Share Sounds. presented by Gavin Oldham related to Politics

Just as Nicola Sturgeon steps out of Scottish politics and Rishi Sunak struggles with the Brexit Protocol for Northern Ireland, my attention was drawn to some world-leading legislation passed by the Welsh Government in 2015: 'The Well-being of Future Generations Act'. Recognising the degree to which modern society impacts the future so much more than any of the generations which have preceded us, this Act is of constitutional significance — requiring public bodies to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change. No wonder that it is attracting interest from countries across the world, offering a huge opportunity to make a long-lasting, positive change for future generations. Background music: Celtic Impulse by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The earthquake disaster in Turkey shows yet again how little we learn from the past, and the limited attention we give to planning for the future. Constitutional principles could do much to help - but are we making best use of them? Meanwhile insurers tend to refer to natural disasters as 'Acts of God', but such a description doesn't align with with the Christian understanding that the nature of God is love. In March 2020 we recorded 'Love at the Cutting Edge' seeking to provide an answer, and it's included as the second part of this commentary. Background music: 'Elegy' by Wayne Jones; and to accompany 'Love at the Cutting Edge', Gorecki's Symphony No. 3, first movement as performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1995.

The huge take-up of ChatGPT over recent weeks has brought the challenge of Artificial Intelligence into sharp relief. As the Chief Executive of its creator, OpenAI, said in one of his blogs, 'Artificial Intelligence will bring unimaginable wealth but, unless something changes, most of us will get none of it. We need a radical solution'. Conventional wisdom sees Universal Basic Income as the way through this dilemma, but this will only bring us more state intermediation and human subservience. We can put forward a better solution, by enabling all to share in the wealth that technology brings and to play their part in its future governance. Background music: 'Digital Solitude' by Silent Partner

New Year resolutions are in the air, and both Sunak and Starmer set out theirs in speeches on 4th and 5th January respectively. Much of the media reporting was drowned out by Harry's book and associated interviews, and headline objectives such as halving inflation and restoring growth were somewhat 'motherhood and apple pie'. But dig deeper (there are links to the full texts in the webpage commentary) and there are some gems to be found, although they still merit some close scrutiny. However George Bush's 1988 quote seems to encapsulate their performance: 'What's wrong with being a boring kind of guy?' Background music: 'Resolution' by Wayne Jones

Let's hope that, as we approach 2023, we can start looking ahead in contrast to the wave of pessimism with which we greeted 2022, and which has proved to be so accurate in retrospect. Is it too much to hope that we are at the nadir of the economic cycle, and at the point when tyrants recognise the limits of force and suppression of individual freedom? Is it unrealistic to imagine a world in which we share our resources more willingly, and empower young people from all backgrounds to achieve their potential? The next two weeks will give us a chance to reset the dial — we must do better in 2023. Background music: 'O Holy Night' by DJ Williams

Even if Putin were to succeed in his barbarous land-grabbing attempt, what would he inherit? A land where almost all facilities of civilisation are being bombed into oblivion, inhabited by a people filled with disgust and distrust for the Kremlin autocracy: and, bearing in mind that an estimated 11 million Russians have family in Ukraine and the close cultural relationship between their two countries, this disgust and distrust will be shared by much of the Russian population. Meanwhile the young generation is of course the most impacted by conflict, which is almost always initiated by old men. So the pointlessness of war is not lost on these young generations, whose high level of communication and mobility also gives rise to a much better understanding of the need for global interconnectivity. Background Music: 'Breathing Planet' by Doug Maxwell

Far from digging the UK out of the mess that seventy years of socialist welfare have got it into, our new Conservative government seems intent on burying us still deeper. Of course fiscal responsibility must come first, but why perpetuate the myth that everyone, including the wealthy, must receive equal free rations: even if it significantly reduces the amount of public resources available for those most in need? At least the NHS in Scotland has heard the message, even if politicians across the board don't understand (or is it just electoral bribery?). What we really need is a strategy for individual freedom within an egalitarian society — we're a long way from this at present. Background music: 'Freedom?' by Dan Lebowitz

The greatest challenges facing humanity - climate change, economic injustice and peaceful coexistence - are global and long-term in character. The United Nations talks about them, but lacks authority — which can only come from democratic legitimacy. We propose a country-by-country transition to directly-elected UN representatives in order to enable global long-term solutions to take precedence. Background music: 'World's Sunrise' by Jimena Contreras

As Rishi Sunak steps into the lead role in British politics, we look at the educational choices which have paved the way for him, and discuss how the search for a more egalitarian form of capitalism can reconcile opportunity for all with individual freedom. The degree to which parents take responsibility for that education, as Rishi's parents did for him, is critical — and that poses a significant question for the huge numbers of young people who are not enjoying a traditional family upbringing. Background Music: 'Everything Has a Beginning' by Joel Cummins

“I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness , and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.'” - indeed, the guiding light for the servant leadership that she gave us throughout these past seventy years. Our Thought for this Week comprises the tributes given in the House of Commons on Friday 9 September, beginning with the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and followed by - (4:46) Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, The Prime Minister (11:17) Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP (20:06) Sir Peter Bottomley MP (20:36) Rt Hon Ian Blackford MP (27:57) Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP (36:31) Rt Hon Harriet Harman KC MP (41:53) Rt Hon Theresa May MP (50:05) Rt Hon Ed Davey MP Background Music: 'New Year's Anthem' by Quincas Moreira