Nelson & His World

Watching the state of play that is the so called British Election Farce 2010 from here in Malta, one cannot help think just what his Lordship would have thought about the whole sorry saga. Don't think for one moment he would have been hoisting ''England Expects" on this complete embarrassment. One can't help but think he may have well taken up residency at his Casa Minache, Bronte Estate in Sicily and washed his hands of his beloved England. What sad times when the country was somewhere in history the envy of the world.

Well, actually, I think he might have - since the whole British nation, nay the whole world, 'expects' I would have thought!

I think His Lordship, far from high-tailing it to Sicily, would, if asked, have been a useful negotiator. We know, after all, that he had, 'in a great degree the valuable but rare quality of conciliating the most opposite of tempers and forwarding the public service with unanimity among men not of themselves disposed to accord.'

Interesting to have you ex-pat perspective, Stephen. Many of us see it rather differently here. The system of First Past the Post usually delivers a clear verdict. Sometimes it doesn't, and it has been instructive and entertaining to see the politicians trying to make the best of the situation, reminding us that in a democracy, our MPs are our servants and not our masters, and have no choice but to do their best with the difficult hand that we, the electorate, have dealt them. It is unusual, but I wouldn't call it either an embarrassment or a farce, simply democracy in action, which can be messy on occasions. But there are no tanks in Whitehall!

Maybe the current system will have to change in the light of changing voting patterns - the fading of the two old tribal loyalties and the rise of more minority parties. We usually bump along with our institutions until we see they are not working and then we reform or change them for something more in tune with changing needs - for example, Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights and in the early 19th century, soon after Nelson's death, The Great Reform Act. Try not to be pessimistic, Stephen! Things are actually much better now than in Nelson's day: corruption was actually deeper and much more widespread then than now, despite the drubbing we give our politicians for their extravagances. And, of course, women have the vote!

Nice easy headline for tomorrow's (Wednesday) Daily Express.

And a pun on Samantha Cameron's pregnancy to boot!!



MB

Nelson seems to have more important things on his mind - see here

Tony,

Was football around in those days ? was there a kick around on deck ? not a fan myself as a Welshman it has to be Rugby.

Anna,

As another ex-pat I would actually agree with you and rather see the present situation, á la Westminster, as an interesting sign of the times. The leadership situation that has presented itself over the last weeks, has also surely come about through the electoral process that went before and the wishes of the British voting population then, so its not all the politicians fault! Who knows too, that the voting pattern that the British know and love, or at least are used to, may be getting a makeover! As a Brit abroad it is interesting, and sometimes embarrassing, to see your country of birth going through difficulties and to see what the locals make of it.

Up here in northern climes the Swedish papers, like those in many other parts of the world I would imagine, have taken up quite a bit of space over the seeming 'debacle' in the poor old UK with its almost 'incomprehensible' voting system. The Swedes find this difficult to understand since proportional representation is the norm here, as it is I believe in most of Europe, and it is with seeming disbelief that they think the Conservative/Lib Dem alliance will work. They may well be right, but some columnists appear to be condemning it before they have even taken their new seats and given them a chance.

Other points made here are, as usual, the ingrained class system, which I personally don't think is so prevalent as it once was and the fact that GB has no written constitution. Today's paper highlights the fact that David Cameron is from the upper class - and that he is apparently descended from William 1V!

Tony, how did someone get up there to do that – and would Lady Hamilton have been on page three!

Stephen, yes, ye footeballe was around then and even before, although I believe the only thing rolled around ship's decks on occasion was the odd cannonball. I seem to remember that around the time of Henry V, and probably before that, it was a seemingly widespread complaint that young men were spending too much of their time playing ye footeballe, rather than practising at the archery butts. Seeing what happened at Agincourt and other battles, and seemingly taking heed of the complaints, they seem not to have forgotten the latter!