Harold Wilson - a most perceptive man.

Relatively early during the troubles in Northern Ireland Harold Wilson correctly predicted that there were storm clouds gathering. Presenting his '15 point plan' in the House of Commons, the central point of which was that the final settlement of the Irish question lay in unity, he stated that new initiatives had to be brought forward speedily because, 'if men of moderation had nothing to hope for, men of violence will have something to shoot for'.
He won more elections (four) than any other 20th century Prime Minister and some of his governments initiatives have proved to be far-reaching achievements. These include:-
the foundation of the Open University;
the liberalising of laws affecting homosexuals and obscene publications;
the ending of capital punishment;
the holding of a refendum which ensured that we remained in the European Union.
He also gave us a national holiday to celebrate May Day and his coming to power in 1964 heralded the birth of the swinging sixties and in 1966 we won The World Cup.
He was a powful orator and some of his more legendary quotes survive to this day:-
A week is a long time in politics;
I'm an optomist, but an optomist who carries a raincoat;
The monarchy is a labour intensive industry;
The Labour Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing;
N0 comment - in glorious technicolour;
He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetry;
Whichever party is in office, the Treasury is in power.
When hit in the eye by a stink bomb thrown by a schoolboyhis response was, 'With an arm like that he ought to be in the England cricket team.'
His premiership was frought with problems however. He managed devisive cabinets many of whom had sharp intellects and inflated egos and, although he was thought to be paranoid at the time, it has since been proved that he was undermined by parts of the military and the security services.
He kept us out of the Vietnam war, despite American demands for the presence of British troops and it was also under Wilson that, for the first time in a century or so, a whole year passed without a British soldier being killed on active service.
How different to the cringing subservience by Tony Blair to George Bush and his recent assertion that Britain had a moral duty to go to war anywhere in the world where western values (whatever those are) are threatened.
Nice one Harold
Your old friend Gordon.

Birmingham City F. C.

The time has come for the mid term report. The Blues are, currently, top of the league although they have forfeited five of their eight points credit over the last few weeks - it is said because of a superfluity of Xmas pudding. Come teatime on Saturday however, because of events I will explain later we may only be joint top.
We remain a conundrum. Because we are not used to success nobody is convinced, despite our current lofty status, that we will return to the Premiership next season. Some of the fans are suspicious of the manager and the board who, in turn, suspect that there are a number of fifth columnists on the terraces (some of us have been called a disgrace) and that many more have taken to fishing, shopping, watching the tele and other flippant activities like prefering to be with their families.
St. Andrews, once famous for producing an atmosphere that chilled the blood in opposing ranks and fired the hearts of tens of thousands of Brummies has, for no apparent reason, become a genteel place where silence is golden and most of what sound there is usually comes from a few thousand visiting fans. Something strange and unexplained is happenning. Is there a lack of excitement or anticipation or has a fervent and passionate generation moved on?
However, famous as we are for being one of the great blunderers in football on this day, Saturday 13 January 2007, we have made ouselves look very foolish indeed. Our home match against Leeds United has had to be cancelled because a newly laid playing surface is awash with water and has to be replaced. We have been charged by the F.A. for failing to fulfil a fixture and await our sentance. We could even have points deducted. Who is responsible for this gross piece of mismanagement - apparently the weather - it was wet in January surprise, surprise. How we could have done with this deluge during the the Second World War incident involving a member of the National Fire Service, a happily burning brazier and a bucket of unidentified liquid. Unfortunately for the fire fighter the bucket contained petrol, not water. Result: the destruction of the main stand, and exile to Villa Park.
So disaster follows disaster but at heart all of us Blues fans know that one day, one day we will succeed at something. Like the song says, "Keep Right On".