Re-litigating Brexit

It is the policy of the Lib-Dems to rejoin the EU. And now, two of Labour's possible leadership contenders also are calling for closer ties and possible eventual rejoining.

This has caused the usual suspects, yes you Nigel, and the Daily Hate Mail, to claim Brexit betrayal, as this seem to be the only word they know.

There is no doubt the UK needs to have a conversation with itself about Brexit and whether it was worth it, and where to go next. But as some Brexiteers are claiming its been a success or just not done hard enough or even that the Civil Service Sabotaged it.

As I have written many times, there is just one way to rejoin, and that is through the Article 49 process, which is long and difficult. Even if the UK were to go through that, there is no guarantee that the EU would accept the UK, not without broad political support for rejoining in the UK.

And then comes the fact that the UK now has five main parties, each capable of obraining between 15 and 25% of the vote in an election. But the foibles of the First Past the Post system used here, can throw up wildly different results with pnly a swing of one or two percent either way.

Labour had a disaster in the recent local elections, but lost votes to both the Greens and Lib Dems, but the lost votes meant that even though they had a reduced vote share, Farage's party gained 1200 councillors. But, as usual, in a month over 25 have had to resign or be removed due to racist or anti-semetic posts on social media.

Farage, however, might not be as keen to re-litigate Brexit as most might think. As his comments and promises as to what Brexit would mean to the UK would be dug up and presented to him in interviews. Farage backed Johnson's Brexit deal to the point he withdrew all candidates where the Johnson's loyl Brexiteer MOs were standing, to ensure a result that made Brexit happen. Having done that, how could he claim now that Brexit wasn't done properly then, or be done differently and/or harder?

Starmer is a dead duck. Parliament no longer trusts him or his adminstration on National Security matters in the wake of the Mandleson scandal, when the PM tried to invoke National Security as a reason for not releasing documents to show the vetting process. Parliament instead voted itself to be in charge of the review, and had the Foreign Office release files to their committee.

Normally, a PM so mortally wounded would have resigned, but Starmer bumbles on. Doing it is whatever he does.

Rules for replacing a Labour Leader is different form the Comservative Party, but the usual left v centre-right battle will be rejoined when the contest starts. If it starts. Sadly, most possible contenders seem to be wedded to trying to lure Farage voters by talking about ever more extre immigration policies, even though up to this point, such promised polices have shifted nay votes Labour's way.

As it did with the previous 15 year's under Conservative rule, Labour's time in power has drifted, and despite having a majority in the Commons, Labour has done little of any substance to improve the nation or people's lives. Labour has three years to change that, or suffer possible extinction like the Conseervatives under Kemi Badenoch.

But Farage's talk of closer links with the US and Trump look fatally flawed after the first 18 months of Trump's second presidency, so at some point a decision will have to be made to have closer links with the US, the EU or something else. But the liklyhood is more drift, as in the age of social media, governing the country now seems beyond all UK political leaders.

Monday 18th May 2026

The orchid season can be a mad time.

I once thought that being retired meant there would be time to get round all sites, and explore new ones.

But the weather gets in the way, as does life, but it is still good to get out and see what's about.

Jools asked me once why we keep going back to the same sites? Well, in case something rare and/or interesting pops up.

And this week, something interesting did pop up.

It was a Monday. Jools no longer goes swimming as it was too much before her keep fit class on Tuesdays, so in theory we could have a lay in. But we're both up just after five, feeding the cats.

I had an appointment in Deal at half eight, so Jools said she would walk there and meet up at nine. So she set off at six, just as the heavens opened. As the rain got heavier, I thought she might turn back, but she kept on going.

She went down The Dip then along Otty Bottom Road, no pictures of that, as I was home washing up and making myself a brew.

Eight came, so I drove to Deal, and nabbed a parking space on the main road near the Castle, walked to the clinic and waited.

My feet were checked, rubbed, sanded and creamed. All fine.

By which time Jools was waiting at the car, so I ambled back to the main road, and took us home where we both had a brew.

