Yesterday Trump told the US Congress that he had 'just got started' and that the USA intended to get Greenland 'one way or another' which is as extraordinary a land grab as one is ever likely to hear. But the Congress was informed that Ukraine was ready to sign the minerals deal, at any time. This minerals deal would give the US a share of the country's wealth from its natural resources - which Trump has said would compensate for Washington's support since Russia's invasion began. The deal appeared to be on the brink of collapse last week after Trump berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. But he now says the Ukrainian president has written a letter to him, and revealed they are ready for a deal. A Ukrainian MP appeared on the airwaves yesterday evening asking the question that if America really needed some compensation for all of its expenditures on munitions, why did they not claim this from Russia itself. Here in the UK, there is a movement to use some of the proceeds from Russian assets which have been frozen since the conflict began. There are many legal issues that arise in this context, both issues of public international law, European Union law, private international law and the domestic laws of various countries involved arise, and there are no easy solutions and answers. France, for example, is very reluctant to go down the road of the seizure of assets as the French doubt very much the legalities of such a move, as well as the precedents that are created and feels that several international treaties would have to be broken. But my understanding is that other countries can commandeer the proceeds of such assets, for example the interest that they generate, rather than the assets themselves. I have had a phrase running through my head since the start of the Trump regime and it is 'A Government of Laws and Not of Men'. The phrase was first used by John Adams, attorney, and the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 and has been a guiding principle of the US constitution until the present day. But the way in which laws are being swept aside in current day America do call in mind why in British history we have had both Magna Carta in 1215 not to mention the English Civil War to sweep aside the notion of the divine right of kings in order that one individual, typically a monarch, exercises overwhelming power. The White House has stirred controversy by releasing an image of U.S. President Donald Trump wearing a crown, accompanied by the famous slogan 'Long Live the King.' This move has sparked widespread reactions. The White House shared a photo of Trump in formal attire on the cover of Time magazine, wearing a royal crown. The image also featured the slogan 'Long Live the King,' which Trump had previously shared on his social media platform, Truth Social. The image and its accompanying slogan quickly became a hot topic in the media. Some saw it as a sign of self-glorification and an unconventional approach by Trump during his second term in office, while critics interpreted it as an attempt to display authoritarian tendencies and distance himself from the democratic values of the United States. The political magazine Politico reacted by publishing a commentary, accusing Trump of a 'serious attempt to change the governing system in America to align with what he envisions.' According to the article, Trump is increasingly showing his fascination with monarchy.
Yesterday we knew that the hairdresser was due to call in the middle of the day, so we had to ensure that Meg's hair was washed in advance of her visit. I had another couple of fairly inexperienced care workers again this morning and they had never used the special hair washing bowl that I purchased off the internet months ago. But between the three of us, we got Meg's hair washed and then Meg put into her special chair in the Music Lounge. Our domestic help calls around and between us, we got Meg in her chair pushed into the hallway where the sun was streaming through the window so that Meg could appreciate some of the Springtime sun. I was pleased to be able to locate quickly the travelling kettle that Meg and I used to use together with some 'travel cups' (built of a durable plastic but used for so many decades that they have lost all hint of any plastic taste) and these our domestic help is going to have on a permanent loan because I can always reclaim when I next need to use them, which will be a long time in the future. Our domestic help is going on a birthday treat holiday trip to Tuscany but the family hotel they have booked, unlike their British counterparts, will not come equipped with a kettle so a travelling kettle is actually 'de rigeur' When the same two carers came before lunchtime to make Meg comfortable, Meg fortunately did not require much attention so I spent some time regaling the two young carers with tales of modern life, marriage and relationships. How we got onto this unlikely subject was that I said I was going cook dinner for Meg and I but had learnt over the last few months not to divide our meal equally between the two of us but have portions that more reflected our varying body weights. Lunch was going to a simple affair of slices of cooked ham warmed up in an onion gravy and accompanied by a baked potato and some green beans. The small amount of meat left over was cut into small cubes and will form the basis of a pasta or curry type meal tomorrow. Actually, as I had prepared all of the food, I waited for the hairdresser to arrive at 1.00pm after which lunch could be more easily rustled up. The hairdresser and I collaborated well in getting Meg wheeled in her chair from the hall into the kitchen (where we can more easily vacuum up hair once it has been cut.) Then we devised a plan to make things even easier for ourselves the next time around.
The nation is preparing itself not so much for a Spring financial statement but rather a 'grim' statement. Apart from the normal ritual obeisance about cutting excessive red tape and bureaucracy (which sounds like a typical Tory meme), there are leaks that the welfare budget is due to take a massive hit. On top of the list are those whose who, in our post-Covid age, are in receipt of benefits and not in work . The number of people economically inactive because of long-term sickness has risen to over 2.5 million people, an increase of over 400,000 since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Over 1.35 million (53%) of those inactive because of long-term sickness reported that they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety in Quarter 1 2023, with the majority (over 1 million) reporting it as a secondary health condition rather than their main one.
© Mike Hart [2025]