ONE YEAR ON...

It`s a year almost to the day since Dudley took up residence in our house - he`s now 14 months old and has settled very well into the routines and ways of life here in our Kentish enclave.   The photo above shows that he has made good friends with the local pooches and seems to be a happy and contented addition to the local community.

He came from a breeder in the New Forest and we had a week in the forest last month, enjoying the forest walks and the change of scenery.   Apart from that, Dudley`s explorations have been confined to walkies around this part of Kent - including  a bit of the Kent Downs.  Here`s a photo I took of the Kent countryside in all its summer glory.   

(Please click on photo for better image)

No wonder we have happy dogs - we feed them, love them, look after them, provide them with a good home and a contented life - we even pick up things after them if you know what I mean.   But in return we get a lot back - if you don`t mind your face being licked awake at 6.00am each morning.

A REFRESHING CHANGE...

For all kinds of reasons I have been enjoying watching the England Lionesses in their Women`s World Cup campaign in France.   And not just for the fact that they keep winning, although the next game in the semi-finals between either France or the USA might possibly be a step too far.  For their sake, I hope not and that they can carry on progressing towards the World Cup Final.

What`s refreshing about it is the way the games are played.   By and large, unless you`re Cameroonian, there is a genuine feeling of sportwomanship, there are no tattoos on show, there are no histrionics, no diving or cheating and the games have been played in a good spirit despite the intense rivalry - all unless you`re Cameroonian of course.

The quality of the football shown by the Lionesses has been impressive - not least last night`s convincing win over Norway and I`m not surprised to read this morning that Manchester United are looking to sign Lucy Bronze along with the other 386 players they are reported to be tracking as Ole Gunnar Solskjar  tries to make sense of the task that awaits him in the new season.

But at least Liverpool have so far refrained from poaching the burgeoning Saintesses from St. Mary`s.  I wonder how long that will last.  

TIME TO STOP DIGGING...

Apropos my recent observations concerning Harry and Meg`s country cottage, it now seems the cost to the taxpayer has been a little understated.  Apparently the work is not quite finished - exterior painting to be done, landscaping, installation of security lights and the planting of £20,000 worth of quick-growing trees to ensure the seclusion of the `cottage.`  Oh and there are also plans for a badminton and tennis court, of course.   All of which will bring the total bill to anything between £2,8 million and £3.2 million, including the £250,000 contribution from the happy couple`s own resources for `fittings and fixtures.`

Royal officials have admitted that the cost to taxpayers is likely to rise and a well placed source has claimed that, "The final figure is excellent value for money for the taxpayer.  Whilst the original figure of £2.4 million has covered basic renovation costs the couple have spent £250,000 so far to ensure that the highest standards are met inside the property."  He goes on to say, "Security for the couple is of the utmost importance and a large scale planting programme worth up to £20,000 is proposed to shield the property from public gaze."

The `well placed source` is shown above and it`s pretty clear that he lacks any sense of irony.  For example, how can it be `excellent value for the taxpayer` when the taxpayer is having to cough up £20,000 for a forest of trees which are designed to prevent the taxpayer ever being able to see what his or her money has been spent on?   He`s got himself in a bit of a hole so If I were him, I would stop digging.   

And don`t even get me started on the fact that the taxpayer is also having to find $750,000 a year on the 20 Met. and Thames Valley police required to guard Frogmore Cottage.  Next up - La-la land The Movie.

A SIMPLE SOLUTION ? ...

There`s been a lot of fuss recently about the proposed withdrawal of free TV licences for the over-75s.   This `concession` was introduced by, of all people, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and was much appreciated by the country`s senior citizens but the last settlement for renewing the BBC charter and HM Gov. saw the `cost` of this transferred from the Treasury to the BBC who say they can`t afford the £750 million it will take to maintain the concession without drastically cutting the level and quality of programming - and we can`t possibly have that, can we?

So, a simple solution is required and there is indeed a simple one.  Next month I will be joining the ranks of the octogenarians so I suggest that the BBC maintains the free licence to those over 80.  Simples.

But then, as HL Menken once said, "There is a simple solution to every complex problem that doesn`t work."  In which case, if I still have to pay up, at least I will feel justified in my unending criticism of the BBC.  Watch this space.

A COUNTRY COTTAGE ?

