David Singleton's Diary

Today at the Vicarage The

The Queen Mother celebrates her 101st Birthday and Australia retain the Ashes after winning the third test in less than three days. A day for reflection on the state of our nation. Not The political changes (from Empire to Aberration) but the psychological changes.

I am assured that a century ago, the British were a race whose achievements and thoughts were leading the world. And who were proud of those achievements and valued the work ethic necessary to achieve them.

We have now become a nation who aspire to mediocrity, and where those who do achieve excellence must affect mediocrity.
A country which chooses 'normal' people to become its celebrities -such as the participants on game shows - rather than those who have succeeded in the pursuit of excellence.
A country whose national airline spends millions of pounds replacing the national flag on its tailfins with ethnic paintings from around the world.

There was a time when aspirant musicians would hide in the their bedrooms for hours, practicing their skills. And if they did not succeed, it was because their talent or their application was insufficient. I met a young man today who has a different view. Lack of success is blamed on nothing more than the lack opportunity. He feels that the only reason he is not a 'famous musician' is because he has not appeared on a talent show. His failure in no way relates to his lack of application or possible lack of talent.
The field of sport remains one of the few areas where talent and application remain the overriding requirements. Continued British failure at the highest level shows our inadequacy.

As the notion of all that is British is gradually, systematically and deliberately eroded, we must prepare ourselves to become nothing more than a minor part of the 'United States of Europe'.

Great Britain – An Elegy. It is gone. All that remains is to bury the bones. I drink a toast to its passing, with my best beerless beer.