STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE

 

Once upon a time, we Brits could congratulate ourselves on high standards in public life. If a government minister was discovered to have lied to the House of Commons (eg John Profumo), he would be expected to resign at once. If a minister kept crooked business company (eg Reginald Maudling) he would find his position untenable and leave public life. If his personal faults proved embarrassing to colleagues and constituents (eg George Brown), he would sink in esteem and inexorably depart from office. Sad to relate, these old standards have slipped markedly and the smell of corruption permeates easy-going Westminster, Whitehall and Downing Street.

        

                     John Profumo                                                   Reggie Maudling

      

                                  George Brown

Politics in the UK has been particularly fraught for the last 10 years as the nation has struggled with the fiscal and regulatory imperialism of the EU, which did not deign to listen to UK objections. This culminated in the 2016 referendum producing a slim majority in favour of leaving. A majority of the appalled Establishment preferred to stay but the democratic will had to be obeyed. The Tory Party was split, the incumbent leader David Cameron resigned; an ineffective Theresa May presided over a hopelessly split House of Commons and a weak ministry for 3 years. Boris Johnson rallied the Brexit cause, deposed May and won a stunning election victory in December 2019, finalising a vital exit deal with the EU in December 2020. After a transition period, the new trade deal has only now been ratified by the EU Parliament on 27 April 2021. A resolution by the EU characterized Brexit as “an historic error” and much residual bitterness lingers on both sides, despite diplomatically emollient words.

It is perhaps not surprising that parliamentary discipline has weakened during this period of splits and bitter enmity. The ability of party whips to strong-arm MPs into obedience is disappearing, so various oddballs and mavericks rave on undisturbed. The loyalty, and certainly the confidentiality, of the Civil Service is also very doubtful. 

Boris Johnson can take immense credit for leading the country through this labyrinth. At his best he is inspirational and he has stood up to a number of crises staunchly and usually has worsted his antagonists. Yet it is true that Boris is a polarising figure, much valued by many but intensely hated by others.                              

              Carrie Symonds and Boris

Nobody pretends that he is a paragon of virtue. He is denounced as a bounder and a cad (the same was said of Churchill) and his sex-life is “colourful”, not to say shambolic. Two wives, Allegra Mostyn-Owen and Marina Wheeler, with 4 legitimate children have been interspersed with a number of girlfriends. Petronella Wyatt, Anna Fazackerley, Helen McIntyre (I love-child), Jennifer Arcuti and his present fiancée Carrie Symonds (I love-child) are in the public arena, so there may be a few more. This is in the prime ministerial tradition of a Regency rake like Lord Palmerston or the Welsh goat David Lloyd George rather than the straight bat of Harold MacMillan or Gordon Brown.

          

        Palmerston                                                    Lloyd George
                          

The Opposition and Boris’ many enemies are today working themselves into a synthetic lather about his alleged indifference to Covid victims and potential sleaze relating to the funds for the refurbishment of his Downing street flat, without making timely declarations. The public do not really care about this “Westminster bubble” story and I doubt if any mud will stick. I do not favour blue-nosed attitudes, but in truth Boris has pushed public tolerance to new limits.

                   David Cameron – entitled lobbyist?

More serious is the story of ex-Premier David Cameron’s lobbying for Greensill Capital, an Australian company providing supply chain finance – it collapsed in March 2021. The allegation is that Cameron misused his considerable influence to try to persuade the Treasury and Bank of England to give Greensill preferential treatment. He stood to make some millions of pounds through options if he had succeeded. Cameron, since leaving office, has had an off-putting attitude of entitlement and he may be heavily censured in the subsequent Inquiry. Amazingly, a senior government official was simultaneously allowed to remain in office and join the Greensill payroll.

Other public bodies have recently shown slipping standards. The BBC once observed Reithian impartiality but even hitherto sane Laura Kuenssberg filed a very distorted story about Sir James Dyson, Covid ventilators and tax – she was once friendly with Dominic Cummings, now Boris’ fiercest critic. Many other BBC correspondents are blatantly partisan. Even as trusted an institution as the Post Office has blotted its copybook on standards; its chief executive Paula Vennells resigned after the convictions of 39 sub-postmasters were quashed after their alleged theft was ascribed to a computer error. Vennells ignored legal advice and many other postal officers were caught up in this dire miscarriage of justice.

Of course, in the outside world things are much worse. UK universities are a hotbed of “liberal” wokery, denouncing those who disagree with them with Stalinist fervour. In the US President Biden, beholden to leftist cliques, supports BLM, and those organisations “cancelling” author J K Rowling and ethnologist Richard Dawson who both dared to doubt members of the “trans” community had the right to decree what sex they were. The EU, needless to say, has no compunction in lying about vaccines, Brexit, economic performance and anything else it fancies.

We cannot reform the world. We only hope that the UK pulls up her socks and that she returns her public life to the high standards she once enjoyed. We will then be able to breathe fresher air.