Despite the forecast being for showers, it was bright but breezy, and there seemed little sign of rain.

So I took a chance, hopped in the car to one of the secret orchid sites I can't name.

Through town, up the A20 to Folkestone, then onto the downs to a remote car park.

I walked through the gate and up the farm track, climbing gently until after five minutes there's a steep hill, then down again.

A few hardy butterflies were about, including a Small heath, I managed to get a shot of.

One the side of the down opposite are the orchids, if you know where to look. I went over and found the first of about twenty spikes.

But I was looking for one special pale plant, which I found after about half an hour.

Due to a genetic mutation, the lip is a pale yellow colour, yet still patterned. This is the only "named" variety of this species, and the first time I have seen it.

I take lots of shots, but so to be careful of other plants yet to emerge, and ground nesting birds, I leave the down, and walk back to the car.

Job done.

On the way back I call in at Sainsbury's in Folkestone for some decent olive oil for Caprese. Half a dozen other items also fall in the basket, but we have food until the weekend now.

And I resisted the beer aisle.

Back home up the Alkham Valley, where the Dellingore is now but a memory from the dark days of winter, as a field of broad beans now spreads over its dried bed.

I get back home, I make a brew as Jools says her legs are stiff. I would think so, 14,000 steps before eight in the morning will do that.

We don't have a meal through the day, instead have a snack for lunch, then nachos for supper. In the making of which, I find a jar of "fruity" habanero chillis.

How hot could a little sliver be? I thought testing before putting it the salsa might be an idea.

Even a sliver was like eating lava, my friends. The rest of the jar went in the bin, and I used the remainder of Jesper's hot sauce from a couple of years back.

Football in the evening: Arsenal beat already relegated Burnley 1-0, though it was far closer than expected. If the Gooners win their last game next weekend, then they'll be champions.

Help! (1965)

August 1965 saw two major releases. At the beginning of the month saw the soundtrack to the second Beatles film released, and late in the month, Jelltex was born in Great Yarmouth. I'll leave you to decide which had the larger cultural influence.

In 1964, The Beatles, had met Bob Dylan, and he had introduced the band to cannabis and earlier that year had been introduced to LSD.

The film was again directed by Richard Lester, but shot in colour, and was less focussed. The soundtrack was critically acclained, and even nominated for the Album of the Year at the next year's Grammy's.

The album features ten Lennon/McCartney originals, two by Harrison and two covers. And the album further explored techniques that could be used in the studio, like multi-tracking. It also features the most covered song in popular music, Yesterday, the tune which McCartney was sure he heard somewhere else.

Side 1

1. "Help!"
2. "The Night Before"
3. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
4. "I Need You"
5. "Another Girl"
6. "You're Going to Lose That Girl"
7. "Ticket to Ride"

Side 2

1. "Act Naturally"
2. "It's Only Love"
3. "You Like Me Too Much"
4. "Tell Me What You See"
5. "I've Just Seen a Face"
6. "Yesterday"
7. "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"

So many of the tracks on this, and the following albums are going to be so familiar. But what is clear from the first track, Help, is that this a very different beast to what became. A Lennon lead vocal, and through the verses a McCartney harmoney in front of the lead vocal, and then the chorus kicks in. It is a remarkable thing to hear, and ponder that it is just 18 months or so after Love Me Do. If this was the highlight of the record, then it would be something, but there are even better known songs to follow.

The Night Before starts off like a throwback to A Hard Day's Night Period, what the NME might have described as a mid-temp foot-tapper. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, but it's not a great leap forward. Still OK, and might have been a single a year previously.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is so simple. But then the best things in life are. A tamborine on the beat, an accoustic guitar backing Lennon, a wonderful lyric and a flute outro. I would have given up at this point, as surely nothing could top this?

"I Need You" is a Harrison vocal on a Harrison original. Again, no great shakes, but that Harrison was the back up songwriter is an amazing thing, in a four piece to be the third best songwriter, though I'm sure some would argue different. Mi-temp, mid-period Beatles. No one comes close.

