You could be forgiven for thinking we are back in the 1980’s. A new Royal couple is very popular. The Falklands is all over the headlines, the Pet Shop Boys are off to LA to record a new album and the economy is a bit crispy.

And Madonna has a new single out. From herprovocatively titled album MDNA, here’s “Give Me All Your Luvin’”. It’s brilliant.

Welcome Sam Sparro. A poppy, quirky little number entitled “The Shallow End”

Everyone loves Glee. Even if they say they don’t they are lying. And although I feel a little dirty by posting this, it’s rather good. “Smooth Criminal”.

Emile Sandé. She’s done it again. Produced another catchy track. “Next To Me”. Yes please and thank you.

I think we all need a cup of tea and a biscuit. And what better to relax than Gotye “Somebody that I used to Know”

Here’s David Guetta “Titanium”. There’s an argument that it sounds like all his other stuff. Well. It does.

You know I love a mash-up. And so it would seem do you. DJ Earthworm has been mashing and chopping again. Here’s “United State of Pop 2012”

OMG. This is AMAZING! Robbie Williams “Feel” vs Adele “Fire to The Rain”

And how about Lana Del Ray vs Avril Lavigne vs Queen

No moving pix… but a Pet Shop Boys Mash HAS to be heard. It’s 80’s tastic!

Hello! Culshaw and Stephenson “Hello!”

And Holly and Phil get the giggles over a shi* a shi* ohhhh shitake!

And here’s some classic Phil with Fern getting in a real mess with some muffins. I defy you not to get an attack of the giggles!

Let’s go kitten bowling!!

Always a fan of new talent.. here’s Marcus and his friend Alfie as they try to eat 120 chicken McNuggets in 20 minutes to celebrate getting lots of subscribers on YouTube.

To end this Max MixTape? Harry Potter in 60 seconds. This is genius. Don’t tell me that it isn’t. Because. Well, just because it is. Enjoy!

I am all for Twitter and Facebook and have thoroughly engaged with the social media revolution. Our politicians have devalued themselves because of the row over their pay and their personal conduct. As a result their comments and leadership has been undermined. No one outside of the Westminster “bubble” cares much for the arguments they have. There is very little engagement in the processes of democracy. It seems to take too long. Is too complex. Too driven by ego and as a result of lack of any experience outside politics often the decisions taken aren’t good.

If you have a look at how government is constructed, it’s not particularly democratic either. The selections process for MP’s, the party system and how it’s funded, the House of Lords, which has no elected element or accountability. Politicians more interested in their ego than of doing a good job often populate Select Committees. The scrutiny they provide is either partisan or flawed by their own lack of expertise. The machinations of government, operating through a faceless group of civil servants and quangos is both expensive and wasteful.

Even when democracy does work and someone is unseated from power they end up being parachuted into the House of Lords, sent to Europe to join the EU gravy train or end up on the consultancy and after dinner circuit earning vast sums.

Meanwhile, you are paying for this. Through an increasing tax burden which some seem to argue isn’t enough.

Personally I am delighted that Mr Goodwin is no longer a Sir. However that is a decision that should have taken place two years ago. Indeed there are many other people who no longer deserve the honours bestowed upon them. The court of public opinion hasn’t been goaded to kick up a stink, so the system continues to fail.

I am less pleased about the continued row over pay. There is absolutely no role for government in this arena. Other than to collect tax and encourage business to set up in this country and to assist our overall economic trajectory. This continued interference is unwelcome. However what we do need to do is have a democratic system that is both accountable and forward thinking. Whilst the court of public opinion has got itself worked up over Fred the Shred and his replacement’s pay, we haven’t tackled any of the problems that really affect us.

Politicians have allowed the court of public opinion to mix their banking metaphors. Investment banks make big profits and pay big bonuses. Retail banks tried to emulate them. There is a difference and the public facing retail banks have not had to change their dreadful approach to lending or their contemptible treatment of customers one jot. Meanwhile investment banks, which do a very different job, have been the focus. This is madness.

