13 minute read
Politics
The Queen is the personification of values we should aspire to
I thought I would devote this edition’s article to some reflections on the Jubilee Weekend.
As disappointed as I was not to be unable to attend the events in Blandford and Sherborne on the Friday to which I had been invited, I did have a very good reason.
You can only imagine the thrill of surprise I felt when a very grand Buckingham Palace envelope and very stiff invitation card landed on our doormat inviting me to attend the Service of National Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.
It was a tremendously stirring and emotional occasion, perhaps made more so as The Queen was unable to attend.
Just as we had seen at the Trooping the Colour, the full panoply of State pageantry was on display.
I know it’s a well worn phrase but I think we all did feel we were at an historic event – there is, after all, unlikely to be a Platinum Jubilee anywhere in the world again.
It was an honour to attend and the whole day will hold a very special place in my heart.
As much as I enjoyed it I was delighted to get back home to Dorset. Every village, town and hamlet seemed bedecked with bunting, flags and Jubilee joy.
Perhaps it was because it was the first time we could all come together since Covid that the whole weekend had a very special thrill but, again, I think it was because we all wanted to be able to say in the coming years – I was there, I took part.
From cake judging – I know, a tough gig but someone has to do it – at Lydlinch, the Civic Service at Sturminster, the Tithe Barn lunch at Hinton St Mary to serving Pimm’s – in the rain – at Verwood it was all magical.
All ages and whole communities coming together to thank a very special Monarch for all she has done for our country and the Commonwealth.
The crowds at every event across the country represented the full demographic of modern Britain. That, of itself, is worth celebrating because events which can do so are very few and far between.
As much as it was a UK event, it was also a world event. It was for the Commonwealth but other countries too look with admiration at our Queen.
Look at the warm and heartfelt tributes from Presidents Biden and Macron, as well as from other world leaders.
As much as The Queen represents a constitutional role, she is also the personification of values. Values we should aspire to and seek to replicate.
It is impossible I’d suggest to compose a definitive list of the values but here are some of my thoughts which I guess most readers will share.
Pre-eminent is public rather than self-service. The subverting of the selfishness of the self to the service of the greater good. The subjugation of unfettered liberty to the compelling motivation of duty.
A firm and clear faith to act as a bedrock and point of reference.
A clear belief in country and its values that can be useful in and to the world.
Respecting the institutions that invisibly hold our national tapestry together.
Perhaps as a by-product of being hereditary, a sense of the tiny span of time that we occupy this earth and being a temporary custodianship which recognising the force to do as much good as we can in the time we have available to us.
Perhaps The Queen’s greatest value is her understanding of family.
A loving wife, mother, grandmother and now great grandmother.
The product of loving and devoted parents herself, yet devoid of even a hint of rose-tinted spectacles when it comes to an understanding of the potential for ups and downs in every family.
Those who know her best speak of her mischievous sense of humour. Come on, let’s be honest, who did not have a lump in their throat while smiling at the pre-concert Paddington scene. Proving, just as she did at the opening of London 2012, that no matter what one’s age you can still possess the power to amuse and surprise. Let’s all pray that, should we reach her great age, we can still do the same.
Perhaps The Queen’s greatest attribute is the ability to unite and bind together.
A figure of stability, calm and dignity at a time when we need them more than ever.
The country demonstrated it prefers coming together than being divided.
Will cheer to the rafters the humble, quiet, dignified service the Queen has demonstrated these last 70 years.
There are lessons for some politicians to draw and I hope they do so.
Let me close by echoing the words we all uttered many times in recent weeks: ‘thank you’ and ‘God Save The Queen’.
Conservative MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare
Perhaps The Queen’s greatest value is her understanding of family. wwwPHOTO: WikiImages
Politics
Wasn’t the Jubilee weekend fantastic? I was lucky to have all four days off, yet I know many were not as fortunate. So thanks to all those who manned the fetes, events or just did their regular jobs so that others might enjoy.
