On the 1st January, I gave my predictions for the year. I thought it may be fun to see how they've gone at the half way mark in the year. My comments now are in Red Italics
Here is this years predictions.
January
The year starts as the year ended. We have the funeral of Pope Benedict. In some ways, this draws a perfect line under a terrible few years. The Weather starts mild, but by the 21st we are back to freezing temperatures, snow, ice and train strikes. Normal politics returns with Labour leader clobbering Rishi Sunak at PMQ's on a weekly basis. Tory MP's, especially those on the right start making noises. We see the start of Nigel Farage's return to front line politics, with his land grab for that area formerly known as UKIP. The weather wasn't actually that bad, so no cigar there! As predicted Sir Keir Starmer has been regularly battering Sunak at PMQ's - The Tory right did make a fair bit of noise. Nigel Farage did as well. Whilst he see's himself as the saviour of the UK, it seems less and less people agree with him.
February
Cold weather continues, petrol prices soar. To celebrate the 1st anniversary of the Ukraine Campaign, Putin announces a new offensive in Ukraine. This starts with a massive bombardment of Ukraine, but peters out as half trained conscripts decide that death in a futile war is a bit silly.
The False Dot's perform the Burnt Oak Boogie live in Burnt Oak at the Bacon Lane Club on Saturday the 11th February, seeing the most exciting night of the year so far in the Borough of Barnet. Agian the weather was not that bad. Putin used the anniversary to fire a few missiles and murder a few poor Ukranianes, but it is clear that his army has little apetite for fighting his war. The Gig at the Bacon Lane club was a hoot!
March
In March we have Jeremy Hunt's first proper budget. Hunt is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knows that the Tories are doomed if he doesn't do something to boost their popularity, but are even more doomed if he spooks the markets. He opts mainly for economic sense, but cuts tax on beer, wines and spirits, with measures to help the hospitality trade, on the basis that this can be sold as boosting the economy and is always popular. Labour clobbers him, whilst privately agreeing a Knighthood for him after they take over, as he's just about single handedly saved the UK's reputation for sensible management of the economy. He will have bequeathed them a basically functioning economy. After months of disruption, deals are struck with transport unions, as the Tories try and fix the problems before the council elections in April.
March also sees The False Dots Triumphantly return to The Dublin Castle on the 15th to celebrate our amazing drummer Gray Ramsey's 60th Birthday! As predicted Hunt gave a rather boring budget, no rabbits, a few concessions to people who drink. I was way off the mark in my assessment of the Tories ability to strike sensible deals with the Unions. The Dublin Castle gig was a great night.
April
Good weather arrives, just in time for local elections. The Tories suffer swinging losses. Labour takes a swathe of never held before councils. A few Tories resign and a series of by election follow in seats that the Tories would have lost at the next election anyway. They are clobbered and Rishi Sunak's regime is on life support. Boris Johnson is making noises that he needs to return to save the Tories and Nigel Farage is stating that he is now the soul of the 'Real Tory Party' with is new incarnation. As predicted, the Tories were clobbered at the local elections. I was wrong about Boris, his past finally seems to started to catch up with him. My weather forcasting skills are clearly so poor I could work for the BBC. The predicted Tory resignations came later than I anticipated, but I was pretty close on this
May
Better than expected trade figures give a brief period of respite for Rishi Suank, he claims the hard work is paying off. Mortgage rates have stabilised and the continuing good weather makes the mood in the country better. Petrol prices drop as the oil price stabilises. In a big shock move, having had a wonderful season at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta departs to Real Madrid, causing tears across North London. Patrick Viera replaces him. This was way off the mark. Mortgage rates are still shooting up, Viera has no chance of becoming Arsenal Boss and The weather wasn't amazing!
June
In June we have a wonderful Mill Hill Music Festival. However the bad news at By Elections continues. Tory MP's start putting letters into the 1922 commitee. Boris is on manouvers and Nigel Farage is claiming he is the saviour. I was spot on about the Mill Hill Music Festival, it was amazing! Nigel Farage is planning to leave the country as the banks are closing his accounts. The Tories are restless, but with Boris being exposed as a Pork Pie Merchant of the Highest order has put paid to any ambitions he had in the short term.
So all in all a mixed bag. Zero out of ten for weather forecasting, 7.5 out of ten for politics and zero for sport! I suspect that Boris being found out has wiped out any chance of my predictions for the rest of the year hitting the button!
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