Running on Vapours

Apologies folks for not writing much recently. It's not that I've run out of things to say (that's ever likely to happen), but more a case of not having as much energy or enthusiasm to keep bashing the articles out at the same rate. Part of it has to do with the way politics are at the moment. Yes, as long forecast here the Tories are facing their gotterdammerung - and not before time - and that should be something worth celebrating. Especially for a vainglorious told-you-so like me. But replacing it will be a Labour Party led by its most disingenous and dishonest leader ever, and with him will come a cabinet of third rate West Wing cosplayers paid for by private health and gambling interests. Grim.

Looking back over the last 20-odd years of writing here and elsewhere, what has kept me going is an identification with a political project. For the 00s, two far left groups kept the embers stirred. In the 10sies, it was Labour. And since Keir Starmer became leader, analysis of his project has been combined with ceaseless rearguard actions and retreat. And seeing him give the Tories a free pass on everything of importance, from Covid to the NHS to practically everything; dispiriting about sums it up. Why hundreds of thousands of people have left the Labour Party is entirely understandable. Whatever I've said and written about Labour and "Starmerism" on here is from a position of weakness, if not impotence. The left's opportunity to shift things and shape the next government grow weaker by the day. At least within the channels open in the party and via the trade union links. Busy at work and having to think more about doing "proper" pieces for "proper" journals haven't helped either.

This is all a roundabout way of saying the posting schedule is likely to slow down from now on. This will allow the vapours in the old tank enough time to condense into usuable gasoline. That is unless something new comes along and fires the political imagination.