History – Page 6 – Boadicea's Chariot

K.I.S.S.

Justin Welby

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/13/archbishop-suggests-brexit-fascist-tradition

I beg to differ, Justin. And I offer the K.I.S.S. mantra in celebration both of today’s romantic tradition and of common sense. The British attitude (yes, a generalisation, I know, but a well-documented one) to European unity post WWII was always to welcome uncomplicated trade ties but to be suspicious of political links. We were gradually entangled in the tentacles of a growing monster, allowing ambitious politicians too much rope and suffering the consequences. And voting to leave cannot be called a fascist act! If it can be termed a revolution , then it’s against the abuse of unelected power and the loss of British sovereignty, and in support of real democracy.

The EUroprats will seek to over-complicate Brexit, believing erroneously that procrastination will serve their cause, while many of the individual member states will wish to hasten a solution, to avoid disruption of bilateral relations with the UK.

Simples.

Whose darling is Charlie?

It gives me no pleasure to report that the PoW is gradually disqualifying himself from kingship. Why? How?

Well, loyal monarchists, you already know that the Monarch is revered for her studied neutrality (despite a lovable slip of the tongue on Brexit!) while her heir is building for himself a reputation as a meddler. He probably convinces himself that comment on climate change and religious persecution is not political, failing to recognise that all serious issues become political as soon as a head of state (in waiting) comments. His latest (alleged) statement is that people are now too obsessed by Brexit (to care about his priorities).

Can’t he just nurture his thespian talents or fall off a few more polo ponies? Luckily his sons have both feet on the ground.

Where’s the beef?

Please pardon my use of an ’80s catchphrase from Madison Avenue but I’m struggling to understand why so many Yanks, non-Yanks and (allegedly) Mexicans object to the promised Trump wall. I suspect the Mexican gubmint’s objection is based on Trump’s high-handed assumption that the border is his to control rather than shared; and his demand that Mexico must pay for it.

There can be no comparison with the Berlin wall, which divided a single country. There is no comparison with Shengen, based on agreed principles of trade and movement. The USA needs to deal with illegal immigration and the drug trade. How else but by erecting a physical barrier capable of being defended?

Suggestions, please, on plastic fivers……

Short and sweet

”A bill to confer power on the Prime Minister to notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Power to notify withdrawal from the EU

(1)The Prime Minister may notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.

(2)This section has effect despite any provision made by or under the European Communities Act 1972 or any other enactment.

2 Short title

This Act may be cited as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017.”

Clarity of expression is a thing of beauty. Mess about with that, Bremainers!

Lookin’ good, Ms May

may-eu

The meeja clever dicks are already up in arms about the PM’s priorities for Brexit, kick-off timed for the end March BST. But the ever-fickle markets for money seem to approve and have swiftly reversed the Brexit discount they applied yesterday before she spoke. So I approve too, given the sterling nature of my pensions.

Being British but not being liberal or elite, I applaud the idea of explaining slowly and loudly to the Continentals in English that there’s more than one way to trade together, to deal with immigration and to subsidise worthwhile activities – none of them involving the EU, its legal set-up and its federal ambitions. And more fool the Europrats if they can’t follow the logic or see the light.

Keep calm and carry the day, Ms May.

Inaugural caption, anybody?

I heard about you from my friend, Nigel

Meg’s mate

This is your Court correspondent, reporting on the life and work of Snowdon, just call him Tony.

Of course those society snappers faced awful temptations. Some resisted, I’m sure; others, like Tony, indulged. But (again of course, given the the tempora and the mores) the extent of the indulgence was never revealed.

After Meg succumbed to the curse of her cigs, Tony continued to bat for both sides, taking his latest handsome squeezes to be entertained to dinner by ‘friends’.

A full-colour fella, eh? RIP.

The green line

In ’67 I visited a relative serving in the RAF at Akrotiri, conveyed by an ear-shattering VC10 in the company of other families. We landed in Nicosia, at an airport which fell out of service in ’74 when Cyprus was split in two, the warring sides separated by the green line on a military map. I was shown the bustling port of Famagusta too, which has been a ghost town since ’74.

So I’m intrigued by the latest efforts to reconcile the north and south of the island at talks now underway in Geneva. My good friends there would be more than happy to recover their families’ long-lost properties. But there are serious reservations about Turkey’s willingness to withdraw their forces.

I hope Cyprus achieves unification. Fingers crossed.

C’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?

Hacking, bugging, snooping, leaking, infiltrating, etc., etc., seem to be the daily agenda for governments, as they have, I guess, since Adam were a lad. So let’s save our concern that Russia showed interest in the US election. Do we imagine the US is idle in Moscow or Beijing or Delhi or London or…..?

No doubt the meeja will be reporting Trump’s first decisions as President almost before he has made them; and the Brexit negotiations will be about as secret as a fart in a bathtub.

It’s interesting that Trump chooses to herald his activities by using social media, which can hardly be pre-empted by data thieves! Not a bad idea, perhaps.

Elementary?

I realise that during the holidays (Am.) all discerning trend-setters among screen addicts will have been on Netflix (or similar) but back among the plebs a milestone was reached.

I recall that from my earliest years it was mandatory at home to be silent at 3 pm on Xmas day to listen/watch HM the Queen making her annual speech to her subjects, on pain of Grandpa’s awful displeasure: Shut up! So it was.

But in 2016, for the first time, more tv sets were tuned to less regal matters: the first episode of a new series of Sherlock, promising fiendishly new twists and subtle references to the old characters and events. Obviously the average Brit isn’t quite so addicted to the monarch’s words. Or maybe only the pensioners tune in these days. Like Donald J Trump, the twat generation have little time for broadcast speeches of more than 140 characters.

Sic transit gloria mundi.