4972 - Prime sinister

Coronavirus is getting serious
If people didn't take it seriously
They will now Boris Johnson's tremendous
Struggle to shake it off is on TV
In intensive care, shocking you and me
No matter what we think of his background
And right-wing conservative policy
He's still a person, though not underground
But famous, best wishes should still resound
And we should all do what they have told us
And tolerate this pause on liberty
Some reporters questioned if there were grounds
For lockdown, and when it would be made less
Inconvenient. Please act as we should be!

4862 - Labour of hate

The fallout from the election goes on
The Labour MPs all slag off Corbyn
Meetings of blame and recrimination
But now is socialism in the bin?
Was it ever out of it, in Britain?
Now the media's wheeling out Tony Blair
What a drag! No rehabilitation
For that poodle of Bush, deciding there
Could be no objection to joining war
Making up evidence when there was none
And copying Tory methods to win
Been to see two films these last two nights. Her
Smell, about a female rock musician
And Blue Story, London gangs and knifing

4859 - The guy who came in from the cold

Last full day of this cold flat, I hope so
Slightly less cold than yesterday somehow
Thank goodness. Stayed in mostly, but did go
Out to Home Cinema, warmth was my vow
That's where I found it, Sons of Denmark now
The latest film I've seen, a potent tale
And pertinent, the rise of the right, how
It affects families on all sides and fails
To resolve or unite, luring young males
Against their own best interests. Some may sow
The seeds of hate but we mustn't allow
It to triumph, scapegoat innocents. Fail
And things could sink so much further below
A reminder to stay strong and not bow

4854 - Nothing up top

Too busy at work to even eat my
Lunch, or pop to the shops, or to message
Anyone. Now I'm home it's hard to try
And do much, don't feel like doing too much
I exercised though, my body image
And overall health still very important
It's chucking it down, and cold, a deluge
So at least going out tonight, well, can't
Not that there's much on. At least I don't want
To spend, cos in December it can fly
Out. That's to my bank account's advantage
Jon Ashworth's slagged off Corbyn. So the hunt
For the Labour fox gains 'momentum'... Why
Do so many help the Tory message?

4853 - Election direction

Not doing much, just got the radio on
A debate's on later, one of the last
Perhaps, of 2019's election
Most people think that Corbyn cannot catch
Johnson, although the last time they thought that
He almost caught Theresa May, closing
From a long way behind, but this time's lacked
The same campaign excitement following
Corbyn around. Maybe they're all trying
To ignore him, concentrate on Johnson
And his claims of hospitals being enhanced
Nurses, police officer numbers growing
And above all things, let's Get Brexit Done!
And then it'll be great, we'll all be blessed

4840 - Sorry does seem to be the hardest word

Andrew Neil is on TV, questioning
The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
And first off, Corbyn's answering
Widespread allegations flooding in
Of institutional anti-Semitism
Corbyn's long campaigned against racism
Yet the media keeps aiming that at him
Under Andrew's forensic searchlighting
I have to say that Corbyn is struggling
He doesn't seem too keen on arguing
This point, and in fact seems to be squirming
Unable to apologise to them
The frightened Jews, apart from those planning
To vote Labour anyway. Worrying...

4836 - To Lib and let die

Watched a great series of interviews on
The telly tonight, and my favourite was
Seeing the dismantling of Jo Swinson
She thinks she might be PM, why, because
She's a woman, never mind the Thatchers
And Mays, it's not a new thing anymore
And isn't always better. Also she's
Making the party name a misnomer
The Liberal Democrats, but would ignore
The Brexit result of 2016
And revoke Article 50. And worse -
Her defence was she had wanted, before,
A 'People's Vote' but now says there'll be none!
No-one convinced, no-one giving applause

Fri 22 Nov

4833 - Let the right one in

Just watched the Johnson-Corbyn live debate
It was a draw, I'd say. may not affect
Anyone's votes, not yet at any rate
Maybe if gaffes happen later, they'll wreck
Their chances, but if they keep tongues in check
Avoid offence, and stick to policies
They stand a chance of having their box ticked
Now I'm watching jungle celebrities
But not closely, for those creepy crawlies
Are off-putting, of that there's NO debate
And not only them, also the insects!
Got responses this evening for flat. Please
Let me get someone in, it's getting late
I need cash in the pocket of my kecks!

4821 - Election misdirection

Rees-Mogg really put his foot in his mouth
When he said Grenfell fire victims didn't
Use their common sense, they should have gone out
Straight away, ignored the advice (the c***)!
Revealing Tory empathy's defunct
And what they really think of poor non-whites
Who do vital jobs, the same immigrants
Who keep London's wheels turning, and despite
Terribly low wages, fearing each night
The same could happen again, while those proud
Tories live in their mansions, arrogant
And detached (not semi) from people's plight
This is helping Labour without a doubt
Corbyn is their room-dwelling elephant

4813 - They wanna be elected

So!!! There'll be a general election soon
On December the 12th, to be precise
Just as Christmas approaches and the tune
May change from the usual jangly ditties
To more serious ones, but that's no pity
Felt more energised today, and I got
Things done, though not all that's in my in tray!
Need to put in long days and be a swot
Got home, did exercises on the mat
While watching news updates, keeping in tune
With developments. Uke-wise, found some nice
Acoustic stuff to play, and I was not
Bad, if I say so myself! Could I croon
Along to it yet? That remains the prize!

