Category Archives: Current Affairs

Condescending Politicians

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In the midst of the news of UKIP’s victory in the Rochester and Strood by-election came an example of why so many people are disenchanted with modern politics.

It was the report of the crass stupidity and insensitivity of Labour MP, Emily Thornberry, who posted a tweet stating “Image of Rochester” picturing a small ordinary town house draped with three flags of St George and outside of which was parked a white van.

This woman, no doubt enjoying life in her smart luxury London apartment, obviously thought it was clever and funny to mock an ordinary working class person who clearly happens to love his country and is proud of its flag. As a smart lawyer (in an academic sense at any rate) and the shadow attorney general with hopes one day of taking national office (Lord help us!) one would have thought she would have thought her actions through.

Not a bit of it. Sadly she is just a typical example of the many hypocritical, politically correct metro-liberals (particularly among the champagne socialists of the Labour party) who fill our parliament. Superior, out of touch and contemptuous of those who do not share their warped views of pride and nationality.

Is there any wonder that UKIP (and across the border) the Scottish Nationalists are doing so well? Well, maybe these last two by election victories by UKIP are showing us that, in the words of Bob Dylan, “The times they are a changing”. I truly hope so. It is no more than our arrogant and condescending political elite deserve.

Transparency of Office

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It’s pretty appalling and embarrassing, in equal measure, that both women selected to chair the Government child sex abuse inquiry have now been forced to resign because of alleged links to possible suspects.

In fact, a brief look at how most officials are selected in this country doesn’t exactly inspire one with confidence. In the main, it is done secretly behind locked doors by committees whose members are unaccountable to those who they are appointed to serve. Just look at our legal system and at some of the judges who have made headlines in recent months through various bizarre rulings and out-of-touch statements. Nobody can say for certain how those judges are appointed but you can bet your bottom dollar that their old school tie, gentlemen’s club membership and Masonic lodges all play a big part in it.

Perhaps we should review the whole system and consider adopting a more democratic and open system such as that of the United States where judges, sheriffs and other public officials are all elected democratically and are directly responsible to those who appoint them, namely the public. I am not saying that the American system is perfect but it certainly seems a lot fairer, open and more transparent than ours.

A Soft Touch

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I have often wondered whether politicians are unique among human beings with their apparent ability to see only what they want to see. Or is it that they simply ignore those inconvenient truths obvious to the rest of us?

This week, it took a Frenchman (a woman actually – the Mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchard) to tell our government what many of us have been saying for the last 30 years or so. Madame Bouchard is evidently driven to distraction by the problem of thousands of African and Middle Eastern illegal immigrants camping on the streets of her city while they wait to cross the Channel to the UK. She said that these immigrants see the United Kingdom as a “soft touch” and that our generous benefits system “acts as a magnet” to them.

These unfortunate people are clearly desperate to try to get into the UK by whatever means they can and the British government (to quote the Mayor once again)is doing nothing to dissuade them of their belief that Britain is “El Dorado”.

Our government needs to get a firm grip of this problem and, after it has strengthened our border security, needs to make clear to the European Union that it is not solely a British problem. In fairness, it is not solely a French problem either but instead is a problem to be dealt with by the EU. Unfortunately we all know what that means and that really is a problem.

Political Posturing

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The European Commission (the unelected decision makers of the European Union) has just ordered the UK, and therefore the British taxpayer, to pay an additional budget contribution of £1.7 billion to the EU because our economy is performing better than the rest of Europe. In effect, we are being punished for our economic success whilst countries like France and even Germany are getting rebates because they are not doing so well.

The figure represents an increase of 20% of our normal annual contribution to Europe’s coffers and predictably our Prime Minister has responded by saying that the demand is “totally unacceptable” and the UK will not pay up by the December 1st deadline.

It would be quite an achievement and a considerable victory for David Cameron if we didn’t pay up especially since such a move would actually be illegal under EU legislation. However, I suspect that this is just a bit of posturing by our Prime Minister and an attempt to appear strong and forceful in the face of EU bullying particularly since there is the small matter of a general election coming up in 7 months’ time.

In spite of all the bluster and sharp rhetoric there will no doubt be some horse trading behind the scenes and the UK will end up paying the monies one way or another. The fact is the European grandees don’t want the UK to leave the EU and nor does Cameron. So if something can be done whereby Cameron appears to look strong and the UK caves in behind the scenes it’s a victory for both Cameron and the EU.

The British public will think that their PM has acted tough in apparently refusing to allow the UK to be bullied and so they will be less inclined to vote against European membership in a referendum. Our rulers take us for fools but if and when we do get the chance to vote on our continued membership of the European Union they may well be forced to reconsider their opinion.

A Measured Response?

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The world’s news agencies, taking a breather from the horrors of the Middle East, have now turned their attention to the threat of the deadly Ebola virus, previously confined to West Africa, but now, so the experts say, a very real danger to all of us, wherever we may live.

It seems to be a particularly horrible and nasty virus with an equally horrible and nasty means of death to match. There is much concern in the USA, from where I am writing these notes, and that concern at times, judging by the extensive and endless media coverage, appears to be bordering on hysteria.

