Sir Salman Rushdie.

 In a fascinating interview with Sir Salman Rushdie on the New Society podcast - is worth listening to. His book Knife has been made into a film and he collaborated with the director. The film will be released in the UK on 30/9/26 and is directed by the American filmmaker Alex Gibney. Of course Rushdie is no stranger to controversy and had to - go into hiding for many years following the publication of his book The Satanic Verses. 

A close call.

 After a security meeting in Ukraine a train was heading towards Poland and had just disembarked its - top security personnel, including Boris Johnson and the governments National Security Adviser (NSA) Jonathan Powell. It’s thought the Russian secret service were monitoring the situation very closely, but hit the wrong train. Had it hit the correct one - a whole collection of senior intelligence officials would have perished - it was a close call. 

Trump supports the idea of a united Ireland.

 President Trump, has caused something of a - diplomatic faux pas, by suggesting he would ‘love to see a united Ireland’. One day it will of course happen, but that is dependent on the majority of those living in the north of Ireland - voting by a clear majority for it. Needless to say - his comments have not been helpful to the British government in London. Trump, loves to - grandstand and be the centre of attention, but he may have put back the clock - by his stupidity. 

The post 9/11 world of today.

 I can recall quite graphical the day of 9/11. I was seeing patients in the consulting room in north London on a - crisp clear sunny Tuesday - the weather was very similar to that of New York. I was seeing a member of the government and completely unprecedentedly - we watched the unfolding events of what was happening in New York - in my sitting room. Suddenly there was a message from the Cabinet Secretary Richard Wilson, to urgently - return to a Downing Street, for a COBRA meeting. These events led to the war - on terrorism as it was now called - and the consequence wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that lasted until president Jo Biden, decided foolishly to - scramble out on 30 August 2021. The extortionate cost to the American economy was estimated to be between $5 & 6 trillion for these combined wars. That is only one side of the coin - what about the lives destroyed and mutilated by the senseless war on terrorism - President W Bush declared prematurely on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on 1 May 2003 “ mission accomplished”. How far from reality was that? 

We in this country had the Iraq Report, commissioned by Gordon Brown the prime minister - into the serious fiasco and so call ‘Dodgy Dossier’? Chaired by Sir John Chilcot in July 2009. His Chilcot - report was published in 2016. Unfortunately we are still living in the aftermath of 9/11. The present war against Iran led by president Trump - is part of this general malaise regarding international law. Might is more important than - what is right and lawful. Moreover the war in Gaza and general disregard for the norms and values that underpin international - rules based order - have been prematurely jettisoned. In addition we have the war in Ukraine and the loss of - blood and iron. Where will it all end? We now live in a far more unpredictable world where the two remaining - super powers the US and China - keep a watchful eye on each other. And coming in down the tracks very fast is the - apocalypse of the AI revolution. 

Monty Don, to say - goodbye.

 Monty Don, has presented the weekly Gardernsers’ World sine 2003. He overseen about 700 programmes and done so with great humour and expertise. His dogs also play a leading role and are clearly loved by Monty. One particular dog stole the hearts of the nation and that was his Golden Retriever Nigel - who died in May 2020 aged 11 at the beginning of Covid. The country was grieving the loss along with Monty. He will be a hard act to follow as he is a - national treasure. 

A dramatic change of tune.

 The Jewish foreign secretary Ed Miliband, said in the - House of Commons on Tuesday that - the British government was - changing its tune - regarding its policy on Israel. For too long we have remained silent when it comes to the - illegal settlements on the West Bank. For too long successive governments have been - supine in not addressing this untenable issue. I have as they say - a dog in this fight. I volunteered for the Six Day war back in 1967 - when the West Bank was taken by Israeli soldiers. Since that date some 750,000 illegal Jewish settlers have taken over the land, belonging to the Arab indigenous peoples. We have as the foreign secretary said yesterday “turned a blind eye for too long”. How could the very idea of a 2 state solution, have any credibility, while simultaneously allowing for more and more settlements? It was pure hypocrisy. The fear the Jewish people here - would be exposed to antisemitism, isn’t a sufficient argument for - doing what is morally right. Moreover the International Criminal Court, said that these settlements were illegal. So the legal case for the settlements is zero. The British government has - accused the government of Israel of “ethnic cleansing”. Some other 11 countries have made the same decision - including France and Canada. 

Persona non grata.

 The King has asked the Lord Chamberlain, to issue an unambiguous statement regarding the status of Harry and Meghan. It’s quite explicit they - do not under any circumstances represent the monarchy. The statement was made in order to avoid any confusion when they return to England in the next few weeks. On the - one hand this must be a big disappointment for Harry as he is finally cut adrift from his royal status, but on the other it must also be a reassurance for William and Kate - that the situation has been clarified. No doubt - the King and William, discussed this issue at some length. The ‘firm’ as Diana called it - always takes precedence, no matter what the circumstances are. Harry and Meghan are definitely now persona non grata.