Kmflett's Blog

In the age of Trump the Mamas & the Papas had a point about Mondays…

The picture is the front of the current issue of the Economist whose Editor has called Trump’s tariff policy ‘bonkers’

Trump’s tariffs suggest a view that the old world economic order was no longer working for the US, so in the manner of the Great Gatsby careless people have broken things. Its a gamble that might work, or might not.

Meanwhile my Guardian Fletter (11th April 2025) suggests not that Trump is a new Lenin but the scale of impact on the global system he is having, consciously or otherwise

Looking at recent events, it seems Donald Trump is the most successful anti-capitalist since Lenin.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London

Beard Liberation Front

14^th April

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

‘Whispering’ Bob Harris & Sir Jimmy Anderson win first Close Shave vote for Beard of Spring 2025

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that veteran broadcaster ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris and newly knighted cricketer Sir Jimmy Anderson have won the first Close Shave vote for Beard of Spring 2025. They will go forward to a final Beard Off vote where they will be joined by the winners of the second Close Shave vote.

The list comprises a range of people who have worn a beard during the first quarter of the year, not necessarily full-time, and whose facial hair has had a positive public impact.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said,  we know there will be those who claim that some of the list don’t have a beard. However they have all passed the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western test which distinguishes between stubble and a beard

There will be two Close Shave Rounds with the highest and second placed from both going to a Final Beard Off vote.  The winner will be announced on Easter Saturday.

Beard of Spring 2025 shortlist

Michael Rosen, author, broadcaster, Arsenal fan

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager

Declan Rice, Arsenal footballer

Richard Thompson, musician

Tommy Fleetwood, golfer

Daniel Norcross, cricket commentator

Bob Harris, broadcaster

Sir Jimmy Anderson, cricketer

The latest Parliamentary register of MPs outside earning reveals that Farage has acquired another job, his 10th. He is the elected MP for Clacton in Essex which should be, but clearly is not, his full time job. To be fair Reform does have an office in the town as part of the Big Fat Greek Taverna which appropriately is part of complex that also houses Clacton Wetherspoons.

Farage now has a role as a commentator on Sky News Australia. Unlike Sky in the UK which is owned by Comcast, Murdoch retains control of Sky in Australia. The news channel is run on similar lines to the US Fox channel which is to say Trump supporting hard right.

Farage was paid £25K by Sky Australia in February 2025 for 19 hours work. The self styled leader of Reform UK has claimed he has been commentating on the channel for years but clearly now has a paid role

No doubt Farage spends time on Sky Australia running down Britain, patriotically of course. Its known if he comments on and compares the beaches and surfing conditions of Clacton with those of Australia.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/09/nigel-farage-gets-his-10th-job-as-he-becomes-sky-news-australia-commentator

Tory Shadow Minister James Griffith has claimed to Laura Kuenssberg that when Liberal Democrats control local Councils they promote veganism and four day working weeks. Its not clear what he thinks the connection between the two might be.

No doubt the remark will appear to Farage who is primarily a wine drinker but when he does have food to accompany a bottle or three, for example at his favourite restaurant Boisdale, it seems unlikely that its vegan.

Griffith’s remark also displays an ignorance of where, historically, criticism of veganism has come from. Both William Morris and George Orwell were critical seeing vegans as faddists who were trying to change themselves rather than the world.

Suffice to say there is tasty vegan food out there whatever Griffith’s prejudices may indicate.

They typically promote veganism when they take control of the council, they’ve supported four-day weeks which have damaged the interests of local residents.’ James Griffith MP 13th April 2025

The Ambridge Socialist

13^th April

Hosepipe through Martyn Gibson’s letterbox was an act of collective retribution

The Ambridge Socialist sent condolences to Borsetshire Land and Borsetshire Water’s Martyn Gibson after a person unknown pushed a hosepipe through his letter box and potentially damaged his wooden flooring. It was a picture of the smallest violin we could find.

The Ambridge Socialist prefers to think of it as an act of collective retribution by villagers fed up with exploiter Gibson. His now ex-wife Pam would have been fully justified in doing it as would the inhabitants of Beechwood Close. If Gibson had any morality, which is highly doubtful he would issue a public apology for his own activities

Clarrie is looking for a job

After an entirely avoidable redundancy at the Diary (a reminder to boycott Borsetshire Blue)Clarrie is looking for a job. Given Eddie’s precarious existence the money is no doubt a concern but also keeping active and engaged is important. Age should not come into it.

Rochelle and the Abattoir

Rochelle a vegan has got a job at Vince’s meat packing plant. She has noted that times are tough and needs must. For other views on this check the Academic Archers on Facebook

Walter Gabriel is to return to Ambridge, M’Old Pal..

