Local Government Litany

Each morning I get an email summarising news reports on local government from the LGiU.  Today, even more than usual, it is a litany of woe.

The most depressing part of it is the Guardian's report on homelessness, which is rising massively thanks to the government's benefit cuts. Huge numbers of families are being forced out of their communities.  As so many people are being made homeless, the bill for the taxpayer is being pushed upwards instead of downwards.  Even more depressing than these facts, is the government minister's reaction, which is to deny that there is any problem.  He must know that this is untrue, but for this government really appears to believe what they can get reported in the papers rather than what actually happens.  It reminds me of an old joke about Brezhnev. Brezhnev was on a train that stopped moving.  He told his staff to paint all the windows black, and tell the passengers it was still going forward.