Why someone called Declan Patrick MacManus would be thrilled to be formally associated with the British Empire rather escapes me.
The news that the Liverpool born singer known as Elvis Costello had been awarded the OBE surprised some his fans.
“I am happy to accept this very surprising honour.”
Here on his own website he wrestles with his conscience and wins.
Of course, the singer is famous for his song “Oliver’s Army”.
In 1979 he explained the background to the song:
“I made my first trip to Belfast in 1978 and saw mere boys walking around in battle dress with automatic weapons. They were no longer just on the evening news. These snapshot experiences exploded into visions of mercenaries and imperial armies around the world. The song was based on the premise ‘they always get a working class boy to do the killing’. I don’t know who said that; maybe it was me, but it seems to be true nonetheless. I pretty much had the song sketched out on the plane back to London”.
Here in an interview in 1982 with Rolling Stone magazine he explored his heritage and his politics with the interviewer Greil Marcus:
Greil Marcus: Your first single was “Less Than Zero”. When did you write that?
Elvis Costello: Earlier in the year. I saw a program with Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British fascist movement of the Thirties, and he was on TV saying, “No, I’m not anti-Semitic, of course I’m not – doesn’t matter even if I was!” His attitude was that _time_ could make it all right! It was a very English way of accepting things that really used to irritate me, really annoy me. The complacency, the moral complacency there – that they would just accept this vicious old man: not string him up on the spot!
GM: This was the time when the National Front and the British Movement were recruiting with great success – and they of course derived directly from Mosely’s old British Union of Fascists.
EC: They were the same old bastards, the same old weirdos like Colin Jordan that kept appearing and denying they had any fascist overtones, and then there would be pictures taken of them dressing up in pervy Hitler Youth uniforms. They’re really _sick_ people. If there wasn’t a danger that some people would take them seriously, they’d be sad and you’d feel sorry for them. But you can’t. There are people gullible enough and there are enough problems – the same way as you’ve got here. You can point a finger and say, “These are the people who are the source of all your problems: it’s the black people.” It’s the same thing as saying, “It’s the Jews…” I’m English, but my ancestry is Irish, and they used to say the same about the Irish as well. My wife’s Irish. Sooner or later, we’ll probably have to leave England – because I’m sure the people of England will try to send the Irish back.
Later on in that interview, the journalist brought up an incident during Costello’s 1979 American tour, when one night in a bar in Columbus, Ohio, he used racist language to describe the singer Ray Charles.
The singer’s response to using the N word was, at best, self-pitying:
EC: It’s become a terrible thing, hanging over my head – it’s horrible to work hard for a long time and find that what you’re best known for is something as idiotic as… this.
Not “racist” just “idiotic”.
Really?
Well, if that is who the real Elvis Costello (Sic) is then he is a perfect fit for the British Empire.
He might even write a song about it…
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Martin O,Neill OBE .
For as you write yourself in your latest article, Phil:
‘It’s undeniable that it is also an away wars fact that the role of the Fourth Estate is to provide the public with that pesky evidence.
It is worth remembering the famous advice from C.P. Scott (that)
‘Comment is free but facts are sacred.’
So I It is quite plain to me, Phil, that we agree on this important aspect of trust between individuals, and especially from journalists, regarding the essential role of the truth within society.
Lest we forget.
So please either provide us with your own evidence of the death of the British Empire or acknowledge to your loyal readers that you may have been quite wrong in this matter, as all the extensive evidence not only indicates but proves beyond all doubt.
For to minimise the British State’s co trolling role in modern society is to do both your readers, and yourself, a great injustice, as the truth in such grave matters remains absolutely paramount.
Consider this and maybe then we can have a discussion.
Many thanks.
So, since this is a site which claims devotion to truth over lies & fabrication, the question remains:
Where are the documents detailing the alleged dissolution of the British Empire?
The burden of proof lies with the author of this article who has, wrongfully, made such a claim and it is incumbent upon him to thoroughly re-examine such a misguided claim or, if possible, to provide us with the documents detailing the times, causes & dates of this alleged ‘downfall’.
