DID I hear someone say (ironically, no doubt), a Happy New Year?
Remember? This is the year of the Euro for Germany and France to celebrate. Yet, not a single politician can tell you what it means for Britain. Labour is indecisive, the Tories so split they can't tell the difference between the Euro and a Tibetan yak.
This is the year when we could bid a tearful goodbye to the Duty Free shelves; this is the year when the Chancellor could enlighten us what it really means to be Brown-ed off; this is the year when budget forecasts and Bank of England deliberations will need the hallmark of wisdom and perception of Solomon, if it's not to be another case of inflationary disaster and doom and bust.
This is the year of no return for the Scots and the Welsh. Devolution or revolution? This is the year of make or break for our primary youth and teachers, for too long the scapegoats of muddled government thinking. And the year of justice for our demeaned and pay-beleaguered nurses?
This is the year to prove that our Cabinet is not a piece of furniture but has the guts realistically to tackle the evils of the day undermining our youth and the general fabric of our nation. That is, if it can spare the time after defending its snow white image against the rising tide of investigative journalism.
Above all, this is the year of the Dome, the technological oracle of the future. Only time will tell if the billions spent on it is folly or might have been better spent on mitigating human suffering and reinforcing State-administered services. Finally, a word of cheer. Council Tax next April will be the highest ever.
Before I forget. A Happy New Year to you all!
Jack Hellier
Castle Road
Okehampton