Politicians - friends or foe?

British politicians are incensed at the decision by the UK Border Agency staff, responsible for passport checks in Britain, to go on strike on 26 July, the day before the start of the Olympics, and refuse to work overtime from 27 July to 20 August. Home Secretary, Theresa May said," I think it is shameful frankly." Labour leader Ed Miliband agreed," People should not be striking during the Olympics." Anger against the strike just before the Olympics is understandable because it seems like blackmail but that is what a strike is meant to be. The National Audit Office reveled this week that the UK Border Agency had laid off 1000 more staff than it intended and was having to hire reinforcements and increase overtime to meet its workload. Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt wants to sack all staff who go on strike. This is the same man who has shamelessly hung onto his post in spite of revelations of his cozy relationship with James Murdoch and News International PR man, Frederic Michel. The UK government is hell bent on a program of austerity which involves sacking government employees, cutting pensions and privatising services. Yet the people were not responsible for the present state of the UK economy. It was the Blair/Brown New Labour which reduced regulation for banks and financial firms which led to the meltdown. Seems that Blair, a mass murderer, is having a fantastic time travelling all over the world earning some 20 million pounds a year while ordinary people see their savings evaporate and are reduced to poverty. G4S, a private security firm, which was given the contract for security at the Olympic games for 500,000 pounds has not been able to provide the required number of staff. The CEO, Nick Buckles admitted that it was a " humiliating shambles " in front of a Parliamentary committee but will receive 21 million pounds in shares, bonuses and pension if he is forced to resign. Terrorist Abu Qatada's lawyers, Birmberg Peirce and Partners have been paid 181,000 pounds/month since 2002 from legal aid. Total 21 million pounds. Newly elected French President, Francois Hollande and Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault have taken a voluntary 30% cut in salary. The Prime Minister's salary will come down from 21,300 Euros to 14,910. Yet Cameron, who is forever banging on about reducing public debt and is very rich, has not seen any need for personal sacrifice. The Indian Olympics Association and Wrestling Federation has given accreditation for 3 coaches and 1 manager for a 5 member team leaving no place for a physio. So wrestler, Sushil Kumar is paying from his own pocket for physio, Arvinderpal Singh to go to London. Politicians and the rich are increasingly behaving like usurpers. The reaction from the people may be extremely violent.