What is the real face of David Cameron’s Conservative Party? Have the Conservatives actually changed at all from the days of Margaret Thatcher and her failure to grasp what is meant by 'society' and her government’s failure to acknowledge the real implications of supporting Britons living in communities characterised by diversity rather than homogeneity?
Cameron’s attempts to empathise with hoodie-wearing teenagers and his claims to champion the NHS, are is being constantly and consistently undermined by ambitious and articulate members of the extreme right-wing of his own party. Daniel Hannan, it seems, is bidding for the leadership of the unacceptable face of the Conservatives, those that would dismantle those bits of the welfare state that Labour have not yet got round to privatising, those that would take us out of the European Union and thereby reverse the complex web of economic and political co-operation that has been built up over thirty five years.
The real danger for all of us is that if David Cameron is unfortunate enough to win the next general election, the right-wing of his party will call-in their debts, the promises he made to them during his campaign to become leader, like for example his promise to pull the Conservatives out of the European Peoples Party in the European Parliament which has already been called in. And it is not only his right-wing that Cameron has to worry about, he is also in debt to the Conservatives Party’s shadowy financial backers who will be expecting some significant returns on their investment.
If, or as seems increasingly likely, when this happens, Thatcherism will seem like a stroll in the park compared with the wholesale destruction of public services that is inevitable under a Cameron-led Conservative government.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Obama's Plan For Universal Healthcare
Many of you will have seen the disgusting performance of that prize twirp, Daniel Hannan MEP on Fox News rubbishing our National Health Service. David Cameron’s claim that the Conservatives are the party of the National Health Service is beginning to ring hollow, and raises serious doubts as to whether the NHS is going to be safe should the Conservatives win the next general election.
In the US big business interests supported by the conservative right are attempting to derail Obama’s plan for a universal healthcare system. These are similar business interests to those that seem to be funding the UK Conservative Party.
Avaaz.org has another petition designed to send a message to American citizens reassuring them that they have nothing to fear from a universal healthcare system similar to that which we are fortunate enough to benefit from, here in the UK.
If you feel inclined to reinforce this message, please visit the Avaaz.org website, and consider their petition
In the US big business interests supported by the conservative right are attempting to derail Obama’s plan for a universal healthcare system. These are similar business interests to those that seem to be funding the UK Conservative Party.
Avaaz.org has another petition designed to send a message to American citizens reassuring them that they have nothing to fear from a universal healthcare system similar to that which we are fortunate enough to benefit from, here in the UK.
If you feel inclined to reinforce this message, please visit the Avaaz.org website, and consider their petition
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
... Music
On leaving the Royal Academy, I was lucky enough to be able to drop in to St James’ Church, Piccadilly for the lunchtime concert featuring Katy Elman accompanied by Tim Brice and organised by the Concordia Foundation. This was superb fun with an eclectic mix of pieces including Brice’s clever arrangement of Erroll Garner’s ‘Misty’, Taps in Tempo by Jan Berenska, and Keiko Abe’s Prism.
For me, the highlight was the final piece – Czardas by Vittorio Monti in which Katy gave a virtuoso performance incorporating the marimba, the glockenspiel and the xylophone. You can sample some of her music on her website.
For me, the highlight was the final piece – Czardas by Vittorio Monti in which Katy gave a virtuoso performance incorporating the marimba, the glockenspiel and the xylophone. You can sample some of her music on her website.
Art And...
St Eulalia (1885)
A visit to Sussex to see a new grand-daughter provided a convenient excuse for a quick trip to the Royal Academy to see the J W (John William) Waterhouse retrospective. Sub-titled the Modern Pre-Raphaelite, Waterhouse is probably best remembered for his fascinating The Lady of Shalott (1888) a typical example of his love of subjects inspired by romantic literature and myth and clearly influenced by the works of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who most of us are following in BBC 2’s excellent costume drama Desperate Romantics as well as BBC 4’s documentary series entitled simply The Pre-Raphaelites.