It’s still too expensive to borrow money. Retail banks have not been made to be answerable to their customers. Credit card companies are charging too much for their services. Layered charges and extra fees by various organisations remain in place. Complaints take too long and are often ineffective. Mortgages are hard to come by and again layered with fees. Rewards for failure are rife. However rewards for success are targeted. Have our politicians dealt with any of the issues that really affect people? No. It’s too difficult and so the simpler option of sticking plasters to cover gaping wounds continues.

Indeed it is the politicians and their tinkering that has led us to inflate pay at the top. Why? Disclosure requirements and a politically driven tax structure. The real issue for most people is that they have no knowledge of how their colleagues are paid. Processes are mired in secrecy. Since we have begun to open Pandora’s box, there’s an argument to say that there should be complete disclosure from top to bottom of all pay and remuneration to eradicate the scourge of discrimination and of large companies taking advantage of their workers.

The court of public opinion won’t often be right. Not because I don’t have faith in people but because it will inevitably pick on a quick solution rather than dealing with the cause. It will also pick up on wherever the light is being shone (often brightly by an unelected and motivated media organisations!) and it leaves many others unaffected. Unless we improve the quality of our political system and the processes by which they operate we will sink ever further into a society that takes its decisions based on jealousy, envy and hunches rather than being driven by hard work, reward and enterprise.

How could I not immediately post the new One Direction video for their next release “One Thing”?

So. Here it is…

More new music. Here’s Dev with “Dancing Shoes”.

And Steve Aoki feat.Wynter Gordon with “LadiDadi”, quite cool I think.

And here’s Lana Del Ray with “Born to Die”

And here’s “Video Games”

Dunproofin – a splendid mash-up mix!

How about “Starry Eyed Surprise” with a Lion King music video? Why not I say!

And finally in homage to the new presenter of Countdown, Nick Hewer… how about a Kraftwerkremix of that famous theme tune? It’s proper!

On pretty much every level, share price, turnover, profitability, shareholder return, customer satisfaction, public perception and actually bothering to turn up to work, let’s face it, the Group Chief Executive of Lloyds Banking Group, hasn’t had a great 2011.

It’s the right decision that he has chosen not to take his bonus this year. But what kind of system allows someone to be given or paid “over and above what is due” when results have not been achieved? I really don’t have a problem with people being well paid to do difficult and profitable jobs. Nor is it wrong to be paid considerable sums if, as a result of your work, you make profits for shareholders, employees and provide a great service for customers. Where I have a problem is that these rewards are being paid too often to those who do not achieve.

Of course the mess at Lloyds Banking Group is not his fault. After all, a retired British sea captain has just filed a US class action. The previous management under the chairmanship of Sir Victor Blank and former chief executive Eric Daniels have been accused of a “reckless disregard of the truth”. Days after a merger deal between Lloyds TSB and HBOS was signed in 2008 the British bank was “technically insolvent”. At the announcement of the merger, Daniels had described the transaction as “a fantastic deal” adding that the combined companies would have a “robust capital position”. It’s clear now that Daniel’s definitions of the words “fantastic” and “robust” clearly mean something very different to him.

This has to go down as one of the worst corporate deals in history. Shareholder value to the tune of £14 billion was lost at the time of the merger. More has been lost since. Those in charge of the merger were probably more interested in the political points and rewards they felt might be on offer than actually bothering to look through the books of the troubled HBOS basket case. The extensive loans that had been made on commercial property were toxic. In effect, previous management had presided over a bank that bought market share. The dreadful state of affairs in respect of the residential loan book and the precarious capital position of the bank were plain for all to see. Yet Messrs’ Blank and Daniels carried on regardless.

Safe, boring, traditional, cautious Lloyds TSB walked headlong into a financial disaster. Of course none of those who perpetrated this horrendous deal suffered in any way. Many have left the renamed Lloyds Banking Group with their personal wealth and pensions in tact. The former management team at HBOS didn’t do too badly either. All have continued to earn large sums even after the government stepped in and bailed them out. What of the politicians who forced the deal to go through? As we know, they are busy earning a packet on the speaking and consultancy circuit.

