Kmflett's Blog

Tony Benn & Christmas postage stamps

I’ve written a handful of Christmas cards this year.

Before the rise of social media I, and I’m sure others, received quite large numbers of cards.

Christmas has been and no doubt to some extent still is, the busiest time for the Royal Mail dating back to the 1840s.

What is less well known is Tony Benn’s role in making sure that the then Post Office produced special Christmas stamps.

Benn was Postmaster General for a period in the 1964-70 Labour Governments and had to overcome considerable resistance to get the stamps introduced.

He records in his diary for 1st February 1966,

I talked to Downes about the Post Office Christmas card. He had put in an absolute negative in the best Postal Services Department fashion. He came in grim faced and I talked him out of it. We will have a card with a Christmas stamp and simple greetings selling at 6d.

The focus however was on the stamps. On Friday May 13th 1966 Benn wrote

I have decided to go ahead with the children’s competition for the Christmas stamp, even though the local authorities are opposed to it. It will give us an idea of the sort of quality you might expect from children.

Benn, through the Post Office, organised a competition among schoolchildren aged under 15.  The competition was launched on Blue Peter, which at the time received viewing figures of around 8 million twice a week. Response to the competition was huge.  Over 5,000 designs were submitted which were assessed by a team of eight professional stamp designers.  These first British Christmas stamps featured a design by Tasveer Shemza (of King Wenceslas) and James Berry (Snowman).

https://blog.westminstercollection.com/tag/tony-benn/

Beard Liberation Front

13^th December

Media Release

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Campaigners say it’s time to reinstate the Working From Home beard

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that with Government guidance to work from home, where possible, and with the Christmas break coming up, its time to reinstate the working from home beard.

With work meetings set to take place virtually on Teams or Zoom a working from home beard can add gravitas to the wearers on-line presence.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, many who have returned to workplaces in the last 6 months may have shaved off or at least trimmed the working from home beard they previously had. Now is the time to grow it again and to think about lessons learnt from previous beards

Working From Home beard. A Five Point Guide

1 Carry out an initial check for split hair ends or hair growth where it is not suitable for style

2 An organic beard grows naturally. Check for length. An un-styled beard might be 3 inches long from the lower lip or more (in time)

3 If you are aiming to grow a beard of a certain style check from progress and shape and prune accordingly.

4 Check for broad equality of hair growth across the beard. If there are small gaps or under developed areas it may be worth reviewing the style of beard to suit.

5 Only the individual can decide it the beard ‘works’ or if it needs to be reviewed further or even shaved off and re-grown. However, remember, a beard is for life not just for the next few weeks

Why letters and Posties are still essential on #nationalpostalworkers day

Letter writers have something to be thankful for even in times like these and that is the hard work that postal workers do.

Much correspondence that was until a few years ago sent by hand written or typed letter in the post now goes by e-mail, but the role of the physical letter remains essential to society as does that of those who deliver them.

While most have access to e-mail nowadays many don’t read their electronic mail all that often if at all. A considerable number, running into millions, do not have regular access to e-mail or the internet at all.

Of course there is no guarantee that people will read a physical letter but at the very least they have to pick it up and glance at it to see what it is about.

The role of postal workers remains an essential one to the social fabric of society and indeed to a democratic politics too.

The Lyrics: Paul McCartney. Rock’n’Roll music?

I haven’t been in the British Library (where I do historical research in case you were wondering) as much as usual this year, partly because its been shut for some of the time and partly while still living in Tottenham as usual I haven’t been there that much.

Anyway I’ve still been in every few weeks (usually a few times a week) and when there in early December was slightly surprised to see a large banner of Paul McCartney. The BL also has the National Sound Archive so its no stranger to music but even so. In fact the banner was advertising a free exhibition relating to McCartney’s new book The Lyrics. The exhibition is free and well worth a look btw- these things are always very well done at the BL.

The book which is weighty and costs £75 contains all of the lyrics written by McCartney from the Beatles through to Wings and his solo efforts. The Beatles thanks to the Peter Jackson film of Get Back have been much in the news recently.

There are a couple of points here. While the lyrics from the Wings period on are McCartney’s the Beatles are mostly officially recorded as Lennon and McCartney. Lennon cant really dispute it now but while I’m sure McCartney did write the lyrics to Hey Jude (for example) particularly the repeats at the end that go on and on and .. I’m not sure Lennon had no thoughts at all on the matter.