"Another Girl" rattles along in a most pleasant, Beatle-llike manner. Again, doesn't overstay it's welcome, arrives, jangles along with Paul singing, and ends before we get bored. Freddy and the Dreamers would kill for a song like this. And yet, average by The Beatles.

"You're Going to Lose That Girl" starts off as a frindly warning, but then changes into a threat by the chorus. A Lennon vocal, wonderful harmonies. Another stunning song. And passive-aggressive.

David Hepworth says, rightly, that listening to an artist's output now, when it was released years, decades ago, is that you don't get to appreciate the progression. I have grown up with The Beatles singles and some of te better known LP cuts, but putting them in order, or listening to them in order, really helps understand how groundbreaking the band and George Martin were. "Ticket to Ride" could have been released yesterday instead of nearly 61 years ago. It's timeless, and yet modern. And totally wonderful. My baby Don't Care.

Side 2 kicks off with the first of two covers: "Act Naturally", with vocals by Ringo. It don't mean a thang if the song don't twang! Ringo sings this really well, and is a good choice for a cover. Another bittersweet track, somehting the Beatles did so well.

"It's so hard, loving you," maintains Lennon on "It's Only Love". This is peerless Beatles. Sounds like something thrown together to make an albums -worth of material, and yet, again, is bitter-sweet and pop perfect. Ideal for a Lonnon vocal.

Harrison gets a second composition on the record, and sings lead too on "You Like Me Too Much", the ending has something close to a honky-tonk piano plonking away, which makes this a most pleasant track, showing it wasn't jus the primary songwriters were were evolving.

"Tell Me What You See" comes next. A shared Lennon/McCartney vocal, and is rather wonderful. Again sounds timeless. Never outstays its welcome, and has sme nice rolls flourishes from Ringo towards the end.

"I've Just Seen a Face" is the 12th track. Is a mono-tempo accustic track, sung by Paul, and again is rather wonderful. You have to remember this is the first time I have heard most of The Beatles album tracks, and certainly from the presceeding Beatles for Salem there's really not a duff track, and most would have been great singles for almost any other band.

We have been building up to "Yesterday", voted twice, the best song of the 20th century. A standard to stand beside My Way and others as a pillar in which pop itself is built. There's not much I can add to what you or anyone else might thing. I just wonder what it must have been like to hear it for the first time on the record, the second to last track. No released as a single in the UK until 1976, as the other Beatles didn't think it appropriate. There are over 2,200 cover version of the song out there. But only one Beatles. And Paul.

The album closes with a cover of "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". I get the impression the band liked to let their hair down on these rock n roll covers. Lennon sounds like he enjoys it, with a vocal that breaks in a similar way to Twist and Shot.

In all, Help! is indeed a masterpiece. Not really a bad track on it, something for everyone, and showing progression in playing, songwriting and use of the studio to create what their imaginations could think of. I am really looking forward to the next two records, ones that Anothology skipped over to get to Sgt Pepper, but I am expecting some amazing things.

See you next time.

Sunday 17th May 2026

Sunday.

And a day of rest.

For most.

However, it is a phys day, and my brain had me awake just after five anyway, and up at half past, so may as well get some in.

Sunday is the best day in the gym. Few people are up and about at seven, and with the pool closed for a gala, the carpark was almost empty.

We park, walk to the entrance, still chilly in the early morning air, though summer is going to arrive either Thursday and Friday, at which point it will be too hot.

Of course.

I do forty minutes, though the last five took half an hour. Or so it seemed.

Then began the great cheese quest, as we were out of mature Cheddar. We went first to the petrol station. They didn't sell cheese, so we went to Whitfield, to One Stop, and they had cheese. And Minstrels.

Back home for a brew.

And I felt the need for some orchiding.

Well, I am leading a multi-site visit for the Hardy Orchid Society in June, so have to check the sites for orchid numbers and whether they'll have gone over by then.

I set off for Sandwich Bay at half eight, traffic was light, except those going to the Boot Fair at Tilmanstone. We have no need for more junk, our house is full even after a decade of decluttering.

