Category Archives: Current Affairs

Going it Alone

Posted on by

Scotland is a beautiful country with many fine people who have, over time, done much to make the United Kingdom what it is today. I have always felt that, sharing the same island, we are all better off together. At times the United Kingdom may appear to be an uneasy marriage but a marriage it is and I find the possibility of a divorce both a cause for sorrow and concern. We have a unique position, we British, because we wear not only the hat of the United Kingdom but the hat also of our native country within the Union. I have never had a problem in calling myself both British and English and find no particular ambiguity in using either term. It seems that many Scots and in fact a significant number of Celts, let’s be honest, find it difficult to do the same.
As a Briton I want to maintain the Union because that has made us so much of what we are today. With our Celtic cousins, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish, we created a great empire which, whatever some of our politically correct leaders may tell us, was largely a force for the good. Our statesmen. explorers, inventors, doctors, lawyers and engineers came from all corners of the British Isles and the Scots have always punched well above their weight within the Union. I say all of that whilst wearing my British hat.
 As an Englishman however I am tired of the constant whingeing and whining that emanates from across the border. Within the Union, Scotland undoubtedly has it good with the average Scot  enjoying many benefits denied to (though subsidised by) the English such as free medical prescriptions and free University education for their youngsters. Yet still they complain.
Perhaps our politicians should take a harder line with Alex Salmond, the Scottish Nationalist Party leader,  and spell out to him that actually Scotland needs England a lot more than vice versa. They should tell him to be careful what he wishes for because independence could well come at a heavy price and that price could be economic ruin for Scotland. Next time the English won’t bail out the Scots as they did prior to the Union of 1707 when the disastrous Darien Venture  virtually bankrupted Scotland. No, next time Scotland will be completely on her own.
Maybe our government should take pre-emptive action by saying –
 “Actually Mr Salmond, we are sick and tired of your agitating. Forget about a referendum, we’re abolishing the Union here and now and we are throwing you out. Take your politicians away from Westminster and return them to Edinburgh. With immediate effect all Scots are dismissed from jobs in the British Government , the Civil Service, Trade Unions and the BBC. Pay up your proportion of the national debt, build a nice big secure border between our countries and just SHUT UP!”
Of course it will never happen but it would be worth it just to see the look of righteous indignation on Salmond’s face.
In all seriousness, I have  a feeling that there are enough wise Scots who appreciate what we British have done and continue to do together and they will do all they can to preserve the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Let’s hope so, if only for the sake of their country.

No Place For Cheats

Posted on by

It now seems beyond reasonable doubt that the great American cyclist and seven times winner of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, is not so great after all and, if the evidence revealed this week by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is true, he is no more than a liar and a cheat.

Like many people, I find the whole episode quite astounding though, for me, the overwhelming emotion is one of disappointment followed by sadness. Here was a man who, defeating the curse of cancer, went on to become one of the greatest cyclists of all time. A man who, when he wasn’t racing, devoted much of his time to charitable causes. How on earth can he have turned out to be a fraud? 
Here was a man admired and respected by the world of sport and beyond. He was a hero to many and maybe that is why the USADA revelations, that he regularly took performance-enhancing drugs in his successful quests for glory, are so shocking. The fact that he was held in such high esteem has meant that his fall from grace has been that much more dramatic. He had longer to fall but fall he has and the rest of us mere mortals can only shake our heads in wonder. 
Sport must learn from this and so must we all. There is a lot of good in the world of sport but there is clearly a lot that is not so good. Whatever your views on the man, one thing should be a given, there can never be a place for cheats in any sport, nor in life for that matter.

The Ugly Face of the Unions

Posted on by

`In an interview with the Sunday Times last week, the General Secretary of the Unite Trade Union, Len McCluskey, said that he and his union would “kick the New Labour cuckoos out of our nest” in their attempt to “reclaim Labour” and promote a “renewed socialist agenda”. Since Unite is the largest trade union in the country, with over a million and  a half members, and is the Labour Party’s biggest donor (having given £6 million over the last two years) his threats are not to be taken lightly. In a typically anti-democratic move by a typically dictatorial trade unionist, McCluskey has said that Unite will not provide financial support for any Labour MP who doesn’t  share the aims and views of Unite. Welcome back to the 1970s.

Those of us who were around during that troublesome decade will recall how the unions  brought the country to its knees with almost constant industrial action and strikes called regularly whenever things weren’t going quite the way they wished. It seemed as though the Labour government of then Prime Minister James Callaghan was at the mercy and beck and call of the unions and in many ways, of course, it (and he) was. Now it looks as though the Labour Party  (irrespective of the fact that they, like any other political party, are beholden to the public who democratically elected their MPs) will once more dance to the tune of unions like Unite. Should the Labour Party, as seems perfectly possible, gain power in the 2015 general election then the whole country can look forward (an unfortunate  expression I know) to government by trade union.
Unite’s “struggle for Labour’s soul” is illustrated by its aim of persuading 5,000 trade unionists to sign up to the Labour Party (and thus increase their control) by December of this year. Evidently they are on target to achieve that aim so it looks like the Labour Party will once more be home to socialist firebrands whose dogmatic aims will always be put before the prosperity of the nation as a whole.  
We’ve already seen how destructive Unite can be with its call for strikes to disrupt the recent Olympics and its support for the petrol tanker drivers strike earlier this year. They have amassed a £25 million fighting fund to back further strikes over the next few months so their threats are clearly not hollow. Book your flight tickets now since a winter of discontent to match that of 1978-9 is a distinct possibility.