The book contains some back stories from McCartney about how lyrics for particular songs came to be written. The story of Mull of Kintyre is interesting but I’m afraid its still a dreadful dirge. This raises a wider point still (which the FT review focused on).

While there are some lyrics that do stand well alone-one thinks of Dylan for example (although not Wiggle,wiggle,wiggle) mostly they are written to be sung and work in that format. So McCartney’s lyrics on the page don’t for the most part add up to much. As songs I still love them, but then I’m old enough to remember them.

Two Years On: Measuring Labour’s Vote on 12th December 2019

Labour suffered a significant Electoral defeat on 12th December 2019 while the Tories achieved a large majority, their first for three decades.

With the Tories in crisis and Labour taking a poll lead for the first time in a good while, now is not the time to spend too much time on lost Elections (of which there are many in Labour history). The task now is to mobilise to get the Tories out and Labour elected. Whatever you may or may not think of the current Labour leadership there is a wider purpose and agenda too that.

At the same time because 2019 seems to be a continuing benchmark for the media and some politicians who don’t specialise too much in history, even very recent history, its worth a brief review of what happened 2 years ago today.

The media noted that the 203 seats won was the lowest total since 1935. Of course there are always other figures. One was that Labour now has the largest number of female MPs in its Parliamentary history.

One interesting wider measure is the total number of votes  cast for Labour. This (fairly obviously) is not a guarantee of Electoral success but it does in a very broad way reflect a class or anti-Tory vote and the depth of a Party’s support.

Here Labour’s 10.3 million was well down on what Corbyn achieved in 2017 but beyond that the second highest Labour total since 2001, Tony Blair’s 2nd Election victory.

One thought might be that this support still needs to further engaged with and organised to help secure a future Labour win. Its surely not about Westminster but about the grassroots in workplaces and communities across the country.

Labour General Election votes

2019 10.3m

2017 12.88m

2015 9.35m

2010 8.61m

2005 9.55m

2001 10.72m

1997 13.52m

1992 11.56m

1987 10.03m

1983 8.46m

The Ambridge Socialist

December 12th

After Clarence House visit: Roll on the Red Republic in Ambridge

A number of residents of Ambridge visited Clarence House this week and met with Camilla. Judging by social media reports all had an enjoyable time and there was a picture of Camilla and Peggy (June Spencer)cutting an Archers 70^th anniversary cake

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59572564

The Ambridge Socialist has no objection to people enjoying themselves but our policy for Ambridge remains: Roll on the Red Republic. Camilla is clearly a long time Archers listener, as many others are, but that should be the only point of note here.

Hazel wants to evict Natasha and Tom

Hazel has decided that she wants to occupy the flat above the shop while her house (i.e mansion) is renovated. That means the eviction of Natasha and Tom. While the Ambridge Socialist does not usually side with landlords and ladies, if this means that Natasha and Tom have to sadly depart from Ambridge perhaps it will be a case of all’s well that ends well.

Eddie Grundy & Hazel Woolley: a classic demonstration of class war

Conscious (unusually) that she has caused issues Hazel visits the Grundy’s to buy a seasonal turkey for Pat and Tony. Eddie Grundy has a class memory of Hazel as the person who booted them, including Joe Grundy, out of Keepers Cottage. The class struggle in Ambridge came alive as Eddie gave Hazel the run around in memory of Joe.

In other news

Natasha is pregnant

Jonny has sorted the Bridge Farm Xmas card

A cow has relieved itself on Susan. Our sympathies to all concerned

Fallon is not innocent but well intentioned. Another victim of Hazel.

