Category Archives: Politics

Referendum at Last

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So now it’s official, we will have a referendum on June 23rd to determine whether or not our country remains a part of the European Union.

The Common Market or European Economic Community (EEC) seemed a great idea back in 1975, when the last European referendum took place. What could be better than trading openly with your neighbours, free of national trade barriers or tariffs and allowing goods to pass easily and speedily between trader and customer? Such an opportunity for British business.

It was all a trick though, all smoke and mirrors, because it was never just about trade, it was about the creation of a federation, a United States of Europe, and laws passed by an unelected and undemocratic European Commission based in Brussels, leading to an inevitable loss of national sovereignty.

We were never consulted on political union and, when the word “Economic” was dropped and the EEC became the EC (the European Community) followed by the more ominous sounding EU (European Union) alarm bells began to ring.

We were told that it was too late and we could do nothing about our nation’s seemingly inevitable drift into membership of a European Super State. We could do nothing about the bureaucratic bungling and incompetence, the appalling waste of natural resources and the corruption of overpaid and unaccountable Eurocrats.

Well, now we can and we must grasp the opportunity with both hands because it may never arise again.

Paying the Price

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Earlier this week, I stayed in a town called Bariloche in the stunningly beautiful Patagonia region of Argentina. The town, built on the shores of a lake framed by the majestic Andes Mountains, was originally founded by Swiss, German and Italian immigrants and is famous for its chocolate. I didn’t try any but did enjoy a couple of pints of the excellent local beer.

The locals are warm, friendly and keen for their visitors to enjoy themselves and so I felt a little uncomfortable when I walked past a hotel called Hotel Islas Malvinas, the Falkland Islands to us. As I continued my walk along the lakeside my discomfort increased when I came upon a memorial to local sailors who had lost their lives on the General Belgrano cruiser, sunk by the British on May 22nd 1982 during the Falklands War.

The war began when Argentine dictator, General Galtieri, ordered an invasion of the British-owned Islands in an attempt to gain some popularity for his faltering government. It backfired spectacularly when the British Task force sailed half way across the world and drove out the invaders leading ultimately to the collapse of Galtieri’s regime.

But none of that is the point. The point is that here is another example of ordinary men and women on both sides losing their lives because of the policies of a corrupt, vain politician anxious to hang on to power. What quarrel did ordinary Argentinian men and women have with their British counterparts? None, of course.

It’s the same the world over and has been so since time began; innocents shedding their blood for ambitious politicians who are happy to send others to their deaths but never go anywhere near the fighting themselves. In a perfect world such politicians would be placed on a remote island, given weapons and left to fight it out among themselves while the rest of us just get on with enjoying our lives. If only.

The Rise of Trump

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I watched last week’s television programme on the seemingly unstoppable rise of Donald Trump and there appears to be little doubt that he has a very strong chance of winning the US Republican presidential nomination and therefore a one in two chance of becoming the next President of the USA.

His campaign to win the Republican Party nomination has been extremely effective in spite of (or is it because of?) the fact that much of what he has said has been controversial and provocative. Indeed, it has been noted by political commentators that the more controversial he is the more his popularity grows.

It seemed, listening to the people interviewed in the Trump television documentary, that they are worried about losing their jobs, they are concerned about mass immigration and they are concerned about the security and safety of their families. That certainly strikes a chord across many parts of the West.

People who feel alienated and tired of the policies of their elected leaders will naturally look elsewhere, to politicians who say what they want to hear and promise them what they want, no matter how implausible. If Donald Trump does end up as President of the USA it will undoubtedly act as a wake-up call to many other leaders in the West.

Crisis in Europe

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To anybody possessing even a modicum of common sense, the crisis caused by  largely unsupervised mass migration to Europe can hardly have come as a surprise. Last year in Germany alone the country’s premier, Angela Merkel, authorised the entrance of over a million migrants and that’s not counting illegal immigrants. Here in the UK our Prime minister, David Cameron, was a little more cautious and was promptly and loudly criticised by liberal and politically correct idealists for (in their opinion) not doing enough to take in more refugees. Those critics have been rather quiet since the turn of the year.

The result of Europe’s naïve policies has been a crisis of untold proportions and consequences with EU member states turning on one another, passing the buck and blaming everybody but themselves whilst trying to cope with the virtually unmanageable influx of immigrants and refugees. Last week the French Prime Minister was quoted as saying that the EU is at “grave risk” and “our societies will be totally destabilised” without a change in policy.

