Reflections on Brexit and the unsolved murder of Ann Haldane on a visit to London by train

At the age of eighty, travelling has become a challenge, but a return first class train day journey from Newcastle to London was booked in the fourth week of October to mark finding that the murder of a former friend, Ann Haldane, stabbed to death in a Soho Street on Tuesday October 22^nd 1963 has remained unsolved despite an estimated seventy people surrounding her body as she died, and a dozen of these, according to the Inquest papers held at the London Metropolitan Archives, being able to give a description of the killer and the direction in which he walked away. 

As the day of the visit approached, Thursday October 24^th,  I considered visiting the House of Commons for what was to have been an historic day when the legislation required before entering into a treaty with 27 other European sovereign nations to leave the European political and economic community of 28 nations would receive its third reading before consideration in the House of Lords over the weekend, a one hour report stage before being given its Royal assent in time for the British to have signed the Treaty before 1^st of November. In the event the time table for considering the legislation was rejected and my visit to the crime scene was brief because of heavy rain. I went to an impressive Disney film again, in 3D, had a  half pint of lager at the Parcel’s Yard at Kings Cross Station before watching the proceedings in House of Commons  in the first class lounge at the station and after an enjoyable meal on the homeward journey witnessed a potentially serious physical confrontation between two men and their partners on Metro train journey back to South Shields finding later that  was but one of several recent acts of violence on this part of the Tyneside and Wearside Metro train system according to reports in the Shields Gazette and the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 

Although I enjoyed many aspects of the journey and visit, I was left with the feeling of failure and inadequacy which has affected much of my life over the past three decades. The impotence of being unable to influence events for the better.

Since writing these words the people in the British Home nations know that the most important general election since that in 1945 will take place on December 12^th  and I need to finish or interrupt a number of activities so that I can devote the greater part of each day to help the Labour Party which I first joined in Wallington in 1960 to form the next government and where my friend Ann Haldane had joined the separate young socialists before me. 

On Saturday October 19^th , four days before my journey, the House of Commons voted by 322-306 to delay further consideration of the proposed legislation to implement the proposed Leave Treaty and new political declaration. The significant development then, and still, is that  the  Democratic Unionist Party supported the delay because of betrayal of the commitment given by Boris Johnson to their annual conference that he would not support either the existing proposed back stop insurance requirement, or a border along the Irish sea between Northern Ireland and the three mainland home nations. This commitment together with the promise to leave the community before November 1^st had been a factor in being elected Prime Minister by the Tory Party membership as the other candidate, former Health and Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, had been honest in admitting that given the composition of the House of Commons getting agreement which would satisfy the Commons before the latest  date agreed with the Community could not be guaranteed.

The usual procedure after such a vote has taken place is for the Leaders of the political parties to use a Point of Order to explain their position in the light of the decision. In this instance the Prime Minister remained defiant and determined, which did not surprise, but the action of the Leader of the House of Commons, the cultured, erudite and eccentric  Jacob Rees-Mogg, used the same procedure to announce the abandonment of business planned for Monday, which he had  announced on Thursday there would be further debates on the government programme, and instead there would another attempt the end the Parliament with a General Election on December 12^th.  In terms of the procedures of the Commons the Speaker resisted ruling the move disorderly as notice if the intention to change the programme had not been given.

The motion to delay giving approval in principle to the proposed Withdrawal agreement until the legislation had published, considered and passed, meant that the Prime Minister was required to seek a third extension  writing  a letter which had been set out under legislation which the House of Commons had successfully passed as  a private member backbench Act, and which the Prime Minister and leading members of the Cabinet describe as the Surrender Act.  His response reinforced the view of a juvenile mentality and unfitness for a public office, let alone that of Prime Minister. He sent the letter without his signature accompanied by a formal letter of explanation, and a third explaining his continuing opposition to delay and wish to Leave  before November 1^st.

Moreover, it quickly emerged that there would be a future programme motion would ensure that the legislation passed in the Commons by Thursday, then to the House of Lords, sitting  over the weekend if necessary  with an hour to consider any Lords’ amendments  on Monday followed by seeking Royal Assent.

