Cold rain. Getting indignant. Power of the media. Status problems. Patriotism

It’s another rainy Saturday but I went running anyway. I was rewarded with a view of the heron in the woods. I am not convinced that it’s any milder today despite what the weathermen say about it. There were still some rather icy patches on the path through the woody area just outside the village, where I saw the heron. The river was fairly bouncing through the village. Unless things improve I’m staying in for the rest of the day. I’ve been wet once today and that’s enough. 

Yesterday evening I found myself spluttering with indignation as Chris Mason announced that one of his “guests” on Radio 4’s “Any Questions” was Nigel Farage. Then, according to someone who posted on the Campaign to Rejoin the EU page, he was also given a five minute slot on the “Today” programme, “in which they cast a positive light on his vile views and characterising him as one of the most important figures in politics, driving the policy agenda”. Those last were not my words but those of the person posting but they might well have been my words. I still wonder if we would ever have had the EU referendum if he had not been given so much air time to express his views. He went from being a cranky voice in the background, someone many people had not heard of, to being a major opinion influencer. And now is he planning a comeback? He and Tony Blair both seem to be everywhere at the moment, giving their opinions on this and that. Do they plan to take over the country? Each from his different viewpoint but even so, both annoyingly dangerous people. 

Here is something from a Forum for EU Citizens:

“Good evening. I wonder if someone could answer my questions. My daughter's Portuguese passport is expiring in March. I have been trying for months to get an appointment at the portuguese consulate in London with no luck. I sent another query to them a few days ago and they responded that they don't have any appointments for the next 6 months and don't know when they will have available appointments. I am now thinking that I may have better luck travelling to Portugal to renew her passport.

My questions:

-could I travel to Portugal in February with only a month validity left on her portuguese passport?

-if not, could I leave the UK using her Portuguese citizen card? 

-and when entering the UK from Portugal, she would have a new passport, but her settled status is linked to her passport which is expiring. Would this pose a problem at the UK border? The portuguese consulate usual take the old passports before issuing new ones.

Thank you for your assistance.”

One of the consequences of Brexit is people having to go through that kind of stress. Judging by what I have read getting settled status is no easy matter. To then discover that it is linked to a passport which will, of course, expire in due course, but that it doesn’t seem to link automatically to a new passport must be the stuff of nightmares! 

Meanwhile we are going through an outbreak of serious patriotism here in England (I almost wrote ‘in the UK’ but I’m not sure if it’s also taking place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) with politicians appearing on television flanked by a couple of Union Jacks. And now Andrew Rosindell, the Tory MP for Romford, wants us all to sing the national anthem more often. He told the Commons on Thursday: “I know the minister will agree that the singing of the national anthem is something that provides great sense of unity and pride in our nation.

“So in this year of the Queen’s platinum jubilee, will the minister take steps to encourage public broadcasters to play the national anthem and ensure the BBC restores it at the end of the day’s programming before it switches to News 24?”

Apparently Radio 4 already plays it at the end of broadcasting every day. Who knew? That’s what happens when you don’t listen right to the end of broadcasting - things go on that you know nothing about. I can remember when the national anthem used to be played at the end of television broadcasting and at the end of cinema projections. I can also remember rushing out while the credits for the film were still playing (something which is quite rude and disrespectful of filmmakers) in order to avoid being seen to walk out while the national anthem was playing. 

The Culture Minister Chris Philp apparently said: “We fully support the singing of the national anthem, Her Majesty the Queen and other expressions of patriotism – including the flying of the union jack.

“The more that we hear the national anthem sung, frankly, the better. Organisations like schools are free to promote it and the more we can do in this area, the better it’ll be.”

I like the reaction of football broadcaster Gary Lineker who said: “Yeah, let’s be less British and more North Korean.” Indeed!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!