In 2017, peacocking about on the world stage will not be enough

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In 2016, while the proud peacocks Donald Trump and Nigel Farage puffed up their chests and strutted noisily, Jeremy Corbyn compared Theresa May to a “Tudor monarch”. In the cold light of 2017, merely fanning one’s gaudy tail feathers and tweeting loudly will not be enough in the face of unpredictable events and war, which will call for calm authority, not showmanship.

Instability in Russia, or even the ouster of an overreaching Putin in a Soviet-style coup, could shoot the Trump-Farage alliance to pieces, singed, stuffed, spit-roasted and garnished with their own gaudy plumage. In that event, Britain’s new Elizabeth I in Downing Street should sharpen her carving knife and prepare to feast on rich pickings. After all, Henry VIII and his daughter were rather fond of devouring peacocks.

Anthony Rodriguez
​Staines Upon Thames

Approaching my mid seventies, I have an increasingly detached view of what will happen in the coming year, far less what will emerge from the Brexit process at the end of the decade. I think we were nuts to be taken in by snake-oil salesmen like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, but it’s the next generation which will have to cope with the messy fall-out, not me.

On the other side of the pond, any concern my college friends have with the approach of The Donald is lessened by the departure of the feckless Obama and the unspeakable Clintons. In Scotland, I have no doubt education, health and police will remain a shambles or that devolved taxation is a poisoned chalice but as hope fades, at least curiosity remains.

Rev Dr John Cameron
St Andrews

Stand up for a free press

Recently I opposed a Berwick Town Council motion calling for a ban on extremist marches. I did this not because I have any sympathy for the views expressed by the Scottish Defence League, or other similar group, but precisely because I do not. In the words of Noam Chomsky: “If we do not believe in freedom of speech for those whose views we despise then we do not believe in it at all.”

The inherent evil of totalitarian regimes, whether of the far left or far right, is the overwhelming power of the state and the complete suppression of individual freedoms, leading to the persecution and removal of those who are believed to be an “enemy of the state”. Genocide is justified on the basis of perceived, over-riding supremacy of state and ideology.

There will be those who, with some justification, feel that living in Britain we do not have to worry about all this – but it is vital that, like every generation before us, we continue to fight to protect individual freedoms against an overbearing state. That is why I urge Independent readers to oppose the serious threat to the freedom of the press posed by Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act.

A free press is the cornerstone of a free, democratic country. A free press, in a free country, investigates wrongdoing and reports on matters of public interest and those which protect the rights of its readers. If a local council or other public body is wasting your money, you want to hear about it. Where there is corruption or other criminal activity by those in authority, this deserves to be exposed. Our free press exposed the MP expenses scandal, the companies who rip off the public, the care homes who neglect their patients and corruption within Fifa.

All this is under threat by the Conservative Government’s plans to implement Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act and force newspapers to join Impress (a new press regulator funded by Max Mosley, of all people) or incur all the costs, of both sides, in a libel case even if the newspaper can demonstrate that what was reported was accurate and in the public interest. The result of which will mean that newspapers will face crippling legal costs and be deterred from reporting matters of legitimate public interest. The rich, the powerful and spoilt celebrities will, therefore, be able to threaten newspapers into not printing stories about them.

Cllr Georgina Hill
Berwick-upon-Tweed

Proceed with caution

Cornwell writes: “In any case, Donald Trump is riding to the rescue. Having nominated the most pro-settlement US ambassador to Israel in generations, the next president looks set to pursue policies that will delight Netanyahu and the far-right factions on whom he relies to stay in power.” While not disagreeing with his overall sentiment, Israeli settlements began between 1967 and 1972, a little less than 50 years ago. A generation is probably a bit over 25 years. So, just two generations? A little less hyperbole would have been welcome on such a sobering subject.

Chris King
Address withheld

Gin-credible

The article by Zoe Strimpel mentioned that “LA’s giant gin bar, The Flintridge Proper, offers 200 bottles of gin”. This is quite impressive, but surely she should have mentioned somewhere closer to home? The Feathers in Woodstock, Oxfordshire that has more than 400 bottles.

Theo Dunnet
Oxford

Paternity rights

The Scottish baby boxes are for babies and are given to parents, in the plural – meaning fathers too, the overwhelming majority of which are present when the boxes are given to the growing family. Your story suggests the boxes are for, and given to, mothers only. Perhaps now it is 2017 you should update your world view to match the reality of 21st century parenting?

Duncan Fisher OBE
Crickhowell

New year’s dishonours

Congratulations to Andy Murray on becoming a Most Noble Order of the Garter. My mind is cast back to 2006 when Murray famously said of the England national football team that he would “support whoever England were playing against”. But I’m sure the sportsman, who insists on his nationality being classed as Scottish rather than British, didn’t really mean it – as he went on to say three years later. I also note that many of the newspapers list “becoming a father for the first time” as one of Murray's achievements this year. I too became a father for the first time this year, and so my suit is currently at the dry cleaners as I eagerly await the call from Buckingham Palace. Maybe if I give up my career involving important medical research, and concentrate instead on hitting a small green ball over a net, I might stand a chance next year.

Adam Stone
Address withheld

Happy New Year it is to Andy Murray and Jessica Ennis-Hill, but some of us choke on the absurdity of them getting honours. Just two years ago in September 2014, Murray was asked how he would vote in the Scottish independence referendum, he replied that he would vote for a breakaway from the British state. And as for Britain’s sweetheart, this is a woman who asked for her name to be taken from the stand at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane if they rehired their star forward Ched Evans, who was found to be an innocent man.

Dai Woosnam
Grimsby