4808 - Turning pages, waiting for wages

Brexit work's so intense it dominates
The days these days, I haven't much left once
I get home, so I relax with my thoughts
Might play some music, reading even comes
Into mind, which it hasn't done for months
But when I've done this, might pick up that book
I've struggled to get into, the doldrums
Of inactivity can't always look
At drink to get me through. Doesn't take pluck
To pick up a book, watch how time stagnates
Less than before, like a busy day comes
To an end sooner and you can head back
Home to freedom, so a good book puts skates
On a quiet evening, and it feeds your brains

4806 - The vote to nowhere

Just watched the Brexit votes - yes, YET MORE votes
Firstly, the Withdrawal Bill - the 'new' deal
Negotiated recently - got the most
Votes a Brexit deal's had so far, a real
Improvement on Theresa May. But still
It's going to be consistently derailed
By amendments and watering down, thus killed
In effect, by the other parties. Failed
Again, Brexiteers! The DUP rail
Against it because there'll be border posts
In NI, which will be closer, they feel
To the EU than the UK. Impaled
Once more, the Tories plans are turned to toast
This hung Parliament is like a stuck wheel

4805 - Parliamental

Feeling a bit weary partly because
I woke at 5 am and dozed and lay
Awake once more. Now I'm paying the cost
Also at work it's been a busy day
Soft drinks levy, Brexit, choosing which way
To work from now on with my staff of one
It's going well right now, I hope it stays
That way, and all acrimony is gone
So busy didn't know the goings-on
In Parliament, whether MPs would choose
Brexit today, tomorrow, or someday
As predicted, the speaker has said 'Non'
Tomorrow is when the UK withdraws?
Don't bank on it, though the pundits say 'Yea'

4803 - Brakes on Brexit

Today was dominated by the long
Live broadcast of the Brexit deal debate
Between 5 and 6 hours from the Commons
I watched and could increasingly relate
To the argument by Labour. We wait
For the conclusion even longer, yes
And though Starmer and co seemed to frustrate
Getting it done, now for over 3 years
The background explanation's not averse
To democracy. While Boris Johnson
Talked like Trump about making Britain great
But withheld details from MP voters
So they couldn't judge, form an opinion
Starmer made clear the damage would be great

Sat 19 Oct

4798 - A night at the races

Felt a bit low on mental energy
Maybe cos was awake from four til six
Thought maybe tonight would hear from Louis
But no, so watched England and some racist
Abuse from the Bulgaria fans. Score? Six
Nil to the Whites. I mean, the Mixed Races
I mean the Three Lions. Much better since
That poor show in Prague. They tied their laces
Properly this time, ended with glad faces
Aside from that, the Queen's speech Brexitty
In nature, poor dear looked old, frail, bewitched
By Boris's manoeuvres, some traces
Of disagreement visible, maybe
Or is she a leaver, Elizabeth Rex?

4789 - Bilious at Berlioz

Saturday, day of showers, met Josephine
It was dry as we walked around and ate
At Las Iguanas, where the Brexit scene
Was discussed, must have impressed those who sat
Nearby, my still-young daughter really at
The races now with politics and views
She's doing it at A level, and that
Will make her even better with the news
And current affairs. Like Louis, she'll use
That expertise to good effect, I ween
Then met Helen at Waterhouse, some chat
Then to the Bridgewater after some booze
That knocked H out, she felt ill, kept it in
The whole concert, then puked, then went and ate!

Sat 5 Oct

4787 - A long and mainly Brexit kinda day

A long and mainly Brexit kinda day
It's so exciting now, adrenalin
Is almost kicking in, middle of the day
Is almost kicking, almost kicking in
The country's arguing and dividing
And I'm in the middle, screwing so hard
But as day turned into cooler evening
I went with a friend to a place so hard
To find, down some steps, with a helping start
From the barmen and bouncers so friendly
Bar Pop basement on Canal Street hosting
Kiri Pritchard-Maclean's new stuff. A lot
Of laughs and some serious issues to play
Around with. Well done Kiri, it's a win!

4784 - Has beans

A nice day indoors sheltered from the rain
Spent nothing, just doing what I felt like all
Day. Exercised, watched Boris, who explained
The 'humbug' incident showed no ill will
To women who receive death threats that kill
On occasion, as Jo Cox showed back then
Read The Guardian. Comedy review spilled
The beans that Eddie Izzard's new show went
Down not so great, then read all the comments
Which linked to Question Time 2016
Izzard was a rabbit in headlights, fool
On YouTube, then watched Star Stories. Helen
Recommended it. George Michael and then
Take That. Hilarious. Worked two hours. Ate well

4780 - Live and too direct

I've been watching live footage from the House
All evening, prorogation is ended
With much invective shooting from their mouths
As they stand or still sit on green benches
I must admit, the Tories seem indeed
To be in the lead despite court's finding
The PM to have somewhat contravened
The law or constitution in lying
About the motive for the proroguing
Boris has had to fly back, furious
It appeared, with being thus so frustrated
But gradually his tone was softening
As he was roundly criticised for most
Aggressive speeches. Me? Been uploading...

4779 - Oh won't you stay....

Only about two to three hours' sleep last
Night, knackered, but worked hard in the office
Doing Brexit guidance, part of the cast
Of thousands here in the civil service
Working towards No Deal, but today this
Seems further than ever away from being
Realised by the poor beleaguered Boris
Who made as his promise we'd be leaving
The EU, Oct the 31st. Staying
A while longer. it seems. The judges passed
Their verdict, that Boris told the Queen lies
In order to prorogue Parliament in
The month it would have frustrated his dash
To get us out by hook or crook. (He is!)