There are plenty of things to criticise Corbyn for.
But not his clothes today. It was cold, windy and there was a very real prospect of rain. He seemed perfectly appropriately dressed given that dressing up is hardly his USP. All the fuss about Foot was overdone as well.
If we're going to be all pretend outrage about clothes, let's have a go at the NZ PM who was wearing a short pink jacket over trousers at the NZ commemoration. Or Angela Merkel who really does not have the arse or thighs for trousers. And Macron's suits don't fit him properly either.
His cloths are symptomatic of his general indifference. Other leaders might wear crap clothes, and they are as equally guilty of the same charge.
I find myself in the odd position of defending Corbyn. He was wearing a suit with a neatly done up tie. He was wearing a three quarter length coat with a hood, warm and waterproof I imagine, which seems sensible given the weather in November and the heavy rain in London last night.
He laid his wreath, bowed his head and sang the hymns, from what I could see.
If you start making not wearing a black woollen coat some sort of capital offence, what on earth are you going to do when he really does something worth criticising?
Fashion police should be paying him a visit. You would not see a toff like Cameron making that error.
I think Jeremy Corbyn's dress at the Cenotaph is fine. He is wearing a coat over a suit, just as everyone else is doing on a cold day.
I tell you, it was cold out there in a cassock and surplice, although fortunately we had a break between the showers. I'm not going to criticise a man who is after all getting on a bit for staying wrapped up. We don't need any more Joseph Johnstons. I had an umbrella on standby in case of need and it's just dawned on me I've left it in the organ loft.
It was also an utter shambles of an occasion, which is rather sad. Who thought a confetti machine loudly spraying fake poppy petals was a good idea? Or forgetting to give the choir hymn leaflets? The white doves were a nice touch - except they forgot to leave a slot to release them.
But it was a very good turnout - I'd guess four or five thousand people were there. So we did remember even if the service was half-baked.
PS - that was the bit outside, organised by the council. The service in the church itself was fine.
There are plenty of things to criticise Corbyn for.
But not his clothes today. It was cold, windy and there was a very real prospect of rain. He seemed perfectly appropriately dressed given that dressing up is hardly his USP. All the fuss about Foot was overdone as well.
If we're going to be all pretend outrage about clothes, let's have a go at the NZ PM who was wearing a short pink jacket over trousers at the NZ commemoration. Or Angela Merkel who really does not have the arse or thighs for trousers. And Macron's suits don't fit him properly either.
His cloths are symptomatic of his general indifference. Other leaders might wear crap clothes, and they are as equally guilty of the same charge.
I find myself in the odd position of defending Corbyn. He was wearing a suit with a neatly done up tie. He was wearing a three quarter length coat with a hood, warm and waterproof I imagine, which seems sensible given the weather in November and the heavy rain in London last night.
He laid his wreath, bowed his head and sang the hymns, from what I could see.
If you start making not wearing a black woollen coat some sort of capital offence, what on earth are you going to do when he really does something worth criticising?
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
There are plenty of things to criticise Corbyn for.
But not his clothes today. It was cold, windy and there was a very real prospect of rain. He seemed perfectly appropriately dressed given that dressing up is hardly his USP. All the fuss about Foot was overdone as well.
If we're going to be all pretend outrage about clothes, let's have a go at the NZ PM who was wearing a short pink jacket over trousers at the NZ commemoration. Or Angela Merkel who really does not have the arse or thighs for trousers. And Macron's suits don't fit him properly either.
His cloths are symptomatic of his general indifference. Other leaders might wear crap clothes, and they are as equally guilty of the same charge.
I find myself in the odd position of defending Corbyn. He was wearing a suit with a neatly done up tie. He was wearing a three quarter length coat with a hood, warm and waterproof I imagine, which seems sensible given the weather in November and the heavy rain in London last night.
He laid his wreath, bowed his head and sang the hymns, from what I could see.
If you start making not wearing a black woollen coat some sort of capital offence, what on earth are you going to do when he really does something worth criticising?
