Kmflett's Blog

I’ve been reading Gregor Gall’s new book on the Redskins, so, yes, I do think popular music and politics are intertwined. The avoidance of taking a political stance is itself political of course but provided musicians don’t tour Israel, or Russia for that matter, they can probably keep their own counsel.

Ed Sheeran by managing to have his US tour with musicians who are pro-Palestinian and then finding that this caused an issue for the management and indeed the tour itself has of course created commentary on the political right.

The most offensive is of course former Living Marxist Brendan O’Neill in The Spectator (below) because that just his thing. The bloke you here shouting off in the pub before they are asked to leave.

However The Times also backed Sheeran in an Editorial claiming music and politics should not mix and then going on to claim that some of the support musicians had dodgy politics.

The Telegraph (Culture) was surprisingly agnostic arguing that Zionists and Palestinian activists are engaged in an argument about which their readers might have a view on either side, but anyway Sheeran should be left alone.

A Culture War argument of our times, although its good to see music events in support of the Palestinians continuing with people like Paul Weller who know which side they are on taking a lead.

So now we know what happens if you refuse to prostrate yourself before the Gaza cult. If you politely decline wearing the keffiyeh like a holy shroud and chanting ‘Free Palestine’ on a mindless loop. They will destroy you. They will hound you like an infidel and seek your excommunication from polite society. Just look at what is happening to Ed Sheeran.

Tom Watson, the new Nick Clegg

Former Labour Deputy leader Tom Watson who is a Labour Peer has joined Palantir.

There is tradition here. The former union official and Labour MP Ali Robens switched sides and headed up what was the National Coal Board in the 1960s.

Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham – Wikipedia

A more recent example although not from the labour movement is Nick Clegg who joined Facebook to apparently give it some kind of ethical makeover. Clearly he failed, although he got very well paid.

The poacher turned gamekeeper syndrome his historically well known. Like Clegg, Tom Watson will be judged on results no doubt by the board of Palantir but also by the activists who oppose the impact of its activities.

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir | Tom Watson | The Guardian

Tony Benn on the funeral of Diana Spencer

Saturday 6th September 1997

Earl Spencer made a truly remarkable speech at the funeral. He spoke with genuine love of his sister.. The Royal Family has been totally sidelined. There were millions of people lining every rout ten or fifteen deep. Absolutely quiet and absolutely genuine.

It was a moment of crisis for the Royals that they only just survived. In 2026 Earl Spencer is reminding us.

The Royals have faced crisis, several times during the long reign of Queen Victoria and the Queen Caroline affair 1820/1.

On each occasion the left was able to promote a more equal and much less Royal future.

I am of course a Red Republican. With my late partner Megan I went tor a picnic in Alexandra Palace and happily missed the whole thing. The point about Royal crisis remains an important one,

AlixPartners who are in charge of the administration process after Brewdog entered administration in March 2026 have reported that the nearly 500 workers sacked are owed £489,000 in pay and holiday pay but will get nothing as their insufficient funds.

Some may be entitled to money from the Government Insolvency Service. Payouts are capped at £719 a week but to be eligible workers must have two years continuous service. The amount is worked out based on age and length of service. It is not in short huge amount which is why voluntary redundancy schemes proliferate where employers can fund them.

The Employment Relaations Act 2025 will change the qualifying period for statutory redundancy from two years to one year in January 2027. Given the nature of barwork that might have helped more sacked Brewdog workers get a payout, but too late.

Comment from James Watt is awaited..

‘Insufficient funds’ to pay Brewdog creditors after takeover deal – BBC News

The last of the summer cricket. Sophia Gardens 17^th September

I was at the England v Sri Lanka T20 game as Sophia Gardens on 17^th September. It was a family outing with Bronwen, Jon, Menna and Steffan. The latter two having been enticed into watching cricket by my late partner Megan.

I was last at Sophia Gardens almost exactly a month ago with Menna to watch womens and mens Hundred games. I’m no fan of the Hundred- but it became clear then that its morphing into T20 (with obvious issues). It was 95F that day and we had the same seat then and on Thursday, G29 second row by the flames that go off for any excuse, four, six, wicket, etc etc. Then they just made a really hot day even hotter. On Thursday they provided welcome heating.

However for a Thursday evening in mid-September it was not cold and it was after a pre-start shower or two, dry.

The game itself was one sided- England won in 12.1 overs and only one ball disappeared into the River Taff (which runs alongside the ground) but England hit ten sixes (Sri Lanka two) and that was to do with where the wicket was positioned.

It was almost sold out and there was a good contingent of Sri Lankan fans as you’d expect in a diverse city like Cardiff.

All that but even so it signals another summer of cricket has passed and the game won’t be back until April 2027 after the last game is played on 27^th September.

Not perhaps the greatest cricket summer (but let’s see how the County Championship ends up) but definitely the hottest.

2027 is an Ashes summer. Keep in mind in that respect, black lives matter.

The House of Lords is about to ditch the requirement for male peers to wear a tie (assuming that the requirement was codified).

Instead they will be required to wear ‘business attire’. Lord Davies of Brixton who was wearing an aubergine suit and a purple tie with white spots said that the term was meaningless but that the only people who wear ties now are estate agents and funeral directors.

The rules are in The Companion to the Standing Orders and Guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords which only specifies a dress code for Bishops who must wear ‘robes of rochet and chimere’ unless they are sitting on the steps of the Throne.

The Times quotes Lord Ponsonby of Tredegar a Tory peer and a barrister as saying he would not appear in the High Court without a tie although he does not comment on what else be might or might not also be wearing.

Procedure and Privileges – Hansard – UK Parliament

I’m no fan of Piddington (& the Telegraph is). You can find a clip of Farage on his resumed GBNews rant laughing at someone who had been on the receiving end of racist abuse in the village.

Matt, the Telegraph cartoonist, often takes a contra position and here he captures the fantasy politics at work, albeit they are darker than the cartoon suggests.

One of the traditions of The Times that has survived the Murdoch era is an obsession with French food and wine.

It was noteworthy therefore to see an Editorial praising lentil eating. It seems to think lentils are associated with hippies. It would be more accurate to note that they are a staple of vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

George Orwell would not have approved and nor would Churchill. His wartime cookbook recipes (written by his chef) contains no references to lentils.

So far no letters of complaint to the Editor have been printed…

Charles Spencer’s memoir is making some headlines, with a comment that the then Prince Charles thought the memory of Diana Spencer would soon fade. Who cares, one might say. But the moment of late summer 1997 is worth recalling. It places perspective on now King Charles supposed comment of the time.

At the time (August/September 1997) Diana was dubbed the ‘People’s Princess’. Alastair Campbell is in his diary for the period attributes the phrase directly to Blair himself. Certainly the newly elected Labour Government made much of the changing times.

Tony Benn’s diary for the period makes interesting reading. He noted on 31st August 1997 that he had refused interview requests because ‘there is nothing whatsoever to be said’. The following day he notes that the Guardian had 14 pages on Diana’s death.

However a few days later he noted the mood had changed as the Royal Family were seen to be reluctant to mark the death of Diana. He wrote on 4th September 1997‘People are angry with the Royal Family. Blair is trying to cash in on it..’ After the funeral he wrote ‘Tony Blair has come out of it very well because he is supposed to have told the Palace how to handle it’.