Larry's Lunchette

Dear members and friends,

On my weekly visit to Aldi, I’m excited to discover a brand-new range of power-tools (Ferrex); my emotional reaction to tools is mysterious – ‘cos I get roused like a child in a toyshop. The human capacity to make and use tools is rooted deep in our evolutionary history; I wonder if it may be ‘hardwired’ into certain human brains. I suspect one of my uncles was so affected – as I am; I often see people ‘on the tools’ who ‘have the look’. There’s a line at the end of the film ‘Knight and Day’ – where Cameron Diaz says to Tom Cruise: “I’ve been trained to build a six-speed transmission with nothing but a pair of pliers and a crescent wrench”. “Wow” I thought, “my hero!”

A track enters the woods opposite my cottage – forming section 6 of the John Muir Way and Regional Cycling Route 76 – it’s well used; this entry has a 5ft timber gate, topped by a throw-over metal loop on an axel – ‘clunk’. In June, the timber became so badly rotted that the axel was adrift – kept snagging. Over weeks, I’ve been unable to find any ‘responsible authority’, so I devise a temporary fix: by attaching metal brackets on both sides, the axel is stabilised; works perfectly; well chuffed. Between planning and execution, it took me four hours of creative absorption – ‘in the zone’. When handling tools to fashion something, I feel intensely ‘the power of now’ – but also connected to something primordial.

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Since Tuesday, I’ve been transfixed by the unfolding events in the House of Commons – as enthralling as any TV drama series. Is Johnson really such a crass blunderer – or is some cunning ploy afoot behind the scenes. The cross-party opposition group is far better organised this time – united, determined; their Bill and its progress was thoroughly and expertly prepared. Their control of parliament is not only procedural but comprehensive – including when the election happens. Impressive. I find Ken Clark a voice of calm good sense, amid all the shouting. He says that his party (of sixty years) has been captured by the right – now an English National Party – unfit to govern. Alex Massie in the Spectator agrees.

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After the summer holidays, the Scottish Government publishes its programme for the year ahead – focussed substantially this year on measures to tackle climate change. See details of 14 proposed Bills and other measures. The document ends with 11 bullet points, outlining a governmental ‘vision’ for Scotland; specific aspirations and values – from which we can discern a coherent political philosophy (or not).

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While not a Jack McConnell fan – I think he’s right about the re-emergence of violent sectarianism in Glasgow this week – national leadership is wanting.  I wish I was convinced that Celtic and Rangers really oppose religious hatred – so helpful to their shared business model.  Their culpability needs to be called out.

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Another powerful appeal this week for the legalisation of assisted suicide; ‘The Inescapable Truth About Dying in Scotland’ says that 11 Scots a week end life in unbearable suffering.  Good BBC piece.  The reluctance of politicians is easy to understand – but humane legislation can only be a matter of time.

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Frederic Laloux’s visionary “Re-inventing Organisations” introduced us to Buurtzorg (Netherlands) and self-managing structures in service delivery. This blog traces developments in this field, by gathering key insights from: Cornerstone (Scotland); Wellbeing Teams (England); and Here (England) – pioneers re-inventing health and social care provision.

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Quote from Ken Clark’s memorable speech in Westminster’s the Article 50 debate – Feb 2017

“After the surprising collapse of the Soviet Union, eastern and central Europe could have collapsed into nationalist rivalry and the military regimes that preceded the second world war. We pressed the urgency of offering these new independent nations the goal of the European Union, which meant liberal democracy, free market trade and so forth. We made Europe a much more stable place. That has been our role in the European Union, and I believe that it is a very bad move, particularly for our children and grandchildren, that we are all sitting here now saying that we are embarking on a new unknown future; a position which is simply baffling to every friend of the United Kingdom throughout the world.”

The SE Census 2019 was launched this week by the Cabinet Secretary at CEIS’ SE Policy and Practice Conference in Glasgow. It provides another huge raft of statistics on the SE community in Scotland, reflecting emerging trends in the sector over recent years. Many of the stats will confirm existing views or understanding of the sector – as well as others, people are less familiar with. The reality is that the sector, despite so many positives developments, remains pretty fragile – with frontline organisations, in particular, finding it difficult out there (Housing Association/Credit Union stats put a different take on things). It was particularly good to hear the Cabinet Secretary acknowledge that more focus is required at a local level. The Conference also gave us the chance to hear about the work of the Chantier model in Quebec. Their story is an impressive one – both in terms of their approach and what they have achieved – and one from which Scotland could learn a lot. Senscot, with others, is hoping to forge some closer links in the months ahead.

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