The media appears determined to narrow the Overton Window further to exclude republicanism, which would make the views of over 30% of the UK population unacceptable as a part of normal political discourse. The fascinating thing about the concept of the Overton Window as enforced by the UK media, is that some of the views not given media airing as being beyond the pale of “respectable” opinion – such as rail nationalisation – actually enjoy public support.
The media are currently intent on demonising Jeremy Corbyn as a republican by inventing conflict between him and the Queen. The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg asked him in a corridor whether he would be prepared to kneel and kiss the Queen’s hand as part of the ceremony of joining the Privy Council, and the media splashed his demurral as the lead broadcast and print story of the day. It subsequently became plain that Kuenssberg is a medieval fantasist and there is no hand-kissing involved.
Naturally no apologies followed. The Guardian is still attempting, even today, to milk the story with a front page article indicating Corbyn may not kneel. I should sincerely hope not. I kneel to nobody. Personally I find the idea of kneeling to another human being as weird as the idea of sticking my penis in a pig’s mouth. But apparently grovelling servility is the norm, and even thinking about not doing it makes you a weirdo.
The interesting thing is nobody has actually asked the Queen. I have met the Queen in public many times and in private twice, on both occasions to be thanked for my role in organising State Visits. I had explained I was a republican and Scottish nationalist (in those days small n) and was therefore refusing the offer of a LVO and a CVO respectively. I did not bow, or call her Ma’am. She actually asked me my reason for refusing the honour the first time, and was perfectly pleasant when I explained politely but straight. I received direct from her hands small gifts of an armada dish and a letter rack. I eventually auctioned the letter rack for the Julian Assange Defence Fund.
She showed no umbrage or concern whatsoever that I was a republican – I am sure she meets them all the time – and behaved towards me in an entirely normal fashion, not in any way noting my refusal to obey the court protocol. I personally witnessed a proposed honour to another person being downgraded because “the Palace” did not like them, but there was no question of any sanction on me for my republicanism. The proof is that there was never any question mark over my doing the job all again on a second occasion, either from the Queen or from her private secretaries.
If Jeremy Corbyn sticks to his guns, and just goes along and shows normal respect, I have no doubt at all the Queen will carry on completely unfazed. She is not stupid, is very well aware that a significant number of British people are republicans, and is not interested in making people uncomfortable. She will expect so long as she is monarch, Jeremy Corbyn to work as prescribed within the forms of government – just as I organised State Visits to the very best of my ability. But personal displays of obsequiousness are not of importance to the Queen; they are rather the obsession of the pathetically servile Guardian and other media.
Great news that Shaker Aamer is at last being released.
Another insidious thread ruined by royal tittle tattle. Sometimes its better to write less.
We all know of the complicity characters at the heart of the BBC, why this credibility by mentioning their names even.
What has PM Cameron ever done to expose the arms shipment to ISIS
What has he found out about the funding and arming of ISIS criminals?
And will Mr. Putin equally fail to hit their camps near Palmyra?I doubt it, he’s not in with their Saudi backers.
And finally, what might hackers do to stop ISIS getting paid weekly?
In many ways, the Guardian is the rottenest of the lot of them, worse even than the Sun. Billing themselves as “progressive” out of one side of their mouth, poisoning out of the other.
“Everybody in Britain is descended from William the Conqueror. “
No they’re not.
Polis in Scotland give an oath to faithfully uphold the duties of Constable – without fear or favour. There’s no mention of the Queen or the Royal Family.
Alas whoever is King or Queen of the day is still immune from all prosecution, but its a good start. Its probably not realistic, but on paper at any rate, the immunity extends only to the King or Queen and not to any of their family.
Police in England and Wales however… they do have to swear loyalty to the Queen, etc.
Craig Murray a republican?! Who would have thought that?
@Craig: “…were I a monarchist, I should prefer one of the thousands of people who is a more direct descendant of James VI than these Germans.”
Craig, what’s this: are you having a Basil Fawlty moment?;) Tbh…I don’t think that one should have to be able to trace their ancestors back several hundred years to be considered as British, Scottish, Welsh etc. I’m a firm believer in respecting people wish to be the nationality they are happy to identify as. British military cemeteries, for instance, are interspersed with many non-British sounding names. If someone loves their country so much that they are prepared to lay down their lives in the belief that their sacrifice will defend its sovereignty then the rest of us have no right to call into question their authenticity as countryfolk.
Btw…weren’t three famous Scottish heroes: William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie actually French?
