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The Three Dorothys of Downing Street - Stewart Andersen

The Three Dorothys of Downing Street

For anyone who doesn’t watch UK television on a regular basis, it might be helpful to explain that a high percentage of the programming consists of gardening, cooking, antiques, and property...

There are also talent shows that consist of titles such as the X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and currently, a series hosted by Graham Norton in which Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber is searching for a new and unknown talent to play Dorothy in a major stage production of Somewhere Over The Rainbow in London’ West End.

Oddly enough, UK politicians apparently believe that we have all been hanging on their every word as they have all promised us equal doses of honesty, integrity, firm government, an end to unfair bankers bonuses, an end to corruption among MPs, a way out of the current financial mess and somewhere over the rainbow, a golden future if only we would elect their particular party.

The reality is that everyone I have spoken to in recent weeks has, in equal parts, been bored to the back teeth with hearing interminably about the politicians’ virtues and each other’s vices, longed for a chance to plant a firm boot in each of the respective parties’ posteriors and a total disbelief in the messages that they were being force fed, rather in the manner battery hens.

Furthermore, in case anyone hasn’t noticed, we are supposed to be hosting the Olympics in two years time. This enormous project involves vast planning and organisation.

In last night’s election, hundreds of people all over the UK were denied their democratic right to a vote by the individual Polling Stations due to poor planning and organisation. With that kind of organisation, getting the Olympics into total chaos should be a doddle.

Election antics
In terms of property, last night’s election antics might well have caused some disquiet among buyers and sellers alike. It could create considerable uncertainty, leading to a temporary brake on the housing market.

Each of the contestants has avoided making very much reference to property in recent weeks. Little has been said that would clarify the situation except for Home Information Packs (HIPS). Labour would retain them, the LibDems would get rid of them but stick with the need for an energy performance certificate and the Tories said they would abolish them.

We are at the time of year, the spring, when the property market should be booming. Instead, the 6 May election might well have caused the return to growth in property prices growth to be delayed as sellers wait for clarification on such matters as Stamp Duty reform, inheritance tax and planning applications.

An extended period
The British public are not fools. The biggest problem for the UK has to be an extended period of indecision while each of the Dorothys squabbles over who gets the starring role. Following the chaos of the last two years, it is essential that this country has good government, not pie-crust promises to reform the way the House of Commons is run.

And in terms of which of our three leaders gets the chance to become the Dorothy of Downing Street, clearly last night’s audition didn’t produce a winner and they will have to retreat to their own homes until a solution can found.

It may be that there will have to be further auditions, it could be that they might have to share the starring role, but hopefully they will have got the message that the British public are quite definitely not fools. Following the yellow brick road to a golden future may be some way off yet.

Stewart Andersen

Stewart has worked on a variety of magazines for more than 20 years as a journalist and editor, usually specialising on property and travel, both in the UK and overseas. His first book ‘Wild Thyme in Ibiza’ was published recently and this year he launched Homes & Travel with Stewart Andersen

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