Boris Johnson Downing St Christmas Quiz 2020

How many children do I have & what are their names? Pass

Who was the last PM with a beard? Lord Salisbury, 1902

And what Party did they represent?, Conservative

What does de omnibus dubitandum mean? doubt everything

Only You was an Xmas No.1 hit for which group? The Flying Pickets

What was the name for the popular figure elected at Xmas to cause fun & mischief The Lord of Misrule

In what year did Parliament ban Christmas? 1647

Which Mayor of London was a member of the Hellfire Club? John Wilkes

The Boris Bus is an iconic London symbol but what does a single fare cost? £1.55

What is the correct name for table tennis? wiff-waff

Boris Johnson, paternity leave, losing to Australia & missing socks

Boris Johnson is reported to be taking some paternity leave after the birth of his latest child with his current partner Carrie. Ministers don’t actually get paternity leave, anymore than ordinary MPs get maternity leave such as is the archaic nature of Westminster. Johnson has claimed he is also keeping an eye on his Prime Ministerial duties (in so far as he ever does). Unfortunately that didn’t stop Gove from chairing a COBRA meeting on Friday.

When he was a Telegraph columnist Johnson regularly complained about paternity leave. @g_gosden on twitter has found quite a few examples.

Perhaps Johnson has had a change of view (after all he has very few set views it would seem) but the context of his dislike of paternity leave seems to remain. According to his biographer Sonia Purnell when he was married to the lawyer Marina Warner, Johnson had to look after one of his earlier babies (no doubt with the help of a nanny). He complained that such things were the result of an undesirable feminisation of society the effects of which were things like losing to Australia at cricket (cricketers do take paternity leave these days) and his inability to find a pair of matching socks (because his partner had not found them for him).

If he wasn’t Prime Minister this might all be quite amusing, if reactionary twaddle. As it is…

CAMPAIGN FOR REAL SANTAS

Organised by the Beard Liberation Front

press release        11th December

Contact Keith Flett                                                  07803 167266

SHORTLIST UNVEILED FOR REAL ‘ORGANIC’ SANTA OF THE YEAR

The Campaign for Real Santas, which campaigns for Santas to have genuine organic or knitted beards, has named its shortlist of people who could be the ideal organic Santa of 2021.

The nominations for Real Santa of 2021 are:-

Philip Ardagh, author

Brian Blessed, Actor

Michael Rosen, author & broadcaster

Ricky Tomlinson, actor and activist

The Campaign for Real Santas believes that only Santas with genuine, organic or knitted beards should be deputies for Santa, world famous for his organic beard, in the run up to Xmas

CFRS organiser Keith Flett said, We don’t know for sure that any of the people on the shortlist do help Santa at this time of year but we do think they are potentially excellent role models for real Santas as opposed to the absurd false bearded types.

An On-Line poll for the Organic Santa 2021 is now open & will close at midday on Thursday 16th December

Notes

HOW TO SPOT A GENUINE SANTA

Tug the beard of the Santa. If it comes away, then the Santa is FAKE

Tug the beard of the Santa again. If the Santa swears then they are genuine. If they simply repeat a ‘ho ho ho’ mantra they are FAKE

The Campaign For Real Santas says that genuine Santas must have just the right mix of bonhomie and gruffness and a real organic beard.

Organic Santa of 2021 is announced on 18th December. Michael Rosen was the 2020 Organic Santa of the Year

Camden Brewdog at 13: what a long strange trip it’s been

When exactly Camden Brewdog opened to the public doesn’t seem totally clear-it was around now 13 years ago. However it had a soft launch thirteen years ago today(it was a Saturday) and I was certainly there, as were James Watt and Martin Dickie in a tank. Indeed Brewdog’s penchant for publicity has a long history.

I wrote something on the 5^th anniversary but at 13 years a greater perspective can be gathered

It was the fourth Brewdog bar to open and the first outside of Scotland, hence the opening was something of a landmark at the time. The pub itself is not a huge- a ground floor and lower ground- a far cry from some of Brewdog’s more recent openings.

At the time Brewdog still produced cask beer (it was soon to stop) so a talking point 13 years ago was that there was no cask, it was all keg. This is hardly remarkable in 2024 but then it was at best rare.

I haven’t been in Camden Brewdog for quite a while- after all there are many more convenient craft beer bars now. In fact I haven’t been in a Brewdog bar at all in 2024 because of the employment and cultural issues at the brewer that still seem to me unresolved. In 2013 this would I think have surprised us, even if we were no fans of James Watts’ style.

The pub, well before it was a Brewdog, also featured in the never ending inquiry into police infiltration into left and radical campaigns. It was a meeting place for the Camden left in the late 1960s and hence undercover police officers were also to be found at the bar.

One wonders where matters will be in another 13 years.