Into Sandwich, through the modern housing and to the Bay Estate, where there was no one on the barrier, so the visit was free.

It was bright, and winds were light, so I set out over the meadow and across the slacks to the golf course. I crossed the three fairways after checking there were no golfers about to launch a ball at me, and out onto the Strand.

There were spikes. But numbers are well down on 2024, last year's drought reduced Lizard orchids by 80 to 90%. But those that have survived looked in good health.

I also found the nationally rare Bedstraw broomrape, which is a parasitic plant feeds on the roots of Bedstraw species, and most in good shape.

Finally, I walked back over the golf course, and turned south to the meadow to check on the Southern marsh orchids I was expecting to be showing, as I had seen shots of them out from around the country.

The purple spikes I did see where Green-wing orchids, and in very good shape, meaning the SMO were small rosettes, and maybe a month from showing.

I walked to the Observatory, but found it deserted. Apparently they all had gone chasing a Turtle dove seen nearby.

I waited, and soon John, who ran our tour to India arrived. So I wet inside and had a cuppa with him, as he told me about his latest tiger tour, from which he returned from a couple of weeks back, travel made worse thanks to flights not using Doha, thanks to the Orange Shitgibbon in Washington.

Anyway, it was a good meeting, as we last saw John at two in the morning on Station Road as we unloaded our cases from the mini bus.

I bid John farewell, and get back to the car to drive home, somehow it was nearly midday, so I thought a drive to Deal and back home along the Strand would be grand.

And indeed it was. The sun was still shining, though all parking spaces were taken, as families took in the air beside the seaside, beside the sea.

I was back home in time for the first game of the day: Man Utd v Forest, which was notable for the clear handball in the buildup for Utds second goal, which after VAR was given.

I have no words. The handball and offside rules are now so buggered I can't tell if a goal should be given or not.

Newcastle played West Ham, with the Hammer needing to win to have a chance of avoiding the drop so send Spurs down. Their cause wasn't helped by giving up two goals in the first 15 minutes, and it was uphill from there. It ended 3-1, and West Ham need a miracle, and for Chelsea to beat Spurs on Tuesday.

By that time it was half seven and the day gone again.

Time for a large glass of sloe gin to see the day out.

Cheers.

Saturday 16th May 2026

It am the weekend.

I look forward to Fridays to Mondays, as either they're rest days, or for the weekend days, an hour later start at seven when te gym and sports centre open.

It is somewhat frustrating then, for my mind and body to have me awake at half four, then lay awake for the alarm, which doesn't come at ten past five, as its set for six.

So I get up. Jools is already up, and so by half six we are ready for the day, sipping coffee as outside the sun climbed in the sky.

We went to the gym, and if I'm honest, my legs were tired, and I could have bailed, but instead did half an hour, which was enough. My right knee had a twinge, its just two years since I tore the cartilage in it, so best take care of it.

We head back home to rest, and make a brew for breakfast.

Jools was going out to visit a friend to help her declutter, so after breakfast, I would have a shave, shower so be all fresh and nice for the day. And then do chores in the house and garden, including watering the newly planted plants, topping up the wildlife pool.

I saw a flutter, and sure enough there was a butterfly: the first Painted lady of the season, which came back twice, thus enabling me to get my camera and chase it round the upper beds.

We have early lunch, so I could sit and watch the finale of the Scottish season, and hopefully see Hearts win the title.

The sporting Gods clearly don't like Hearts, playing at Celtic, all they had to do was avoid defeat. After taking the lead just before half time, all seemed set for them, but then Celtic got another dodgy penalty, and in the second half as time ran out, Celtic scored, despite the scorer having been in a clear offside position. But apparently, he wasn't interfering with play. Despite scoring.

Then the FA Cup Final: El Cheatico, as the two teams either convicted of cheating, or waiting for 115 cheating charges to be heard. Is it possible to want both teams to lose?

Citeh beat Chelsea 1-0, thanks to a fine goal, but I had slept through most of the first half.

Maybe Norwich can get to the final next year? Ha ha ha.

