Moonshine...

Last night, they said, we would see that full moon again, the bright, yellow Harvest Moon.   All we saw was cloud!  I had noticed the moon the night previously, it is often seen hanging around in the eastern sky here, and I got a shot or two of him then.  He did not appear to be any brighter or happier than when he last appeared, and |I doubt he cared about the Harvest, he does not have one himself these days.  It is however, good to have a clear sky in which to see the moon, unlike last night, even though the temperature drops accordingly.  Much cooler this year than last year, Global Warming I expect?    

There were those who used to say 'Lloyd George was on the take.'  But I suspect they could never prove this.  He certainly found the women when required but did he find the money?  I know not, but I read that Keir Starmer has indeed found the money.  Indeed, he has found over £100,000 worth of cash, all  in the form of things given to him by 'friends who wish him well.'  Tickets for major football matches, well Arsenal, Taylor Swift, clothes for him to look like a PM and for his wife to get her hands on the best available stuff, donations of items outnumbering that which no other PM has ever received, and not one iota of shame while allowing the old to freeze to death!  

Some question these gifts.  Some think PMs ought to refuse such things, but in fact the law of the day states they must pay for things received, however, it appears these 'gifts' arrived before Keir became PM, so he can keep them!  The question most ask is 'What's in it for the donor?'  Donors do not donate for love of the individual in politics, they are offering bribes, not gifts.  Quite why a Labour (and I use that word loosely) PM would not comprehend this confuses me.  Lord Ali, his donor for clothes and other things, was given a key to Parliament.  An outcry got this withdrawn.  He however, is still around Downing Street, possibly by the back door?  

We are owned by Corporate figures, the man in the street does not count.  The only woman who counts is Sue Gray, she counts £170,000 as a salary, which she asked for.  When it was suggested she had less than the PM she declined!  Hmmm...

PM's

This small book about Clem Attlee, Labour's great post war Prime Minister, is one of two such books I read recently, the other concerning Lloyd George, a man who could make Tony Blair look innocent. These small but well written books are great overviews of the lives and works of previous Prime Ministers. Attlee comes out of his looking like a humble man from a wealthy background who found his role in life in bringing about a fairer society, and this he did well. Not the type to enrapture audiences, his speeches were short and to the point, and some say somewhat lacking, but his heart was for the people.  His lawyer father in the better class district of Putney, better class then, saw his son spend more and more time in the youth club in the east end of London endevouring to improve the lives of the people there.  After much time in local councils and as MP he fell into the leadership of the Labour Party as all the other contenders fell out!  When the war arrived his office management style suited many and when Winston Churchill toured the war areas Attlee ran the cabinet as deputy PM. Efficient, short of words yet to the point he allowed others to debate while he summed up the discussion.  Almost always his summary was accepted.  His leadership saw the nationalisation of the railways, electric companies, gas and water boards.  The pride of all was the National Health Service, the greatest thing ever produced in this nation, now sadly put on sale by the Conservative Party.  Attlee lived humbly, his holiday was driving his wife around the south west in their little car, no escort, no publicity.  His like will never lead us again sadly.

Lloyd George however was very different.  While keen to improve the state of the nation, he introduced pensions, dole money and more in his 1909 budget, he was very happy to pocket any cash that came his way.  Very able and far from slow in coming forward his speeches could rouse an audience and bring others round to his viewpoint, or just bamboozle them.  His work rate was also enormous, the Great War could not have been won without him!  With the nation behind Germany in every way he alone improved munition work, fighting spirit and every area of the home front and much of the firepower at the front itself.  His failing was he was no soldier and thought the war could be won by the back door. Hence he and his friend Churchill produced the failed Gallipoli campaign, the waste of Salonika, and encouraged other Middle East enterprises. In between all this he noticed lots of women around, especially his secretary. There is no doubt he was one of the , if not the, most important politician of the early twentieth century.  His morals were simple, 'me first!'  'If it works, do it,' let others worry. While he actually loved his wife he managed to love his secretary and 'venture' with others along the way, women do like a 'powerful man' don't they.  His failure to support Field Marshall Haig could have cost us the war, his attempt to smear Haig via his memoirs, by insinuating Haig cost 750,000 British lives, fails when we remember Lloyd George was Prime Minister!  His memoirs read could have been titled 'It wasn't me, it was him!' He was however wrong!  

Attlee a powerful politician, unassuming but capable, Lloyd George loud, aggressive, powerful yet which benefited the nation more.  Both partook of major war efforts, both attempted to lift the poorest, both made major changes to British society and the world order.  Lloyd George shaped the Middle East during the twenties, Attlee brought about the 'end of Empire.'  Attlee was clearly the better man, as a man, Lloyd George the more powerful politician who got things done.  he could not however fire Haig, there was none better!

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