 

SMD

29.04.21

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2021

THE UNION ON THE RACK

The Union between Scotland and England, of their Crowns since 1603 and of their Parliaments since 1707, is a corner-stone of the UK constitution and it has made a mighty contribution to the prosperity of our United Kingdom for more than 300 years. The contribution of Scots to the public, economic, literary and artistic life of the Union has been remarkable, and yet powerful voices in Scotland are seeking to break these historic bonds to the detriment of both nations. Scottish Parliamentary elections will take place on 6 May 2021 and those results may be crucial to struggles ahead.

        Nicola Sturgeon sets her face against Boris Johnson

The case for Scottish independence emerged from the economic woes and suffering of industrial Scotland in the 1920s and 1930s and was espoused by certain Scots leftist intellectuals. It was an eccentric cause with little support until the 1970s apart from shock by-election wins in Hamilton and Govan. But opinion was moving forward with the Kilbrandon Commission recommending devolution in its 1973 Report. Attempts to introduce devolution in Scotland were defeated in a 1979 referendum where the 51% majority in favour (32% of the electorate) fell short of the required 40% of the electorate. Margaret Thatcher’s reform programme from 1979 to 1990 did not appeal to Scots, who did not directly benefit and who were over-represented in declining industries like mining, ship-building and heavy engineering. The Tories (aka Unionists), masters of Scotland up to the 1955 election, went into steady decline and by 1980 Scotland was a Labour fiefdom.

    

Donald Dewar, the First First Minister

                                                               

                                                                                      Alex Salmond, the flawed SNP hero    

Nationalist support was growing spurred on by the spectacular success of North Sea Oil – “Its Scotland’s Oil!” went their slogan – but electoral success was elusive. Labour embraced the case for devolution and passed the Scotland Act in 1998, after the Blair landslide, leading to incisive Donald Dewar being made the initial First Minister of the devolved Scottish administration in 1999. The assumption was that a constitutional solution had been found and that the Union was safe.

But it was not to be. Donald Dewar suddenly died in 2000 and despite Labour boasting of several “big Scottish guns” in Westminster like Robin Cook, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling, its local leadership was uncharismatic and began to lose touch with the electorate. A resurgent SNP filled the vacuum with its leader from 2004, street-smart Alex Salmond, becoming First Minister in 2008 in a minority Scottish government, in coalition with the Greens, forming a majority government by 2011. Salmond, with his deputy Nicola Sturgeon, persuaded Westminster Premier David Cameron to agree to a referendum on Independence in 2014 (Cameron airily believing the Nationalist cause was doomed) but in the event it was closer, with the cause of the Union prevailing by a 55% to 45% margin. Salmond resigned the leadership of the SNP, to be succeeded by Nicola Sturgeon. Deep Scottish “patriotic” emotions had been stimulated by the independence campaign, even though it failed, and membership of the SNP quadrupled. The SNP’s accession to government and ministerial experience gave invaluable credibility.

Nicola Sturgeon, bewitching to some

                                                                    

Ruth Davidson, formidable Scottish Tory     

Political fortunes fluctuated wildly. In the 2015 Westminster election, the SNP won 56 (up from 6) of the 59 Scottish seats and the Tories retained 1. Labour were wiped out. In 2017 The SNP, dipped to 35 seats, the Conservatives revived with 13. Labour won back 7 and the LibDems held 4. The poorer SNP showing (Alex Salmond losing his seat) was ascribed to Sturgeon insisting on a 2^nd independence referendum, to an electorate weary with constitutional wrangling. The 2019 election saw the SNP rebound to 48, Tories reduced to 6, Labour to a mere 1 and the LibDems unchanged at 4.

The SNP insist noisily that if they again get a majority of the seats (almost a certainty) in the Holyrood Parliament, to form their 4^th successive ministry, they have a mandate to call for a second referendum on Independence. However only the Tory-controlled Westminster Parliament can approve a referendum as it did in 2014, invoking section 30 of the Scotland Act, and the SNP are campaigning to go through the same process again. In their manifesto the SNP talk of a 2^nd referendum by the end of 2023, once the Covid pandemic has abated. Officially Boris Johnson has said that the 2014 referendum settled the matter for a generation but the nationalist argument is that the situation has radically changed since the completion of Brexit which Scottish voters rejected by 62% to 38% in 2016. There is some force in this argument, but it may well be ignored.

