These days, a growing number of people are coming up with rude names for Mr Johnson, the UK Prime Minster. I too have a name for him which could be described as rude. But, in my case, I would argue that the reason I use this name is not just to vent my exasperation or express my contempt, although I… continue reading
Category honour in parliament
Mr Johnson’s True Name
I sent this poem and the one below to my own MP several days ago now. This MP is a Tory and belongs in the “2019 intake.” A member of the MP’s team contacted back just to check that I lived in her constituency and could thus expect her to “represent” me. I assured that person that I did and… continue reading
… Ethics in UK Politics
Here below is the copy of a letter I’ve sent this week to Lord Evans of Weardale, Chair of the UK’s independent committee on standards in public life. By coincidence, just before Mr Johnson’s extraordinary contortions in the House of Commons two days ago, Lord Evans’ committee produced a report recommending certain improvements in the way ethical standards are maintained… continue reading
The Potent Appeal of the “Strong Model”
Why do certain behaviours, or opinions, or political policies, become popular at some point, where before they would have been rejected out of hand ? Why do certain approaches, or qualities of presentation, previously scorned, suddenly start to be given value ? And do all such changes represent advance, or improvement ? No.
And caught up as we are in… continue reading
In Search of Good Faith
I have been carrying a little string of thoughts in my head for several weeks. They make a point I haven’t seen being made elsewhere and which might be worth adding to the mix. Maybe it would be of interest to someone passing, even throw some further light, however dim and peripheral, on what’s happening around us, or at least… continue reading
So where have we got to, so far, in 2021 ?
So where have we got to, so far, in the year 2021 ? Locked in, locked down, sundered from outer family – again. And everywhere, the virus and its effects, spreading yet further, pressing wider and deeper. The masked face, still – and ever increasingly – the image of our time. In the US, a few days ago, that enormous… continue reading
A Letter to my MP
My local MP is new to politics, was recently a lawyer and is a Tory. The following is a copy of a letter I sent to that person quite recently. (I have had a reply since, which I found of no account, and I shall not bother to reproduce it here). Now, this afternoon, our toy Prime minister Mr Johnson… continue reading