For to make such a claim without proof is sinking to the level of the SMSM and none of us would ever want Phil to be regarded in the same bracket as that.
In summation all I can add is that not only did the British Empire NOT die or be ‘liquidated’, their is abundantly concise information detailing how it expanded its tobacco based Virginia Corporation into a larger corporate body and renamed that company The United States of America, thereby ensuring that the Empire would not only not fail but that it would, in fact, act as de facto ‘Leader* Of The ‘Free World’’* (*sic) (*sic) and EXPAND said Empire by might whichever territory attempted to resist its cultural corporatism and corporate vulturism.
(For latter day examples see Iraq, Iran, Syria & Afghanistan.)
I get the sense that you think what Elvis Costello does and says is relevant and worth consideration and criticism – even to feel let down by. I don’t. Certainly, no more than I do with, say, Paul McCartney, who sang Give Ireland Back to the Irish in reaction to Bloody Sunday (getting his song banned for his trouble), or his former partner, John Lennon, who sang The Luck of the Irish from the same perspective and in the same year (albeit from 5,000 miles further away).
Lennon, a millionaire imaginer of no possessions, and working-class-hero/revolutionary with a love of fur coats, returned his MBE in protest over the UK’s involvement in the Biafran war (and the poor performance of his first solo single), while McCartney went on to pick up a knighthood and sing at the Queen’s 60th jubilee. Both could and have been accused of hypocrisy.
Really, though, what’s the point? They were/are singers who played at politics when the mood took them, because they could afford to and because none of it had any direct impact on them anyway. Then they went back to fighting over royalties.
However, I know people who would entirely agree with your sentiment. They’ll call Britain out on every terrible act, wrong doing and deed that has sullied its reputation while increasing its wealth hellishly at the expense of others. (So much so, that whether the Empire remains a thing or not is utterly irrelevant.)
Yet, many of them, when asked if Scotland should break away from this union, the one that created that empire, and which it effectively has no say in, which demonstrably acts against democracy and acts to ensure Scotland has no presence beyond the UK, will scoff at the idea.
They’ll decry any attempt to create a better functional democracy, one whose proponent argue to effectively and fairly meet the needs of its people and establish a society that will be in a position to set an example on the world stage. They’ll insist on remaining part of the union that disenfranchises them, signing up by default for the waving of the flag, partaking in wars, paying for and housing the replacement for trident, selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the foreign policy they profess to hate, yadda yadda. That, to me anyway, is both relevant and hypocritical.
Principles with these honours is very much like football principles… people will say anything to solicit the desired responses. but the ethics go out the window when wealth, fame or ‘awards’ vine calling.
I despair of Britain in 2019..
A monarchy which should have been dissolved decades ago and taken its feudal ‘hierarchy’ with it..
A government in perpetual chaos and is now the joke of world politics ..
…And a populous obsessed with a tv programme which seems to be about a group of narcissistic and synaptically challenged twenty-something’s idling their time away in a Spanish holiday villa as they try to win money for pairing up and being as ‘risqué’ as the tv company dares broadcast.
People are not getting more intelligent. Their lives and the system around them just allows them to think they are.
Bread and circuses my friend. Bread and circuses
Your overall sentiments are rather confusing here, Phil.
On the one hand you keep insisting to your readers that the British Empire no longer exists yet in this article you write of it in the now as an extant reality to which Declan McManus has just suddenly attached himself.
Which, of course, has always been the case considering just how vast & wide lie the Queen’s own ‘Commonwealth Nations’, ranging from the northernmost tip of Canada down through the Americas and Africa, India, Pakistan & New Zealand before hurtling ever on into the wilds of Antarctica itself.
‘The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries, across all continents. The members have a combined population of 2.4 billion people, almost a third of the world population, of whom 1.26 billion live in India, 220 million live in Pakistan and 94% live in Asia and Africa combined.’
