Declining Appeal

Purely as a matter of fact, we may well be living in the last years of the Poppy Appeal.

Its bullying imposition of itself here, there and everywhere is a sign of profound weakness and decline.

If it is like that in 2018, on the centenary of the Armistice, then the time will have come to discontinue it.

By then, no war will have been fought to defend British territory in 36 years, or to defend Britain itself in 73 years.

Even the conflict in Northern Ireland will have been over for 20 years by then.

As for the very different wars since, it is the responsibility of the State to deal with the consequences. Those who suffer them were not sent to war by charity.

In the meantime, the gate receipts from the football next Friday, and the money for television rights to it, are presumably being donated to the Royal British Legion.

So too, one assumes, is the cover price of every newspaper that displays the poppy on its masthead.