Where do we go from here?

Well, the dust is still settling after an election campaign that has produced a result that has confounded politicians and polling experts alike. Me? I was not entirely surprised that it turned out the way it did but it has left me thoroughly depressed and very concerned for the future. Turkeys voting for Xmas is a polite way of expressing my opinion of the Great British Public at the moment. They know not what they have done - or maybe they do and really don't care. That's really scary and if you are one of them, up yours. Anyway, here are some reflections. Locally, we have lost a good constituency MP, Dan Rogerson, and gained an unknown quantity in the shape of the new Tory MP, Scott Mann. Something high on my personal agenda is to attend one of his constituency surgeries and see where he stands on issues close to my heart. An exercise in 'know thine enemy'. And then, assuming that he is going to toe the party line (and he will, I bet), I will make sure that he gets regular correspondence from me as and when issues arise.         And what issues might these be? Where do I start? There are so many areas of the Tories policies that I object to. In no particular order of preference, here are just a few to be getting on with: *  The scrapping of the Human Rights Act and its replacement with a British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. And Michael Gove has been appointed Justice Minister to drive this through Parliament. *  The repeal of the Hunting Act and the possibility of a return to the barbaric practices of animal cruelty outlawed over ten years ago. *  Continued privatisation of the NHS. *  The return of the Right to Buy scheme. *  More draconian cuts to welfare and social care budgets. *  A move to leave the EU. *  The introduction of more sinister anti-libertarian surveillance laws. * Progress with the introduction of TTIP. * Renewal of Trident. * Untrammelled fracking. * Luke warm support of measures to combat global warming. * Screwing the BBC. * More anti-trade union legislation. And on and on and on.....to include every socially regressive, reactionary, punitive and anti-communitarian trick they have up their sleeves for us. Be afraid, be very afraid. And don't believe them when they bleat that all of this is inevitable. It's not. Their austerity measures are totally an ideological choice. The financial crisis is, in part, a very convenient smoke screen for what they always wanted to do. What else can be done?  I can, and will, share whatever, wherever and whenever I can, views opposing relevant government policies (I'm not ruling out the possibility that I might actually agree with some of their proposals). I can, and will, look out for activist groups that share my views. I can, and will, write letters, sign petitions and generally be a pain in the arse to anyone who proposes something I disagree with. Apart from these things, I will admit that I don't really know what I'll do. But I do know that I'm not going to wring my hands, gnash my teeth and do nothing. A pox on the lot of them.