IN THIS era of hype and hyperbole, hero is a word that has long been debased. If anyone truly deserves the accolade, however, it is Horatio Nelson, Britain’s greatest naval commander.
Being the victor of Trafalgar and numerous other sea battles, saving Britain from invasion and helping to secure our safety and supremacy – in short, changing the course of history in the early 19th century – obviously cuts no ice with our dear leaders of today. Such is their contempt for valiant patriotism that paintings of Lord Nelson displayed in Parliament’s buildings have now been taken down, whilst another painting has been put up.
Who is the subject of the exemplary new artwork adorning those hallowed halls? Another military titan, perhaps? Er, no. The canvas depicts… Yvette Cooper.
Yes, our vapid, dithering Home Secretary has replaced one of the most outstanding Britons who ever lived, a man of vibrant personality, supreme physical courage and nautical genius. His achievements echo down the ages. By contrast, Cooper laughably lists her greatest achievement as having rolled out the Sure Start scheme in 1999 while a health minister in the New Labour Government.
What lies behind this blood-boiling travesty? The reason, of course, is the toxic mindset that is poisoning much of our national life and which spineless MPs have embraced with alacrity: diversity, wokery and a denial of Britain’s glorious past.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Nelson’s pictures were ditched after a cross-party committee of MPs reviewed art in the parliamentary collection that supposedly had links to slavery and racism. The purge was inspired by Black Lives Matter, which targeted Nelson for his alleged support of slavery. A portrait of another great British naval hero, Sir Francis Drake, has also been removed over links to the slave trade.
At the same time, there are ‘ongoing efforts to boost gender and ethnic diversity’ by including more women in the artwork that is displayed on the parliamentary estate. Hanging on the walls alongside Cooper’s portrait is that of former Prime Minister Theresa May (now Baroness May).
Such shenanigans allow MPs to feel smug about condemning slavery that happened 200 years ago, slavery which Britain soon led the world in eradicating. Yet slavery remains rife today, particularly in Arab states. Why aren’t they shouting from the rooftops about that?
No, it’s easier to score points by resorting to that tired stratagem of the historically illiterate; that is, judging the past by present-day standards. Yet even then, when all things are considered, surely Nelson’s alleged slavery links are vastly outweighed by his deeds?
What is most infuriating about all this is the cowardice it reveals at the heart of many MPs. It was ever thus. While politicians can bluster, preen and virtue-signal from the safety of their green leather benches, it is those at the sharp end who ultimately decide the fate of nations: the soldiers, sailors and airmen who pay the price in blood to thwart our enemies and keep the country safe. Nelson died while doing so in 1805, defeating the combined French and Spanish Fleet at Trafalgar and wrecking Napoleon’s plan to invade Britain.
I wonder how many of the pathetic plodders, seat-warmers, yes-men and second raters who infest Parliament today would lay their lives on the line in the face of the enemy? Not many, I’d guess. I can envisage Sir Keir ‘Captain Calamity’ on the deck of HMS Clueless, with Petty Officer Cooper, anxiously scanning the horizon before the Battle of Trafalgar.
One of Nelson’s most famous epithets was: ‘No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.’ Would Calamity Keir be heading full sail into battle? I doubt it. He and Cooper would first order a risk assessment and a health and safety audit. The crew would have to wear Hi-Viz jackets, wouldn’t be allowed to climb the rigging for fear of falling and be banned from drawing their cutlasses in case they cut themselves. They wouldn’t return enemy fire because cannon smoke is a greenhouse gas.
As for obeying Nelson’s famous signal, ‘England expects that every man will do his duty’ – no chance. ‘England’ is not ethnically diverse enough, while ‘every man’ flies in the face of gender fluidity. No, Captain Calamity would drop anchor and pass the matter over to a sub-committee while staying at a safe distance from the action. Meanwhile, the lifeboats would be readied to pick up any French and Spanish sailors from the water and transfer them to a temporary asylum reception centre in the fo’c’sle.
I joke, of course, but hopefully the point is made. Replacing Nelson with Yvette Cooper? Is it any wonder Britain is holed below the waterline?
