Is Andy Burnham, the answer?

 There is general panic in the ranks of Labour MP’s at the prospect of the prime minister going on and on. He isn’t a political asset, but Andy Burnham is. However Burnham has many hoops to jump through before he gets the keys of Downing Street. Not least he has to win a by-election - that was only recently won by Reform in the local elections. In addition there will be others who think they would make a good leader of the Labour Party, including Wes Streeting and perhaps Angela Rayner? It’s a bloody mess as the party is in the - doldrums and not popular with the public. Even if he is successful in becoming the prime minister, what sort of one would Burnham make? Running a town hall in Manchester is one thing, running a country is a much tougher and difficult job. Your assailed on all sides with a multitude of complex demands and challenges. Or as the wise previous prime minister Harold MacMillan famously said “events dear boy, events”. Good luck who ever eventually gets the ‘poison challis’. 

The Grand old Duke of York.

 As the nursery rhyme gows The Grand Old Duke of York, had ten thousand men, he marched them up to the top of the hill and marched them down again. The level of chaos and mismanagement of the cabinet is woeful. Streeting had a one to one with the prime minister this morning, about goodness knows what? It’s reported that he has ‘full confidence in Streeting’. It’s common knowledge that he has his eyes on the top job, so how can the prime minister have ‘full confidence’ in him? While all this nonsense is going on, we had the King in parliament, presenting his speech. This is Alice in Wonderland, on steroids. When will sanity return? 

Bringing back the old team.

 The previous prime minister Gordon Brown and mother of the house Harriet Harman, have been brought back into advisory positions in government. It’s a mark of panic and desperation by Keir Starmer - to drag these old politicians back. What good can they do as the Labour Party is - sinking fast? A rudderless government and a captain, who has lost his way. 

The Grim Reaper is out to kill off Keir Starmer.

 Well it’s just as bad as many people predicted. The local elections across the country and in Wales and Scotland, were terrible for the Labour Party. Although the prime minister says he won’t walk away’, many think he will eventually - walk the plank. Reform on the other hand have done particularly well and the Green Party has won the mayoralty in Hackney, in London. Governing at the moment is additional difficult with the war in Iran and recently the war in Israel and Gaza, placing a burden on many peoples budgets and cost of living. Nevertheless the personal popularity of Keir Starmer, is extremely low and few have confidence that he is the right man for the job. In my opinion he will be gone by the party conference in September in Liverpool. The Grim Reaper, will eventually - cut Keir Starmer down. 

The end of the duopoly.

 On Thursday the nation goes to the polls in local elections, including for Scotland and Wales. It’s generally assumed that we are about to witness the end of - the duopoly that has governed our political system for about 100 years. The Conservatives and Labour have taken it roughly in turns to run the country. But an earthquake is about to happen to the political system. Reform and the Green vote will eat into the popular vote. Many think London will go from red to green and thereby create anxiety for many Labour MP’s as a consequence. Will there be political coalitions between various parties? We are crossing a political Rubicon and there is no going back. What will this tell us about the future of Keir Starmer? There could be blood in the water and the possibility of a challenge to his leadership? We are in uncharted waters. 

The Times today.

 Trevor Phillips, in The Times today makes a good statement - Time to Stand with the Jews, come what may. Lord Finkelstein, says a similar thing in the same newspaper. Why isn’t there more solidarity from the left and right - for our fellow citizens in this country? I have a couple of close Jewish friends and have made a deliberate attempt to show solidarity with them. In fact I’ve arranged to see one on Sunday and the other later in the week. It’s very depressing that there isn’t more public support for our friends. Moreover the Green Party, is overtly courting the Muslim vote on Thursday at the national local elections. These are sectarian politics, similar to Northern Ireland, back in the 1960’s and we all know what that produced. 

The Art of Dying by Dr Peter Fenwick.

 I watched on YouTube an engrossing interview in 2020 with Dr Peter Fenwick, neuroscience and neuropsychiatrist - about the process of dying. He has over many years been researching about - what happens in the process of dying and death? Is there such a thing as a good death? He suggests that there is and it’s contingent on - letting go and not being attached. Acceptance of the process that is universal and the fact that we are - “not coming back”. This is the very last time of consciousness and death shouldn’t be feared, but accepted as inevitable. We are crossing the Rubicon for the very last time. We all go at some point, through this necessary experience, what he calls “pre transition and post transition”. He suggests an experience of light is a common phenomenon. He quotes the Dalai Lama, who says that we ‘have a premonition of death, about 2 years before we eventually die’. A good death is inevitable linked to a - good life. Guilt can make death more problematic, as being self centred - makes for a more difficult death. Accepting death, means we merge with the universe, you therefore become universal and part of the cosmos.