Reply To: Ann Widdecombe

[Northumbiron]

Ann Widdecombe is a murder victim that happens to be a former politician. I think we need to know more about the circumstances of the crime before we delve into the political side of things.

“This once great country of ours”. Jeez, if I had a quid for every time I’ve heard this nonsense blurted out! Usually by the Tommy Robinsons and Nigel Farages of this world as they try to stir up the hatred.

There was no Golden Era in British history. It is completely subjective.

“During two world wars, where we fought for freedom and the underdog?”

Well the First World War was nothing to do with freedom, it was about Nationalism and Empire building.

If you think Nazism was defeated by good old Tommy Atkins, you’re wrong. Sure we played a major role but without American equipment and Soviet numbers the outcome would have been very different.

“After WW2, when the USA left us destitute, and rationing was still on force for the next nine years, but we came back to prosperity?”

Like every other country in Europe.

“In the 60’s, when we led the world in fashion, music and culture?”

Now that’s an interesting one. I suspect you chose that particular decade because it’s the one you grew up in. And that’s where subjectivity plays a part. To my parents the 1930s was their golden era. Ask my children and they’ll most likely say the noughties. Anyone growing up in the 60s probably thinks it was the best of times for themselves and the country.

Led the World in fashion? I think the French and Italians may disagree.

Music? Hmm! May have a transatlantic battle on our hands for that one. Sure we had the Beatles and the Stones and of course we had Top of the Pops. Presented by fine upstanding characters like Jimmy Savile and Dave Lee Travis, and featuring well loved acts such as Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter.

Culture? Really? A culture of drinking, smoking and womanising. A culture of sexual and racial inequality. An era when homosexuality was illegal until 1967.

So you see there was is no golden age for the country, just a golden age for you. Which is why as we grow older we look back dewy-eyed at a time when we thought everything was great. Well for us it might have been, but for others it was a nightmare. The swinging 60s was the precipice of the pits of hell for the likes of Malcolm Muggeridge and Mary Whitehouse.

So you have the Britain First boys in their Crusader surcoats (something else that never happened) Reform and Restore Britain (restore it to what? The time of the Roman occupation? Medieval England and the Black Death? The Civil War? Victorian times with high child mortality, cholera and tuberculosis?) talking about something that never existed.

The past is another country. And we know what the British feel about other countries!