Well, I guess I`m back in the groove and, like most days, today provided no problem finding something else to go on about.  (I promise myself, as well as you dear reader, that I will make the effort to move away from a daily diet of critique and wander into less stressful fields - possibly.)

Anyway, today my attention was drawn to the cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage near Windsor so that it was transformed into a residence befitting their extremely royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aka Harry and Meghan,   Now of course we  are so pleased for them that this delightful and inspiring couple have been able to move out of the hurly-burly of Kensington Palace and relocate, along with young Archie, to the sylvan countryside around Windsor.   

And we are so pleased to see them take up residence in their newly renovated `cottage.`Only problem is that it has taken the princely sum of £2.4 million of taxpayers` money to convert what were five units into one to a standard befitting the royal occupants.   

I`ve long held the view that whilst I have no problem with Her Majesty the Queen, there is now a very extended royal family, all of whom seem to inhabit their private world of privilege and assumed entitlement largely at the taxpayer`s expense.  There are just too many of them and I`m not sure how long we can carry on dipping our hands in our pockets to keep them all in the style to which they have been accustomed .

As for Harry and Megs, at least they continue to call it Frogmore Cottage when in reality, thanks to the generosity of others, it is now anything but.

A CAUTIOUS RE-ENTRY....

OK.  I`ve been away from these pages for some weeks now and so it is with some trepidation that I make this cautious re-entry into the wonderful world of blogging.   The reason for my absence?  Well, in a nutshell I reached the stage when there was so much to rant about, grumble about, even rebel against that I frankly didn`t know where to begin.

In that regard, not much has changed - if anything the mad world we live in has become even more bonkers.  Despite which, I have been inundated with the odd enquiry as to my absence and a little encouragement to have another go, chiefly from my neighbour the well known error of judgement, Mr. Slightly.  But more on that story later.  

I have discovered that finding something to rail against is an almost daily occurrence and it`s difficult therefore to chose something  but I saw a report yesterday that seemed ripe for the attention it deserved, so here goes.

First, the illustration at the top is self-explanatory - not just Orwell`s classic but also the fact that there is something of a local connection - there`s a smart rather exclusive `development` up the road with just a few `desirable residences` which goes by the name of Orwell Spike as it sits on the site of an old workhouse - a spike - which Orwell frequented in his tramping around the countryside.

I was reminded of this when I saw a report yesterday that a school student had been suspended from his school in Aberdeenshire for insisting in his opinion that there were really only two genders and that anything else was the result of `social construct.`

The incident took place when the teacher logged on to a website and found only male or female gender types listed as options, which he claimed was ‘old fashioned’. When the schoolboy disagreed, he was ejected from the class. After being allowed back, he secretly filmed the teacher. In the video, which has been watched on YouTube more than 90,000 times, the teacher can be heard telling the pupil: ‘You’re entitled to your opinion but it is the policy of the authority to acknowledge inclusiveness."   

Seems that Big Brother really is watching you, at least in Aberdeen, although I suspect that the Orwellian Thought Police are pretty widespread in the daft age in which we live.   Time to update 1984 to 2019 and see if we can spot the difference?   I can imagine that the student in question probably goes by the name KZ6090 Smith, W.  But maybe it`s another case of `if you become a teacher, by your students you`ll be taught.`

THE INNOCENCE OF CHILDHOOD ?

My own childhood was `interesting.`Having been born just before the outbreak of WW2 I spent the first five years living in that part of Hampshire which forms the approaches to Southampton.  Most nights I slept under the stairs and heard the bombing of Southampton Docks and other important strategic targets in the area.   I guess I thought that was how life was - I knew nothing different.

But when peace arrived and the bombing stopped and I slept in a bed and when my father came back from his five years of incarceration in a PoW camp we moved to the village of Hythe on the western shore of Southampton Water.   And it was there that I discovered just how interesting, exciting and free being a child could be - our back garden backed on to the shore, the New Forest was just up the road and me and my school chums were given the freedom to explore - we were never indoors it seemed - there was so much to see and do and it was all done with a carefree innocence, devoid of health and safety issues and any thoughts of what adult life might bring.

And I now see reports that children in schools these days are to be given lessons in how to form relationships, how to become aware of and respect diversity, how to recognise and deal with mental health issues, to be taught about the abomination that is FGM  and, yes, to recognise health and safety issues and no doubt to be told about climate change and the perils of plastic.