Socially, the results of the EU’s policies have been even more disastrous with the New Year’s Eve attacks by mobs of young Muslim men on Western women in Cologne particularly but also in Helsinki, Stockholm and other European cities. Following incidents in swimming pools and other public places some cities have even set up classes to try and teach these men that in Western society all are equal and women do not exist merely to be exploited and sexually abused.

There has been a predictable response and backlash by right wing groups who have taken to the streets to express their opposition to the EU’s  immigration policies and numerous violent clashes  have occurred presenting the sorely-pressed forces of law and order with yet more problems.

Whilst Europe’s  politicians are now waking up to this alarming crisis and struggling for answers there is surely one question that needs to be asked. Why is it that they are undoubtedly careful as to who they invite into their homes but not so when it comes to their countries? For sure, the whole of Europe is now beginning to pay the price for their carelessness and stupidity.

Uncharitable Thoughts

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This is a very uncharitable thought, particularly at Christmas, but watching the harrowing news of the dreadful floods in the north west of England and seeing footage of the fine historic town of Carlisle looking more like Venice, I couldn’t help myself.

The Government has promised to address the problem and the Prime Minister was very quick to visit the area and present himself for the usual rounds of grim-faced photo opportunities. Mr Cameron expressed his sadness and concern that people’s homes and livelihoods have been destroyed (42,000 homes said to be affected) and the Chancellor, George Osborne, has promised £50 million to help alleviate the suffering. The problem is that experts have predicted that the economic damage could well reach ten times that figure, namely £500 million.

My uncharitable thought was this, why don’t we divert some of the £12 billion earmarked for foreign aid next year or some of the £5.8 billion due to be paid over the next 5 years to the International Climate Fund (more than double the figure set aside to combat UK flooding) to help our own people?

As this blog has commented on more than one occasion, whilst we should always be mindful of our moral obligations, charity begins at home. We must take care of our own and if anything is left over then we can consider charitable donations elsewhere. In a question of priorities why would any rational person ignore the urgent needs of his nearest and dearest?

Wise Counsel

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Our national news continues to be dominated by the threat of Islamic extremism while our leaders talk of sending in the RAF to join in the bombing of Isis in their Syrian and Iraqi strongholds. As if bombing alone will sort it out.

On the contrary, a campaign of bombing is likely to exacerbate the problem since when, inevitably, news is broadcast of the deaths of innocent civilians killed in the raids, it will act as a further call to arms to yet more extremists and potential extremists from within our midst. The problem from within is the most challenging of all issues facing not just the UK but all other countries who were foolish enough to open their borders to all and sundry without proper screening.

This is the problem that even our most liberal minded politicians are at last beginning to comprehend. They cannot say that they weren’t warned since, nearly 6 years ago, Nigerian author and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, who divides his time between Nigeria and the UK, spoke of the consequences of our misguided tolerance by stating  –

“England is a cesspit. England is the breeding ground of fundamentalist ­Muslims. Its social logic is to allow all religions to preach openly. But this is illogic, because none of the other religions preach apocalyptic violence. And yet England allows it.”

We in England and elsewhere in Europe have had experience of that “apocalyptic violence” at first hand, with undoubtedly more to follow.

Well over 100 years ago, a 25 year old Winston Churchill (whose birthday it is today) serving as an army officer in both India and Africa, gave prophetic warning of the dangers of Islam in his book “The River War”. Churchill had gained wide experience of  Islam both fighting with and against Muslim soldiers in India and Africa. Whilst he had a favourable view of the individuals who served under him he feared the religion and the “fanatical frenzy which is as dangerous to a man as hydrophobia (rabies) in a dog”.

He further warned that “the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.”

Nothing has changed in that time except that the danger has increased and has now come to our doorstep.  Only a fool ignores the counsel of the wise but, unfortunately for us, it seems we have been governed by fools for quite a few years now.

Terror in the Skies

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The UK Government’s suspension of British flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt over the last few days, whilst British security officials investigated and put in place their own safeguards, met with a mixture of approval and criticism. The move can hardly have come as a surprise following the downing of a Russian airliner over the Sinai Desert last week with the loss of 224 lives.