On Sunday, October 20^th, Sir Kier Starmer, the Labour Party’s brilliant architect of its policy, strategy and tactics towards exiting the European, confirmed on the Andrew Marr Show,  the continuing consistent approach the Party has taken since agreed at its annual conference, and detailed the flaws in the proposed Treaty and withdrawal legislation. Although Leaving  with transitional arrangement which ruled out no deal appeared proposed, if  the future trade agreement with the Community is not agreed by June 2020, the government could then choose to leave without a deal, and the majority in the Commons subsequently rejected the oral  assurance that the Commons would be consulted before such a move was taken. The government were also pretending that there would be no  administrative border between Northern Ireland and the three homeland other nations, and the proposed simple majority required in the  future devolved Parliament changed the terms if the Good Friday agreement which effectively required both Unionist and Nationalist Parties to agree before any changes to legislation are agreed. This paved the way for the administrative border to become indefinite and a referendum for an all-Ireland Government likely as it does for a new referendum for full independence in Scotland which voted significantly in favour of remain and the Tory Government promised  that remaining part of Britain meant membership of the European Community was also confirmed.

For me, the most important point which Sir Keir made and one which I had not previously been sure he fully appreciated, is that the intention of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party, as it is of the United Kingdom Independence Party, other right wing Parties and movements, the core membership of European Research Group of the Tory Party, those engaged in Global Finance and business, to pursue low corporate taxation, limited or no trade union and general worker’s rights similar to that in the United States of North America, admirably exposed  by Simon Reeve in his present series of travels highlighting the level of homelessness in Los Angeles, the use of slave illegal migrant labour in the Californian valley, and polices which  help to put into question the future of the earth planet. This political difference is  more important than if we are part of  the political structure of the European Community. 

In 1962, I represented Ruskin College on a committee of the Oxford University Labour Party formed to oppose British entry into the Common Market  because it was evidently working to promote an uncontrolled and unplanned market economy for the already richest countries on the continent. The committee was short lived because General De Gaulle, President of France said Non. 

At the same time my study of history suggested that a united states of all Europe with a  European defence organisation was a long term necessity if military conflict within Europe was to be avoided. The need to avoid the kind of death and destruction Europe has experienced for centuries leading to the first and second would wars within three decades of the first half of the twentieth century has affected all of us with direct experience.

Having said this, the reason why I accept it is necessary that we leave the present political union,  hopefully for only a matter years  rather than decades, at the same time as developing and strengthening all other relationships, it because the British electorate was told without any ifs or buts, changes in political or economic circumstances,  the referendum decision would be respected and implemented.  Failure to leave the political aspects of the community, severely undermines British democracy  and fuels right wing extremism,  and the scapegoating of races, and any deviating from was is politically determined as the acceptable norm.

In the mid 1980’s after attending an international senior management course, it was evident from the factual information provided that the move towards a globalized economy and global trading alliances would accelerate and that the European  economic structure would need to be strengthened if we were to retain income and expenditure standards as  the trading economies in other parts of the world also strengthened.  I circulated  a paper on the issue, including to Michael Heseltine the Member for Henley on Thames where the management college I located, which  impressed him sufficiently to write a personal letter  saying he was circulating widely  in Whitehall.  I received a letter of interest from the Human Resources Director at the Department of Defence, which given my background I still find amusing.

The solution to the economic and political aspects of our future relationship with Europe is that worked out by Sir Keith and the Labour Party at his annual conference two years ago and which continues to be the position with the commitment to hold a confirmation referendum to leave the political union but not the economic union, together with the option to formally ask to Remain.

The successful alliance between the Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, together with members of other parties and those who have  become independents to prevent  leaving without a transitional period and an agreed in advance basis for future trading and other relationships, was always destined to break down, once the immediate threat of no deal was removed and this has been so.  It was also evident that the failure to Leave on March 31^st would impact on the European elections and on any General election held before leaving with or without a deal. However, I did not fear an early general election as long as there was no pact between the Tory, Brexit and UKIP parties to concentrate on winning Labour Party and Lib Dem held or likely to be won seats.

The Scottish Nationalist Party know that the resignation of Tory Leader in Scotland Ruth Davison coupled with a rogue politically creative maniac of a Prime Minister and his political guru Dominic Cummings, should result in the departure of every Scottish Tory Party Member and that in the event of  a minority Labour Government Jeremy Corbyn would not stand in the way of a second independence reference although it is in Labour’s interest for Scotland to remain in the Union, and for Labour to  gain seats from the Nationalists as well as the Conservatives. Labour needs to gain House of Commons seats in Scotland to establish and overall majority and a Labour Government remaining part of the Customs Unions Union should be able  to offer a new devolution deal which  could encourage the Scottish nationalists delaying  putting the issue to a new independence referendum. As with the DUP money talks and binds.

