Chris Whiteside's Blog

English organist and composer Samuel Sebastian Wesley lived from August 14, 1810, (115 years after the death of Purcell) to April 19, 1876 (13 years before the publication of Elgar's first published piece.) This lovely anthem was pulished in 1853.

I had pre-planned this post before my decision yesterday that for the next fortnight I will be publishing a daily music spot from British-born composers writing between 1695 and 1889. (after some nitwit on X seriously annoyed me by suggesting that there was a dearth of significant British born composers between the death of Purcell and the rise of Elgar.) Thomas Tallis died 110 years before Henry Purcell, so this one doesn't count, and I shall publish a second Sunday Music post today which will.

Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party, has described the prospect of a coalition government with Reform UK as “monstrous”. Again ruling out the prospect of a deal between the two parties, she said any agreement would “put off” as many voters as it would attract. Badenoch: Tory deal with Reform would be ‘monstrous’

"Change all laws and treaties that thwart robust border control. Detain those arriving. Sign return agreements with nations amenable to them. All the rest: deport to Rwanda or other nations willing to do a deal." Matthew Syed in today's Sunday Times on how to stop the boats:-

Today someone suggested on X that there were few British native born composers of any significance between the death of Henry Purcell and the emergence of Elgar. I strongly disagree. Granted the most distinguished composer working in Britain in that era, Handel, was German born, but he moved to London to work in Britain - and he would never in a million years have done that if the place was a musical desert. And apart from Handel some of my other favourite composers were British born and working between the death of Purcell and the rise of Elgar. So for the next two weeks I shall be publishing a music spot every day and the vast majority will be pieces which flowed from the pens of native-born Brits who were composing between 1695 and 1889 (the publication date of Edward Elgar's first published work, "Salut d'Amour.") I will include works by Thomas Arne, William Boyce, Maurice Greene, both Samuel and Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and others. ...

I am not the most enormous fan of Elon Musk, and particularly not of his impact on social media, but there is one contribution he has made to social media which has worked far better than I had dared hope and has to be put down as a positive. No fact-checking system is perfect, but the overwhelming majority of community notes I have seen on X, whether I generally agree with the position of the tweet to which the note was appended or not, have been accurate, and even where I generally agree with the point being made the community notes which qualified that position were generally balanced, fair and reasonable. Which makes some research published this week on X by a Conservative poster who uses the handle "Vodka & Selena" all the more interesting. (Hereafter I shall refer to him as "V&S") HIs thread starts  HERE . Now I've told you up front his admitted bias, and there will be some people who don't like what he says who will see that as enough reason t...

"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." ( Abraham Lincoln )

"I need a hero" (the version sung by Jennifer Saunders in Shrek II) with video from Luke Skywalker's hallway scene from the climax of "The Mandalorian" season II   

"That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well."  ( Abraham Lincoln. )  

Alex Massie has a good piece in The Times today in response to those who would regulate the press. Here are some extracts. "Free speech is universal or it’s worth nothing Those who want to police the press appear to like the idea of freedom of expression for themselves but not for others." Alex Massie "Anyone wishing to catch the last of the summer vibes could do very much worse than keep an eye on Zack Polanski. Earlier this week the Green Party leader objected that “once again, parts of our media are failing at the most basic part of their job — reporting the truth”. In this instance, the failure was to link wildfires in Britain with climate change at every opportunity. Last Saturday, on the other hand, Polanski was busy condemning Andy Burnham’s “spineless response” to the Jason Arday affair on the grounds that the prime minister fails to appreciate this is an opportunity “to tackle the press”. Notwithstanding the tragedy of the Arday story — for such it is, despite i...

"When the people slagging off the media for doing their job include Zack Polanski, Jolyon Maugham, Zara Sultana, Jeremy Corbyn, Hacked Off, Labour MPs who want Leveson 2, That Islamist with his lists of erring hacks, Zia Yusuf and Nigel Farage  - and those slagged off include the Times, the Telegraph, the Mail and the Guardian -  it is possible to conclude that the media is indeed doing its job properly." Tim Shipman  on X today  ( Tim Shipman on X: "When the people slagging off the media for doing their job include Zack Polanski, Jolyon Maugham, Zara Sultana, Jeremy Corbyn, Hacked Off, Labour MPs who want Leveson 2, That Islamist with his lists of erring hacks, Zia Yusuf and Nigel Farage - and those slagged off include the" / X )

“Sogno di Volare” ("The Dream of Flight") Composed by Christopher Tin Lyrics by Leonardo da Vinci, adapted by Chiara Cortez Theme from the game "Civilisation VI

As per my article yesterday: many years ago I heard a speech by Councillor Eric Pickles, then the leader of Bradford Council, later the Rt Hon Eric Pickles, MP for Brentwood and Ongar and holder of various government offices including Conservative Chiarman. He had been asked to talk about the press, and his speech included this line: "If the press is drinking in the last-chance saloon, a wise government will think long and hard before calling time."

