Bongs for Brexit? Such trivia seems designed to distract us from important news – Hayley Matthews

The controversy over whether Big Ben should be rung to mark the UK’s departure from the EU and the Harry and Meghan story makes Hayley Matthews suspect there are people with an interest in taking our minds off what’s really going on in the world.

The clockface of Big Ben is shrouded in scafolding. Picture: AFP/Getty

I sometimes wonder if some of the news stories that we read are put out there with the sole intention to distract us all from the real things that we should be concerned about in the world today.

All we’ve heard in the news recently seem to be farcical stories and non-events. As the kids say, everyone is totally “rinsing” this Meghan and Harry story, is it really that big a deal? I don’t think so or surely Her Majesty would have denied Meghan and Harry’s request to emigrate.

The cynic in me thinks all this is distracting us from the real news. I want to know if those in Australia who have been fleeing for their lives are getting the help they need. I want to know if Prince Andrew is going to be at least questioned and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein investigated. It’s all just a big distraction. Take, for example, the Brexit bonging of Big Ben. Never have I heard such self-indulgent nonsense! Delusional comes to mind if those in charge of Westminster think it’s a good use of money.

Schools, hospitals, pubic services and many more would benefit so much more than a few dings to let everyone know that we’ve left the EU. Pointless is all I can say, and I really do think that it has to be one of the most stupid news stories in a long time. The sceptical part of me thinks that we are being distracted by things like this purely to take our minds off the real happenings in the world.

Either that or we’re all starting to lose the plot and now care more about a few B-list royals moving abroad than we do about thousands suffering massive trauma like we’re seeing in Australia.