I`m sure all this may be worthy endeavours but I do wonder whether much of this is designed to make the teaching profession feel better in this age of over protective political correctness.  But most of all I wonder whatever happened to the innocence of childhood when those like me were allowed to be children.

WHERE TO NOW ?

As the clock ticks down to the UK`s departure from the EU things seem to get more and more confusing, perplexing, bewildering and unclear.  At least as far as Members of Parliament are concerned as they grapple with the conflicting demands of Theresa May`s so-called `deal,` the prospect of a `no deal,` whether to extend Article 50, whether to pursue some kind of customs union, what to do about the Irish border and its `backstop,` whether to risk a `People`s Vote` and so on and on and on.......

There was a time when UK politics was pretty straight forward - there was a limited choice of which party to vote for - Labour, Tory, Lib-Dems and the odd nationalist party if you lived outside Engerland.    Nowadays Brexit has all but destroyed those traditional harbours of choice which have all but fractured under the weight of indecision, divided loyalty and blind ambition.   It`s a sorry spectacle and it raises the question - if, heaven forbid another General Election is called in the near future - whether there is anyone left to vote for.

The Labour Party is riven with all kinds of issues and their lurch to the left makes them pretty unattractive;  the Tories are split into all kinds of factions, none of which are especially attractive either;  the Lib Dems have become an irrelevance;  the Green Party are simply bonkers and the SNP and Plaid Cymru don`t want to be in the UK anyway.  UKIP have mercifully disappeared although I hear that a new Brexit Party is being formed under the alleged leadership of Nige.   

So, where to now?   Staying away from polling stations seems a waste of the right to vote but seriously there seems no-one and no `party` which inspires any sort of confidence.  Spoiling the ballot paper might make me feel a bit better for a fleeting moment but it will simply be a vote wasted.   

What`s needed is a fresh political start - a new party that might concentrate on the real priorities which concern the masses - perhaps a Football Party or a Soap Watching Party or a Strictly Bake-off Party might not only have an appeal but also be able to home in on the things that seems to matter to most people these days.

Failing that, I`ve often been attracted to some kind of benevolent dictatorship, possibly headed up by Joanna Lumley.  At least we would understand what she says.

THE BRICK IS BACK ?

Today`s intriguing news is that the 2024 Paris Olympics might see the emergence of break dancing as a recognised Olympic sport.  I`m not sure that`s a bad idea but it might go the same way as a number of other `activities`that have emerged in past Olympics only to disappear without trace after the fad of the moment had run its course.

I seem to recall `events` such as underwater swimming, horse long jump, live pigeon shooting (I imagine it was the pigeons that were fleetingly alive,) tug of war and even a poetry competition up until the late forties when poets were in competition to see who could come up with the best poem that captured the Olympic spirit.  I kid you not - all these and others at some time formed part of the Games.

With the likely inclusion of break dancing it does encourage speculation as to what other `events` might be included in years to come.  A few spring to mind.  Vole strangling has always been bubbling under the surface, as has deer stalking and with the advent of technology surely there is room in the Olympic schedule for things like four minute texting (how many texts can be sent in four minutes?) and social media abusing.

But perhaps the most likely is the one suggested many years ago by that great spelling error, Spike Milligna, who was an ardent supporter of barbed wire hurdling - something it pays to be rather good at.  But perhaps, finally, there might be wider recognition of The Brick - our local footy hero Scott ("Buzzin` style guru") Wagsraff`s trademark goal celebration.  Surely it`s time for this extraordinary contortion to rival break dancing in a brave new world of Olympic competition.

But at least it will bring an end to the usual competition between chemists in traditional track and field ?

ALL IN VAIN...

The photo above shows our street`s local hero Scott ("Buzzin` six pack fashion icon") Wagstaff, currently plying his footballing trade with AFC Wimbledon.  In the last round of the FA Cup. Wimbledon managed to beat Premier League outfit West Ham 4-2, thanks largely to two splendidly taken goals from the aforementioned Wagstaff.

At the end pf that game, he was challenged by one of the hoards of BBC reporters to have his beard dyed in the club colours of yellow and blue for the next round. the ties for which are being played out over this weekend. As can be seen, his fulsome beard underwent a serious operation earlier in the week in order to meet the challenge laid down after the last round, Wagstaff having declared himself `up for it 100 percent,` thereby  committing himself to going through with it. 