No matter which way you choose to look at it this is an enormous land mass for one state to control and as Declan McManus declares in his own self contradictory statement ‘the pink has stained the map all over the world’, and it is self evident that anyone with direct control of 53 countries and over one third of the world’s population ought most certainly to be considered nothing less than an Empire, wouldn’t you agree?
So don’t be too upset about Declan’s predilection for soup.
It’s the only thing that’s kept him going after his Ray Charles outburst.
The British Empire is a surely dead as Rangers.
However, the Brit honours system still harks back to the imperial era as something laudable.
Therefore, the institution is deceased, but the cultural smell lingers.
It is quite a simple concept to understand-rather like liquidation…
One set of fuckwits has the Sash Bash and the other set the BBC Proms.
Jingoistic pash designed to keep a long since departed History alive.
Rule the waves?
P&O rules the Channel ffs
Oh the empire, it is finished
No foreign lands to cease….
Rock on Rockall 🤣🤣
Must be the inclement weather Phil that makes the soup so appealing..
Benjamin Zephaniah had a dignified and fitting retort to an offer of such an “honour “.
Nevermind the culturally confused ..enjoy Clones .
‘SURELY’ as ‘dead as Rangers’, Phil?
From where does your certain ‘sureness’ spring if you have no evidence to support it?
And I understand liquidation perfectly, Phil.
It means Rangers are dead, which is a very simple concept to grasp indeed.
It is yourself that seems to have trouble grasping the reality that a monarchic state which has official and self evident state control over 53 countries and two and a half billion people, c. one third of the entire world’s population, is still handing out Memberships, Orders & Knighthoods on behalf of a British Empire which proves it is still a very extant aspect of reality indeed.
As you acknowledge yourself in this article.
And if you wish to argue this fact I suggest you examine the finer details of this Empire’s unsigned ‘Withdrawal Agreement’ with the Republic of Ireland itself.
You might not like it but the fact is they never left.
Furthermore, there are at least half a dozen other countries which remain under British rule worldwide, some far bigger than Ireland, and herein lies your contradiction:
On the one hand you acknowledge the existence of the British Empire and its financial & corporate grip on at least 53 countries yet on the other hand you claim that it is ‘liquidated’ without providing any evidence whatsoever to back up your claims.
So which is it?
Remember if you wish to continue claiming that it is indeed ‘liquidated’ you must provide evidence of where and when it was ‘liquidated’ as the burden of proof for such a claim is unquestionably on he who makes such an outlandish and self contradictory statement.
With Rangers this is easy, as that bastion of monarchic Empire and sectarian racist hatred entered liquidation 7 years ago on Wednesday, although its liquidation process is not yet complete.
But to make such a claim about a still extant and obvious system of state control you must inform us on what date this British Empire, which controls at least 53 countries, enter this state of ‘liquidation’ which you allege.
Any evidence or further reading on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
The Commonwealth is NOT the Empire.
The majority (and vast majority by head of population and landmass) Commonwealth countries are not under direct rule of Britain and in fact hold the status of ‘free and equal’, nor are the majority as you say under “state control” either. The ones which are still designated ‘overseas territories’ number 16. Sorry, but this does not constitute an Empire in any way for all manner of reasons which would require pages of explanations and references. Do the right research and you will find out. It is fairly easily available information.
Some might wish to think it still exists and I think that’s the point…..it is a lingering stench of a by gone feudal age which is in the process of being……eh…. “liquidated”…..and frankly….Good Fucking Riddance!
The Statute of Westminster of 1931.
The British nationality act of 1948 etc etc etc etc.
Are you indulging in “pishful thinking” on your part?
Is your name Phil, bboru?
You don’t seem to understand the concept either …
If a nation exists u dear the yoke of the British flag, or Butcher’s Apron to you & I, then, unfortunately for it, it IS a part of the British Empire and pays numerous dues by numerous methods to the British State through the convoluted ‘pyramid structure’ of society.
