Britain in a changing world.

by Tim Veater

To Ros Anstey: If it wasn't for your enjoyable little moan, I'd have nothing to look at FB for. All the rest is even more miserable.  Our lives are very dull and pointless arn't they? I'm glad you still have family and friend connections in Pensford and a reason to drive there. I bet the countryside is looking beautiful at the moment. I never fail to be impressed with the greenery when I come back. I can understand why Starmer and the present lot set you off again. We are an island with a lot of people on it still trying to come to terms with the loss of empire and being the 'workshop of the world'. Somehow we have adapted and survived but as it is with individuals so it is with the state. We have to survive somehow economically. Which American President said of election success or failure, "It's the economy stupid." The current 'tranactional' American President seems to have got it, however callous and selfish it seems. It is what fires his 'America Great Again' slogan. The thing is 'Little Britain' is stuck between two major trading blocks and needs to charm both. It's called 'diplomacy' and 'soft power' and Britain has been pretty good at it over the years. We have spent a fortune on Europe to wedge the door open and abandoned our principles to keep the US on side. The few raw materials and manufacturing skills that we had have been either abandoned or sold off to the highest bidder. At some point we shall have nothing left worth selling and what then? I've just read an article on how amazingly Enoch Powell still haunts the corridores of power including the Labour Party. Note Starmer's recent reference to 'Strangers in our own country'. But Starmer may have bigger problems approaching from behind with the revelations that it was an Ukrainian 'male model' who set fire to two properties and a car with links to the PM and his mate Lord Alli, the motivations for which can only be imagined! I hope you and everyone have a very enjoyable Tuesday.

On Tuesday 20 May 2025 at 14:22:06 BST, Nigel Glanvill <> wrote:

"further concrete actions "

Like what?

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: <jayne.kirkham.mp@parliament.uk>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2025, 13:07
Subject: Gaza and the West Bank (Case Ref: JK6695)
To: <>

Dear Nigel Glanvill

I am writing to you again as you have previously written to me to express your deep concern about the situation in Gaza. 

You may already be aware that the Government has issued two statements on the situation today (19 May 2025).

The first statement was a joint statement from the leaders of the UK, France and Canada on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. The statement reads:

’We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate. We call on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. This must include engaging with the UN to ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles. We call on Hamas to release immediately the remaining hostages they have so cruelly held since 7 October 2023.

The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli Government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law. 
Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7. We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.

We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.

We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank. Israel must halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.  We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions. 

We strongly support the efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. It is a ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages and a long-term political solution that offer the best hope of ending the agony of the hostages and their families, alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza, ending Hamas’ control of Gaza and achieving a pathway to a two-state solution, consistent with the goals of the 18 June conference in New York co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. These negotiations need to succeed, and we must all work towards the implementation of a two-state solution, which is the only way to bring long-lasting peace and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve, and ensure long-term stability in the region.

We will continue to work with the Palestinian Authority, regional partners, Israel and the United States to finalise consensus on arrangements for Gaza’s future, building on the Arab plan. We affirm the important role of the High-level Two-State Solution Conference at the UN in June in building international consensus around this aim. And we are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution and are prepared to work with others to this end.’

The second statement was a joint statement on aid to Gaza and the proposal for a new aid delivery model. The statement reads:

’Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months. Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need.

Prior to the aid block, the UN and humanitarian NGOs delivered aid into Gaza, working with great courage, at the risk of their lives and in the face of major access challenges imposed by Israel. These organisations subscribe to upholding humanitarian principles, operating independently, with neutrality, impartiality and humanity. They have the logistical capacity, expertise and operational coverage to deliver assistance across Gaza to those who need it most.  

Israel’s security cabinet has reportedly approved a new model for delivering aid into Gaza, which the UN and our humanitarian partners cannot support. They are clear that they will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles. Humanitarian principles matter for every conflict around the world and should be applied consistently in every warzone. The UN has raised concerns that the proposed model cannot deliver aid effectively, at the speed and scale required. It places beneficiaries and aid workers at risk, undermines the role and independence of the UN and our trusted partners, and links humanitarian aid to political and military objectives.  Humanitarian aid should never be politicised, and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change.  