And what a resplendent sight it reveals - the ample growth providing a formidable basis for the two tone dye that he had promised to fulfil.  Just one snag.   The Dons had a midweek game away at Walsall (a notoriously difficult place to go to) and Wagstaff found himself consigned to the bench for that game. presumably to ensure that he would be `up for it 100 percent` for yesterday`s FA Cup clash with Millwall.

But yesterday, he found himself on the bench yet again and this time he didn`t even get on to play any part in the game, which Millwall won 1-0.   Now of course, Wagstaff`s beard had gained much publicity which must have raised the profile of the cash strapped club and brought them much needed attention as a result of all the media interest.  However, despite a good deal of coverage in the run up to the game, Wagstaff and his beard were nowhere to be seen during the game and he may be forgiven for thinking that his efforts had been all in vain.

Now, there might be those cynics or conspiracy theorists who might suggest that all the publicity and media interest in the colourful beard and its owner may have deflected perhaps a little too much attention in his direction and away from the management and powers that be in the higher echelons of Kingsmeadow Stadium.  Why on earth would Wimbledon deny themselves the goal scoring exploits of the hero of their last FA Cup victory? I`ve no idea, but maybe there was perhaps a touch of karma  in the fact that Wimbledon lost the game yesterday and today they may be regretting the extraordinary decision to leave the beard on the bench.

GOODBYE OLD FRIEND...

It must have been all of fifteen years ago, maybe more, that I shivered my way through a game at St. Mary`s in the dead of winter.  After the game I ventured in to the club shop and being something of a fashion icon I treated myself to a nice warm Saints fleece.  It has served me very well - a good return on the investment - and it has seen me through the rigours, the triumphs and disasters and the ups and downs of being a Saints fan. 

Together we have been through a lot - to the bottom of League One, the eventual promotion to the Championship, promotion again to the promised land of the Premier League and, along the way, memorable visits to Wembley. So it has been an interesting journey we have made together.   Sadly, in recent times my faithful companion has begun to show his age.  Like me, the odd bit has become frayed around the edges and the wear and tear of being my protective shield  has begun to show itself more and more.

Sadly, in the last couple of days, after a prolonged battle with ups and downs of its own, the zip has finally conked out and I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that its time has come to an end.   Despite the fact that the club badge is still gleaming it`s  a bit like Charlie Austin`s knees, it has been on its last legs for a while and reaching the end if its useful life.  So to save it from further unnecessary pain the kindest thing to do is to say `goodbye.` 

I`m reluctant to chuck it in the bin and it wouldn`t be much good to anyone rummaging through a charity bag or a jumble sale so I may just keep it in the shed, where I can kiss the badge occasionally and look back on all those years of bewilderment and uncertainty that just comes with supporting Southampton FC.  But thank you for the ride - it`s been great. 

Well, some of it.

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?..

It was once said that there isn`t a housing crisis in this country - it`s just a rumour put about by people with nowhere to live.  Well, it seems that even here in the sylvan paradise of the Garden of England, with its quiet lanes, its rolling landscape and its reserved solitude there are indeed people with nowhere to live.  Quite a lot of them.

Recent figures show that, at the last count, there were over 1,000 `households` on the waiting list for a property in the area covered by the local housing authority.  Housing charity Shelter has called the figures "chilling" and calls for the government to increase the funding to provide new social housing and local campaigners have increased calls for more properties to be built as soon as possible.

The local housing authority says it works in close partnership with housing associations who supply affordable housing in the area to meet housing need and that its housing register is prioritised depending on that need.  The Director in charge of these things at the local authority said - and I quote - "The required affordable housing from any scheme is laid out in planning policy and where there are any issues with the viability of a development the council ensures that is clearly evidenced and weighed against the benefits of bringing a site forward with at least the provision of some affordable dwellings rather than allowing schemes to stall entirely."

I`m sure that explanation will come as a huge comfort to those `households` waiting patiently for somewhere to live. 

IT`S THAT DAY AGAIN....

It seems that not much happened in the wider world on 4th February 1960 but for me the date sticks in the memory as the day when I made the perilous journey to Catterick in north Yorkshire to begin my 731 days of National Service.  It`s all of 59 years ago now and over the years I have been scribbling away on this blog I have made a habit on this day of all days to recall some of the more memorable but less agreeable moments from my military career.  On this occasion, however, I think it would redress some of the balance by recalling a more lighter aspect of my enforced conscription.