Like the members of the Brotherhood, whose first meeting took place the year he was born, Waterhouse clearly loved painting beautiful women in natural settings and has to be one of the finest figurative painters of his generation. What particularly impressed me in the exhibition were his paintings that incorporated groups of figures, in particular Consulting the Oracle (1884), St Eulalia (1885), The Favourites of Emperor Honorius (1883). Of the single figure paintings, two are especially poignant, Miranda (1875) and Psyche Opening the Golden Box (1903). Also exhibited are a number of chalk studies of female heads which clearly show what a great draughtsman Waterhouse was.
All in all this was an interesting exhibition but as Richard Dorment stated in his Telegraph review slightly “one-dimensional”. After all, one can have too much of Waterhouse’s rather stylised clothed, semi-clothed and naked heroines, nymphs and mermaids in a single exhibition, and perhaps there is just too much symbolism at one go. Having said that his St Eulalia (1885) is for me, a lot more impressive than The Lady of Shalott.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
In Praise Of Age Concern
I would like to use this post to publicly thank Age Concern Cymru for introducing me to Nordic Walking at a one day course held at the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre. Some 72 of us, from all over South and Mid Wales, gathered there yesterday to be inducted into the intricacies of Nordic Walking, a fitness activity derived from summer training for cross country skiers and obviously having been developed in the Nordic countries.
The idea is to use two lightweight poles to assist walking in a style that is similar to marching in that it emphasises the rhythm of the walker and exercises the upper body as well as the lower body. You can get a better idea of what it is about from the Nordic Walking website. It is an activity that can benefit both ardent and occasional walkers and is well worth trying whatever your age, shape and stamina level. The only pre-requisite is that you are able to walk a mile unaided.
We all had a very enjoyable day on Mynydd Illtyd Common and most of us became instant devotees of this curious but exhilarating form of fitness activity, and by the way, you get the fresh air and good company thrown in for free.
The idea is to use two lightweight poles to assist walking in a style that is similar to marching in that it emphasises the rhythm of the walker and exercises the upper body as well as the lower body. You can get a better idea of what it is about from the Nordic Walking website. It is an activity that can benefit both ardent and occasional walkers and is well worth trying whatever your age, shape and stamina level. The only pre-requisite is that you are able to walk a mile unaided.
We all had a very enjoyable day on Mynydd Illtyd Common and most of us became instant devotees of this curious but exhilarating form of fitness activity, and by the way, you get the fresh air and good company thrown in for free.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Self-Congratulation And Nauseous Sycophancy
All three of our local newspapers this week have letters from Cllr Gary Price and Harold Nicholls concerning the recent by-elections held for seats on Llandrindod Wells Town Council. Gary is, of course, triumphant and full of self-congratulation. Once again he trumpets his notion of taking Llandrindod Wells forward, but precisely what this means and how he is going to do it remains a mystery.
As might be expected, Harold Nicholls’ letter is nauseatingly sycophantic, and both of them make veiled and totally unsubstantiated allegations about the motives and actions of their fellow councillors. Price alleges “sickeningly underhand tactics” because a fellow councillor had the temerity to campaign for his opponent, and Nicholls alleges that: “…most of the town councillors get in by being appointed by their friends who are already on the council and have never fought an election.”
Now in the last twelve months, as far as I can recall, the only co-opted town councillor was Keith Tampin who precipitated this whole sorry incident by walking out of the council chamber after his intemperate remarks concerning the Chairman of the Council and who’s case was strongly advocated by none other than his friend, Cllr Gary Price. All the other town councillors have stood for election on one or more occasions. While it may be true that some have not been opposed, that is hardly their fault. So once again we have Gary Price's mentor and chief propagandist pedalling his usual half truths and innuendo.
This whole episode is interesting in that it gives us a good example of how mediocre but unscrupulous politicians create the cult of their own personalities. All that is needed is a talent for self-publicity, a sycophantic supporter who can string two or more words together, and a compliant print media. For Harold Nicholls to suggest that Gary Price can, and does, ‘walk on water’ is taking the analogy just a little too far.
As might be expected, Harold Nicholls’ letter is nauseatingly sycophantic, and both of them make veiled and totally unsubstantiated allegations about the motives and actions of their fellow councillors. Price alleges “sickeningly underhand tactics” because a fellow councillor had the temerity to campaign for his opponent, and Nicholls alleges that: “…most of the town councillors get in by being appointed by their friends who are already on the council and have never fought an election.”
