It is not
looking good, if it ever has been in the last few years. Those of the doom and gloom schools of
thought have more than enough news and information for them to ply their
trades. In the USA a good dump of snow
in New Hampshire should confuse a few issues at the Primary elections.
Zero Hedge
along with Secular Investor suggest that Deutsche Bank is in trouble and
could trigger a great many adverse financial effects. One relatively minor matter in the great
scheme of things is that the bank has a lien on the freeholds of a great many
UK leasehold properties. This could get
ugly if as in the USA title to them disappears down the financial computer
plugholes.
But it is the
EU debate that has had a great deal more coverage. One serious concern is the lack of clear
leadership and direction in the Leave campaign.
Despite the views of many voters it is feared that the initiative could
be lost to the big hitters of the In groups who have the leaders of both the
Government and Opposition in their pockets.
Despite their
obvious interest and own position in the Europe matter we cannot expect The
Royals to mix it and to attempt to lead the Out's. But where I ask is our aristocracy, in
particular the Dukes? They are nowhere
to be seen or heard.
The idea of
inherited status, wealth and title is out of fashion in these democratic days
when we worship celebrities and sportsmen but they are still entitled to have a
view and speak their opinions and in something that is extra-Parliamentary to
lead if others will follow.
Here are four lists
of Dukes, Marquesses, Earls and Viscounts, not complete but just picked out,
not quite at random, in a swift look at the titles. Of the Earls many are left out. There could be errors in that the present
holders are not able to lead but there ought to be some who might.
There are
names among them that shout out from our history, the descendants of men who
did not and would not surrender.
Dukes:
Beaufort,
Wellington, Marlborough, Northumberland, Hamilton, Argyll, Gordon, Fife,
Westminster, Sutherland, Manchester, Devonshire, Buccleugh, Bedford, St.
Albans, Grafton, Rutland.
Marquesses:
Anglesey,
Zetland, Bristol, Ailesbury, Bute, Bath,
Salisbury, Huntley, Hertford.
Earls:
Nelson,
Jellicoe, Alexander, Effingham, Grey, Vane, Kimberley, Leicester,
Jermyn, Cawdor, Lichfield, Strafford, Wharncliffe, Attlee, Lytton, Selborne,
Liverpool, Rosebery, Balfour, Peel.
Viscounts:
Montgomery,
Alanbrooke, Slim, Trenchard, Hood, St. Vincent, Falmouth, Falkland, Hereford,
Bolingbroke, Knollys, Gough, Long.
Where are they
when you need them, especially as the Europe vote could be a damned close run
thing.
"Where are they when you need them"
ReplyDeletePossibly somewhere warmer. Many may be happy enough to remain in the EU.