Now in 1960 National Service was coming to an end - I was called up in February and I think the last NS man of all was called up a little later that year, so I just got caught by the system and after what was billed as `basic training` I had been posted to a proper regiment, the 10th Royal Hussars, an armoured fighting regiment intent on defending western democracy from the threat of a Communist invasion.  And finding myself in the depths of BFPO 16 in what was then West Germany I quickly became aware of the differences that existed between conscripts like me and the majority of the regiment`s force of volunteer professionals.

Now those differences showed themselves in different ways - some subtle, some less so - but there was never any suggestion of any sort of dismissive attitude shown towards us few remaining NS men.  Nevertheless, the few of us were different - we had been conscripted rather than volunteered; there was a pay difference between the two `camps` and so we tended to keep largely to ourselves and develop our own `culture` that might be described as reluctant acceptance of our situation. 

The 10th Hussars were very keen on football and a series of competitions between the various Squadrons was a regular feature of the fixture list.  Three of us NS men were selected for the HQ Squadron team and we saw this as perhaps a chance to make our point by creating a National Service goal.   There was myself along with two corporals from the Pay Office - Alec Craig and Gordon Watson - and at some point in the proceedings I got hold of the ball in the centre circle and arrowed a raking pass out to Alec on the right wing (we had wingers in those days.)  Alec produced a glorious cross for Gordon to meet it and plant the ball beyond the despairing clutches of the opposing custodian for our memorable National Service goal.

We kept our on field celebrations to the minimum - the odd handshake and pat on the back - falling far short of the hugging and kissing you see today (military retribution would surely have followed,) but we had made our subtle point and although it may have gone unnoticed in the annals of military sporting history it was a special moment for us. 

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...

Snow`s gone on Cornwall`s north coast.  Here are the same images today - quite a contrast from yesterday.   The first one is the Camel Estuary this morning.....

,,,and here is Port Isaac this morning......

....and finally today`s view of Polzeath....

Ah, the peace and quiet.

(Please click on photos for better images)

OH TO BE IN CORNWALL...

....now the snow has arrived.  This first picture is of the Camel Estuary yesterday...

...and here is the fishing village of Port Isaac......

.......and the holiday haunt of Polzeath......

I`m looking forward to seeing these places again when summer is here.
(Please click on photos for better images)

A VERY LOCAL HERO

One of the many consequences of AFC Wimbledon`s stunning FA Cup victory over West Ham on Saturday was the effect it has had on the mood within our street.  For many years now, us residents of the sleepy street in our benign Kentish enclave have been following the fortunes of one member of a resident family, Scott Wagstaff, as he has been plying his footballing trade in various locations ranging from Charlton, Northwich Victoria, Leyton Orient, Bristol City, Gillingham and more recently AFC Wimbledon.

And it is at Wimbledon that the media spotlight has finally landed on him following his `exceptional` performance scoring two outstanding goals in Wimbledon`s 4- 2 win.  The sports sections in the  weekend newspapers have been fulsome in their admiration for the David v Goliath contest played out before a live BT television audience and today`s newspapers have continued the theme, as have Sky Sports who are due to visit our street today and interview our local hero.  So it would be remiss of me not to enter into the media frenzy and there are a couple of aspects of this event that demand comment.

The first is that, paradoxically, our street is largely populated by West Ham supporters and they must be sick as parrots at their team`s abject failure against the Dons who sit at the wrong end of the third tier of English football.  On the other hand they, like me, must be over the moon for Scott and his Wimbledon chums at the nationwide attention their exploits have attracted.  

The only thing missing from Waggy`s performance on Saturday was the re-emergence of his trade mark goal celebration `The Brick.`  Now until recently he always used this extraordinary contortion to celebrate scoring for former teams and it involved throwing himself onto the ground on his back whilst waiting for his team mates to join in the euphoria.  However, it seems that since he `did his shoulder` in one of these exertions he has since been banned from such antics.   Just as a reminder of past glories, here are some examples of `The Brick` and how much it was missed on Saturday.......

