SCRATCH AND SCRUMMAGE

It is said that rugby is a dangerous and violent game, whose participants often get hurt. We are seeing some early clashes from the Rugby World Cup being held in Japan and certainly there are many formidable physiques to admire or dread depending on which side you are following. However rather more blood, at least metaphorically, is being shed in and around Westminster where the Crown and Executive at No.10, the Legislature at the Houses of Parliament and the Judiciary at the Supreme Court are colliding in an unprecedentedly deadly conflict, with the luckless citizen and voter consigned to the margins. It is not clear who will prevail, but the hurt and damage could be extensive.

Gloating Commons Speaker Bercow

Spider-brooched Lady Hale of the Supreme Court

In rugby, good looks do not last long and English back and one-time Captain Owen Farrell was once easy on the eye. He is now rather battered and bruised, not unlike our Westminster Prime Minister Boris Johnson, coarsened by keeping company with some ghastly MPs and being attacked viciously by his own brother and sister. He has had to grow a second tough skin and all the pious talk condemning his use of words like “traitor” and “betrayal” is mere humbug.

Boris Johnson, grimly attacked on all sides

Owen Farrell, fouled by high tackles

We know that “dirty tricks” emanate from the scrummages or from behind the Speaker’s Chair; some heavyweights are to be found there. In rugby we can depend upon gigantic 24-stone Tongan Ben Tameifuna and England’s tough customer Joe Marler.

Ben Tameifuma, 24-stone Tongan

England veteran Joe Marler

Yet far more conspiratorial are the Westminster front and second rows. The extra-large sized Emily Thornberry (actually Lady Nugee, a toff married to High Court judge Sir Christopher) has changed her views on Brexit several times, as has every Labourite, and she is the shadow Foreign secretary. Where her allegiances now lie was clear from her wearing of a European star necklace and Brussels blue dress on addressing the Labour Conference. The Tories could field Nicholas Soames, from whom the Tory Whip was withdrawn for his defiance; his ex-wife disloyally said that being made love to by Nicholas was like having a heavy wardrobe fall on you with a small key sticking out!

Emily Thornberry (not known as Lady Nugee)

Arrogant Christopher Soames

At least the rugby teams in Japan know the rules of the game even if they are regularly updated. Boris is not so lucky, as the Supreme Court has ambushed him with its “constitutional coup” advancing its controversial powers of Judicial Review to embrace Royal Prerogative matters like Prorogation. Soon the holding of elections will be subject to a judge’s fiat: we do not want a politicised Judiciary as it will inevitably lead to American-style nomination procedures, with MPs deciding on the suitability of appointees to our Supreme Court.

Back in Parliament, aided and abetted by the supposedly neutral Speaker, the execrable John Bercow, the Opposition has forced through an Act designed to prevent a No Deal Brexit (ultimately an Executive matter) and insisting Boris writes a letter (text set out in the Act) seeking an extension of Article 50 from the EU. Boris says no, let’s instead have an election. The Opposition refuses, knowing the public want Brexit, deal or no deal, and that they will lose many seats.

When the election comes, as come it will, Boris will surely protect his Leaver bloc by having an electoral pact with Farage’s Brexit Party and they together will sweep the board. The Remainers will have lost the election, but they will also have lost all respect from an electorate they have obstructed, cheated and deceived for these long 3 years.

In Japan it is possible to say “may the best team win” the Rugby World Cup. No such magnanimity is possible in the Brexit struggle. In conclusion I give you two midgets, a doughty and courageous Japanese scrum half (5ft 4in) and 72 kilos, Fumiaki Tanaka. The other is insincere, unthinking, confused and incompetent Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, maybe our next Prime Minister if the Remainer plotters get their way. Which seems a better fellow to you?

Fumiaki Tanaka passes the ball

 

Jeremy Corbyn narrows his eyes

SMD

26.09.19

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2019

PORTRAIT PAINTING

To escape from the horrors of contemporary British politics, I turn to higher and more inspiring things and invite you to share with me a canter through the glories of Western portrait painting, a genre mastered by some of our greatest artists of all nationalities, creeds and opinions.

The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck (1434)

This early Netherlandish painting of an Italian merchant with his betrothed in Bruges, has exquisite detail and has attracted much scholarly disputation. The mirror symbolizes an all-seeing deity, the dog, fidelity, and apparently the lady is not pregnant, but she has a fine green dress! The man has an odd hat to add to his air of lordly superiority, but don’t we all affect such airs?

The Doge Leonardo Loredan (1501) by Bellini

                        

This sumptuous Renaissance portrait of a self-assured Venetian Doge with his ornamental buttons, fancy cape and peculiar head-dress was bought by the profligate plutocrat William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey fame for 13 guineas in 1807 – later sold to the National Gallery in 1844 for £640. Well, the painting did at least somebody a good turn.