And that was that, really.

We have supper, then retire to bed to read as the day fades, and finally rain arrives in east Kent, and gave the garden a proper soaking.

Friday 15th May 2026

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a shot of a Duke of Burgundy on Bluesky.

I received a message: could I show someone where they were?

As Jo is a botanist, I also had to point out the site is the best in Kent, and therefore the UK, for Lady Orchids too.

The only rouble was fixing the day, a day that the forecast would say the sun would shine at least a little, and be warmish.

Two days were suggested, and we would pick Thursday or Friday once the forecast firmed up, and we would choose the best day.

All was well until both days had 70-80% chance of rain and would be cool too. Possibly Friday looked better, and as I had the appointment at Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday, Friday was chosen, and a fairly late start to allow the day to warm up, and for me to take Jools and her friends to knit and natter at the library.

In the end, Thursday afternoon offered a bit of all kinds of weather, but ended with warm sunny periods once we were home.

Friday still looked poor, and little chance of spotting a Duke.

Friday dawned clear and cool. Not quite a frost, but not far off.

As usual, Jools went to yoga, I did the bins and the rest of the chores on a Friday. I drank my coffee and didn't injure myself, which counts as a good start.

Once Jools came back, we had a brew and breakfast. I had charged the camera battery, the forecast at least said no rain until the afternoon now, but no sun.

We left the house in broken sunshine. Clouds skidded across the sky. We picked up Janet from along the road: she has early dementia, and is a worry to her family and friends. But she has ways of coping.

Jill lives near the library, and her street is being dug up for gam main repairs. She hadn't put on her shoes or taken her tablets, so we had to wait ten minutes. Janet chuntered about the delay. But we were early.

Jill was ready, they got in the car and in 30 seconds we were outside the library. Got out, and I could get to Barham.

Traffic was heavy as a ferry had just arrived, but I made good time, and once I turned off the A2, through Bridge and out through the fields of fruit, I knew I was going to be on time.

In fact I was five minutes early, and Jo and Ian and their friend had been out botanising already, but were near the car.

We shook hands, I explained there is a mile walk to the Bank, and with the weather being breezy and cool, chances were slim. But among the coppiced bushes, wind might be less, and if the sun came out, there might be a chance.

We set off down the track through the trees, and we chatted about plants, butterflies and Norfolk. Where they, and I, were from.

We reached the bottom of the bank. It seemed cold still. At least there would be the bonus of dozens of Lady and Fly orchids to enjoy.

Opposite the entrance, six flowering spikes of Lady stood on a bank, so they were photographed.

We entered the reserve, down the stops, and went hunting for Dukes.

The sun did break through about 50% of the time, and in among the bushes it was almost warm and still when it was sunny. But no Dukes were seen. No butterflies at all in fact.

But they delighted in the orchids. The Lady were at their peak, so we set off along the top path, stopping to snap and record what we had seen. Plenty of Fly in flower too, though they are starting to brown off, but White helleborines were just coming into flower.

I failed to find the Greater butterfly in flower from last week, probably trodden by a butterfly chaser, but after a ten minute search, the single Man orchid was found just before we reached the other Duke lek.

It was almost warm, so the search began. Walking through the short grass and Primroses will flush a Duke out, then watch where it flies and lands, as it won't be far.

Jo shouts that se has found one, so we all gather, and there on a dead leaf was a male Duke with wings three-quarters closed, but it's underwings on show.

The Duke of Burgundy likes to bask, or the males do, to attract a mate. While this is good, the Duke is a small butterfly, so you have to get close or have a long lens to snap a good shot.

In the end we find and photograph for males. They would have been happy with one. So with that, we walk to the far end of the reserve and began to long walk back to he car.

We drive in convoy back to Petham, then to Bridge and to Barham, turning off at the pub and along the long lane, only to find the parking space full with three cars.

Not seen this in fifteen years coming here.

So we park on the hard standing, then walk back along the lane to the track leading to the wood.

Our primary target here was a white Lady, but the consolation of bird's-nests.

