Living on the margins with Hastings Battleaxe

Battleaxe is just beginning life on the margins, firstly as a European, but also as part of an endangered minority – a member of the soft left/Centre whatever you call it thse days, and as a liberal… and, of course, I’m 70. Us older women are supposed to be marginalised and invisible anyway. Is there any point in being a Battleaxe these days?

Well, I am a Battleaxe. So let’s have a quick rant and get it over. Last Friday was ‘Brexit Day’.  A day that many of us thought would never come. But it did. Philosopher and I tried to do our little bit. We hung our EU flag out of the window during the day, (see above) and Philosopher wore it to our Brexit Wake party in the Old Town in the evening as a cloak. We both had EU t shirts. I wore mine all day, including on a trip to Dunelm Mill. Sitting in the cafe with it on display, nobody took any notice. Without wanting to slag off my fellow citizens unduly, it is likely that many of them do not know/care that a ring of stars on a blue background signifies the EU.

We had a good time at our Wake… celebrated the worst of British food and drink. Our contribution was this bottle from Aldi (£4.99 for a litre). Surprisingly it didn’t taste too bad – much better than the Cherry B and Sanatogen that were also available. Not surprisingly, drinking that stuff and eating too much pork pie played havoc with one’s metabolism the day after.

Fortunately, at our Wake party we were spared any of the horrific, jingoistic Brexit telly. Turns out we did well. This was one of the images from Parliament Square. Obscene.

 

So, in England (and I am leaving out Scotland etc.) we are stuck with an utterly appalling far-right government led by a lying charlatan, bundling us towards god-knows what at the end of the Brexit transition period. The likes of us have no voice, and worse, are condemned as ‘Remoaners’, ‘Doom-mongers’ etc etc by the crowing, gloating Others. Truth, reality and facts are denied and discredited.

What is Jeremy Corbyn still doing ‘leading’ the Labour Party. His followers keep blathering on about what a decent, honest man he is, but a decent, honest man would have resigned the day after the election in December. Labour is still supposed to be the official opposition, but why do they even bother to turn up to the Houe of Commons? Against her better judgment, Battleaxe rejoined the party just after the election to have a tiny bit of influence on the election of the next leader. Turns out, due to typical arcane party rules, I had to have been a member for 90 days before being allowed to attend our constituency meeting to select which candidate we would endorse. So, who did they choose? Yes, you’ve guessed it, Rebecca Long-Bailey.  Another Corbynite.  Currently, the only realistic candidate, Keir Starmer, is supposedly in the lead, but at this rate, he might not win. People with more moderate socialist views like Battleaxe (and also who might actually want Labour to win an election) are very thin on the ground these days… If Starmer doesn’t win, I am out of that party again instantly. Even if he does win, heaven knows how he can unite that crazed rabble…

What is going on here is a mirror of what is happening in the US. At this rate, it looks as if the vile Trump will be re-elected later this year. The Democrats don’t seem able to get themselves together to put up a decent candidate against him, and his truly, truly revolting ways seem only to inspire Republicans to greater devotion. The impeachment trial, was, of course, a farce.

Ah well. This morning it was sunny and we went for a walk in the park. Camellias were out, and we saw a squirrel busy building his/her nest (drey?) in a hollow tree.  it was busy running up and down with bunches of leaves in its mouth.

Finally, here is Battleaxe with a big pot… or tiny, marginalised Battleaxe with a small pot. Depends how you look at it.