In September 2010 Eric Daniels announced he was stepping down as the Group Chief Executive. A replacement had to be found. Given that the British Government owns just over 40% of the bank, it was important to find someone who could not only lead the bank out of a crisis but also had the capabilities and skills to rebuild the balance sheet and return the organisation to profit. Antonio Horta-Osorio was selected. He was the former CEO of Santander in the UK and held senior positions across the group. This is a bank that had picked its mergers well and ridden through choppy waters. He joined Lloyds in January 2011 and was made CEO on the 1st March. So far so good.

So why do I think the current boss isn’t up to the job, if the mess is the fault of his predecessors? Setting aside that in November 2011 he had to take temporary leave due to stress related illness, he’s taken all the wrong decisions. He’s hired his friends in from his former employers, tinkered around with a strategy that wasn’t really a strategy and delivered appalling performance on virtually every level. When he took over, as CEO the share price was 70 pence a share. Now it’s 29 pence. He’s paid over a million quid a year and has multiple share options. In addition to that I am sure there are plenty of benefits from pensions and provisions for healthcare and goodness only knows what else made available to him, even if he sets aside this year’s bonus. Diddums that he gave up a lucrative post at his previous employers. Business today is about performance. He’s not performing.

The public image of Lloyds and its brands is terrible. Their ads are appalling. The cartoon characters, patronising voiceover lady and offering to customers is weak. The work by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe Y&R is tired, unappealing and dull. The bank’s choice of sponsorship and brand awareness is low key and ineffective. The layout of branches and imagery is tired and uninspiring. Indeed I just noticed that if I get myself a Lloyds TSB credit card I could get a great interest rate. 17.9% APR. Sorry? How Much? The best savings rate I can get from them on a two year ISA is 3.3%. But on most other accounts the best I can get is between 1.5 – 2.5%. That’s gross, before tax. Then there are the mortgages. Compared to the rest of the market they are expensive. Not only that there’s no innovation and the longest I can borrow for is 4 years. On top of their dreadful rates, I have to pay arrangement fees and early repayment charges. This is a bank on the back foot. Taking advantage of customers who can’t or won’t leave rather than fighting for new business.

Pulling the Halifax brand to pieces seems almost cruel. Those cringe adverts. It can’t be the ad agency’s fault. Adam & Eve are the brains behind this year’s most successful ad campaign for John Lewis. It must be management at Halifax themselves who are to blame. Singing? Please. Before we had the low rent sales people pretending to be radio dj’s and now we have a bunch of staff looking like X factor rejects “singing” to persuade you that they know how to help. I wouldn’t trust them to look after my dog for the afternoon, let alone my money.

The group’s websites areconfusing and old fashioned.There’s a limited use of technology, lack of a willingness to lend to small businesses and although they say they help, there’s a lack of action on the ground. It really is a basket case. The Chief Executive is meant to set a vision. In the most recent press release he spent most of his time talking about (the failed) Project Merlin and all the awards they have won. Yawn.

If he were an effective CEO, Mr Horta-Osorio would be leading from the front. The first time we heard from him was when he took over the new post. The next time he was in the news, to announce that he was a bit knackered, couldn’t sleep and was taking some time off.

If he’d set a clear vision. If he’d been honest with shareholders about the bad loans. If he’d structured the bank in such a way as to deliver competitive deals to corporate and personal customers alike. If he’d competed in the marketplace to build shareholder value. If he’d won new customers. If he’d been innovative. If he’d repositioned the various brands. If, just if, then the old thoroughbred might be able to win victory for shareholders and the government alike. He has done none of these things.

For private shareholders his appointment has been a disaster and for the government’s holding in Lloyds Banking Group, the outlook isn’t good. There’s no thoroughbred here. Just a knackered old donkey that needs to be sent back Portugal. Perhaps he’d be better off on a beach anyway. Despite returning to work this week, it sounds like Mr Horta-Orsario needs a rest.

