It is far too easy to jump on a band-wagon of criticism but, I have to say, yesterday’s news that the Inland Revenue (or HMRC as it is now known) had lost a couple of discs, containing the (very) personal data of some 25 million of this country’s parents, is simply breathtaking.
Another entry in what is becoming a catalogue of woe for this Government and, despite my support of the concept, really does call me to question whether we are safe to have an ID card scheme.
The issue that really bugs me, though, is that for as long as I can remember central government has repeatedly challenged local government to get its house in order. In all that time, we in local government were crying, ‘if each in front of their own door swept’ ! Now the chickens have come home to roost.
The problem ? Leadership. There is none. Effective leadership breeds a confidence and a determination to do the right thing. Without it, people become disinterested, disrespectful and they disregard due processes; mistakes happen. Some can be catastrophic, as I suspect Gordon Brown will now find at the next general election.

Are you, like me, tired of the ill-thought out whingeing that goes on in this country whenever someone suggests an idea for improvement ?
That improvement may be a by-product of the suggestion being put forward but, it is still relevant. What I am talking about are issues such as the staging of the 2012 London Olympics.
First of all, we had those that opposed the bid itself; claiming that it will spell financial disaster, and leave the capital with nothing but ‘white elephants’, in the form of under-used stadia. Once the bid was won we had the completely OTT reaction to the logo design; it was a LOGO for goodness sake. Hardly news of Tsunami proportions ! It is a fact of life that designs of any nature will draw support from some and alienate others.
Now we have those whining that the Olympic stadium design is no good. Freedom of speech and the opportunity to express opinion is wonderful – hey, I wouldn’t be writing this if it weren’t – but, why can’t people see the bigger, longer-term, picture ?
I was only reading the other day about the ‘Angel of the North’ statue, which suffered similar criticism when it first saw the light of day. Now it is one of, if not The, iconic image of the North-East of this country.
Not everything should be measured by cost……we should enjoy the event and one day, we will be proud of the London Olympics; I just hope that such a day co-incides with the opening ceremony in 2012, not some years afterwards !