Below is the text of an email I have just sent to all Lib Dem back-benchers, and copied to their front-bench. I have included the email list at the bottom in case anyone would like to do something similar (I also have it in a more user-friendly form on a spreadsheet so just drop me a line if you would like a copy.)
All the best,
Dear XXXXXX MP,
I am writing to you and all other Liberal Democrats MPs urging you to oppose the coalition’s spending plans. If you are already planning to do so may I congratulate your judgement and integrity, and apologise for disturbing you.
If on the other hand you plan to support this policy I would like you to consider the following points before you vote:
1. Supporting this policy is betraying those who voted for you. Very few would have done so if they had known you would support such cuts. Certainly, any disillusioned Labour supporters who voted for you did so under the impression that your party had shifted to the left of Labour. Aside from the anti-democratic nature of this turn-around, you can be sure they will never vote for you again.
2. This policy is premised on a lie. The reason the country is in debt is not because of welfare spending but because of bailing out the banks. Free-market capitalism created this crisis, not local government.
3. This policy is rooted in ideology, not necessity. Anyone who has read Naomi Klein’s Shock Doctrine will know the true motives. Time and again economic crises such as this have been seized upon by the monetarist right as an opportunity to attack social gains and bolster corporate profit and power. As a self-proclaimed liberal you may have some sympathy with the idea of a minimised state, but you would be gravely mistaken if you think that individual freedom will be enhanced by these cuts. The real goal here is corporate, not human, liberty.
4. There is an alternative to this policy. In fact there are plenty. Cancelling Trident would go a large way towards writing off our debt – something you were voted into office to secure. In addition there are a mass of corporate tax-breaks and tax-dodges that could cover the shortfall, should a government have the desire and the courage to address them. And what about the bankers who precipitated the crisis?
I’m assured by my acquaintances that it will be futile to write to Liberal Democrat MPs as they will have already been seduced by power. But you must question the worth of this ‘power’. If the Conservatives had won a few more votes they would be merrily pushing through the exact same package without your assistance. It is transparently obvious that Liberal Democratic input into this policy is little more than window-dressing.
Nevertheless, you are in a unique position to exert power if you dare. You can truly make history and represent the democratic wishes of those who voted for you. By voting against this madness you can floor this beast before it ravages our country, and drags us back to the fear and uncertainty of the 1930s.
If you have any questions or take issue with any of the above points I will be happy to respond.
Sincere best wishes,
Martin Johnson
Brighton
Danny Alexander, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, 2005–present alexanderdg@parliament.uk
Norman Baker, Lewes, 1997–present bakern@parliament.uk
Alan James Beith, Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1988–present 1 cheesemang@parliament.uk
Gordon Birtwistle, Burnley, 2010–present gordon.birtwistle.mp@parliament.uk
Tom Brake, Carshalton and Wallington, 1997–present braket@parliament.uk
Annette Brooke, Mid Dorset and North Poole, 2001–present brookea@parliament.uk
Jeremy Browne, Taunton Deane, 2005–present brownej@parliament.uk
Malcolm Bruce, Gordon, 1988–present 1 hernandeza@parliament.uk
Paul Burstow, Sutton and Cheam, 1997–present burstowp@parliament.uk
Lorely Burt, Solihull, 2005–present burtl@parliament.uk
Vincent Cable, Twickenham, 1997–present cablev@parliament.uk
Menzies Campbell, North East Fife, 1988–present 1 westminster_office@mingcampbell.org.uk
Alistair Carmichael, Orkney and Shetland, 2001–present carmichaela@parliament.uk
Nick Clegg, Sheffield Hallam, 2005–present nickclegg@sheffieldhallam.org.uk
Mike Crockart, Edinburgh West, 2010–present mike.crockart.mp@parliament.uk
Edward Davey, Kingston and Surbiton, 1997–present daveye@parliament.uk
Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale, 2005–present farront@parliament.uk
Lynne Featherstone, Hornsey and Wood Green, 2005–present featherstonel@parliament.uk