Now in the last twelve months, as far as I can recall, the only co-opted town councillor was Keith Tampin who precipitated this whole sorry incident by walking out of the council chamber after his intemperate remarks concerning the Chairman of the Council and who’s case was strongly advocated by none other than his friend, Cllr Gary Price. All the other town councillors have stood for election on one or more occasions. While it may be true that some have not been opposed, that is hardly their fault. So once again we have Gary Price's mentor and chief propagandist pedalling his usual half truths and innuendo.
This whole episode is interesting in that it gives us a good example of how mediocre but unscrupulous politicians create the cult of their own personalities. All that is needed is a talent for self-publicity, a sycophantic supporter who can string two or more words together, and a compliant print media. For Harold Nicholls to suggest that Gary Price can, and does, ‘walk on water’ is taking the analogy just a little too far.
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Please Sign This Petition
I rarely use this blog to call for direct action, however as an antidote to all the ranting I do, I would ask you to think about adding your support to this world wide campaign to address the huge affront to the human race that is the military junta in Burma
Avaaz.org, the world wide campaigning group have launched a petition to try to get the United Nations Security Council to act in support of a return to democracy in Burma. This is part of their appeal:
"Today, the ailing Nobel laureate and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to another year and a half in detention by a Burmese kangaroo court.
Suu Kyi's treatment is just the tip of the iceberg of the brutality of the Burmese regime -- spanning 40 years of murder, torture, mass rape, and slave labour.
It's time for the world to put the Burmese generals on trial. Avaaz is launching a call for the UN Security Council to investigate the regime for crimes against humanity -- a judgment of guilt could lead to prosecution of top generals by the International Criminal Court."
Some of my Swiss relatives have, for many years, been supporting a church-based charity working with the Karen minority in a remote part of Burma and visit that area for up to a month once or sometimes twice a year. By their accounts conditions for these people are very difficult, and a return to democratic government in Burma is likely to improve their situation significantly.
Please think about adding your name to this petition.
Avaaz.org, the world wide campaigning group have launched a petition to try to get the United Nations Security Council to act in support of a return to democracy in Burma. This is part of their appeal:
"Today, the ailing Nobel laureate and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to another year and a half in detention by a Burmese kangaroo court.
Suu Kyi's treatment is just the tip of the iceberg of the brutality of the Burmese regime -- spanning 40 years of murder, torture, mass rape, and slave labour.
It's time for the world to put the Burmese generals on trial. Avaaz is launching a call for the UN Security Council to investigate the regime for crimes against humanity -- a judgment of guilt could lead to prosecution of top generals by the International Criminal Court."
Some of my Swiss relatives have, for many years, been supporting a church-based charity working with the Karen minority in a remote part of Burma and visit that area for up to a month once or sometimes twice a year. By their accounts conditions for these people are very difficult, and a return to democratic government in Burma is likely to improve their situation significantly.
Please think about adding your name to this petition.
Friday, 7 August 2009
Secularising Society - Keeping Religion And Politics Apart
Today’s County Times has an even more scary headline: “Jeff’s Britain’s first ‘elected Christian’” and includes a quote from one Rev George Hargreaves, leader of the Christian Party:
“I give all the glory to the Lord. This is both awesome and historic. This is the first time that a confessional Christian faith based political party has won political office in Britain. This is ‘first fruit’. This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our sight.” Don’t you just love his use of language? It is reminiscent of how English was spoken at the time of the English Civil War.
A quick perusal of the Welsh Christian Party’s website contains the party’s Statement of Faith. It is in my view, fundamentalist, dogmatic and wholly unforgiving of human weaknesses. Clauses 3 and 4 give a flavour of the Christian Party's uncompromising and literal acceptance of biblical tradition:
3 We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired, infallible, written Word of God to whose precepts, given for the good of nations and individuals, all man’s law must submit.
4 We believe all government to be under the authority of God and that the purpose of government is the maintenance of freedom and justice solely in accordance with biblical principles.
I have no wish to mock anyone’s religion, only to plead for the secularising of British society, and in this, I find that I tend towards the views of A C Grayling, although I don’t think I am quite as militant as he is.
