Royal Society Own Goal

Oh how deliciously ironic. Prince Andrew, the notorious loafer and user of other people's money has been elected to the Royal Society and scientists are up in arms. They feel that this deeply unserious man should not, can not be associated with such an august body.

This is the society of course who, despite a motto that says 'Nullius in Verba', meaning take nobody's word, have decided that no further research should be permitted into climate change. The science is settled. Which is about the least serious and most unscientific thing anyone could say, let alone repeated Presidents of the Royal Society.

If I was Prince Andrew I would have turned it down as lacking the rigour that I required from clubs I join. And his Mum really ought to insist that the Royal bit be dropped since their standards have sunk so low. It is more a non-working man's club these days, so being called The Society and having a bar installed would be most appropriate (with a barman called Dave).

Isn't life strange, in that for so many years used car salesmen could be rightly considered dodgy characters, whose word was not to be trusted and now it is members of the Royal Society. Oh well, all things must pass.

Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew seems to have a bit of a blind side to what he feels is his personal behaviour. The Royal Family are in a special position in our society and their lives are pretty much mapped out for them. They get a fair recompense for it I feel. Some adapt to it better than others and Andrew could do with a sharp talking to about shaping up and then keep his head down.

What I find amazing about it though is not just the pontificating politicians but also members of the public (particularly, Lord help us, the Scots on Question Time as I write), who seemed to find little wrong with the Blair government. Scandal after scandal, corruption, criminal activity, lies and deceit with Blair going to Libya for a group hug and his pet, Mandelson who only cares about wealth not morality when choosing his 'friends'. If we didn't think that Blair should have resigned (or been sacked/arrested) how on Earth can anyone think that Andrew should even consider that he has done anything wrong.

When will we be able to get back to some kind of understanding of actual ethical behaviour? To be clear, Prince Andrew has clearly made bad judgements and perhaps shouldn't represent this country in any obvious way. But we should also turn on Blair and stop paying any money to him, for any reason, pension or otherwise and revoke his citizenship. He should also, if he sets foot here again be arrested and imprisoned (on several charges, ranging from malfeasance in public office, starting a war for personal reasons and for insisting on the killing of healthy farm animals contrary to law and scientific sense).