1 April 2015

The End

You may have noticed something of a hiatus on this blog. I think I owe it to you all to explain myself, to account for my silence. It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that this is the final post you will ever read here on Lallands Peat Worrier.  The referendum moved me in ways I had never expected. As the Yes campaign tugged and tore independence into the mainstream of Scottish political opinion, I found my own emotional and intellectual ties to the independence movement and the idea attenuating, weakening. In my heart, despite the family and the history, the arguments and the reasons, I found that I cherished our sometimes lopsided, sometimes imperfect union. 

I remembered the balmy Oxfordshire sunshine. The twinkling eyes of a generous pensioner in York. The words of Shakespeare, and of Tennyson. In the silence of the ballot box, communing with my most inward, secret thoughts, I at first tremblingly, then proudly scored my cross in the "No" box on the 18th of September. I can only apologise for maintaining the hypocrisy in the days and weeks that followed. I have failed you, and failed the country I love also. It is time to efface that dishonour and finally to speak up for what the Prime Minister has rightly described as our family of nations, and our noble traditions of parliamentary democracy.

After some necessarily private talks and negotiation, I have been approached by Ruth Davidson to provide advice to her parliamentary colleagues on justice, law, rights and I have been honoured to accept. This appointment is obviously incompatible with my continued contribution to the public debate here. 

So farewell, my friends, farewell.

*ahem* For those of you who have launched hysterical phonecalls, remonstrating emails, appalled comments of your worst political suspicions confirmed ...  



18 comments :

  1. I check you almost daily. An online voice I had come to rely on and look forward to, for erudition, wit and humanity. You will be sorely missed, and not by myself alone I am sure.

    The only discordant note I ever found was your recent legal piece that questioned the right to self-determination, that indeed I found somewhat "tiré par les cheveux". A small premonition.

    I am sad you should feel that Shakespeare, Tennyson or the English countryside can be arguments for anything less than a fully independent Scottish nation taking her rightful place among her neighbours as of old, and as a modern unique respected voice in Europe, along with so many peers that have made history together. I just don't see it. The glories of the real England will still be there.

    But I respect your choice, and if it had to be a Tory, I suppose better have Davidson who at least conducts herself with some integrity.

    I just hope this is not the end of your spiritual and intellectual journey. To me it seems you are entering a cup-de-sac.
    Best wishes,
    Lawrence

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  2. Hmm. A little on the nose, I'd say, though it's certainly audacious enough to be protected by Poe's law. As 1st of April revelations go, good effort! 5/10

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  3. Peat Worrier... addendum. In a piece as important to you as this valedictory message, you should bin any reference to the Prime Minister, if by PM you mean this one. He has not one worthy thought or sentiment in his body. A nasty piece of public school work, dedicated to serving the interests of the 1% who are tearing apart in their untrammelled greed the country you sing of. Why do you degrade this post with any mention of such a man?

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  4. oh, oh...................... :-(

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  5. Are you still accepting donations?

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  6. Ha HA... Munguin knows the date.

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  7. Snigger...BUT, the funniest thing about this post was that so many of your avid readers were quite prepared to accept that you'd suddenly gone totally politically mental on April 1st.

    I would feel quite insulted myself, but maybe we're all becoming a bit dazed by all the birling of positions of all and sundry in current Scottish politics, and are begining to accept that what somebody said yesterday might not necessarily be what they will say today. It's all very sad.

    But, well done. You caught a few in your wee Huntigowk.

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  8. Is Tomkins holding you hostage?
    Knock twice for yes.

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  9. Very good [off to pick my tin of Waitrose spaghetti off the tree] - you win April First prise - a copy of Eck's memoir of how he repelled all enemies at Toad Hall only to be let down by a nation of mustellids. You lucky thing, second prize is of course two copies. . .

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  10. That's not even original, never mind funny. And didn't you do the same last year?

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  11. Really?

    No, not really.

    You are a fine commentator. Keep up the good work.

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  12. "Yes. I remember Peat Worrier

    That name;- Gordon effing Broon

    and hate, my Google threw up there

    Unwontedly. There was a full moon


    I was pissed. I cleared my browser

    No one left and no one came

    On the bare website. What I saw

    Was Lallands Peat Worrier the name


    And claret, bitter-beer, and grass,

    And highland peat, and martini dry,

    No whit less still and lovely fare

    Than Dom Perignon and Shepherd's pie.


    And for that minute a pub bell rang

    Close by, and round him, Pisstier,

    Farther and farther, all the pleaders

    Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire"

    I've just paid off my mortgage. Hic.

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  13. Jeez, nearly gave me another heart attack. Couldn't quite believe what I was reading tho and glad you haven't deserted us

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