Another St George's Day Masacre!

Fittingly, it was St George's Day (2024) that saw the Prefect Prime Minister- demonstrably not the Perfect PM- ushering in the UK's new 'defence' spending, (to be) hiked to 2.5% GDB by 2030- six years hence. Wreathed in Union Jack requisite to the post, Sunak battled to insert the tiniest ounce of sincerity, proclaiming that the globe is now at its "most dangerous... since the end of the Cold War." "Fully funded, with no increase in borrowing or debt," well, not the nature of any 'debt' with which Sunak's tax-efficient family are ever likely to have to concern themselves.

Ben Wallace, on the BBC, was performatively beside himself with glee. Cost in mind, will be "fully funded," was put to the former Defence Secretary. But, true to his ilk, Wallace barely broke stride, musing that 'the pledge' might require yet further public spending cuts. The UK is not, as of this moment, upon a war footing, both Sunak and Wallace were keen to outline. Conversation followed predictable lines, flowing fair seamlessly into the EU's NATO commitments. At no point did a US accent venture forth, at no time did the overseer's fatherly head loom above the parapet, nor did it need to.

The sense of security, of which both Tories spoke, becomes vanishingly distant. The mighty US's slipstream, ever deepening, produces quite the shadow to match these days. It would not be unrealistic to recognise Sunak's referenced threat, though better observed reasoning might contest the route taken. Starmer searched in vain for his absent soul- ever the fruitless task- manufacturing a most God-awful Saint's Day charade. The Guardian Newspaper published a more considered article upon St George's Day and the nation's worth, by the former Head of the Labour Party. Related yet more ear-catching, the BBC has recently commissioned a BBC Radio 4 series, 'When It Hits the Fan.' The series is quite the ear opener! Also broadcast on St George's Day, it featured a half-hour conversation with Matthew Freud that seriously- barely short of citing specific instances- put both news outlets to shame. Freud may well have openly traced the source of decline back to dear ol' Uncle Rupert but his damning of current UK journalism was deservingly thorough and widespread, on this occasion biting also at the hand.

Back on the subject of defence spending, neither Sunak nor his minion was pressed to elaborate upon quite how much more dangerous the globe has become in consequence of the nation's funding of Saudi Arabia's bombing of Yemen, nor it's continued funding of the Gazan Genocide. Nor was either man asked to comment specifically upon the UK's lapdog partisan conflagration in the Red Sea and Yemen- no reflection required! Nor was the UK's complicit starving of Palestinians, via cuts to UNWRA funding, broached. Nor its continuation of the arming of Israel and the IDF. Along with the biggest bully, the UK is now fully immersed in the Genocide! Arming the perpetrators. Shackling those who seek to curtail the suffering. Pretending to balance evidence of mounting war crimes against the latest Israeli apologist! Obfuscation around the genocide! Little wonder that certain UK politicians are so very wary of the ICJ?

In order, the three news items that followed, hot on the heels, may have raised many eyebrows, many shackles! Each could be linked, more closely than through monies alone.

Next came the flag-waving pronouncement that the first Rwanda flights were booked and warming upon the tarmac. So, when those betrayed souls who have been granted asylum here find themselves still to be marched up the boarding steps, will we UK citizens be permitted to question quite how the UK's commitments towards the Refugee Convention will be defending those asylum-seekers; those who have been granted protection within the 'safe' country sought? Presumably, UK militia will, in future, be expected to work at the behest of a government that is in breach of international law, more than it will be required to defend the human rights of citizens within the UK? Curious. Must our safety, henceforth, to be so very dependent upon our neighbour's jeopardy?

Then came the continuation of the Post Office saga, injustices meted out to the Postmaster-generals! High Management lining up to worm their ways from the spotlight of culpability, demonstrably also not defending the rights of the citizenry!

Next upon a conveyor-belt of values the UK's militia may be tasked with defending came the UK's waterways and all that they stand for! Could it be that, unbeknownst to us, water companies have been charged with laying down an encircling slick, through which all those (not) illegal asylum-seekers may find themselves having to swim, or wade? Further addition to the pledged 2.5%! 'To discharge or not to discharge?' that has become the question.

One may be forgiven for, perhaps, wondering quite what the UK's militias will actually be charged with defending? And along who's borders? It doesn't seem to be us or, in any manner, upon our behalf. Are those bells, I hear?

St George, of course, was far more Middle Eastern than ever he was British. We could speculate as to who might, with a modern day twist, be represented by the dragon... and who might be aiding and abetting this dragon.