WAKE UP BRITAIN

 

The above short video is making the rounds this easter, about paying the bill for the last supper. Whilst it is amusing, the discussion of the menu and, ‘who had what?’ is a bit feeble. I would have thought gefilte fish and chopped liver might have been mentioned. In any event some acknowledgment of a traditional Passover meal. Also, as wine is part of the ritual, the waiter might have said something about corkage for bringing their own wine, as he had only served them water; or  "We only had the one cup and shared it round". There is a feeble water and wine joke, but I quibble. 

 

As to the events of the past few days, listening to the fatuous excuses to which conservative MP’s have resorted, in defence of criminality and venality on the part of their leader, is final confirmation that public service in this country has reached the lowest depth anyone could possibly imagine. The fact that they are given media time to voice their feeble grasp of what integrity and responsibility towards the citizens actually means, without challenge of any kind, is unforgiveable. Foreign leaders and officials can easily be criticised by journalists and presenters, but to openly call for the resignation of Boris Johnson for telling lies (it’s on video for goodness’ sake- we’ve all seen and heard the prevarications – it is a fact, not opinion) is not possible. They treat the situation as a difficult decision and allow any number of charlatans to speak complete nonsense, as if there was a matter for debate. They know full well that the political and administrative mechanism to make Boris Johnson resign, is completely flawed, or rather, virtually non-existent.

 

To now have another enquiry as to whether the Prime minister deliberately lied, or was he just misinformed and believed what he was saying and therefore unintentionally misled the house, is taking the piss.  He misled the house. He is responsible for checking his facts before he speaks. He didn’t care what he said. He was grossly negligent if nothing else. If that is not an abuse of his office, what is? He is responsible for deliberately misleading the house. How many more times does one have to see the compilation of videos of him doing so? Misspeak once, maybe, but over and over again? What kind of nonsense is this committee charade?

 

This is a serious failure of democracy. If free speech is to be allowed to continue in this country, it is incumbent upon the media to call out anyone who is willing to support this outrage and pressure them. Journalists should be asking every conservative member of parliament who comes before them “When are you going to ask him to resign, he’s lied, do you support a liar?” Do not let them waffle on. It’s a simple question. It is based on fact. The evidence is there. We do not need to be fair to Boris any more. He has broken the trust. He has bamboozled the public. What has happened to journalistic integrity? Has it gone the way of political integrity? When will they get a grip?

 

Every person that I have encountered has nothing good to say about Boris Johnson’s behaviour or anything about him. He seems to live in this cocoon of sycophants who prop him up and collude with his shamefaced excuses. Only a very few conservative MPs are so embarrassed by his performance, that they dare to speak out and call upon him to go. He has disgraced the honourable office he currently holds, according to one back bencher. Indeed he should move on; move on and out.

 

There are those who not only support Mr Johnson and believe that he could lead the party into the next general election and win, even if he receives more fixed penalty notices. It would seem there are a number of political pundits who think the same. If that is the case, either they are completely out of touch with reality or I am. If I am, then I believe the United Kingdom will descend further into a mire of duplicity, fraud and anti-social behaviour, the likes of which will take centuries to correct.

 

Newspaper readership has gone down by over 5.5 million readers, over half what it was in 2000. It has dropped from 10.8 million plus to 5.2 million. Nearly a 52% drop. In 2000 the Guardian circulation was 401,560 and in 2021 it is 108,687. It has lost 73% of its circulation in 11 years.  Do most people now get their news from Radio and Television, assuming they even watch the news? It is difficult to ascertain actual viewing figure of the various newscasts on television, but it would seem that Channel 4 news is favourite followed by BBC and ITV. Not sure where Sky news comes in, but Facebook and social media is also a means for gathering news information.