Pixie Lott. She’s back with “Kiss the Stars”. Funnily enough this looks like it will be a big ‘un for the start of the year.

Time to catch up with a few massive tracks that are still dominating the charts and the airwaves. A big hit over the holiday period. Labrinth featuring Tinie Tempah “Earthquake”

Jessie J continues her assault of the pop charts with “Domino”

There’s just something very affable about Rizzle Kicks. All their videos are funny. Great tracks too. “Mama Do The Hump” is no exception. It’s cool and funny. Quite why James Corden turns up, I don’t know.

And here’s the collaboration they did with Ed Sheeran.

Time for some other new music now.

Richard Walters “Young Trees” is a folky and endearing pop song with a video to match.

And here’s Autoheart “Control” with a rather artsy video. Enjoy.

As you know, I am a big fan of The Piano Guys. This is their latest and rather spectacular take on Coldplay’s “Paradise”

What an odd video. Nice mash though!

Time to go back in time for an old skool mash.

And there appear to be a lot of bums in this mash-up. Oops.

And how about a Stock Aitken Waterman (or shit, crap and fuck as some knew them) megamix. Gosh how awful but tasty at the same time. Rather like a very dirty but highly enjoyable filthy takeaway!

I pride myself on finding you the finest mash-ups. How about a Muppets Mash Up?! Fabulous!

Where do people get the time to do these kinds of things? This fellow has huge eyebrows and an unfortunate surname (Craipeau) but he’s done a good a-cappella job here…

Since it’s back on our screens.. how about an Ab Fab remix?

However I have said it before and I will say it again. National statistics are a waste of time. The most recent is the news from Halifax that UK house prices fell by an average of 1.3% in 2011. What a pointless piece of analysis. It means nothing. Helps no one. Doesn’t tell you what’s happening to the market. Increases uncertainty and at very best shows the shape of the curve. Except it doesn’t. London and the South East actually saw house prices rise last year. Until commentators take time to understand that a semi-detached house in Middlesbrough has about as much relevance to a flat in Battersea as a Gregg’s pasty does to a cream tea at Claridge’s then we won’t get anywhere.

We remain in difficult times. Banks are still reluctant to lend. Rates, although low, are being layered with fees and early repayment penalties. Unemployment looks set to rise before it falls and there’s a dearth of first time buyers. So why on earth would I suggest that property is a good buy?

The Euro continues to teeter. Our European politicians have been good at only one thing. Being indecisive. Their handling of the Euro’s problems has been utterly appalling. With no attempt to resolve the crisis, sticking plasters remain their only tool to combat the increasing view that the only solution to the problem is for some of the weaker countries to drop out of the single currency with a strengthening of fiscal and political union for the rest. The UK is best placed out of this mess. It’s not to say we will not be affected by the continued uncertainty. However what we will be is a safe haven.

At the upper end of our markets, buyers have emerged from around the world. Keen to invest in Sterling denominated investments. Keen to have a second home or investment in the UK and keen to take advantage of the sprightly rental market. Which ironically continues to thrive as new buyers continue to rent rather than buy.

Much of the growth is going to be in London and the South East. Yet cash-rich investors are concerned. The performance of stock markets has been dreadful. The FTSE started 2011 at over 6000 and finished at about 5600. Although I’d suggest that with careful stock selection you can still do well and once again an index only shows the shape of a curve. Bond markets are volatile and the commodities markets have remained even more difficult to assess. Indeed if you want income and you want a tangible investment. Property is it.

Although I hate predictions, I’d better get off the fence before I get splinters.

i) Property will rise, nationally in line with inflation. London will see greater rises. Troubled areas, particularly in the North East will fall. Transaction levels will remain low.
ii) Inflation will subside to 3.5%
iii) Interest rates will remain low but rise towards 1 – 1.5% by year end
iv) Unemployment will peak at about 2.8 million
v) Continued public sector unrest at pension reforms
vi) Wage inflation will begin to rise
vii) Two more major high street chains will vanish
viii) Boris Johnson will be re-elected as London’s Mayor
ix) The FTSE will close 2012 at 6-6500
x) Property will outperform other investment classes.

