“Integrity is doing the right thing. Even when no one is watching.” C.S.Lewis
Does truth and integrity really exist within politics?
The Head of Government Communications came into University to give a lecture whilst we were studying Politics last year. He discussed how government communications work, how integrity and truth are vital qualities within their work.
I questioned this at the end, and asked him if those qualities were so important, how did the pro-Brexit £350 million bus advertising campaign happen?
I felt I didn’t get a true and honest answer, it felt as though the response was just media spiel and excuses. Once again this put a nail in the coffin in my relationship with politics.
We have a difficult relationship, I feel betrayed and the trust has been broken for a long time following decisions that have been made that have not been made in the general publics best interests. This is on a local and a national level. Decisions like closing our local A+E, funding within the local community going to places that arguably don’t need it as much as others.
On a national level, the state of the NHS and how I feel the cost cutting has impacted severely on the care that is given. Some NHS staff are wonderful – hard working and doing an extremely difficult job, under extreme pressure however I have experienced first-hand, multiple times, occasions when a lack of funding has seriously affected the care that has been given to myself and people around me. It is a scary and unknown time for the future of the NHS and the answers are unknown yet.
There’s also the issue of expenses – again on a local and national level, this put a big wedge between us, my trust in politicians on a personal level now affected due to feeling betrayed.
I feel this was disrespectful, when politicians were in a position of authority and power, making key decisions that affect us all, to be so underhand and claim for personal treats like holidays or a moat in a garden really broke my trust in politics.
Poverty in the UK is real, food banks now working and sometimes struggling to help people because of the demand yet these people in power, in a position to do something about it, to help Great Britain and its people achieve and live well, did the opposite of that by spending our money on themselves.
“Telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie and making someone smile.” Paolo Coelho
Truth is such an important quality and is so important to me. Truth can be hard, hurtful and open your eyes to the harsh reality of life but the upset that can come with it will and does fade eventually. Lies however, and the upset that comes with that, linger for some time. Once a lie has happened in a relationship, the relationship will suffer, maybe not forever but it will have a detrimental effect.
I hope that one day my relationship with politics will get back on track.