One of the great proletarian characters of Ambridge, Walter Gabriel, is set to return when two special VE Day Archers episodes are broadcast looking at village life in the 1940s…

Daily Telegraph Insert on Farmers Inheritance Tax

It was promised and duly appeared on 12^th April. Daveed Archer and Brian were outraged that farmers will have to pay some inheritance tax. Ben and Jolene were not. That will not be enough to satisfy the far right loons at the Telegraph who certainly think the Archers should be about this and nothing else ad infinitum

In Other News

Eddie has been to visit George in prison

Freddie has paid £4.50 for a pint of Zero in the Bull. Water is generally free in pubs…

Trump has swiftly u-turned on tariffs on Chinese made IPhones that would have seen a massive US price hike, tariffs on MAGA merchandise which is made in China remain. Sky reports that the cost will more than double. However US sellers already have such a huge mark up and MAGA supporters will pay whatever price is charged it may end up making no difference.

A truly beautiful contradiction

Sky Report

While many Chinese businesses are reeling from the trade war, Qi, the Maga merchandise maker, brushed off any suggestion his might suffer.

Trump supporters, he said, were willing to pay any price for items bearing the image of their beloved president — and US suppliers were making such a huge profit on them that they could afford to partially absorb the tariff impact.

A Trump baseball cap for instance, cost only Rmb7.50 ($1) to produce. Tariffs might raise that cost to Rmb20, but the caps were being sold for $50 in the US. 

“American sellers could even use the tariffs as an excuse to raise the price to $60 — yet the extra cost will still be borne by the US consumers,” Qi said. 

Roger Protz speaking on Motion 3 on 12th April 2025

CAMRA Conference backs Indy Beer in the fight against the impact of Global Big Beer

The 2025 Campaign For Real Ale conference is taking place in Torquay this weekend. I have attended occasionally over the years, having been a member since 1975, but this year for the first time it was streamed on-line. It worked well, although seeing the conference floor as well as the top table would have been interesting.

Motion 3 (below) focused on the need for CAMRA to promote Indy Beer and was mercifully free of discussion on whether this might mean cask, keykeg or keg. In fact there was a focus on the importance of bottle shops in promoting drinking choice beyond the products of Big Beer.

It was good to hear from Roger Protz who in particular slammed Carlsberg for (with a couple of exceptions) destroying the Burton Union system of brewing. He also called for Government intervention to protect British brewing underlining that, for example, in France the Government did this to protect wine.

Several speakers called for remission on the grounds that a focus on Indy Beer might prevent promotion of beers like Bass and Fullers which are not independently owned. It was pointed out that there was no contradiction, as the motion did not stop this.

A motion for remission failed and the substantive motion was passed. Progress in campaigning history one hopes

Motion 3

This Conference agrees that UK beer lovers have been badly let down by the lack of leadership and imagination shown by the multinational brewers and large property firms that, between them, control the UK beer trade. Conference therefore instructs the National Executive to ensure that all relevant CAMRA publications and communications pledge preferential support to beer producers and suppliers that are independent of the influence of the multinational brewers, and to make the case persistently for this stance.

12th April 2025

Abattoir owner Vince Casey is featuring in the Archers again at the moment. Every time he does our original assessment of him from October 25th 2020 gets a good deal of social media interest. Its repeated below. Which, if any, of our characterisations, was right, five years on??

Vince Casey: ‘Slimeball’,’peasant’ or ‘working-class hero’?

Vince Casey, abattoir specialist and David Archer’s nemesis has bumped into Elizabeth in a pub and bought her a drink. Casey appeared to be genial character (who knew?) who noted that he got by with 50% charm and 50% iron fist…

Later both Casey and Archer were to be found at an HR seminar on workplace relations. The BBC rarely covers Lower Loxley’s non-unionised employment practices and we can only wonder how much iron fist Casey uses with anyone who he may employ.

Later Casey turned up at Lower Loxley to meet Lily and Freddie. Lily had earlier called Casey a slimeball which he seemed to regard as fair but he did wonder if their objections to him were because they saw him as a peasant intruding on the Archer Dynasty..

Beard Liberation Front

12th April

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

Sir Jimmy Anderson heads Beard of Spring Shortlist

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that newly knighted England and Lancashire cricketer Jimmy Anderson heads up the Beard of Spring 2025 shortlist.

The list comprises a range of people who have worn a beard during the first quarter of the year, not necessarily full-time, and whose facial hair has had a positive public impact.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said,  we know there will be those who claim that some on the list don’t have a beard. However they have all passed the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western test which distinguishes between stubble and a beard

There will be two Close Shave Rounds with the highest and second placed from both going to a Final Beard Off vote.  The winner will be announced on Easter Saturday.

Beard of Spring 2025 shortlist

Michael Rosen, author, broadcaster, Arsenal fan

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager

Declan Rice, Arsenal footballer

Richard Thompson, musician

Tommy Fleetwood, golfer

Daniel Norcross, cricket commentator

Bob Harris, broadcaster

Sir Jimmy Anderson, cricketer