People in glasshouses . . .

Hmm.

Re Boons' meeting, 23rd April - Almost disappointing - 2 people and a news reporter but a good many well-wishers along the way and very good informal chats with smokers outside and then up town later on.

Crap organising on my part and working on assumptions meant that those who had expressed an interest went to the downstairs room whilst I was upstairs hastily writing spiel to an audience I 'knew' was never going to appear. (And ManUbleedinited were playing Barcelona - pfft! - see what happens when Ronaldo doesn't intimidate his opponent? (oi!, sidefoot - no!).

Success (credibility even) is a tenuous thing and there is no set way to achieve it. That aside, there is a process and we learn as we go along.

According to most reports some 67% of the UK are against an outright ban on smoking in public places and this figure is about the same with publicans. This shows quite a remarkable degree of tolerance given that some 25% is 'the figure' given for smokers ie. two and a half times the amount of smokers. And obviously pubs don't want to lose custom.

This is borne out on recent hasty visits to pubs. Many publicans are anxious about where this will lead, some figured they'd be able to manage whatever was thrown at them and the odd few were happy with the ban. However, most know there's more legislation on the way and that traditional pub culture is on the way out as things stand.

Although no-one was really happy about being coerced into an obvious unpopular measure there's been an air of resignation - until now. UKIP seem to be the only 'mainstream' party in the upcoming local elections with a libertarian bent, particularly with regard to the issue of our social lives. There is the possibility of a breakthrough, of sorts.

I don't give a rat's cock (sshurely a pub name there?) what else they stand for but on this I'll be a slag for democracy and promote them. It may even lead to political debate in pubs and put the wind up those that claim they're 'fighting hard for our interests' or whatever guff they're coming out with whilst they congratulate themselves and erode our freedoms.

Perhaps one of the reasons many daren't speak out is due to the enormous pressure heaped on individuals who dare stand up. Public houses, even under intense regulation, are still largely informal gathering places and there's an element of schwonky business goes off. This is mentioned occasionally on forums and in the news and is very likely something we all come across.
I should imagine that if 'they' are listening in on phone conversations then most of us would get banged up. They probably don't because it's the way things are. Given the volume of laws and regulation this govt. has introduced, we'll all be likely 'guilty' of something - and if not then soon will be . . . maybe.

And maybe not. Our political class are seriously adrift and seem to like to raid the coffers themselves. Of course, running for public office should be an honourable thing and well recompensed - as should we all be for our labours, after all we make the roads, schools and hospitals, etc. and run them and politics ought be about realising our aspirations. Trouble is that raising apirations has given way to restraint - at least for us hoi-polloi.

Given that the smoking ban was brought in undemocratically and based on a pack of lies then maybe that what should be the most public of our houses is the one that needs examining.