By Meri O’Connell
I am by nature an optimistic person.
At this time of year I like to see my glass of mulled wine as half-full rather than half-empty, but even for an unrelentingly positive person like myself it’s been a challenge to stay upbeat these past 12 months.
Covid is still with us, but the flu virus is giving it a run for the top spot for hospitalisations this Christmas after some time off.
Thanks to years of the Tories refusing to give NHS workers pay rises in line with inflation, coupled with the exodus of qualified staff from the EU following Brexit, we face a scary winter.
The cost of living crisis caused by the mistakes of successive Conservative leaders is forcing workers from all walks of life to take the serious step of withdrawing their labour in an attempt to try and force an out of touch government to listen to them.
Our own Tory MP in Reading West championed climate action last year, but his words proved utterly pointless as his own government restarts coal mining in the UK.
Years of Conservative rule have led to a refugee crisis, which shames our moral standing on the international stage, whilst Brexit and the infamous ‘mini budget’ have trashed our financial reputation and national economy.
The Christmas glass of cheer certainly appears to be half empty from this angle.
But if you turn your gaze away from the mess that our short sighted rulers have created and look at the people of our town and country, there are still things to give us hope and make us smile.
Despite having less themselves people are still giving to foodbanks and charities. There is an increased awareness that we don’t need all of the stuff that clutters our lives and that we can recycle and repair what we already have.
More and more people are moving their money away from planet damaging companies and are insisting on ethical products. People are waking up to the idea that they have power, which is pushing the cause of electoral reform up the agenda.
Christmas is a time of reflection and celebration and in that spirit I choose to continue to nurture and feed the optimist in me. I hope that you are able to do the same at this special time of year. As Martin Luther King JR said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Cllr Meri O’Connell is the leader of Reading Liberal Democrates and ward member for Tilehurst
