Wednesday 15 March 2017

May losing her marbles?

The fact that Greece has called for the return of the Elgin Marbles, stolen from them by Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, in the early 19th century, affords the British prime minister a wonderful opportunity (Calls for Marbles` return to help bolster Europen unity, 14/03 17). Not only would their return act as a "symbolic act in the fight against the dissolution of Europe", and be a conciliatory gesture at the start of extremely difficult Brexit negotiations, it would illustrate how May`s speech in Downing Street last July was not simply rhetoric and political posturing. She promised then, amongst many other things based on fairness, to act against all "burning injustice".

       Unable, apparently, to persuade her cabinet to support help for the "just about managing" in two budgets, or to introduce legislation to get workers` representatives on all large companies` boards, or even to support an enquiry into a very obvious "injustice" at Orgreave during the miners` strike, May`s return of the Marbles would show, at least, that she understands the value of diplomacy, and that she is not all talk. Sadly, I`m not holding my breath!

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