by Michael Foot
First, where we are going. As you probably know we are within 14 months of an Election. You need to believe that, in that time, we can create a sufficiently wide national political movement that, at the Election, we can get a large number of MPs voted in. We firmly intend to capture the government of this country. We’re not going to be like UKIP in 2015, nearly 4 million votes and just 1 MP. Think much more of examples like Emmanuel Macron in France who created a party out of almost nothing in under a year and won the Presidential Election there in 2017. Trump in the US at the end of 2016 was another example – at least evidence that someone ‘new’ can take on and defeat the power machines that run political parties everywhere – even someone like him. There have been plenty of other examples elsewhere in Europe too- the Five Star Movement in Italy for one.
How do we think we can do this? Well, I would say we have four great advantages – over say Macron in 2016. The first is money. You probably don’t know much about the size and source of our finances. But I can promise you that they are substantial and that I have been laying the groundwork (and putting money by) now for 4 years. We will be by far the best financed party contesting this upcoming Election. And money can fill in many of the gaps that even good party machines tend to have.
Second, ideas. At present, most outsiders who know anything about us think of some kind of giant charity. And so, in a way, we are. But every home we create for single women with families, every rehab class we offer for people on drugs or alcohol, every counselling service we provide to the elderly and the financially insecure can be thought of as something quite different. They are, in fact, living examples of what we could and will do if we can get control of the vast amounts of public money that get spent now in these areas. In other words, we can already demonstrate that our policies are likely to work if they can be tried on a bigger stage. Most of the other political newcomers, elsewhere, have had only promises to offer.
Third, novelty together with a typically British style of nostalgia. We are ‘new people’. No more tired established politicians with their endless expenses, sexual harassment and other comet trails of grief behind them. The ordinary voter is sick and tired of being lied to; so we will make it a priority to tell the truth and nothing else. As for nostalgia, how often do you hear people, especially older people, long for the days when the country was relatively at peace with itself? Life before BREXIT and before the Labour Party started tearing itself to shreds wasn’t the joy-ride people remember. But we think we can remind people that we’re all in this together; that there needs to be what some would call in ‘old-speak’ a new social contract.
And we think we can deliver that to an electorate that is suspicious, tired of experts. Voters’ dissatisfaction with the old way of doing things has been the key supporting factor behind the success of new parties in a large number of EU countries. We will have new faces, clean hands, policies and procedures that we are prepared to share in advance and live by in the event.
Compare that with the other national parties. The Tories still at daggers drawn with each other over what happened up to BREXIT. Labour, with a Leader that half of them would turn their backs on given the chance. Even the death of the Queen has made change easier to contemplate; the periods after Elizabeth 1 and Victoria were both marked by significant and rapid political change. You can sense that people already half-expect that pattern again. After Victoria, we had most of the political growth of a new party, Labour. In a sense all we Angels will be trying to do, just over a century later, is replicate the emergence of a new party again. And, as almost everything can happen now much faster than it did a century ago, why not us in 14 months?
Finally, my fourth point, we have a potential army with numbers, energy and who are fed up – the younger voters. I’ve touched on how we might appeal to older voters – though we have to be realistic and recognise it’s no easy thing to change the voting habits of a person’s lifetime. Again, most of the upheavals – from France through the Middle East and into Asia – have been driven by young people who have two priceless commodities in abundance – energy and technical savvy. The Angels already have close connections with tens of thousands of young people who think positively of us and whose energies I am sure we can harness. The next Election will take the use of technology in politics to new levels. No party is as well placed as we are to find and use the technology that can be deployed. Anyway, enough from me before this becomes an Election speech. How am I doing so far?”
Andrew took a little time to order his thoughts and reply. His first, internal, thought had been how pleased the Colonel would be when he, Andrew, could report on all this – obtained straight from the horse’s mouth. He finally said “Well let’s suppose that the finances are really there, that policies are set out and already partially in place; and that there is an embryonic network of people out there ready to ‘go at your command’. I can see that you might then really have a lot to build on, quickly and in substance. Though I would still think your biggest hurdle is going to be binding together the disparate rowing factions across the country into accepting something more like give and take.”
“Very fair comment” Michael said. “Now, I need to find a way to test out your abilities to help us – and, at the same time, let you see that you really would bring significant strengths to the party. We also need to give you the chance to see that the lynchpins for progress that I’ve been talking about really are there. Let me think. We’ll come back to all that at the end of the weekend, if we may.”
Michael looked at his watch. “About 20 minutes to Prayers – which means 22 minutes to food! I’m sure Chloe will be sitting somewhere in the front garden enjoying this lovely weather. I suggest you go and find her and I’ll join you soon. After food, the policy session will start. You will be welcome to sit in and listen – but don’t feel under any compulsion to stay. We don’t do ‘polite’ here.”