The award winning theme from the computer strategy game "Civilisation IV" - for anyone not already aware of this, the lyrics are the words of the Lord's Prayer in Swahili

I would be the first to agree that Britain's newspapers and broadcasters often get it wrong and have a great deal to answer for. However, the last people on earth who can be trusted with authority to address this are politicians or political activists with a grievance about how a cause dear to their heart has been reported. Periodically misbehaviour by the press this leads to calls for tougher regulation, and this reached its' peak after the phone hacking scandal with the Leveson inquiry. The latest political group to call for government regulation of the media are the Green Party, whose leader Zack Polanski called this week for the government to "sort out" the press. The Greens have circulated a petition calling for all newspapers to be forced to join a government-approved regulator. This is an extremely bad idea. Would you trust a government-controlled press to have broken the story of the post office horizon computer failure which resulted in hundreds of innocent s...

 

 

 

"It has been widely pointed out that the joke candidate in Clacton got more votes than any other joke candidate in British electoral history - twenty-two thousand." (From X this morning)

From the Times (editorial yesterday) "Ms Widdecombe was held in high regard by many who vehemently disliked her social conservatism. That was because the same devout Christianity that underpinned her ethical absolutism taught her to treat adversaries as well as allies with equal respect, good manners, dignity and ­often, touching personal kindness."

"Ghost Joggers in the Sky" was featured on the 1983 comedy album Russ Abbot's Madhouse tied to his popular television series, Obviously the song is a humorous fitness-craze parody of the classic country and western song " Ghost Riders in the Sky ". While Abbot hosted the show and performed many of the tracks on the accompanying LP under various character pseudonyms (such as Vince Prince or Julio Doubleglazius), "Ghost Joggers in the Sky" was credited directly to "Joggers Inc." within the album's track listing.

"Congratulations to everyone getting their results today 🎉 If you’re heading to university, this should be an exciting time. You should be optimistic about your future, not worrying about student loan repayments following you for decades. Conservatives want young people who work hard for a better life to keep more of what they earn. That’s why we’re starting by scrapping the unfair interest on Plan 2 student loans 👇 Kemi Badenoch describes Conservative proposals on Student Loans / X Kemi Badenoch Leader of the Conservative party

“Equality of rights does not mean equality of results. I can have all the equal treatment in the world on a golf course and I will not finish within shouting distance of Tiger Woods.” — Thomas Sowell

Of course I seriously considered posting "Total Eclipse" with the late great Bonnie Tyler as my midweek music spot for this evening: but that would be far too obvious and it was only a partial eclipse anyway. So here instead is Fran Jeffries' fantastic performance from the first Pink Panther film of "It had better be tonight" (or Meglio Stasera.) What is particularly spellbinding about this performance is the way in which, while singing the actual superbly and bringing it to life, while dancing in a way which grabs the attention of everyone in the room, Fran manages to interact with so many of them individually, from the film's nominal central character, the jewel thief played by the suave and sophisticated David Niven, to Peter Sellers as the bumbling police inspector who steals the show with his ridiculous antics.    A great performance from a truly classic film.

"It is so easy to be wrong - and to persis in being wrong - when the costs of being wrong are paid by others." Thomas Sowell.

A once in a generation opportunity to watch a solar eclipse in the UK takes place tomorrow (Wednesday 12th August 2026 If watching,  DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WITHOUT EYE PROTECTION SUCH AS CERTIFIED ECLIPSE GLASSES! Across the UK, the Moon will cover roughly 90% to 95% of the Sun in the late afternoon and early evening. The event begins around 6:08 PM to 6:18 PM BST and ends near 8:00 PM to 8:10 PM BST, varying slightly depending where exactly in the UK you are. Regional Eclipse Timings (British Summer Time) Edinburgh & Glasgow: Begins at 6:08 PM; maximum coverage (approx. 91%) at 7:05 PM; ends at 8:00 PM. Manchester & Liverpool: Begins at 6:13 PM; maximum coverage (approx. 91-92%) at 7:10 PM; ends at 8:03 PM. Birmingham: Begins at 6:15 PM; maximum coverage (approx. 92%) at 7:11 PM; ends at 8:04 PM. London, Bristol & Cardiff: Begins at 6:16–6:17 PM; maximum coverage (approx. 91-93%) at 7:12–7:13 PM; ends at 8:06–8:07 PM. Truro, Cornwall: Begins at 6:18 PM; maxim...

  "Economic policies need to be analyzed in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the hopes that inspired them."" Thomas Sowell

Out delivering Mayoral surveys in Millom this morning and early afternoon. Friends of mine were out today campaigning in places from Carlisle to Selby and throughout the country. And for everyone who's just finished pounding the streets, here's something to relax to: Bach's "Gloria in Excelsis Deo."

