A huge new floor mural celebrating Bristol’s ‘past, present and future’ has been unveiled in The Centre as the focus for the area that previously had fountains on it.
This new artwork, produced by the artist Oshii and a team of fellow artists put together by the Bedminster urban art festival organisation UpFest, is absolutely stunning and covers an area more than 700m2.
Image courtesy of Our Common Ground
But is it mural? asks the wordsmith who resides inside your ‘umble scribe.
The answer is a definite no in the strictest sense. The Tate, somewhat of an authority in the art world defines a mural as follows:
A mural is a painting applied directly to a wall usually in a public space.
Bristol’s latest public artwork is executed in paint and is in a public space, but it’s on the ground, not a wall or ceiling, so is not strictly a mural in the accepted sense of the word, hence the less than accurate floor mural devised by the Post.
It’s not a mosaic, one of the only forms of decorative artwork applied to a flat horizontal surface as no tiles (also known as tesserae. Ed.) are used in its creation.
Perhaps the term painted pavement would be a better term in view of the existence of the Cosmati Pavement before the grand altar in Westminster Abbey.
Cosmati Pavement in Westminster Abbey. Image courtesy pf Wikimedia Commons
If readers can come up with a more accurate and apposite term for the Centre’s newest artwork (which makes a refreshing change from statues of the dead white males so beloved of our Victorian forebears. Ed.), please feel free to post suggestions in the comment below.
The Labour Party under ‘Sir’ Keir Starmer appears to be abandoning its egalitarian attitudes in an effort to out-Reform the racists, xenophobes and bigots of Reform UK, the latest incarnation of the Nigel Farage Fan Club.
This has been very clear in recent days.
Last week Farage announced a Reform government (God forbid! Ed. would abolish indefinite leave to remain for foreigners in Britain, including those who already benefit from it.
This policy announcement was condemned by Starmer who is reported to have described it as racist and immoral.
However racist and immoral the prime minister may consider Reform’s policy to be, this has not stopped his own Home Secretary from taking a leaf out of Reform’s playbook: yesterday Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain would be doubled from the present five to ten years.
Today saw yet another disappointing utterance from what passes for the government of the day. Kindly step forward with no shame at all the Chancellor of the Exchequer, one Rachel Jane Reeves.
Having allegedly studied Politics, Philosophy and Economic (also known as PPE. Ed.) at New College, Oxford, an alleged elite university, Rachel should really know better. Supporting racist policies makes one racist. To deny that simple fact is equivalent to someone saying ‘I’m not racist, but (insert_instance_of_racism_here).
Your ‘umble scribe has been on this earth for seven decades, but never can he remember a time when the calibre of both the world’s and the country’s politicians has been so abysmal.
Antifa or anti-fascist is a noun with the following definitions:
a political movement whose followers are left-wing activists who oppose fascist authoritarianism, capitalism, and extreme right-wing ideologies such as nationalism, xenophobia, and white supremacy; and
a group of such activists, or a member of such a group.
Opposition to fascism has grown in recent years with the increasing prominence of extreme right wing politics and politicians, particularly in western democracies.
Not least of these prominent extreme right wing politicians is the disgraced former 45th president and current disgraceful 47th president of the United States of America, insurrectionist, convicted felon, adjudicated sexual predator, business fraudster, congenital liar and golf cheat commonly known as Donald John Trump, who is on a personal mission to Make America Grate Again (or something similar. Ed.).
The Donald has made no secret in the past of his hatred for those expressing anti-fascist sentiments and standing up to his extreme authoritarian regime; and if you are opposed to anti-fascism, Donny, you know what that makes you, don’t you?
The Tangerine Tyrant has now gone further than he ever has before, posting the following on Truth Social his social media platform that defies nominative determinism.
Yes, you read that correctly. A noun is now ‘A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION’.
Just like antifa, organization (to use the US-EN spelling) is a noun. Amongst others, it has the following definition.
A group of persons organized for some end or work; association.
As is usual when The Donald starts throwing his weight about on social media, there has been some criticism, particularly from those with expertise in terrorism, not to say outright ridicule, but more on the latter presently.
The most clear criticism your ‘umble scribe has seen has emanated from ex-US Navy man Malcolm Nance who replied to Trump’s invective as shown below.
