The Forest

There was a prince – good fairy tales always start that way, because each of us is a prince or princess in hiding – we just need to find that glass slipper, or to be kissed awake from our perpetual slumber, or to pull a sword from a stone, or to be discovered because of a birth mark, or – I could go on but the list is endless, and sometimes involves monks trekking across high deserts and wind swept plains for years – suffice it to say our prince had all he could desire: a fine palace, wonderful clothes, a bed so soft that it wrapped him in sleep and gave him wonderful dreams the moment his head touched the pillows – but something deep inside him yearned to have something so wonderful that he would fall down enraptured by its presence.

He had seen the way that the people of his lands fell down and worshipped the golden statues of their gods, but for him they were just another thing made of gold, and he had plenty of those. There was a chapel of the gods stuffed with them somewhere in the palace, but looking at them did not make him want to fall down. They did not fill him with awe and wonder. He wanted to discover something so incredible that it would utterly entrance him. Something he could worship just like his people worshipped – something utterly transporting. He had seen his people and the way they were visibly moved. He has seen their states of religious ecstasy. They possessed something in those moments that no prince could buy, that no craftsman could shape, no king could command – AND HE WANTED IT.

He took leave of his people that spring and set off into the vast forest in search of he knew not what, he simply knew how it would make him feel when he found it. He knew it would be the most wondrous thing in the world. Something truly worth worshipping. In time he came to a clearing, and saw a wonderful bird in the most beautiful plumage. It danced and sang and entranced him completely.

“This is it. I have found it” he thought. “That is the most wondrous thing in the world that I can truly worship.”

He captured the bird and brought it back to his palace. He had it placed in a golden cage. Each day he came and sat enraptured by it, and each day he felt wonderfully moved by the sight and sound of it. This was the bird that took him to paradise.

Then one day he came and the bird's plumage had fallen off, and there in the golden cage it stood, a dull brown ordinary bird.

“Let the darn thing go” he commanded. “Turn it out of my palace, I do not want to see it ever again. I want the most wonderful thing in the world, and that – that drab, dull, scraggy bird is not even fit to grace my table.”

Once more he set off into the forest to find the most wondrous thing in the world. It was now summer and the days were hot and long. In time he came to a clearing and fluttering across it was a wonderful butterfly. It colours were so iridescent that that he was enraptured by it.

“Ah, now, this it is it” he thought. “That is the most wondrous thing in the world that I can truly worship.”

He captured the butterfly and brought it back to his palace, but when he opened the box it was fluttering its last – it was still beautiful, but no longer did it capture his heart. He did not feel awe and wonder in its presence.

The prince had it pinned to a board and the board mounted in a frame so that he could remember the enchantment he had felt when he had first seen it – but it just made him feel sad looking at its still form, so he set off into the forest once more.

By now it was autumn. In time he came to a clearing. In its middle stood the most magnificent stag with a wonderful head of antlers. The prince was enraptured. He felt awe in its presence.

“This is truly the most wondrous thing in the world that I can worship” he thought.

He captured the stag and took it back to his palace. There he kept it in a special enclosure. He came each day a sat looking at it in awe. This was truly the most wondrous thing in the world. At last he had found something that was truly worth worshipping.

Then one day he came to see his most wonderful stag, but its antlers were skew, and then one fell off. The poor creature's coat had become dull and matted, and blood trickled down its head from where the antler had snapped, leaving a sore, seeping stump.

“This pathetic looking animal is not worth worshipping” he cried. “Take it away. Drive it out of my lands. I never want to see it again.”

So once more he set off into the forest even though it was now winter. In time he came to a clearing that glistened and glittered with frost. Once more he was completely enraptured.

Noting a cave that overlooked the clearing he set up camp there and remained, enwrapped as the seasons passed and each day the forest produced a new wonders. Time past and he even forgot he was a prince for now he understood that it was the forest itself that produced all the wonders – and he didn't wish to miss a day of it.

Now another prince sits on his throne, but he too is becoming dissatisfied by all that lifeless gold.

