Suzie Champion likens the big beasts of local government politics to the mythical creatures of Chinese astrology.
Different layers of officialdom rarely see eye-to-eye. For example, the Department of Communities and Local Government (Central Government) is currently at odds with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Local Authority for much of the old East End). All sorts of allegations have been flying in both directions.
Central government versus local government may be old hat. But the spat becomes more interesting if viewed through the ancient art of Chinese Astrology – a 2,000 year old calendar system in which one of 12 animals each reigns supreme for a 12 month period. They are, in order: Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger and Rabbit. In addition, there are five elements representing the seasons and cardinal directions, each having a negative/receptive (-) or a positive/expressive (+) energy value. These are: Wood (Spring/East), Fire (Summer/South), Earth (Centre), Metal (Autumn/West) and Water (Winter/North).
The current configuration means that we are now in the Year of +Wood Horse, which runs from 31st January 2014 until 18th February 2015.
Back at the fray, in the Central Government corner is the heavyweight Water Dragon, the Right Honourable Mr Eric Pickles MP, born 20th April 1952. In the Local Government corner, the metaphorical lightweight Wood Snake, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Mr Lutfur Rahman, born one day in September 1965. Rahman’s exact date of birth is not susceptible to any amount of internet trawling. Are we already witnessing the shy and secretive Snake personality here: a man born without a birthday, like the vampire without a reflection?
Look, too, at how the element of Water feeds the Wood; how Rahman is supplied by the steady flow, and sometimes torrents, of Pickles’ attention.
An actual snake can detect the slightest vibrations in the earth, so it will instinctively know something is coming before it sees it. It can, therefore, act in advance to avoid danger. Imagine this ability transferred to human intuition, e.g. when the roaring Dragon breathed fire over alleged council sleaze in the Hamlets near the Tower.
No evidence was found, however, implying that the Snake left no detectable movements – so we are not observing a Sidewinder; more like a King Cobra who seems to thrive on sticking his neck out.
No wonder we hear the thunder of the Dragon. In the original myth, the keeper of the treasure will defend the entrance to the cave against anyone trying to seize its riches. Here, the human Dragon is certainly asserting his power to defend the taxpayers’ coffers, especially with regard to the ‘not objective…not even-handed’ publication, East End Life. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government decries it as a ‘Town Hall Pravda’ (Russian propaganda masquerading as ‘truth’). He has roared at the wily Snake that the offending publication must be reduced to a quarterly (that’s a cut of 97.92%) – or said Snake can expect to be strung up, skinned and turned into handbags.
The Snake, as we know, is able to shed its own skin. It is a deceptive serpent which presents a perpetual grin, transfixing its opponents. Accordingly, have you noticed that the Ra Man seems to smile even when he isn’t? The residents of Tower Hamlets will make up their own mind about this smooth operator, but he is certainly shape-shifting his way through a second term of office in a suitably Snake-like manner.
Dragons beware!