My plan had been to start my barrage of politics when I returned from my holiday, but I can't hold it in.

I know I'm in something of a bubble, but overlap with people of differing views on here. So, I'm going to be trying to put forth reasonable, polite and - hopefully - persuasive arguments over the next few weeks. You have been warned.

We have a UK General Election on 12th December. This is a great chance to do something wonderful; get the Tories out. This Conservative government has been one of the most destructive forces to this country ever. The implementation of austerity has harmed almost every aspect of society, and harmed most those who are most at risk; the poor, the elderly, the sick - with mental health provision being especially heavily affected. With the increased stress and worry, social divisions have become heightened.



Of course, neither of these things are accidental. There is no perceived crack that the Tories aren't happy to drive a wedge into for their own political gain. And the austerity programme itself was launched into with a barely suppressed glee that would have made Norman Tebbitt swoon. Because that is what the Conservative programme is all about, taking away the protections of the state - in either the mistaken belief that this is necessary hardship that will eventually prove a benefit, or a complete lack of concern over who is harmed and killed, depending on how charitable you're feeling.



Now, this Tory government is headed by a man who has been fired from several jobs for lying so blatantly it couldn't be ignored, who is so obviously self-serving that, on the eve of the Brexit referendum, he wrote newspaper articles arguing both for and against Brexit because he was undecided on which side would be most in his self interest.



I will have a great deal more to say in the coming weeks, but please register to vote if you aren't already, please actually cast your ballot. Please, please vote in a way that unseats a Tory MP or prevents one being elected.