The moment we
had all anticipated, but also dreaded, duly came on Thursday 8 September with
the passing of H M Queen Elizabeth II at the grand age of 96 at her beloved
Scottish home of Balmoral. The great bulk of her UK subjects will feel
diminished by the end of her reassuring presence and will be hugely grateful
for her dutiful and devoted service as their monarch for 70 years. Her son
Charles succeeds as King Charles III and he has the support and goodwill of all
the nation.
The Annigoni Portrait from
1955
The final day’s duty: Liz Truss is
invited by the Queen to form a government, 6.9.22
We are left with all manner of
memories from the last 70 years. I believe the institution of monarchy is
strongly entrenched in the sentiments of the people and will endure.
A new monarch
and a new government have to find their feet. Liz Truss has risen to this
extraordinary situation with a competent air. Her Cabinet is remarkably diverse
(hopefully not too demoralisingly so for the 87% white majority!) and has a
stiff agenda. Ideologically it is on the right wing but I am reminded of St
Augustine of Hippo who prayed “to be blessed with Chastity, but not yet!”. For
this right-wing government has unveiled a vast “temporary” Socialist programme
(to cap energy costs for households and businesses at a cost of 130bn) which
will blow a huge hole in the promise of smaller government, will delay the
genesis of the free-market Utopia and will test the mettle of the new Chancellor
Kwasi Kwarteng, a clever Etonian of Ghanian parentage.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Chancellor and
key member of the Truss team
The cost-of-living
crisis has to be tackled comprehensively; public services must be restored on a
viable footing, The financing of the NHS needs remodelling and national educational
standards improved. Our commitment to the NATO shield in the West cannot
falter. Inevitable obstruction from the Whitehall Blob should be eliminated
ruthlessly.
Ordinary
people will have to navigate a difficult winter. The worst of potential horrors
in terms of price rises seem unlikely to happen. But prices are rising and
luxuries will need strict rationing – ham sandwiches rather than elaborate
canapés,
bitter rather than Prosecco, Marks & Sparks rather than Jermyn Street. No
huge hardship but there are many less fortunate than I am. Travelling, a fairly
basic activity, is made a misery by widespread strikes, most politically
motivated. National morale is low and our leaders need to encourage and inspire
– something Boris could do, when the spirit moved him, and before he descended
into buffoonery. Michael Gove was also very eloquent before his bright star
faded. Step forward, our new Cicero!
It is of
course a huge Herculean Labour to get any modern democracy to support a
government’s programme. The age of deference and weary acceptance is long gone.
Our streets, conventional media and toxic social channels teem with
malcontents, anarchists, doom-mongers, anti-vaxxers, nationalist
irreconcilables and obsessed maniacs in profuse variety. They must be left to
stew and the sensible remainder won over, or at least reconciled. Opinion moves
with rapidity these days and government must win the information battle.
Our nation is
ripe for renewal and we will again climb to great heights of achievement. God save the King!
SMD
12.9.22
Text
copyright © Sidney
Donald 2022
No comments:
Post a Comment