To be or not to be. Friends, Romans and countrymen lend me your ears. With the world in turmoil one looks to see if there are any leaders whose oratory can impact on today’s troubles. The people await the rallying call of the great speakers.

They do not exist now in our soundbite news environment. They can promote action. Henry V at Agincourt inspired his men into battle.

Recently one great orator passed away.

The Rev Jesse Jackson followed his mentor Martin Luther King, noted for his speech ‘I have a Dream’. On losing at the Democratic Convention in Atlanta in 1988 he spoke these words. "It gets dark sometimes but morning comes. Don't you surrender. Suffering breads character. Character breads faith. In the end faith will not disappoint."

In my lifetime there have been few who can by their words capture the hearts and minds of the people. Winston Churchill did this in the Second World War. “Never has so much been owed to so many by so few.”

There are very few others with the same power to inspire action. Ghandi and President Kennedy together with Nelson Mandela are notable exceptions. These men were giants of their time. By comparison others look weak, Margaret Thatcher is best remembered for telling the world that this lady is not for turning. This is hardly newsworthy.

President Clinton could charm people as could Tony Blair but their oratory will not last the test of history. Today we live in a world where those in power able to have a significant impact are a pathetic bunch. The line up consists of Putin the murderer followed by the executioner of China and the madman from North Korea. Completing the useless group is the man baby from America.

Recent outbursts from the leader of the free world are very disturbing.

"I will impose ten per cent tariffs, no make that 15 per cent. My Supreme Court are idiots! I want Canada. I want Greenland even though I call it Iceland. I want the Nobel peace prize whilst I support immigration agents killing innocent Americans. I might bomb Iran in ten days time but then I might not. I will own Gaza.”

Today we need to refer to the words of Shakespeare spoken by his guilt-ridden character Hamlet"To be or not to be? That is the question."

Will the world blow itself up or ignore climate change and burn us to death? "To be or not to be? “ That is the question.