It is also evident that the inexperienced new leader of the Liberal Democrats is an opportunist who still hopes to build on the summer success of appealing to the undemocratic Remainers, especially once it was evident that majority of the Remainers, and anti-Corbyn and John McDonnell  members of the Parliamentary Labour Party were not  going to attempt to form a centrist new party.  Once 19 members of the Parliamentary Labour Party voted for the second reading of the Withdrawal Bill, the Liberal Dems and Scottish Nationalists had no choice but to go for a general election and once this was signalled, it forced Boris to stop bluffing, accept no deal and gamble that Nigel Farage would hesitate before contesting every Tory seat.

Contrary to the majority of political commentators the outline of the general election result can be predicted as long as there is no secret deal between Johnson and Farage to limit the damage in England and Wales. In Scotland perhaps one or two conservatives will survive because of local factors and personalities but the more likely none will,  and the issue is whether Labour can gain some of these as well as retaining those presently held. In Wales the position is likely to remain as it is now overall. In Northern Ireland the position of Unionists will be strengthened depending on the present demographics with Catholic Nationalists. The Liberal democrats will gain seats from the Tories in the South West and may also do so in London. The Tories will not gain seats in the North but could gain a few seats in the Midlands. 

My present predication is therefore no Party will be in overall control, but Labour will hold the largest number of seats sufficient to form a minority government, and be given the time by the European Community to negotiate the terms of a new treaty and for time to put this in a referendum with the option to remain by the revocation if Article 50. The outcome of such a referendum cannot be predicted. 

It is also possible that in these circumstances a Minority Labour Government could continue to function and implement the less controversial aspects of its manifesto.

One factor will be to get the Northern Ireland Assembly up and running and offer the Executive, the Parliaments in Scotland and Wales more powers and more money.

Alongside I believe the priority should be to transfer back to the local  councils the funds required to develop  the social  and community health care,  education and housing programmes together with  the youth service, and community policing. Only if the election result is an overall majority  should the emphasis be on bringing  Rail, Water and the Post Office into a new form  of public and employee ownership unless agreement can be reached with Libs Dems and other centrist groupings in the Commons.

However,  Corbyn  will grow personally in stature until the Tories are able and willing to replace Boris if he has not immediately surrendered  after losing the election. The decision to revoke article 50 will lead to a new right wing party being created from the Tory, Brexit and UKIP memberships and could see the end of the present Tory Party.

The unpredictable aspect is the actual door step and campaigning power of the Labour Party’s membership, the extent to which  the limitations of Boris and the inexperience of Ms Swinson are exposed and the honesty, openness and integrity of Jeremy Corbyn can withstand and overcome the  unscrupulous behind the scenes  interventions  led by the Russian, Chinese, USA and Israeli  political leaders who all fear a real democratic  socialist party gaining political power in one of the top economically powerful countries.

Despite the rain, it was important to revisit the Dean Street in Soho and the place were Ann Haldane was murdered in October 1963, having decided to suspend writing about what is know to have happened while I continue to digest the new information  arising from meetings held on the afternoon and evening of Friday September 13^th,  the decision to advise a contact  in London’s Metropolitan police appointed to review the  available documentation and deciding if to change the focus of the autobiographical work and possible refer the latest information to those with resources to assess whether the new information changes the perspective that I had developed.

The visit also provided the opportunity to experience the new carriages of Azuma trains, what were to have been the flagships of Virgin  before the failure of its  service from London to the North East and Scotland. The first difference was the absence of reserved seat tickets tucked into the back of each seat, replaced by digital indicators which only  indicate the current position of the seat and not the  sequence of occupants.  I was allocated an aisle forward seat at a table  of four with someone about to sit immediately facing me deciding to find  someone else with the outcome that I was left  on my own for the whole journey.

The other new feature is a TV screen at each end of the carriage which provides updated information on stations, times and connections, plus news headlines and offers. On the way back we were given minute by minute changes to the amount of delay which reached 16 minutes before Darlington  and was around 13 minutes on arrival.

There is also a new “Let’s dine” first class menu booklet choosing the full LNER breakfast with Yorkshire sausage and Yorkshire bacon, baked beans, a flat mushroom, hash brown and fried egg. I had to wait sometime as priority was given to the bacon rolls. Fortunately, a round of brown toast with marge and marmalade arrived quickly  and I enjoyed  two more rounds later and three coffees. 