Fashion police should be paying him a visit. You would not see a toff like Cameron making that error.
The fashion police ought to be visiting the Duchess of Cambridge who was wearing a hideous looking outfit. In grey. Not black. (The horror.....).
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
In the past we would have sent a well known nobody like Nick Clegg.
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
In the past we would have sent a well known nobody like Nick Clegg.
There are plenty of things to criticise Corbyn for.
But not his clothes today. It was cold, windy and there was a very real prospect of rain. He seemed perfectly appropriately dressed given that dressing up is hardly his USP. All the fuss about Foot was overdone as well.
If we're going to be all pretend outrage about clothes, let's have a go at the NZ PM who was wearing a short pink jacket over trousers at the NZ commemoration. Or Angela Merkel who really does not have the arse or thighs for trousers. And Macron's suits don't fit him properly either.
His cloths are symptomatic of his general indifference. Other leaders might wear crap clothes, and they are as equally guilty of the same charge.
I find myself in the odd position of defending Corbyn. He was wearing a suit with a neatly done up tie. He was wearing a three quarter length coat with a hood, warm and waterproof I imagine, which seems sensible given the weather in November and the heavy rain in London last night.
He laid his wreath, bowed his head and sang the hymns, from what I could see.
If you start making not wearing a black woollen coat some sort of capital offence, what on earth are you going to do when he really does something worth criticising?
Fashion police should be paying him a visit. You would not see a toff like Cameron making that error.
The fashion police ought to be visiting the Duchess of Cambridge who was wearing a hideous looking outfit. In grey. Not black. (The horror.....).
On the Cenotaph thing, rehashing old hits from the eighties is popular right now. I am not sure it does much for people too young to remember the originals though.
But I guess there is quite a lot of need for distraction right now, with the Taxpayers Alliance/Leave EU scandal opening up.
On the Cenotaph thing, rehashing old hits from the eighties is popular right now. I am not sure it does much for people too young to remember the originals though.
But I guess there is quite a lot of need for distraction right now, with the Taxpayers Alliance/Leave EU scandal opening up.
This whole poppy auto de fe gets more ludicrous every year. I think I'll get a large poppy tattoed on my face and scream NEVER FORGET repeatedly for 24 hours next year.
Not Jezza's greatest fan, but difficult not to judge a man by the twats who are his enemies.
Been here before. The fashion police get worked up, everyone else moves on.
Perhaps Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron should be condemned for not wearing similar small metal poppies. Corbyn is still playing the role of VIth form rebel, why make an unforced error which will be picked up on TV, and press?
A first glimpse of the photographs on BBC News might imply that Corbyn was present, but his poppy wasn't there.
Not Jezza's greatest fan, but difficult not to judge a man by the twats who are his enemies.
Been here before. The fashion police get worked up, everyone else moves on.
Perhaps Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron should be condemned for not wearing similar small metal poppies. Corbyn is still playing the role of VIth form rebel, why make an unforced error which will be picked up on TV, and press?
A first glimpse of the photographs on BBC News might imply that Corbyn was present, but his poppy wasn't there.
On the Cenotaph thing, rehashing old hits from the eighties is popular right now. I am not sure it does much for people too young to remember the originals though.
But I guess there is quite a lot of need for distraction right now, with the Taxpayers Alliance/Leave EU scandal opening up.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
On the Cenotaph thing, rehashing old hits from the eighties is popular right now. I am not sure it does much for people too young to remember the originals though.
But I guess there is quite a lot of need for distraction right now, with the Taxpayers Alliance/Leave EU scandal opening up.
But as the facts come out her story is sounding more plausible.
She has a new conspiracy theory every other day. And so far they have fallen apart. Perhaps one of them will turn out to be correct, a bit like once in a blue moon InfoWars runs a story that isn't total horseshit.
Not Jezza's greatest fan, but difficult not to judge a man by the twats who are his enemies.
Been here before. The fashion police get worked up, everyone else moves on.
