The nation is a construct of stories” Phillip Larkin.
Fourteen years in the European parliament, and former English Green party leader
The UK is coming apart. Wales wants a new constitution, Scotland has over 50% support for independence and Ireland has moves to unify. England appears to be left squeamish about the English flag - as a symbol of imperialism and exceptionalism. There is also the rise of the right in England. Lucas said we need a different story, of a more progressive England.
British Trust attempts to bury slavery, the story of imperialism was a good theme and initiatives to alter that story .The recent violent riots in Southport – the media were reluctant to name it. There were counter protests against racism and of another England.
There is a need to see England as separate from Britain. There is the myth of 4 equal nations likely to encourage the rise of far right. Anglo-centric British nationalism which constantly muddles England/ Britain. The English lack confidence in ‘who’ we are. The hate-filled language of the Tory party the past decades has had consequences.
Lucas has a long-standing interest in literature.. She is interested in the narratives and false histories of England. The battle of Flodden was won by Catherine of Aragon – which was written out of history by Henry. The victors rewrite history. Robin Hood did steal from the rich - but never gave to the poor! The Spanish Armada was held back by bad weather. The Charters of the Forrest – which gave rights of landless people to forage, but who has heard of it? The Magna Carta was about the rights to restrain the power of the king.
England is nature depleted: the right to roam in England, is only 8% land, and 3% rivers. The history of the enclosure movement. They discussed, should the values of today be imposed on the values of the past? Lucas felt that history is always evolving and the Colston statue in Bristol is now in a museum with a plaque stating his story. After all statues are often put up much later on, by those who want to use history for contemporary needs.
There is a Chapter on inequality – on a wealth tax, constitution, reform voting system. Take finance out of politics? She is a big admirer of Anthony Burnett of Open Democracy, who is a constitutional expert. She’s concerned about the disengagement of young people from politics and a fairer voting system. At the recent General election, a third of people didn’t bother to vote. This is a serious issue. Labour won a big majority of two thirds of the seats, with only a third of the vote.
(Comment: We were told by the powers that be back in 2011, that we get strong government with our First past the post voting system,(!!) when we had a vote on the issue – and weak, chaotic government with Proportional Representation, such as France, Germany and all other European countries have! Only Belarus uses FPTP voting. First past the post voting means that most votes don’t count and only marginal seats matter. It also means there is a lack of negotiation and collaboration in the UK government, compared to elsewhere.)
There is a lot literature can tell us. Lucas asked us to put people and planet before profit!
I was sad to hear Little is retiring from his role at the book festival as an interviewer.
**Allan Little - “Edinburgh festival essentially became a peace project.”