Kemi Badenoch : "Simon Levy’s victims paid the price for a system that failed to impose consequences. No more women should have to pay that price. Law and order are the first duty of government. The Conservative Party is ready to enforce them again. Read more in my piece in the Daily Mail👇" Failure after failure left Simon Levy free to prey on women at will. This madness MUST stop, writes Tory leader KEMI BADENOCH | Daily Mail Online

I know I have already used this a few times this year, but there are few better ways to relax on a hot summer evening than to listen to a piece of music like Binge's Elizabethan serenade while looking at beautiful pictures which seem to have the heat pouring off them.

I bet they didn't sing the anti-Jacobite verse, (the one with the ending which might give reasonable offence to Scottish people) though!  

 “I prefer true but imperfect knowledge, even if it leaves much undetermined and unpredictable, to a pretense of exact knowledge that is likely to be false.” — Friedrich Hayek

 92% of reported crimes go unsolved. That must change. Crime must have consequences.

Not very often that I agree with former UKIP leader Henry Bolton, but his reply yesterday to Richard Tice in respect of Reform UK's utterly unworkable "Operation Fortress" plan is dead on. He wrote: " Richard (@TiceRichard) I’ve explained to you in the past, very clearly, why this is particular approach is unworkable.  My fear is not that you’d try to do this, should you ever have the opportunity, it’s that the last thing the nation wants or needs are yet more promises that will not survive contact with legal, operational or practical reality. This may be a catchy headline that you deploy to distract from other issues, but it will fail as a policy, and fail badly. " ( Henry Bolton OBE 🇬🇧 on X: "Richard @TiceRichard I’ve explained to you in the past, very clearly, why this is particular approach is unworkable. My fear is not that you’d try to do this, should you ever have the opportunity, it’s that the last thing the nation wants or needs are yet more prom...

Reform UK's latest "Ladybird guide to politics" announcement is to say they will send the navy to ensure no passengers in small boats crossing the channel make it to Britain. They call this "Operation Fortress." Exactly which ships they are going to use to do this and what orders they will be given is not spelled out. Ex para Andrew Fox has given an explanation on X of why this isn't a serious practical policy. His tweet reads as follows. "Someone has to do it, so I will. This policy is holed below the waterline before it begins. Zia Yusuf wants Britain’s warships to push migrant boats back to France. There are only three small problems: the law, the French and the Royal Navy. Operation Fortress will be “the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two”. Nigel Farage will grandiosely order “his Majesty’s Royal Navy” to intercept every unauthorised vessel crossing the Channel and return its occupants to France. No one arriving il...

Rod Liddle, the outspoken and irrepressable newspaper columnist and former broadcaster has died aged 66 after a short illness. Liddle's children paid tribute to their father, who they described as their guide "on how to live an extraordinary life", while Rebekah Brooks, the Chief Executive CEO of News UK, called him "an inimitable journalistic force." Brooks added that "he challenged conventional thinking and left an indelible mark on British journalism." Liddle first made his mark as editor of BBC Radio 4's flagship "Today" programme, but after leaving the programme he wrote for various publications including the Sunday Times and the Sun. He also had a weekly column in the Spectator, as well as a show on Times Radio. Rod Liddle died at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough on Sunday evening. His children, Wilder, Tyler and Emmy, said: "We're all very saddened and shocked at the sudden passing of our wonderful fathe...

"This isn’t pacifism. It's someone who wanted to be Home Secretary repeating the Kremlin's and Beijing's propaganda. She’s wrong and she’s a throwback to the 70s, siding with tyrants who murdered millions. Starmer fought the cranks in Labour. Burnham's welcoming them back." Tom Tugendhat MP (Conservative) on the so-called "Peace conference" at which Diane Abbott referred to Putin's invasion of Ukraine as 'NATO's campaign against Russia. ( Tom Tugendhat on X: "This isn’t pacifism. It's someone who wanted to be Home Secretary repeating the Kremlin's and Beijing's propaganda. She’s wrong and she’s a throwback to the 70s, siding with tyrants who murdered millions. Starmer fought the cranks in Labour. Burnham's welcoming them back." / X )

Nick Cohen has a powerful piece on substack, "Why Westerners hate the West" inspired by the decision to re-admit Diane Abbot to the parliamentary Labour party. He notes some of the extraordinary things she has said about international affairs. As someone who used to be on the far left himself, he explains the mindset of those who hate the West so much that they will defend almost any action, no matter how evil, from those who are the West's enemies. Cohen also notes that a surprising proportion of people on the far right of politics in various countries - he gives Trump and the MAGA Republicans in the USA and Orban in Hungary as examples but also criticises the stance taken by some Reform K members in this country - are dangerously soft on some of our country's enemies, particularly Putin. (For anyone not familiar with the expression "The horseshoe" in politics, it's the suggestion the left-to-right axis o politics bends round like a horseshoe so that so...