9
Andrew found Chloe sitting in a patch of warm sunshine on one side of the garden. Eyes closed, face raised to the sun. Not for the first time, Andrew thought how beautiful she was, especially in repose like this. The combination of her good looks and the very obvious fact that she was at peace with herself was, he found, irresistible.
He stood quietly and watched her for a minute and then she gave a start and came to. “You” she said. “Must mean you’ve talked to Michael. Is it time to eat? Have you heard a bell?” She rose and put her arm in his, one of the first intimacies he could remember from her. “Sit next to me when we go in.” She checked quickly with her watch. “I’ll make sure you don’t foul up too much. When you meet people, just nod to show you’ve recognised they are there. There’ll be introductions later. If you do have any food allergies, grab one of the Sisters and explain. It’s amazing what they can conjure up, as there will be vegan dishes, gluten-free food and so on already mixed in with what you’ll see. If you don’t have any allergies, just follow your nose. Try a bit of everything you fancy and go back for more when you’re ready. It’s all self-service. And there will be wine and beer on the side for those who need it!”
At that point, a gong – not a bell – could be heard, emanating from the room Andrew had recently left. Chloe led him back in. Even in the few minutes he’d been outside, the room had been transformed. Tables were now covered with large tablecloths and two had food warmers on them – very obviously, by their look and smell, with a range of interesting things to eat. Huge salad bowls, olives, cheese, great hunks of French bread completed the picture. Andrew realised he was hungry and was sure, from what he could see and smell, that the food would be good.
The gong sounded again twice more and about a dozen people arrived in the room. There were nods as people’s paths crossed. Chloe briefly hugged a woman and two of the men. The chairs had been drawn back towards the walls, leaving a considerable space which the dozen or so now filled. Chloe kept hold of Andrew’s hand and then Michael himself appeared, so
mething which generated a muted but recognisable murmur of greeting from the others. Michael stood and held out his hands either side of him. Two others stood with him, one on his right one to his left, holding his hands. The rest then latched on, forming a rough circle. Chloe moved Andrew dexterously into place and, standing to his right, held his right hand. Another girl moved up to Andrew’s left and took that hand. Within 10 seconds a rough circle of hands had formed.
Andrew had no idea what to expect, so he kept his eyes open though he could quickly see that most people were standing with eyes closed. Michael lifted and then lowered his left hand, saying as he finished “the circle”. The girl next to him had had her right arm raised and lowered; she now did the same with her left arm, again saying “the circle”. It took perhaps 10 seconds more for this odd little Mexican wave to complete. When it returned to Michael, he lifted both arms, still holding hands and said “Widen the circle”. Again this was copied by the girl on his left; and, of course, by the time this element of the Mexican wave had completed itself, all 12 people were standing, hands clasped with their arms in the air. Michael then said, in a way that even Andrew could see was meant to be the termination of ‘prayers’ (which was obviously what this was). “We are the circle. Let us enjoy good food, company and widen the circle.”
With this, all eyes opened. Roughly half the people present went to start the process of finding a plate and helping themselves, the others – Chloe leading Andrew – went and sat to await their turn. Now Andrew had taken the scene in, he spotted a couple of Sisters standing quietly by the tables in case anyone needed help or advice. He also registered a couple of wine bottles and a range of beers on one of the tables. When Chloe took Andrew up to find a plate, Andrew made sure to return to his seat clutching a sizeable glass of red wine.
The food was varied and, Andrew had to admit, excellent. The Angels certainly didn’t stint on the essentials. Andrew sat in a chair next to Chloe and was about to say something to her when it became apparent that this was not what was done during meals. Instead, one of the Sisters had moved to a lectern and began reading aloud in a voice obviously meant to blot out any conversation.
From his Catholic background, Andrew quickly realised, with her first words “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” that she was reading a version of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus’ summary – Andrew thought- in Matthew’s Gospel. Over the next 10 minutes or so, the woman ran through all eight (Andrew now remembered) of the Blessings in the Sermon, offering a short commentary on what each meant for an Angel. Later, thinking back, Andrew realised that two pieces of dialogue had stuck in his mind. First, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”. Second “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” Andrew no longer had any active Christian faith. But these words had always appealed to him, even as a child, once he was old enough to know a little about the cruelties and peculiarities of the world. In a strange way, it was how he thought of his ‘hidden role’ for the Colonel – as a peace keeper.
The Sister read slowly, pausing on each of the eight beatitudes and the short explanation or commentary that followed that statement. People ate as they listened, and several – Andrew included – rose and refilled their plate as the reading continued. Well, thought Andrew, if the Colonel feels these people are dangerous revolutionaries, perhaps this will reassure him. But Andrew immediately realised the falsity of that argument; the early Christians’ policies had been totally subversive of the social order in which they had found themselves in the Roman Empire. Such mild and ‘reasonable’ policies could, he realised, be equally subversive here and now.
