Kmflett's Blog

Beard Liberation Front

24^th October

Press Release: contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

World Beard Championship exposed as front for barbers

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that the World Beard and Moustache Championships has been exposed as a front for barbers.

The 2021 Championships were held in Bavaria over the weekend with around 100 competitors from a range of European countries.

Significantly the jury who judged the winners comprised of seven hairdressers and barbers.

The campaigners say this underlines the long standing issue that the Championships are not about growing beards at all but rather an exercise in hair topiary where facial hair is cut into various shapes as hedges can be.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, no doubt its harmless but this year’s Championship has made it clear that it is simply a front for barbers who like cutting and trimming hair and nothing really to do with beard wearing.

Tony Benn on the BBC as a public service not a Brexit broadcaster

Julian Knight, Tory MP for Solihull has said that with Laura Kuenssberg signalling an intention to move on from the job, the next BBC political editor should be a Brexit supporter.

This of course is part of a wider Tory Culture War where the Government endeavours to make areas of public life into one-dimensional mouthpieces for its own prejudices. That is hardly healthy for democracy however conceived.

Tony Benn, who was often critical of the BBC’s coverage of a range of issues, nevertheless saw an important principle beyond that, and one which I support

Diary 21^st July 2002

Breakfast with Frost

I believe in the public services. After all, the BBC is a public service..the Director General gets very well paid, and quite properly so

I know numbers on the left that see the BBC as simply a State broadcaster and would like it to be abolished. Its not usual for people on the left to demand job losses for workers, which is what this would mean. A workforce which btw is well organised in unions.

Moreover such a move would leave the field entirely free for Murdoch or, as GB News has demonstrated, even worse.

The argument at root is similar to one over the law. Again some on the left see the law as an instrument of bourgeois class rule(which it is) but, as E P Thompson argued, through contestation over the centuries, its one that can provide space for justice to occasionally prevail.

Hence with the next BBC Political Editor. Holders of the post have varied in their background. John Cole was a Manchester Guardian man and Andrew Marr despite present appearances came from the left. Nick Robinson certainly did not.

A Tory Culture War is a war and in such things outcomes are not guaranteed.

London Socialist Historians Group

1st November

Socialist History Seminar Mon 1^st November 5.30pm. Judy Meewezen. Cato Street 1820 & Turtle Soup

Cato St was an attempt to violently overthrow the Government in February 1820. It failed and in the Johnsonian version of British history is written off as the work of a few deluded conspirators. In fact, post Peterloo, it had considerable support.

The 200^th anniversary in 2020 has sparked a considerable amount of new research of which Judy Meewezen’s historical novel is an important part.

Peter Linebaugh wrote in Counterpunch:

The Cato Street Chronicles, to give the subtitle to this historical novel, is as fully faithful to the historical record as may be empirically possible. Based largely on the documentation of spies, police, informers, turncoats, and provocateurs, on the one hand, and on the other the documentation, of the trade union movement, the reform politicians, and radical press, an archive that was already censored or in peril of extinction.

There is a link to more details of and related readings here:

https://www.judymeewezen.net/about

An e-book is available in the UK and on the basis of a well attended and fascinating seminar well worth aquiring for those interested in working-class politics at the time of Peterloo, the rise of Government spies on radicals and of course food..

The Ambridge Socialist

24^th October

The Bull or the Stables?

Much like elsewhere no week goes by without a crisis in Ambridge. This week the issue is what Lilian’s investment plans are. She is a joint owner of The Bull, but has been in talks with Shula about financing a re-launch of the Stables. Kenton is concerned that this means Lilian will want out of the Bull. Meanwhile Shula suspects that Justin plans to turn the Stables into a Country Club and send the horses to the knacker’s yard. Work in progress.

Karma as Brexiteer Adam ends up fruit picking

Adam has resigned from his job at Danforth Barton (or more likely been sacked given how useless he is). He is now employed as a fruit picker. Not only does this more easily fit his actual skill profile, it also represents karma. Usually there would be no shortage of seasonal fruit pickers but thanks to Brexit there is. Adam was a supporter of Brexit

Brookfield Harvest Supper

The Brookfield Harvest Supper has not taken place yet but the preparations have been endless. Given that Daveed and Kenton were jointly charged with sorting it this was no surprise. Jill has now taken responsibility for sorting it out.

Blake & Berrow

Blake started work at Berrow this week. Blake also finished work at Berrow this week. Martyn Gibson from owners Borchester Land thought it would be a good idea to get the Borchester Echo to interview Blake about his life and times. Of course this wasn’t about Blake, who wasn’t asked, but a promotional opportunity for BL. Unsurprisingly Blake was not impressed and walked out, reflecting perhaps understandably that he trusted jailed gangmaster Philip and Gavin more than he did Borchester Land.

Beard Liberation Front

PRESS RELEASE 23rd October

contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

THE SCARIEST HALLOWEEN BEARD POLL MONSTER ROUND TWO CREAKS OPEN

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, which campaigns against irrational prejudice against the hirsute, has said that the crypt has creaked open on Monster Round Two of the Scariest Beard of Halloween 2021 poll with the first round of the poll now concluded, with Laurence Fox scaring off opponents to win easily.

The title, awarded each year on October 31st, takes a wry look at Halloween festivities by identifying the scariest beard in the public eye. The winner is likely to win by the narrowest crack of a squeaky floorboard.

The BLF does not generally believe that beards are scary, a view promoted by generations of pogonophobes.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, facial hair is part of Halloween tradition. We aim every year to subvert some of the pogonophobia that lies behind that,  while looking in a light hearted way at ‘scary’ beards.

