Tuesday 27 April 2021
bill shankly and socialism
Toodle pip
Wednesday 21 April 2021
Saturday 10 April 2021
Thursday 8 April 2021
adrian phillips letter to keir starmer
An excellent open letter to Keir Starmer by Adrian Phillips in the West England Bylines, that expresses a lot of my feelings but in an eloquent way, unlike my off the cuff idiotic ranting. He puts forward a proposal at the end that would be marvellous if it happened, but there is no way l will be holding my breath for it (and l can hold my breath for a long time).
Dear Keir,
I am 81. I have always voted Labour, or – since I now live in a Conservative/LibDem marginal – LibDem. I was a strong Remainer. My career has been mainly in public service here and abroad in the environmental sector. Now you know “where I come from”.
The Conservative Party has morphed from a centre right party into the English National Party. The name has not changed but its core philosophy has altered fundamentally. I get the impression that the Labour Party has not realised the full significance of this. And perhaps the English have been slow to see it – but it is very apparent to people living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
One thing ought to be clear: the Labour Party cannot be a second English National Party. Waving union flags and beating jingoistic drums (albeit more softly) will never convince those who want the true thing and will embarrass and alienate those who find this kind of gesture nationalism offensive. And yet the government has been able to define this as the playing field upon which you feel you are required to operate.
Stand back and see what is happening to our politics. The government has attacked key institutions and processes that might stand in its way by illegally proroguing Parliament, breaking international law and aiming to roll back judicial review. It is threatening to restrict the rights of democratic protest. It wishes to make it more difficult for marginalised groups to vote (c.f. the Republican Party). It intimidates and undermines the independence of the BBC (as if it did not already have overwhelming and largely uncritical support from the MSM). It is ready to provoke a series of skirmishes in the ‘woke wars’ designed to keep alive the “anti-elite” resentment that played so well for Johnson et al in 2016 and 2019. It is happy to project a mildly delinquent image of the UK on the international stage in the name of sovereignty.
Many see this as the first steps towards a very British kind of fascism, or at least a drift towards a Hungary-style, one-party state. Even if you are reluctant to describe what is happening in those terms, it is clearly a deliberate and sustained assault on many of our tolerant traditions and democratic ways of working. And it is also an attempt to create the conditions in which lies, distortion and corruption go unchallenged and where our leaders use every device to avoid accountability (for COVID errors, for personal failings and policy disasters too numerous to list).
This is not politics as usual, nor can it be addressed through politics as normal. Given how our electoral system works, the Labour Party can only win power if it responds to the current crisis for British democracy by adopting a radically different way of working which completely re-sets the political landscape. In short, it needs to be bold in a way that it has – sadly – not so far shown an appetite for.
To grasp the political initiative, the Labour Party should declare that it believes there is now an unprecedented threat to our democracy which calls for unprecedented measures by all who value our democratic traditions: and that you are therefore inviting all other opposition parties – the Greens, the LibDems, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Alliance Party, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party – to join Labour in forming an Alliance for Progressive Democracy, to confront the slide into narrow English nationalism.
Such an alliance, would be confined to democracy-related issues and would be an arrangement for the rest of this Parliament only. Basically, it would be a time-limited political truce – rather like the war-time coalition – with three specific aims:
- to join together to confront the Government at every turn in Parliament, in the courts and in other ways when it threatens democratic institutions and processes. It won’t stop it, but it will make the progress of legislation more difficult and controversial.
- to raise public awareness of the threats to our democracy so that it is talked about and properly covered in the MSM and on the BBC. Brexit taught us two things: a matter of marginal interest to most people before 2016 was skilfully manipulated into becoming the defining issue and fault line in UK politics; and not all politics is about bread-and-butter issues. Why wouldn’t a rallying call to ‘Defend our Democracy’ – there’s your three word slogan – achieve comparable success?
- to discuss and seek agreement on the elements of constitutional change we want to see in the UK so that democracy is made safe in future. This may be no more than reaching agreement before the next election on the need for a Royal Commission on a written constitution and on a few principles for a new voting system based on Proportional Representation (PR) rather than First Past the Post (FPTP). Obviously, the pressure for a Scottish referendum will greatly complicate matters, but that is no reason not to explore the common ground with as many of the parties to the alliance as possible.
Just think how such an initiative by this group of parties might alter the political landscape. You would be setting the agenda, not following that of the government. The government would be faced with a combined opposition that would represent 57% of the 2019 vote. Public opinion would be awakened to the real threat to our rights and privileges. Many voters would respond positively to the unusual sight of parties working together. Millions, young people especially, who feel politically homeless at present would have a cause to rally to. And the ground could be laid for a winning alliance at the 2024 election.
Perhaps it is naïve to hope for a bold cross-party initiative like this, but I believe that politics as usual is not up the task of defending democracy against the threats it now faces and that it falls to the party you lead to show a different way forward.
Yours etc.
Adrian Phillips
Ed: Adrian is chair of Cheltenham for Europe.
Toodle pip
Tuesday 6 April 2021
the day after the pubs re-open
siouxsie sioux and jordan having fun in liverpool
Going out in Liverpool is normally a guarantee of a excellent night out, but try telling that to Siouxsie Sioux and Jordan, pictured here at Eric's in 1978 by Ray Stevenson.
cold war steve featuring diane abbott
Another top notch Cold War Steve, which serves as a reminder of the vitriolic press abuse that Diane Abbott received after having a drink on the tube, compared to the lack of action around Boris Johnson's regular lies, deception of Parliament, affairs, Cronyism, racist remarks, and defence of bullies, amongst other things. I couldn't stand Margaret Thatcher, but at least she had intelligence and (some) morals. Boris has neither, and isn't being held to account, which isn't good for the future of democracy.