In former times, he was know locally as Scott ("Buzzin` six-pack pacy flanker") Wagstaff and known also as a box to box midfield dynamo with a good engine and an eye for a pass.  Now he`s just buzzing.  And good for him. He`s done our street proud and we couldn`t be happier for him.

There`s a fifteen minute programme which comes on as a little light relief from BBC Breakfast on Saturday mornings.  I`m not sure how many viewers are around at 7.45 on a Saturday morning which might be a reason for the BBC to televise it at that obscure time.

Anyway, it`s called `Newswatch`and its alleged purpose is to allow comment and criticism from viewers about various aspects of the BBC`s news coverage in the week gone by.  All very laudable and its presenter. one Samira Ahmed, is as one would expect, presentable, calm, measured and assured.

What with Dudley our retriever getting up a bit early these days I have been up in time to see a number of editions of Newswatch and there`s little doubt that a pattern has emerged.  Viewers write in on a number of newsworthy items and, in response, the BBC put up a producer, a head of one of their many sections, a spokesperson to give the Corporation`s response to the points raised by their audience. 

Trouble is, whatever the criticism might have been from the viewers, the BBC never seem to admit to being wrong.  It doesn`t matter who they put up before the cameras or whatever the subject of criticism or comment might be, the standard response is always to defend their corner, never to admit to error, never to apologise.

Reminded me of my time in a former life in the past century when I had to produce reports about things I was responsible for.  Now and again, very rarely in fact, a human error would creep in, a mistake would be made.  Rather than try to defend it or make excuses, I found the best remedy was to confess, admit to the mistake, explain how it happened, put it right and make sure it didn`t happen again.  I guess times have changed - people seem terrified of criticism these days and it really does seem to be the case that sorry seems to be the hardest word.

This morning`s edition of Newswatch went on about the alleged `mistreatment` of Diane Abbott in a recent edition of Question Time.  There had been some uproar about her being corrected over certain statements she had made in the programme, about her being interrupted by other panellists and this all led to accusations of discrimination because Diane is a black labour politician and that the BBC had not issued the apology which she had demanded.  

Newswatch this morning predictably wheeled out a self confessed labour supporter in order to say how dreadfully Diane had been treated but there was no counter argument from the BBC apart from some wishy washy `statement` that they thought everything in their garden was fantastic.   

As the song also says, it`s a sad, sad situation.  And it`s getting more and more absurd.

I have posted this cartoon as it reminded me of an ongoing case which is intriguing for a number of reasons.Once again I must proceed with caution as the case in point is still the subject of `legal proceedings` - in fact, an appeal to the Employment Tribunal following a case of alleged dismissal on grounds of gross misconduct.

The case involves a gentleman hereabouts who was a magistrate and employed in a high ranking position with the local NHS, both of which positions he had occupied for about 20 years.  He is a committed christian and it was in his capacity as a magistrate that he apparently fell foul of today`s rampant political correctness which leans heavily - arguably too heavily - in favour of `minorities.`

He had presided over countless adoption cases without any complaint or criticism until, a while ago now, he suggested that adoptive children might be better off in an environment where the adoptive parents are a man and a woman rather than a same sex couple.   This led to a bit of an uproar with the result that he was suspended and subsequently dismissed as a magistrate and in good time was also relieved of his duties with the NHS.  He has appealed against both decisions on the grounds of discrimination, the result of both appeals are awaited.

Now it would be inappropriate of me to pre-empt the outcome but the issue which attracted my attention was the decision somewhere along the line that he should be required to undergo `equality training.`  And like me he is of another generation, one that might be accused of being out of touch with the `normalities` of life today;  of being of another time, another age when things were so very different - a time when things that are supposed to be normal these days did not even scratch the surface of our consciousness in times gone by.

Now I have always had a kind of inbuilt aversion to any form of compulsion - I resented having to do my National Service, for example, maybe it`s one of the reasons why I voted leave in that long ago referendum and I would most certainly be pretty miffed about being forced to go on `equality training.` I guess it does what it says on the tin but I don`t believe it should force people like the gentleman in this case to alter his deeply held convictions which would have themselves been accepted without question at the time of his formative years.

There`s a deeper issue too - that of self-expression being compromised for fear of upsetting one of a number of burgeoning minority groups.  Freedom of expression is a long standing freedom and one which should be respected. but maybe should not be used as an excuse to dismiss well meaning people from positions which benefit society at large?