Becky Cohen,
Err, no. None of those three were French. William Wallace was from Strathclyde and had no French connection of any kind. His ancestors were possibly Welsh, but his name more likely just indicates from the Gaeltag. Mary Queen of Scots was Scottish born and bred, but married a French Dauphin. Bonnie Prince Charlie was a Stuart on his father’s side (James VIII) and Polish on his mother’s side.
I’ve never met the Queen directly. However, during my final years in London during the early 2000s I used to cycle everywhere in order to carry out my work, because the traffic had become so awful. A sunny afternoon on The Mail. A pedestrian crossing with a large group of school kids going across. I stopped my bike on the curb, in front of the red light. Beside me was a big limo, and inside were Queenypoos and Philip. Queenypoos was about four feet away from me, and we were separated only by bullet-proof glass. Queenypoos and I looked at each other for a brief moment. What struck me most about her and Philip was how small they were, and how incredibly well they looked.
I was also once in a lift at the Park Lane Hilton with Rod Stewart, but that’s another story.
Are there any photography experts in the house? This photo has been doing the rounds today on social media. I’ve saved it to my own web space because it keeps being deleted from social media…
http://www.spiderbomb.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Cameron-naked.jpg
Is this really a naked David Cameron and a pig’s head? Or is it a fake?
RobG
Absolutely shocking – he appears to have been wearing a fake pre-tied bow tie!!
Craig, talking of Germans and Scots, how about this:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNNCqAmZzTA
LOL:)
Good piece, Craig – you re a million miles removed from many of your most ardent followers on here.
And a damn sight better mannered as well.
Speaking of manners, I note complete silence from “Republicofscotland” – he’s the chappie who often calls Her Majesty “Queen Liz” and “old Droopy Chops”.
I also notice that that other very polite friend of the Royals, Mary, is almost silent, intervening only to divert (a ref. to the Labour Party conference).
I have 10 shekels which say that they must both be rather cheesed off with you, Craig. Keep up the good work!
RobG : “Is this really a naked David Cameron and a pig’s head? Or is it a fake?”
No way of being certain but I would guess it’s a fake. The small size of the photo is suspicious. A picture from that era would have to be a scanned version of a photographic print. Such an analogue print contains an enormous amount of detail, ie it would produce a very high resolution digital version, say 3000 x 3000 easily. The photo you linked to is only 480 x 480. If it is genuine, why has it been reduced to less than one fortieth of its former size? Probably to hide the signs of photo-shopping.
“Is this really a naked David Cameron and a pig’s head? Or is it a fake?”
It’s a fake.
The original photograph was called “2nd Hungarian Ball” and was taken by American photographer Larry Fink. It’s part of the Merrill C. Berman Collection at the New-York Historical Society Museum in New York
I am very fond of English novelist, Robert Bage, who gives a telling account of how some people put value on family and title. There is a witty scene in Man as he not; or Hermsprong where Sir Philip Chestrum plays for the hand of Miss Caroline Campinet, the main female protagonist, though not the strongest female character.
Chestrum explains he is a man of substance, family and title. His mother’s side, the Raouiles, go back to Richard the First by her father, and he’s thinking of changing his name to Raouile by act of Parliament.
——————————————–
” . . . Should you not like Raouile better than Chestrum?”
“It is softer,” the lady replied, “it has more vowels in it.”
He asks how far her fammily goes back.
“I fancy,” said Miss Campinet, “my father goes up to Noah, if not Adam.”
Claiming title is more important than new money he continues:
“To be sure, it is a monstrous shame to see new families firing up like mushrooms.”
“They will be old in time.”
“But then how did they get their honours? Not in the fields of battle, like the Raouiles”
“Don’t you think it is as honourable to get money as to kill men?”
“No – not in an honourable way; in war and battle. If it is why do histories talk about Caesar and Alexander, and them?”
“For no good reason, indeed that I know of.”
After revealing how some women find him a bit odd together with the regularity of his toilet habits Sir Philip leaves for the card-table content with the parting conversation going:
” . . . Now, pray tell me, Miss Campinet, don’t you think I had better marry?”
“It is not my business to think for Sir Philip Chestrum.”
“I awake,” continued the baronet, “sometimes all in a sweat for fear, and say my prayers till my teeth chatter in my head . . . Now, pray, Miss Campinet, do you know ever a young lady who would suit me?”
“You seem to have a full sense of your own merits , Sir Philip, and as you rate them, I really do not know any woman who could deserve you.”
“Now I do know one. Shall I shew you her picture?”
“I have no great curiosity, Sir Philip.”
“Oh, but I promise you, you will like her, see now if you don’t.” And the gallant Sir Philip held a pocket mirror to her eyes. “I need not tell her name, need I, Miss Campinet?”
She is about to answer ‘with asperity’ when Sir Philip is called to the card table.
