HIGHS AND LOWS...

Sometimes on a Monday morning, it`s useful to look ahead at the week in prospect. This week, like many more, will no doubt be a mixture of good news, bad news, highs and lows. The good news and the high points will include lunch on Wednesday with an old school friend whose company I have only recently renewed after a lapse of about 50 years. On Thursday, I might also be renewing my shambling golfing career, which has also lapsed recently due to circumstances beyond my control ( although to be fair I sense the onset of bad news and a definite low point!) On Saturday, I`ll be off to Southampton in the company of my Gillingham supporting next door neighbour to see Saints take on the Gills (that might turn out to be one of the bad news, low points too!) No too much good news after all, it seems.

But the really depressing events for the coming week must surely be the Labour Party Conference, which kicks off in earnest in Brighton today and also Friday, which sees the Irish having to vote again in the referendum about the Lisbon Treaty, having failed to come up with the right answer last time they voted.

In Brighton, we are already seeing our unelected Prime Minister, urged on by the equally unelected Business Secretary, desperately trying to convince the faithful that they should be allowed to continue leading the country and the party. As to the Irish Referendum (aka Neverendum) whilst I do care about the outcome, I am more concerned about the blatant effront to democracy that says that the will of the people is ignored until such time as they give the answer the politicians require. Remember the Nice Treaty which followed the same pattern?

I suppose the only consolation for the Irish is that they are at least getting a referendum, but for them and for the `leadership` of the UK, both events this week represent a failure of the democratic principles that we have taken for granted for so long. It`s no way to run a railroad and I hope for democracy`s sake that both events end in telling defeats.