Britain is about to enter a season of industrial disputes unlike anything we have seen in the recent past.
The failure of both the UK and Scottish Governments to listen or engage with the people has forced millions to embark down this road.
The cost of living crisis, overpriced gas and electricity; soaring inflation; a lack of personnel in agriculture, hospitality, transport and our NHS – to name but a few, and none of which the public were responsible for – have forced ordinary working people to consider retaliating in the only way they can, by withdrawing their labour.
This is not some extreme, disruptive group determined to bring things to a standstill – it’s folk who are the glue to our society: drivers, labourers, nurses, even our police force, who are determined to stand up for all of our rights.
I suspect that there will be riots in the streets, like there were in the early 1980s, if those in power continue to turn a blind eye to the crisis which everyone in society is having to face.
As the Conservative Party leadership race becomes more and more extreme and contradictory, and the Scottish nationalist government simply demand more money from Westminster, the people of our country are being forgotten.
People power in action
Interestingly, a couple of weeks ago I saw a demonstration of people power. I was waiting for a bus at Union Square. It was evening, and others gathered alongside me to get the Stonehaven X7 bus back home.
Well, they waited and waited, until some of the parents with children approached the controller’s cabin. They were told the X7 buses to Perth were cancelled. Although it was claimed this was advertised all over social media, none of the 18 passengers there had heard about it.
When the parents raised the matter of getting their children home, the controller’s first response was: “Not my problem.” Well, I’ve never seen parents’ hackles rise so visibly! Other discontent passengers joined in the protest.
Angry passengers became satisfied customers because the local crew responded to the situation
We were told the X7 Stagecoach service is run by the Arbroath depot, and they make the decisions about it there. I think that must be correct as, earlier that week, there were several complaints from medical staff that they could not get into work at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, nor Perth Royal infirmary, because the early morning bus was terminating at Arbroath.
To be fair to the local Aberdeen depot, as the hour on Saturday was after 10pm, the controller arranged for one of the empty buses and a willing driver to take the stranded passengers to Newtonhill, Muchalls and Stonehaven.
So, angry passengers became satisfied customers because the local crew responded to the situation.
🚨NEW🚨 More than half of Britons think non-payment of energy bills ‘justified’ as cost-of-living crisis bites: Almost half fear riots, as expert warns this winter could see ‘poll tax moment’ for government VIA @Independent
— BREAKING HEADLINES 🚨 (@BHheadlines) August 9, 2022
And that’s the lesson to be learned by both of our governments: listen to the people who elected you and respond to their unprecedented situation, which is not of the electorate’s making.
Let’s avoid inner-city riots as a result of discontent.
Len Ironside CBE is a former champion wrestler who served as an Aberdeen councillor for 35 years, with four years as council leader
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