Scary Beard of Halloween 2021

Eric Trump

Richard Branson

Mick Hucknall

Laurence Fox

Ted Cruz

Neil Hamilton

Philip Green

Antony Worrall Thompson

Why I wont be at the Brewdog Collabfest this year

Brewdog’s annual Collabfest is this weekend and ordinarily I’d be there. I won’t be this year.

I’m not sure Brewdog will either notice or care, and the impact on them will be of no consequence. The politics of individual boycotts don’t tend to lead anywhere much.

So why an apparently pointless gesture?

The beers featuring in the Collabfest are brewed between local bar teams and participating brewers not dictated by Brewdog HQ (as for example the list for the Wetherspoons real ale festival, also currently underway, is). However as Punks With Purpose tweeted any positive publicity and benefit from the Collabfest will go to Brewdog itself.

Brewdog has faced a lot of criticism for its workplace culture from ex-employees this year. Brewdog and James Watt have had several attempts to grapple with the matter. However as his pronouncement earlier this week that Brewdog has a ‘high performance culture’, hence by definition that malcontents are not high performers, underlines nothing has really changed. The company continues to resist invitations from Unite to recognise a trade union to allow employees independent representation when issues occur.

I’ve had quite a bit to say on this, not least on union recognition. One thing I don’t like after a lifetime on the left, is those who shout loudly about a particular issue or principle, and then personally ignore it when it suits them.

No doubt I would have enjoyed some of the Collabfest beers, but this year they’d leave an unwanted sour taste. Maybe by 2022 things will have changed.

David Starkey wants to cancel those who criticise him

Those who complain of being cancelled and of ‘cancel culture’ often seem to find many media platforms for their complaints and are often engaged in trying to cancel critics.

At one level it is a confected distraction from very serious issues such as the on-going pandemic.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t also have a serious purpose however.

October is Black History Month and right-wing critics not least David Starkey, now essentially a controversialist, have been active in denying that there is such a thing in the UK. The purpose is to remove ethnic minorities from any legitimacy in respect of Britain’s past with the aim of also doing so in the present and future.

Unsurprisingly Starkey seems to be becoming a regular on the right-wing outlet GBNews. He recently opined that Black British History started no earlier than 1960 while providing a very partial reading of the life of Mary Seacole and launching yet another unfounded attack on Miranda Kaufman’s work on Black Tudors.

On Thursday he was to be found talking to Nigel Farage on GBNews.It was part of Farage’s Talking Pints show and was in fact recorded at the Samuel Peto a Wetherspoons in Folkestone in front of an almost entirely male audience who had been given a free pint to set the mood

Following racist remarks in July2020 Starkey had ‘unreservedly’ apologised, but now says there was no point in doing so, as he was cancelled anyway. He went on to point out that this had had no practical impact on him (so why mention it?) and that his racist words had simply been a mistake or a slip of the tongue.

Perhaps but Starkey clearly is still fully behind the sentiments, that Black British History has no legitimacy.

On this he is not only deliberately offensive but wrong.

The irony is of course that while he wont be cancelled many of those who have done serious research on the long history of ethnic minorities in Britain struggle to find a voice.

Beard Liberation Front

22^nd October

Latest UKIP leader Neil Hamilton barred from Beard Liberation Front

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that former Tory MP and ex-member of the Senedd, Neil Hamilton has been barred from any association with the campaign.

Hamilton became the 7^th leader of UKIP since Nigel Farage left in 2016. He is not a full-time beard wearer, but has appeared hirsute more often than not in recent times.

The campaigners say that Hamilton does not promote a positive image of the hirsute and on occasion brings the hirsute into disrepute.

The BLF also barred a previous UKIP leader Paul Nuttall when he grew a beard for similar reasons.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, we exist primarily to promote positive images of the hirsute in public life and Neil Hamilton’s appointment as UKIP leader underlines the importance of that work.

Camden Town Brewery Marmite Beer. A smoked beard friendly beer

As veteran beer writer and beard wearer Roger Protz has noted if you like Marmite you’ll like Camden Town Marmite beer.

It’s a 4.8% smoked beer (made with Rauch malt and Perle hops) sold in 330ml cans. One hopes some might also appear on draught.

Marmite is a by-product of brewing (as Protz underlines) and yeast comes from Burton brewers to the Marmite factory there.

In this case Marmite has been added back into the beer. That doesn’t make it taste like Marmite but there is a saltiness on the back of the tongue that is in part related to that.

It’s the time of year for darker smoked beers and whether you love Marmite or hate it this is a decent example of the style.

Is it beard friendly? Certainly, it has passed the test. A small amount will nourish the beard follicles, although its best off being poured into one’s mouth, slowly of course to savour the taste.

Beard Liberation Front

21^st October

Media Release

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Beard wearers should wear masks as social solidarity & ignore clean-shaven fools like Boris

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has renewed a call that it first made on 23rd July 2020 for the hirsute to wear masks as a matter of social solidarity.

The campaigners say that as mostly clean shaven Tory MPs appear determined to remain unmasked in the House of Commons- as Rishi Sunak made clear to Andrew Marr on Sunday 24th October, the need to promote mask wearing has gained importance.

A specially commissioned poll found that 91% of respondents backed its guidance to the hirsute to continue wearing masks in appropriate contexts and settings.

The campaigners say that mask wearing has seen a rise in follicle health over the past year, as beards have been protected from the elements and accidental exposure to noxious substances.

They also say that mask wearing protects others, hirsute and clean shaven, from anything that the beard wearer themselves may transmit, via the occasional splutter, groan or cheer.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, it’s clear that beard wearers put the duty to protect themselves and others against clean-shaven fools like Boris Johnson first and will continue mask wearing where appropriate