Perhaps Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron should be condemned for not wearing similar small metal poppies. Corbyn is still playing the role of VIth form rebel, why make an unforced error which will be picked up on TV, and press?
A first glimpse of the photographs on BBC News might imply that Corbyn was present, but his poppy wasn't there.
This whole poppy auto de fe gets more ludicrous every year. I think I'll get a large poppy tattoed on my face and scream NEVER FORGET repeatedly for 24 hours next year.
That’s not sufficient. You need to be dressed fully as a poppy. If any of your limbs can be seen outside your Remembrace Day fatigues, you should spend the next 12 months in a correctional facility, in the hope you might comply in 2020.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I think it will fade away after 2045. Probably not sooner though.
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
He is the Deputy PM, the best we could send after the Queen and PM who were at the Cenotaph
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I think it will fade away after 2045. Probably not sooner though.
It will still be relevant for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars even any still around from the Falklands and Gulf Wars even after then
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I think it will fade away after 2045. Probably not sooner though.
Oak Apple Day is probably the nearest equivalent, which faded out during the Napoleonic Wars and was finally officially abolished altogether in 1859.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I think it will fade away after 2045. Probably not sooner though.
It will still be relevant for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars even any still around from the Falklands and Gulf Wars even after then
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
Disagree. Whilst Poppyism may sometimes go too far (*), this year, being the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, is an exceptional one and slight excesses are probably justified. But today I left the leisure centre I take the little 'un to a little early, sat in the car with him, and listened to the radio in silence. Afterwards, we talked for a few minutes about war, death, and sacrifice.
And as Labour are showing with anti-Semitism, 'shorter memories' can lead to great evils.
(*) Last weekend, every lamppost and support on the bridge over the river to the south of Evesham had a poppy on it.
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
Disagree. Whilst Poppyism may sometimes go too far (*), this year, being the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, is an exceptional one and slight excesses are probably justified. But today I left the leisure centre I take the little 'un to a little early, sat in the car with him, and listened to the radio in silence. Afterwards, we talked for a few minutes about war, death, and sacrifice.
And as Labour are showing with anti-Semitism, 'shorter memories' can lead to great evils.
(*) Last weekend, every lamppost and support on the bridge over the river to the south of Evesham had a poppy on it.
Yes, certainly the centenary is worth marking, but some of the excessive poppyism is getting quite crass.
My own Grandfather was an infantry private on the Somme, then in Mesopotamia, but mostly just wanted to get back to normal when demobilised in 1919. Cricket, a humdrum office job, marriage and kids. Like many veterans he had had enough.
Apart from malaria, he came through without mental or physical wounds, but certainly had seen enough death for a lifetime. We remember those that died for their country, but I do wonder whether he killed for it. After all, that is the whole point of soldiering.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I agree with that. It's the point Simon Jenkins made in the article linked below. We don't, nowadays, obsess about the lost soldiers fighting Napoleonic France, and there must come a point where remembering the past becomes counter-productive. Cf. Northern Ireland and the Balkans. There is probably a potential lead from a brave writer about how our unhealthy obsession with the last century's world wars has led us to the national self harm that is Brexit.
you might want to gloss pver Corbyns errors of judgement but you support him blindky. Frankly Nothing surprises me now given his support fir Hamas and his antisemetic stance
On topic and both another fascinating article by @alastairmeeks, and what a fantastic idea. Being in the centre there are a number of politicians I would support across various parties - this would be ideal for me.
In my entirely irrelevant opinion, Theresa May's veiled hat worn to the Cenotaph, is overachieving. You don't need any garb you wouldn't wear to a normal funeral.
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
Disagree. Whilst Poppyism may sometimes go too far (*), this year, being the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, is an exceptional one and slight excesses are probably justified. But today I left the leisure centre I take the little 'un to a little early, sat in the car with him, and listened to the radio in silence. Afterwards, we talked for a few minutes about war, death, and sacrifice.
