonkers I suggest you do some research as Councillors do not receive a salary but expenses only .I think you are confusing elected representatives with Council employees who are the people who are salaried.

[@Paulstrickland01]

England's finished mate it ain't even broken just it's gone.

[@Alibo400]

It’s not just England, the whole western world is slowly being bought to its knees sadly

[@dereklee7958]

True

[@lmstuber6044]

Im with him...iv never seen the country so bad these politicians are running this country in to the ground

[@chris.bcfc.keeprighton.5685]

Correction. The tories are. 13 years of austerity, mismanagement, incompetence, negligence, corruption, and a disastrous Brexit under the vile tories has destroyed Britain. Ever since Thatcher's neoliberal capitalist policies, the tories have been asset stripping Britain for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful elite.

[@TheNobbynoonar]

The former chief of Croydon Council was earning over £600’000 (yep! Over six hundred thousand pounds a year) despite the council declaring bankruptcy in November 2020. Her great insight and wisdom which commanded such financial rewards was so great that she left her position just a couple of months before it all went pear shaped. She also received a loss of office payment of £144,356 PLUS a payment to top up her pension in these ‘cost of living crisis’ times of £292,851. I’m sure that the citizens of the peoples republic of Croydon consider it money very well spent on their great leader.

[@gwenlillianlondon3772]

This is a prime example of why they have pushed accountability to the bottom of the list.

[@user-cp9id1mj8b]

That's pretty shocking tbh

[@phillipliggins1549]

​@@user-cp9id1mj8b'pretty shocking? Its a bloody disgrace and only the 'tip of the icebergl

[@vinparaffin6082]

The president of the U.S.A. had a salary last year of $400,000 + circa $150,000 for expenses! He would have been better paid running Croydon council OR one of many other councils (town or county) up and down the country!!!

[@AlunThomas-mp5qo]

@@vinparaffin6082 When I first worked for the council in the early 1980's the starting salary for a school leaver in the most junior post was £2000 per annum whereas the highest post in the Council, the Chief Executive was on £16,000 per annum, the ratio between the highest and lowest being 8 to 1. Compare that to today's ratio, I'm sure it's a LOT higher.

[@davidgriffin8958]

Also as we are increasingly “multicultural” each community has its own priorities, even laws. Many are not really interested in a culture that they believe they are slowly replacing

[@goodyeoman4534]

Our fault for not having the will to resist it.

[@mrror8933]

​@goodyeoman4534 true, all these talking heads in the media just talk instead of taking political action, so we're stuck with red or blue again...

[@leonblittle226]

For not having the will to use force against those that IMPOSE IT on us, we were never asked!!@@goodyeoman4534

[@richardcrook2112]

Blobfish likes immigration really you know.

[@vexwebster5197]

The greatest trick the elites have pulled is convincing working-class English people that their enemy is working-class non-English people.

[@PopularesVox]

Absolutely right, there has been a complete decline in local government, along with a diminishment of local newspapers reporting on council actions to keep the public informed.

[@simeonbetteridge5223]

All engineered no doubt.

[@juliegregory3900]

The tories have stripped money out of our public services as they always do. Their priority is the creation of a billionaire every other day even during the pandemic and giving people with million pound pension pots tax breaks.

[@PopularesVox]

@@simeonbetteridge5223 There use to be journalism with local papers reporting, and in some cases criticising council actions, I saw it. But over the course of two decades, most local independent newspapers have been taken over by large media companies and local independent journalism has died. It has been the case that newspaper circulation had fallen and advertising revenue with it. But the sham remnant of local press that exists today, does sit rather well with those who seek to control public opinion and stifle any challenge to political actions.

[@imbonkers3629]

Giving so much power to mayors and councils was a big mistake and needs reversing fast 🙈

[@fatboy7276]

whole role of mayor needs to be abolished they do nothing and just waste money

[@TheNobbynoonar]

@imbonkers And how do you think all of those parasites are going to survive if you take away their ability to suck up money from their citizens? God help us all if they’re allowed into the job market.

[@vinparaffin6082]

​@@fatboy7276.....or rob people of it (kahn)!

[@assassinsunite3434]

There's only one Peter Hitchens 🇬🇧

[@williamwyllie7072]

That is extremely good news!

[@MrReubenTishkoff]

Someone needs to remind them diversity is a strength! ☝️Sarcasm☝️

[@HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings]

Mind Begs the Question: Hitler - shifted blame for Nations Failures on Religious Minority If Politicians,Govts - shift blame for Nations Failures on Vulnerable/Religious Minority/Migrants Straight out of Hitlers Mein Kampf,no?

