No EU deception by Heath

It may be of little use to convince Eurosceptics, but there is more evidence that Edward Heath was unapologetic in promoting the (then) European Community as more than a mere common market. From the entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography:

For his maiden speech on 26 June 1950 Heath chose a European theme that flowed directly from his own experience before, during, and immediately after the war. He remained loyal to the theme of a united Europe for the rest of his life. In 1950 the Labour government decided not to take an active part in the Schuman plan, which led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. Heath criticized this caution as a lost opportunity. Although he was at all times ready to argue the case for Europe on economic grounds, he never concealed either in this speech or later his own personal conviction that the essence of the case was political. In his memoirs he wrote that 'the raison d'etre of the European Union is political, to integrate Germany into Europe, using its powerful geopolitical position for the benefit of our continent as a whole' (Heath, 144). Nearly fifty years earlier his maiden speech foreshadowed this emphasis.

He was convinced that the nation-state was dead, as he said forcefully to Ken Clarke. The latter recollected this in Radio 4's Archive program which celebrated Edward Heath's centenary today.

Railfuture

Yesterday evening's meeting was not so dominated by Brexit as I expected, though some unexpected benefits of EU funding were revealed. Rather, the disregard for rail users by some sections of train operating companies dominated discussion. In particular, concern was expressed about the lack of information given out to passengers, especially on interruptions to service. The imminent closure of the Severn Tunnel for a scheduled six weeks' work on electrification this autumn is a particular worry.

It's what Wales voted for, part 7

Peter Black writes:

"UKIP nominated Gareth Bennett, the AM who during the Assembly elections suggested that the litter problem in Cardiff was caused by Eastern European immigrants, to be a member of the committee which promotes equal opportunities.

"As one of my erstwhile colleagues said, they are doing it on purpose [...] Mr. Bennett's membership of that committee undermines its function and purpose and impacts on the Assembly's reputation amongst those it is meant to champion."

Future of rail in Wales

I am off to the quarterly Railfuture Cymru meeting this evening. While Railfuture is agnostic about Brexit, I imagine much of the discussion will be about the implications for investment in railway development in Wales.

Speedo and Sparky

In the end, it was not to be. Portugal timed their run to the final better than Wales. There were a lot of tired legs and tired minds out there and there really was not a two-goal difference in the quality of the teams. Win or lose tonight, though, Wales performed magnificently in making it through to the semis in Euro 2016. Moreover, though this squad has been described as a golden generation, there are indications that there are young talents ready to take their place.

Much has been made quite rightly of Gary Speed's setting that generation on its way. Although his, and that of his assistants, style of play was different from that of Chris Coleman, if he had lived he would surely have seen his boys succeed equally in Euro 2016. Tribute has also been paid to the bravery of Chris Coleman in picking up the mantle of his long-time friend and to mould his team to a different style without losing their esprit de corps. It will be a debate lasting long into the future whether the greatest Welsh manager was Speed or Coleman.

I would like to put in a word for Mark Hughes' contribution. Although his tenure had a dying fall in lack-lustre performances overshadowed by rumours about his leaving the Wales job for a more lucrative managership in the Premier League, he had in my opinion at the start of his managership changed the Welsh from a collection of individuals to a team with a purpose, something that John Toshack (briefly) and Speed and Coleman were able to build on. Also, one of his last acts as an international manager was the emotional gesture of putting on as substitute for the last two minutes of a match against Germany a man whose club and international career had been broken by a road accident, whose recovery had come too slowly to resurrect those careers in any meaningful way. That man was Chris Coleman. It was surely significant in the building of a team that is together, stronger.

Swifts

This is the RSPB's call for help for what used to be one of the iconic birds of high summer. The charity identifies lack of nest-sites in England and Wales as one of the reasons for the decline. I doubt that this is a major factor round here. There have been few changes in the built environment in Skewen and Neath Abbey, yet the number of swifts has dropped markedly. Indeed, I have seen or heard none so far this year, and cannot remember any in 2015 either. Borough-wide, the council's planners have been doing their bit in requiring swift facilities in developments where appropriate.

But if you have been luckier, please let the RSPB know.

Standing up for the ordinary spiv

Nigel Farage's Brexit victory speech rings hollow. The privately-educated son of a stockbroker did not feel sufficiently connected to the ordinary people, the decent people, to take up manual labour or menial employment in a worthy profession. Instead, he went into commodities trading (or speculating with other people's money, as some might see it).

The true winners from Brexit will be the financial operators who will no longer be subject to regulation from the EU.

Farage's xenophobia may be real as Alix Mortimer fears, or it may simply have been a cynical pitch to the racist element in our society in order to boost the Leave.EU vote. After all, neither of his two wives were English-born. The test will be if he accepts an arrangement with Brussels which permits free movement but excludes any outside regulation of the UK's financial institutions. If he is true to his rhetoric, nothing but a clean break with the EU would be good enough for him and for UKIP.

[Later: I seem to have my answer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36702468 - but of course Farage has resigned and unresigned once before.]

Good Energy founder says Britain must not backslide on environmental commitments

Juliet Davenport details her reactions to the Brexit decision and sums up:

"Without Europe to challenge and cajole, there is a huge risk that the UK will backslide on its environmental commitments and ambitions. We must not let that happen."