Sometimes I wonder how bad these things really are. Remember the herpes scare in the 1970s, the aids scare of the 1980s and the near paranoia a few years back over the predictions of a repeat of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic which killed millions world-wide?

I’m sure the experts know what they are talking about and their concerns are no doubt valid but if the virus spreads at the same rate as the panic I reckon my planned return to the UK, in a few days’ time, is looking increasingly doubtful!

Insufficiently Developed

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According to the results of a survey published earlier this week almost half of 5 year old children in England are not ready for school because they are insufficiently developed.

The man in charge of the survey, Professor Sir Michael Marmot, highlighted low standards of reading and numeracy and an inability to communicate as being of particular concern. He went on to blame poor parenting, poverty and cuts to children’s services.

I’m sure he’s right, but I bet a pound to a penny that most 5 year olds know how to operate the television, use a mobile phone and have little difficulty in playing their computer games.

No Special Case

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Like most English people, I’m sick to the hind teeth of hearing about and listening to the seemingly endless talk about Scotland, so I’ll make this brief.

When our elected politicians at Westminster address the question of further powers for Scotland they need to remember one thing and one thing above all else. Scotland is not special.

Scotland is the same as the rest of the UK and should be treated no differently. The rights of the Scots are the same as those of the Northern Irish, the Welsh and the English. Nobody is better than anybody else and nobody should be accorded special privileges. We are a democracy and as such we are all equal. Simple.

Not even the Scottish Nationalists could disagree with that. Oh,……………………actually!

A Wake Up Call For England

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Scotland has voted to remain in the United Kingdom, for now and for now is all it is because as sure as night follows day the independence question will inevitably rear its ugly head yet again. It is simply a matter of time. It doesn’t matter what further concessions are granted to the Scots because the Nationalists will still complain and demand more. Things have changed for ever within the UK and that is not hyperbole, it is fact. Our politicians and leaders need to take a long hard look at our country and need to plan the future rather than wait for events to overtake them – and us.

In time we may well thank Alex Salmond for giving us, the English majority, a wake-up call and for stirring us from our apathetic stupor. For too long now, we English have been bovine-like, silent and accepting of all that has been served on us. Is it fair that the UK, and the prosperity and welfare of all its inhabitants, could have been destroyed by less than 2 million Scottish militants without the rest of us even being consulted? The population of the UK is approximately 64 million with roughly 54 million English and under 6 million Scots, although you would be forgiven for thinking it was the other way round with all the whining and whingeing constantly emanating from north of the border.

Calls are now being made for an English parliament and it must happen if only for the sake of democracy and fairness. Many of us feel almost disenfranchised as we watch our country ruled by a London elite who seem incapable of relating to the rest of the country. Many people in the north of England, for example, feel just as disenchanted as the Scots but, showing a typical English trait, they have just grumbled a bit, accepted their fate and carried on as before.

If the UK has a future (and as a British citizen, I sincerely hope it does) then that can only be by a more equal and equitable distribution of power and money. England needs her own parliament to rank alongside the existing chambers of the Scots, the Welsh and the Northern Irish. It should be established in a central part of England, somewhere like Birmingham or Manchester but certainly well away from London.
All of those parliaments should have greater control over matters of regional economics and taxation but should ultimately be accountable to the UK parliament in London. Maybe we should look closely at the American model particularly since Americans don’t appear to have any problem with nationality whilst still being proud to be Texans, New Yorkers, Tennesseans or whatever.

We have to do something though because without action the eventual destruction of the United Kingdom is assured.

An Unlikely Endorsement

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Great news for those in favour of keeping Scotland in the United Kingdom! Kim Jong-un, the fruitcake leader of North Korea with the wacky haircut, has come out of the woodwork (or wherever he resides) and expressed his support for Scottish independence.

The Scottish Nationalist leader, Alex Salmond, must have inwardly groaned when the announcement was made, ahead of Thursday’s referendum. How can anybody of sound mind now take seriously his plans for an independent Scotland?

With a bit of luck those undecided voters will now realise what complete idealistic nonsense the idea of Scottish independence truly is and how crazy it would be to break away from a 300 year old alliance that has proved so beneficial not only to their country but to the whole of the UK.

Thanks Kim, you may well have helped save the Union.

Abuse of the Innocents

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The dark side of political correctness reared its ugly head this week with the release of the report into the sexual abuse, over a 16 year period, of at least 1,400 children, in Rotherham (a town of some 250,000 people) and the failure of officialdom to protect them due to the colour and racial origins of their tormentors.

Social workers, local politicians and the Police, in an appalling breach of trust, all turned a blind eye to the brutal beatings, torture, rape and gang rape of children (all said to be white or of mixed race and some as young as 11 years old) for fear of accusations of racism.

It was clearly felt preferable to allow the abuse to continue rather than bring the perpetrators to justice. The report confirmed that those perpetrators were gangs composed mainly of thugs and paedophiles of Pakistani origin. Similar gangs, incidentally, to those convicted of organised sexual abuse in other UK towns and cities such as Rochdale, Derby, Birmingham and Oxford – and those are just the places we actually know about.

What kind of country have we become where even the protection and welfare of our children is subjugated to the paranoia of political correctness? God help us. God help our children too, since it would appear that we are no longer capable.