The forgotten war.

 As we enter the third week of the war in Iran on Saturday the - other major war in Ukraine has fallen out of the international spotlight. It appears we have a limited ability to concentrate on two wars at the same time. Nevertheless the Russian - meat grinder continues on its ruthless journey to Hades. We can only applaud the stoicism of the Ukrainian people - in this forgotten war. 

Waiting in the wings.

 The defence secretary John Healey, at 66 is by general census doing an excellent jobs - under demanding circumstances. A war in Ukraine and now a war in the Middle East with Iran. In a thoughtful profile of the defence secretary by Ailbhe Rea in this weeks New Statesman magazine - we get the first in depth analysis of him as both a Labour Party politician and family man. He clearly has what is referred to as ‘bottom’ in other words character. He is increasingly seen as a  potential leader of the party and therefore prime minister, should Starmer lose his job. Many see him as the modern day - Clement Attlee, who was so underrated as a politician. He came up on the outside lane and became leader. He was of course deputy prime minister to the charismatic prime minister Winston Churchill, during WW2. Today other ministers are talked about as being more likely to be prime minister, whether that’s Wes Streeting, Ed Miliband or the one time deputy leader Angela Rayner. However I think at this time of great international uncertainty and peril and the - world is turned upside down - having Healey in charge sounds like the rational choice. Other people in the party have said of him - ‘he has a certain granite like Quality’. 

A peccadillo.

 It’s no doubt the case that we all have secret peccadillos, that we would prefer no one could witness. Whether that’s -  picking our noses surreptitiously, or as the MP in the House of Commons was caught - looking at inappropriate pictures on his iPhone while in the commons. The Old Testament quote comes to mind ‘be sure your sin will find you out’ - Numbers 32:23. It’s always so embarrassing and humiliating when this happens. 

What future for Iran?

 In an excellent interview by Megan Gibson in The New Statesman last week with Fiona Hill, the British born academic and advisor to a number of American presidents - she told us about the dramatic changes in the Middle East. One essential problem is that the regime in Iran supports from between - 15 to 20 per cent of the population - in their work and professional lives. So up to one fifth of the people depends on this murderous system. Moreover the whole region is the - fulcrum for the international oil trade and natural gas. It therefore has a direct effect on living standards around the world. Hill, suggested that the Chinese government - will be watching the situation closely as it is very dependent on oil from the region. In addition - Iran has also been attacking its immediate neighbours and thereby causing more instability. Hill concludes on an ominous note ‘once you get these big system changes, you effectively get a world war’. 

Peter Mandelson - statement to House of Commons.

 Darren Jones, MP made a statement to the House of Commons about the disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, as our ambassador to Washington and his subsequent dismissal from that important role. It was a mark of the serious failure by the prime minister to make such a purblind appointment. The vetting process was clearly flawed and not sufficiently robust. It was in the public domain, that Mandelson, had a longstanding and ongoing relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Moreover Mandelson, sort a substantial payment for his dismissal, but was given a less favourable sum of money. Many MP’s were very angry that he was given a penny and would have lost the case had he challenged the amount of money - as he received his position by deception and therefore didn’t have a leg to stand on. This is a sorry and complete failure of government and the prime minister in particular - in appointing this rouge liar to our ambassador in Washington. This was a shameful moment in the life of this accident prone prime minister. The public won’t forget this serious lapse of judgement. 

Time up for the hereditary peers.

 Well they have sat in the House of Lords for almost a 1000 years, but the - drawbridge finally closes on their long and sometimes - illustrious history. In 1999 Tony Blair, culled most of them, but a comprise was found - to save a few. The last remaining 15 have been offered an another compromise - Life Peerages, which are therefore not hereditary. The Earl of Devon, lamented this seismic change in our constitution as his family had had a place in the House of Lords for 900 years and was sad to have to leave. Perhaps he could apply for one of the Life Peerages? Another great institution on the constitution is the monarchy which again is hereditary - so should that go too? Another ridiculous anomaly is the fact - that there are 26  Lords Spiritual including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Why are they still there, this isn’t Iran? 

 

Picasso at Tate Modern.

 At the exhibition of the work of the revolutionary artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). There was for me a very evocative portrait of a Girl in a Chemise. My psychoanalyst had a copy of the picture in her consulting room. She lived about a mile from Freud, when he came to London in September 1938 - he was of course very ill with cancer and died in September 1939. So for me memories came rushing back when I saw the picture. It’s interesting as I finished my analysis after 12 years in July 1984, but it felt like only yesterday, that I last saw this picture.