As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the Government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity. We remain committed to meeting the acute needs we see in Gaza. We also reiterate our firm message that Hamas must immediately release all remaining hostages and allow humanitarian assistance to be distributed without interference. It is our firm conviction that an immediate return to a ceasefire and working towards the implementation of a two-state solution are the only way to bring peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability for the whole region.’

This statement was signed by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management and the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean.

I hope this information is of interest to you.

Yours Jayne

Timothy Veater 

From:

To:Nigel Glanvill

Tue, 20 May at 23:03

Thanks for this Nigel  Do you have any objections to me putting it up on my Blog with e-mail details deleted? As to the contents, all very well, but the trouble is neither America or Israel take a blind bit of notice. Nor is it easy to reconcile the words with actions over the last 18 months or more. It is good polemic and that's about it. What these countries continue to display is a tacit acceptance of israel as a bonafide state rather than the fascist, apartheid, vicious one it has proved to be over the last 80 years but on an increasingly evil scale as recent events have proved. The central, nefarious role of the United States is plain to see in providing three times the destructive power of its two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan. To this we have to add duplicity, in that it does not even honour its word. It promised the HAMAS negotiator it would pressure Israel to ceasefire and allow aid in, in return for the release of the one remaining American hostage. Of course it reneged on it and no such action emerged. It is tantamount to shooting surrendering people under a white flag as Israel did. Both America and Israel are unscrupulous actors that set the parameters of a one sided conflict that no other country is prepared to actively challenge. And so the misery, suffering and devastation continue. The israeli blockade needs to be challenged. Israel needs to be internationally interdicted and embargoed until like the mad dog it is, either comes to heal or is put down. An autonimous Palestinian state on 1967 boundaries needs to be established, recognised and militarilly defended. Only then will there be a glimmer of hope  for the region and world.  Regards, Tim.

21.5.2025: On the fabricated Oct 7th invasion, misrepresented by the Israeli PR machine, Netanyahu immediately applied the term 'WAR' to the situation, knowing it would be accepted uncritically by the West, giving him cover for the pre-planned attack on Gaza. It was never a 'war'. It has always been an 'invasion' and 'massacre'. As I believe Goebbels coined it (or if he didn't he should have) "The bigger the zionist lie, the more eagerly will the corrupt western establishment swallow it." https://veaterecosan.blogspot.com/

22.5.2025: Well that's over an hour of blood, sweat and tears in the garden, but even if I do say myself, the tamed wild has an unequalled beauty this time of year. Even the wild foxgloves are majestic. Terrible thing if my eyesight is packing up. I hope a few glasses of red will correct the imbalence. If you have any suggestions for eye restoratives, let me know. (They say carrots are good for the eyes because you never see a rabbit wearing glasses. lol) Today I had more communications from the surgery pushing the latest scare virus jab (Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)) although I specifically requested they stop sending them. The receptionist took a note but they've kept coming. Also another letter informing me the law now requires a dedicated GP when you reach the grand age of 75 to take care of your health. My GP is the same one I have had for decades and has never taken the slightest interest in my health or well-being - well not that I would notice. Perhaps she does secretly? Even when I was hospitalised for emergency surgery I can't remember seeing her. That was three and a half years ago. The doctor I did see couldn't make head nor tail of the notes that came from the hospital. So far, touch wood, I have followed my own regimen which seems to have worked without the twelve different tablets a day prescribed. Perhaps that is why doctors see me as a lost cause? Last time I saw saw her, if I remember rightly, all I got was a glare of disapproval. LOL Perhaps she's sick of seeing people made ill either by doctors or themselves? Hopefully others fare better and she rightly deserves her salary with them.

