AS a country, I wonder, did we ever have a master plan, a strategy – a vision of how we wanted the future of Britain to be?

If so, how on earth have we ended up like this?

We’re at war with two countries. One in Afghanistan which we have not a cat in hell’s chance of winning and which can only be solved by political agreement.

And Iraq, and no one knows for sure why.

We’ve also had an open-door policy regarding immigration, but two million of us are out of work.

Our banking system is being rescued by the taxpayer.

Seriously, though we may talk and moan about it, in the end we shall all shrug our shoulders and get on with it – why?

Because we are a strong resilient people who know that the things that really matter are home, family and friends, folk we love – and our concerns must be for them, seeing that they are okay.

But we should take time to stop and think about the great things we do have and how lucky we are to be here in the warm, friendly north of England, with wonderful countryside on our doorstep.

No Joneses to keep up with. A place that still clings to the remains of the community spirit.