God Save The Queen, and her National Health Service.
Today ought to be a public holiday throughout the United Kingdom.
As should Saint Andrew's Day, Saint David's Day and Saint Patrick's Day.
As should Saint Andrew's Day, Saint David's Day and Saint Patrick's Day.
Away with pointless celebrations of the mere fact that the banks are on holiday.
It is amazing how many people assume that because there is a legend about Saint George, then he himself must be a purely legendary figure.
He is not.
Although the Tomb of Saint George at his birthplace, which is now known as Lod and which is the location of Israel's principal airport, has become a shadow of its former self.
It was once a major focus of unity between Christians and Muslims in devotion to the Patron Saint of Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt before, and as much as, the Patron Saint of England.
But three quarters of those who practised that devotion were violently expelled in 1948.
On what remains, see here.
"God Save The Queen... and her National Health Service."
ReplyDeleteCan't quite see that catching on.
Then you have obviously never been to England.
DeleteMost people think they are the same thing.
DeletePretty much. These two and, for all its faults, the BBC. For all, and even in, their imperfections, those three institutions simply are Britain. Therefore, the assault on the NHS in England is making England less British. A very serious matter. A very serious matter, indeed.
DeleteLook at how the TTIP threat to the NHS has become a key argument against the EU. If a foreign power ever came after it, as could happen under TTIP, the British people would be up for war. You already hear people on radio and television say that we fought the Second World in order to create the NHS. That isn't true, but lots of people believe it and believe we were absolutely right to do so.
ReplyDeleteThat is a terrifyingly accurate thought. If we stayed in the EU, then we'd get TTIP. That would mean that the Americans (presumably) would come after our NHS, which would, yes, mean that the British public would be perfectly willing to go to war in order to defend it.
DeleteThe winning of the War in 1945 and the winning of the Peace from the 1945 Election onwards are a single phenomenon in the British popular mind. They were even at the time.
I was there at the time (just), my parents were very much there at the time, and I can confirm that you are exactly right. The 1945 Election was before the end of the War, so its achievements are part of the victorious struggle that was the War itself. As you say, that was the view even at the time.
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