As regards the mockery of Trump’s flawed logic, untold numbers of social media users have posted about members of their families who have been involved in anti-fascist actions.
Your correspondent also posted a photograph of a prominent anti-fascist activist from 1942.
Major-General Dwight D. Eisenhower photographed in 1942. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Those of us with long memories have not forgotten the last time Uncle Sam displayed noun-based hostility. In 2011, the war on terror was declared by then President George W. Bush and resulted in such horrors as the Guantanamo Bay detention camp (which has yet to close. Ed.) and so-called extraordinary rendition, i.e. the state-sponsored abduction of people in a foreign jurisdiction and transfer to a third country, usually for interrogation linked to the use of torture.
Taking all the above into account, one has to credit Trump with one thing: he’s doing a great job of making America grate.
Update 23/09/2025: It was announced overnight that Trump has issued an executive order designating the aforementioned noun as a domestic terror organisation. In the text of the executive order, a common Trump playbook tactic is apparent – accusing one’s opponents of exactly the kinds of actions – e.g. doxing and physical assault – his MAGA louts have been inflicting on their perceived opponents for years. Anyway, the very best of luck on your witch hunt against a noun and an idea, Donny! Your action is reminiscent of another Don and his epic quest against windmills* in La Mancha.
Today The National reported that the Liberal Democrats had written to broadcast regulator Ofcom to complain about the BBC’s excessive coverage (one might even say cheerleading. Ed.) of one Nigel Paul Farage, liar, charlatan, racist, Brexit cheerleader and chief honcho of alleged political party Reform UK.
Max Wilkinson, the Lib Dems’ culture and media spokesperson, has remarked: “The BBC is following Farage around like a lost puppy and the resulting wall-to-wall coverage is giving legitimacy to a man who wants to do to Britain what Trump is doing to America.”, as well as stating that the broadcaster is compromising its reputation.
Furthermore, the party states that it only receives a fraction of the coverage given to Farage and his fan club despite the Lib Dems having eighteen times as many MPs.
The full text of Mr Wilkinson’s letter is as follows:
Dear Melanie Dawes,
I’m writing to you to urge you to review whether the high volume of coverage of Reform UK by the BBC is in line with broadcast guidance.
The BBC is an important part of our national story. Research carried out this May revealed what many of us know instinctively: that the BBC is the most respected broadcaster in the world – ranking first across the globe for trust, reliability and independence. Its mission is to act in the public interest. The corporation is governed by Royal Charter.
By paying such disproportionate attention to Nigel Farage’s latest outfit, Reform UK, the BBC is compromising its reputation. To many licence fee payers, the broadcaster gives the impression that hangs on every word uttered by Nigel Farage, despite his party’s scant representation in Parliament. Most recently, we have seen Reform enact bans on journalism and spread dangerous untruths at its autumn conference, linking Covid vaccination jabs to cancer.
The coverage of my party, the Liberal Democrats, has been disproportionately low. The broadcaster’s online platform, BBC Online, mentions Nigel Farage three times as frequently as it does Ed Davey. In Parliament the Liberal Democrats represent eighteen times as many constituencies as Reform UK.
This discrepancy does real damage to the BBC’s reputation as a fair, independent broadcaster and its ability to abide by its own charter. By giving Reform lift and airtime that is denied to other parties, the BBC assists Reform’s poll rating – an interference in politics that goes against its chartered responsibility.
This country deserves fair, proportional and balanced journalism. Currently the BBC is required by its regulator to deliver this in the regulated period: the election seasons where state broadcasters are required to give proportionate coverage to political parties, based on their parliamentary heft. Our petition sets out proposals for an extension of this regulation, to year-round – a plan that would give the electorate the respect it deserves by consistently providing fair coverage across the political spectrum.
I urge you to consider our proposal.
Yours sincerely
Max Wilkinson MP
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport
The National is not the only media outlet to notice the disproportionate airtime Farage receives. Middle East Eye has also noticed the disparity, particularly with regard to Farage’s appearances on the BBC’s Question Time topical debate programme. It states:
As just one example of this systematic effort to force Farage on the country, Jeremy Corbyn has been on BBC Question Time three times in 42 years as an MP. Left-wing MP Zarah Sultana has never been on it. Farage, who was elected an MP only last year, has appeared 38 times.
