Kmflett's Blog

Beard Liberation Front

Press release, 18th February

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Hefin David shaving Michael Sheen in St David’s Day Beard of Wales poll

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that voting is now open in the 2020 St David’s Day Beard of Wales poll.

In early polling Welsh Labour AM Hefin David is shaving Michael Sheen at the top of the poll

The vote aims to determine the St David’s Day Beard of Wales, the Welsh beard that offers the most positive national image.

The campaigners say that images of St David suggest that the Welsh Saint himself may have had an organic beard

Welsh rugby prop Adam Jones won the Award in 2013, voted for by BLF supporters, just shaving former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Another rugby player Leigh Halfpenny won in 2014. In 2015 the Award went to Thee Faction musician Chris Fox in 2016 footballer Joe Ledley and in 2017 to Charcutier Illtud Llyr Dunsford, with Chris Fox winning again in 2018. In 2019 journalist Grant Tucker shaved the opposition to claim the accolade

It is the eighth time the Award has been given following the traditional UK Beard of the Year at the end December each year and the BLF says it is a mark of Wales as a modern nation on St David’s Day that beards are now playing an increasingly significant role in national life.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, with the rugby this weekend there could be fresh hirsute challenges to come but for the moment Hefin David is holding his own at the top of the Beard of Wales poll

Beard of Wales 2020

Jake Ball, rugby player

Chris Elmore, politician

Michael Sheen, actor

Tom Jones, singer

Grant Tucker, Sunday Times journalist

Joe Ledley, footballer

Gruff Rhys, musician

Hefin David, politician

Huw Irranca-Davies, politician

Gwilym Pugh, model

Adrian Masters, ITV Wales political editor

London Socialist Historians Group

18^th February 2020

Contact Dr Keith Flett 07803 167266

New decade of socialist history meetings starts with discussion on anti-slavery & racism

The London Socialist Historians Group which organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, has opened a new decade of socialist history meetings with a discussion of Martin Hoyles new book on the leading Victorian black actor Ira Aldridge and his work as an anti-slavery campaigner

Aldridge performed many leading Shakespearean roles in theatres across Europe until his death in 1867 including Othello.

His portrayal of Othello at the Old Vic in 1833 fed into the Parliamentary discussion of the abolition of slavery in British colonies of the same year.

During the American Civil War in the early 1860s he sent half of his substantial earnings as an actor back to the US to fund the fight against slavery.

His daughter Amanda Aldridge (1866-1956) gave voice tuition to Paul Robeson before he first played Othello in 1933

LSHG Organiser Dr Keith Flett said, to learn of the life and politics of one of the great black Victorians, Ira Aldridge, from Martin Hoyles was inspiring. It reflects a focus on the importance of black and women’s history in the new decade. We remain though centrally focused on class. Our next seminar on March 16^th is on the work of the great socialist and trade unionist Tom Mann when he was in Australia.

From Javid to Lawson Anatomy of the resignation of a Tory Chancellor

Last week Sajid Javid resigned his job as Chancellor.

According to the media and indeed Javid himself the issue was that Johnson and Cummings wanted to sack Javid’s advisors and bring the Treasury under the control of No.10.

That is what has now happened. It is a split in Tory policy. Javid had just announced more austerity cuts. Johnson while hardly against austerity (for us) may have other policies (once Cummings has told him what they are).

Only once before has a Chancellor resigned (as opposed to being sacked or reshuffled to another role) and that Nigel Lawson in October 1989. He was pro further EU integration and was for aligning the Pound with the European Monetary System. Thatcher and most particularly her advisor Alan Walters did not agree.

Lawson walked out and John Major became Chancellor. He got Britain into the EMS only to find that on Black Wednesday 16^th September 1992 his then Chancellor Lamont (he had become PM in the meantime) had to leave in a hurry as interest rates soared to 15% for a few hours.

Once one looks at the background to Lawson’s resignation one can begin to understand the scale of the crisis that Johnson is involved in. It requires a history of the present, although I’m not sure it is one that will be written.