William Wallace, died 1305

        
                                      

Robert the Bruce, died 1329

The SNP are obsessed by an ancient and romantic historical narrative, peppered with quotes from the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, of Scottish oppression by the English, of supposed victimhood – despite huge subsidies being paid to Scotland via the long-established Barnett Formula. Per capita Scotland is paid 13% more than England, partly justifiable by the less compact spread of population, but certainly other UK voters will not be impressed by populist measures like free university places for Scots residents only and above-UK average payments to public service workers and NHS staff. The SNP have odd views on defence – they have long called for the closure of the US Polaris submarine base on the Holy Loch (an old CND favourite) – but they have not made explicit their seething opposition to NATO. Independence would certainly end Scotland’s lucrative participation in UK warship building. Alex Salmond himself even hosted a TV programme on the RT (Russia Today) channel, often expressing admiration of Vladimir Putin. The SNP also harbour fantasies about avenging Culloden, rejoining the EU, launching their own currency and bestriding the world stage. It has been weakened by the expulsion and defection of Alex Salmond, steeped in unproven sexual allegations, who has set up his new Alba party, also immoderately nationalistic.

The Tories need to prick the SNP bubble but mere ridicule will not suffice. The sad fact is that Boris Johnson does not go down well in Scotland – he is too much the Balliol toff (”that ineffable air of effortless superiority”) for Clydeside tastes and his harrumphing evasions and humour are not appreciated – he should quietly stay away. The Unionist cause was well rallied by feisty Ruth Davidson in Holyrood but she is stepping back from front-line politics and will soon be in the Lords. Aberdonian Michael Gove is smart, if uncharismatic, while the new Holyrood Unionist leader, Douglas Ross, has yet to make his mark. Their team is competent but not yet inspiring.

Let battle commence. Westminster should stick to its adamant refusal to hold a second referendum and the SNP should have their feet held to the fire and be judged by their pandemic performance, control over public finances, deterioration of educational standards and opaquely poor observance of political boundaries. In my eyes, as a Scot and a democrat, the SNP cast a sinister cloud over my nation and ought to be rejected comprehensively.

 

SMD

16.04.21

Text copyright © Sidney Donald 2021

 

PLAYING WITH WORDS

One of the many great joys of human speech are the games and distortions we inflict upon our language, gobbledygook, gibberish, patter, puns or, more kindly, verbal felicity. Let’s explore some of these highways and byways in the search for amusement or even enlightenment. I make 10 selections:

(1)    Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini sung by Vito Priante

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9fNzkEY9Ko&ab_channel=RoyalOperaHouse

This famous 1816 aria, on the joys of being a handyman, gives baritone Figaro some challenging, rapid tongue-twisters. It starts the opera with a bang.

(2)    Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKZZL6uhaRk&ab_channel=VideosTimes2

From the sublime to the ridiculous, this childrens’ song enjoyed attention in the early 1950s and was lapped up – it would die a death today! Max Bygraves sang the British version.

(3)    Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins (1964) sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZNRzc3hWvE&ab_channel=ItsMusicallyLyrical

My final selection from long-word songs aimed at juvenile audiences, including Julie’s sugary smile and Dick’s appalling cockney accent!

(4)    The Laughing Policeman by Charles Penrose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGOKi3nIDrc&ab_channel=VintageBritishComedy.

This comic song from the early 1920s was a staple of Children’s Choice, the Saturday morning brother to Housewives’ Choice, the daily BBC Light Programme request show. Penrose was a typical British Music Hall artiste of the old school.

(5)    Zip from Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (1940) sung by Rita Hayworth in the 1957 film version with Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=zip%2C+from+pal+joey+sung+rita+hayworth

Many American songwriters produced “patter” songs like this one with a dizzying array of contemporary references and wit by the bucket-load.

(6)    Boum by Charles Trenet

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=boum+song

Although ominous clouds were gathering, France in 1938 retained much of her carefree inter-war spirit and this cheerful song by esteemed Charles Trenet epitomises that spirit.

(7)    Well, did you Evah? by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby from High Society (1956)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kq1JQUhwVQ&ab_channel=zaunschirmseppl  

Another patter song, by sophisticated Cole Porter, specially composed for the film. Both Sinatra and Crosby excelled themselves.

(8)    Doo Wah Diddy Diddy by Manfred Mann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43vOAw2sAFU&ab_channel=DarrylHushaw

The Rock era ushered in some songs which had wholly nonsensical lyrics. The above effort is typical, originally an American tune, it became a 1964 hit for the British band Manfred Mann.

(9)    I am the Walrus by The Beatles

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=!+am+the+Walrus+the+beatles

Even worse than having nonsensical lyrics, some songs have totally incomprehensible ones and the above effort from 1967 is a case in point. I will not quote from the lyrics as they are a compound of Liverpudlian anarchy and LSD druggie visions wrapped up in humourless contempt for the audience. I liked the early Beatles but this kind of thing drove me screaming to the exit door.

(10) Let’s call the Whole Thing Off by George and Ira Gershwin sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1937 musical Shall We Dance?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOILZ_D3aRg&ab_channel=wheel

Maybe the debate on language and pronunciation should be called off, but we will never forget this number with Fred crooning gently and both he and Ginger tap-dancing on roller-skates. What talent, what joie de vivre, what energy and what a boost to any drooping spirits!

 

SMD

3.04.21

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2021