How long has he got?

 Clive Lewis MP, has put his head above the parapet and - said the ‘prime minister should go’. Is this the proverbial - canary in the coal mine moment? As clearly the government is in a terrible position both within the Labour Party and moreover with the public as they trail Reform and Nigel Farage in the polls. Someone said the other day that the prime minister is like the a programmed train, with a set course that can’t be changed’. In other words robotic or like a - speak your weight machine. Commentators have suggested it’s like a - ‘wake in the tea rooms or that the atmosphere is toxic’. The clock is definitely ticking for Starmer, one more serious - blunder and the one voice will become the many. 

Is America on the edge of civil war?

 In the wake of the brutal killing of Charles Kirk, the Republican politician, there are increasing fears of a potential - civil war. The gun ownership is quite staggering and recent estimates suggest that privately owned firearms are as follows: 145 million handguns, 180 million long range guns, like rifles etc  That’s roughly 325 million for a population of 340 million of which 162 million are over the age of 18. The National Rifle Association (NRA) defends this right to bear firearms ferociously, especially after a killing. We in the UK on the other hand have very strict laws about gun ownership and it’s estimated as of 31 March 2024 there are as follows: about 150,000 firearm and shotgun certificates issued by the police in your local area. They are responsible for visiting the premises where the firearms are kept and they must be in a secure and safe locked facility. With limited access by the person responsible only having the key or keys. As a direct consequence - gun crime in the country is relatively limited. According to the latest data about 6,000 crimes per year on average - were committed where a firearm was part of the crime. What a contrast with America. Thank goodness I live in Britain, where the chances of being killed by guns is unlikely. This is why some Americans have decided to - up sticks and move to Blighty, where it’s a relatively safe place to live. 

Today this afternoon the person responsible for the killing was arrested by police. He is 22 year old Tyler Robinson, who was handed in by his father. Apparently Tyler was recognised by his father from an FBI picture and spoke to his son. He had become ‘more political recently’. Despite the obvious relief at the quick results, it dosen’t solve the crazy - gun deaths across America. We can await the next killing - which will happen - as night follows day. 

No overarching narrative.

 The serious problem for the prime minister is that there’s -  no overarching narrative - he wants to tell the to the British public. Consequently he is easily blown off course by the inevitable winds that befall any government. As was said years ago by a previous prime minister Harold Macmillian (1957-1963) “events dear boy, events”. I cannot see him developing one as he essentially is a - bureaucrat and administrator. He was the head of the Crown Prosecution Service - a vast bureaucracy in charge of prosecuting criminals. He thinks  like a - bureaucrat and has little imagination and therefore can’t tell a -  good story. Like Gordon Brown a previous prime minister (2007-2010) - who wanted the job from Tony Blair, for years and years - didn’t know what to do with it when he had it. The problem for - control freaks, is when they lose control, they are only freaks. Just so with Starmer. We need someone who can - tell a good story and vision for the country and in my opinion that person is - David Lammy, a previous foreign secretary and a good friend of J D Vance the deputy president of the US. 

Crocodile tears.

 Another death in America - Charlie Kirk, who was murdered on Wednesday at Utah university. Ones shot to the neck killed him immediately. But unfortunately this is only too familiar in America society, where guns are ubiquitous. The right to bear arms is part and parcel of their country and will not be given up despite the mayhem. We have been here so many times before - so crocodile tears are part of the scenario. 

9/11.

 It was 24 years ago today that we all witnessed the terrorist attack on New York that killed an estimated 2763 at the World Trade Centre. It is seared on our memories all those years ago. I was practicing as a psychoanalyst at the time and seeing patients at my consulting room in north London, when a patient - asked me - “if I had heard the latest news”? As I hadn’t - wet sat together and watched the unfolding events on my television in my sitting room. It’s impossible now - not to recognise this historic moment in our history. International terrorism was on the political agenda for the foreseeable future. We live today under that fearsome yoke. 

Dead man walking.

 As I said yesterday in my blog - ‘ your sin will find you out’. Well by lunch time today he was sacked by the foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, on instructions from the prime minister. Mandelson is now a humiliated, stupid and Icarus figure - who got too close to the Sun - and we know what happened next. How can the prime minister, who claims that - child sex abuse is a criminal offence and mustn’t be colluded with - have one is such a prestigious position as our ambassador in Washington? It’s not tenable. Moreover, his judgment about Mandelson, is on the line. How could he be so gullible and naive? In my opinion, this will further undermine his authority and weaken Starmer. I predict - he will be gone by the end of the year - if not sooner. What a - car crash. 

‘Be sure your sin will find you out’: Numbers 32.23.

 The Old Testament, biblical texts says in Numbers: 32 23 -  ‘be sure your sin will find you out’. Just so with Lord Peter Mandelson, our new ambassador to the United States in Washington. His unsavoury friendship with the serial child paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is like Banquo ghost coming back to - haunt him. Mandelson, has expressed his regret about this ill thought out relationship and said in an interview today that it ‘hangs around his neck like an albatross. Should he now resign as the ambassador or should Starmer, sack him? The underlying issue is - the character judgement of the prime minister. What did he know and when did he know it? Did the ambassador go through all the appropriate security and personal checks, before being appointed? The problem for Mandelson, is he has a  - very poor character history when it comes to personal integrity. He has had to resign on at least two previous occasions. One about his mortgage arrangements and the other about - obtaining passport fast track for two wealthy Indian multimillionaires. So he has form. In my opinion he should either resign or be sacked as it - dosen’t pass the smell test.