25.5.2025: GETTING ACCESS TO YOUR CASH

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=717960360906845

It seems this is now GENERAL across banking. I recently wanted to transfer a certain amount to another bank and had to answer a multi-question inquisition. Even when completed satisfactorily this was blocked by another foreign accented person on the end of a phone somewhere. What would have happened if I had just wanted it as cash? It's clear that banks now regard our money as theirs only obtainable with their permission. Only a small step to not being able to access it at all! https://veaterecosan.blogspot.com/search?q=Cash

Increasingly, control of money is becoming remote and dehumanised. Places called 'banks' with people inside who you can talk to with the power to make decisions, are becoming more scarce. The organisations called 'banks' have with concerted effort, persuaded customers to 'go on line', which means you can only control and access it if you have internet connectivity and know how to manipulate the computer systems. For a huge number of people this is becoming out of reach. Even cash machines are being removed everywhere. For government read 'banks'. Interest paid on deposits are less than inflation they are deprediating all the time to the banks advantage - a form of theft. Government treats individual wealth as its to plunder at will. Meanwhile it wastes billions. Where will it end. Maybe under the bed is the safest place to keep it after all?

30.5.2025: Realistic figurative beauty returns with the Renaissance. It was part technique, part skill, part technology, part finance, part a changing aesthetic and outlook. The Church required decoration but then increasingly did private capital and it was this latter that enabled the shift from the religious to the domestic, the inspirational to the erotic, both male and female, often but not exclusively camouflaged in classical Greek mythology. Neither hetero nor homo-sexual allusions were permissable un-alloyed until comparatively recent times, for as we know sex - and especially gay sex - were not discovered until the Sixties. (Thank you Philip Larkin) As to Henry Scott Tuke his figures allude as much to the temporary beauty of youth and its freedom from social inhibition as it does to sexual desire. It is principally the Classical idea of 'agape' love, in contrast to 'eros' or the erotic. Tuke undoubtedly thrilled at the physical beauty of the young male form, though it is a jump of the imagination that, in the context of Edwardian social norms and morality, it spilled over into physical contact. The consequences of crossing this existential boundary, had been ably demonstrated in Oscar Wilde's tragic downfall. Despite the sexual revolution of the late Sixties, that distinction, to some extent, remains to this day.

New Year - 2020

by Tim Veater.

This time of mine, when I awake

From slumbers deep I overtake

Another night

And claim the time as mine.

In twenty twenty vision see

The day emerge

To resonate with all the earth.

For 'nine o'clock' is only here.

Elsewhere around this revolving orb

Is other time and restless place,

A myriad different views.

Lights, weathers, heats -

Plunged in deep, dark sleep

Or setting red in angry glows.

Seven billion hopes or fears

Arrive or leave, struggling to survive;

Or like me, lie here in lost repose,

Hardly alert yet wondering,

Expectant what new day and year

May fling my way or interpose.

No longer young, the years have slipped away,

With this 'Elizabethan Age' in sad decay,

Yet every passing, offers something new.

As if to make the point the sun breaks through,

A cyclone high the year renews,

Bare creamy branches wave against the grey.

I write my lines and sip my tea,

Wondering what new day and year may bring?

Leaving all those characters in dreams,

To face them in reality.

The fountains of the deep are broken up,

The rivers run with blood,

The skies are red with forest fires,

The oceans surge a mighty flood.

Yet all is bathed in morning light

And silence reigns supreme,

Black cat sits licking on my lap,

Contented and serene.

Whatever spirit lords it all,

Of nature or a higher power,

Take pity on our mortal state,

To rescue us from greed, 

Arrogance and hate.

The evil spirit treating others with disdain,

Causing so much anguish, hatred, pain;

Bind hands so soaked in blood

And lying tongues that war, whilst speaking peace;

The foppish bragging fool,

Deliver us and what is more,

Reward those with humble heart

And let the meekest flourish here,

To care and care, to make a just inheritance,

For those that follow - if they do.

CASTLE By Tim Veater.

Here in my castle

High on the hill

Dreaming my dreams

Writing my will

Young men look forward

Old men look back

Nothing is missing

Nothing I lack

Except time.

Time that elusive beast

That haunts the forests of the Rhine

Furtively encapsulates at every thrust

And bears the virgin off

On snow white steed

To distant hills and temperate climes

To feast and fawn

And love and die.

The die is cast

So here I am

High on my hill

Portcullis down

The moat bridge up

The swans are pulling on the bell

The tower tolls

Its mournful note

As crystal streams from deep below

Ne'er cease to run

Rivulets run down the street

Carrying the litter of the years

It does not answer

Does not speak

And heads off gurgling to who knows where

A forlorn hope, lost bequest

Amidst a million twinkling stars

And all at rest