What's happening?

So I leave the country for a couple of weeks and the place goes to pot.

I saw some of the shenanigans on French TV and the French I was with could not believe this sort of thing happens in the UK. Well it does and has done, on and off for quite a while. The rioters joke line in the eighties was throw well, throw Shell. Yes, very funny if it's your business, house or family on the end of the petrol bomb.

We happen to live in a part of the country that thankfully did not participate in the goings on and everything here seems to be ticking along as it was before we left. So I could roll over, go back to sleep and ignore it all.

But as usual, I can't keep my mouth shut. The police reaction to the rioting appears to have been less than may have been expected? Is this because of a lack of confidence within the police I wonder? All these investigations that have gone on over the last 5 years or so must surely have an effect on their morale and willingness to undertake certain tactics. Is proactive-ness more than their jobs-worth now?

Do we need a separate force in the UK ? Perhaps a variation on the National Guard that can be mobilised at times of emergency? I think these would need to be differentiated from the Territorials and be 100% UK based with no option ever of overseas duties. They should be available for help during floods, droughts and other natural disasters as well as some law and order duties.

Many more thoughts on this, but they will have to wait for another day.