Don Foster, Bath, 1992–present fosterd@parliament.uk
Andrew George, St Ives, 1997–present hardyb@parliament.uk
Steve Gilbert, St Austell and Newquay, 2010–present stephen.gilbert.mp@parliament.uk
Duncan Hames, Chippenham, 2010–present duncan.hames.mp@parliament.uk
Mike Hancock, Portsmouth South, 1997–present hancockm@parliament.uk
Nick Harvey, North Devon, 1992–present allenmt@parliament.uk
David Heath, Somerton and Frome, 1997–present davidheath@davidheath.co.uk
John Hemming, Birmingham Yardley, 2005–present hemmingj@parliament.uk
Martin Horwood, Cheltenham, 2005–present horwoodm@parliament.uk
Simon Hughes, North Southwark and Bermondsey, 1997–present 1 simon@simonhughes.org.uk
Chris Huhne, Eastleigh, 2005–present chris@chrishuhne.org.uk
Julian Huppert, Cambridge, 2010–present julian.huppert.mp@parliament.uk
Mark Hunter, Cheadle, 2005–present hunterm@parliament.uk
Charles Kennedy, Ross, Skye and Lochaber, 2005–present 2 kennedyc@parliament.uk
Norman Lamb, North Norfolk, 2001–present lambn@parliament.uk
David Laws, Yeovil, 2001–present lawsd@parliament.uk
John Leech, Manchester Withington, 2005–present leechj@parliament.uk
Stephen Lloyd, Eastbourne, 2010–present stephen.lloyd.mp@parliament.uk
Michael Moore, Roxburgh and Selkirk, 2005–present michaelmooremp@parliament.uk
Greg Mulholland, Leeds North West, 2005–present info@gregmulholland.org
Tessa Munt, Wells, 2010–present tessa.munt.mp@parliament.uk
John Pugh, Southport, 2001–present pughj@parliament.uk
Alan Reid, Argyll and Bute, 2001–present reida@parliament.uk
Dan Rogerson, North Cornwall, 2005–present rogersond@parliament.uk
Bob Russell, Colchester, 1997–present brooksse@parliament.uk
Adrian Sanders, Torbay, 1997–present sandersac@parliament.uk
Robert Smith, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, 1997–present robert.smith.mp@parliament.uk
Andrew Stunell, Hazel Grove, 1997–present stunella@parliament.uk
Ian Swales, Redcar, 2010–present ian.swales.mp@parliament.uk
Jo Swinson, East Dunbartonshire, 2005–present swinsonj@parliament.uk
Sarah Teather, Brent East, 2003–2010; Brent Central, 2010–present teathers@parliament.uk
John Thurso, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, 2001–present thursoj@parliament.uk
David Ward, Bradford East, 2010–present david.ward.mp@parliament.uk
Steve Webb, Northavon, Thornbury and Yate, 2010–present webbs@parliament.uk
Mark Williams, Ceredigion, 2005–present williamsmf@parliament.uk
Roger Williams, Brecon and Radnorshire, 2001–present williamsr@parliament.uk
Stephen Williams, Bristol West, 2005–present stephenwilliamsmp@parliament.uk
Jenny Willott, Cardiff Central, 2005–present willottj@parliament.uk
Simon Wright, Norwich South, 2010 simon.wright.mp@parliament.uk
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Sunday 19 September 2010
Blitz Season: Valour by Association
It’s Blitz season again, and it seems to be bigger than ever. The BBC alone boasts ten programmes in the space of a week. That’s aside from news reports and memorials and related features on Antiques Roadshow. Considering seventy years have already passed, it seems safe to assume we can look forward to Blitz season again in autumn 2020 and 2030, with a jumbo special in 2040, long after every active participant and all but a handful of the war-babies have died.
And of course things don’t stop with the Blitz. The great thing about a six year war is that it leaves only four years blank per decade. I don’t know whether the planners at Broadcasting House have drawn-up a timetable yet but I’m happy for them to borrow mine:
***** 2019 2029 2039* ‘Declaration of War in Europe’ season
***** 2020 2030 2040* ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘Battle of Britain’ seasons
2011 2021 2031 2041* ‘Pearl Harbour’ season
2012 2022 2032 2042* ‘El Alamein’ season
2013 2023 2033 2043* ‘Burma’ season
2014 2024 2034 2044* ‘D-Day’ season
2015 2025 2035 2045* ‘VE Day’ and 'VJ Day' seasons
* Bumper centenary editions
Then in 2049 presumably we can start the whole cycle off again.
Both my parents served in the war. They certainly reminisced on it – but probably no more than anyone tends to talk about the events of their late teens and early twenties. They certainly didn’t dwell on it, and define themselves by it, as the media tend to now. One can see several reasons behind this growing obsession. Ostensibly we are told:
We owe it to those who fought and died to remember their sacrifice.
An important lesson was learned by the experience of WWII, and we need to ensure it is not forgotten by future generations.