There’s my half glass full prediction list. Enjoy!

2011 was a turbulent year both here and abroad. The revolutionary spirit in the Middle East is very different from the violence, wanton destruction and protest we witnessed at home. Much of what people are prepared to risk their lives for elsewhere in the world, we have already. We’d better pick and choose what we protest about carefully so as not to squander what we have.

I am actually half glass full about this year. We may be surprised by what we achieve. The outlook is somewhat negative.As a result, we may well do better than we expect. For too long we have compared our country to our neighbours and trading partners. Yet we are different and will remain so. Instead of trying to be like Germany and to have a manufacturing based economy or to emulate the US by borrowing and eating our way out of every crisis… perhaps we should concentrate on what we are good at.

Creativity. We are a creative people. Inventive. Resourceful. Plucky. Determined. Enthusiastic. Embracing. Complex. And actually we are quite good at a lot of things even if we aren’t the best. We underplay our strengths. That can be endearing to some and as the world spotlight will fall upon our small little eccentric island for two great events, it’s about time we started to celebrate difference rather than trying to go mainstream.

It is a commonly held myth that if you throw money at a problem it will go away or bring the desired result. The Beijing Olympics was a case in point. They threw one heck of a lot of money at a ceremony that was spectacular. In many ways it was a vulgar display. It missed the point as to the reason the Olympic Games are held in the first place. I’d hope that our games here in the London would showcase us for who we are. Talented, hardworking, sophisticated and resourceful in challenging times. As for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee? Not only do we do pomp and pageant extremely well in this country, it is unique. It is a matter of circumstance and history that we have a Queen who is so respected around the globe and this gives us a wonderful chance to demonstrate what fabulous heritage we have.

Economic growth
For all the political rhetoric about rebalancing our economy, I wish for once we’d get some common sense injected into the mind-set of those who seek to govern. We can only afford the social services and public spending we want, if we generate the revenue from our economy. Rebalancing doesn’t just mean reducing our spending at a national level. It means from the bottom up living within our means and using debt only when we can afford to pay it back. It means at a local council level spending wisely and not sloshing money about to line pockets of those who least deserve it. It means at national level spending on care and services that are needed not simply wanted. On reforms that deliver improvements rather than winning votes. On infrastructure that improves our quality of life, whilst generating economic growth.

In 2012 we have to change our attitude. The attitude to learning is the very core of our potential success. As educational standards improve around the world so we have to do better, learn more and free our minds. Learning for exams is all vey well. However training the mind to think differently and to use intelligence rather than book-led intellect and ideology to make decisions is critical. For those of you who think I am being rather nebulous, let me spell that out. Innovation and invention is where we can make our economic fortunes revive. It’s not those who make the products that make the big money. It’s those who lead in the ideas revolution. And that has to start in schools and universities.

However it doesn’t stop there. Our tax system has to encourage entrepreneurial minds to risk and innovate whilst allowing those who do a hard day’s work to spend their money how they choose. The state has a role but we have to free the shackles of exactly how much the state should interfere with our lives. We all want our bins to be collected, the health service to perform and our schools to teach and educate. Indeed we want our social services to look after those who need help. Yet government has become too intrusive in our lives. Too burdensome in the way it manages and too interfering in some areas of business.

Protest
Meanwhile, every Tom Dick and Harriet seems to think that protest will get some form of change. No. It won’t. The Protestors outside St Paul’s and The Houses of Parliament should be packed off home. I am all for legitimate protest, if that’s what you want to do. However it isn’t a lifestyle choice and nor should we encourage it. The changes they demand seem to assume that taking from the rich to give to the poor will assist. But it won’t. As we have seen in countless African nations it actually makes things worse. What we need to do is give people the tools to help themselves. It’s no wonder we have such an unemployment problem if youngsters come out of school without a meaningful or tangible skill base. It’s no wonder we have high unemployment rates if it’s more complex to hire and impossible to fire. It’s also no good if social care and housing acts as a disincentive to work.

