Winston Churchill's 1941 Great Declaration

Winston Churchill's 1941 Great Declaration

In 1941, with Europe under the rule of Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Winston Churchill sent out a message to all those who awaited or fought for the end of tyranny. It wasn’t a long message, or one that was particularly full of specific information or advice… but it was then, and remains today, an inspirational and resolute rallying call which proclaims in succinct and sparing language the absolute, unwavering belief in the triumph of the human spirit that is surely one of the most beautiful things about humanity. This was the message:

Lift up your hearts, all will come right. Out of the depths of sorrow and of sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind.

There you go. Short, precise, elegant and powerful. Inspirational, strong leadership for all the people of Europe in dark times. Unfortunately the best we can muster for these dark times is apparently David Cameron. Or Ed Miliband. Empty, vacuous PR men; weak, simpering public school boys. Men of power who waste that power; who think that a verbless soundbite is a substitute for inspiring people to do their best. Men who can’t or won’t even stand up to the greedy individuals and corporations who got us into this mess and who refuse to cooperate in the arduous task of getting us out of it and back to sustainable prosperity.

So sad. Sadder still when you realise it’s self-inflicted…. After all, we chose them, through our democratic process. So… please can we have a proper leader now? Please?