I had already seen the Disney film mistitled Maleficent, Mistress of Evil as a Superscreen, surround sound, production at the Cineworld in Newcastle and as no film other film appealed, the opportunity was taken to see the film again in 3D which continues to impress as the film medium of first choice, although if I could cope, 4DX is better. I have recently experienced 270 degree screen vision for the second time, with Gemini Man, concluding that the sensory overland was not enjoyable and distracted. There was only one other individual for 1 pm showing so and the film the 3D production did not disappoint with a good balance between the sense of depth with appropriate out of screen moments. I was struck by the similarities of the cavernous world of the winged creatures able to transform their appearance  and the hidden world in the  last “How to Train Your Dragon” film. The other thought was if  the impact of today’s cinematic digital technology still caused the same wonder as the transformation of Kansas into the world of Oz which the 1939 film had on me.

I arrived back at the Kings Cross St Pancras combined underground train system making by way to one end of St Pancras station unintentionally and passing the entrance to the high speed trains into Europe noted  about thirty police in attendance some with powerful automatic weapons and wondered is this was usual  or because of some new threat intelligence. No one appeared spooked by the number and people were eating out and also listening to two pianists playing  at different ends of the station ground level. I did some shopping in Boots and looked around Marks and Spencer debating to buy some food, not having eaten since mid-morning, I changed my mind and on crossing over to Kings Cross decided I would enjoy a lager beer, making my way to the Parcel’s Yard where I  had to drink the half  in a corridor seat before a table became available. 

I cannot visit the Parcel’s yard without reflecting on the visit made on January 2^nd 2014, and meeting two members of the group where the senior politician involved, Tom Watson, deputy Leader of the Labour party  is under fire because he, the police and others were taken in by someone who made serious allegation against prominent politicians past and present and which led to one of the major police operation involved  in the investigation and reinvestigation of past allegations of child abuse.  From third party information, some well-informed, I have never doubted that some politicians were directly involved, but went on record in writing to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee,  those organising the People’s Tribunal and whoever care to listen that some of the men making allegations should be treated with caution and that the emphasis on national politicians could deflect from investigating and understanding, the scale, the causes and the lifelong effects of the abuse. On January 2^nd, 2014, I spent four  hours with both individuals and a further two hours with one, before over the next 48 hours working out what to do next and  halting my ongoing work of the Artman 101 Installation. It was another two years before deciding to undertake the research required for an autobiography, nd wondering if the murder of Ann Haldane had been brought to justice.

Moving to the First class lounge class lounge, I made do with coffees, a treacle muffin, a banana and tried three small packets of different corn snacks  at same time as trying to hear what was being said in the House of Commons as Government’s legislation and policy programme was formally agreed.

On the train, a couple were already seated at the table facing me in the allocated seat, but I found a vacant two seat table mid carriage. As the train was about to depart a man who I recognised as a Conservative Party junior Minister considered taking the vacant seat, looked me over, and then decided to see what else was available so the opportunity for an interesting exchange of views was missed. Rishi Sunak, the Member of Parliament for Richmond has been chief secretary at the Treasury since July. He took over the seat from William Hague, was head boy at Winchester, obtained a degree in Philosophy Politics Economics at Lincoln College, Oxford, became a Fulbright scholar at Stanford in US of North America, and went into Hedge fund management before politics. This Sunday he appeared on the Andrew Marr show on behalf of the Tory alternative to the Farage version of  hard Brexit, who also appeared with John McDonnell.

I enjoyed the summer chicken casserole, having a pre-prandial whisky with ginger on the rocks, followed by another post prandial and a diet Pepsi after York. I had another treacle muffin noting the advertised creamy vanilla filling and a packet of crisps with the first of the drinks. 

It was just before eleven when the train ended its journey at Newcastle, and I spotted that one of train crew had left their blazer which did not belong to any of team departing the carriage before me. I was therefore pleased with myself on going to the platform via the lift as the  escalator was stopped and was relaxed until Jarrow  when two couples entering the  carriage started to get into an aggressive confrontation both men squaring up. One couple departed at Tyne Dock where the driver came out of his cab  to observe the remaining male hammering hard at the door in frustration. This couple then departed at Chichester. At South Shields the driver confirmed he had reported the incident which I assumed had also been filmed on the carriage camera. I made my way out of the  brilliant new Metro and bus station noting that the all night coach to London had already departed remembering the occasion when with my eldest daughter we joined at the Washington Service area the overnight coach from Newcastle to London and made our way to Wembley Stadium to attend the British part of Live Aid. At the age of eighty there is a tendency to see the present through the lens of the past and debate the decisions and choices made and review the experiences enjoyed and those not.