[@TheNobbynoonar]

@MrRubenTishkoff When it comes to local councils, diversity definitely is strength. They have many diverse ways to suck up your money and many diverse and varied ways to waste it.

[@MrReubenTishkoff]

@@TheNobbynoonar You got a point there!

[@vexwebster5197]

The greatest trick the elites have pulled is convincing working-class English people that their enemy is working-class non-English people.

[@johncook8141]

Very Deliberately DESTROYED 🥀🇬🇧🗡️........⚰️ Britain!!!!!!!! 😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@youtrickube1475]

Peter Hitchens' assessment of the erosion of education, competence, standards, the press and accountability since the sixties is brilliant and has happened across the West. Exactly what I've noted over that time period in Canada. This diminution of all qualities erstwhile sought after for centuries has paved the way for what I call the kakocratic class of vacuous facades that are now ubiquitous in the senior positions of all our institutions and who, as a defensive strategy, actively suppress those who might live up to the ideals to which their institutions should ostensibly aspire. A perfect example of this last would be the persecution of Jordan Peterson by the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

[@TB-us7el]

Peter doesn't have much in the way of suggestions as to what should be done, save let it all burn - how is that useful?

[@youtrickube1475]

@@TB-us7el Go ahead. We're listening.

[@kevinwhelan9607]

Well said. Read Peter's marvelous book The War against God.

[@jaybell1390]

A few years ago, a Councillor was Exposed to be, not only giving developers inside knowledge and helping them, but that she also had interest In Housing Development. Locals thinking that she would be Fired etc and the whole lot exposed was a waste of time. Nothing happen, Nothing.

[@sibutterworth6542]

Kirklees council on the brink of bankruptcy. Still finds money to buy three plant pots at a cost to the tax payer of £250000. How many house holds in Britain that struggle to put food on the table go out and buy art for their walls? Somebody is really taking the piss out of the Tax payer.

[@22448824]

Are you sure? Isn’t there a nought or two that shouldn’t be there?

[@samhodgins9804]

And people will still vote the same political parties in all the time

[@anneheard9381]

I was going to say this. It starts with education at these comprehensive schools. We have generations now of badly educated young people. No interest in anything.

[@matthewcook9404]

13 years.

[@educational1651]

@@matthewcook9404 More than that..

[@thinkingoutloud7425]

That's what they want, a stupid population. The internet has speeded up the process.

[@tomweightman3485]

As someone that works in education I’m all to ready to confirm this. I try my best but kids and they’re parents are so unbelievably apathetic to anything regarding education. You throw your hands in the air because the simple truth is most people in this country just don’t care. That is the issue.

[@andylambert8143]

Education and academia at large are now merely platforms for the current tribal and destructive ideologies to infect western culture.

[@maxthemagition]

National Interest has been replaced by Self Interest, there being the reason for the UK's decline.

[@AleXoEx0]

Demographics more like, whole sections of towns and cities, even cities themselves, are completely unrecognizable by people who simply weren't here 70 years ago, the majority weren't here 30 years ago.

[@Rightturnclyde78]

Spot on and the greed from these bastards is going to get worse

[@planefrog]

As far as I can tell we pay more and more for less. A few decades ago when council tax was called domestic rates it was normal to pay it all in one lump sum from a single weeks wages. We also had things like more regular bin collections. Where is all the money going !

[@annewalden3795]

planefrog before Margaret Thatcher the local Councils received funding from Central Government to enable each locality to meet Statutory responsibilities .Over the years the Central funding has reduced and the Councils have cut discretionary spending while increasing Council tax .There has also been mismanagement of course but I do feel that a deliberate policy of cutting funding over the last 13 years is a significant issue.

[@christinaedwards5084]

@@annewalden3795they aren’t cutting funding at all, they mostly waste money on vanity projects and nonsense like £10,000 solar and wind led speed signs only to put a regular sign nearby in case it’s not windy or sunny. £100k on flowers for a roundabout. They deliberately spend every penny they can so they can ask for more the following year. It’s just corruption through and through.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

Into the Council bosses pockets and their pensions.

