The Country is un-hinged

When I was living in London and aged about 10 my mother (Convent educated) suggested I should go to Tottenham to see Billy Graham (Evangelist). The event has left me with a lasting impression but not that intended by the evangelists. While I was there we had the usual hymn singing and praying it was clear that to gain adherents there was a policy of creating mass hysteria whereby individuals would approach the stage and in euphoria pledge belief in God and the literal truth of the Bible. Deep inside me I felt very disturbed that I was being pressurised into becoming subservient to a version of the world which was not that which I had observed and experienced – nor one that I wished to experience as it clearly was to be an existence of blind acceptance regardless of other facts. I rejected this approach and left deeply disturbed at the manipulation of many individuals by supposed Christians.

So I come back to the events of the past few days with some questions:

1) Does the Bishop of Leeds think it Christian to call the Prime Minister a liar:

“The question now is: do we accept being lied to, patronised and treated by a PM as mugs?” (Daily Telegraph 26^th May 2020);

2) How is it that the following are not being similarly criticised (as Cummings):

Stephen Kinnock drove hundreds of miles to see his elderly parents during lockdown or that one of Labour’s few remaining MPs in County Durham, Kevan Jones, attended a constituents’ birthday party. Labour MP Tahir Ali who attended a funeral in his constituency as one of 100 mourners at the start of April.

Having regard to political experience across the pond – personality and identity politics, reality TV and the pork barrel we need to think very carefully where we are going. Remember the Euro Election results of just a year ago! This is not a time for hysteria and hypocrisy but extremely careful thought as to where this could end up. Is this hysteria preparing the ground for a UK Trump!

And No I am not a Tory and have only ever voted Labour. I may be a cultural Tory (many have accused me of being an old fashioned Tory) but I have not met any others who (as I do) want a Wealth Tax, very heavy and stringent Inheritance Taxes and restoration of Trade Union Rights to ILO standards.

Now tell me the country is not un-hinged!