A coincidence of sorts
Yesterday – Tuesday 7th July 2020 – I happened to read fellow columnist J.S. Bird’s latest post to the Rust entitled “Just another notch on the ‘Strange Times’ belt”.
In it he commented upon the wide variety of reactions from ‘special interest’ groups in the UK (ranging from charities dealing with the homeless, furloughed workers, the self-employed, both small and large businesses … right through to those Great and Good individuals involved with the creative arts) whenever the Government dips into its pocket in order to provide taxpayer’s cash – or indeed funding reluctantly obtained on our behalf via mortgaging the nation’s future – to “keep them afloat” and/or “get them back on their feet” during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
I took his basic theme to be pointing out that – rather like a clutch of fledgling birds in a starling’s nest constantly wriggling and agitating for more food whilst their harassed parents work overtime trying to supply it – it is somewhat ironic that many of those who campaign on behalf of their “special interest group” seems to go through three specific phrases: (1) screaming at the Government, threatening it with hell and damnation, when thus far it has failed to allocate any, let alone mountains of, £ notes its way; (2) obsequious gratitude when the Government finally does so; and then (3) further belly-aching either that even this assistance is not enough and/or there are others in or related to their “interest group” who also deserve help but have been excluded and/or rendered forgotten by some unfair detail of the scheme’s qualifying criteria.
See here for a link to the piece concerned – THE NATIONAL RUST
It is not normally in the nature of the ethos of this organ that we ever blow our own trumpet, still less do it regularly, but here I think Mr Bird deserves a salute of sorts for his vision and indeed prescience.
In his post – in the context of the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ individuals who inhabit the world of the performing arts – he referenced the likes of exponents of mime, monocyclists and other street artistes whom – he predicted would soon be coming out from under the wood flooring seeking their share of the massive £1.5 billion the Government has just allocated to the world of The Arts this week.
And – what do you know? – 24 hour later, here they come, courtesy of a piece by reporter David Wilkes that appears today upon the website of the – DAILY MAIL
