Category: UK

Meet up of some old timers

So the real reason for being in Covent Garden was to meet in the Porterhouse  and go for a meal across the road. Pub  was heaving. All arrived eventually.

Good fun had by all.

Twickenham contest

An afternoon spent in the ‘Maple Leaf’ pub watching England v New Zealand with Bridge and Elaine along with a host of other rugby fans.

Of note, other than the tight win for the ABs with the cancellation of an England try at the death thanks to the TMO, was my support for New Zealand. With these contests I am split for loyalty if that is really an important issue. NZ were the team today as being perverse comes easily with so many supporting England. Equally the arrogance of England comes into play.

And next week NZ v Ireland- a closer call.

Brexit and current state of affairs

Invoking ‘democracy’ to avoid another referendum is the refuge of charlatans

Britain’s worst politicians, which is to say the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties, pretend that the democracy of a second referendum is a danger to democracy. Outsiders may believe that the true danger lies in a Brexit that threatens the hard-won peace in Ireland, the union with Scotland, the living standards of the poorest people and regions and Britain’s influence in the world, for the sake of a fantasy that was invented by charlatans and is being implemented by incompetents, so unqualified in statecraft they can neither agree among themselves nor be honest with the public about the dismal choices ahead.

British politicians believe that they can play the innocent because the referendum has freed them from responsibility. All they must do is execute the “people’s will” and “the people” will thank them.

from Nick Cohen

The state of real football

An interesting article on the (previously) proposed sale of Wembley stadium by the FA.

It comes across as a useful metaphor for broader society:

In a football nation with 20 mostly overseas-owned Premier League clubs sharing £8.4bn in TV deals from 2016-19, two out of three grass pitches were found to be inadequate. More than 147,000 grassroots matches were postponed last year because of pitches being unplayable. Over decades since the establishment of major public playing fields, particularly in cities, severe underfunding during the last Conservative government from 1979 to 1997, followed by relentless budget cuts since 2010, has also left many with no or pathetically inadequate changing rooms.