Editing

Maisie Ridgway says, of psychogeography: 'Put simply, psychogeography is the exploration of the psychological effects of an urban environment. More than this though, it’s a political statement, defiance of the capitalist system, a seizure of power and a mode of play.' (http://www.thedoublenegative.co.uk/2014/12/an-introduction-to-psychogeography/).She is, of course, talking about the practice of psychogeography, and she posted that in 2014. And it's funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) that there is also this in the news today: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brexit-march-live-updates-betrayal-protest-latest-tommy-robinson-ukip-met-police-london-theresa-may-a8674561.html and this: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brexit-march-live-updates-betrayal-protest-latest-tommy-robinson-ukip-met-police-london-theresa-may-a8674561.html. The 'Brexit vote' will, apparently, go ahead this coming week, with the Leavers' chorus of 'taking back control'.

Although this new novel isn't a 'Brexit' novel, I'm aware of the political implications of psychogeography, obviously, and I'm re-reading Anthony Cartwright's The Cut because I'm looking for examples of literary psychogeography within it. As it stands, my novel is set in May, 1997, on the day Tony Blair won the general election. Less than five months later, of course, Princess Diana was killed , and the IRA declared a ceasefire. In September the Scots said yes to home rule and in December there was the dawn of the Scottish parliament, so I'm thinking 1997 was a year of political and cultural changeI might change that be a good time to set a psychogeographical novel. But, on the other hand, 2009 saw the launch of Google Street View, which I love as an idea about voyeurism, privacy, movement and visibility, and the fact that Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads. In fact, the more I think about that, the better it begins to sound. Having the motif of a camera car, which might act as a 'seeing eye' actually sounds perfect, especially having re-read Ross' thesis on Literary Psychogeography and his ideas of the importance of the 'private eye'. Setting the novel in January 2015 would be pre-Brexit (I don't want it to be another Brexit novel, thank you) but with the unknown 'Brexit' about to be top of the political agenda. David Cameron said, in 2013 he would, in 2015 'ask for a mandate from the British people for a conservative government to negotiate a new settlement with our European partners in the next parliament. It will be a relationship with the single market at its heart. And when we have negotiated that new settlement, we will give the British people a referendum with a very simple In or Out choice: to stay in the European Union on these new terms or to come out altogether.' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21148282 I think setting a novel in January of 2015 would be better than 1997... at the moment.