The Times has published a full page investigation into what Liz Truss has been up to since her downfall as PM in October 2022 & her election defeat in July 2024.
Liz Truss won’t speak to the Times which she thinks is part of the deep State, so the figures are unverified.
£8000 a month in public funds to run her private office (she has a full time press secretary). Estimated to now be £225,000 in total
Her book Ten Years to Save the West has sold 7,700 copies in total, so not a significant source of income
In the 18 months after she left Downing St Truss recieved £348,533 in outside earnings and £107, 504 in donations
There’s no success like failure as Bob Dylan reminded us..
The London Drinker Beer Festival was organised by the London branches of CAMRA and took place in March each year at the Camden Centre in central London opposite Kings Cross station. It no longer runs not because of lack of demand (it was always packed) but because Camden decided to do something else with the hall,
The beer list for the festival is above. Its good to see that at least some of the breweries are still going. There are a few stronger beers and some broadening of styles beyond mild and bitter reflecting the influence of CAMRA.
Foreign beer and home cooked food were in a side hall
And yes I attended every London Drinker Beer Festival….
William Liebknecht’s 1896 memoir of Marx mentions in some detail his interest in chess and, in the 1850s, a certain obsession with playing it. While chess is mentioned in the many volumes of Marx and Engels correspondence it relates to political analogies rather than Marx playing chess games
Marx was an excellent player on the checkerboard. He had acquired such a dexterity at this game that it was difficult to win a game from him. He also liked to play chess, but here his art did not amount to much. He tried to make up what he lacked in science by zeal, impetuousness of attack and surprise.
In the beginning of the 1850s, chess was played frequently in our society of fugitives; we had more time, and in spite of the adage “time is money” less money than was agreeable to us, and under the direction of the red Wolff, who had chanced to gain access to the best society of chess players in Paris and had learned something, the “Game of the Wise” was zealously cultivated. We had many a hotly contested chess match. The loser did not have to provide any derision; and even while the match was in progress, the hilarity was always great and sometimes very loud. When Marx was hard pressed, he lost his temper, and when he lost a game, he was furious. In the model lodging house[1*] of Old Compton street, where several of us lived for a time at three shillings and sixpence per week, we always were surrounded by a circle of Englishmen who watched our game – chess is much cultivated in England, particularly among workingmen – with great attention and were amused by our merry, noisy ways. For two Germans make more noise than six dozen Englishmen.
One day Marx announced triumphantly that he had discovered a new move by which he would drive us all under cover. The challenge was accepted. And really he defeated us all one after the other. Gradually, however, we learned victory from defeat, and I succeeded In checkmating Marx. It had become very late, and he grimly demanded revenge for next morning, in his house.
At 11 o’clock sharp, very early for London, I was on the spot. I did not find Marx in his room, but he would be in immediately. Mrs Marx was invisible, Lenchen did not make an over-friendly face. Before I could ask whether anything had happened, Marx entered, shook hands and at once fetched the chessboard. And now the battle began. Marx had studied out an improvement of his move overnight, and it was not long before I was in a tight place from which I could not escape any more. I was checkmated, and Marx was Jubilant – his good humour had suddenly reappeared, he ordered something to drink and a few sandwiches. And a new battle began – this time I was the winner. And thus we fought with changing luck and changing humour without taking time to eat, satisfying our hunger by hastily taking from a plate that Lenchen had brought us meat, cheese and bread. Mrs Marx remained invisible, neither did any one of the children dare to enter, and thus the battle raged, surging up and down, until I had checkmated Marx twice in succession – and midnight had arrived. He insisted on playing more, but Lenchen, the dictator of the house under the supremacy of Mrs Marx, declared categorically: “Now you stop!” And I took leave.
Next morning, when I had just risen from my bed, somebody knocked at my door, and in came Lenchen.
“Library”- the children had dubbed me thus and Lenchen had accepted this title, for the title “Mister” was not in use among us. “Library, Mrs Marx begs that you play no more chess with Mohr in the evening. When he loses the game, he is most disagreeable.” And she told me how his bad humour had vented itself so severely that Mrs Marx lost her patience.
Henceforth I did not accept any more invitations from Marx to play chess in the evening. Chess playing, moreover, was forced to the background in proportion to our regaining regular occupations. As for myself who had acquired a certain reputation as a player in our little circle, I convinced myself in the course of time of the correctness of Lessing’s criticism of chess: “For a play too earnest, for earnest too much play.” I was Invited by prominent players; and in the company of professionals I soon found out that the moves I had invented and of which I had been so proud had been discovered centuries before my time; I thus saw myself placed in the position of that farmer in the Pyrenees who had discovered anew during the reign of Louis Philippe the tower clocks that had already been discovered four centuries before. I learned that a voluminous literature on chess existed and that, if I expected to excel, I should have to study this literature and devote myself entirely to chess. And to take up chess as a vocation I could not well make up my mind. So I gave it up. I have not played a game of chess since, but I delight in watching good players when I have the opportunity.
Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social
JD Vance found to have brought the hirsute into disrepute
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said it held a special meeting on Sunday 9th March, to review JD Vance’s beard and its public impact amidst growing concerns that he is bringing the hirsute into disrepute.
Following earlier outbursts Vance has already been excluded from consideration from the four Seasonal Awards which the BLF run. Beard of Spring will be announced on Easter Saturday.