[@annewalden3795]

@@jamesbarbour8400 May be stupid decisions made by unpaid Councillors have played a part but please remember Council staff do not fix their own salaries.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

@@annewalden3795 unpaid Councillors - since when has that been a thing - I certainly wouldn't work for free - please expand on your previous post, I'd be interested to hear more. One of my local Councillors admitted to having two Council related jobs - obviously one was not sufficient in terms of the hours he was required to work, so he had enough free time to take on another role. Guess the wages and pensions on offer were too good to resist. My gripe with my Local Councillor on the occassion in question, was due to the year on year 5% increase on my bill for a decreased service. I haven't had a pay rise in over 10 years, so it grated on me. I knew ex Council employees who said that a large portion of our Council Tax actually gets spent on wages and pensions, the next biggest drain, is paying down historical debt, - what's left over is what we see in the form of so called 'services' - more like lack thereof.

[@enjoyyoursleep1]

Hearing Peter speak, I just new he'd be a realtion of Christopher Hitchens! Awesome!

[@mrtecsom6951]

My district council is Wyre Forest in Worcestershire. It’s a fairly rural area littered with decaying buildings that used to be carpet factories, it’s not particularly wealthy. A week or so before the last council elections it came out (I can’t remember where from) put out a list of councillors who had trousered premiership footballers payoffs. Two of top ten were Wyre Forest councillors with over £400,000 payouts , of course they were Labour. There were howls of protest from all their mates that these were contractual payments, pensions ect . Labour were pretty much wiped out admittedly on around a 30% turnout. Obviously it makes no difference with the tories as you can guarantee those buggers won’t be taking pay cuts. This country absolutely sucks the sweat off a dead man’s scrotum, I’m actually glad that most of my life is behind me , there is no concept of public service any longer, these politicians and councillors are all becoming very wealthy for no risk on their part and no accountability apart from once every 4 years when we all traipse like lemmings to the 🗳️ booth. We are as a country sleepwalking to oblivion 😞

[@krob2327]

We need term limits on councillors. Get more people involved. They are just racking it in

[@TB-us7el]

Are you leaving anything to your children in the coming oblivion or will you, as much of your generation, be going out in a blaze of cruises, tri-annual holidays and kitchen refurbishments?

[@22448824]

@@TB-us7el You are commenting with pre conceived viewpoints. You do that because you are an entitled leftist. I’m of that age and my raison d’etre is to gift my children as much as I can. Even if it means hardship in my final years. I’m sure most of the older generation thinks the same way.

[@brubeker12]

I feel your frustration it seems like who can get into power and get their nose in the £ bag . Truss rrashes thd economy then walks away with a big fat pension and 30 grand ,how did that happen its the same right across politics . Former Euro MEPS who promoted Brexit but quite happy taking their EU MP pensions thanks very much 30 grand a year did I hear. An asset stripped country all out utilities foreign investor owned an NHS run to the ground, no forward planning just keep in power lads is the motto come what may .

[@MrKlunkster]

I ive in wyre forest and i remember being hounded like a criminal because i couldn't afford to make a council tax payment. This is one of those councils that pleads poverty but had about £7.8million In reserve in the Icelandic banks. Remember that? I haven't. But theyd like you to forget.

[@Traderhorn]

Time these councillors were bought to account for financial irregularities and miss use of council funds, and face a long prison sentence.

[@manusha1349]

When I see Peter Hitchens, I click, doesn't matter what other videos have been uploaded

[@moriwaki1105]

Thank the Lord for Mr Hitchens !

[@kevinwhelan9607]

We do! God bless the good man- he has real guts, a contrarian in the spirit of Orwell.

[@OneBanana1979]

Multi-cultural (not to be confused with multi-racial) just means that there is no clear direction of travel. How do we expect to get anywhere like that.

[@sillypuppy5940]

What's worse is that some of the cultures are mutually antagonistic (sorry, but it's a fantasy to expect everyone to like each other). That means pleasing one means upsetting another. As you say, it's a recipe for confusion and stagnation.

[@catmonarchist8920]

The trend of unitarisation, the scrapping of 2 tier authorities, and the removal of the supplementary vote system for mayors and police and crime commissioners will save some money while making local government massively less representative and it's solely on Gove and co.

[@DameEdna42]

The culture of the country has changed to do as little work as possible for as much money as you can get. Civil servants answer to nobody and all the public get is sod off not my job. NHS waiting lists, can't get a doctors appointment, schools crumbling, £6 million a day hotel bills for illegals, £4 billion a year for BBC licence fees. WHEN IS THE BRITISH PUBLIC GOING TO SAY ENOUGH?