For you see, bboru, I HAVE read these acts you mention and, when you examine the fine print, you will see that Britain DOES still control each of these countries and territories.
Again I suggest that you examine the Withdrawal Agreement with the Republic of Ireland which the British State has still not yet signed and you will learn that even the so-called ‘Free State’ has never been actually free of the British yoke at all.
Indeed, if you delve into Phil’s archives for April of this year you will note that he himself has stated this unequivocally as fact, that the ‘Republic’ of Ireland isn’t a republic at all.
He further claims to have campaigned on this for years.
But here’s the rub:
Even though he knows Ireland has never been free of British rule he continues to insist that the ‘Empire is over’ despite the Apron flying over 53 acknowledged countries, not counting Ireland & the US, and the numerous overseas territories where Britain, or her lackey Yankee enforcer, still exercise financial corporate control.
So I’m afraid it is you who is lacking in knowledge in this matter, Brian Boru.
For ‘The Commonwealth’ is simply a cunning little name change from ‘Empire’ designed to fool the gullible into believing that they’re free, despite the Butcher’s Apron flying over their heads each day from the underside of the world to its very northernmost point.
And if you still wonder how Dave King gets away with it, I’ll tell you why:
It is because society is structured in a way where the gangster spin at the top ALWAYS gets away with it.
For proof, just look up David Murray.
And let Phil reply for himself next time, would you?
There’s a good lad.
Why do so many of our supporters accept Rod Stewart with his “Sir”?
Control? Really? Go to India or Pakistan or Australia or New Zealand or Canada and tell them that they’re CONTROLLED by Westminster. Observe their reaction. Mind you, you’d be wise to observe it from a distance.
I don’t have to do that, Charger, I have friends from those countries and they are well aware of what the Empire is still doing to their impoverished nations.
Indeed, they blame the Brits for not just impoverishing them but also for their ongoing state control network pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
Haven’t you ever wondered why the vast continent of Africa with all its goldmines and abundant wealth of natural resources remains poverty stricken and on its knees ‘despite’ the Brits extracting all they can from it for three centuries and more?
Why Bangladesh remains a disputed and much troubles territory?
Why the ex con bloodlines of Australia & New Zealand fly the Apron with pride on their national flags and the reason why these two territories were initially established?
You haven’t thought it through, Charger, you’ve just charged in and missed the point again.
For the best forms of control are never overt.
But the best types of people are vigilant enough to read into and learn about what’s really going on in this fraudulent history you’ve been fed and which so many of you seem to adore.
We should always keep one eye on those who sent our forebears into wars for their state gain and learn never to trust what they say ever again, as they’re usually just taking the rise out of you.
Besides, just come some Joh doesn’t know who rules over him doesn’t mean they don’t rule over him.
So no need to ‘observe it from a distance’, as you recommend, for smart ones know already and the rest of the ill informed aren’t worth bothering with, as they tend to be lazy ignorant reactionaries who don’t really want to know anyway.
Oh, and by the way, they are NOT ‘controlled by Westminster’ as you claim …
Westminster deals with internal matters only.
So I suggest you go and look up from where, exactly, these territories, countries, land masses and continents really ARE controlled from.
Even the Tories don’t know how to run the UK from Westminster and its their house and their ball so do you really think the queen bee would let those charlatans take charge of any other state for her?
Think again, Charger.
Then again and again.
‘A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in which Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning Constitutional Monarch and Head of State.
All 16 Commonwealth realms are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states.
Elizabeth II is Head of the Commonwealth.’
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm
Using the word ‘realm’ is just another neat trick like Sevco did when adding the ‘The’ prefix to the new club’s name, simply more cunning wordplay from the bastards of wordplay.
As you can see above, Lizzie rules this ‘realm’ whether you, or Phil, for that matter, choose to believe it or not
The above was a reply to Grace and Favour.
The fake ‘history’ they taught us was written by the victor and it was indeed ‘his story’.
The victors were the British Empire.
Therefore it should be no wonder that what they taught us is nought but a tissue of lies, mendacity and outright fabrication.
