These cuts hurt - where's the empathy? (From Worcester News)

These cuts hurt - where's the empathy?

12:35pm Friday 9th December 2011 in The Source By David Paine, @davidpaineWN #worcsnews

OUTRAGE, despair and a divided society - and that’s just the reaction to Jeremy Clarkson’s ‘joke’ about those who went on strike.

Thousands took to the streets this week, there were yet more gloomy pictures painted about the state of the economy and perilous predictions of rising unemployment - if you were in any doubt the Conservatives are back in Government then you shouldn’t now.

I don’t think anybody argues that the country needs to reduce its deficit but do we really need to do it so drastically?

Labour want to throw money at the problem which people, understandly, feel incredibly uneasy about considering it was that sort of ‘splash the cash’ behaviour which helped to get us into this situation.

Surely there is a happy medium?

Sometimes I wonder whether our MPs are more worried about party ideology and political point-scoring than they are about what is actually happening to people in places like Worcestershire.

Whether you agreed with the strikes or not the fact so many people turned out shows the way this country is going.

And if the pension issue doesn’t affect you, you can bet something else will.

It is time this Government stopped being so obsessed with figures and started to think more about the impact its decisions have on the very people they need onside to keep this country going.

• Look at the picture; times are so hard even Santa’s had to get a second job driving buses.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessor Derek Prodger, the county council’s transport supremo John Smith left his dignity at home and, in a bid to get people using the city’s park and ride buses, donned a camp cowboy hat.

I don’t get it either but, giggles aside, this is not realistic. Santa would never deliver presents using one of Worcestershire’s buses - they never run on time.

Do you have a story for David? Call 01905 742248, e-mail dp@worcesternews.co.uk, or follow me on Twitter @DavidPaineWN