Thursday 25 March 2021
The Velvet Underground – Guess I'm Fallin' In Love with Vocals – NEW! – ...
Monday 22 March 2021
def leppard early sighting at leeds fforde green hotel
I hitch hiked to Leeds many years ago when Def Leppard were just starting out, and saw them at Leeds FForde Green Hotel, a tiny venue which is sadly no longer in use for music. Also chatted to them, and bought an early t-shirt which would have been worth a fortune when they became huge in America, as it had the original title for their upcoming debut lp which was later changed, The band also invited me to their Newcastle show, with an offer to put me on the guest list. Great lads, despite the mauling they received from the British press for their American aspirations. Look at the advert and single, it's not like they were shy of wanting it, and l don't blame them, it's a working class dream. I saw them many times around that time, but the Leeds gig was my favourite, despite some other great nights with them at Newcastle Mayfair (also long gone).
Toodle pip
packaging of the year
I don't know if there is a packaging of the year award, but if there is, we have a winner!
hating people
From Viz. I can agree with a lot of the sentiment, but l sure miss gong to pubs and gigs.
the great god keef's fingers
new haircut means l could be bob mortimer's 'alistair the estate agent'
Saturday 20 March 2021
cold war steve nails it again
Another Cold War Steve classic. He's become the modern day chronicler of all that is crap with current Conservative politics
the first professional footballer gets the vaccine
Friday 19 March 2021
Wednesday 10 March 2021
Saturday 6 March 2021
paris st. germain v arsenal, and primal scream at rock city
therapy at rock city
I stumbled upon this ticket a few days ago. It's a gig l always forget l went to, and it's now 27 years ago this week. Therapy at Nottingham Rock City. Wasn't that bothered about seeing Therapy, but it was an excellent night out for the five of us lads who went down to it. Unless l'm misremembering dates, l think Arsenal were in a European cup final the same night, but that could have been a different Nottingham night out. I shall have to go and check, or it will bug me all evening.
glastonbury 1986
I know festival and concert prices have gone up a lot (when they are on), and it's easy to romanticise the past, but l preferred concerts ages ago, when it was for mainly for the alternative culture, prices were low, and you could get tickets all over the place, as most events didn't sell out (if they did) for ages.
Here's the flyer for Glastonbury 1986. Tickets in shops, and only £17 for the full event. Now tell me it wasn't better then.
a blast from the past - video stores
You don't find these any more - video stores. At first, the videos cost a fortune to hire, and there wasn't much choice, but the price reduced as the stock increased. Then.......All gone.
Toodle pip
my new trainers touring the usa
It's bad news when a pair of trainers l've just ordered are seeing more of the world than l am at the moment. I obviously knew they were being posted from America, but didn't realise they would be doing a little road trip first, as this screenshot testifies to. I'm now jealous of them, and they haven't even arrived yet.
Friday 5 March 2021
Monday 22 February 2021
Sunday 21 February 2021
Monday 15 February 2021
look at this man running in the snow
Look at this man running in the snow. On second thoughts...
Sunday 14 February 2021
pooh gives out advice
Some excellent advice from Pooh
cowdenbeath local news
as expected - trump is let off
It's not much of a surprise that Donald Trump has been cleared of impeachment thanxs to the spinelessness of his Republican party, but it is certainly depressing news as the fascist policies start to gain pace, not just in the good old US of A, but also in good old Blighty. Law and decency has been cast aside, and politicians who care more about power and riches, rather than ideals and decency gain ever increasing powers. Trump has lost the election, but either he'll be back, or (more scarily) a sleeker, younger, and cleverer version will be in his place. I'm not really sure how Republicans who aided and supported Trump are allowed to prevent him being found guilty, but that's for another day.
Anyway - Biden should forget about trying to appease any kind of hard core republicans, and aim towards solidifying the Democratic support, plus winning over the decent members of the GOP who have some morels left, and who realise democracy itself is at stake. There must be some out there.
There's a great piece by Frank Bruni in The New York Times here, and a snippet of it is below
Friday 12 February 2021
Wednesday 10 February 2021
proud to be a scouser (part 239)
Top of the league ma!! Top of the league!! Liverpool is the least Royalist area, and proud of it.
Grrrrrrrrr
No comment on this, as l'll be ranting all night, and l've got things to do tomorrow
captain sir tom moore arrives in heaven
I think the last thing Captain Sir Tom Moore would want to see when he arrived in heaven is load of steps. That's just taking the piss.
some recent news items
These two recent news items made me chuckle. I know lockdowns are serious, but you have to admire their quest for pleasure.
Tuesday 9 February 2021
Sunday 7 February 2021
the covid 19 vaccination rollout
Because of my line of work, l've already had my Covid 19 vaccination, but the following statement certainly made me chuckle.
a day in the life of tom baker, plus a dodgy old radio times cover about dr who
I'm pretty sure l've posted this before, but what the hell, it's always worth putting up.
Tom Baker's 'A Day In The Life Of' from a 1978 edition of 'The Sunday Times' newspaper, when he was still 'Dr Who' to all and sundry. Mr Baker and his crowd certainly liked the odd tipple or two, and it's amazing any work was done at all, although he does state that this is a day when he is not filming, and reminds the reader that he did walk away from being a Monk for the women and drink. By Jeffrey Bernard, on one of the occasions he was not 'Unwell'.
And on a related Dr Who theme, here's the cover of Radio Times from over 50 years ago (January 1971). It's promoting the Dr Who series with what looks to my corrupted eyes like a dodgy sexualised cover, as a hypnotised Jo Grant states she will 'Obey The Master'.
Saucy!
Toodle pip
Nearer my God to Thee - Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers
Saturday 6 February 2021
me after the manchester united v everton game
This is me after the Manchester United Everton game. Two valuable points thrown away.
Toodle pip