And as Labour are showing with anti-Semitism, 'shorter memories' can lead to great evils.
(*) Last weekend, every lamppost and support on the bridge over the river to the south of Evesham had a poppy on it.
Yes, certainly the centenary is worth marking, but some of the excessive poppyism is getting quite crass.
My own Grandfather was an infantry private on the Somme, then in Mesopotamia, but mostly just wanted to get back to normal when demobilised in 1919. Cricket, a humdrum office job, marriage and kids. Like many veterans he had had enough.
Apart from malaria, he came through without mental or physical wounds, but certainly had seen enough death for a lifetime. We remember those that died for their country, but I do wonder whether he killed for it. After all, that is the whole point of soldiering.
I believe we're a doubly blessed family: both my mum and dad's families had people serve in both World Wars, and we did not lose anyone in those conflicts. That must be fairly unusual.
I'd also like to see more commemoration of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, which ended up killing up to 100 million people, including many troops who had survived the horrors of the war.
On topic and both another fascinating article by @alastairmeeks, and what a fantastic idea. Being in the centre there are a number of politicians I would support across various parties - this would be ideal for me.
I wonder if it might not be an appropriate system for an elected second chamber ?
Given the utterly ludicrous reactions on here to the perceived dress sense of various politicos and dignatries, I’m glad I spent my Sunday morning teaching my son how to beat-match house music.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
After 100 years, it is probably time to stop marking it. The roots of war so often lie in remembered grievances from the last one. In the best interests of peace, we should develop shorter memories.
I think it will fade away after 2045. Probably not sooner though.
Oak Apple Day is probably the nearest equivalent, which faded out during the Napoleonic Wars and was finally officially abolished altogether in 1859.
Conversely, for some years the anniversary of the King’s ‘murder’ was a day of national remembrance.
TM must have declined Macron's invitation to be at the Cenotaph instead. Quite right too.
David Lidington was in Paris instead representing the British government as Deputy PM, while Merkel was in Paris and the German President was at the Cenotaph
So we send a nobody to the ceremonies in Paris. How the mighty have fallen when an unknown nobody like that is our representative at such an occasion.
He is the Deputy PM, the best we could send after the Queen and PM who were at the Cenotaph
And, to be fair, one of the few members of the government temperamentally suited to diplomacy.
There is probably a potential lead from a brave writer about how our unhealthy obsession with the last century's world wars has led us to the national self harm that is Brexit.
Part of the reason why these remembrance ceremonies have gained in attendance in recent years (as opposed to, say, 30 or 40 years ago) is because the generations that have first-hand memories are disappearing. So we are conscious not just of the history they commemorate but that we are losing our direct links to those who were involved. That adds a special poignancy to the occasions, a feeling that we perhaps need to capture the stories and memories before they finally disappear and become history rather than memory. And that because there are so few of them we should honour those who remain.
Once they have passed into history then there may well come a time when we no longer need such ceremonies. But I doubt that we will ever have a world without wars and there is a case for remembering those who do serve in such wars, even if we do not need to go overboard with the whole thing. Remembering does not mean storing up grievances. It's what we do with our memories which matters not having them in the first place.
I do strongly feel that we do not know enough about our history and the history of other countries and that has led to dreadful policy errors, stupid politics and a deafness and insensitivity to the concerns of many voters. We need more knowledge of history not less. (How can you possibly understand Islamism without understanding one of its roots in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following WW1 and what that meant for the Middle East. When Bin Laden talked about the collapse of the Caliphate who really understood what he said and why it mattered. And yet those historical grievances fuel much of the issues which inflame the Middle East. There WW1 and WW2 still have real resonance for people and current politics beyond simply remembering the fallen. We need to understand this.) But it needs to be taught and understood well. It is too often presented in a cartoonish and ill-informed way which does nothing for public understanding or discourse.