The meeting agreed that Vance will be barred from the annual Beard of the Year vote which will take place in December 2025 subject to further review if appropriate
The campaigners say that Vance is a relatively recent beard wearer and there are significant concerns that he has not grasped the responsibilities that come with wearing a beard in the public eye.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett, we take the promotion of a positive image of the hirsute seriously. That is why the weekend meeting took the decision it did. Given the damage JD Vance appears to be doing to the well-being and positive image of beard wearers we had little choice but to act.
Pictured is part of Pete Brown’s Sunday Times beer column (9th March). Reading the whole thing can be done on-line of course. It is of course a Murdoch paper but as Pete Brown has noted it is infact the only one interested in a beer column.
The traditional prejudice of at least the English ruling elite is for wine, preferably fine ones, and wine columns proliferate across the ‘broadsheet’ press. It follows that food is matched with wine and definitely not beer.
Indeed the Times recently reported a survey by Knight Frank that (sort of) demonstrated that London is the leading global capital when it comes to high end restaurants with very extensive and very expensive wine lists. Beer of course does not warrant a mention.
Let’s hope Pete Brown’s column prospers and even encourages other papers to try one. For that to happen however it does need to be read (and if on-line commented on). I still write Fletters to the Guardian (beer column non existent) but I think I’m cancelled at the Times long since…
Understanding global big beer & working out what is to be done
In the past few weeks the giants of global big beer, ABInBev, Heineken and Carlsberg have all posted their latest set of financial results. All showed a market pleasing increase in profits. In all cases the focus was on premium, mainly lager, brands and low/no beers. Neither craft or cask beer warranted a mention although three own brands that are well known, in the UK at least….
A key thing for socialists who are interested in and active in the areas of beer and hospitality is to get across to a wider layer of people just what global big beer is, and what its activities mean on terms of restricting choice in pubs and bars and promoting bogus supposedly independent beers and lagers.
A counter attack is underway with a website that allows people to check whether the beer they are drinking is genuinely independent rather global big beer passing itself off as independent. https://www.whoownsmybeer.com/
That still leaves the question for socialists of what is to be done and indeed what can and could be done which will be the subject of a subsequent piece
The above is an extract from a longer piece which is at Culture Matters
Pat has remembered that used to be an activist and CND supporter. She and Emma are pursuing Borchester Water over the Beechwood sewage debacle. Tony is rather grumpy about the prospects of success. The Ambridge Socialist fully supports the protest and condemns the miserabilism of Tony.
Nasty Natasha
Natasha is not Ambridge’s favourite person. She has reduced the offer price for Kirsty’s house after the sewage issue, which provides issues for Kirsty raising the funds to buy Willow Farm. Work in Progress
The Gills Robot
Brian has broken the robot in an impromptu visit to the Gills house, where Joy and Mick are housesitting. Cue crisis attempts to fix the robot. Brian is not involved. Tony has stepped in and fixed it
BEARD OF IRELAND 2025 POLL: Shortlist of four for Beard Off Final Vote
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that competition for the Irish Beard of the Year 2025 is bristling with the shortlist of four contenders for the Beard Off Final vote now agreed after two Close Shave rounds of voting
In the first Close Shave Round Roy Keane and Gerry Carroll tied for first place and in the second Close Shave round Jamie Dornan and Colum Eastwood were the victors. All four now go to the Beard Off Final
The 2017 winner was politician Colum Eastwood who bearded broadcaster William Crawley for the annual Award.
In 2018 the DUP’s Lee Reynolds shaved writer Dominic O’Reilly for the honour with Colum Eastwood in a steady third place.
In 2019 Lee Reynolds retained the title
The 2020 winner was Maynooth academic Peter Coles
In 2021 Aodhan Connolly shaved opponents to win the coveted title and he retained it in 2022 2023 and 2024
The BLF says that while traditionally a land of predominantly clean-shaven cultures, Ireland has in recent times become something of a centre for stylish and trendy beards.
Contenders for the title in 2025 include a diverse range of the hirsute- an academic, rugby player, political activists, a broadcaster, an actor
The campaigners say the poll is specifically about the impact the beard of an individual has made in Irish public life and no other factor.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, competition for the 2025 Beard of Ireland Award is bristling with the winner announced on 17th March. Congratulations to the four finalists and commiserations to former winners Aodhan Connolly and Peter Coles who havent made the cut this year. We are well aware that the current on-line voting arrangement is far from ideal and hope this can resolved before too long
There are two preliminary Beard Off votes. The top two from each round go on to a Best Beard of Ireland vote
The Beard Off Final vote will take place on 13th and 14th March 2025
The vote is on-line pinned @kmflett. Because of issues with this platform votes can also be cast @keithbeard.bsky.social or by replying to this post
Below is a Guardian Fletter from Tuesday 10th March 2020.
I was in central London that week, working. Covid was already widespread in the Capital although that did not become clear until much later.
The PM Boris Johnson was delaying a lockdown or indeed anything in the way of restrictions. Judging from the Fletter the theory at this point was that COVID was spread by contact rather than airborne. Hence no masks but no handshakes either.
Little did I or we know what was to very shortly follow.
I left London on Monday March 16th 2020 (for Cardiff) and did not return until July 2020. A world we have thankfully lost, for the moment, but remembering all those who died or ended up with Long COVID
With handshakes off the agenda due to the coronavirus outbreak, I prefer the traditional form of greeting – the clenched-fist salute. In the unlikely event of encountering Boris Johnson in the wild, a two-finger salute is substituted. Keith Flett Tottenham, London
