Hi everybody.
I thought I'd start a thread of little vignettes from the British political perspective, with a bit of acerbic wit thrown in just for jolly, but I also hope to make a point or two along the way. I'll post it weekly and try to make it as light hearted as possible. Feel free to comment.
MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL
I was gobsmacked that Newsnight promoted Nigel Farage as an expert on Coronavirus. Dare we hope to see Dr Farage next on
24 Hours In A & E? Rather, methinks, the programme with the most appropriate title for his followers must be the maternity unit reality show
One Born Every Minute
UNION JERKS
Nicola Sturgeon has come under criticism for continuing to fly the Circle of Stars in Scotland. Why? I ask.
UK is still a member of the Council of Europe, whose stated aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
UK is a founding member of the organisation, which pre-dates the EU and has a membership of 47 states. The European Convention on Human Rights – ratified by the UK in 1951 - is a part of the Council of Europe and it is hoped that Britain will be held to account under it should Johnson attempt to diminish any of our human rights.
The council flag, which we should continue to fly, predates that of the EU and – get this – is (and always has been) a circle of 12 yellow stars on a background of blue.
Now, where have I seen that before….?
TURNING DEFEAT INTO HOLLOW VICTORY
Not so long ago every day seemed to bring another crass comparison between Brexit’s latest failure and a British military battle somewhere in the last 2000 years.
Author Freddy Forsyth brought memories of this flooding back writing about the early stages of Coronavirus in his Daily Express column:
“This has been the first Battle of Ypres, The Somme is yet to come. In future years those of us still here will look back on this time as comparable to The Armada, Waterloo and Dunkirk. Well, we won those battles and will emerge from this one prosperous and free of continental governance.”
OK, Fred…… Rule Britannia and all that. But it could only be a Brexiter who can claim that what happened at Dunkirk was a victory.
SLOGAN'S RUN
It has been suggested that the Labour Party should copy the Tories tactic of using snappy, three or four word slogans to seduce voters. Correct. These should be easily remembered, understood and accepted. Also correct. One that I’ve heard goes: “1000 Job losses undone.” Wrong. I think three words not four is right, should be easy to repeat and should also reinforce what people already know. How about “Can’t Trust Boris.”
A VERY BRITISH REVOLUTIONARY
“It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society when man has so far corrupted and prostituted the charity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.” Thomas Paine in “The Age of Reason” published in 1794.
This one truthful and wise statement by the father of the American Revolution describes Johnson and his basket of deplorable liars to a T. Paine died in 1809. His work remains eternal.
FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNS
Don’t blame the Chinese for the spread of Coronavirus in Britain. When it broke out there it was bound to spread in China because they had no warning and had to respond to something that nobody knew anything about, completely out of the blue. We, on the other hand, had plenty of warning, but spent all of January getting excited over a 50p piece and fussing over whether Big Ben would Bong.
When you point one finger at the Chinese, Boris, there are three fingers pointing right back at you.
OH, THE JOY
It may cheer some ardent Rejoiners up to know that a version of “Ode to Joy” can be loaded as a ringtone from the Zedge App. Every time my mobile rings now it makes me feel proud to still call myself European and I have to admit that more than once I’ve let my phone ring just for the sheer pleasure of hearing it.
THE TIM BRADFORD CARTOON
British cartoonist Tim Bradford posts a weekly cartoon called "What's Going On". I love it. I'll try to keep it as topical as possible but it's not always easy to be up to date. But I'm sure you'll enjoy them just the same.
SILLY POLITICAL PARTY OF THE WEEK
There have been some pretty dumbass political parties organised down the years, and not all of them in Britain. I've selected a few (one a week) that might raise a smile. This week's offering............
CLEAN UP NEWBURY TOWN SOCIETY
My good friend Shirley told me of the origins of this party from when she was one of the original Greenham Common Peace Women in the early 1980’s.
Greenham Common is near Newbury in Berkshire and those old enough to remember will recall the activists who protested against the installation of American nuclear missiles on British soil that overnight turned our country into a prime first-strike target for the Soviet Union in the event of nuclear war.
The party was started by local residents who objected to concerned citizens trying to save their country from being vapourised, with the intention of removing the protesters (they failed). They initially gave their party the above title, but subsequently re-named it when somebody pointed out that their name would look rather amusing when printed as an acronym on ballot papers.
And finally............
MY MATE LIZZY-WIZZY SAYS.....
First Mistress Carrie Symonds is up the duff. She should marry Boris Johnson immediately. With him and Dominic Cummings already in situ, the last thing we need in Downing Street is one more bastard.
Another update on the wonderful world of British politics on Sunday.
Have a good week everybody, and stay safe