A very familiar piece is Lucas Cranach’s portrait of his pal Martin Luther, looking resolute if proletarian, quite ready to nail his Ninety-five Theses through the heads of his enemies as well as on the door of that church in Wittenburg in 1517.

Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach (1529)

Hans Holbein painted many of the great and good (?) of the 16^th century including Erasmus, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell. If you turn a blind eye to his burning alive of some ardent Protestants, Sir Thomas More was credited as a martyred humanist and the Catholics canonized him and made him the patron saint of politicians and statesmen. What a rum constituency that mob make!

Thomas More from the Frick, NY by Hans Holbein (1527)

                                          

The 17^th century bred many prolific portraitists as the Dutch Golden Age reached its apogee. An iconic portrait is The Laughing Cavalier taking pride of place in London’s superb Wallace Collection. Yet he is neither laughing nor a cavalier. Despite the fine lace, braid and whiskers he in fact looks like the kind of fellow from whom you would hesitate to buy a second-hand car.

The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals (1624)

The Stuart dynasty in Britain patronized great artists like Rubens, and three versions of Charles I were served up by Anthony van Dyck in his famous portrait. Charles’ salad days were all too brief and in 1649 he walked through the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall, ceiling adorned by Rubens’ apotheosis of his father James I, to the scaffold where he was decapitated with very little artistic grace indeed.

Triple Portrait of Charles I by van Dyck (1636)

The Dutch are justly proud of Rembrandt and his monumental The Night Watch is the prize exhibit at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is a group portrait of an agreeable, if preening, squad of Dutch burghers about their civic duties, lit in masterly chiaroscuro.

The Night Watch by Rembrandt (1642)

                     

We jump forward to 18^th century Rococo. The fine English artist Hogarth painted a selfie, adding his pug dog, appropriately named Trump.

The Painter and his Pug by William Hogarth (1745)

                                             

Amid a plethora of great portraits from Reynolds, Zoffany and Wright of Derby, perhaps the most popular effort was The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough now gracing the Huntington Library in San Marino, California.

The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough (1770)

                                            

My native Scotland produced masters like Allan Ramsay and Henry Raeburn and a striking portrait hangs in the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh of The Rev Robert Walker. Attribution to Raeburn is disputed (Imperialistic French claim it is by their H-P Danleux) but Scotland has it and holds it.

The Skating Clergyman by Henry Raeburn (1790)

Long after he stopped painting sycophantic portraits of Emperor Napoleon, the French master Ingres produced the excellent Portrait of M. Bertin, a leading critic and writer, exuding strength and sagacity despite his ugly crab-like hands.

Portrait of Monsieur Bertin by J A-D Ingres (1832)

Portrait of Dr Gachet by Vincent van Gogh (1890)

Art had moved on during the 19^th century and van Gogh’s technique and perspectives were very different from those of Ingres. Dr Gachet was a homeopathic doctor treating Vincent at an asylum. He looks utterly depressed, or was that a reflection of Vincent’s state of mind?

The 20^th century saw portraiture shatter into many schools with those of Picasso and Francis Bacon bemusing us. Yet the world’s most expensive painting at one time (a snip for $135m) came from Gustav Klimt.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt (1907)

Winston Churchill by Graham Sutherland (1954)

More conventional is the style of Graham Sutherland who was commissioned by Parliament to portray Churchill, who was presented with the painting on his retirement amid much fanfare. Unfortunately, for some reason, Churchill hated the painting passionately and after an interval his wife Clemmie consigned the picture to the bonfire, rather a reprehensible act of vandalism and ingratitude!

Clearly portraits can rouse emotions and the effort below inspires hope, gratitude and resolution in all loyal Conservatives. May her robust spirit enthuse us all!

Margaret Thatcher in Glory (after Rubens' Assumption) 2013

 

SMD

19.09.19

Text Copyright Sidney Donald 2019

BORIS, FREEDOM FIGHTER AND LIBERATOR

It has clearly been a torrid week or so for Boris’ new Conservative government, reeling under many a set-back, and there has been much unseemly gloating from the Remain camp. We have been told that Boris is “a busted flush” and “finished” – but these obsequies are premature – Boris has plenty of ammunition left in his locker and will bounce back with his own inimitable brand of populist panache. At last, we have had a Damascus moment and the scales have fallen from our eyes. The accepted narrative needs to be utterly overhauled. Boris is not simply a Tory Radical but he is something far more relevant to our age. Boris is our Freedom Fighter and our Liberator from Imperialism!

