Mr Gold and Mr Green
Here's a story about two men, Mr Gold and Mr Green.
Mr Gold is what is known as a materialist. He has shares in the stock exchange. When he sells them it does not matter to him if workers lose their jobs, as long as he can make a tidy profit.
Mr Gold is also a rogue landlord. He overcharges and maintains his property to the lowest standard the law will allow. And when he feels the need for more profit he puts up the rent and evicts the previous tenants - to him it's simply "business".
Mr Gold likes the free market; he believes business should employ people at the lowest rate possible, with local workers being sacked to be replaced either by workers in Far East sweatshops or by robots and self-service machines. He supports the privatisation of the NHS and of education. After all, his family uses private education and health, so why pay twice? Yes, why indeed, he thinks, so he is happy to see cuts to public transport, as he has a car (foreign made) and as long as the roads are maintained it matters not if those unable to drive have a bus service.
Mr Gold hasn't many friends, but he has many contacts through business, with whom he networks, when playing golf or bridge.
He's the man on the council who approves plans to demolish historic buildings so his business contacts can build low quality flats in their place (to rent to us - at a cost!). He's the one who wants to build on the green belt and rip up planning laws. He claims to want to provide homes for the low wage immigrants that he employs - but we know better...
Mr Gold is unapologetic. When asked about buying British, about national loyalty he simply shrugs his shoulders and says he's a "citizen of the world". He claims that English workers need to match the wages of the low paid immigrants he employs if they wish to be competitive...
He claims that he cannot get English workers because "they are lazy", and that they should be "grateful" for their meagre wages. I am sure we've all met, seen or heard a Mr Gold in our lives.....
Mr Green, on the other hand, is quite different. He supports conservation of old buildings, and the countryside. He says it is our birthright and our heritage, to be preserved for future generations.
Naturally Mr Green was upset when Mr Gold's planning committee passed plans to destroy the local nature reserve and build executive homes in its place. Mr Green opposes open borders, to prevent further squeezing of the housing stock. He says immigration is used by developers to create an excuse to make the government give over more land for them to build upon so they can make big bucks.
Mr Green is also in business, but unlike Mr Gold, his is small scale and local - he sells bicycles. It offers him a decent enough living, but not a fortune. He has enough to get by. He is popular with those in the local pub who admire his decency and good humour. He's also in the local cycling club, but he does own a car which he uses when not cycling. He's happy enough to pay for public transport though, even if he uses it rarely. Mr Green thinks of others' needs, not just his own.
Mr Green is a localist. If he can he'll use the local butcher or grocer because he wants the little man to survive against the superstores owned by the likes of Mr Gold.
Mr Green is concerned about local workers losing their jobs due to globalisation. Mr Gold would call him a socialist, but he's not, nor is he a bleeding heart liberal. He simply wants to see fair play and a chance for everyone to have a slice of the national cake. He worries about loss of our national identity and he voted to leave the EU.
Mr Green wants money that's earned here to stay here, rather than being sent abroad to be spent in a foreign High Street, so our shops and industry can prosper. But Mr Gold sees money transfer as a good way to make an easy profit. As long as he makes money he doesn't care where the capital is heading.
Well, that's the story of two very different fictional men. We hope you liked it. We also hope that you are like Mr Green and not like Mr Gold in your way of thinking.
Now, if Mr Green were real he'd be joining the Populist Party to fight against all of the false values held by Mr Gold......
Will you?
