Hello everyone. I am writing this on Thursday morning having been to a wonderful film last night. The Joker. I went as a BAFTA guest, not realising that it was the unofficial London premiere. Always nice when you go to pick up the tickets, (Anna came with me) and they say, "Oh, lovely to see you Mr Parker" and, "Would you mind doing a photo call?" You know me, if I hear a camera shutter in the distance I go running. What was so exciting was that Todd Phillips (Director) and JOAQUIN PHOENIX!!!!!! was right behind me and they were next in front of the press. I am such an enormous fan of his. I think he is the American version of Dan Day-Lewis. A transformative actor who deserves his place up there with the greats. I mean the Spencer Tracey, Jimmy Stewart level greats. And the film.... oh my..... That is an extraordinary piece of work. An opus. I didn't know what to expect, but I had thought that it would be stuffed with special effects and possibly even a "sold out" JP, but no. This is genuinely AMAZING. Rather like Roma last year, this should win all the OSCARS. Roma didn't because of the politics of Netflix in the world of movies, but this must surely be a shoe-in for the lead actor. And a great fun Q&A after. Both he & the director were terrific.
Unlike our Prime Minister, although he doesn't deserve that title in my opinion. I may be one of the older brigade now, but surely, surely, integrity still means something. This man, and his team are a DISGRACE to the country. They have lied, not just on one occasion that we know of to the monarch, but repeatedly to the people of Great Britain. It is well reported that he has had connections with Steve Bannon, (both he & Cummings thru Cambridge Analytica) but what shocked me yesterday was the not just his lack of an apology and not resigning, but his whole inner circle doing the same thing. Many people had thought Gove a possible contender for the same job, well he might as well be doing it. None of them are showing any integrity, or honesty. Gove's refusal to answer the same question put to him by 8 (?) different MPs about the timing and authorship of Operation Yellowhammer's title change was typical of this lot, but his blatant lies about various industries' readiness for a no deal exit was shocking. Read this morning's Guardian to see what business leaders who sat down with him really said.
And Geoffrey Cox's behaviour was shocking in the extreme. A Lawyer to not even show an ounce of contrition to having been found to have behaved UN-lawfully is gob-smacking. I heard Tory MP after Tory MP say yesterday that the Supreme Court laid down a new law and now let's move on. But is that what happened? Didn't they, by 11-0, say the law, as it stands, had been broken? Yes they did. I salute Gina Miller and her amazing team for holding this lot of democratic pirates to account. They are disgraceful and not to have offered to resign is mind-blowing to someone of my age who has seen so many over years leave for so much less. And to disingenuously taunt the opposition in the press for not calling an election, when everyone knows why they are not, is just bullying to the extreme.
It made me so proud to hear the judges earlier this week, and so sick to see the government's reaction. I wish Jeremy had been replaced at the party conference because then we would have had an impetus to bring the government down in a united fashion. Now it will be a piecemeal coalition, but for goodness sakes guys stay united. Don't have an election on just one issue. That is called a referendum. Have that and then have an election. I would go even further. I would suggest we have a referendum that must be won 60-40 by one side or the other. I have spoken to an insider at No10 who thinks that that is with in their grasp, well then, bring it on. Have a referendum that must be won 60-40 and keep having them until there is that clear majority. Then neither side could complain. We would be united behind a clear choice. How about it parliamentarians? And how about it public, a vote is 30 mins out of your day, it's not giving blood. Please be active, whatever your leaning and ask for a referendum.
Oh, Spain's good fun... Come England!