Not only is it St George's Day today (Huzzah!) but it is also (allegedly) William Shakespeare's birthday. The old bard would in fact be 443 if he were alive today.
These dates are well known - even if Shakespeare's actual birthday is probably a matter of wishful thinking - and reasonably well marked. What is not so well known is that John Shakespeare, the Sweet Swan of Avon's dear old dad, was an Alderman in Stratford - an early representative of local government.
So I say to myself, why shouldn't we use the same day to mark the national poet, England's national saint and our much-maligned elected representatives in local government?
If Britain can have a national jelly bean day (as we did, yesterday) and a national allotments week (coming our way 13-19 August) and even a national moth night (11 August, put it in your diary), surely it's not beyond the bounds of possibility to have a national councillors day. I doubt the greeting card industry would be rushed off their feet with requests for "Happy Councillors Day, Councillor!" cards, so it's got to be cheap.
Surprisingly, Shakespeare didn't write any grand dramas about cloak-and-dagger town hall intrigues - even though he spent a lot of time in Southwark.
W. S. Gilbert, however, gave us his appreciation of the role of new-fangled county councillors in the 1893 Gilbert and Sullivan opera "Utopia Limited":
"This County Councillor acclaim,
Great Britain's latest toy —
On anything you like to name
His talents he'll employ —
All streets and squares he'll purify
Within your city walls,
And keep, meanwhile, a modest eye
On wicked music halls."
Ah yes, those wicked music halls. Still a problem.
Happy St George's Day!
Monday 23 April 2007
Sunday 22 April 2007
Streatham Common Kite Day
Out, with some friends and a picnic, to watch the kites on Streatham Common. For the last ** years, the Common has hosted a Kite Day, and every year the event goes from strength to strength.
Here's a link to a video of what was going on:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wfDbXrbexz8
And here's a link to the Kite Day website:
http://www.streathamkiteday.org.uk
Here's a link to a video of what was going on:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wfDbXrbexz8
And here's a link to the Kite Day website:
http://www.streathamkiteday.org.uk
Tuesday 3 April 2007
differing with Mandela
I don't think there's much I would differ on with Nelson Mandela.
But I have to take issue with the great man's reaction to the recent incident of the Tory councillor in Brent who thought it was acceptable to blacken his face and wear a badge declaring himself to be "Councillor Nelson Mandela".
This followed hard on the heels of Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former Army Colonel, being sacked from his party's front bench for these comments: "If you'd said to them [black soldiers he commanded], 'have you ever been called a nigger?' they would have said 'yes'... that's the way it is in the army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting 'come on you fat bastard, come on you ginger bastard, come on you black bastard.'"
Cllr Brian Gordon's actions show at best a lack of judgement and at worst the lack of respect that can lead to racism.
Now Mandela's spokesman has reportedly said: "We shouldn't be over sensitive about issues of this nature. Mr Mandela thought it was quite funny. In no way the character was harmed of Nelson Mandela. We can't find anything derogatory in someone dressing up, in fancy dress, portraying Nelson Mandela."
It's a gracious view entirely in keeping with Mandela's forgiving character, but it must be said it ignores the message that Cllr Gordon was, knowingly or unknowingly, sending out about black and minority ethnic people by relegating an iconic black leader to the realms of a fancy dress joke. Cllr Gordon has said: "I am amazed that one or two people are becoming so worked up over a fancy dress outfit that was no more than a piece of harmless fun."
Harmless fun? As Labour MP for Tooting Sadiq Khan said recently: "Anybody who understands racism knows it is a broad spectrum of things. It starts with ridicule and ends with people dying because of the colour of their skin."
What can't be denied or excused, even by the greatest and best of human beings, is that there remain deep-seated problems of acceptance and opportunity for black people living in modern Britain, which is why the Tories should not be allowed to get away with this councillor's behaviour. An example must be made. He should be sacked.
Let's not forget that this is the same Tory party whose leader said last year: "I want our new councillors and council candidates to lead the fightback against racism and division." So Cameron is either out of synch or out of touch with his party. Or out to lunch along with his PR gurus.
But I have to take issue with the great man's reaction to the recent incident of the Tory councillor in Brent who thought it was acceptable to blacken his face and wear a badge declaring himself to be "Councillor Nelson Mandela".