Boris takes the reins

Europe has been a target and hotbed for Imperial ambitions for centuries. The Counter-Reformation Popes planned religious subjection; Louis XIV thought France must be the dominant power: Napoleon played the same tune and conquered almost all: Metternich sought to condemn huge swathes of Europe to Habsburg influence: Bismarck expanded the dark militaristic aims of Prussia, by defeating the Habsburgs and France. The Great War destroyed at least 3 Empires and severely wounded 2 others: Nazi Germany under Hitler held sway over Europe for 5 horrendous years. A later promising detente between de Gaulle and Adenauer, creating the EEC, then deteriorated into an Imperialist adventure under Delors and later Juncker – a headlong rush towards a unitary state in Europe – which Britain had supinely joined and quickly regretted. Boris wants us to leave (as 52% of voters instructed Parliament to do in the 2016 referendum) and faces a cocky EU, a recalcitrant Parliament and a hostile Establishment.

Merkel and Macron: United in enmity to the UK

In resisting this array of enemies, Boris joins a select company of British freedom fighters.  The legendary figures of Hereward the Wake and Robin Hood are joined by iconic hero Robert the Bruce (remember the spider in his cave – if at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again?) and formidable Oliver Cromwell who made short work of Parliaments who ignore public opinion – “You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!” Cromwell’s words will resonate with Boris and with the bulk of the UK electorate. Most of all, let us recall Boris’ hero Winston Churchill, who defied the world after Dunkirk, epitomised by Low’s Evening Standard cartoon of 18.06.1940:

The enemies of Brexit now have a slim majority in Parliament, boosted by many of the 21 Tory MPs and malcontents disciplined by Boris after they teamed up with the Opposition in backing legislation outlawing No Deal. They deserved that disciplining – Theresa May gave them far too much latitude to be disloyal. Britain’s Brexit is not within the gift of the EU – if Britain wishes to leave and no acceptable deal is offered by the EU, Britain simply leaves. That was always the likely scenario, if not the preferred scenario.

The EU is a secretive, anti-democratic and grasping institution. Why the Remainers persist in their uncritical admiration, despite all the evidence, beats me as the EU is falling behind its main competitors, thanks to its inward-looking attitudes and stifling bureaucracy. Many UK Establishment figures have of course fed well on the EU’s pickings with expat salary packages, lavish pensions and endless jobs for the boys. Big businesses hate any change as it needs them to adapt and think, instead of counting their money. The EU in its crass indifference allows politicians to forget about “those who barely manage” or “the huddled masses yearning to be free”. Parliament is even frustrating a general election, which Boris wishes to call (and would probably win with the Remainers facing meltdown).

Worst of all, Parliament insists that, if no deal is forthcoming, Boris requests an extension of the Brexit deadline to after 31 October, vociferously rejected by Boris who said he would rather be dead in a ditch. It is wholly improper for Parliament to micro-manage government business and any such law will surely be challenged in the highest court of the land. The arrogant assertion of the Remainers that Parliament can dictate to the Executive in such matters is contrary to all conventions, as Jacob Rees-Mogg eloquently pointed out in defending the government in the Commons.

The Remainers work hand-in-glove with Brussels and plot a so-called “Government of National Unity” to supplant Boris. In other words, they seek to install an unelected Quisling Collaborationist Government on the lines of the Vichy Regime in France 1940-44. Kenneth Clarke, once a good Health Minister and an adequate Chancellor of the Exchequer, but now a vain 79-year-old, is to be the British Pétain. Clarke lolls about in his Nottingham redoubt – we all know what happened to the Sheriff of Nottingham!  No doubt slippery lawyer Dominic Grieve will be cast as his Pierre Laval although historical analogies are seldom exact.

Ken Clarke

Philippe Petain

Dominic Grieve

Pierre Laval

                    

The Conservatives are often painted as reactionary but that is a travesty of the truth. Their domestic progressive achievements are impressive:

1828 Catholic Emancipation Act righted a grievous wrong to a religious minority. Wellington PM

1846 Repeal of the Corn Laws ended agricultural privilege and enabled cheap food, Peel PM

1867 Second Reform Act greatly extended the franchise. Disraeli PM

1944 Butler’s Education Act reformed educational provision. Churchill PM

1980s Trades Unions constrained, utilities privatised, City competition opened up. Thatcher PM

2019? Achieving Brexit will be yet another liberating Conservative triumph. Johnson PM

Yet we can put Boris’ heroic struggle in an international context. He is our George Washington, our Simon Bolivar, our Garibaldi, our Nehru, our Deng Xiaoping, our Nelson Mandela! He can deliver Brexit and then deliver Peace and Reconciliation!

Three Cheers for Boris!!

Johnson and Mandela, the Peacemakers

                                    

SMD

09.09.19

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2019