[@keithwesley2471]

Absolutely agree with Peter. I remember the early 70s and my labour allegiance was starting to be questioned by me back then! I dont have a clue what happens in my local town hall nowadays. We get the propaganda news sheet once in a while but that's hardly impartial.

[@davidcooke8059]

If you want to be bored to death, you can watch your council’s meetings streamed live

[@Mike-tb5gj]

I remember Town Halls being filled with professional people, who were aware of their duties, as well as their responsibilities...and what's more, knew who to direct you to, if they could not deal with your query/issue themselves. In addition, the buildings were of robust construction and had already in some cases, lasted for a century, without any major structural problems. They were imposing edifices of a bygone era - one of moral values and the application of beneficial objectives, imagined into being by true public servants. Alas, those days are gone and now, we are presented with character-less, anonymous, glass-fronted offices, staffed by people who know more about the latest "East Enders" plot, than they do about how to do their job! The endless requests to go through spoken 'menus', to "press one, for this, two for that, for anything else, press who-knows-what", is in itself soul-destroying. It is sad that my view of local Government now, is that we, the public, the Council Tax payers, are just a bloody nuisance to them! Woe betide anyone who dares to interrupt a "break-out" session, "brain-storming" group or someone's paternity leave! And don't get me started on local planning or borough-wide policy!!

[@sillypuppy5940]

I remember the days when politicians and those in responsible jobs would resign instantly when something they were in charge of went wrong - it did not even have to be directly their fault. These days a crowbar is required to pry these people out of office.

[@Justin-yt8zv]

Why on earth do council workers get bonus payments? If you want bonus payments you go and work for a private company and it's decided on how well that year has been, there shouldn't be anything to do with bonus's on councils?

[@grahamalexander9956]

The systems of support upon which we all rely have been dismantled bit by bit and bled bone dry. Don't get old and don't sick and don't go round the bend Or you will pay a heavy price on that you can depend.

[@eleveneleven572]

I love Hitchens... he's so depressing 😟

[@davidpalin1790]

Diminishing commercial property rentals and defined pensions for their staff??? What could go wrong 🤔?

[@StewartFrampton-bg2tv]

I lived through it all born 1956

[@PlanetaryCitizen]

Our local paper reviews what happens in the courts every week and even includes the names of those who were summoned to appear in court.

[@elsa-mariekitching4567]

Is that a flying saucer in Peter's garden - left of his left ear ?

[@ontheslide2339]

🤣 I wish it was... sadly... I think it's just the reflection of his desk lamp in the window..

[@user-tt6pq8tg1k]

Well spotted lol

[@bobbobby9798]

Yes

[@grahamalexander9956]

Oh boy we've gone sleep walking into dystopia

[@user-hh8tf4tb9q]

The CoE for our neighbouring council was awarded a £5,000 a year pay rise and left not long afterwards. For the South this was a poor council run by the Conservative who were happy to reward the CoE a rise when many of the staff were living on the breadline.

[@spartacusforlife1508]

Look to what the Labour party have done to their constituency party's. Imposed candidates suspensions of individuals or the constituency party itself. The party is simply not democratic

[@sophieryan8010]

The British didnt break it.

[@Gilambesh]

Tradition are solutions to problems we have forgotten we had.

[@barriewilliams4526]

Councils, like governments find it too easy to spend other people's money!

[@rouker1]

And why do we keep having to reminded ourselves selves what is memories to many is history for others

[@williamwyllie7072]

Peter Hitchens having listened carefully to every word spoken, I have concluded that he is a patriotic supporter of The Russian Federation and a loyal supporter of Putin and will run down the UK at every opportunity, having said that I am extremely saddened because I have agreed with his opinion over many subjects and over many years.

[@paulpenfold2352]

I agree with Matthew Parris in last week's Spectator. The reason this country's so broken is the amount of entitlement banded about in politics and the media. You put on Radio 4 or local news or channel 4 news, it's like a feeding frenzy of the entitled, the feckless, the professional lobbyists, the bereaved, the aggrieved. We're constantly told that any cut to public spending hits the poorest hardest and any savings made from scrapping HS2 could be spent better on smaller projects (rather than just being handed back to the treasury). I'm sure if someone totted up the likely cost of everyone getting satisfaction from You and Yours on Radio 4, the cost to the public purse, over the course of a year or so, would amount to billions. But what kind politician, in the spotlight and so full of largesse with money that's not his own, could possibly say no to worthy petitions and emotional blackmailing?

[@anthonylloyd8000]

Our Ex tory council leader didn't live in our Borough. He lost to our local residents association local people should run councils.

