political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
There is nothing happy about the shame Britain should be feeling at Clegg's performance last night. Doesn't he know that Poland is in deep shock and national mourning at the loss of their President and many other top people from their country's government?
How can he lay about these peoples' reputations calling them 'homophobes, anti-Semitic and racists'? Poland is a deeply traditional Catholic country which doesn't need any morality lessons from a young political upstart who knows nothing about diplomacy and how to correctly deal with relations to other European countries.
I didn't even know it was St. George's day today. The media have certainly kept pretty quiet.
We often hear accusations that our ruling elite, multiculturalists, and Europhiles are desperate to suppress Englishness. It would appear they are doing rather well if this is their objective.
Following changes to road traffic regulations, the DVLA have issued warning letters to motorists as follows:
"in order to assist other motorists to identify potentially dangerous drivers, it is now compulsory for anyone with a lower than average driving ability to display a warning flag. The flag (comprising of a red cross on a white background) will be attached to the top of at least one door of their vehicle. For those drivers of exceptionally low ability, additional flags are required.
Please take care, and avoiding action, when meeting one of these vehicles."
Today is St George’s day and the day that the BNP have chosen to launch their election manifesto in my home town. It is an event that I find extremely galling for all sorts of reasons. But it allows me to return to a theme, which I have raised before and that is the expropriation of emblems by the far right. And as it is England’s patron saints day it is an opportunity to essay this phenomenon.
I am fortunate enough to live in Leek in Staffs where over recent years some effort has gone into marking the day This year will be no exception when someone dressed in armour will be paraded around the market place. There will be market stalls, music and entertainment. If this year goes like last year then the town will be festive and crowded. And all credit to the volunteers who co-ordinate the event and participate in what is essentially a fun event.
I think that it is important to recognise St George’s Day which is also, by happy coincidence, the birthday of the country's greatest poet- Shakespeare. I am proud of the many achievements that England and the rest of the island has bought to the world. For me that list would include the language, the rule of law, parliamentary democracy, the development of individual liberties and a peerless list of scientific and technical endeavour and triumph. Including in that list the achievements of the local resident James Brindley the man who pioneered canal building so vital to the Industrial Revolution- and whose 300th anniversary we celebrate in a few years time. The Victorian writer Thomas Carlyle considered the estimable Brindley the prefect example of an Englishman
“ The rugged Brindley had little to say for himself, the rugged Brindley, when difficulties accumulate upon him retires silent, generally to his bed, sometimes for three days there in perfect privacy and ascertains in his rough head how the difficulties can be overcome, the ineloquent Brindley Brindley behold! He has chained the seas together”
It really does annoy me, as I have said, that we have allowed the far right to expropriate the flag and an event to celebrate the many positive things that England and Britain have bought to the world is the perfect repartee.
I tried to express some of these comments at a conference held at Staffs University on combating the far right last year. The response to my comments was depressing and predictable. Sadly, some people on the left just don't get it. I made my comments because someone at the conference referred to symbols such as flags. She added that "the BNP have their flags of St George and the Union Jack and that we should have ours" Helpfully she suggested a pink flag.
But how have we allowed a situation where we have abandoned the national flag and handed it over to the far right?
It does not have to be so and I reflect on the attitude of the French. At the World Cup in 1998 the French National team were pictured around the tricolour. The team was multi racial and the symbolism of this action was a brilliant and eloquent response to the antics the Front National. The French won the World Cup that year . But above all in flying the flag I recognise that it is a symbol but my conclusions are radically different from any one from the far right. For me it is the same flag that flew over the liberated slave settlements of West Africa in the 19th century, it is the same flag that welcomed the Jewish children of the kinder transport fleeing Nazi oppression in the late 30s and it is the same flag that flew on British tanks that liberated Belsen
tapestry Mr.Clegg condemed political PARTIES that are homophobic racist and anti-semitic. The British National Front does not represent the views of all the British people because it waves the national flag.
12 comments:
There is nothing happy about the shame Britain should be feeling at Clegg's performance last night. Doesn't he know that Poland is in deep shock and national mourning at the loss of their President and many other top people from their country's government?
How can he lay about these peoples' reputations calling them 'homophobes, anti-Semitic and racists'? Poland is a deeply traditional Catholic country which doesn't need any morality lessons from a young political upstart who knows nothing about diplomacy and how to correctly deal with relations to other European countries.
