Stop the Boats

On the one side, it’s bloody-well hard to claim for asylum today –
The government channels are ever more narrow and blocked.
On the other, why didn’t they put-in a claim in France, on their way,
Before their midnight dinghies had even undocked ?

On the one hand, the locals are facing a shortage of doctors, and schools,
And even basic respect from the Guardian-class –
And on the other, they’re attacking the same old targets – like tools
Of the very establishment that would crush them on-mass.

On the first, there are no council houses for those on the waiting-list,
And no chance of ever affording the private rents.
On the second, there’s plenty of luxury flats sitting empty, unmissed,
For city bankers and royals and overseas presidents.

On the one part, the inequality’s rampant throughout the nation,
That’s breeding and stoking the conflict as tensions are bared.
On the other…no wait, there is no other damn explanation !
No wonder both locals and migrants are angry and scared…

Tina

Thanks to capitalism,
We have architecture no-one likes,
And public transit never-built,
With roads for cars but not for bikes.
Thanks to capitalism,
Our health care is on life support,
While education fails our kids,
And long-term planning comes up short.

Penny-pinching,
Fiscal-flinching,
Skimping on the maintenance.
Worker-bashing,
Honour-trashing,
Crashing to advance.

Thanks to capitalism,
There are no houses for our youth –
The green belt is all gobbled-up
And the rents are through the roof.
Thanks to capitalism,
Our pension pots are all a lie.
With bankers-gamblers hailed as heroes –
Growth or else we die !

Peacock-strutting,
Corner-cutting,
Gutting-out all common sense,
Sponsor-selling
Porkie-telling,
Shelling-out mere pence.

Thanks to capitalism,
The MP knows who his donor is,
While banks are printing money
That they use to pay their bonuses.
Thanks to capitalism,
Now the planet isn’t fit to live –
But still our politicians say
There is no alternative.

Saggy-scruples,
Legal-loopholes,
Snooping data from the fools,
Stripping assets,
Running bad debts,
No regrets, no rules.

Two Quid Ain’t Worth Tuppence These Days

Inflation never sleeps,
She just trickles in with ev’ry penny
Added to our groceries.
So slowly how she seeps,
How her extra costs do not seem many –
Who would be opposed to these ?
But gradu’ly, we’re feeling poorer,
Till we need a payday rise
To help with standing still.
For all we try and just ignore her,
Time will come we realise
We’re subject to her will.
We think, if she just went away,
Then prices would be clear
As our budgets settle, more-or-less –
With no more strikes for better pay,
Or savings shrinking by the year,
Or old costs being meaningless.
So, is she fuelled by greed, we wonder ?
Are we all at root to blame
As we add another oh ?
For when she’s on her endless plunder,
Nothing gets to stay the same –
She forces us to grow.