This followed hard on the heels of Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former Army Colonel, being sacked from his party's front bench for these comments: "If you'd said to them [black soldiers he commanded], 'have you ever been called a nigger?' they would have said 'yes'... that's the way it is in the army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting 'come on you fat bastard, come on you ginger bastard, come on you black bastard.'"
Cllr Brian Gordon's actions show at best a lack of judgement and at worst the lack of respect that can lead to racism.
Now Mandela's spokesman has reportedly said: "We shouldn't be over sensitive about issues of this nature. Mr Mandela thought it was quite funny. In no way the character was harmed of Nelson Mandela. We can't find anything derogatory in someone dressing up, in fancy dress, portraying Nelson Mandela."
It's a gracious view entirely in keeping with Mandela's forgiving character, but it must be said it ignores the message that Cllr Gordon was, knowingly or unknowingly, sending out about black and minority ethnic people by relegating an iconic black leader to the realms of a fancy dress joke. Cllr Gordon has said: "I am amazed that one or two people are becoming so worked up over a fancy dress outfit that was no more than a piece of harmless fun."
Harmless fun? As Labour MP for Tooting Sadiq Khan said recently: "Anybody who understands racism knows it is a broad spectrum of things. It starts with ridicule and ends with people dying because of the colour of their skin."
What can't be denied or excused, even by the greatest and best of human beings, is that there remain deep-seated problems of acceptance and opportunity for black people living in modern Britain, which is why the Tories should not be allowed to get away with this councillor's behaviour. An example must be made. He should be sacked.
Let's not forget that this is the same Tory party whose leader said last year: "I want our new councillors and council candidates to lead the fightback against racism and division." So Cameron is either out of synch or out of touch with his party. Or out to lunch along with his PR gurus.
Monday 2 April 2007
Cameron: a tale of two Charlies
Dave the Chameleon, it would appear, is back. Only today he is being compared both to an Easter egg and a style icon.
Charlie Porter of GQ, the men's magazine for the incurably sharp-suited, has declared "Behold! Here's a politician who understands the news agenda is set as much by appearance as it is by words. He impressed our voters with his consistently improved appearance."
Hmm. A bit more to politics than appearance, as I would be happy to demonstrate on most mornings. The appearance of having policies is one thing, but Cameron's Tories don't score too well on that either.
Meanwhile, at the Guardian, the newspaper of record for the less-than-sharp-suited (and bravo for that), one Charlie Brooker is saying:
"David Cameron is an idiot. A simpering, say-anything, dough-faced, preposterous waddling idiot with a feeble, insincere voice ... he appears to consist of little more than a media profile designed to appeal to unthinking snap judgments ... there is nothing to him. He is like a hollow Easter egg with no bag of sweets inside. Cameron will say absolutely anything if he thinks it might get him elected. If a shock poll was published saying 99% of the British public were enthusiastic paedophiles, he would drive through the streets in an open-top bus surrounded by the Mini Pops. He's nothing. He's no one."
Make of these opinions what you will. I know what I think, which tends ever so slightly towards the latter view. But in the end, as Cameron might well be thinking, what possible difference can two Charlies make?
Charlie Porter of GQ, the men's magazine for the incurably sharp-suited, has declared "Behold! Here's a politician who understands the news agenda is set as much by appearance as it is by words. He impressed our voters with his consistently improved appearance."
Hmm. A bit more to politics than appearance, as I would be happy to demonstrate on most mornings. The appearance of having policies is one thing, but Cameron's Tories don't score too well on that either.
Meanwhile, at the Guardian, the newspaper of record for the less-than-sharp-suited (and bravo for that), one Charlie Brooker is saying:
"David Cameron is an idiot. A simpering, say-anything, dough-faced, preposterous waddling idiot with a feeble, insincere voice ... he appears to consist of little more than a media profile designed to appeal to unthinking snap judgments ... there is nothing to him. He is like a hollow Easter egg with no bag of sweets inside. Cameron will say absolutely anything if he thinks it might get him elected. If a shock poll was published saying 99% of the British public were enthusiastic paedophiles, he would drive through the streets in an open-top bus surrounded by the Mini Pops. He's nothing. He's no one."
Make of these opinions what you will. I know what I think, which tends ever so slightly towards the latter view. But in the end, as Cameron might well be thinking, what possible difference can two Charlies make?
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