 

But that is just the problem, social media is more about social and media than it is about actual facts. Fewer and fewer people are reading or listening to real news. News channels now seem to compete with each other with analysis of events, rather than straight reporting. The political slant of each outlet is clear to see. Newspapers have an editorial page and an opinion section which makes it clear to the reader where their sympathies lie. The Guardian is outspoken and the latest columns from the likes of Andrew Rawnsley, Jonathan Freedland, Simon Jenkins, Polly Toynbee, John Crace and others, are all very clear where they stand, The Daily Express is equally as outspoken about its complete support of the Prime Minister, treating any criticism of his person or his agenda as not worthy of mention and a complete waste of time and space. This is equally the view of the Daily Mail, Evening Standard and the Daily Star - if it has any view at all about anything except celebrity gossip. The Times reports and tries to rise above and stays aloof, but is essentially conservative in its support for Johnson.

 

Be that as it may, most of the news media is clearly in support of the current government, and are prepared to ride out the prime minister’s difficulties and let the situation run its course. What readership there is left, unfortunately feeds on indecisive garbage under the impression that what happened a couple of years ago is really of little importance and are bored by the whole “party gate” thing.

 

The masses who do not read or effectively listen, are equally prepared to turn away and not bother. They show little interest in even voting, either because they don’t care, are bored to tears, or so disillusioned with politics that they do not see that their one little vote can actually matter. So the turnout is low, and the likes of Boris Johnson are put in office by a small minority of the population. The popular acquiescence towards this state of affairs gives the opportunity for those thus elected to claim a mandate from the public to do whatever they like.

 

To fail to understand how serious and damaging Boris Johnson’s behaviour and modus operandi is, is a sad reflection of the current situation around the country. His choice of cabinet has put forward legislation that defies description in its attempt to reverse the accomplishments of many who have gone before them, to create a free and open society, struggling to deal with its failures over prejudice in all its forms and accompanying phobias. There has been, in the past, concerted effort to deal with racism, homophobia, religious hatreds, fear of immigrants and any number of human problems; but, this government plays on those fears and attempts to step back from that progress and fortify the cruel opinions of fear and ignorance. They seek to enforce discrimination and glorify wrongdoing.

 

The very notion of imprisoning protestors for 15 years and removing asylum seekers to internment camps (for that is what they will be) 5000 miles away, under the claim of saving lives is an insult to human intelligence. The fact that the Home Secretary has the gall to arrogantly accuse opposition legislators with “You’re not listening. Listen and you might learn something” at the despatch box, is outrageous. All we learn from listening to the Home Secretary is how lacking she is in thought, imagination and competence. The rest of the Cabinet are of the same stamp. Puny and narrow minds who are leading this country to despair.

 

There is a clip in the film “The First of the Few” which depicts Dame Lady Houston’s yacht  in a harbour sporting an illuminated sign.  It is no less appropriate now as it was in 1929 as depicted in the film from 1942.

I should mention that although the depiction of Lady Houston (played by Toni Edgar-Bruce) in the film as an early opponent of Hitler and Fascism, she was in fact quite the opposite, and was a great admirer of strong leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini. She was also a fervent supporter of Edward VIII. Her third husband Sir Robert Houston, 1^st Baronet, died in 1926 aboard their yacht named Liberty, and left her roughly £5.5million which would be, in 2022, the equivalent of £358,205,950.04, which made her the second richest woman in England. When she was 16, she had taken up with Frederick Gretton (co-owner of Bass Brewery) who, on his death in 1882, left her (she was 25) an income of £6000 per annum, or todays equivalent of £769,068.87 per annum. She was apparently extremely distressed by the abdication of Edward VIII on the 10^th December 1936, and she died of a heart attack aged 79 on the 29^th December 1936, leaving no will. She had no children. Whatever happened to all that money?

 

Although, not liable to pay death duties on Houston’s estate, she negotiated personally with Winston Churchill, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, to pay £1.6 million (over £104 million today) without admitting liability. I wonder what deal Mrs Sunak came to with Mr. Sunak.