[@michaelpalmer4387]

Local newspaper records have now been digitised & are accessible (for a subscription fee) under the British Newspaper Archive.

[@nutsterm743]

It almost feels like the end-of-days with the City Hall Fat Cats and bureaucrats filling their boots as fast they can..

[@damianbutterworth2434]

I got told about Lincoln Labour Council from years ago. My friend went to visit one`s house and he had underfloor heating. He told him they was going to do it to council houses but needed to test it first in his house. They was well known to be corrupt.

[@CliveAdlam-yn8uz]

They are manipulating everything , so we just end up hurting each other , perhaps down the road , all hell will let loose .We've got to get united .

[@chobson8602]

the decline of local journalism

[@MrMjp58]

I listen to all his broadcasts and always enjoy them, but I wish they could get him a clearer and louder microphone.

[@TB-us7el]

he is using a microphone from the 1950s and flatly refuses anything more modern, it being a nothing more than a sign of Britain's decay.

[@fredhunter7129]

Looting is only done by people who think they are entitled to do what they want and have no respect for people or the law. In the uk today law abiding people are the most disadvantaged people in Britain. Even the government want to imprison people because they can’t afford to live in a zero home!

[@lucindafergusonart]

the Local council in Stirling just knocked down a historically important monument whilst spending billions on bike lanes things are definitely worse in Scotland

[@Crouchy232323]

Yes! The right wing economic model is failing in front of our eyes and this is because of wokeness.

[@drdouche4230]

What right wing economic model??

[@scottmcmahon86]

@@drdouche4230 Neoliberalism...

[@keithbenson4915]

What is a right wing economic model??is it the model where we have contribution based benefits.

[@kaywoolls928]

I'm in Spain...another fiesta tomorrow...6am every morning the streets are spray cleaned...then a machine goes round, cleaning again...bins emptied daily etc...rates less than 120 euros a year!..what are English Councils doing with the rates we pay?

[@fordcosmic319]

Everything 'public' seems to be a registered business. Any notion of a social contract has not only been ripped up. It seems to have been used by the state as toilet paper!

[@Salamis.-330]

we need more diversity for the people caring knives

[@murrayeldred3563]

In Blackpool the Town Councillors are still known....even if (yawn) there has been no real , serious business investment in the last 40 years.

[@fraserbailey6347]

There is no question that local government is a wasteful disaster. But the local/regional papers I follow certainly cover the court cases, often in a rather sensationalist manner.

[@sellis518]

Britain Broken for good there is no way back!!

[@MUNKSTAR]

The council employee base mushroomed for the Tory poll tax.

[@rouker1]

I say that all the time ..I think they have put something in the water…..

[@IamColonel1]

Well done, most people who live in UK with an IQ north of 40 know this country is broken; but when are these "TV talkers" going to stop grifting off the fact and give us some direction that the whole country can get behind.

[@burtingtune]

All walks of life in the Western world have been destroyed by a growing layer of middle managers: people who serve no purpose other than to justify their own jobs and who stop those who actually produce things from doing so. It is as if the man in charge of the cutlery on the Titanic were asking the crew to fill out their cutlery requisition forms for the month as they were trying to help abandon ship. As long as the form is filled in correctly, he is happy with the state of the ship!

[@IvorMutch]

He's right.Started in the 60s, though I think the ideas for the new things were thought up around 1948.

[@teamalpha7423]

No lies told

[@martinsigley3957]

Working from home? Yes, nowadays working from abroad is the thing, apparently to fit in with family life! Question for civil servant? Speak to the clerk in Lagos! Has world gone mad? Turning up for work on a daily basis is sooo yesterday.

[@brianwillis9673]

I think it is down to a lot of the things you mention, but I also think that easy credit had a big part to play.

[@andylambert8143]

Britain had evolved eroding the powers of religion and class whilst civil responsibility manners and decorum withered on the vine. Tolerance may have not only staid intact but florished to the point that now no longer a Bloom but a Knotweed.

[@peterkinsey6407]

GO WOKE, GO BROKE.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@dennisbailey6067]

Get rid of local councils.They are back seat driving the Country.They are an unessesary expense.Goverment can do the job.

[@ashleysaunders9947]

There is no apparent answer to all this and what I can ascertain is that the will of the people is,nt recognised or acted upon. Multiple problems with no one proposing much in the way of direction or options. " Things I dear say will get predictably worse.