“I shall play so well, now, Miss Campinet,” said he: “you cannot think Miss Campinet, how happy you have made me.”
In this Sir Philip was perfectly right, Miss Campinet could not think what she had said or done to make him happy, but formed an instant resolution . . . not to be so lavish with her power in future, if she could find out what it consisted.
——————————————–
I use the above illustration to show Bage’s sense of humour, (on a level I believe with Smollettt) in his depiction of what kind of arrogance has been bestowed upon hereditary title-holders and landed gentry (Bage knew a few). This goes right up to the top, that is the monarch, and is one reason why I have become a Republican who believes in abolition of the monarchy and the upper house.
What struck me most about her and Philip was -(a)-how small they were, and -(b)-how incredibly well they looked.
(a) Didn’t Charles have to stand on a box when being photographed next to Diana? Duck’s disease runs in the family.
(b) I remember reading long ago that both males and females of the House of Windsor use fairly heroic quantities of makeup for their public appearances. Can’t find confirmation, though. Anyone? It was certainly true of the Queen Mother (personal observation: close encounter of the unimportant kind), but I guess that wouldn’t have been unexpected.
Is this really a naked David Cameron and a pig’s head? Or is it a fake?
I will not dignify this with a response. Heh.
Ba’al, unlike me, Craig has met the Queen & Co directly. I would guess that Craig is too diplomatic (in the general sense) to comment on the physical characteristics of the royals, let alone their bloodlines.
Actually, here’s another one to throw into the mix: whenever you speak against the Royals you automatically become a racist?
Node, thanks for your opinion on the ‘naked Cameron’ photo. It confirms my suspicions about it; although having said that, there have been major hints all week in the MSM that a real photo exists.
@Craig
25 Sep, 2015 – 7:44 pm
Howabout a more candid observation of Her Maj, that won’t get you sued and/or assassinated?
Off Topic, if I may.
Mary, Fedup, Brain Fujisan, John Goss, John Spencer-Davis, Node, Anon1, Macky, Dreoilin, Alcyone, and if I have forgotten anyone, I apologize.
To-day I received a phone call from the Oncology nurse telling me there was a letter on the way to me telling me that, there is no sign of spread of the kidney cancer, every thing is clear.
All your good wishes have helped me when I was feeling down. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You have restored my faith in humanity, even with all this disgusting behaviour of PigGate.
Well done for being the good people that you obviously are. Each and every one of you have shown me that your heart is in the right place.
Robert.xxx.
Excellent points from Craig
‘The media are currently intent on demonising Jeremy Corbyn as a republican by inventing conflict between him and the Queen.’
Compare the media demonisation of Corbyn for his republicanism with the easy ride the MSM gave John Prscott, who never hid his republican beacon under a bushel either-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/224400.stm
@Habbbakuk (Seems to have changed the spelling of his name)
‘Good piece, Craig – you re a million miles removed from many of your most ardent followers on here.
And a damn sight better mannered as well.’
Sir?
(SIGHS) Yes, what is it now Habbabkuk?
They were bad again, Sir.
Who?
The class, Sir, when you were away. They misbehaved.
Well, I’m…
They don’t appreciate you like I do.
No, well I…
Are you going to thrash them, Sir?
I hardly think that’s—
You should, Sir. You should thrash them.
I’m sure that’s hardly—
Did you get the apple, Sir?
Oh that was you, was it?
Saved up all my pocket money, Sir.
That’s very generous but in future I think—
You must thrash them, Sir
Really, I hardly think—
Thrash them! Thrash them, Sir!
Habbabkuk, pardon me asking, but is everything all right at home?
Kuenssberg seems to be lying low.
Jeremy Corbyn gave an interview to Sky News tonight.
Corbyn’s Challenge: Avoid Chaos And Steady Ship
Labour’s leader goes to Brighton for the party conference – but can he smooth over the differences with MPs who did not back him?
http://news.sky.com/story/1559082/corbyns-challenge-avoid-chaos-and-steady-ship
5mins 38
I am so pleased and happy for your good news Robert. ATB.
Node could it have been reduced to save bandwidth or facilitate faster upload/download perhaps?
The current heir to the Stuart claim to the crown is Franz, Duke of Bavaria, of the House of Wittelsbach. Upon his death, the claim would be inherited by his eldest daughter, Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein. She has four children, so there is no danger of the line going extinct.
Robert, great news! and here’s the inevitable congratulations…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE
Your own personal fight is over at the moment, but I don’t need to say that the larger fight in society is ongoing and needs all hands to the wheel.
“Her lowness with her head in a sling, I’m really sorry, but sounds like a wonderful thing.”