A truly terrible tale
Tuesday, February 6th, 2007
The political history of Zimbabwe has been a chequered one. Considered to be a jewel in the crown of Africa, an attempt to create a federation of what is now Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe failed. Then we had a unilateral declaration of independence by Ian Smith, which ultimately led to Robert Mugabe coming to power. There was a terrible early episode directed against the minority Matabele people, but that apart the new ZANU-PF government gave the country much hope for the future.
Well, we know what happened subsequently. The initial response from the British Government was pathetic and anaemic. It was quite obvious to us that the expulsion of white farmers would lead to economic collapse. For whatever reason, the Government effectively told us that we were being hysterical. Their response – when something could have been done – was very muted, and they refused to put real pressure on South Africa. Ironically, it was the old apartheid regime which brought the Ian Smith government to its knees by threatening to cut off energy supplies. We suggested the same to the current South African government, to no avail.
So the economy has imploded and now there are rumblings of real dissent amongst the defence and security forces. It has been surprising that Zimbabweans have been so passive so far, preferring to vote with their feet. Millions now live abroad, many in real hardship.
When so much of Africa is now doing much better in economic terms, Zimbabwe is a real and tragic blot. It is a matter for regret that the so-called peer review mechanism amongst African leaders has failed, and external criticism has been very limited indeed.
At a time when consciousness of Africa’s needs has never been higher, we can only hope that Mugabe’s rule will end soon. Few countries have been so destroyed so quickly by one man.
The colossal debts which continue to beset the NHS in the East of England are overseen by a Strategic Health Authority. There is now such an atmosphere of fear and anxiety in the NHS that each and every element of the health service has so-called communications staff who are very costly indeed.
About two years after I became a Member of Parliament in 1992, a Cabinet Minister, surveying the huge difficulties engulfing the then Government said to me “It normally isn’t like this. Don’t worry it is early days and normality will return”. Well, of course, it did not.
Eureka! Something is definitely stirring in the political undergrowth. Early this morning I went to buy some apples (English) from the greengrocer near to where I live during the week in Central London. Over the years, these shopping forays have been quite erratic. The reason is simple. The shop owner is a lifelong Labour supporter who has attacked me remorselessly for every conceivable ill afflicting the country, although I suspect it has largely been a case of a plague on all your houses. However his verbal energies have definitely been directed towards attacking Conservatives virulently and most specifically. The sheer intensity of these attacks have been a little draining before 8 o’ clock in the morning.