A Write Royal Rant March 2024
Much has been happening of late and I shall touch here on three points that effect our community in various degrees.
FIRSTLY
The so called Stonehenge tunnel and the court cases relating to the government giving the go ahead despite their own inspectorate and UNESCO ruling that it was too damaging to the World Heritage site of Stonehenge and should therefore NOT go ahead. As some of you will be aware (we) lost the latest round in the High Court but in the immortal words of corporal Jones,
“Don't panic captain Mainwaring”
I am reliably informed that there will most likely be an appeal against the recent refusal to grant a Judicial Review,
And in any event work is not scheduled to start before next year, when we are likely to have a new government and in my opinion it is doubtful there will be either the finances or the political will in place to see it through.
SECONDLY
Talking of the possibility of Judicial Reviews that brings me to the second point. Yesterday at a Round Table meeting (a forum I co founded to deal with all things pertaining to the Managed Open Access first granted in the summer of 2000 after I took the government to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasburg with the assistance of the then young Barrister Kier Starmer. in the November of ‘1998. They tried an all ticket event in 99 which failed miserably.
But , back to the present;
Wiltshire Police English Heritage, and Wiltshire Council acting together and in concert Advise Apply and Grant respectively a Temporary Road Traffic Order which closes off all additional parking within the World Heritage site of Stonehenge during the Solstices, having the effect of giving EH the monopoly on parking and the ability to control the numbers of pilgrims able to attend. I submitted alternative plans which included parking on the Droves as we do at equinox, suffice here to say they ignored my plans and my protestations and at a meeting yesterday I read out the following prepared statement,
Prepared Statement
In 2022 at the behest of Wiltshire Police; The Pagan Federation and I prepared an alternative parking solution for the Winter Solstice.
This was presented to this forum nearly a year ago in April 3032 in good time for implementation for the Winter Solstice of that year.
At the last RT meeting which I failed to attend due to a signal failure the Chairman put to the meeting my request to be notified in writing as to why 'our' proposal was not accepted,
At that point the Authorities agreed, and it was minuted, that such a response would be forthcoming within two weeks.
Now, nearly a year since receipt of the proposal, no such response has been received.
It is therefore my intention to seek a Judicial Review of the decision to close the By-ways (otherwise) Open to All Traffic within the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge over the Solstice periods, which is disproportionate to the Pagan community and in clear breech of our Article 9,10,11 & 14 Rights under the Human rights Act, Domestic, European Law and International Treaty obligations.
It should be noted that I have exhausted all other avenues open to me through this forum and that I require this statement to be minuted in its entirety.
King Arthur Pendragon /|\
Senior Druid, Pagan Priest
Proposed Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Salisbury
FINALLY, as all good things come in threes;
That brings me to the third matter I would like to talk about. The upcoming General Election.
Yesterday while I was attending a meeting the people of Rochdale elected George Galloway (whom I was previously arrested with on a political protest some years ago) in a By-Election. Today I received the first of no doubt many election leaflets. From the Liberal Democrats,
I am of course up against the well oiled party machines but I too have leaflets and flyers designed and ready to print. Here then is a Letter I have had printed in a local newspaper that also came out this week.
POLITICAL BIAS
WHAT CHANCE AN INDEPEMDEMNT HERE IN SALISBURY ?
O==={ {;;;;;;23rd January 2024;;;;;;;;;;>
There are laws governing who and what can be said and printed in the run up to and during a General election.
We all know the Current MP's view on the conflict in Gazza, he wanted to fly the Israeli flag in the market square to show support, In fact we all know all the other 'Parties' views on this and a number of other issues.
But let's not stop there at the party line;
Thanks to the Salisbury Journal and its other free publications, we know the personal views of this councillor and of that often in their own words and we hear from their proposed Parliamentary candidates on a range of issues.
Despite the local newspapers being fully aware of my intention to stand (in this election year) not once have I been invited to give my opinion on this or on any other issues effecting Salisbury or the wider world view.
I do not mind being the underdog or the David to their Goliath of a party machine but I get a little disheartened when every time I open a local news paper there is another hopeful grinning back at me given the time and space to explain their views whilst I; Well, I am left to write this. At least you now know how I feel about this issue.
Arthur /|\
King Arthur Pendragon
Titular Head and Chosen Chief
Loyal Arthurian Warband L /|\ W
Senior Druid and Pagan Priest
Proposed Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Salisbury
Now, I fully intend to stand as I have said on many occasions, the funding for the deposit required is in place, all that is required is a little financial support and back up to get the funding in place for the printing costs.
You can forget,
”Things can only get better” used by the Labour Party,
I am just back from Bridgend Wales where I ‘Raised’ a Bard, and recorded my part of a collaboration with two of our Welsh Bards for a fresh version of Steve Andrew’s
”King Arthur’s coming”
As always I shall lead from the front.
Are you behind me?