No matter how you to try to dress it, ‘an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states’ with Lizzie at the top is an empire in all but name.
Just ask Declan McManus:
He’s only gone & doffed his cap, and sold out his alleged ‘principles’ to become a Member.
And the most surprising thing here is Phil’s seeming disappointment at this self serving little upstart who dared denigrate Ray Charles with the N word.
For that incident happened over 40 years ago and Phil appears to have been as ignorant of that fact as he is on the ongoing continuation the British Empire which rules over this world and which has become so subtle in its methods of controls that even its own subjects are not aware of its existence.
Or at least not those from the UK & Ireland, as you have so amply illustrated here.
I love your work. Sorry, but on this occasion you are over the top.
You can feel Irish and English just as much as feeling Irish and French or Irish and Palestinian or any combination you care to come up with. The problem I have with this is that even here within Ireland some people will insist that being Irish means being a Gael, Rural, Catholic, GAA loving, Nationalist (lite or full fat), and still persisting is the notion that Catholicism is part of the deal. This is nonsense of course. I have once or twice noticed you referring to Dubliners especially South Dubliners as somehow less Irish, West Brits in common parlance. For example I dont think I need to ask what you think of the Irish Belgian, Sir Bob Geldof. Bob is Irish but not limited by it.
If you define Irishness in such narrow way, by definition you’d accept a similarly narrow definition of Englishness. This leads down the road of Farage and Bannan and all those who would seek to divide us.
I say good luck to Elvis Costello who is an Irish and British as he feels without offending me. In five minutes thats all I can say.
Keep up the good work..
But no comment on Feargal Sharkey taking an MBE?
Question :
Have Feargal Sharkey and Davie Hay ever been seen in the same room?
I think he accepted this honour for his services to the music industry, although I would have thought that’s what an Ivor Novello Award was for.
If he wishes to accept trinkets and baubles from his “betters”, that is entirely his choice. Me?.. I’ll just stick to enjoying his music, and try my best not to get bogged down in any of the lyrics to his songs.
Regardless of what you think about EC accepting a gong he is regarded as a great lyricist. Not just what he says but how he expresses it within a song.If you wish to enjoy his music without getting bogged down in his lyrics you are missing at least 50% of what makes him the artist he is.
I suppose you thought Pump it Up was about blowing up a bicycle tyre. Who are you Tony Blackburn who made Oliver’s Army his record of the week without having any idea what lyrics were about – though it is a catchy tune.
Seriously I would say do yourself a real favour and listen to the lyrics you will get so much more out of these songs.
Tramp the dirt down!
Disappointing from a favourite singer.
But, not as surprised as when my wife and I saw Rod Stewart at a concert last year in NYC.
After talking at length to explain the background to the song ‘Grace’ from his new album…and which he openly sang from a lyrics sheet…
Did the twat not later in the show explain that he had recently received a Knighthood, along with a video on the huge screens showing him kneeling to get his gong.
That night I immediately thought, what a complete idiot!
Good result though: wife has refused to drag me/make me pay for anymore of his concerts!
Would expect nothing less from Stewart , a man who had no morals during the touring boycott of South Africa in the mid 80s .. ALWAYS a greedy greedy self centred little man .
He did produce ” Free Nelson Mandela ”
I don’t remember him ever playing in SA
Sir Roderick David Stewart, CBE (that’s TWO separate awards from The Establishment) played Sun City on August 06, 1983. The multi-faced “singer” also played in Tel Aviv on 14th June 2017 – not even a year after Celtic were fined for the fans showing their support for the Palestinian cause and within 6 months of the same support collecting and then donating £176000 to two Palestinian charities.
He’s been playing the Celtic support for mugs for years yet the majority simply refuse to see it. The rumours years ago were that Stewart’s decision on which Glasgow team to support was a business decision to maximise publicity etc What better way to connect to people in other countries than to latch on to the Irish Diaspora & the Celtic supporters all across the world?