Happy New Year

Mrs Beaman thought it time that Misha (left) and Sasha (above) made their debuts so here they are.

As 2007 draws to a close a few ramblings on where we find ourselves. The establishment of a police state continues apace but let's not be too alarmist about it, we are probably now living in a 'special constable' state.

Brown signed away our independence by signing the EU Reform Treaty, or constitution. But our day will come and, in some form or other, we will once again live in a free and independent nation beyond the grasping, corrupt rule of Brussels.

Motorists will soon face two years in clink for using mobiles while driving and the beady eye of the state is now looking towards motorists who smoke, or twiddle with the knobs on their radios whilst driving. Bus lanes should be abolished as should traffic lights which are currently set, in many cities, to cause congestion in order to justify the introduction of charges. Let's scrap speed limits on motorways too.

Of course the monstrous smoking ban came in this summer which should be immediately lifted, as should the hunting ban.

The CBI now admits that industry, in some areas, is recruiting staff from abroad because of the poor quality of our home grown graduates. Let's face it what use is a degree in ferret breeding, window cleaning or golf course management?

Political parties are mired in sleaze and accusations of dodgy donations and loans. Is it all a big ploy to soften a gullible public up to accept, probably without a whimper, taxpayer funding of political parties?

The NHS accepts that it is groaning under the strain of treating over 150,000 foreigners per year. But the government thinks that talking about a few controls on immigrants from outside the EU will pacify the populace. Sorry but the problem is caused by limitless immigration from within the EU.

Despite the ban on handguns gun crime, as well as stabbings, continue to increase. The only people with guns now are criminals and cities like London, Manchester, Liverpool and others become scarier by the day. But slap a hooligan for 'playing' on a war memorial, after the police repeatedly fail to repond, and you get nicked.

The government is now turning to drinkers, after all it has driven most of us to drink and now it wants to control that too. For the first time today I heard the phrase "passive drinker". It does not refer to people getting drunk by sitting next to a drinker but somebody who becomes the victim of a drink fuelled offence. So a wife battered by a drinking husband, or a youth attacked by a drunk on a night out are now referred to as "passive drinkers". Crap! The people of Manchester were investigated by the county authorities in Lancaster over 250 years ago because the people of that fine city seemed to do little but drink and party. Binge drinking is a historical pastime in this country and in this I agree with Jeremy Clarkson, binge drinkers do stop, if they didn't they would be alcoholics, so leave off them.

So enjoy a good drink this New Year and if going out be careful not to become a "passive drinker". I wish you much health and wealth in 2008.