It was announced on the 6 o’clock news that Nigel Lawson, Chancellor of the Exchequer had resigned because he was not prepared to work with  Thatcher’s economic adviser, Professor Alan Walters… It is an enormous political event

Benn Thursday 26^th October 1989

It was a miserable weekend weather wise and that’s a time when people perhaps take to social media more often.

I chanced on a Facebook discussion about what things people found boring.

One comment indicated that a combination the Archers, myself and letters about beards was definitely in the boring zone.

Personally I’m not entirely adverse to boring.

In a world where everything is of the moment and full of excitement taking time not to get caught up in all that may be tedious but ultimately useful.

How this relates to beards and letters is a point further.

The long standing Private Eye stereotype is that men with beards are pedantic and boring.

Some are of course and some are not. The beard probably is not central to the matter even if the Beard Liberation Front may sometimes claim it is.

Are letters boring? I’m hardly the best person to judge…

Anyway here is a letter about beards that appears in today’s Guardian:

While Nietzsche’s moustache was impressive (Letters, 15 February), it does raise questions about his philosophy. First, if he had spent less time shaving, he could have devoted more time to developing potentially great ideas. Second, it is surely the case that the best male philosophers had beards, the stroking and tweaking of which allowed them to produce their best work.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London

More boring letters about beards (Guardian 18th February)

Keith Flett’s assertion that the best male philosophers had beards does not hold up to scrutiny (Letters, 17 February). How does he explain the clean-shaven Immanuel Kant, Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and many others?
Adrian Brodkin
London

• On the correlation between beards and philosophy, I have found that there is a period of tranquillity to be savoured in the morning, with the razor in hand. Life’s many problems are seen from a different perspective and unexpected inspirations can appear in that moment of clarity. A rushed shave is a bad shave and beards are for weekends.
Duncan Roberts
Belford, Northumberland

South Africa v England T20 series underlined how good T20 cricket can be

The South Africa v England T20 series that ended on Sunday with a narrow England victory giving them a 2-1 series victory underlined just how exciting and gripping this form of cricket can be.

For the unaware T20 means a game of twenty overs a side with restrictions on fielding places and how many overs a bowler can deliver. The aim is to have it done in around 3 hours.

It has been a popular form of cricket around the world because it can be exciting and because it can be done in an evening after work.

Of course like everything commercial exploitation can wreck it.

The Australian Big Bash T20 tournament that goes on for ever as players come and go and the main interest seems to be how many sixes can be scored is a case in point. It is massively one sided in favour of the batsman and mostly very tedious.

But T20 can work when the more traditional battle between bat and ball reasserts itself which is what happened with the South Africa v England series.

It was high scoring and there were sixes but there were also wickets at key times to slow the scoring, hence the bowler as well as the batsman was central.

Often T20 can be one-sided and dull, although not here.

However in the year when the misconceived ‘100’ (100 ball cricket in 10, 10 ball overs) is introduced in England and Wales I’d rather have the T20 anyday.

The currently though soon to be former leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn is a well known Arsenal supporter.

I’m not aware of the footballing preferences (if any and why should there be or not) of Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long Bailey but it looks like Keir Starmer could be the Continuity Arsenal fan for the Labour leadership.

He told Stephen Moss in the Guardian in 2009:

Starmer’s hobby is football, and as well as watching Arsenal he turns out twice a week for Homerton Academicals, who play not far from his home in north London

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2009/sep/21/keir-starmer-director-public-prosecutions

Whether he was fan of the thoughts of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, famous for his cautious but philosophical approach to  the game is unclear.

I’m still pursuing the question of whether the late marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm was an Arsenal fan.

He lived in the right area of North London for it and it is known that he was a football fan.

He occasionally mentions Arsenal (and Spurs) in his writings, for example (Labour in the Great City, New Left Review 1/166, 1987)

On one occasion at a literary festival he specifically referred to a point made by the former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, which is circumstantial evidence and no more that he was a Gooner.

The reference is in the Times (6th October 2007)

“This is a type of internal contradiction. There was a nice interview with Arsene Wenger [the manager of Arsenal] the other day which sketches it out very well. He said: ‘I’m not interested in national teams but I know we have got to have them because that’s what keeps the money coming in’.”