Whilst the government and popular protest has concentrated on business and in particular pay and bonuses as the focus of their attack, I hope in 2012 we start to realise that there are far more important things to worry about. How did they produce the massive profits to pay themselves large bonuses in the first place? What about the rights of workers to look at their employment contracts and to have a greater personal strength for information to ensure they are rewarded for what they do? To the authorities and regulators to really focus and banish bad business practises? How do we encourage those businesses that can be successful on a global scale to locate here in the UK? What can we do to inspire a new breed of entrepreneurs to innovate and create new businesses, concepts and ideas? What should we do to improve the relationship between hard work, revenue creation and reward?If we change our attitudes and approach then, even in a difficult economic environment, we can succeed.

The most important attitude we need to change, however, is this. Instead of developing solutions to symptoms we need to tackle the causes. In business, in government, in schools and universities, in society and at home. If we manage to do that? We’ll be a lot happier, wealthier and more comfortable with ourselves.

Happy New Year!

In my next blog I’ll be looking ahead to see what 2012 may bring.

If you liked Made in Chelsea, which I rather did, one of the tracks heavily featured was Avicii “Levels”. It’s a brilliant track and a most extraordinary video. Take a look!

And it looks like there’s a massive Christmas number 1 battle on this year. I have already featured Alex Day’s “Forever Yours” in my last MixTape. Indeed his achievement shouldn’t be underestimated. Nor should the Military Wives Choir. As conducted by Gareth Malone. Here’s their song “Wherever You Are”.

And here’s Little Mix with “Cannonball”

No video yet but Flo Rida have been doing rather well. Here’s their next release “Wild Ones”.

Flux Pavillion & Doctor P have created a great animated videogame style vid for “Superbad”

Katie Perry has had a great 2011. Will 2012 see her career continue on the up? “The One That Got Away” is her next release. Although it’s a bit meh in my opinion.

The Cataracs could make a bit of a splash in 2012. Here’s “Sunrise ft. Dev”.

Want to get in the Christmas spirit? I have already enlightened you to the genius of The Piano Guys. Here’s their “Carol of The Bells (for 12 cellos)”

Time for a bit of Bieber? Pah. It’s Christmas. So here’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” as featured in the somewhat average movie Arthur Christmas.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” in Beatles style.

Time for a mash. Wham! vs David Guetta feat. Usher “Without You (on Last Christmas)”.

Let’s go back in time. When released this was immense. Not only as a track but as a video was very progressive. Hello Fatboy Slim and “Praise You”

You loved S Club 7 right? Everyone secretly did. So how about a little mash up then? “Don’t Stop Billie Jean”. Yessseeeerrooo!

And the best mash-ups often involve the great MJ. How about MJ vs Beyonce?! Alright then. Here’s “Thriller in Love”

Back in time again. Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me With Science”.

We all love Masterchef right? How about a SENSATIONAL mash. This is very funny and a BRILLIANT edit job.

That’s it for 2011. I’ll be back in 2012 for more music, mash-ups and mayhem!

She has made 28 recommendations in her report that was published on the 12th December. If you want to take a look for yourself, here they are.

Much of what Mary proposes is sensible, honest and straightforward. Some of the recommendations may indeed provide short-term assistance for the high street. However as with all of these high profile government appointments, the report has stimulated debate, the government has taken the reflected glory and little will be done.

Some may think it was Napoleon who described Britain as a nation of shopkeepers although it was really Adam Smith who coined the phrase in “The Wealth of Nations”. Nevertheless, looking at our high streets, it’s clear this is no longer the case.

Dominated by multiple retailers, banks and mobile telephone shops the high street isn’t the force it once was.