Ofcom guidance to broadcasters states they must “not give undue prominence to the views and opinions of particular persons or bodies on matters of political or industrial controversy and matters relating to current public policy in all the programmes included in any service taken as a whole“.
It sounds like Auntie is definitely in breach of Ofcome guidelines. However, the rest of the British media also give Farage a very soft ride and seem reluctant to press him on the feasibility of his party’s policies and his own abhorrent opinions.
Indeed, the harshest criticism of Farage in recent times has come from Democrat Senator Jamie Raskin, when Farage skived off doing the job he’s supposed to be doing in parliament to appear before a US congressional hearing on censorship. Mr Raskin did not pull any punches.
The British media ought to take a leaf out of Senator Raskin’s book.
No further comment is required apart from saying that in the film, Clees and his companions within the castle were all playing forrins, insulting and humiliating Arthur and his knights of the round table.
Sin is generally accepted to be a transgression against divine law. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, shameful, harmful or alienating might be termed “sinful“. Synonyms form sin include offence, crime, violation, sinfulness, felony, trespass, wrongdoing.
All those secular alternatives bring us very swiftly to the doors of the Home Office and its Secretary of State, one Yvette Cooper. The Home Office’s responsibilities include public safety and policing, border security, immigration, passports and civil registration.
And it is border security and immigration that are currently exercising Ms Cooper’s mind.
Ever since the previous Tory government blocked off all conventional ways of applying for political asylum in the Untied Kingdom, the country has been experiencing a so-called migrant crisis, with desperate people risking their lives to cross the Channel in inflatable boats. Once they arrive in Blighty, they become the responsibility of the Home Office which is currently using hotels around the country to house the the massive backlog of applicants for asylum.
The response of Ms Cooper and the government has been to adopt the clothing of the far right in an attempt to appease the unappeasable. This has included suspendingbreaching the Human Rights Act provisions in respect of family life, an action some might regard as sinful.
Nevertheless, Ms Cooper is not content with this digression and lack of humanity, as was apparent from The Guardian’s live blog today, as per the following screenshot.
They’re people, not widgets, Ms Cooper!
Yes you did read that correctly.
Warehouses.
This is indicative that Ms Cooper has ceased to regard these desperate people as human beings, since one stores objects in warehouses, not people.
This dehumanisation is dangerous, as was pointed out by the late Terry Pratchett in his Carpe JugulumDiscworld novel.
“And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.” “It’s a lot more complicated than that—” “No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.” “Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes—” “But they starts with thinking about people as things…”
It is not known whether Ms Cooper has ever read Carpe Jugulum, but even if she hasn’t, your ‘umble scribe thinks that treating people as people and not things is the natural way of things.
The story of baked pastry dough wrapped around is tasty filling is a long one. Sometime before 2000 BCE, a recipe for chicken pie was written on a tablet in Sumer – the earliest known civilisation – in southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq. Ed.), according to Wikipedia.
Moving forward a couple of millennia, the 1st century Roman cookbook Apicius includes several recipes involving a pie case.
It would therefore seem evident humans have been munching pastry baked around a filling for at least two millennia.
Coming right up to date, one of today’s largest producers of baked goods in the Untied Kingdom is Greggs, founded in the Gosforth area of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1939. From the 1970s onwards, Greggs embarked on a string of acquisitions and mergers. In June 2025 the chain had 2,649 outlets and also employs over 33,000 staff. Some items are only sold in particular regions, whilst the company also sells some of its products (e.g. bakes, melts and pasties) through the Iceland supermarket chain.
As a mass market supplier, Greggs is frequently mocked for being down-market and this brings us neatly to humour and punning, a social media staple.
Greggs Benedict?
Sounds delicious!
However, there was once – but no longer – an actual Greggs Benedict available under a fine dining ‘experience’:
For breakfast and brunch, don’t miss out on the “Greggs Benedict” – the Greggs Sausage, Bean and Cheese Melt reimagined with smoked ham, poached Cacklebean eggs and a velvety Hollandaise sauce. Our ‘Full English’ celebrates the icon that is the Greggs Sausage Roll alongside bacon, mushroom, tomato, baked beans and a choice of eggs – scrambled, poached or fried. The dish also comes as a vegetarian and vegan option.
Update 23/09/2025: It was announced overnight that 
