The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

As You Like It, Shakespeare

Like any pagan Roman Emperor of old, the Emperor Obama has visited his oldest colony (75 years, ever since the ’alliance’ of 1941, ‘the special relationship’). Like any Emperor, he received homage from his local vassal ruler, meddled, told his subjects how to vote, insulted and threatened them if they did not obey him, and received tribute from the local royalty, being presented with Prince George, the two-year old future tributary King. All were too frightened to tell him about his new clothes: for he is living on borrowed time, in a fool’s paradise.

However, today, the day after, is the national day, St George’s Day according to the Catholic calendar, and 400 years since the death of Shakespeare. England and indeed all four nations of these Isles have still a question to answer: To be or not to be? In the frenzy to destroy by suicide their national identities, is this the end of England, the end of these Isles and indeed the end of Europe? However, today, for the Church, is Lazarus Saturday and so the eve of Palm Sunday. This is the day on which the four-day dead, already corrupt, was raised from his tomb. Lazarus chose ‘to be’. So all is still possible. To England we say: Lazarus, come forth!