Joy will be in short supply in 2012

It is a time for a message of hope and cheer for the New Year as it unfolds into 2012.

David Cameron has not much in that way of things to offer. For many people it will, if anything, be worse than 2011.

The crisis in the eurozone is rumbling on. The economy continues to underperform, to put it at its very highest. Job losses are going to continue to feed through.

It will be, for all but the lucky and the very wealthy, a year of hardship and austerity, made all the harder because these days people find it difficult to lower their expectations and temper their aspirations. Foot on the housing ladder? Forget it. New car? People might spend money that they cannot afford to get that one.

Household bills and energy bills will continue to climb alarmingly. It is generally a time to tighten the belts.

Mr Cameron continues to be unchallenged politically, which is quite a trick. Labour has not got its act together. The Lib Dems do not really know what their role should be – supporting the government or opposing it?

But it would be all too gloomy to start the year on such a load of gloom and threats of bad tidings. We must at least try to have an optimistic outlook and at least there are some things to cling on to.

Two events in 2012 will, or should, bring much needed cheer to Britain. The Olympic Games are coming to these shores for the first time in over 60 years. That will be a great jamboree.

The same can be said for the Queen's Diamond jubilee.

We wish you all a Happy New Year. But realistically joy is going to be in short supply.