Christmas Shopping

I know this is unusual but I saw an interesting item on Sky News yesterday. It was about the first big Saturday for Christmas shopping. The guy from Sky was at a department store reporting on how the current financial situation is impacting sales. He was interviewing the manager of the store (a funny looking orange coloured woman) who explained that sales of lower priced products were poor, but the sales of high end items like Champagne, expensive jewellery and luxury food items were doing very well indeed.

What further proof is needed that we are not all in this together? The recession, banking crises and subsequent government cuts are having a far heavier impact on low and middle income families than the high earners.

According to Sky News the average person earning average wages expects to spend £490 on presents and entertainment this Christmas, down from £548 in 2009. There are so many people living in fear of losing their jobs over the next 12 months that they are terrified of spending cash and even more scared of using credit cards.

So while Nick, George, Dave and all their upper class and rich banking friends enjoy an opulent Christmas the rest of us will have to try and do it on the cheap.

At least the young people in our society are waking up and fighting back. The students are setting the example and it’s high time the rest of us followed their lead.

The media attack on Nick Clegg

Today is another sad day for the British media. The right-wing press have gone into full attack Nick Clegg mode. It is clearly a fully organised smear campaign as it can be no accident that all these stories have been published on the day of the 2nd leader’s debate.

Some of the headlines, especially in the loveable Daily Mail, show just how desperate they are. There is the Clegg in Nazi slur headline, the Clegg and dodgy donations headline, the Clegg in pro-Europe disgrace headline and the Clegg is a baby killer headline. Okay the baby killer headline is a joke but you get my point.

If I was Nick Clegg I would be quietly pleased about the media campaign against him. It is further proof, if any was needed, that the Tories are more than a little rattled by his surge in popularity.