Seeing the flags and festivities prompted me to think about patriotism and identity in 2022.
For many, particularly those on the left politically, patriotism, or love of country, has become uncomfortable. The left has lost many political and social battles since the diamond jubilee to causes and parties more overtly nationalist, both in policy and symbolism. These losses have caused some to rebound against the flag and our national institutions.
I would encourage them to think of what we saw at the jubilee, and think again.
It brought so many people together. The myriad street parties broke the ice between long-time neighbours. The raucous event at Mampitts gets a special mention. A brilliant event. Well done to all the organisers.
What I saw there and in the county at large was what I could only describe as progress. I sensed a moving on, a moving past the polarising arguments of the last ten years.
Out there, outside of Westminster, is an England, a Britain, not worn down or held back by dividing lines and culture clashes. It’s a Britain that loves if you’re part of it and embraces you when you’re not.
It’s a country that doesn’t accept things will get worse and worse but strives for something better. It’s a nation that looks past the past and to a more optimistic future.
It’s also easy for the country to unite around a head of state which embodies the virtues the country reveres. Restraint. Service. Others above self. The contrast with the head of her Government couldn’t be more marked. Terrible, rule breaking, narcissistic prime ministers are not a reason to have a monarchy, republicans would argue. But, my, aren’t we glad that Johnson isn’t our president.
Greg Williams, on behalf of Dorset Labour
Conservative MP for West Dorset Chris Loder
The Queen’s platinum jubilee brought people together. PHOTO: Pete Linforth/Pixabay0
Railway union is on the wrong track
The rail strikes by the RMT Union on 21, 23 and 25 June are completely closing the rail network throughout Dorset.
A skeleton service will operate from Southampton to London, but that is it. A co-ordinated attack from a union with communists at the top of it will be crippling to our transport network for those days, stopping people from getting to work and children getting to school.
I condemned these strikes and the RMT Union, of which I used to be a member during my 20-year career on the railways, on Wednesday, 15 June.
We need to ensure railway workers are paid fairly but we also need to ensure our railways are fit for purpose, and I stand firmly behind the taxpayer and the farepayer in ensuring this happens.
As a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Transport, I have taken every opportunity to urge the Government to fully recognise the importance of rural transport needs.
This week’s Committee was no exception and I once again held the Government to task during the evidence session, questioning senior figures from the British transport industry on the Government’s handling of the BSIP programme.
In Westminster last week was the Second Reading of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. This Bill aims to empower local communities with a greater involvement in the development process as well as driving growth in areas which need it the most.
My main ethos regarding development has been to support appropriate levels of development in areas where we need to see it, and oppose inappropriate development in areas which do not, with the North of Dorchester development being a prime example.
Last Saturday it was a great pleasure to have been invited to open the Jubilee celebrations at Cheselbourne, commendably organised by Bev Walters. Her Majesty The Queen exceeded King Bhumibol of Thailand’s record as the second longest reigning monarch in recorded world history on 13 June, a truly remarkable achievement.
I took part in the Inshore Fisheries Debate at Westminster Hall on 14 June. West Dorset is fortunate to have such a thriving fleet of small fishing enterprises but now more than ever we need to see the Government and the fishing industry regulators act to help our local fishing families.
I will keep pushing the Government to ensure many of these simple but impactful measures are acted upon to bolster the resilience and well-being of our local fishing industry.
It’s not cheap to get out and about!
We had a couple of hundred people at our Jubilee event in the northernmost tip of North Dorset. A lot of fun was had and much catching up done by many who like Mole in The Wind and The Willows emerged blinking into the sunlight for the first time in a couple of years. It is noticeable our appetite for local social and cultural activity is rising again – arts, music, gardens, fringes, fêtes and galas. The summer seems jam-packed with shows and events. We may be rural but, by golly, we are busy, bustling rural.
The only dampener seems to be the cost of getting there. The already astronomic cost of petrol coupled with foreboding about inflation and especially the likely cost of heating oil, gas and electricity in the autumn is making everyone think twice before setting out.
