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T
he political parties at this election are reminiscent of the big dance bands of the 1930’s. The lyrics they offer, while competing in volume and brassiness, are identical. Choreographed by the ruthless millionaire impresarios of the BBC, troupes of political dancers cross the stage in perfect rhythm, each with an earphone plugged into party HQ. Yesterday it was ‘Swine Flu Swing’, today ‘Global Warming Tango’. Next week we will have ‘Megan’s Song’, or spot the paedophile in your neighbourhood. Each number outdoes the last in its triviality and irrelevance. At intervals ‘Prudence’ Brown and ‘Cast Iron’ Cameron (of the ‘cast iron promise’ of a vote on Europe?) announce rivers of gold for Britain at the Olympics, degrees for all including those who can barely read and write, tax bribes, bigger stadia and improved versions of our state religion, the National Health Service, the envy of the world. Unpleasantries, like the struggle for cheap oil for which our soldiers must die, imprisonment without trial, the opening of everyone’s correspondence, the electronic tagging of the population by means of their passports, the wrecking of our schools and universities, the sale of our industries on the cheap, the importation of millions of labourers willing to work for slave wages in return for the future ownership of our country — the price we have to pay for politicians’ promises — are never mentioned. It is why we have the war against terror; a war we would never have had to fight if we had not opened the gates to all comers, or decided instead of real work to live off the loose change of the cardsharps of the Square Mile. Weeping in the streets of Wootton Bassett over ‘our fallen boys’ cannot hide the fact we have become either a nation of illiterate, complaining louts sponging off state benefits, or middleclass whingers led by government spivs, living on credit and congratulating our children when they bring home degrees not worth the paper they are written on. How are we to vote in such circumstances? Arnold Gill in ‘Don’t vote, it only encourages them’ will not be attending the polling station. But for those of us who intend to vote we offer a guide. Helen Szamuely The Salisbury Review — Summer 2009
in ‘Time to Quit the Trough’ tries to return some of our MPs to a sense of decency. Theodore Dalrymple in ‘Pay Now Learn Later’ lays a cane across the back of Britain’s education establishment and an ingenious way out for those who want to learn. Brian Ridley in ‘Global Warming: beyond belief?’ sets our minds at rest over this alarming theory. In ‘Airhead of Alaska?’ Paul Gottfried discusses the life and political character of Sarah Palin, and, remaining abroad, Hugh Farquharson and Robert Stove examine the politics of the English speaking southern hemisphere in Letters from South Africa and Australia. Back home again in ‘Ministry of Tears’ Jan Davies examines the wrecking of childcare by the Independent Safeguarding Authority, while Jane Kelly in ‘Save the Family’ shows how children who have fallen by the wayside can be helped. Finally we offer a selection from the BBC; liberal to a fault, slyly anti-white, hugely privileged, an organisation that has outstripped the importance of Parliament and dreams of unelected rule from Brussels. What would Gibbon make of this electronic senate besotted with the tribes of Germania over the people of Rome, yet so feared no politician dare speak without its approval? He wrote: ‘…the trembling senate, without any hopes of relief, prepared by a desperate resistance to delay the ruin of their country. But they were unable to guard against the secret conspiracy of their slaves and domestics, who either from birth or interest were attached to the cause of the enemy. At the hour of midnight the Salarian gate was silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet. Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, the Imperial city, which had subdued and civilised so considerable a part of mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germany and Scythia.’
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