A sad day in Trafalgar Square

I have a notebook full of notes about what happened today on Jo Cox's black birthday.

The fact that the square filled to capacity to commemorate this woman's death on the day of her birth is cause for hope, yet there was little to raise a smile.

A number of multi faith representatives were present, but did not speak.

It was Mariella Frostrup that mainly led proceedings.

Some heartening words were spoken by many of her family though right now I feel too sad to try and transcribe them, I may amend it later.

The pensioner that tried to save Jo's life is recovering his health, while she is being mourned by half the world it seems.

She stood for something

It was said that the values that she stood for were justice, equality and inclusion.

Yet there is nothing just about the murder of someone that has the bravery to stand and be elected to represent many.

This woman was no Hitler, she deserved to live a full and rich life.

Four music acts performed: a folk band called Diddly Dee who knew Jo, Lilly Allen one of her favourite performers and two choirs, one singing a song from Les Misérables and one of children.

And a poem was read: I will stand for love.

Malala also spoke.

Why not officer?

I happened to be in town recently and saw police tape cordoning off some of Oxford Street.

I beckon over one of the policemen to ask what had happened.

An incident.

What kind of incident?

I can't tell you.

Why not?

It's private.

Will it be going to court?

I can't tell you at this stage.

Perplexed

Now this all seems very innocent, but I'm stood there thinking: Why am I allowed so little information?

After all it happened in a public place.

Someone may have got hurt and I'm not even allowed to what kind of incident it was.

I mean I'm not asking who and I already know the where.

But I'm not allowed to know what kind of incident happened in my own city that has drawn police attention.

Is this all lies?

This piece is paraphrased from memory, they are not exact quotes.

Think Trump, think Enoch

It was with great sadness that I wrote my last post, but as I realised that some people might not have the true context of what I was trying to convey I will be more elaborate.

If you're currently following the US elections, think of Enoch like Trump.

A fear monger.

History

A man who saw any Britain that accepted too many people from abroad being instantly ruined and swept with unimaginable violence.

He really did use the words "rivers of blood", a term that Thatcher was later to echo in a speech many years later, despite the rivers never appearing.

He tried to whip up racial tension at a time when London was struggling and to capitalize on the pain that British people were feeling to win votes for an insular nation.

Why the hump?

His picture has been used in the campaign by the Brexiters, which immediately made me view the whole thing extremely darkly.

This man was not celebrated by broad minded people.

He was stirring up fear and frenzy among good hard working people.

Hence the comparison to Trump.

Enoch? All bets are off

I was undecided about the EU Referendum.

Europe was increasingly feeling like a distant and a little too right leaning place to stay in.

So despite the economic arguments I was pondering what Britain might look like outside the EU.

Then last night I was watching the Vote Leave broadcast, which was already looking thin off the ground on the evidence side and presenting rather an insular world.

Finally they finished it all up with a picture of Enoch Powell, famous for his "rivers of blood" speech that never materialized.

My heart fell through the floor.

If that is what Britain wants for its future then I want no part of it.

Decision made.

NHS abuse over criticism

As London goes to the polls to elect the Mayor and assembly and the junior doctor's fight to be allowed into a negotiation over their new contracts, a grieving mother has received verbal abuse.

Sara Ryan who tragically lost her son within the Southern Health NHS trust, has been labelled a "vindictive cow" by someone claiming to be a member of NHS staff.

Sara has been campaigning for accountability within the trust after her son drowned in a bath in the Slade house in Oxfordshire.

Shocking attacks

The message (as reported by The Guardian) started well, with the statement "it's tragic, and I hope you find some closure after the report," but descended into abuse.

A Southern health spokesman is investigating the call.

It is shocking to think that a member of NHS staff would behave in this way, after all a campaign and criticism from a grieving mother should be seen within the context of the loss she has just suffered.

No one is their best self while grieving, especially when that grief is for a child.

Thoughts for the future

I hope that once an investigation has been completed that the trust will identify this alleged member of staff and take them to task.

If you're putting a cross in a box today think carefully about what direction you want the world to go in and which candidate is offering that direction.

Wonderful Wonderland and rollicking Rumpus

I was beginning to feel like an ageing hermit when I was invited to Wonderland this year.

This event has taken a turn for the better, with a collection of music to keep you on your feet almost permanently.

A mixture of old school classics and interesting new arrivals made for a varied event to suit eclectic tastes and committed dancers.

This event also featured a glitter shower, oodles of fun for getting you in the party mood.

I couldn't recommend this event enough for getting your groove on.

Rumpus

Wonderland DJs also featured at Rumpus, an event on shortly after, on April Fool's day.


This event was even more flamboyant in terms of party gear and decor.

Space was allowed for people to paint their face, select clothes and have their fortunes told.

It felt like a maze of different musical oddities and hosted an impressive set of live bands with sparkling energy and tight performances.

If you're looking for an extraordinary night out then this may well be it.

Fear of flags

I have a strange relationship with my own union flag and I put it largely down to tendencies towards racist discourse when it comes to my own state.

When I was young I learnt to associate the St George and the British flag to a large degree with racism, bigotry and empire.

I wasn't the only one.

Warning

At University we would deliberately avoid the pubs that displayed the flag on the outside, because it was often code for narrow minded attitudes inside.

This wasn't exclusively the case, but you can see why I would grow to see the symbol of my nation as something toxic.

From that day to this I have yet to wear one, display one or wave one.

Dark times

To allow you to look through those eyes you might realise why the Olympics that passed a year or so back were interesting for me.

Things were tough here, really tough.

There had been recently been rioting in the capital and many, many people were out of work.

The younger generation was rapidly being lost.

Watching from the cheap seats

Thus the attitude to the Olympics in the media and by many people I spoke to was very jaded, a lot of people saw it as a waste of money.

When it happened I had no tickets for the able bodied events, I simply had the TV.

However watching Jessica Ennis storm to victory on the large TV in the local pub, which did put up the union flag for the occasion, found me shouting wildly at the television.

I dubbed her Superwoman to a friend later.

A hero

To me, she was amazing.

She was short, like myself, she was a woman and she had won a complex athletics event at a time when everything around me looked like failure.

But more importantly than that she was mixed race and she was wrapped in my flag, a double victory.

Those year's of shame at the words that often seemed to be attached to that symbolism was in a moment shaken.

In taking the flag and winning she provided a potent image of an ethnically diverse and successful Britain.

More please.