In the 40s we had our backs to the wall. Food was short as the enemy sank our sea borne food convoys. We had to maximise and manage what we could produce at home, ration it so that all got enough basic essentials and nothing was wasted. Even so, those with money to spare still found extra on the black market and made money from it. There were serious punishments if they were caught and they were thought of as akin to the ‘fifth column’, who spied for the enemy.

Enemy bombers flattened large areas of our cities leaving many thousands homeless. The manufacture of equipment and supplies for the war effort was top priority and left little room for anything more than basic food, clothing and housing needs. Many like us started married life with second hand and repaired furniture and darning and mending were necessary skills. We had a two section, wooden orange box on end, as a bed side cupboard with a piece of patterned cloth, made into a curtain, round it. Slogans, posters and tips like ‘Make do and mend’, ‘Waste not want not’, ‘Dig for vicTory’ and ‘Careless talk cost lives’ were broadcast and seen all over.

After the peace, we all worked hard, saved and gladly paid our taxes and national Insurance to get life moving forward again. Building associations, bank managers and companies had to know that you were able to pay back any ‘hire purchase’ on a weekly basis, or other credit agreements you made and weren’t taking on more than you could manage. Going bankrupt was a huge blot on your character.

When the better times were reached, there was plenty of work, good housing for those who couldn’t buy and the free NHS for all.

Blair and Brown transformed the peoples’ Labour Party to the New Labour Party and beat the tired Tories after their ten years of government, by competing for their historic constituency; BIG MONEY. Big money welcomed their new backers and all the credit checks and balances were dropped. National utilities and assets were sold off at give away prices and postmen delivered blanket credit offers to all and sundry daily, backed by massive advertising campaigns in papers and TV. Not only was it easier to get credit, it was harder to refuse it.

They have driven us back to the hard times, aided and abetted by New Labour, whose historic constituents have suffered most. Many thousands out of work, many more losing their homes, struggling to pay their way and keep warm with prices climbing daily for the basics of life. Private pensions devalued. The NHS, charities, public and social services are being squeezed and are now in danger of being privatised.

We are being advised to revert to the wartime spirit to survive against the new enemy. Those who wrought the damage are still taking outrageous bonuses with our hard earned cash. New Labour and Tories are fighting to keep Big Money backing after the election and loath to stop them. There is nothing to choose between them. They know the good life ten years in power can bring and want some more. Murdoch is positioning himself for a Tory victory. Watch out BBC.

On top of this, MPs expenses and our last two Scottish PMs, surrounded by their native Ministers, MPs, Lords and Ladies have presided over the English isolation in a Disunited Kingdom. They are now looking at the possibility of being joined by as many as 20 fiercely nationalistic SNP MPS in Westminster. Alex Salmon can hardly contain himself in anticipation of the power that will give them in our affairs and finances, while we are excluded from theirs.

It looks to me as if England and the English nation are up for grabs, one way or another.