ENOUGH OF THE NONSENSE..

Firstly, a disclaimer.  I do not buy or read the Sun newspaper - I have merely nicked this image of one of their front pages for illustrative purposes connected with the following rant.

Now as I understand it, whoever is Prime Minister attends Buckingham Palace each week (possibly on Thursdays) to have a discussion with the Queen and have the benefit of Her Majesty`s advice.  The conversations must be riveting, especially these days when the country is in such a state of confusion, turmoil and uncertainty about its future.

I realise also that these weekly get-togethers are strictly confidential, so one is left simply to speculate about the nature of recent conversations concerning the ongoing Brexit nonsense.  I just wonder if it goes something like this:-

HM : "Well, Prime Minister, how`s this Brexit thing coming along?"

PM :  "It`s proving a little difficult, your Majesty.  There are a few problems at the moment, Ma`am.  After over two years of negotiation I thought we had a deal with our European partners setting out the terms of our withdrawal from the EU.  Trouble is, parliament didn`t like it, half of my party didn`t like it, the opposition party didn`t like it nor the LibDems, the Scottish Nationalists, the DUP from Northern Ireland, Plaid Cymru from Wales, a few Independents and that Green woman.  And loads of people who voted leave don`t like it much, nor loads who voted remain.  So I lost the vote in the Commons by quite a distance."

HM : "Oh dear, so what are you doing to put things right?"

PM : "Well, Ma`am, it`s tricky.  There are conflicting opinions about the Northern Ireland backstop, whether to go back to the EU and try to tweak the agreement over such things as staying in the customs union which would mean we can`t negotiate trade deals with countries outside the EU; whether to stay in the single market which might not mean ending free movement; whether to have no agreement at all and just pull out of the EU at the end of March with all the economic uncertainty that might bring;  whether to have a second referendum which a lot of people want as they didn`t like the result of the first one and other issues as well.  Trouble is, Ma`am, the EU have said they will not renegotiate the agreement.  So at the moment I`m talking to representatives across all political parties to see if there is any chance of any common ground which we might put before the EU and parliament to see if we can achieve an agreed way forward before we leave the EU on 29th March.  So it`s all a bit difficult and I wonder if you might have any advice you can offer me Ma`am to help resolve the many conundrums and impasses I`m currently facing."

HM : "Oh dear, Mrs, May, a bit of a pig`s ear really and one is not terribly amused. So surely the time has come for someone to bite the bullet and offer firm, decisive leadership.  Now, last time I looked I was still the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and, as the Sun suggested, I could do with getting my country back.   So I`ve decided to take charge of the situation and issue a series of Sovereign Commands that will make it clear that we will become an independent country in every respect as from the date you had in mind.  Enough of the nonsense.   I had been thinking about it, so I texted my decision to Philip yesterday afternoon to let him know.  Bit of a surprise for him - he pranged the Land Rover when he got the message but he`s OK.  I`ll turn up at Westminster next week and read out a new Queen`s Speech so that everyone knows what`s going to happen.  Happy?  Perhaps you would like Philip to drive you home?"

There are a couple of high profile criminal cases being heard at the moment and so it is with measured caution that I write these notes. I really truly do not want to stray into the details of the cases themselves, both of which are likely to take weeks to conclude but there is one aspect of each of them that I suggest makes detached comment legitimate.

The first concerns the accusation against former police commander David Duckenfield on a single charge for the manslaughter by gross negligence in which 95 people died in the Hillsborough disaster way back in 1989 and Graham Mackrell, a former chairman of Sheffield Wednesday FC who is accused of health and safety failings and issues concerning the stadium safety certificate.

A touch more recently, there is also the trial of Andrew Hill, the pilot whose plane crashed on the A27 near Shoreham in Sussex in 1995 killing 11 men and who is also accused of manslaughter by gross negligence.

The Hillsborough tragedy took place 30 years ago - David Duckenfield is now 74 - and the Shoreham air disaster happened getting on for four years ago.  Now I know that legal processes take time and setting aside any personal opinion about the accused in both cases, it does seem an inordinately long time for all of those involved, both the victims, the bereaved and the accused, to have to wait for these events to be drawn to a close, at least in legal terms.

There`s an old saying about justice delayed being justice denied - denied  to\ the victims, the bereaved and to the accused of course..