Fertilisers and what the lack of chemical ones did to Sri Lanka

In 2021, the government of Sri Lanka banned the use of chemical fertilisers. As a result, crop yields fell and food prices went up.  As usual, it was the poorest who were hit hardest by the rises. 

The attack by Israel and the USA has prevented chemical fertilisers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This means that the whole world will experience what Sri Lanka did in 2021. But this will not be just one nation, this will mean price rises on a global scale. But it will not take effect now, it will take effect after the next harvests. 

While Trump will deny this, it will be an example of Trumpflation. And voters across the globe will not be happy. 

In Work Poverty and PMQs

The government are going to cut Universal Credit. Or rather, not cut it, but instead allow he temporary uplift in it to expire. Over the last few years, we have seen the rise of Child Food Poverty as well as In Work Poverty.

The issue of if this should be cut came up in PMQ’s today.

Needless to say, Boris Johnson did not answer the questions posed to him about how he is to cut help to those who need it most.  And this was a matter that came up on several occasions.

I do think that Keir Starmer would have done better if he had used the personal examples that Jeremy Corbyn did in this role as ignoring reality is so much harder when real people are used.

I hope our MP does not vote for these cuts.  But he is a Conservative and I suspect will toe the government line on this.

Poverty in times of COVID and why this needs to be tackled

First of all, the reason that poverty needs to be tackled is that it is wrong for a G7 nation to have so much poverty, this being an issue before COVID.

Despite much government hype, people are suffering despite having universal credit over this time.

The system is designed to encourage people to find jobs, but we are living in times when there are less jobs to find.

One of the factors linked to not adhering to the need for testing and isolation is financial hardship.

If we are to tackle this, we need to ensure that those in most need are offered help when it comes to isolating so that they do not suffer.  The government have the harsh view that giving money to people who are hard up will make them less likely to work, but this does not apply when it comes to tax for the wealthy.    

The idea of keeping the current system that is failing so many is wrong.  In a time when there are jobs, it could be argued that more money going into it would help people.  I would say that in a time when there are less jobs available, that it is time to consider a basic income.  Also called a citizens income, it has been tried in the past abroad before COVID, and can be argued, that Trump used it in the form of stimulus checks during COVID.  

Basically, the options are to do nothing, or to do something when it comes to poverty in the UK. As someone who knows what a childhood on benefits was when I was growing up, I am of the view that we should do something to help those in most need.

Do footballers deserve the money they earn?

First of all, my answer to this, is yes and no.

As an Arsenal fan, I am sad to see that one of our most gifted players is leaving, and also that this will be on a free transfer.  And of course, this had led to the accusation that footballers are overpaid.  While I do agree in fair pay for all, I do think that the use of the money that footballers earn is a convenient way of distracting people from the divide in earnings when it comes to others.  Footballers, are entertainers, most do not earn the riches seen in the higher leagues, and considering that premiership rights are sold across the world, is it wrong to just focus on the money that they earn, and not look at the money paid to Hollywood stars for the money that they earn?  



Even this distracts from how much money others earn.  We live in a world where the rise in income for those who earn the least is less in percentage terms compared to those who earn the most.  In the UK, CEO's earn as much in three days than those who work for them earn in a year.  That is not right and by focusing on the amount an elite footballer will earn, it distracts voters from who is really earning the most in our dysfunctional world.

So I will be wishing Aaron Ramsey good luck when he plays in Italy, and I will be sorry to see him leave.  I do wish that we lived in a world were fair pay for all existed, but under the current 'rules' of earning money, I think that it is wrong to demonise footballers for the money they earn while ignoring those who earn money through other means.

News: Putin named Russia's "Man of the Year" for 15th consecutive year. As usual, second place went to "Or else."

What is happening in Ukraine is interesting for the security of Europe, notably the Baltic states where there are many Russian speakers.

For those not in the know, once the USSR broke up, Ukraine had loads of nuclear weapons.  It got rid of was at the time, the third largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world.  Russia promised to respects its territory and the west promised to back it up.

Well, that has not happened.  The Crimea has been annexed by Russia and Russia, like with what happened in Georgia, has apparently been helping Russian speaking Ukrainian freedom fighters in the war for freedom (how you can call it freedom when you want a dictator is beyond me...) with many 'volunteers' entering the nation to help the battle for independence.  

The US understandably does not want to be dragged into a war there, just like it does not want to be drawn into a war in Syria (despite Syria crossing red lines set by Obama) or elsewhere.  Which means that nations like the UK have to realise that they can not rely on the US to defend them.  Which, to me, means that we have to renew Trident.

I do not like the idea of spending money on a nuclear weapons system that god willing, will never be used.  But I like the idea of speaking Russian less.  And you can not trust Putin.  I do not say that you can trust Obama, but lets face it, at least he was elected in free and fair elections.

So in short, that is why, I with a heavy heart, support spending money that can be used to help the poor or the NHS on a weapons system that I pray is never used.

If the government know that over 5 billion is being defrauded by benefit cheats, then, if they don't know who they are, how did they know they're cheating?

Well, the government are having a go at those on benefits.  Saying how people should work, how those on benefits are getting increase in payments greater than wage rises.  I think that they are wrong about this.  When it comes to wage rises not keeping up with benefit payments, the answer is simple, people are not being paid enough.  At the moment, the benefit system is working to allow employers to keep wages down.  Many argue that people should be paid not the minimum wage, but instead a living wage.  There are arguments about finding ways to get people to work, arguments about how much people should be paid and arguments about if those on benefits deserve them or not.

Me, I have a view on this, one based on my own background.  When younger, my mother was working and at times, I would need to be going to school on free school meals.  We were a single parent family and that was due to domestic violence.  So when those on the right have a go at those on benefits as well as issues to do with marriage breakups and family values, I get annoyed.  In my work, I see loads of people working and working hard and still are needing benefits.  I do see some who play the system, but they are few and far between.  My mother was one of those who worked hard, made sacrifices to bring up me and my siblings, one who provided for her family and worked to help others.  And she is not alone in this.  And with regards to what the Tories have planned, these changes WILL hurt those in work, hurting those who are not well off and will cause hardship to so many people.  HMRC who have lost jobs (thanks to cuts) and now are not able to tell loads of people that they will not be eligible for child benefit.  In 2004 overpayments were made and had to be paid back.  That affected too many people, and this is worse as more will be affected and this could have been avoided in so many ways.

Thanks to the sacrifices my mother made and thanks to the grace of God, I am smart and have gained from an education, the education she worked for me to have.  Not everyone is as lucky as I am to have been able to get a degree, or to have the genes that make someone smarter.  (Being smarter is not better, just different, like being taller, slimmer, fitter etc.)  And that means that when I work harder, I earn more.  Not everyone is that lucky.  I remember seeing Lowestoft, with its high unemployment rates, and the local use of immigrant labour for low paid seasonal work.  People there would literally find it not worth the money to work as they would lose out more.  Instead employers would bring in workers from abroad to work instead.  So if there are to be changes to make things easier for those in work to work, then I am in favour of a very controversial policy.  A citizens income.  That way, people can work as hard as they like to earn money, i.e. those working will earm more than those who are not working.  Employers can keep wages competitive in a global economy and hard work and effort is rewarded.