Grayling argues that the public domain needs to be made wholly secular, “… leaving religion to the personal sphere, as a matter of private conviction and practice only. Society should be blind to religion both in the sense that it lets people believe and behave as they wish provided they do no harm to others, and in the sense that it acts as if religions do not exist, with public affairs being straightforwardly secular in character.”
“I give all the glory to the Lord. This is both awesome and historic. This is the first time that a confessional Christian faith based political party has won political office in Britain. This is ‘first fruit’. This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our sight.” Don’t you just love his use of language? It is reminiscent of how English was spoken at the time of the English Civil War.
A quick perusal of the Welsh Christian Party’s website contains the party’s Statement of Faith. It is in my view, fundamentalist, dogmatic and wholly unforgiving of human weaknesses. Clauses 3 and 4 give a flavour of the Christian Party's uncompromising and literal acceptance of biblical tradition:
3 We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired, infallible, written Word of God to whose precepts, given for the good of nations and individuals, all man’s law must submit.
4 We believe all government to be under the authority of God and that the purpose of government is the maintenance of freedom and justice solely in accordance with biblical principles.
I have no wish to mock anyone’s religion, only to plead for the secularising of British society, and in this, I find that I tend towards the views of A C Grayling, although I don’t think I am quite as militant as he is.
Grayling argues that the public domain needs to be made wholly secular, “… leaving religion to the personal sphere, as a matter of private conviction and practice only. Society should be blind to religion both in the sense that it lets people believe and behave as they wish provided they do no harm to others, and in the sense that it acts as if religions do not exist, with public affairs being straightforwardly secular in character.”
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Godly Nation Or A Return To Salem?
Today’s Brecon and Radnor Express contains a chilling warning for those of us who are determined to maintain a secular rather than a religious system in all tiers of government. Page 6 has a report, under the headline “Halleluhah, Christians win town by-election”, of the results of the recent by-elections held for three vacant positions on Llandrindod Wells Town Council.
Briefly, the two vacant seats in South 2 Ward were won by County Councillor Sarah Millington, Welsh Conservatives and Jeff Green, Welsh Christian Party ”Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship”. In East Ward, County Councillor Gary Price, Llandrindod Wells Forward, was re-elected with an overwhelming majority to the seat he had stormed out of a couple of months ago amid allegations of “secrets and lies” on the part of some of his former colleagues and after having made some highly personal and objectionable comments about his fellow councillors.
What worries me and I think will worry other like-minded people locally, is the statement that new councillor, Jeff Green has given to the newspaper.
“I am very pleased and honoured to have represented the Christian Party of Wales in this election. I understand that this is the first council seat won by the Christian Party in the UK and I believe this is a great way forward for Christians to gain experience in the political arena and at the same time, have influence over their town or city.
I believe we have the basis of a system to help people get elected into these positions so they can affect positive change and start turning this nation back into a godly nation.”
I firmly believe that religious fundamentalism is dangerous in all its forms, it is the product of closed minds and driven by a fanatical, irrational sense of religious purpose that brooks no argument and tolerates no opposition. By definition a “Christian” Party represents a single interest group which is quite inappropriate in a modern and pluralistic society where people of many cultures have to rub along together as peacefully as possible. The rise of the Christian Right in the United States of America is a salutary lesson for us all, and I, for one, want none of its dogmatic intolerance of the other anywhere near where I live.
Finally, I do object to Jeff’s arrogant appropriation of the term “Christian” solely for the use of his own congregation as if none of the rest of us have ever been baptised, christened or confirmed as members of a Christian Church.
One of my earliest memories is of being take to the theatre by my parents to see Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and the cruelty and bigotry perpetrated by religious fundamentalists in it made a huge and lasting impression on me. Never mind the analogies with McCarthyism, just think about what was done in the name of creating a "godly nation".
Briefly, the two vacant seats in South 2 Ward were won by County Councillor Sarah Millington, Welsh Conservatives and Jeff Green, Welsh Christian Party ”Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship”. In East Ward, County Councillor Gary Price, Llandrindod Wells Forward, was re-elected with an overwhelming majority to the seat he had stormed out of a couple of months ago amid allegations of “secrets and lies” on the part of some of his former colleagues and after having made some highly personal and objectionable comments about his fellow councillors.
