gaf-young.bsky.social
Dartmoor dweller. Likes walking the dogs, dancing, sleeping, eating and drinking. Occasionally sociable. Interested in science/nature, territorial politics of the UK, constitutional reform and English history & culture.
Also at @ecommonwealth.bsky.social
267 posts
267 followers
751 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
comment in response to
post
I don't national identities need to be defined. Attempts by politicians to define national identity are normally laughed at (see Gordon Brown's Britishness) or dangerous.
England's problem is the conflation of English identity and British identity, which is politically motivated.
comment in response to
post
I see the logic of it.
Sunak is basically doing what any English Tory does, relegating Englishness to sport or something whimsical like old maids riding to holy communion while emphasising political Britishness.
comment in response to
post
It is not Sunak's Indian heritage that hobbles his Englishness. When a journalist reported that Sunak's parents emigrated to England (they emigrated to Southampton, England), Sunak felt it necessary to issue a correction.
This is the action of a Unionist/British nationalist rather than an Indian.
comment in response to
post
The other obstacle is, of course, unionism (or Britishness) and the resulting denial of Englishness (at least in political form).
In their next video the Lotus Eaters ridicule Fraser Nelson for claiming that Rishi Sunak is English.
youtu.be/50FHI5kHUAc?...
comment in response to
post
The ethnic nationalism and obsession with skin colour of the goading Lotus Eaters (and their like) is one of the two biggest obstacles to an inclusive and democratic English identity that could achieve an English parliament.
comment in response to
post
I've come across them while out with the dogs, and yes, they are quite tame. Respectful of humans. Not sure if their is a lone male out somewhere. He might be a different prospect.
comment in response to
post
Pig update. They're up on Aish Tor rooting for acorns under oak trees.
Here's one they dug earlier.
comment in response to
post
Me neither, until today.
comment in response to
post
I think most MPs just tow the party line. If the Green Party had adopted an English parliament as party policy, then no doubt she would have campaigned for that.
It's only mavericks like Frank Field or John Redwood who tend to go against the party line.
comment in response to
post
Like most things in England, I suspect the housing crisis is largely to blame. A lack of punters spending money because it all has to go on rent and properties that are more commercially viable as living accommodation rather than nightclubs.
comment in response to
post
Nightlife in provincial England is gone, Yes, it's still great if you can go to Dalston or Fabric, but towns across England are now nightclub-less.
When we moved to Devon, Exmouth had three nightclubs. Now it has none. Two turned into housing, the third just shut.
comment in response to
post
The Scots and Welsh (and maybe some Northern Irish) will call this English nationalism and react against it. Lots of the English will react against it too but dichotomy of England: bad; Scotland: good will be further cemented. It will be the push Scotland needs.
comment in response to
post
Could well be. Brexit was a kind of Westminster nationalism, it was all about restoring Westminster sovereignty. And though we've left the EU, Reform seem to me to be very much in that tradition. I think they'll take a dim view of devolution and take a very unitary state, British nationalist stance.
comment in response to
post
The Lib Dem guy is a clown and no one really knows who the Green's leaders now that Lucas has gone.
comment in response to
post
It's feels almost as though we're living in a failed state (not quite, but certainly a failing democracy) and the centre cannot hold. Judging by Farage's demeanour he feels it too.
Whenever Starmer gets up to speak, it's like someone has thrown a piece of wood on stage.
And Kemi is nowhere.
comment in response to
post
It's a peculiar situation because I dislike Reform a lot and think they could be a real danger to liberal democracy, especially with Musk pulling the strings, but then there's a part of me that wants to see them give Labour and the Tories a damn good hiding.
comment in response to
post
Nah, not feelin' it. I did want them to do well, because God knows we need it, but if feels like same arse, different cheek.
comment in response to
post
You're not feeling the sunlit uplands of Labour Britain?
comment in response to
post
I can see Farage winning. Even Theresa May was more animated than Starmer.
comment in response to
post
Unlikely that Mary Shelley said that and that's definitely not her.
comment in response to
post
The year is 2045, and you're getting a guided tour of Islay distilleries by 'Robot the Bruce' in his clan tartan. He's playing Row Me Home To Islay out of his built in bagpipes.
comment in response to
post
Maybe the UK does need Reform, not for the reform they offer (or the odious individuals involved) but for the threat they pose to the status quo.
comment in response to
post
And when an inflection point is reached, when Reform are high enough in the polls for first past the post to be beneficial to them rather than a barrier to winning seats, don't be surprised to see Labour and the Tories finally support PR.
comment in response to
post
Nah, definitely not another chicken and the ducks and geese were outside the pen - they have a stream and pond for messing about in.
I might ask Santa for one of those wildlife cameras. Has to be some sort of mustelid, I think. Would love it to be a pine martin!
comment in response to
post
I suppose we'll just have to hope that it doesn't happen again.
Won't be trapping because we're in a national park and whatever it is is supposed to be here.
comment in response to
post
Definitely not an owl because they couldn't get in the pen (it has a roof).
comment in response to
post
Never had this kind of kill before and we've been here 8 years.
comment in response to
post
Only the neck has been eaten.
Anyone know what could have done this? Is this the work of a weasel, stoat or pine martin (pine martins were recently released very nearby as part of a reintroduction to Dartmoor).
comment in response to
post
Last night just after dusk, when I went to put the chickens in, I found one of our hens dead with its neck eaten inside the fox-proof pen. Obviously not a fox and the hen was young and healthy.
Photo of the hen carcass.
comment in response to
post
Anyway, we built a fox-proof pen, partly to comply with the bird flu regulations, and the chickens are contained in that and occasionally let out to roam the wider garden when we're around.
comment in response to
post
I'm not going to begrudge Chris and Diane the win though, it's amazing what they achieved.