The Death Penalty and Arming the Police

Posted on by

The brutal killing of two unarmed police officers near Manchester earlier this week was as sickening a crime as could be imagined. The fact that the two officers were young women somehow seems to make it worse. There will now be calls for two things, one for the death penalty to be brought back and two for police officers to be armed.

It’s difficult not to want retribution for this kind of crime and yes, like most of us, I would like cold blooded murderers to be put out of their misery. The reality however is that capital punishment is flawed since mistakes can be made and to execute just one innocent person, in my view, invalidates the whole system. What we need is a proper deterrent since clearly the present system isn’t working.
 A convicted murderer should usually, depending on the circumstances of each case, be sentenced to life imprisonment. That should mean life, without pardon, without parole and until the convicted criminal breathes his or her last breath. Further, prison, whilst not being a place of torture should not be a pleasant experience either and many of the luxuries that prisoners receive in these liberal times – colour television, use of telephones etc should be denied them. Criminals should be terrified of going to prison and if they were then maybe they would, in some cases at least, reconsider their evil ways.
We should also look at the reasons for crime and clearly the commission of many crimes is motivated by or linked to drug use. The use of drugs is a worldwide epidemic. In some countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia for example, a  conviction for dealing in drugs carries a death sentence. Convicted drug dealers in this country should face, and be given, life sentences as though they were convicted murderers, which actually is what most of them are when you consider the number of people dying from drug abuse.
As far as arming the police is concerned, it’s difficult in this modern age not to argue in favour of it. It will be a sad day when armed police are seen walking down the local high street  but the days of the friendly old red-faced Bobby walking the beat, chatting with the locals have gone. Times have changed and we must change with those times. Arming the police is inevitable and with exhaustive and comprehensive screening and training plus solid leadership from government and the higher echelons of the police hierarchy it has to be a move for the better. If we don’t do anything then the slaying of police officers will sadly become a routine occurrence.

British Nationality

Posted on by

What a great summer this has been for British sport;  cyclist Bradley Wiggins winning the Tour de France, the phenomenal success of our athletes in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games and finally, tennis player  Andy Murray winning the US Open title earlier this week. Of course, in Murray’s case the Scottish Nationalists, in the form of Sir Sean Connery, had to make the point that Murray is Scottish and not British.

Well, actually, Sir Sean, Scotland (whether you like it or not) is still a part of the United Kingdom and the Scots like the English are collectively (and correctly) referred to as British. By way of illustration, the majority of Team GB gold medal winners in the Games were English but we English can still refer to them as British without any loss of national pride. I suppose, though, that the lack of a heavy weight on our shoulders is something of an advantage here.
We all know that Murray is proud to be a Scot and why not? We should all be proud of our roots whether we be of English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish extraction. The fact is, however, we are still part of the Union and as long as we are the term ‘British’ can be used proudly by us all.
It’s funny isn’t it that Connery seems quite proud to use the title of Sir even though he quite clearly despises the authority who bestowed the honour upon him. A bit hypocritical, Sean, don’t you think? Oh, one more thing, Sean, today is the anniversary of the battle of Homildon Hill (September 14th, 1402) when the Scots were routed by the English. I don’t suppose you and your nationalist cronies will be marking the occasion. No? I didn’t think so.

Acknowledgement

Posted on by

Today is the anniversary of the outbreak of World War II. On September 3rd, 1939 the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, made a radio announcement that in view of the fact that Adolf Hitler had ignored the ultimatum for Germany to withdraw from Poland, which it had invaded two days previously, our country was now at war with Germany.

The war was to last for nearly six years costing the lives of millions and causing the unprecedented destruction of cities and towns throughout the world including, of course, virtually every city and many towns in our own country.
Will there be any commemoration of this date? I doubt it. Some of the broadsheets may make some reference but probably not the tabloid press and mainstream television, obsessed as they are, by footballers and the antics of so-called “celebrities”.
 I know that we should try to forget the past, forgive our enemies and get on with the future but the Second World War is still recent history and there are millions of people in this country, living still, who were affected by that war. Some may be surviving servicemen and women and others may have been children during the war years. Some will have suffered greatly and others not so but the point is, for as long as there are those who remember should we not, as a matter of simple respect, make some form of acknowledgement?

So What!

Posted on by
So Prince Harry has been photographed naked at a private party in a private hotel room in Las Vegas. So what, is it really a newsworthy event of relevance to our lives?

I personally couldn’t care less what happens in a private place between consenting adults. It’s frankly none of my business and the only time for concern would be if children were involved or if an adult was forced to do something against his or her wishes.