All countries have myths about their history - see, for instance, France with its necessary (but untrue) belief that it had a Resistance which helped liberate it as opposed to being a country which happily collaborated with Germany and resented the fact that it did have to be liberated by others. Britain too has its myths and to some extent these are necessary. The history of the 20th century - if laid out in all its brutal reality - would not be kind to any country. Take the vast numbers of Soviet war dead: many of those were killed by the Soviets themselves and belonged to countries which did not want to be taken over by Russia. They were not all heroic Russians fighting Nazis.
Equally, the very different experiences of countries shapes their attitude to developments now. It does seem to me that Britain's experience of two world wars and, crucially, the inter-war period, even more than WW2, is one reason why Britain (or a very significant part of the population) has never felt at a gut level that it is necessary to move on from the nation state, at least not in the same way that other countries have - Italy, for instance, which has never had a nation state worth speaking of. That feeling is one of the tributaries which may have contributed to Brexit though it could equally have contributed to a view that a different but still close association with the EU is needed, as opposed to the "we'll go our own way like it's the 16th century again" nonsense being peddled by some. But Brexit was caused by many things and feeling proud of our role in WW2 is among the least important of those reasons, IMO.
But if one wanted to be really brave one could also say that the EU has been created because of an unhealthy obsession with the last century's world wars and a misunderstanding about their cause. In fact, a writer has done just that (see Yoram Hazony's "The Virtues of Nationalism"). One could argue that it was empires which fought (WW1) and countries which were not liberal democracies (WW2) and that the answer to each is not to recreate quasi-Empires or abolish nation states but to create strong liberal democracies within co-operative nation states. In many ways, the EU is a good answer to the questions which arose 50 or more years ago but may not - in its current form - be as good an answer to the questions which face us now or will face us in the future.
Comments
It was also an utter shambles of an occasion, which is rather sad. Who thought a confetti machine loudly spraying fake poppy petals was a good idea? Or forgetting to give the choir hymn leaflets? The white doves were a nice touch - except they forgot to leave a slot to release them.
But it was a very good turnout - I'd guess four or five thousand people were there. So we did remember even if the service was half-baked.
PS - that was the bit outside, organised by the council. The service in the church itself was fine.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/11/trump-acting-attorney-general-whitaker-believes-states-right-nullify-federal-laws.html
Though this might be history repeating itself as farce.
But I guess there is quite a lot of need for distraction right now, with the Taxpayers Alliance/Leave EU scandal opening up.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1061567169178288129.html
A first glimpse of the photographs on BBC News might imply that Corbyn was present, but his poppy wasn't there.
https://twitter.com/DavidLammy/status/1061546645429645312
Can we have the likes of Eddie Spheroids back please, at least they had half a brain.
Remembrance Day should be a day of personal reflection, not a series of cultural, sartorial and behavioural hoops set by committee through which all must pass in order to gain approval.
Poppyism is ugly. Can we return to paying our respects to our fallen in our own ways please?
I shall await a more reliable source.
http://www.twitter.com/woodydudecoyb/status/1061573202906877952
I think there will be a lot of applicants who got Firsts / top GPAs who didn't get in that year, who will be scratching their heads.
It is Corbyn’s choice what to wear. Not yours.
That’s not sufficient. You need to be dressed fully as a poppy. If any of your limbs can be seen outside your Remembrace Day fatigues, you should spend the next 12 months in a correctional facility, in the hope you might comply in 2020.
And as Labour are showing with anti-Semitism, 'shorter memories' can lead to great evils.
(*) Last weekend, every lamppost and support on the bridge over the river to the south of Evesham had a poppy on it.
https://twitter.com/Mebigaustin/status/1061544437313089537
My own Grandfather was an infantry private on the Somme, then in Mesopotamia, but mostly just wanted to get back to normal when demobilised in 1919. Cricket, a humdrum office job, marriage and kids. Like many veterans he had had enough.
Apart from malaria, he came through without mental or physical wounds, but certainly had seen enough death for a lifetime. We remember those that died for their country, but I do wonder whether he killed for it. After all, that is the whole point of soldiering.
Or did she say 'Canada?'
