Starmer is either in denial, or too desperate to realise that the US could be his enemy, even while Trump gladly clutches his hastily thrown State Visit voucher, as an ape would a placatory banana. At least Macron is embracing the possibility of life without the US as an ally, while Starmer’s invisible friend, the US Backstop will likely haunt him in coming years.
Superimpose a uniform or costume onto the sharp suited thugs who mobbed Zelenskyy – slave masters, mobsters. Nazis. Strands of humanity have not evolved. But you don’t need an imagination to work that out, just half a grip on history. We are currently and frantically comparing the so-called New World Order with familiar periods and visions.
The recent ‘congress’ seemed reminiscent of old footage of the Nuremberg rallies, notably in 1933 after Hitler came to power. Beyond that the appeasement then rearmament of Europe circa 1938/9. The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 comes to mind when we dare to think of rapid nuclear escalation. Orwellian 1984 doublespeak…war is peace, peace is war resonates more than ever in light of Trump’s idea of peace (and his ambition to win the Nobel Peace Prize) and the vile hypocrisy and interchangeable allegiances between Trump, Starmer and others when it comes to Gaza.
Ever present is the shadow of gangster and mob violence of the movies and throughout history. Following the unabashed bullying of Republicans to Zelenskyy, came the hideous and emboldened far-right interviews. Bullies springing up on Newsnight, Channel 4 news – Krishan Guru-Murthy put up a noble fight, but the lying and aggression are clearly exhausting for any meaningful dialogue. Sadly, Gary Robertson on BBC Radio Scotland didn’t stand a chance with Reform Deputy Richard Tice, with his repetitive net stupid zero bullying tactics.
In short, we can’t be appeasing or platforming these people. Expose them and their most foul intentions. Leave it to the rest of us to remind Trump what protest is if he is unceremoniously dumped in Scotland, courtesy of Starmer and his tactics of appeasement.
Starmer and others on the European stage are now desperately trying to catch up with the situation that the feral US has presented, despite the fact that Trump told us clearly who he was before the election. They are slipping and sliding all over the place – Starmer’s ‘reliable ally’ at odds with Macron’s introduction of French nuclear weapons to the conversation, and who should benefit if necessary. Starmer is either in denial, or too desperate to realise that the US could be his enemy, even while Trump gladly clutches his hastily thrown State Visit voucher, as an ape would a placatory banana. At least Macron is embracing the possibility of life without the US as an ally, while Starmer’s invisible friend, the US Backstop will likely haunt him in coming years.
Pity they all raced to the centre, with immigration at the heart and culture wars as the weapons, frantically trying to outsmart the far/further right. Unlikely that we’ll hear Starmer’s intention to tax the rich or rescind on his despicable decision to cut overseas aid – leaving the world more desperate and the vulnerable more isolated than ever. Despite all the comparable stages to WW2, there’s nothing about this wannabe war PM that indicates a fight for a better world.
The mid 80s to early 90s (Thatcher’s not Orwell’s) saw progress in social attitudes, hand in hand with the desperate fight to halt the proposed cuts instigated by Thatcher’s rampage through our communities. Changes to TU laws took the edge off the fightback, but we learned the hard way that there’s no shortcut to progress. Nothing is handed to us on a plate. Everything is fought for. Next time someone parrots a ‘we’re lucky we’re allowed to…in this country’ remind them. Freedom of speech and expression, as determined by the far and not so far right is not for you or I. We have to demand and must never choose between Gaza or Ukraine, the climate or the nukes. There are enough of us, 8 billion to a very small percentage of the rich, powerful and fascist – we don’t have to all be out at once!
A quick study of the life and times of fascist Oswald Moseley…privileged toff whose political home was fascism, but via the Labour and Conservative parties offers us a few lessons: We should lookout for (en)titled or ambitious politicians, but mainly…do not trust our collective future to them. Vote wisely, yes, but the real power has to lie with us, as it did with the collective effort on of anti-fascists on Cable street in 1936. We can’t let them divide us further with regressive culture war tactics.
The anti-fash rally in George square in the Summer turned out to be a bit of a carnival in the end – spectacular weather, dancing and singing to Bella Ciao. Yaxley-Lennon’s bussed up ‘ar cuntry’ and our own local bams were seriously outnumbered and frustrated on that occasion. I don’t believe that will continue as the emboldened thuggery surfaces at a rapid pace. I think we all need to be ready to spend at least an odd Saturday here and there to swell the numbers, as these occasions arise, and as many already do for the widespread and regular pro Palestine march/rallies. It’s not a case of cloning or exhausting ourselves. Remember how many more of us there are. A few more of the 8 billion every now and then should do it.
