A couple of side effects of my dementia hit home in the last few days. My deafness means I now wear hearing aids. I cannot use the landline phone while wearing them, so when Lord Charles Allen phoned to see how I was and what I thought about Labour’s shambles, I had to switch to the mobile phone, which gets calls directly via Bluetooth.
I also had a regular check-up with my GP, who remains concerned about my low blood count, so more tests beckon. I told him about further falls and dizziness. He says to watch out for seeing stars or fuzzy vision.
On the upside, Labour’s leadership shenanigans brought many memories back with reassuring clarity, as did the State Opening of Parliament, an event I have always enjoyed for its unique blend of politics and regal ceremony. It went ahead despite the growing chances of a challenge to Starmer.
Much of the royal and coronation regalia is on show. The odd Cap of Maintenance and the Great Sword of State, forever now associated with Penny Mordaunt, are paraded, and the King wears his Crown.
He and the Queen are preceded by the Pursuivants and Heralds in their colourful Tudor regalia. Alastair Burnet used to say they looked like a deck of cards walking backwards.
The King’s Speech is followed in the Commons by debate on its contents, beginning with the “Humble Address” thanking the monarch. This is moved and seconded by government MPs who are expected to be funny and clever as much as thoughtful.
Talking of Penny Mordaunt, she gave one of the best speeches in 2022, full of double entendres, puns, and implied naughtiness, worth a listen even today.
This year, it was Bradford West’s Naz Shah and Harlow’s Chris Vince. Chris gets “Harlow” into his speeches as many times as he can. Both were witty, but Naz made the point that what an honour it was for a Muslim woman to take part. She condemned anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, both stains on our society.
Clem, our daughter, flew in from Saudi Arabia for a wedding. She said a Rabbi had made the same point in an opinion piece published in Arab News, itself quite an event. Free debate is so important.
There will certainly be lively debate on Starmer’s European Partnership Bill as he continues trying to inch us closer to, or even back into, the EU. Some Labour MPs are already calling for another referendum on EU membership, as are the Liberal Democrats.
Alastair Stewart: Two side effects of my dementia hit home in the last few days
| GB NEWSThe Police Reform Bill reminded me of my friend Charles Clarke’s efforts as Home Secretary to merge smaller police forces, only to find we rather like our own county constabularies.
Much of the rest were minor measures, but I will be watching and listening.
As the debate opened after Naz and Chris, Wes Streeting, the would-be PM, became the butt of many jokes and digs. “Just do your job,” the Tories shouted.
But the best line came from Kemi Badenoch, who said of the baying Labour MPs: “They want to run the country, but they can’t even organise a simple coup.”
Their favourite, Andy Burnham, is not even an MP yet. Starmer and the Labour National Executive made sure of that. One of their number, Leeds MP Clive Betts, said he would step down for Andy, but victory is not guaranteed in any Labour seat for him. A suggested announcement was cancelled.HMRC cleared Angela Rayner over non-payment issues. Maybe they fancy her chances. She would certainly keep them busy.
A wave of PPS resignations was followed by junior ministers getting more coverage than they usually attract. Their briefs amused me, given Starmer’s gloomy prospects: housing, victim support and safeguarding, even defence. You could not make it up. I read and hear that Streeting’s move is imminent.
His resignation as Health Secretary finally came on Thursday amid rumours that he had not yet secured enough nominees.
Trump went to Beijing, which reminded me of my own time there in 2008, a visit I remember especially well. I was fascinated by the Forbidden City ever since watching Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, still one of my all-time favourite films.
It tells the story of the young Emperor Pu Yi, whose apartments and playthings are preserved there. After the revolution, hardliners wanted to destroy the imperial Forbidden City, but Mao resisted them because he saw it as a monument to China’s greatness.
Watching Trump and Xi do their thing, I could not help wondering how Streeting or Rayner would fare on the world stage. I am not sure they, or any other candidate, are up to it.
We really do live in diminished times when it comes to the political class.