Edit - not, she really was talking rubbish about something non-existent. If anyone is on her to be next Labour leader - sell.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/09/no-more-remembrance-days-consign-20th-century-history
you might want to gloss pver Corbyns errors of judgement but you support him blindky. Frankly Nothing surprises me now given his support fir Hamas and his antisemetic stance
German President lays wreath in Whitehall.
I'd also like to see more commemoration of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, which ended up killing up to 100 million people, including many troops who had survived the horrors of the war.
What point an opposition if they are always told to agree with the government for the "national interest"?
NEW THREAD
Part One
Part of the reason why these remembrance ceremonies have gained in attendance in recent years (as opposed to, say, 30 or 40 years ago) is because the generations that have first-hand memories are disappearing. So we are conscious not just of the history they commemorate but that we are losing our direct links to those who were involved. That adds a special poignancy to the occasions, a feeling that we perhaps need to capture the stories and memories before they finally disappear and become history rather than memory. And that because there are so few of them we should honour those who remain.
Once they have passed into history then there may well come a time when we no longer need such ceremonies. But I doubt that we will ever have a world without wars and there is a case for remembering those who do serve in such wars, even if we do not need to go overboard with the whole thing. Remembering does not mean storing up grievances. It's what we do with our memories which matters not having them in the first place.
I do strongly feel that we do not know enough about our history and the history of other countries and that has led to dreadful policy errors, stupid politics and a deafness and insensitivity to the concerns of many voters. We need more knowledge of history not less. (How can you possibly understand Islamism without understanding one of its roots in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following WW1 and what that meant for the Middle East. When Bin Laden talked about the collapse of the Caliphate who really understood what he said and why it mattered. And yet those historical grievances fuel much of the issues which inflame the Middle East. There WW1 and WW2 still have real resonance for people and current politics beyond simply remembering the fallen. We need to understand this.) But it needs to be taught and understood well. It is too often presented in a cartoonish and ill-informed way which does nothing for public understanding or discourse.
All countries have myths about their history - see, for instance, France with its necessary (but untrue) belief that it had a Resistance which helped liberate it as opposed to being a country which happily collaborated with Germany and resented the fact that it did have to be liberated by others. Britain too has its myths and to some extent these are necessary. The history of the 20th century - if laid out in all its brutal reality - would not be kind to any country. Take the vast numbers of Soviet war dead: many of those were killed by the Soviets themselves and belonged to countries which did not want to be taken over by Russia. They were not all heroic Russians fighting Nazis.
Equally, the very different experiences of countries shapes their attitude to developments now. It does seem to me that Britain's experience of two world wars and, crucially, the inter-war period, even more than WW2, is one reason why Britain (or a very significant part of the population) has never felt at a gut level that it is necessary to move on from the nation state, at least not in the same way that other countries have - Italy, for instance, which has never had a nation state worth speaking of. That feeling is one of the tributaries which may have contributed to Brexit though it could equally have contributed to a view that a different but still close association with the EU is needed, as opposed to the "we'll go our own way like it's the 16th century again" nonsense being peddled by some. But Brexit was caused by many things and feeling proud of our role in WW2 is among the least important of those reasons, IMO.
But if one wanted to be really brave one could also say that the EU has been created because of an unhealthy obsession with the last century's world wars and a misunderstanding about their cause. In fact, a writer has done just that (see Yoram Hazony's "The Virtues of Nationalism"). One could argue that it was empires which fought (WW1) and countries which were not liberal democracies (WW2) and that the answer to each is not to recreate quasi-Empires or abolish nation states but to create strong liberal democracies within co-operative nation states. In many ways, the EU is a good answer to the questions which arose 50 or more years ago but may not - in its current form - be as good an answer to the questions which face us now or will face us in the future.
Or that it was a lack of self-confidence which led Britain into the EU and that lack led to so many of the strategic errors which have resulted in Brexit - see this by a somewhat less brave writer - http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2016/06/18/britains-original-sins/.