Research work in progress

The Ambridge Socialist

16^th February 2020

Jakob is concerning

Kate has been away from Ambridge but the news that she is pregnant, or claims to be anyway, is circulating around the village. It has now reached Jakob, who Kate is staying with until she can get a new mattress (??). He may or may not be the father but the BBC have reported that he has been thought to be ‘rude’ by clients.

Jakob is now looking on-line for guidance on fathering before talking to Kate

Veterinary life in Ambridge was so much simpler when it was just Alastair droning on about his various issues and indiscretions.

It’s War at The Bull

Trade at The Bull is still slow due to Lynda Snell’s campaign to get the pub shut & despite the best efforts of the Ambridge Socialist. Valentine’s Night was key. Of course Snell was planning to try and wreck it. We called for a big turn-out at The Bull on Friday night. It looks like it was a success despite efforts by Tracy Horrobin and Snell to wreck it

If you couldn’t make it on Friday, raise a glass to keeping the pub open wherever you are.

We remain resolutely opposed to the change of name, but if the pub shuts thanks to lack of trade what it is called will be sadly irrelevant

Sign the petition to stop the name change and KEEP THE BULL OPEN here:

http://chng.it/8gwW6Ysg

The Ambridge Socialist poll. War at the Bull. Which side are you on?

Ambridge Socialist Statement on Tracy Horrobin

We are aware that Tracy Horrobin is acting as a double agent for both the self-styled ReBulls and the Bull’s management and she is not in any way connected with our campaign. We do however agree with her criticisms of The Bull’s house red wine

In other news

David Archer has signed up to a plan

Emma is seeing Gavin. Our Solidarity

Jonny is on steroids (essential to survive in Ambridge)

Kenton has found a new Brexit 50p piece. Which Bull regular passed it over in change?

London Socialist Historians Group

February 2020

Contact Dr Keith Flett 07803 167266

Historians hold seminar on why black history matters. Martin Hoyles on Victorian actor & activist Ira Aldridge

The London Socialist Historians Group will hear from Martin Hoyles on his new book covering the life and work of black Victorian actor Ira Aldridge.

Aldridge performed many leading Shakespearean roles in theatres across Europe until his death in 1867

Martin Hoyles will look not only  as his acting career but also at his work as an anti-slavery campaigner and black political activist

LSHG Organiser Dr Keith Flett said, the wider issue posed by the seminar is whether the history of black people in Britain matters. We think it does, but if it matters, it must be researched and discussed. Moreover that needs to be done in places like the Institute of Historical Research which is the centre of UK research history. To its credit the IHR does fully recognise and support that.

Details

Monday 17^th February 5.30pm, Room 304 Institute of Historical Research, Malet St, London WC1.

Free, open to all without ticket

Beard Liberation Front

Media Release 16^th February

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Updated guidance for beard wearers if venturing out in Storm Dennis

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that it has issued another Amber warning for Storm Dennis on Sunday.

The Amber warning signifies that there may be a significant risk to the beard if beard wearers venture out in Storm Dennis without following BLF guidelines

Amber is the second most serious beard warning with Red meaning that the beard may be in direct and obvious danger

BLF organiser Keith Flett said, Storm Dennis brings a relatively unusual combination of heavy rain and high winds that pose a real threat to beard wearers. We urge the hirsute to pay close attention to BLF guidelines to protect their beards. Storms are serious matters and should be taken seriously.

Storm Dennis guidelines. Sunday 16^th February 2020

1 If your beard does not need to be outside on Sunday then keep it and yourself with it firmly indoors

2 If venturing out in Storm Dennis take the following precautions

1. Marinade the beard in beard oil or imperial stout before going out to prevent water damage
2. Make sure that the beard is covered by a snood to mitigate wind impact
3. Wear a hoodie to deflect strong air currents and rain

3 If the beard becomes damp or windswept despite 2, enter the nearest craft beer pub to allow the beard a drying off period before any further weather engagement