While there’s something to the first point, the second is a sad joke. Apart from developing a strong mistrust of politicians alighting from aeroplanes brandishing pieces of paper we seem to have learned nothing. More honestly we also have:
It’s an interesting subject
It produces a warm patriotic glow
Again there’s some truth to the first point, but you have to wonder how much this is just a product of the second. After all, we’re not the only country in the world that has come close to being invaded by something nasty. If it’s history we’re interested in then why make such a fetish of our own country’s history?
Given the full historical record point two looks like a very dubious pleasure. Clearly the warmth comes from associating ourselves with a period of courage, resilience and victory. But is it morally right for the people of a country currently engaged in two illegal and catastrophic occupations of other countries to spend so much time with their heads in the Spitfire-filled clouds, fantasising about the courage of previous generations? Wouldn’t moralists and historians be better occupied analysing the crimes of today rather than one six year period over half a century ago?
It takes nothing away from the memory or sacrifices of the dead to recognise that the Second World War has become a very useful propaganda tool. Britain spent much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries invading, enslaving, subjugating and exploiting other countries. Our material wealth rests upon it. Small wonder when it comes to considering our history we cherry-pick the six brief years when we were the plucky underdog, rather than the acquisitive aggressor. ‘Battle of Britain Season’ makes far more comfortable viewing than ‘Fallujah Blitz Season’ let alone ‘Fallujah Cancer Statistics Season’.
Seventy years on, it’s difficult to imagine the event that might shake Britain out of identifying itself with World War Two. One dreadful possibility is another equally appalling war. Fantasising about past victories will not help to avert this outcome. Daring to face up to our country’s current crimes just might.
And of course things don’t stop with the Blitz. The great thing about a six year war is that it leaves only four years blank per decade. I don’t know whether the planners at Broadcasting House have drawn-up a timetable yet but I’m happy for them to borrow mine:
***** 2019 2029 2039* ‘Declaration of War in Europe’ season
***** 2020 2030 2040* ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘Battle of Britain’ seasons
2011 2021 2031 2041* ‘Pearl Harbour’ season
2012 2022 2032 2042* ‘El Alamein’ season
2013 2023 2033 2043* ‘Burma’ season
2014 2024 2034 2044* ‘D-Day’ season
2015 2025 2035 2045* ‘VE Day’ and 'VJ Day' seasons
* Bumper centenary editions
Then in 2049 presumably we can start the whole cycle off again.
Both my parents served in the war. They certainly reminisced on it – but probably no more than anyone tends to talk about the events of their late teens and early twenties. They certainly didn’t dwell on it, and define themselves by it, as the media tend to now. One can see several reasons behind this growing obsession. Ostensibly we are told:
We owe it to those who fought and died to remember their sacrifice.
An important lesson was learned by the experience of WWII, and we need to ensure it is not forgotten by future generations.
While there’s something to the first point, the second is a sad joke. Apart from developing a strong mistrust of politicians alighting from aeroplanes brandishing pieces of paper we seem to have learned nothing. More honestly we also have:
It’s an interesting subject
It produces a warm patriotic glow
Again there’s some truth to the first point, but you have to wonder how much this is just a product of the second. After all, we’re not the only country in the world that has come close to being invaded by something nasty. If it’s history we’re interested in then why make such a fetish of our own country’s history?
Given the full historical record point two looks like a very dubious pleasure. Clearly the warmth comes from associating ourselves with a period of courage, resilience and victory. But is it morally right for the people of a country currently engaged in two illegal and catastrophic occupations of other countries to spend so much time with their heads in the Spitfire-filled clouds, fantasising about the courage of previous generations? Wouldn’t moralists and historians be better occupied analysing the crimes of today rather than one six year period over half a century ago?
It takes nothing away from the memory or sacrifices of the dead to recognise that the Second World War has become a very useful propaganda tool. Britain spent much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries invading, enslaving, subjugating and exploiting other countries. Our material wealth rests upon it. Small wonder when it comes to considering our history we cherry-pick the six brief years when we were the plucky underdog, rather than the acquisitive aggressor. ‘Battle of Britain Season’ makes far more comfortable viewing than ‘Fallujah Blitz Season’ let alone ‘Fallujah Cancer Statistics Season’.
Seventy years on, it’s difficult to imagine the event that might shake Britain out of identifying itself with World War Two. One dreadful possibility is another equally appalling war. Fantasising about past victories will not help to avert this outcome. Daring to face up to our country’s current crimes just might.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)