The London Olympic
games have come to a conclusion and, along with the obvious success
of Team GB athletes, and their Scottish colleagues in particular, a
good deal of politics has been associated with the games. This has
played out as a sort of pastiche of the real independence debate, but
shares many of the same characteristics.
To begim with, the
opening ceremony, while spectacular in parts as a piece of theatre,
was conspicuously English and Metropolitan. This was understandable,
perhaps, given the location of the games but was hardly likely to
inspire a feeling of togetherness and common endeavour among those
unfortunate enough to live outwith the home counties.
Danny Boyle's choice of the NHS as a highlight of Britishness must surely have been ironic, given the current state of, and prospects for, the English NHS as it suffers 49% privatisation on top of death by PFI.
Danny Boyle's choice of the NHS as a highlight of Britishness must surely have been ironic, given the current state of, and prospects for, the English NHS as it suffers 49% privatisation on top of death by PFI.
