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Left behind: Boris Johnson’s many parties have had a fallout already on Britain’s position on the world stage. It’s French President Macron who has taken the lead, in meeting with Russian President Putin and then with Ukrainian President Zelensky. These have proved more than symbolic meetings; Macron has returned with what he said is an assurance that Russia will do nothing to escalate the crisis. Boris Johnson got as far as a scheduled call with Putin, which was then cancelled because he was dealing with ‘party’ matters in Parliament.
Awkward moment: British moves to project an influential role in the Russia-Ukraine standoff appear embarrassing. In response to a build-up of more than 100,000 Russian soldiers at the Ukraine border, Britain has announced it is sending 350 soldiers to Poland to strengthen Ukraine. Should Russia attack, Johnson says Britain will not “flinch”. No one knows quite what Britain could do. By some estimates, India has more bagpipers in its regiments than Britain has soldiers.
Lord and master: With ‘Lord’ Nazir Ahmed now in jail at the start of a five-and-a-half-year sentence for sexual assault on children, Britain’s Kashmiri separatists are feeling visibly leaderless. A ‘solidarity day’ to demand self-determination drew some people in Washington DC but in London that lot drew a blank. From thousands gathering outside India House in protest, protest gatherings dwindled down to an attendance of about a dozen or so, including invariably Nazir Ahmed, and now to nothing at all. Nazir Ahmed was always a dubious leader for such a cause. That nothing seems to happen without him does say something about his erstwhile followers too.
Patel gets rap: Home Secretary Priti Patel is in another round of conflict now with a number of Sikh groups in the UK who are angry over her expressed concern about extremism among them. Patel spoke of government concerns over this bluntly but has provoked an inevitable backlash from some separatists. The government is standing firmly by her remarks.
Priorities straight: In a sign of changing times, most Indians in Britain do not know when state elections in India are due. They are more concerned that Valentine’s Day this year falls on a Monday, and so are actively preparing to party the weekend before. Clubs and halls have been booked months in advance. Quite clearly native Brits don’t seem to take this red flower day nearly as seriously as do Indians. The date means two weekends of partying, and for that reason is to them, important.
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