A VACUUM IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

Gordon Brown. Increased national debt to £1.35 trillion
on borrowed money.

The outcome of the 2015 UK general

election is already clear: another hung
parliament. In common with other
leading economies, there is a paralysis
of leadership in Britain. It is caused by
an inability to address the political
consequences of dealing with an 
escalating national debt, nil growth,
more austerity and rising disaffection 
with the political class. 
               
According to the TaxPayers' Alliance, 
UK Government spending, as a
proportion of GDP, is almost 47%, 
compared with compared with an                             
OECD average of 41%.                                         

£120bn is squandered in the
public sector. Not included in this are
the huge amounts lost through health
tourism in an NHS on the verge of 
bankruptcy and the £11.8bn spent 
on overseas aid. Quantitative easing
continues to buy time, but for how
long?    

Circumstances are driving ideological
convergence between the political
parties and diminishing choice at
elections. This creates the perception
that all parties are the same, with 
most politicians putting their own
interests above those of public duty.

Voters are increasingly of the view 
that their opinions on such key issues                                                                           
as the EU and immigration are
ignored by the Government. They
feel disconnected from the democratic
process and ask themsleves what is                                     
the point of turning out to vote?

In the UK and Europe rising anger is     

compounded by an unelected and
unaccountable EU Commission,
which seeks to control ever aspect
of their lives. Millions who escaped
oppressive regimes find themselves
living under a new form of
totalitarianism. Economically, it
would be the yoke of German
hegemony.

The trend of political disengagement
is hardly new and can be seen in
countries across the western world. 
In Britain in 1950 the turnout was
around 85%. In 2010, it was 66%,
a trend which indicates that, in future,
neither of the main political parties is
ever likely to command an command
an overall majority in Parliament.

The resulting inability of Government
to reconcile the public's continuing
addiction to unsustainable levels of   
state spending with economic reality is
something for which the next
generation will pay a very high price.

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