By Tim Murgatroyd

TOMORROW the country will go to the polls after weeks of campaigning by all the parties. Our votes will determine the direction that Britain – and, of course, our own precious corner of it, York – must travel for the next five years. It has been a fractious contest by any standards and I’m surely not alone in looking forward to a resumption of normal life.

But before we wave goodbye to #GeneralElection2017 and wave hello to whichever party wins tomorrow, let us consider what we’ve learned from our exercise in democracy. After all, life’s all about learning, or should be unless you wish to repeat mistakes over and over. And just as individuals can learn, so can societies.

A good example of that is the NHS. Before its creation in 1945 the majority of people had to pay for their healthcare unless they were very poor indeed, in which case they sometimes got access to charitable health services via the same Poor Laws that brought us the dreaded workhouse. Healthcare was a local lottery, even if you could afford to contribute to some kind of weekly insurance scheme out of your wages.

In 1948, sickened by the inequalities of pre-war Britain, the Labour government under Clement Attlee created the NHS. Over the course of succeeding generations it has put paid to paying for treatment except through our National Insurance contributions. Healthcare free at the point of use and determined by clinical need rather than your wallet has become something we take for granted.

That is what I mean by societies learning to do things better. With imagination and courage positive change IS possible. And I sincerely hope that whoever forms our new government tomorrow remembers that.

Personally, I’ve learned quite a lot about contemporary Britain from watching the shenanigans of the last few weeks. Here are a few observations.

York Press:

The BBC Leaders’ election debate. One of the things we should learn from this election is to stick to policies, not resort to snide personal attacks, says Tim Murgatroyd

Firstly, that ‘expect the unexpected’ is a wise proverb indeed. Who would have thought back in April when Theresa May called the snap election it would be so closely fought? The opinion polls at the time seemed to indicate a coronation rather than a contest. To me it is heartening that our democratic system allows sufficient rational debate for people to change their minds about which way they want to vote, based on manifesto commitments and clear policies.

However, at times the tone of the debate in the media has made me feel downright queasy. Is it just me who is sick of some broadcast journalists badgering and sneering at politicians they interview? Sometimes the level of rudeness has been shocking: interruptions, sly asides and digs, not letting people finish their sentences. Not to mention allowing downright lies to pass unchallenged.

Please, this is not the British way. Good manners, compassion and fairness are our culture’s best features and we should be able to disagree in a civilised, rational manner. That means laying off snide personal attacks and sticking to actual issues and policies.

But broadcasters are not the only ones guilty of trivialising hugely complex issues with personal abuse. Social media like Twitter and Facebook can be a playground for offensive silliness and we have learned trolls abound in comment feeds. Perhaps we need a rule that states people have to use their real names and locations when commenting online to ensure the kind of accountability we expect in ‘real’, non-virtual life.

I have also felt sorry for our politicians at times. The slightest slip of memory or verbal stumble or moment of tiredness has been gleefully seized upon by commentators as proof of their unfitness to lead.

We really need to grow up about our leaders. They are not all-powerful emperors who decide every aspect of government. Their role is to enable policy directions and initiatives, not twitch millions of civil servants’ limbs like manic puppet-masters. True leadership is about empowering others to achieve wonderful things they never thought possible.

A favourite poet of mine, Bertolt Brecht, once wrote: ‘Everything changes. You can make a fresh start with your last breath.’ Let’s wake up on June 9 to a very fresh start indeed.