As predicted by this Blog and countless others, Lady Butler-Sloss’s position quickly became untenable and she has stood down from leading the critical inquiry into paedophiles in power. This was the right decision, taken with great dignity. One can only wonder at the thinking in the Home Office that imagined her appointment would work.
Archive for July 14th, 2014
Lady Butler-Sloss : The Right Decision
Monday, July 14th, 2014German Triumph: And Great Britain?
Monday, July 14th, 2014Germany has won the World Cup and done so with considerable style and without any controversy. They arrived. They played. They triumphed. The Germans had won before as West Germany, but this was the first time since re-unification.
For those of us who grew up in the terrible violence of WWII, when a very different kind of Germany rampaged across Europe, the transformation in that country is extraordinary and also inspiring. It shows that however bad things get, better things can be found ahead. There are so many places in the world today, some in the news and some forgotten, where this notion must seem fanciful. But in Europe it is now clear at every level that it is the peaceful, confident and efficient Germany which is the power in the lead.
In contrast, the United Kingdom is going through a moment of faltering confidence. In sport nothing has gone according to hope or plan. The World Cup was a fiasco, Murray did not get close to saving his title, our cycling stars fell off their bikes in the Tour de France even while it was in England and the best that can be said of cricket is that the report is rather mixed. Trust in politics has sunk to even greater depths as among the known vices of top people organised paedophelia must now be added, the widely proclaimed economic recovery is built on house prices and debt, Scotland may walk away, and what is left of the UK may then walk away from Europe. The gap between the pay of those at the top and those at the bottom has become ridiculous and waiting times in A&E grow longer.
Yet when the UK recovers its equilibrium and regains its confidence, as it will, it will once again punch above its weight in a world full of punching. It will do this not through the dogged efficiency, high productivity and work ethic of the Germans, founded on common interest, common good and common purpose. It will do it out of the quirky individualism of its people, rich in diversity of view and objective, multi cultural and creative, who believe it is honourable to be a good loser, but when they decide together to win, which is not often, they win big.
Let us hope the Scots will stay to share in this and that the UK stays in the EU. The Germans are especially keen to keep Britain in. Without her Germany makes the EU look top heavy. That could spell trouble.
