‘I WAKE in the morning, and I step outside…” a familiar start to a song which besides being my friend’s top karaoke choice, is a song I replay in my head day in and day out now particularly as I get to the chorus: “What’s going on?”

It seems as if we are living through a dystopian nightmare which never ceases to throw another plot twist at us. Who knows where we are now as I type, the next hour could be painting a whole other picture across the political spectrum. What does this mean for ordinary folk and where are their voices in all this?

I received an email from somebody the other day which I just cannot get out of my mind – a thoughtful gent was talking about his job delivering food.

He sees on the ground the needs of others, he takes part in the everyday conversations, and he sees and hears the worries of everyday normal folk. He concludes that we should be thinking more of the millions, not the millionaires. He is actively listening and understands. What are we doing for those who just want to live their lives in peace and enjoy living? Where are the voices of the millions? Why are we so focused on the millionaires, he asks?

This is a hard one to answer, because I do see all around me people working so incredibly hard to work for the millions, to listen to those voices directly. Parliamentarians who genuinely care, who tirelessly put their work above their own needs are all around us.

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Why do we not see this enough though? Why is the political carnage we see at Westminster taking centre stage when it should be putting our citizens centre stage and making sure every single person is cared for?

What we are witnessing is a dereliction of duty, that is why it’s big news. What we are seeing not only silences the voices of the millions but it highlights the millionaires playing their dangerous games and in turn puts ordinary people off engaging in politics, as they see it as a sham.

I feel frustrated that the disenfranchised will only be more distanced from decision-making when they see these so-called grown ups playing political cosplay when they cannot play a standard board game without tipping it over in a sulk.

I had a bit of experience this past week in keeping my cool while playing a game, a break-out game. The premise is that you are locked in a room with teammates, you must find clues around you and figure out how to unlock the room. It was a bit like The Crystal Maze.

This was a birthday outing for my son, and I was the only adult in a room of five boys aged 11 – it was an experience, that is for sure. Listening was the most essential part to winning in my opinion. That did not go quite to plan, not because they were not team players, but because they were more explorers than listeners.

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In a team situation, when trying to solve issues, listening to each other is key. If we only ever want to go off and do our own solving in a silo, we have a problem. We got locked in! It was fun, and hilarities were experienced, but also most importantly a good life lesson on teamwork and listening was highlighted. We must listen to the voices of all before concluding or we miss vital information.

Is it a touch too Black Mirror for me to suggest that prime ministerial candidates are locked in a room and the winner is the one who solves the riddle, a riddle set by the public, like “How to look after humans successfully”? A task I am not sure the UK Government would take at all seriously.

I experienced that mistreatment of people during a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) assessment for a family member last week. I am still aghast at the inhumane treatment of our most vulnerable, the disdain the call handler seemed to have and the system which is designed to disadvantage people more than they already are. People who are sick, disabled and mentally vulnerable are treated as a financial burden.

I had emails pouring in after a tweet in which I described the experience. From all over the UK people got in touch, and I am just so sorry that not everyone will get the opportunity to deal with the Scottish social security system.

I have dealt with it and my goodness it is a whole other experience, and it certainly does have fairness dignity and respect at its heart. This was set up by the Scottish Government to have the voices of users at its core, a listening exercise carried out to ensure real solutions and a delivery fit for purpose, for the millions.

Teamwork and problem solving are not what we are seeing right now at the UK political level and it’s only getting worse. We are seeing the millionaires playing but not listening.

Meanwhile, folk are sanctioned for being late for DWP appointments and left without money for weeks; and folk who take home a wage are still struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table.

All the while, these privileged contenders for power seem to take nothing seriously apart from themselves. What is going on when vulnerable people are asked if they can wipe their own bums over the phone by a cold-toned stranger to judge financial entitlement but Liz Truss can scoop up £115,000 a year for life for six weeks’ work as the worst prime minister in history?

Next time at the ballot box, remember those who served the people and not those who served themselves. The millions not the millionaires.