Britain seems to be on an out of control rollercoaster heading for Hell, blasts Lady McAlpine

Having just celebrated my 80th birthday I may be thought to be "out of touch" with issues that engage younger members of society, but the past weekend has shown me that most of the 300 guests here shared my view of the parlous state of just about everything other than the natural beauty of our precious country.

Given that they ranged from seven to ninety-seven... a pollster would have had a field-day collecting their opinions.

We seem to be on some sort of out-of-control rollercoaster heading for Hell.

If you are British, white-ish, hard-working, traditionally Christian man, thinking of going to church on Sunday, perhaps even knowing which sex you and your wife and children are, you are in danger of becoming a zoo exhibit before the next election.

I don't believe in a "God" but I do think there was a chap called Jesus who told us all how to behave. In other countries he might have had another name. Buddha was OK: Mohammed too? If we follow their rules, perhaps without too much smiting and other bloody punishments, we should be able to live in harmony with our neighbours throughout the world. Most normal humans do try to do that.

Then we get Governments who make rules to divide us. Here in the UK, we have had successive governments who gold-plated every EU rule and now we are out of Europe, they are still doing it. Humans do not need to be told to be good neighbours...they only cease to be when riled.

Government rules in favour of one sector of the community will rile those who see those rules as an imposition and a removal of their freedom to treat others as they would be treated.

The result is frustration which becomes outright aggression. Why is my government telling me how to treat the black chap next door or the Muslim over the road with whom I've been exchanging friendly banter, insults, and occasional BBQs for years? Multiply this and you have some form of war.

Oh, for a government with a brain. Oh, for a leader with charisma and imagination as well as a brain.

Might it be possible to wipe clean the legislative slate? Ages ago it was suggested that no new law should be passed without erasing an old one. Naturally that advice was ignored. We have far too many laws, rules, regulations. I probably break one or two of them before breakfast every day.

I refuse to be told what to say. I would never knowingly be offensive, even to one who has offended me. I do not need some unknown nanny to dictate how I address another human being.

What this draft legislation has done is empower those who felt slightly insecure. NOW they are totally secure in their knowledge that they are the underdog and have a government issued right to be offended. We normal old-fashioned members of what was once a comfortable society are left bewildered and often speechless. We no longer have a voice with which to protest that we are just being normal "Brits".

What is this nonsense costing us? OUR money is being used to employ yet more civil servants (working from home?) to enforce the legislation most of us have neither seen nor understand. Police are too busy stopping people saying "He, She, It or WOOF" to catch proper criminals... don't get me started on that one! and WE are paying for this rubbish.

We need to sack at least a third of the Civil Service - I think I already suggested that the Armed forces needs them more - not employ more of them.

It is not their fault: if someone offered you money for doing little other than paper-shuffling - ah - no - paperless world - what do they do? send loads of e-mails? enforcing the unenforceable... with loads of lovely civil service perks: you wouldn't exactly say "No thanks" would you?

I'm told the Government is scared of the Civil Service?

"Yes, Minister"...

So - let us sack the Government and get one that is in control of itself, the country, and the civil service which, I believe is supposed to be OUR servant, as is OUR government.

No - I do NOT want to see a Labour Government as that would be an even greater disaster than the current shower.

Lady McAlpine is the wife of Sir William McAlpine and is a Tory Party donor