Poles are angry at Clegg's idiotic comments.
who the hell does Nick Clegg think he is?.
Wes Thu Hal Iain
I didn't even know it was St. George's day today. The media have certainly kept pretty quiet.
We often hear accusations that our ruling elite, multiculturalists, and Europhiles are desperate to suppress Englishness. It would appear they are doing rather well if this is their objective.
What on earth are you doing posting at quarter to five in the morning, when all good girls should be tucked up in bed ?
Alan Douglas
And to you Iain.
Happy St.George's!
Following changes to road traffic regulations, the DVLA have issued warning letters to motorists as follows:
"in order to assist other motorists to identify potentially dangerous drivers, it is now compulsory for anyone with a lower than average driving ability to display a warning flag. The flag (comprising of a red cross on a white background) will be attached to the top of at least one door of their vehicle. For those drivers of exceptionally low ability, additional flags are required.
Please take care, and avoiding action, when meeting one of these vehicles."
@Tapestry
I believe he actually referred to them as "nutters".
It was a disgraceful outburst.
I agree with Ann Leslie - the Lib Dems are the real nasty party.
I see Ivorbiggun the environmentalist is recycling his annual joke. A pity the process doesn't remove the underlying bigotry.
Salmondnet old chap, the old 'uns are the best 'uns, are they not?
Well, perhaps not when you're suffering from your annual 365 day bout of humourlessness :-)
Fnarr! Fnarr!
Today is St George’s day and the day that the BNP have chosen to launch their election manifesto in my home town. It is an event that I find extremely galling for all sorts of reasons. But it allows me to return to a theme, which I have raised before and that is the expropriation of emblems by the far right. And as it is England’s patron saints day it is an opportunity to essay this phenomenon.
I am fortunate enough to live in Leek in Staffs where over recent years some effort has gone into marking the day This year will be no exception when someone dressed in armour will be paraded around the market place. There will be market stalls, music and entertainment. If this year goes like last year then the town will be festive and crowded. And all credit to the volunteers who co-ordinate the event and participate in what is essentially a fun event.
I think that it is important to recognise St George’s Day which is also, by happy coincidence, the birthday of the country's greatest poet- Shakespeare. I am proud of the many achievements that England and the rest of the island has bought to the world. For me that list would include the language, the rule of law, parliamentary democracy, the development of individual liberties and a peerless list of scientific and technical endeavour and triumph. Including in that list the achievements of the local resident James Brindley the man who pioneered canal building so vital to the Industrial Revolution- and whose 300th anniversary we celebrate in a few years time. The Victorian writer Thomas Carlyle considered the estimable Brindley the prefect example of an Englishman
“ The rugged Brindley had little to say for himself, the rugged Brindley, when difficulties accumulate upon him retires silent, generally to his bed, sometimes for three days there in perfect privacy and ascertains in his rough head how the difficulties can be overcome, the ineloquent Brindley Brindley behold! He has chained the seas together”
It really does annoy me, as I have said, that we have allowed the far right to expropriate the flag and an event to celebrate the many positive things that England and Britain have bought to the world is the perfect repartee.
I tried to express some of these comments at a conference held at Staffs University on combating the far right last year. The response to my comments was depressing and predictable. Sadly, some people on the left just don't get it. I made my comments because someone at the conference referred to symbols such as flags. She added that "the BNP have their flags of St George and the Union Jack and that we should have ours" Helpfully she suggested a pink flag.
But how have we allowed a situation where we have abandoned the national flag and handed it over to the far right?
It does not have to be so and I reflect on the attitude of the French. At the World Cup in 1998 the French National team were pictured around the tricolour. The team was multi racial and the symbolism of this action was a brilliant and eloquent response to the antics the Front National. The French won the World Cup that year
.
But above all in flying the flag I recognise that it is a symbol but my conclusions are radically different from any one from the far right. For me it is the same flag that flew over the liberated slave settlements of West Africa in the 19th century, it is the same flag that welcomed the Jewish children of the kinder transport fleeing Nazi oppression in the late 30s and it is the same flag that flew on British tanks that liberated Belsen
tapestry
Mr.Clegg condemed political PARTIES that are homophobic racist and anti-semitic.
The British National Front does not represent the views of all the British people because it waves the national flag.
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