"At least we've got a nice day for it..!"

Percy’s Ramblings

I wonder, dear reader, if you have heard the story of a garden party, where a group of people got together after a busy day working in a bubble, finding a little time to unwind.

During the hours prior to relaxing, it would have been a day of important decision making, especially as, when the picture was taken, the Covid 19 virus had taken control of the land, with, no doubt, most of their time spent looking at ways of fighting the pandemic.

One thing is very certain, these workers would have known about safe distances between people, and the picture of the event clearly shows that was taking place.

This illustration was taken twenty-one months previously. If it was so important, why was it not shown then? The answer to that is simple – it was kept so as to be used as part of a rebellion to bring down the Government, or at the least the Prime Minister himself.

And to add to Boris Johnson’s woes, they, the people organising this plot, think that the boss popping in to a ‘get together’ for a quick snifter is nothing but criminal. It is yet another old event being used now to pile on the agony, as if it was important. Nothing more than a political assault.

Let us try and put this into perspective – we are talking 10 Downing Street, the decision making hub of the United Kingdom, so, because of the Covid virus spreading rapidly, were they supposed to shut up shop and go home, and let the country come to its own conclusions about the problem, with no leadership?

What we are seeing is trial by media, with social media piling on the agony by those who are opposed to the government. Mob action shouting the loudest, and as a ‘lie’ travels far faster than the ‘truth’,  the populace is enjoying an exciting story where the honesty of it does not matter, and is not considered. In real terms it is just the baying of the hounds for a head, and never mind where it will lead.

Mr Loophole and perceived justice

In the news this week we saw the result of a non-court case involving ‘Mr Loophole’ – he is an expensive solicitor used by ‘A’ listers to find a reason why they should not be punished for breaking the law.  A few years ago he managed to get a speeding charge against David Beckham removed.

This week he came to the aid of Frank Lampard who avoided prosecution despite being caught by video, driving his Mercedes with a phone in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. To my mind how can he possibly have control of a vehicle, while two hands are occupied holding the items as described above?

Lampard denied the charge of  using a handheld mobile phone/device while driving a motor vehicle on a road, and after hiring ‘Mr Loophole’, the case was suddenly dropped before a court hearing, as it was decided that the prospect of a conviction was too low, due to the  inability to prove he was on the phone for interactive communications ……. so what about the coffee cup?

To my mind, and as I have written before, the attitude and the understanding of the law by the Prosecution Service is inadequate. Perhaps they should take a lead from the Australian people, who deem that a well-known ace tennis player broke the rules of entry to their country. They told him to get on his bike and go home, albeit that in this instance it was an aeroplane.

While the jurors in a trial, helped by a judge, puzzle the right’s and the wrongs of a case, the perpetrators are obviously guilty. However, the three elderly people involved have been found not guilty for delaying a train on the docklands light railway.  Philip Kingston, 85, Reverend Sue Parfitt, 79, and Martin Newell, 54, climbed on the roof of the Docklands Light Railway train at Shadwell station in East London, delaying the movement of trains for over an hour.

MPs blasted the decision by a jury as ‘outrageous’ as they unanimously cleared the three Extinction Rebellion activists of obstructing the railway – after a judge quoted their right to protest under the European Convention of Human Rights.

Following other cases where people have admitted an offence, only for the jury to find them not guilty, and while I puzzle over what is happening to law and order, I cannot help wondering how an 84 and a 79 year old managed to actually climb onto the roof of a railway carriage.

While leniency is being dished out by the courts, trial by the media is being used to find the Prime Minister guilty as people call for his downfall – what would have been, in the old days, the ‘ducking stool’.

Prince Andrew, what a sad affair – but again it is something that happened many years ago at a time when Hugh Hefner, with the help of many others, developed the ‘Playboy Clubs.’  In the clubs, one could be served by a shapely lady wearing ‘not a great deal’. Some were even topless, but all with bunny ears and a tail.

Times have moved on and attitudes have changed and that is how it should be – but shouldn’t history also be left where it is, and not constantly scrutinised to find items now illustrating that present day thinking considers it to have been wrong.  It is not possible to change yesteryear, so is it right to punish somebody today for an action that was acceptable at that time?

In the meantime, the circus condemning the man, Prince Andrew, is no better than a kangaroo court with people baying for his demise. My understanding of law is, innocent until proven guilty.

Finally – the facemask is very useful in bed if your partner has been eating garlic.  Take care.

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