18th March 2011

Went to bed feeling grim last night after watching Question Time when in a discussion about energy security nobody mentioned the fact that our coal mining industry was exported along with the gas, and I woke up feeling grim this morning.

Not in a 'it's grim up North' kind of way. But grim in a 'Must make make an appointment with the Doctor' kind of way.

So the day was rapidly cancelled, the Doctor had a space (presumably other people had woken up feeling OK or were just more determined) and off I struggled up the hill for my appointment.

Whilst I wasn't exactly told: You walked here so you must be OK, the message was clear: Fuss about nothing.

So back home to sit about feeling sorry for myself. I was given a prescription but as I don't like taking stuff I kept it in case I feel any worse, apparently I might do, and made myself a cup of Rooibosch Tea instead.

Rooibosch is a popular beverage obviously in South Africa but more generally and is held in high regard by the health-conscious.

There is no caffeine in the Tea and it has low levels of tannin.

So nothing harmful and nothing to give a false sense of well being. It is known to help with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. It is used in South Africa to alleviate infantile colic, assist with allergies, help with asthma and dermatological problems.

Marvellous, medicinal, curative tea is Rooibosch.

Let's hope it works for food poisoning, either a virus or something I have eaten apparently. Time will tell. If that doesn't work a hot toddy might be next it won't cure anything but I will feel better I am sure.

Well being is the key to success.

David Cameron has suggested that we have a 'gross national happiness' index that should be interesting.

The big society will become the big happy society. It will start to look like a series of children's books.

Here are the children in the playground, how happy they look.

Here are the grown ups at work, how happy they look.

Here are the unemployed and the NEET's that left school last year, how happy they look.

Here are the homeless, how happy they look.

Here are the Asylum Seekers heading home, how happy they look.

Here are the students marching in protest, how happy they look.

Here are the policeman kettling them, how happy they look.

And if we have a budget for growth next week the big society could well grow, so the big will become the bigger until it becomes the biggest society ever.

Couple that with the happiness index, and we are well on the way to becoming the biggest, happiest society ever.

Trouble is I am not sure that we are.

Writing in today's FT Samuel Brittan offers an interesting survey of growth plans in the UK over the decades since 1945. His conclusion is that since 1945 growth has averaged 2% a year.

So whatever outcome there is in George Osborne's budget next week, whatever de-regulation, encouragement, support measures or investment. Things are likely to carry on very much as they have done, throughout the period which has included, Harold Wilson's 1967 devaluation the monetary approach of Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Lamont's joining of the ERM, when he was advised by none other than David Cameron.

When I started a new job in 2000 my friend Peter sent me a laminated sheet with a quote on it which I took to heart.

Don't go for Growth, it said, go for Health, because in the normal scheme of things a healthy thing will grow naturally.

It was a kind of biblical, gardening in Eden, kind of metaphor. Just don't eat the apple and everything will be fine.

Well we did of course, and so everything wasn't OK. But if the Tory led coalition wants growth and happiness perhaps it needs to focus on more specific ways of making society healthy, with greater justice, more equality and Rooibosch on the NHS and then the growth and the happiness will follow naturally .....