First off, an apology. It’s that time of year, isn’t it? What’s Christmas without a telling-off and having to say sorry for something or other. It’s stressful. There’s a lot going on.
Anyways, this is my first one of Advent – which is a record.
Last week I wrote about the strikes, which I make no apology for – and, in fact, am going to do again in a minute.
In doing so, urging people to support public sector workers who are going out, I called paramedics “ambulance drivers”.
I could offer some mitigation for this – it was my first column for a few weeks, there was football on, it’s Baileys season. But none of that is an excuse.
Many of you, quite rightly, wrote in to point out my mistake.
Most vociferous was Robin L (retired consultant paramedic), who told me it was the sort of language Ken Clarke used 30 years ago.
So apologies, Robin L, and everyone else. There you go. First Christmas apology of the year. More to follow.
Anyways, strikes. It really is all anyone is talking about at the moment – aside from maybe the Harry and Meghan thing on Netflix, which I’m not watching.
Harry and Meghan strikes me as one of those things you’ve already made your mind up about without paying any real attention to (I like them, for the record), like Brexit or the Scottish referendum. Or Strictly.
Strikes are kind of the same, I guess. You are either on the side of the workers or on the side of the Government, the bosses.
Having said that, public opinion has shifted slightly.
Last week it looked like people were still where they were in the summer – the majority behind the strikers.
But that’s dropped off a bit. Unavoidable really, I guess, with people’s Christmas plans having to change and a relentless torrent of horrific stories about how much damage strikes are going to cause.
It really is important not to lose your nerve here. If you are on strike, or backing strikes, you are doing the right thing. It’s the difficult thing but the right thing.
Inevitably, the Government will blink. The talk in Westminster is that they are running out of ideas and are panicking because Scotland seems to be sorting things out, with disputes being settled and sensible offers being made all the time.
Everyone who’s out at the moment, or planning to go out, deserves our support, even if it inconveniences us.
It is undoubtedly tough but the more we stick together, the stronger we are.Meanwhile, there is no column next week but there is an edition of this newspaper to tide you over the festive period. So this is my last chance, however premature, to offer you season’s greetings.
(Feels weird. It’s the World Cup that’s thrown me, I think. Odd to be getting ready for the final while wearing fingerless gloves and staring at a snowman outside my window).
Anyways, I hope you have a safe, peaceful and happy few days.
Merry Christmas, one and all – especially the paramedics.
