It seems that no matter what part of the world we are in and regardless of which political grouping we hear about, there is a discernible disconnect between the vast majority of politicians (not all) and the citizens who elect them, and pay them to represent their general interests.
Every day there is a new story - some more shocking than others but they really do beg the question - where are these people living?.....or is it simply that they dont get enough sleep and are therefore incapable of answering rather straightforward questions coherently and comprehensively?
So lets be clear - I don't have any partiality one way or the other in this - at the same time the story is striking because it is so strikingly amazing that the man vying for Prime Minister of one of the worlds richest and most powerful countries - the United Kingdom - could get something so basic and so very important, so wrong!
Ed Miliband has insisted he is well placed to focus on the cost of living crisis in Britain even though he 'appeared' to under-estimate his family's weekly grocery bill.
The Labour leader, who said it is right to place the issue at the front of his general election campaign, (despite the fact that he considers himself "relatively comfortably off"), told ITV's 'Good Morning Britain' that his family spends at least £70 to £80 (US$118 to US$134 - not allowing for changes in purchasing parity)...... per week – and possibly more – on groceries.
When he was told that the average weekly bill for a family of four in the UK is more than £100(US$168), he replied: "Right, well it [the grocery bill] is more than £100." What? What every happened to humility, empathy, subtlety and the idea of apologising for making such an error (or are apologies no longer 'PC' in mainstream politics?
What's perhaps even more concerning is that this is a gentlemen who is an experienced politician. He is the potential political leader of Great Britain. If elected he will have tremendous influence on British economic policy, he will be a person to whom people have to pay attention to and who will have direct input into everything from the Euro Union's policies to that of the World Trade Organisation, to the G8 policies (and thus most likely things like provision of capital and direction (at least indirectly) to the World Bank and IMF.......I think you get the point!
Accordingly, being clueless, erroneous, ambiguous or just plain reckless as to statements on an issue so sensitive and central to the concerns of your own electorate, (not to mention many less 'well off' countries around the globe!), is, at best beyond poor presentation!
The most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) report on family spending in the UK shows that for a household such as Miliband's - i.e. comprising two parents and two children the average weekly spend on food and non-alcoholic drinks is £83.60 (US$141). Including alcohol and tobacco the figure rises to £96 (US$161).
Miliband later clarified his remarks and said that his original 'estimate' related to the cost of 'basic' groceries (definition please someone???). He told BBC Radio Oxford: "On the basics, I was saying it was about £70 or £80 but the overall shopping bill would obviously be higher." - 'Laaaawd' - did he just dig himself an even bigger hole?
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