Of Kings & Pretenders

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I have nothing against offshore - or indeed onshore - wind power electricity generation: we need it, and we need it and other renewable sources of power desperately urgently, if we are to stem the tide of the climate disasters that threaten to overwhelm our planet. No beef with this particular technological path at all; rather with the principal pecuniary beneficiary here i the UK: the King. The Crown Estate owns the bloody seabed around our archipelago for God's sake, and so so directly benefits from the sale of rights to erect wind farms offshore. In the King's case, he will benefit from an income of £132mn next year, due to profits from offshore wind making the Crown more than £1bn.  Whilst I applaud all efforts made toward greening our islands, I do feel more than a tad peeved that so much money can be siphoned off by the institution due to the serial accidents of history that is 'our' monarchy. I've said it before: my late father's constant litany was that the Labour Government blew it in 1948, when they failed to address the issue of land [and seabed] ownership and its continued inheritance through family lines. I still hold to his view to this day.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean we have the [not-so-young] pretender to an as yet unmade throne, in the rather bulky shape of Donald Trump, who is doing his level best to ape the very worst of the British monarchy in securing absolute power and dominion over his increasingly cowed populous; wresting control of the media and judiciary, and replacing reality with the Newspeak of Trumpist Revisionist Republicanism. Robin Hood in reverse gear: the Bizarro, crack'd-mirror image of the Man in Sherwood Green, conjured from the parallel universe of Trump's own fantasies: 'I want, Therefore I Shall Have' being his prevailing philosophy. How is it that so many Americans have conveniently pushed their [in European terms, so very recent] history to the backs of their minds? How is it that the Republic fought a war of independence against the British monarchy, and is now, in the 21st Century turning its sights to crowning a putative new 'King'? Be careful what you wish for is the sagest advice I can give to those so moved: we have a very long and tragic history on that front...

Just heard the news that Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' has been passed through the Senate with the casting vote of VP J.D Vance: Himmler to Trump's Genghis Khan. Let's hope the House deem otherwise, else God Help America is all I can say...

Comments

  1. Anonymous2 July 2025 at 06:44

    Look more closely at the Crown Estates mate!
    ATB
    Joe

    ReplyDelete

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