Labour’s Heart of Darkness – Frank Field MP

I have previously posted of my admiration for Frank Field, Labour MP for Birkenhead. He is not afraid to tell it how it is and he has been a stern critic of Gordon Brown’s style of Government.

Today writing in the Guardian, Field describes the vacuum where decisive Government should be in this time of economic crises and how the “government information machine has been corrupted by a spin that seeks not to inform but control and, if needs be, destroy.”

Once again Frank Field cuts to the heart of darkness that is Gordon Brown’s Number 10 operation. He concludes that Labour MPs are left “staring into the abyss”.

Having once again summed up all that is wrong with the current Government I am left wondering why he choses to remain a voting, campaigning part of a party that has become so corrupted. Surely the logical conclusion of his repeated attacks is for him to cross the floor to one of the opposition parties?

The Beauty of Corfe Castle

Yesterday afternoon, being a sunny Bank Holiday, I drove down to the south coast and visited Corfe Castle in Dorset. In my opinion it is one of the most beautiful places in England. The town is unspoiled by modern developments and the castle ruins are simply breathtaking.

The castle itself is now maintained by the National Trust, having passed from the hands of the Bankes Family some years ago. It was largely built in Norman times and passed down the centuries as a fort, a royal palace and a family residence until its destruction at the hands of the Parliamentarian Roundhead forces during the civil war.

Lady Bankes was left to defend the castle with some servants after her husband went off to fight for the King and after a prolonged siege the defenders were betrayed by one of the servants and the Roundheads took the castle. They then proceeded to destroy it with gunpowder, leaving the leaning and fractured ruins that we have today.

The day was completed with a traditional English cream tea in one of the local tea shops. It is truly an experience that I can recommend.