Karmalitics by Duncan Abbott

Author:Duncan Abbott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

It was a crisp, bright morning. While the Sunday broadsheets deduced that the country’s slump still fundamentally made appalling reading, just as the previous weeks’ had, they suggested a hint of a zesty breeze of hope, albeit with cautious anticipation. The tabloid readership was treated to a gusty wave of optimism, splashed with pictures of George, bearing headlines claiming that he was the saviour of the common people. They spoke of better things to come. Most offered their own lists of the top ten best things to spend the hard-earned, new-found disposable income that was coming their way. None actually mentioned that as things stood, there would be a wait of at least a year before anyone would be in the position to make a claim of any kind. George’s whirlwind tour of the TV and radio studios, where he had pressed home his beliefs and convictions, had resuscitated and invigorated public confidence. Previous feelings or talk of the depressing austerity and economic uncertainty that had plagued the country for so long began to give way to a more upbeat optimism in many households. It was replaced by people daring to believe that they could at least plan to clear their debts. Many believed the tabloids and began to mentally spend the extra money that they were convinced was coming their way. There was an unswerving belief that at last there was a light at the end of the tunnel. It was there for everyone to see. Smiles were seriously threatening to brighten up sour faces with increased regularity. It was as if someone had applied oil to the population’s stiff heels to release a new-found spring in its step. Yet the reality was, nothing had happened; it was all based on George’s declaration of intent. Many of his colleagues would have bathed in the glory that such popular measures bestowed. But not George – for him this was just the beginning. There was still a reality to deal with that many people had not considered. The bare truth was the unemployed would be no better off, even if their rent suddenly became a quarter of what it was before, because they would receive proportionately less benefits. It was fair to say that new jobs would be created, to cope with the extra demand of the fresh influx of money into the economy. George still wanted to improve the overall employment situation; it was absolutely essential that he created many more opportunities. There was still an awful lot more work to be done.

Professor Hartley arrived at a desolate Whitehall in search of George’s offices. Sundays were always lifeless apart from the presence of armed policemen, security staff and the odd tourist. Gone was the weekday chaos of suits and their stressed-out owners walking frantically to their next meeting as if their lives depended upon it. By comparison, Sundays were a sea of tranquillity. MPs rarely needed to attend their plush Whitehall offices during the weekend. They were usually too busy keeping up appearances at local school fetes or charitable functions in any case.

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