Janey Godley: Prince Philip will never be forgotten

So that’s the depths of social media in 2021. The hordes of union flag-waving patriots have decided who can and who can’t grieve and how they should speak and yet at the same time call anyone who disagrees with them ‘snowflakes’.

The cancel culture is everything they hate, the likes of “Lawrence Fox and the Statue protectors” (sounds like a brilliant 80s band, if only Larry could sing) are never done banging on about it, yet in the same breath, they call out anyone who dares to poke fun at them.

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Andrew Neil called a man racist on Twitter when he himself got called a “Gammon” because Mr Snowflake Neil, despite standing for free speech, didn’t like being called names and cited it a hate crime and racism against his race. I never knew gammon was a race, did you?

The slur ‘Gammon’ comes from Dickens 180 years ago, from the book Nicholas Nickleby meaning ‘a large middle-aged man who professes an extreme patriotism in large part to disguise his essential selfishness and corruption’.

In the book, it is aimed at MP Mr Gregsbury, at a meeting with constituents, when one man called out from the seats that Gregsbury’s remarks ‘savoured rather too much of a gammon tendency’ so the phrase was embedded into the history of language and slurs.

We know that in common Twitter parlance, a gammon is now a negative stereotypical way to describe a white man who supports Brexit, loves the Union Flag, guards statues and hates anyone with pronouns. They also apparently object to people with lactose intolerance; hence some use a ‘MILK’ emoji in their bio on social media. I wonder how they feel about people who can’t eat wheat? Is there a ‘loaf’ emoji?

The same folk tend to not like outspoken women, females who answer back and who dare to walk about without lipstick on. They favour salmon pink trousers, mustard cords, like to sup real ale and demand Brexit is Brexit to anyone who will listen, even when ordering food online or talking to their bulldog. Some like to sit on the coastline and talk a lot about borders. But is it racist, is it free speech to call them gammon, who knows?

Who can forget Lawrence Fox calling people ‘paedophiles’ when they said he was racist, because in his head, he can call you ANY name he likes and wants you cancelled for doing the same thing, but at the same time is standing as London Mayor on a ‘free speech’ ticket? Irony is fun.

But getting back to the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, my dad Jim Currie died on the same day, albeit four years previously and I know the pain of losing him. I fully understand the process of grief yet completely know nothing about it in the same breath. I still cry in the street if I see a wee man with a blue jacket and a skip hat on. Sometimes I wake up with a panic knowing I will never hear him laugh again, but if someone Gammony had told me I wasn’t allowed to attend his funeral, I think I would go on a screaming rampage at the mustard cord brigade in the immediate fall out of his death.

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We all know it won’t be long before they start attacking Harry’s wife Meghan for either not coming to the funeral, or for being present at the funeral, she can’t win this one. They are permanently offended and angry at strong women on a daily basis and any excuse to get the boot in is frightening.

The comments on social media would have you believe that every one of these angry flag-waving folks live in the next room to Harry and Meghan and know their every thought and deed. What they don’t know, they make up and that was something The Duke of Edinburgh hated, he railed against the public and the press making stuff up, I would guess that he would hate Farage for taking a pop at his grandson. But what do I know about the Royal family, I didn’t live with them either? The keyboard agitators will never cease.

The debate online won’t go away just because people like me write about it. The situation in Belfast, the immigration policies, the forthcoming Scottish elections will still happen and will be equally ignored or amplified within sections of the press despite our continued outcry about what should take precedence in the media.

People are already complaining that there was ‘too much Prince Phillip’ on the TV since his death last Friday. A complaints line was set up.

I just simply switched off the council telly and went over to Netflix and watched The Crown, I like my Royal family to have better lighting, more dialogue, brilliant dinner scenes and some sassy fictional stories.

Despite being a supporter of Scottish independence, I have no ill feelings towards the Royal family, in fact, I took part in being a presenter for the Duke of Edinburgh awards at Holyrood house with Prince Edward. I know many Scottish Independence supporters who have no angst with the Royal family, it’s a common misconception that is pushed that we in Scotland  ‘hate the English’ when in fact before covid, I spent a huge chunk of my life in England, either touring, gigging or visiting down south. My first live show out of lockdown will be in Balham in July.

I do know this, a beloved husband has died, he was a much-loved father and grandpa’ and nobody should disrespect the grief and the huge gap that he will leave in a family’s life. Whether it is the Queen’s husband Phillip Mountbatten or my daddy Jim Currie. Rest in peace, you won’t be forgotten.