Highlighting the needy, with Anthony Bernard.

Exmouth Journal: Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard.Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard. (Image: Archant)

Leaders are in the news as the Tory party sifts through applicants for top job.

Leadership is a subject in itself, with many books written about it but political leaders are another breed.

The United States would regard itself as leader among the great democracies, but Donald Trump is being investigated for attempting a coup to retain power even in the States.

We associate that behaviour with African countries, not a white American president.

Leaders should be the servant of the group; his or her job is to make the team run well.

This has been borne out during my work experience, starting with my early education.

You may recall Christ showed service to his disciples by washing their feet at The Last Supper.

Making the team run right can include firing people as well as promotions, and may well merit a higher salary, but it does not include taking all the credit or perks - or stealing the spare cash.

I usually made my own coffee in the office.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa in SriLanka has purloined his countries wealth, using power to create mayhem and bankruptcy.

Corruption causes economies to leak prosperity in many countries, not least Russia where oligarchs have more wealth than the nobility before the revolution.

Volodymyr Zelensky came to power in Ukraine almost by accident. As you may know, he was a comedian with a show called "servant of the people", in which a local schoolmaster becomes president.

In their last election a party was created called "servant of the people", perhaps as a joke.

He was put forward and won with a landslide. He knows how to communicate, is clear about his task of serving the people while relying on others for details, especially army commanders as events have worked out.

A regular reader asked if my imagined Heavenly Host is managing events. It is open to speculation, but many things do work out against the odds.

In choosing our next prime minister we desperately need an individual with a broad vision, not just responding to majority wishes.

There are too many minor issues in our society that really do need attention.

The cost of living crisis is key, but not just a matter of overall financial management.

A building can look very solid, but it is only as strong as its foundations and load bearing supports, and still depends on the local drains.

Carers in the community are clearly not paid sufficiently, social care cannot recruit enough people let alone retain the staff they have.

Train drivers may be good for the economy, but care workers are essential for the quality of life for many people, if not for life itself.

In housing, increased rents and profiteering from holiday lets are increasing the burden for many families, including those working in the NHS and social care.

This needs legislative control, and better coordination between local councils and national government.

Mental health issues affect us all to some extent; serious attention needs to be given to those supporting serious mental issues, not least NHS workers burning out.

Children's welfare should come first. If we bring up our children well, whether two parent families, single parents or "in care", they will grow into adults who can sort out problems.

Some famous and productive people started from deprived childhoods; the most creative tear-about children may become the most creative adults, provided they care for others and can be kept off drugs and out of prison.