Most significantly, however, the report doesn’t tackle the reasons why the high street has fallen into decline. Nor has it come up with a range of long-term solutions to fix it. So for the benefit of the nation I decided to provide some thoughts for you.

It’s important to look at what happened to the high street after the Second World War. With many of our town centres decimated either by bombs or by shopkeepers helping the war effort, there was a void. Slowly but surely, multiple retailers filled that void. In no other nation is the high street dominated by so many names that are everywhere. It doesn’t matter where you go in our country but you will see familiar names on the high street. Chains who have progressively sucked the life from our local communities. Initially it was a good thing. Investment led to busy high streets and people shopped there. But then came rising rents, an unbalanced playing field, parking restrictions, out of town shopping developments and local taxation.

With the advent of shopping centres and out of town retail parks, many of those multiples closed or relocated. Yet their departure has largely been filled by vacancy rather than new entrants.

Mary Portas is right when she recommends a review of parking charges and business rates but she doesn’t go far enough. Multiple retailers, landlords and local councils have looked to extract as much cash as they can from the high street. Meanwhile local shoppers have looked for cheaper and more convenient shopping destinations. As a result it’s becoming a bleak and desolate landscape.

Whilst this subject deserves a further report and in depth analysis and consultation with landlords, local authorities, retailers and investors, I’d suggest five broad ideas that might tackle the cause of the problem rather than short term “quick fix” solutions.

i) New legislation to change the landlord and tenant relationship. The abolition of the upwards only rent review clause would be a good starting point for designated properties. This would force landlords to accept lower

rents and introduce real competition. Rent review clauses, obligations on tenants and rent calculations also need to change. Some might suggest tax breaks. However that would simply line landlords’ pockets. Turnover rents and rates might be a stimulant, for example.

ii) Business rates can no longer be applied on a uniform basis and specific properties should be targeted for special rate relief.

iii) Every high street should have certain properties designated for a specific use. Landlords should be paid off to enable these restrictive covenants to be put in place.

iv) Parking restrictions should change; allowing sensible schemes to ensure visitors can get in and out easily. However, universal free parking isn’t the answer otherwise the shop workers will take all the spaces instead!

v) Out of town retailing is all very well but unless there is a balance and restriction of supply, the high street will continue to suffer.

However even if we do change the leases that are signed and the rates businesses pay, we have further issues to tackle. The most difficult area is behaviour. As a nation we have become lazy. Through our demands for one-stop shopping we have turned to the supermarkets, multiples, out of town centres and the internet. Unless we are prepared to make more of an effort and to give our patronage to local shops and businesses none of this will work.

David Cameron has demonstrated that he has a backbone some didn’t think he had. For those thinking this was some kind of appeasement to his Eurosceptic backbenchers, think again. For those who think Britain’s position has somehow been weakened, they are misguided. And for those who think we should be at the negotiating table, I’d ask what good that would do?

In order to understand this unholy mess, a step back is required. The global financial crisis was precipitated by a number of factors. There has been much conjecture and social engineering as a result of what occurred. Whilst the banks were at the centre of the storm, it’s wrong to say they alone caused it. It’s too complex for that simple (yet for some convenient) analysis. Over the past 30 years we have moved from an economy when people and governments saved and then paid for goods and services to one where debt was used to fund growth, development and investment. There is nothing wrong with debt per se. Think of it like this. When you are born you have little or no earning capacity. As you as an individual grow and develop as a person you increase your economic ability to earn. As you are earning so it’s sensible for you to borrow when you need to in order to be able to make the big decisions you’ll have to take. During the course of your life you will hopefully be able to pay off those debts. And so it is with governments too.

It all goes wrong when you borrow too much and good debt (that which is serviceable) turns into bad debt (which is unsustainable).

A wall of money was created when central banks reduced interest rates to combat the terrible fallout for the far eastern financial crash, the dot com bubble bursting and the response to 9/11. In turn, debt became freely available. Yes, banks lent to people who should never have been able to borrow. However so did governments. In so doing, balance sheets became increasingly burdened with debt that would only be paid off if growth persisted.