[@MUNKSTAR]

The BBC funds a unique network of 165 journalists - all employed by commercial newsrooms - to scrutinise the work of local authorities across the UK. The Local Democracy Reporter Scheme (LDRS).

[@thinkingoutloud7425]

BBC, state owned. Not independent.

[@Mike.Nov51]

We were not asked if it was ok to “Break Britain”…we were told they were going to Break It

[@gavinbissell8847]

Melton mowbray council was talking about giving up half of the brandspanking council office over to a hotel for "the nightlife" which there is little. We know thats code for asylum seekers

[@jaydunstan1618]

So clever.

[@AnnDale-ie3jn]

I think Peter hitchens has a nerve to complain this is the man who in 1968 was on a war footing against working class people because of there hostile attitudes to immigrants he said quote I didn't care where the immigrants came from as long they were here and were hurting the right people meaning the working class a another quote from him I am no longer on the hard left but one thing that I praise them for is there opposition to racism which I share too yet this man supports Israel a racist and a apartied state

[@stepheneurosailor1623]

Well said, rolled up his sleeve without question.

[@advocate1563]

Social carw has skyrocketed local costs.

[@mauricetucker8754]

Local council and local government funding has been reduced closure of day centres youth clubs levelling up local is the face of democracy not an mp

[@joshedwards2885]

I’ve made some lovely dauphinois potatoes and steamed veg as sides for this colossal serving of gammon on offer here

[@gcdhvf4896]

Brick by brit.. Dollar by dollar... UK is being disintegrated from within! 😅😅

[@christown2827]

Is he talking about behaviour in the public schools - do what you like due to the advantages you got over others

[@sticksman1979]

Nothing like a bit of Doom Hitch on a monday morning! He's also morphing into a badger!

[@worldview730]

How about a broken world?

[@Burt-ok2ho]

100% correct ! unfair, illogical, greed, the country is crap !

[@MbisonBalrog]

Is shoplifting in Britain as bad as California? Unless it is how broken?

[@dianecorbin8886]

Isn't this more about poor financial investments or the fact it has to be ethical investing?

[@mcpanorama]

What do pupils learn these days? A-level results seem fine, BECAUSE UNIVERSITIES, WHICH ARE INDEPENDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT, INSIST ON STANDARDS BEING ACHIEVED but what attainments do GCSEs represent??

[@kyleklukas4808]

Well what can you say ...through out history when the tax burden is forced down on the working/poor classes revolution has happened . The shoplifting epidemic is a symptom of a greater problem . I'm in Canada, it's not as bad as in the US , but you need three jobs here to feed yourself . Good luck finding a flat to rent , if you can pay the 2400 . I'm confind to live in a vehicle for the rest of my life being a disabled 55 year old who receives a 800 a month pension . It's rough all over . I wish everyone well and hope for the best , plan for the worst .

[@rubixreviews8743]

Talk radio is there for the thick .

[@dickybird9613]

COUNCILS WILL BE GIVEN POWER TO HAVE YOU IN COURT AND TO CONTROL YOU MAYORS WILL HAVE THE SAY. ALSO COUNTIES WILL BE JOINED TOGETHER AND RUN BY ONE COUNCIL.

[@catmonarchist8920]

Mayors are becoming the police and crime commissioners for their areas as is already the case is London, Manchester, and West Yorkshire. The mayors are leading combined authorities which may join counties together in some cases but district councils will always exist below them but there will be pressure to unitarise them to have a population over 300,000 and the only counties smaller than that number are Herefordshire and Rutland and they'd have to consent to any reorganisation as top tier authorities. It's not quite so apocalyptic

[@stephennoble]

Never mind Local democracy as died Central government democracy is dead

[@johnlemon1863]

He's starting to look like his older brother, Christopher.

[@StewartFrampton-bg2tv]

Posh nosh yeah, OK same same ol anything new😊

[@graememoir3545]

Same story as NHS

[@just_watching_you_tube]

Brexit Broken Britain

[@lukyw720]

Words are cheap...actions mean something..u caved on the Jabawokkee..and will be forever remembered as lacking courage of convictions...how may of this ilk actually...walked the walked...bet Christopher had a Priest or some 'religious awakening' before dying

[@WhiteManInAVan]

We need to stop wasting money on the war in Ukraine and start focusing on being independent. How is it that we have soo much money for Ukrainian refugees (literally buying them new build houses) and modern weapons for the Ukrainian army, whilst people here can't afford a 70's house and whilst our military are deemed one of the worst equipped in the Western world???