Branson's visit

Peter Branson

Today we had the pleasure of our old friends, Peter and Chris Branson who were in Burwell for the day. Chris went out with my wife Lis for lunch and Peter had lunch with me at home. A long time ago I worked with Peter and Lis has been friends with Chris since our boys were babies.

Chris Branson (nearest camera) with my wife Lis

Like all real friends, it is very easy to pick up where we last left off, almost like we'd seen them just yesterday, even though they now live 100 miles away in the Cotswolds and we've not seen them for many weeks.

Quiet again here

Grandchildren with their mum

Our "London" grandchildren,and their mum and dad have returned home, so we are quiet again here. We love having them come to stay.

Time to jam

Tomorrow we have some good old friends coming across from the Cotswolds for the day. It will be good to see them. They'd be welcome to stay the night but have to get back for a meeting Wednesday morning.

Cambridge United FC

Cambridge United ( the "U's") are off to Wembley for the Conference play-off finals. I sincerely hope they make it back into the Football League. They deserve it.

The play-off final kicks off at 4pm Sunday May 18th.

Vote Green?

See http://www.greenparty.org.uk/ .

Reading their values on their website (see below)  they are very close to my own. Maybe I should vote green in the EU elections in a few weeks' time?

"We live in unsettling times.
Many of the securities that our parents and grandparents fought for – a functioning National Health Service, free education, and an affordable home – now look out of reach for most of us.
Coupled with this, climate change is bringing unpredictable and threatening weather patterns.
People feel let down by politicians, and yet there has been an explosion in political activism. People want to do things differently and aren’t afraid to be bold and challenging.
We believe that public services should be for the benefit of the public, not sold off in bits; we believe that education is worth investing in and not something that should mean a lifetime of debt; we believe in leaving behind a better world for our children and grandchildren.
This is the only world we have and its welfare, above all things, should be the highest priority for us all.
Politics should work for the benefit of all, not just those who shout the loudest or have the deepest pockets.
We believe in “The Common Good”.
A vote for the Green Party is a vote for The Common Good."

Dead quiet!

My son is watching snooker on TV in the bedroom, grandchildren are both asleep in beds and in the lounge my wife and daughter-in-law are reading books.  The TV is off.

All is very quiet - lovely.

Family day

This afternoon our son Tim, his wife and their 2 delightful young children came to stay for the night. They go back to London after lunch tomorrow. We love their company and especially enjoy the little grandchildren. The youngest  of this pair is not quite 3 and her elder brother is 6.5 years old. They have cousins in Kent who are a little younger.

Gerry Adams released

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-27278039.

Gerry Adams has been released from custody following days of questioning over the 1972 murder of Jean McConville in Northern Ireland. A file is being prepared to decide whether charges will be brought later.  Mr Adams has always denied involvement in the murder.

One thing is certain: if Gerry Adams is summoned, justice may be served, but the Northern Ireland peace process will be irreparably damaged . In some ways,  a greater peace would be served if he was not prosecuted, even if the PPS believe he was involved. Sinn Féin are "engaged" in the peace process and alienating them would not be in the long-term interests of the province.  The next six months will be critical for the peace process. I am glad this decision is not mine to make.

In an ideal world the evil past would be history. One good thing would be for both side to say where "The Disappeared" are buried i.e. those killed by the IRA and protestants but whose place of burial has never been known. For the families this has been a nightmare. I am a believer in a amnesty for past political crimes and realise some who committed real atrocities would be free men.   Evil was done on both sides of the divide in the last 50 years.  Surely better to bury the hatchet of  history and to work constructively for a really long, peaceful future. One of the enduring images in recent years in Northern Ireland is of Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley - once sworn enemies - enjoying a laugh together (the so-called "chuckle brothers").  If they can make peace there is real hope.

Sadly, this is Northern Ireland and nothing follows sensible paths. We must now wait and hope.