The unfolding of an African tragedy

This sick farce of a contest was never going to end in a fair result anyway. Indeed, Mr Tsvangirai was almost suicidally brave to fight on for as long as he did.

Yesterday's brutality by Mugabe's goons was the last straw.

Thugs from President Robert Mugabe's party attacked Tsvangirai's supporters during a peaceful rally

A peaceful rally of Mr Tsvangirai's supporters was attacked by thugs in the pay of the ruling Zanu-PF party  -  the latest outrage in an officiallyinspired reign of terror.

Death squads have killed dozens of Mugabe's opponents. Relatives of prominent opposition figures have been burned alive, raped or beaten. Thousands of ordinary people suspected of being anti-Mugabe have had to flee their homes.

Meanwhile, Mr Tsvangirai has been arrested five times. Colleagues have been thrown into jail on trumped-up charges. And food aid donated by the outside world is misused by Mugabe to bribe supporters, while opponents starve.

So come what may, this election was always going to end in a gerrymandered 'win' for Comrade Bob, even though his demented rule has brought such inflationary ruin to a once-prosperous country that last week a loaf of bread cost five billion Zimbabwean dollars.

But what makes this tragedy worse is the way this corrupt and murderous tyrant has been allowed to get away with it.

Yes, other African nations show some concern. But until recently, shamefully, most backed Mugabe to the hilt. Meanwhile, the diplomatic efforts of the UN, the EU and the Commonwealth have always been pitifully inadequate.

For years, the people of Zimbabwe suffered, while the world looked on. Now they have been cheated out of their last, best hope of peaceful, democratic change. And all Africa is the loser.

Poor example
Now where have we heard all this before? Union warnings that pay restraint is 'unrealistic'...TUC firebrands threatening to slash Labour's funding... a chancellor pleading for moderate pay rises...

The events of the last few days would seem to echo the bad old Seventies, when inflation went through the roof, economic stagnation was the order of the day, unions sought huge pay deals and the Government could only beg them to behave.

Of course we're still a long way from that predicament. If we keep pay settlements under control, we should avoid stagflation. That is why Mr Darling is right to urge a period of belt-tightening.

But before lecturing the unions, shouldn't he have a quiet word with his fellow politicians?

Following their expenses scandal, MPs are seeking a tax-free allowance of £150 a day  -  on top of their £61,820 pay  -  so they needn't bother with expenses claims and can never again be caught abusing the system. How ripe.

Yes, we need to control inflation. But why should the unions practise restraint, when self-serving Parliamentarians don't even know the meaning of the word?

Cause and effect
For the first time, the Pill is to be available on the internet, with no safeguards against its sale to children.

Meanwhile, 29 per cent of secondary schools are now providing pupils as young as 11 with 'sexual health services', including condoms, without telling their parents.

At the same time, Britain has one of Europe's highest rates of teenage pregnancies, abortions and sexual disease.

And of course it never occurs to our liberal, right-on, non-judgmental educational establishment that value-free, moralitylite 'health services' in schools just might have something to do with it.