Six weeks ago I had seen maybe two hundred rosettes of Lady. And if you look they're still there, hidden by Dog's mercury. And the 10% flowering spikes of two weeks ago was now down to a handful, probably munched by deers. It was a real search to find spikes, though I guess there was twenty to thirty.

Jon and her friends were happy with seeing Herb paris, and the wood has two large colonies. Then to hunt for the Bird's-nests.

I find some. And then some more. And more. And more and more.

Some fifty eight spikes, with more to emerge. It was incredible to see so many, more than I have ever seen at a site before, and my friends were as thrilled to see them as I was.

But time had run out. I needed to get home, so we bid each other farewell, they to go on to Yockletts, and me back to Dover.

No drama on the way back, for a change. And once back it was time for lunch.

It was simple and summer-like Caprese with the rest of the crusty bread form the previous day.

It was all done in fifteen minutes, so we sat down, me with a glass of Italian primitivo.

Cheers.

And very good it was too, doubly so as we had pistachio Magnums again for dessert.

Cats were tested, jabbed and fed. I did poorly in the music quiz.

And that was that.

In the evening, Villa ran rings round Liverpool, running out 4-2 winners. It should have been ten.

And that was that.

Thursday 14th May 2026

Fourth day of the week, and it being Thursday means up and attem at ten past five so we could leave for the gym at ten to six. Though we were a little behind.

We arrive, find a place to park, and rush to the entrance, as although it is the middle of May, temperatures at night plunge and there are air frosts.

I struggle to do my forty minutes, though once over halfway its easy, downhill from there.

Once done we head to Tesco for supplies.

It was a big shop, and end up spending one hundred and sixty quid, which came as a shock. And yet there were no really expensive items.

Back home for twenty to eight. We pack the shopping away, make brews and breakfast.

Main issue of the day was a railtour going through the county, and because of an appointment at two, there would be a small window in which to snap the tour, and as the last time I looked, it was ten minutes down, so I made the decision to bail on that.

I spend the morning by cooking two pots of stuff for freezing. First up was a huge pot of ragu, which I start at nine, and soon is bubbling away, reducing down, so I could go about making a smaller pot of Boston beans.

That was put in the oven to cook for four hours, so was just ready when we had to leave for the city.

The morning flashes by, and soon it was midday, and time to go to Canterbury, for our two o'clock appointment at the cathedral.

We arrive at the car park opposite St Augustine's Abbey with half an hour to spare, then walk to the Buttercross and the Christchurch Gate. We pay our entrance fee, and enter the Cathedral Precinct, enter the Cathedral for a few minutes before leaving and waiting at the shop for the tour to start.

We had booked on a tour of the Cathedral's library, and I was expecting a Mediaeval chain library, where tomes written with quills on vellum would be secured to shelves by chains.

But little did I know that thanks to Good King Henry, the ancient and Catholic, books had been mostly disposed of, and the library now was a bequest from two benefactors, the Howley-Harrison donations.

As we were taken round, the history of the cathedral and its books was shared, and how the collection we see now are mostly two private collections.

That being said, it was interesting, and brought to life by our guide and librarian, who told us of the stages of the collection's history, and its disposal thanks to Henry VIII.

Several interesting books were on display for us, and their interesting history, and why each was significant.

I took lots of pictures you'll be glad to know.

We were done at quarter past three, well past lunch and well past opening time. We fix both issues by entering The Old Buttermarket pub, ordering two drinks and packs of pork scratchings.

All that was left was to walk back through the city centre, over the inner ringroad back to the car. Pay the charge, and leave, back along Old Dover Road to the A2 and home.

I portion out the ragu into dishes for freezing, then warm three ladle-fulls for dinner, along with boiling water for pasta.

In half an hour it was done. Seeded bread sliced and buttered, so by half four we sat down to eat, making sure we had fed the cats before, so we would not be interrupted.

And that was that.

We had pistachio Magnums as a dessert, which went down pretty well.

There was football int he evening, but I was shattered, so bailed at half time, so missed the only goal of the game as Bolton beat Bradford.