Open letter to my MP re-Brexit: 14 Jan '19

Dear Mr Crabb

Thank you for your email stating your intention to oppose a non-deal Brexit. Considering the catastrophic nature of such an event I am please that you intend to insure that it does not happen. It is a shame that such vast sums of money are being poured into preparations for such an outcome, especially when it is considered how much better the sums could be spent on areas of real need. I am sure you are only too aware of such needs in your own constituency, which rates as one of the poorest regions in Europe. 

I understand your belief that you must support the process of trying to leave the EU because of the way in which a relative majority of your constituents voted, however, it was not an absolute majority of your electorate, which itself must be something of a democratic problem. The dictum that from nothing nothing can be assumed, must apply to the opinion of all of those who did not vote, including whether they were indifferent to the result. Nationally the swing vote was only somewhere in the order of 680,000, far too fine a margin to place such confidence in proceeding either way. This is exactly why mature democracies insist on super-majorities. It is true that a huge number of people voted in favour of leaving, but it is also true that an almost equally huge number voted in favour of remaining. 

Subsequent revelations about the referendum must lead to some doubt as to the validity of the result. There is a considerable body of legal opinion that had it been anything other than an advisory referendum it would have been declared void in the light of the discovered misconduct and the associated crimes committed. When that is compounded by very real questions, as yet unanswered, about the scope and extent of foreign interference, including the source of much of the funding, then the only reasonable conclusion is that it cannot be a safe basis on which to proceed. 

There is also the question of the inbuilt bias caused by narrowing of the electorate to exclude significant groups who are profoundly affected by the outcome. It can also be questioned whether the chosen date did not also bias the result. The late June date undoubtedly suppressed the student vote. 

Consideration also need to be given to the demographic distribution of the vote. It is deeply ironic, and sad, that by the time the process of leaving is finally accomplished, the population will be composed of a majority who voted to remain. This has to be a little crazy. 

Given the unsatisfactory nature of the referendum I hope that you will feel that you need to reconsider your support for leaving, especially in the event of the rejection by Parliament of Mrs May's deal. 

In that event you might consider supporting the so-called Norway plus proposal. That might have a broad spectrum of support, as it could garner support from both those who are not massively committed either way, the so-called soft-Brexit supporter, and the so-called sceptical or soft-remainers. It could be tolerated - although, I suspect, not loved - by both groups, and would better reflect the 52-48 spit recorded by the referendum. Such a proposal would require that we have full membership of both the Single Market and of the Customs Union. This can only be to the economic, social and cultural good of the country. I have yet to encounter any argument that convincingly suggests otherwise. You must already be aware that we are teetering on the edge of a Brexit fuelled recession. The amount of business lost to this country is already many times greater than the cost of EU membership for the next half-century. Already business are closing or relocating out of the UK, investment is leaving, as are key personnel. The success of a policy can be judged by observing the flows and those flows are all against Brexit. That is a remarkable achievement for any government. Norway plus should at least staunch those flows and stabilise Britain's future. 

Norway plus would also have the great advantage of requiring the continuation of the four free movements: goods, capital, services and people. Those four are essential components of ensuring the vitality of our economy and of our society. Freedom of movement of people is especially vital to so many individuals, businesses, organisations and institutions. It is the fluidity that it confers which allows for the optimisation of opportunities. It is such a mistake to see it in in terms of migration. It is much more fruitful to see it in terms of the fluidity to follow opportunities, to form networks and interconnections, and to expand prospects. Closing down the freedom of movement is one of the most damaging proposal possible. It is the jewel in the crown of the Single Market. Its loss will necessarily entail economic, social and cultural  diminution.

 

I cannot understand how you can support the loss of rights of your constituents. It is indefensible that you would support the greatest loss of rights in modern times. I object very strongly to my EU rights being stripped from me. You have yet to reply to me explaining how I might benefit from this and how you can defend doing this to me and your other constituents. 

In the event of the government's proposed deal being rejected you are going to have to be part of the process of finding a solution. That is a duty you must discharge honourably. It may require of you to act courageously and imaginatively.  The defeat of the government's proposed deal would mean that you have discharged your perceived duty to support the process as far as it can go, and now must be at liberty to say to your constituents the truth - that leaving cannot be done without real harm.

Yours