What worries me and I think will worry other like-minded people locally, is the statement that new councillor, Jeff Green has given to the newspaper.
“I am very pleased and honoured to have represented the Christian Party of Wales in this election. I understand that this is the first council seat won by the Christian Party in the UK and I believe this is a great way forward for Christians to gain experience in the political arena and at the same time, have influence over their town or city.
I believe we have the basis of a system to help people get elected into these positions so they can affect positive change and start turning this nation back into a godly nation.”
I firmly believe that religious fundamentalism is dangerous in all its forms, it is the product of closed minds and driven by a fanatical, irrational sense of religious purpose that brooks no argument and tolerates no opposition. By definition a “Christian” Party represents a single interest group which is quite inappropriate in a modern and pluralistic society where people of many cultures have to rub along together as peacefully as possible. The rise of the Christian Right in the United States of America is a salutary lesson for us all, and I, for one, want none of its dogmatic intolerance of the other anywhere near where I live.
Finally, I do object to Jeff’s arrogant appropriation of the term “Christian” solely for the use of his own congregation as if none of the rest of us have ever been baptised, christened or confirmed as members of a Christian Church.
One of my earliest memories is of being take to the theatre by my parents to see Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and the cruelty and bigotry perpetrated by religious fundamentalists in it made a huge and lasting impression on me. Never mind the analogies with McCarthyism, just think about what was done in the name of creating a "godly nation".
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Fair Rewards For All?
Are we beginning to learn lessons from the recent chaos in the world of finance? It would seem that the people who matter are, at long last, beginning to take on board the need to address the thorny issue of supranational financial regulation.
In a Guardian article today, John Keane points us to the emergence of initiatives to establish non-governmental international financial regulation with the proposed Financial Stability Board by the G20. This comes as an addition to the recent decision of EU leaders to establish a systemic risk council, supervisory colleges and a single European rule book applicable to all financial institutions. Although Keane strikes a distinct note of scepticism he seems to concede that these are promising signs of a new determination to learn the necessary lessons of the dangers of governments turning a blind eye to what is happening in the world of international finance as long as the profits keep coming.
What we need now is a rethinking of the sytem of rewards for labour, knowledge and skills to come up with a moral and equitable methodology for rewarding people fairly for the work that they do and the risks that they take.
The reward for risk needs to reflect whether that risk is being taken with one’s own account or whether it is being taken on behalf of unsophisticated savers who have entrusted their financial resources to fund managers in the hope of gaining a fair and reasonable reward. I think it was Edward Heath in the early 1970s who was moved by an earlier crisis in the capitalist system to remind us that profit is not a dirty word. Given the results announced yesterday by both Barclays and HSBC, perhaps we need a further reminder that normal profit is the reward for risk taking and that super normal profit is the reward for unacceptable greed.
In a Guardian article today, John Keane points us to the emergence of initiatives to establish non-governmental international financial regulation with the proposed Financial Stability Board by the G20. This comes as an addition to the recent decision of EU leaders to establish a systemic risk council, supervisory colleges and a single European rule book applicable to all financial institutions. Although Keane strikes a distinct note of scepticism he seems to concede that these are promising signs of a new determination to learn the necessary lessons of the dangers of governments turning a blind eye to what is happening in the world of international finance as long as the profits keep coming.
What we need now is a rethinking of the sytem of rewards for labour, knowledge and skills to come up with a moral and equitable methodology for rewarding people fairly for the work that they do and the risks that they take.
The reward for risk needs to reflect whether that risk is being taken with one’s own account or whether it is being taken on behalf of unsophisticated savers who have entrusted their financial resources to fund managers in the hope of gaining a fair and reasonable reward. I think it was Edward Heath in the early 1970s who was moved by an earlier crisis in the capitalist system to remind us that profit is not a dirty word. Given the results announced yesterday by both Barclays and HSBC, perhaps we need a further reminder that normal profit is the reward for risk taking and that super normal profit is the reward for unacceptable greed.
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