The Mole, fed up with being cooped up didn’t go back underground, did he? No, he set off and found new friends and many adventures. We need a similar sense of determination and for many a bit of help along the way is essential.
Where could we do with some creativity, then? We have just completed an internal review of allotments across North Dorset. The virtuous circle deliverable by an allotment is awesome – community and fellowship, exercise and fresh air, learning and understanding, produce and scope for passing on any excess.
The provision of allotments is a requirement on all local councils. The actual provision across the area is very patchy and in some cases the rules governing their use gets in the way of maximising their benefit. We already have examples of allotments providing fresh vegetables to a local Community Fridge. We harness our sense of community when we celebrate or enjoy a spectacle. Let’s harness it elsewhere.
There are significant cost savings to be had, too, from using our cars less and driving more slowly and prudently – minimising use of the brake through anticipation saves fuel. Now is also the opportunity to reduce a lot of speed limits such as those dangerous 40mph limits through villages. Twenty is plenty, is the cry!
We could also do with a bit less shoulder-sloping and hand-wringing from those in power. Do some intelligent design work on the system, take some purposeful steps rather than relying on post-hoc measures such as windfall taxes or the constant bleat that market forces are the only means. Whitehall needs to get out more.
Mike Chapman on behalf of Liberal Democrats across the Blackmore Vale
Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire Dr Andrew Murrison
Rwanda and the NI Protocol
I wrote in April about my reasons for supporting the Rwanda asylum scheme in principle, though I also gave my misgivings about the practicality. The problem – that is, illegal and dangerous crossings in the Channel – has been highlighted again during this patch of warm, calm weather and my position has not changed. The European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) last minute intervention contrary to the position of our own courts has triggered calls for the UK to extricate itself from the Convention and Court. This would be a mistake. We helped found the ECHR in the post-war years and have been contributing to it ever since. It is not, as some have assumed, an appendage of the EU. Removal would require us to re-write legislation such as the Human Rights Act which codified into domestic law our commitment to the ECHR.
The ECHR should, however, if it wants to keep faith with legislatures and public opinion, be wary of over-reach – particularly when it involves contradicting domestic courts – and it must not succumb to judicial activism.
We learn that the ECHR’s decision drew from Rwanda being, in its eyes, unsafe for refugees. It cites the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which also opposes the plan because it deems Rwanda unsafe. If it is, why does the UNHCR evacuate asylum seekers to Rwanda, recently enrolled as a Commonwealth country, and why does its parent body, the UN itself, consider the country to be safe?
In my view the Rwanda scheme is likely to founder for purely practical reasons but it's surely worth trialling it if it just might prevent people ending up in watery graves and stymie the criminal gangs which profit from trafficking human beings. Those complaining appear to have nothing new to offer when asked for their alternatives, beyond waffle. Note the Opposition’s procrastination when asked if it would abolish the scheme.
I have written to the new Bishop of Salisbury to ask for details of housing within his diocese which is vacant because of the increasing gapping in the appointment of parish clergy and the extent to which it has been offered to refugees.
Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the EU Withdrawal Agreement allows either party to disapply the protocol if it transpires that it’s doing serious harm. Well, it is. Notably, it has caused the recently elected Stormont Assembly to remain dormant because of the absence of cross-community support – a clear contravention of the overarching international 1998 Belfast Agreement.
That’s a slam dunk in terms of triggering Article 16 in my humble opinion as a former Northern Ireland Office minister and ex-chairman of the NI affairs select committee. Personally, I’d do that rather than rip up the protocol which is the intent of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, the Government’s preferred solution.
That said, it’s plain now the EU has been acting in bad faith. Throughout the life of the protocol the Commission has been applying its pedantic checks to the most ridiculous extent on goods crossing the Irish Sea for what can only be interpreted as political purposes. When we signed it we were entitled to expect far better behaviour than that. For that reason I will support the Bill.
