There’s a natural corollary of getting your beak into the press as often as I do, and it’s one shared by Monty – whose views you read regularly on these very pages. It comes from being asked for opinions on subjects that we actually know about – not ones we pay to sponsor. There’s a huge difference and one often overlooked these days by readers with attention spans measuring milliseconds. We can talk about Fake News but let’s not forget that opinioning on a subject that involves the biggest thing you will do in your life is not a responsibility that should be taken flippantly.
It’s not that every politician since Thatcher should be seeking our opinions – although frankly, it wouldn’t be difficult to balls things up more than they have been to date – somehow there’s a vague hope that someone is listening somewhere.
It does seem though as if some common sense is prevailing though. The DCLG has changed its name to MHCLG, the H standing for Housing, the secretary for which has a seat at cabinet, there are a plethora of consultations out on the buying and selling process and how users can get enhanced redress and there is serious talk about building more homes, of the right sort this time hopefully.
There are of course many areas for concern, not the least of which was the Government’s issuing of a consultation period on banning tenant’s fees – rightly one they’d been getting pressure on – only to actually announce a total ban literally days later – D’Uh.
Let’s hope there’s a genuine desire amongst politicians to listen to those who have an inkling of what’s going on – rather than only reading the Daily Mail – and that once they’ve listened they’ll carefully consider answers with the LONG TERM in mind.