What has happened to the country my grandfather spoke so highly of?

As a kid growing up in South Africa in the '60s and '70s, I often sat on my grandfather lap or at the table and listened as he spoke with pride of his English and Welsh heritage. My grandmother did the same, but with slightly less eloquence. You see, their families had originated in both England and Wales, traveled via Australia and landed in South Africa early in the 20th century.

And while Len James, my grandfather, was not born in the UK, he spoke of the beautiful green lands, the narrow lanes and the incredible variety of pubs. He spoke often of the people, who in his opinion where the brightest and the best in the world. A people, he often said, who could do anything, invent anything and a people who were never dominated by any other nation and a nation who fought hard to keep it that way.

He told me of his pride to stand side-by-side with his British comrades during the Second World War and how he watched them fight bravely and stubbornly against often overwhelming odds, never embarrassed to say they were British. Whether it was Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English comrades, they all worked together as one people. 'British,' he would always say, 'Proudly British'.

However, I look today at this amazing country and wonder whether he would still speak with pride of this great, beautiful and pleasant land in which I now have the privilege to live? Would he boldly proclaim his heritage or would he bow his head in shame and shake it is disgust?

I look at the politicians today, amongst whom there is a great many blamers, finger pointers, who rage in complete confusion and hardly a real leader amongst them. Very few with the courage or leadership skills of a Ramsay McDonald, Winston Churchill or William Pitt the Younger. Many who will point fingers at their opponents as the cause for the challenges this country faces, very few with the courage to look at themselves or accept the responsibility for the choices they were elected to deliver.

I wonder if Len would have taught me about any of the current British, Scottish, Welsh or Irish politicians? Probably not. It is far more likely that he would have been embarrassed by what we see.

He would be embarrassed because of the ease with which the politicians have allowed this great country and its amazing people to be pushed around, made to look inadequate, incompetent and bumbling. He would be embarrassed at the way in which the people of the country have allowed themselves to be dominated by other nations, which have neither the heritage nor the innovative quality they have.

I wonder what he would have thought of the open disrespect and contempt many politicians have for the electorate of this country.

My grandfather often spoke of his pride in his ancestry which has produced The Bill of Rights from 1689 on which the US Bill of Rights, the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights are modeled and are based. And of a Parliament which traces its history back to the 13th century, long before most other countries existed.

This parliament, which has respected the will, vote, and mandate of the majority of the country, irrespective of the size of the winning margin through a secret ballot since 1928, seems now to be dominated by the will of countries and no longer the people.

As a man who never lack an opinion or sound advice, I think my grandfather would have suggested to the current political establishment:

It takes courage, intestinal fortitude to be a leader. This country needs a Nelson Mandela, who in spite of all the political nonsense going on around him and the multitude of advisers suggesting otherwise, stood by the promise he made to be a servant of the people.

He found a way to overcome decades of hatred and violence, even in the face of one of his closest comrade being murdered. But sadly, what we have is a group of politicians who work tirelessly to create division and foster hatred.

I watched in dismay recently a video of 2 current politicians, one Labour, and one Tory, driving in a vehicle having a discussion for the first time with each other. My dismay came on hearing the Labour MP say she was taught by her father to hate anyone who is a Tory by virtue of their political affiliation!

It takes courage to overcome that type of prejudice on all sides and it takes individual and personal leadership to find a way to overcome the past.

To quote Nelson Mandela, 'No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, his background or his religion. People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than it's opposite'

This is the type of leadership our politicians need to display. But not only today but every day.

Len James, my grandfather would say to you, 'Dear sir, madam. Respect yourself enough to respect the people of this great country enough to accept the will of the people, which you promised to uphold and become in the process a real, honest and humble leader, just as for centuries politicians in this country have done.'

(BTW Len James was a carpenter on a gold mine and was a committed member of his trade union.)