St Stephen's Chamber

I'm looking directly at the windows and exterior wall of St Stephen's Chapel as I write this. In some senses it has become a "forgotten" treasure. Today - as some people queue to get a seat in the Visitors' Gallery in the House of Commons - they will wait in what seems like a large waiting room. Others will hurry through as they make their way to meeting their MP in Central Lobby or to visit one of the committees. Yet this was the space occupied by the House of Commons for the longest period of its history. It was here that King Charles I was rebuffed when he (and an accompanying armed band of soldiers) marched on the House to demand that the Speaker tell him where five of his least favourite MPs were. (4th January 1642) At the other end of the chamber, Spencer Perceval became the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated. (11th May 1812) This was where Amern independence was debated - where the struggles to abolish the slave trade and widen the franchise were fought.

If you visit the Palace of Westminster, you may only take photographs here and in Westminster Hall. Currently there is an interactive guide to the history (with pictures of what the chamber looked like at different periods of its history). It's well worth going to use it.

You can also see where the Speaker's Chair stood; where the Table of the House was; Where the Chamber ended and the 'Lobby' began. There are also some fine painting showing scenes from British (and world) history

- and for anyone who participates in pub quizzes: the answer to the question of who the "five members" were is

- John Hampden
- Arthur Haselrig
- Denzil Holles
- John Pym
- William Strode

The Relevance of History

My apologies if you have already read this on one of my other blogs - I have 4 blogs (jdm_progressive, Washminster, jdmeducafe, and JDM's history explorer) - each with its own purpose. This blog is designed for those with an interest in the working of U.K., US & European Politics). The others deal with Progressive Politics, History; and 'learning'. Please feel free to explore all or any - though today, I'm publishing this post in all of them)

I'm writing this whilst taking a cup of tea in the British Museum. It's a wonderful building full of  items of great historical interest from around the world. Though it was built up during the period of the British Empire - when some people had some very stupid ideas about the superiority of certain races - it is an excellent antidote to such idiotic ideas. Think the West is superior to the Islamic world? - visit the wonders in Room 34; worried that the future has been ceded to the Chinese? (Thanks President Trump), then see how great China has been over the centuries. Discover the many heritages that have been  combined to make the United Kingdom.

It is particularly important that we don't forget the lessons of history. At the moment we would do well to recall the consequences of aggressive nationalism - and how quickly some turn to scapegoating others. We need to face up to the worst of our history - as well as be encouraged by the best.

Today is 30th January - a significant day in British history. Back in 1215 (The Magna Carta - Runnymede) - the principle was established that no one - NOT even the King - was above the Law. Charles I forgot that. He hoped for a passive Parliament - and when he didn't get that - he tried to live without calling Parliament - and when that failed - he tried to intimidate parliamentarians (his attempt to arrest five MPs in the chamber have led to a ban on any monarch entering the chamber of the House of Commons) - eventually he went to Nottingham and declared war on his own country.

On this day in 1649, after a trial in Westminster Hall (which he refused to recognise - since he believed himself to be above the law) - he was executed outside the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall.

So remember this day, that important principle, which lies at the heart of British (and American) History and current law.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

The EU Negotiators for Brexit

As we expect the imminent production of a parliamentary bill to authorise the Government to trigger Article 50, a brief view of 3 important players.

Michel BARNIER

European Commissioner 1999-2005, 2010-14, Chief Negotiator in charge. Member Assemblée nationale 1978-93, Minister 1993-97, 2007-09. Guardian Profile.

Guy VERHOFSTADT

Rapporteur for the European Parliament on Brexit. Leader of the Alliance of Liberals & Democrats for Europe Group, EP. Former Belgian PM 1999-2008. Politico Profile.

Didier SEEUWS

Belgian Diplomat, a one-time chief of staff to former European council president Herman Van Rompuy, will lead a “Brexit taskforce” of EU negotiators. Guardian Profile.

A link to Euractiv's Top 50 in the negotiations can be accessed here.

Inaugural Addresses

Really "GREAT..." speeches






and from Lincoln...

The Candidates in "la primaire de la gauche"

A week on Sunday, supporters of the Parti socialiste and associated parties of the left, will participate in a primary to select a candidate to represent them for the French presidential election. Not all left wing parties are participating, but the winner is likely to be regarded as the mainstream candidate opposing François Fillon (Les républicains) and Marine Le Pen (Le Front national). The election has two rounds, with the two candidates gaining most vote on 22nd January going forward to the second round on 29th January.

The candidates are -

Manuel Valls - Prime Minister under President Hollande from 2014 until December 6th 2016.  His

website is http://manuelvalls.fr He has been a member of the Assemblée nationale, Interior Minister and Prime Minister. He ran for the Parti socialiste nomination in 2012, describing himself as "Blairiste" or "Clintonien".


Arnaud Montebourg - His website is http://www.arnaudmontebourg-2017.fr. He told the UK



Guardian that he saw himself as a French version of Bernie Sanders. Like Valls he ran for the nomination in 2012. He was Minister for Industrial Renewal from 2012-14, serving under both Ayrault and Valls


Benoît Hamon - A former Minister for Education (April - August 2014); MEP 2004-09 and a leader of the left wing at the 2008 PS Reims Congress.  He resigned from the government in August 2014  in protest as Hollande's "abandonment of a socialist agenda" His website is https://www.benoithamon2017.fr



of the left wing at the 2008 PS Reims Congress.  He resigned from the government in August 2014  in protest as Hollande's "abandonment of a socialist agenda" His website is https://www.benoithamon2017.fr


Vincent Peillon - Also a former Minister of Education (and former teacher 1984-92; 1993-97), he was elected as an MEP in 2014, having served in the Assemblée nationale in 1997-2002. L'Express has described him as "à équidistance de Manuel Valls, et des frondeurs" [halfway between Valls and the PS rebels on the left]. His website is http://www.vp2017.fr



was elected as an MEP in 2014, having served in the Assemblée nationale in 1997-2002. L'Express has described him as "à équidistance de Manuel Valls, et des frondeurs" [halfway between Valls and the PS rebels on the left]. His website is http://www.vp2017.fr


Sylvia Pinel - Leader of the moderate and social-liberal centre-left Parti Radical de Gauche. Minister



of Territorial Equality and Housing under the Valls premiership, leaving in February 2011. Her programme can be found at http://www.partiradicaldegauche.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Projet-SP_final.pdf


François de Rugy - A member of the Assemblée nationale since 2007, he is a former member of



EELV (Europe Ecology - The Greens) but formed his own party - Écologistes! - after breaking with EELV over their alliances with the left-wing Front de Gauche. His website is https://www.derugy2017.fr


Jean-Luc Bennahmias - An MEP for 10 years from the South of France.


He formed his own party - the Front démocrate in 2014. His website is http://jlbennahmias2017.fr

If you read French, there is a full description of each of the candidates here.

Useful sites for following the Primary are -

France 24 - English, French - Who are the candidates?
Le Monde - Primaire de la gauche
Liberation
L'Express
Le Point