The cost of living crisis, rampant inflation, rail strikes, drought, floods, sewage in the rivers and on the beaches, fuel prices and the energy crisis were just a few of the reasons given as arguments to curtail the prolonged process of electing the Tory leader and next PM; to get the Government to declare its policies and solutions. However election rules is rules!
Writing this column makes me cautious in making predictions which by publication day prove to be erroneous and embarrassing. Whatever! It seems more than likely that Liz Truss will make it to Number 10, unless there is an amazing late rush for Rishi or Boris makes some further U-turn to undermine the system and rebound back from Greece to grasp the zipwire of power.
As PM who will Liz Truss emulate? Her role model and long admired Margaret Thatcher? Her predecessor Boris to whose policies and approach she displayed immense loyalty? or perhaps it might be Finland’s Prime Minister, Sanna Marin. The Finnish leader’s publicised partying, at rock festivals and nightclubs, makes the events at Downing Street look tame in the extreme, (leaving aside the Covid rule issue). Ms Marin was slated for seeming ‘unstatesmanlike’ (should that be ‘unstatespersonlike’) purely for behaving like normal people do. She was even persuaded to take a drug test!
It appears that despite the error of allowing parties to be filmed, her popularity is enhanced particularly with younger voters and her perceived ability to be a good Prime Minister is thought not to be undermined. Truss for Glastonbury?
The return of Kynren, Bishop Auckland’s historical pageant, is greatly welcomed. I first saw the event four years ago and it is even more impressive, enjoyable and enhanced. The capacity audience was engrossed. From Boudicca (Boadicea), through the Vikings, Romans, Middle Ages, Civil War, Elizabethan Age, Industrial Revolution, two World wars and very much more. There is even space for Windrush and the 1966 World Cup Winners.
The dates for 2023 are available now and I cannot commend it too highly. No doubt the Lionesses will make an appearance.
There has been widespread criticism of the BBC decision to scrap the Saturday reading of the classified football results. Albeit this started in an age when all matches were played at 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. By 5pm supporters would be back in their cars listening to the reassuring tune of Hubert Bath’s ‘Out of the Blue’ heralding ‘Sports Report’ and the reading of all the football match results.
Suddenly and without warning it was gone. Eventually the BBC explained that it ‘no longer has time in its radio schedules’ and in any event the results are available on television and online. To read the English and Scottish results takes about five minutes. I agree with the description of this cancellation as an act of cultural vandalism. We need to hear ‘East Fife 4, Forfar 5’. I hope the BBC will listen to its audience and reinstate.
This is alongside a new BBC policy to impose quotas for featured classical music, suggesting that concentration on great composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Wagner is unacceptably ‘male, pale and stale’. and that other composers because of gender or skin colour have not been given their fair share of attention. The BBC Proms is already sidelining some excellent composers who have the misfortune to be male, pale and middle aged.
After 1000 years in which western classical music has been much dominated by white composers and performers, there is ample evidence of a significant pendulum swing. Many black and Asian composers and performers are widely featured in all concert halls. There is certainly no sex bar. Inclusiveness is universally welcomed. Audiences have ears. Talent is recognised on the basis of merit and appreciation. However there is no call for artificial quotas to be imposed by the selfpossessed and opinionated BBC oligarchy.
As a consequence of low rainfall, this year’s crop of fruit and vegetables will include an unusually high proportion of mis-shapen ugly or ‘wonky’ specimens. The National Farmers Union warns that the drought conditions will particularly affect carrots, onions, potatoes and apples and they are urging supermarkets not to shy away from them.
This recalls, for those with long memories, the features of suggestive saucy spuds on Esther Rantzen’s That’s Life. Harvests may already be smaller and the cost of living crisis means cheap foodstuffs are essential. Certain supermarkets should relax their obsession with aesthetically perfect items. The oddly shaped offer will be just as nutritious with the same calorie content, and bring a smile to the shoppers.
Look out for new range of odd shapes and sizes of fruit and vegetables. Just like the old broken biscuit shop!