The first crunch was very much of the making of central governments operating with lax regulation and retail banks for buying market share. It was a private sector crash. This second crunch is more of the politicians’ making. Simply because their spending plans and investments were predicated on the private sector creating and generating a revenue stream that would make their expenditure acceptable. International markets have applied their judgements on those countries that borrowed too much whilst unable to pay off their debts.

The EU solution was to slap more taxation onto a system already overburdened. In addition they have some grand plan of integration and regulation to put even more money in the hands of European instutions. Increasingly they want more revenue too. The nations and major financial institutions in many European countries have not faced up to the massive holes in their balance sheets. As a result confidence has been

lost. The EU needed to demonstrate that it would either allow countries who should never have been in the Euro in the first place to drop out or for them to back up their currency with a massive bailout fund (or the application of Eurobonds, backed by every member state of the Euro). Instead their answer has been to achieve the political and financial union that was missed out when the Euro was first established. Whatta mistaka to maka! How on earth countries expected the Euro to work when you have different economic pace, rules, regulations, public spending plans and so on, I have no idea.

The UK is a net contributor to Europe. Along with Germany our economy is a success. Whilst we may not manufacture as much we do something far more important. Our institutions provide intellectual products that are the envy of the world. Our financial system, battered as it may be is the shining beacon in Europe. Our legal, accounting, advisory, professional, research and development firms are the envy of the world. It might not feel like it at the moment but when it comes to technology of the human mind, we are the celebrity in the pack. With a financial transactions tax there is a view that this would solve the problem. However all it would do is allow the UK to bankroll this financial mess. Whilst it is in our interest for the Eurozone countries to resolve their problems, it is none of our responsibility to provide the funds to do so. We already contribute quite enough to the EU and indeed to the IMF and do not need to provide any more.

To those unelected Eurocrats. In many countries people have screamed out that they want more democracy not less. How can we go along with a plan that would raise (even) more tax to fund projects and institutions that have little or no public accountability?

Labour says we are isolated. Yet Labour were the architects of many of our economic and social problems. Indeed their approach to Europe left us weaker. Handing back the rebate. Giving away voting rights via the Lisbon Treaty and parachuting one of the most useless of all politicians in history (in the form of Baroness Ashton) into power. Indeed in its last days, the signing of a virtual blank chequebook to appease our European friends to prop up a currency that is of little use to us was simply appalling. Back home they taxed us too much and spent too much. They implemented green taxation that nearly killed off some of our most successful businesses. They then spent that money on their social engineering projects. Sending thousands of students to study courses that had no practical use. Dumbed down our educational system to allow a significant minority to leave full time education with little or no hope. They complicated the tax system to such an extent that they made business more difficult and they applied a benefits system that was the envy of the world. But not for the right reasons. The envy of the world to come and gain free treatment on the NHS and the envy of the world for those wishing to come and work here in full knowledge that the jobs they took would not be competed for by the indigenous population who could sit in housing provided for by the state on benefits handed out like confetti.

Britain needs a long and considered discussion about what the EU should be. In my view it’s a single market. Nothing more and nothing less. Of course we should have cooperation and appreciation of our neighbours. There have been plenty of benefits to being part of the EU and we should be clearer about what they are. However as a net

contributor to this behemoth of an institution whilst we suffer austerity at home, so we should be pushing for better value for money abroad. It is not our job to sign up for and pay into a club that is really about developing and propping up countries that cannot and will not accept responsibility for their actions. Indeed it is not for us to sign up to an institution that wants more power for its own ends rather than for the good of the population they serve.

The Euro has been an unmitigated disaster. The EU institutions have remained wasteful, bureaucratic and expensive. Worse still they have become even more unaccountable. Many of our MEP’s are faceless yet the amounts of money they spend and the projects they support are ludicrous.

On the menu is a range of food akin to that offered by Ant and Dec in the jungle. On this occasion David Cameron was right to shout “I’m a Celebrity. Get me out of