Two other Sisters moved quietly around the room, clearing plates and the food remaining. Michael watched them and then spoke for the first time as they neared the end of the task. “We had better move onto the real meat of the evening before everyone starts to relax after a hard week and doze off. I’m going to go round now and briefly introduce each of you. Most of you know many of the others present. But that’s certainly not true for one of you, who will be new to almost everyone; and my guess is that some of the specialists we have here may not have met all their colleagues either.”
Michael started with Andrew saying merely “Let me start with Andrew Davies, who has only just joined our organisation and who is here primarily to learn what we are about.” As Michael went round the room, introducing the others, Andrew realised that he was facing quite a battery of the Angel ‘senior management’ – he didn’t know what else to call it. There were four members of the High Council apart from Michael – including the two most senior, the Muslim Jibril and Michael’s number 2, Gabby. Of the other three men, one was an Afro-Caribbean who was introduced as ‘head of the policy unit’, one was Gabby’s own number 2 in the finance area and the third was Ariel who (Andrew recalled from Freddy’s briefing) spoke for environmental matters. Of the women, one turned out to be Sammy – the woman (into middle age Andrew thought) whom Freddy had described as the ‘agony aunt but one tough lady’. The other two came, so far as Andrew could understand, from the personnel side and from some kind of policy co-ordination unit. Plus, of course, Chloe who was introduced by Michael briefly but fondly as “known to you all, one of the first Angels on the scene; she’s here – with Andrew – to keep our feet firmly on the ground.”
Michael promised that this first session would last no more than an hour. It was, he said, intended to chart the course for the rest of the weekend; and they would come back to three key topics for in-depth discussion later. “Those three topics” said Michael. “First, the core of the Manifesto we shall have to put to the Electorate, to get them comfortable with the idea that voting for us is not voting for some La La Land version of reality. Second how are we going to use the Foundation – and its money – to the best advantage in this next 14 months? Third, how to use our technology to maximise our impact, specifically on the Millennial and Z generations? That should be more than enough for one weekend. If there is any time left over, we should home in on pre-Election strategies to get us known to our public. We need to get voters thinking of people like Gabby and Ariel here as people they’d like to know, normal decent citizens, with some good ideas for rescuing the country from its current crazy state.”
Andrew didn’t try too hard to keep up with the next hour’s debate. The people who were going to lead on the three topics outlined briefly how they would proceed when their ‘turn’ came later in the weekend. A couple of people indicated that they had very specific issues to put to Michael, who duly promised he would be available as needed. And that was it. By 9.30, the debate had not only ended but the participants had taken themselves off to sleep. Andrew himself, once back in his room, picked out a historical novel from the bookcase there, read one chapter, and fell quickly into what turned out to be a deep and dreamless sleep.
10
Andrew slept well and was awakened only by a bell that, according to his watch, meant it was 8am. He took a quick shower in his en-suite and headed downstairs. Breakfast, it turned out, was a more relaxed meal than dinner had been. He arrived when perhaps half the weekend’s participants had appeared, quickly found where the cooked food was and enjoyed a good fry-up at a large table. His liking for fry-ups was a relic from his Army days and had never left him.
At this meal, people did talk to each other – there was no reading. Andrew nodded at the people sitting either side of him, both of whom promptly introduced themselves. One, a girl, Eva, was the HR expert he had seen last night, tall, handsome, slightly Slavic look he thought. The other was Ariel who, whatever his environmental views, clearly didn’t feel the need to avoid eating meat.
The conversation was fairly inconsequential, though the girl at least showed interest in finding out a bit more about Andrew. He just enjoyed the food and some excellent coffee and responded to her questions politely but not very fully. When she talked about herself, it turned o
ut that she had been an Angel for several years and had started working full-time for them about a year ago, as Michael had then started to ramp up operations ahead of the upcoming Election. In conversation, Eva made the same point that Michael had made last night. “We don’t see nearly enough new faces like yours – or at least not with skills like yours. I pulled up your entry on our data base last night – always good to know who you’re spending time with. Impressive, I must say.” She smiled at him and turned to Ariel.
Chloe arrived towards the end of Andrew’s meal. Her idea of breakfast was clearly 2 cups of coffee, 1 slice of toast – and no conversation! Of Michael there was no sign and when Andrew mentioned this fact Eva smiled at him. “Michael gets lobbied mercilessly at weekends like this. Someone will be in there with him, trying to get extra funding for some personal brainwave. It’s just as well that Michael always seems to have money available to meet the more sensible ideas; and he has a charming way of saying ’no’ when the ideas aren’t sensible or don’t fit his strategy.”
Another bell sounded. Eva looked at her watch. “10 minutes to kick-off. It looks a lovely day again out there – my morning run was really good today. Michael will try to ensure that we get at least several hours free after lunch. He’s a great believer in the value of fresh air – and, thank God, in the diminishing value of lengthy meetings.”