It has yet to be conclusively established how the crash occurred but, upon hearing the news, I’m sure that most people immediately suspected a terrorist missile or bomb. Evidently both UK and US Intelligence have recently warned of terrorist activity in the area so that was enough for our Government to take action.

It’s a difficult position for any government to be in because with 20,000 nationals currently holidaying in the area that’s an awful lot of responsibility. I suppose the Foreign Office could have said that flying in or out of southern Egypt at the moment is a real danger and then leave it up to the individual but that is not the way it works these days.

If a British airliner were to suffer the same fate as the Russian plane just imagine the outrage directed at the Government. Imagine too the huge raft of legal claims. One cannot blame the Government for its cautious stance, irrespective of the inconvenience to holidaymakers. Better inconvenienced than dead.

I’ve never had a favourable opinion of Egyptian security since the time I took an early morning flight on Egypt Air from Cairo to Luxor a few years back. The flight was scheduled for about 6am and at 4.30am or so, as the passengers went through security screening, the “guard” was fast asleep in front of his x-ray machine. It seemed funny at the time but not anymore.

No More Bobbies on the Beat

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Earlier this week it was revealed by a leading police chief that soon we will no longer see British policemen on foot patrol, otherwise known as “bobbies on the beat”.

The reason given was that evidence shows that random police patrols do not prevent crime and nor do they make people feel safe. I have no idea what “evidence” they’ve been looking at but it seems a little strange. Maybe it is correct that “random” patrols are ineffectual but surely the same cannot be said of regular patrols or beats.

The law-abiding general public undoubtedly welcome the reassuring sight of police on the streets just as much as criminals feel the opposite!

In support of these cuts (and the continuing closure of police stations up and down the land) police chiefs assure us that crime is on the decline and detection rates are improving. Even if that is true, they ignore the fact that whilst crime detection is an important police skill crime prevention is even more so.

Britain’s criminals must be licking their lips in keen anticipation at the consequences of this latest step towards lawlessness.

The Mob Speaks

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The behaviour of the estimated 100,000 mob, who attempted to disrupt the Conservative Party conference in Manchester earlier this week, should surprise nobody.

Claims that they were demonstrating against “austerity” (aka responsible government) were contradicted by their angry, snarling faces and mouths foaming with venom amidst shouts of “Tory scum” directed at anybody wearing a suit. This was nothing less than anarchy in its most raw form.

Unfortunately, our country now seems to be divided between those who work, or wish to work, and those who do not. This is the sad downside of the Welfare State, a system set up with the noble intention of providing a safety net for the vulnerable and disadvantaged in society and designed to prevent them from falling below acceptable economic standards.

The system has however allowed itself to be abused by those lacking in responsibility and with no intention of contributing to society. The good news for the taxpayer is that, at long last, we seem to have a government prepared to try and do something about it.

Our national mind set needs to change and hard work should be prized, encouraged and rewarded. Those who cannot work through disability and those out of work not through choice must always be safeguarded and maintained. That is why the Welfare State was set up.

It was not set up to provide an alternative lifestyle for those whose only wish is to sponge off society and contribute nothing. If these people feel hard done by they should travel a bit and take a look at the rest of the world. They might then just realise how lucky they are to live in a country like the UK.

Plastic Killer

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This week the results of an investigation by oceanographers and other marine researchers into the effects of plastic waste in our oceans were published in the  journal “Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences”.

The investigation revealed that nine out of ten species of seabird across the planet now have some sort of plastic rubbish lodged in their stomachs. Whilst the plastic doesn’t usually kill the birds outright it can have an effect on reproduction and when death does occur it is usually slow and painful.

To illustrate how bad the problem has become (and how bad it’s going to get, unless  checked) the journal revealed that, 50 years ago, in 1960, it was discovered that plastic was present in the stomachs of 5% of seabirds examined worldwide.

By 2010, that figure had increased to 80% and by 2050 it is estimated that 99% of seabird species and 95% of individual seabirds will have swallowed plastic of some sort or other, whether plastic bags, bottles or other  waste thoughtlessly discarded by human beings.

It’s not just seabirds either, since whales, dolphins, turtles and countless other species are and will continue to be similarly afflicted.

I know this blog has touched on this subject more than once over the last couple of years but, frankly, it is a subject that needs to be repeated and emphasised time and time again. When are we, and more particularly our politicians, going to realise what we are doing to our beautiful planet and when, finally, are we going to do something about it?