27/08/2026
I cannot believe I am writing another post like this.
Sorry for the length, but I'm so saddened.
I cannot believe what is happening in parts of our region, of our town.
Rest In Peace Valentina Foster and Natalie McDonald.
A child and her aunt. Taken cowardly and callously.
A CHILD for Christs sake.
I cannot believe how some people with a measure of power and influence are handling this, or not handling it, not addressing it, not getting to the nub of it.
Even as balanced as I try to be, whoever has set light to a home, where they must have knew that women and kids were sleeping in there.
That is pure evil.
We, I, have to accept that there are kids, young adults out there that very well may be too far gone. Too deep into whatever hellish life they have fallen into that they simply cannot be saved from it. Certainly not with balanced, reasonable, enligtened arguments and justifications for the reasons they are.
I KNOW the last government were not great and underfunded many aspects of society, that have in some part caused such horrendous environments for crime to thrive.
But, that is getting old already for me.
I've always believed in the Carrot & Stick. Giving people every opportunity possible to thrive, but coming down harshly on people who don't want to get on.
But I firmly believe now that we have whole generations of families that are doing nothing, living off the state and unparenting kids that then look for others to validate them and mentor them, and we end up with really bad people, terrorising estates.
All subsidised by the state. And this government seem unwillng to address that.
These people, these families ruining it for many, have had plenty of carrot.
And, ok, let down by the state too for balance, if you take the view that the state has preferred to just give people enough money to live on, instead of reaching communities and giving people the opportunities to live and thrive and not need the benefits.
Right now, for me thugh, WE NEED A RESET.
We need more stick and less carrot.
We quickly need to get a fu***ng grip.
And we need brave people with the power and influence to get stuck in. Get out there into TS6 etc and get engaging.
Start to enact local byelaws, extend PSPOs, call out very publicly, the terrible things that are happening.
We need to get police out there and start aggressively targeting anyone wearing a face covering on any sort of bike. Just have the remit that that act in itself breaks a byelaw and start to pull these louts in, fine them, take the bikes away, BE DAMN THE LEGAL THREATS, chase fines up, start to take benefits to pay fines, start to throw people out of social housing; QUICKLY.
As we Boro fans like to say; GET INTO THEM, F**K EM UP.
No more messing about.
A RESET. Local C.I.D should be grilling these louts when they are in custody, getting info from them. Many will be at the end of a long food chain.
Instead we have platitudes and words of condolences from MPs, but no real action, same with some councillors, local bodies.
Where is the Mayor on this?
I'm beginning to think no one is coming for parts of Teesside.
Because political ideology stops central and local government from really going at the issues.
We may have to mend this together.
We definitely need to choose our next Mayors and MPs with these problems and issues front and central.
Can they get stuck in?
Do they have the force of personality to affect change?
Are they brave enough?
Are they savvy enough?
We need heroes. We need hope. We need action.
I don't see anyone who fits that bill in any sort of powerful position, who COULD do that. The regional mayor has different objectives, the local MP has been all over the place, the local mayors nowhere? Local councillors I don't know enough to say, I'm sure many are doing what they can, but are hamstrung.
I think we, the people may need to step up and form groups, that go out there and interact. Even help police areas?
As business owners, we can do something surely. Sponsor local events, clubs, initiatives, that bring communities together and maybe just bring some kids in from the dark place they are.
Create a sticker, a flag, that people can proudly show in their windows, on their house that they are AGAINST THE CRIME.
"NO MORE"
Like the Sicilians in Palermo did so effectively to publicly denounce the Mafia there: "NO MAFIA" And it has worked.
If that example seems over the top, well, I think there are powerful people sitting behind the scenes here (sat in houses in better areas, even, Dubai, Gibraltar, Marbella, Liverpool), removed from the terror of the estates, but benefitting from the crime that is being dealt out there by kids and young adults.
Drugs; and violence and vendettas and reprisals and car chases and ramming houses and burning houses, all go hand in hand.
I don't know, I don't think I've ever been so disallusioned with life in the Tees Valley.
We need heroes that's for sure.
TAKE CARE AMIGOS. Seriously, take care everyone.
Love and peace and respect
Jay xx
