Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy and right hand man, flew to Scotland on a mysterious peace mission in 1941, which has never been convincingly explained, to meet unidentified politicians who wanted to end the war. The truth has been covered up for generations because to reveal it would somehow undermine the honour and constitutional fabric of the United Kingdom. Who was plotting against Churchill? What were the peace terms on offer? What happened to Hess? Was he killed in the War? Was the prisoner in Spandau a double?
There are many questions to which in the modern day one man, Saul Benedict has all the answers, because his parents were players in the drama involving Churchill, Hitler, leading politicians and an important Royal. Saul is an author and declares his intention to write a book to reveal all, but he is shot dead, apparently accidentally by a poacher. But was it an accident? Rick Coleman an investigative journalist determines to find out and in doing so to uncover the mystery.
Taking place in the modern day but with flashback chapters which gradually unfold the hidden secrets, the novel is a fast moving and compelling read based on the family knowledge of the author whose parents had connections to both Hess and Hitler and to British Intelligence.

Jeremy Corbyn has raised the question of the Royal Prerogative. Few people understand what it is. Because we have no codified written constitution, the UK remains an absolute monarchy in which the monarch retains absolute power. This power is delegated by the sovereign to the prime minister, who is free to use it without parliamentary sanction. Parliament retains control of the purse strings and has to approve the budget. This peculiar arrangement provides a prime minister who is not directly elected by universal franchise, with powers as great as any executive president. He or she can hire and fire ministers, open and close ministries, declare war and much else without parliament having a say, unless the PM decides to consult it. This is another feature of our democracy which is past its sell by date and Corbyn is right and, because of the outcry it will cause, brave to raise it.

Needless to say those who declare a perfectly reasonable upgrading of our democracy an assault upon the monarchy and by definition the Queen, will be those who benefit most from the power of patronage which this bestows. It depends on your definition of democracy. Corbyn is clearly hard core. Perhaps that is why he is so popular.