TRAGEDY AND FARCE..

Just about every day, you hear things both tragic and farcical and today has been no exception. First the tragedy. The bodies of five more young, brave British servicemen were flown home to RAF Lyneham and, as the cortege made its way through the small Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett, once again the town came to a standstill as hundreds lined the streets to pay homage and respect to the loss of yet more lives in the dubious peradventure in Afghanistan.

Their loss of life is tragic for themselves, their families, their friends and their comrades and whatever we may feel about the war in Afghanistan, I`m sure we all feel the utmost sadness that once again young lives have been lost and give real thanks to the good folk of that small town for becoming the conscience of the nation and the personification of respect and decency.

Now, it`s just 141 miles from Wootton Bassett to Macclesfield in Cheshire and today`s daily dose of farce has been provided by Macclesfield`s Member of Parliament, one Sir Nicholas Winterton. He is very exercised about the suggestion that MPs should no longer be able to claim first class rail travel because, as he says, `standard` class travel is full of `a different type of people.` His remarks are not only deeply offensive but also demonstrate just how out of touch he is. Maybe he should remember that his salary and burgeoning expenses along with those of his wife, also an MP, are paid from the taxes paid by those very `different type of people` that he wants nothing to do with. Seems to me his attitude is along the lines of `the trouble with Macclesfield is that it`s full of constituents.`

To be fair, the Tory Party have dismissed Winterton`s remarks as his own private ones rather than anything to do with the party itself and they remind us that neither of the Wintertons will be standing at the next election. Small mercies and all that.

So, the 141 miles distance between today`s tragedy and farce isn`t too far, but Winterton`s world is so far away from that of the realities of people in Wootton Bassett, from grieving families and the young lives cut so short. Don`t know why, but I was reminded of the lyrics of the late lamented Kirsty MacColl`s `Walking down Madison,` which includes:-

"From an uptown apartment to a knife an the A train

It's not that far

From the sharks in the penthouse to the rats in the basement

It's not that far

To the bag lady frozen asleep on the church steps

It's not that far

Would you like to see some more?

I can show you if you'd like to."

Tomorrow is another day, but you can bet that tragedy and farce will once again feature in equal measure. C`est la vie.