Prince Harry is a young man, exuberant, yes and possibly immature, but he is entitled to enjoy himself just as we common folk are. He may be third in line to the throne, but again, so what?

It really doesn’t matter and besides, he’s simply carrying on a royal tradition of excess and debauchery promoted throughout history by such ancestors as Henry VIII, Charles II and Edward VII to name but three! For goodness sake, can’t we just leave him alone?

Regardless of the British predilection for titillation and smut there really are far more important things happening in the world.

Right to Die?

Posted on by

In the news last week was yet another story of a seriously ill British man, living in a virtually vegetative condition with no realistic chance of recovery, being denied the right to end his life. The case went before the courts and the decision was that, no matter how much he was suffering, no matter the lack of any decent  quality of life and no matter that he fervently wanted to bring his life to a close, the  State would not allow it. Suicide or assisted suicide is not permitted by law.

There are many who feel that a person who has no chance of recovery and who suffers constantly and who wishes to end their own life but is physically incapable of doing so should be able to call upon medical assistance to end it for them. That seems to make sense provided that  person is of sound mind and has reached his or her decision without duress or interference from a third party  (an unscrupulous relative benefitting under that person’s will for example).
Questions then arise over proof of sanity and lack of duress and also the incredible responsibility on the person or persons asked to make that decision whether they be in medicine or the law. Some cases may seem obvious, for example where there is no possibility of a medical recovery and no chance of a return to normality for the patient (whatever that is) but other cases may be less clear cut.
The situation at the moment is that terminally ill patients, and their loved ones, either carry on suffering to the bitter end or risk breaking the law and a sentence of imprisonment. If they are wealthy enough they could book a flight to Switzerland and take the assisted suicide route provided by Dignitas but, whichever way you look at this tragic situation, the law is in a mess. The courts weren’t wrong to make the decision they made last week, they were simply upholding the law. That law needs to be reviewed  and, almost certainly, to be amended. Most of us have a choice as to how we live our lives, shouldn’t we also have a choice as to how we end them?

Happy and Glorious

Posted on by

                                                             
Turn on the television news and so much of it makes such grim viewing, the economic crisis, civil wars in far off lands and hideous crimes committed on our streets, that you could be forgiven for turning it off again in dismay. But, the Olympics are still with us, for a couple of more days at least, and the news from the Games seems to get better and better with each new day.

Those who doubted our ability to stage the Olympics and those who doubted the abilities of our athletes (and there were quite a few) have, no doubt,  been pleasantly surprised. The Games have proved to be a  great success for the whole nation on both counts. Yes, it’s true that, politically and economically, we are no longer the nation we once were and, yes, we are now no more than a bit part player on the world’s stage but we can still put on quite a show.
Perhaps more importantly we have shown that we can produce young men and women of supreme skill with the ability not only to win but to win with dignity, courage, determination and grace. They have shown pride in their work, dedication to the team’s cause and respect for their opponents, win or lose. At last, some truly wonderful role models for our youngsters; a pleasant thought, particularly with the football season almost upon us!

Security Bungle

Posted on by
The furore surrounding the G4S security company’s London Olympics debacle shows no sign of abating. The fact that G4S screwed up spectacularly in providing less than a third of the 10,000 plus security guards, for which it was contracted, is bad enough but to then learn that the hapless yet grasping Chief Executive, Nick Buckles, still intends to collect the company’s £57 million management fee leaves one almost lost for words. Surely to claim a management fee you have to have managed something and preferably in a positive sense rather than a negative, as in managed to make a complete cock-up of the security arrangements for the biggest sporting event on the planet for which, incidentally, you had 2 years to prepare.

If this story has shown us one thing it is that there is no government or public sector monopoly on incompetence. In the past we have been told, sometimes with justification, that the private sector (favoured by the Conservatives and New Labour) with its healthy culture of free market competition  will always serve the country best. In contrast the public sector (favoured by socialist Labour) is perceived, again sometimes with justification, to be slow, pedantic and overly bureaucratic.

The ineptitude of G4S should make us reconsider these perceptions, because this isn’t the first time that the company, either in its present carnation or its previous persona of Group 4, has made headlines for its bungling. The company also looks after security at HM Prisons and the transportation of  prisoners to and from court and has hardly covered itself in glory in the performance of either of those tasks either. Surprisingly, or so you would think, the company still gets work from the Government and receives millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money for its “services”. The question needs to be asked who keeps giving G4S all this business and why? The person or persons responsible should be made to explain themselves.

When the dust has settled on this sorry affair the whole question of public v private needs to be carefully considered and acted upon. It seems to me that some things are just too important and sensitive to be farmed out to the private sector and areas such as security, transport, the NHS and education should remain the sole responsibility of the Government, accountable as it is to the electorate.

The G4S case is a perfect illustration of this point. Our armed forces and Police are largely well trained and good at the jobs they do, both are experts in armed security and they are being laid off by the thousand. The Government needs security for the Olympic Games and instead of saving money (and jobs) by relying upon the readymade expertise at its fingertips it calls in, at great expense to the public purse, a private company many of whose employees are not even British. Lord help us!