I Can But Agree!

A cross-post, via Subrosa, from Apogee.

There is one God looking down on us all,

We are all the children of one God

The sun, the darkness, the winds,

are all listening

to what we have to say.

- Geronimo

A Wee Bit of History Before We Become It

Since the 1500s America has been colonised (invaded) by the white man, and all the colours of the rainbow, since. The original owners of the country at first were relatively friendly until the incomers started throwing their weight about. The mistake the Amerindians made was that by the time they realised what was happening, they were a minority in their own land, militarily inferior, their religion and beliefs and way of life ridiculed and trashed by the incomers who knew and would allow no way but their own. And as there were more incomers, there were more and more children, so the Amerindian was suddenly a minority and no longer able to fight for what was stolen from him.

The Australian Aborigine had very similar treatment. Again, no chance of winning against heavy fire power, he, like the Amerindian at the start, didn't have any and by the time he did, all of a sudden he is perceived to be a threat and given no mercy. His way of life, religion and beliefs were also stolen from him.

So now we see a similar thing happening in Britain and it seems to be well on the way in the U.S.A.

Here it appears to be an invasion of people from Islamic countries. Parts of England are turning into Islamic no-go areas and these people bring in customs that are anathema to the natives. The numbers of them who seem not to understand the concept of rule of law is astounding, how many now coming here do so because the countries they are leaving would have given them swift severe punishment if they had stayed. And when they transgress out laws we cannot send them back because, basically, they might be punished, some of them deservedly so, for crimes/actions taken before they hastily departed.

We cannot send them back because of a diktat from a foreign administration.

We already no longer control our own country.

Our elected leaders gave control of our country to an Unelected Self Appointed Administration.

An administration that makes laws that allow extradition of native born Britons to other countries in the EU, for minor crimes or things which are not crimes in Britain and without any evidence of crime presented. How long before other administrations will be coming here to arrest citizens directly? It is suggested less than ten years.

But we cannot send back criminals and illegal immigrants to their own countries because they could be ill treated.

Does the indigenous natives of these Island have no human rights?

Notice how many of these immigrants are in the governing of this country as a ratio of their numbers here. It seems quite high?

Notice how much the Main Stream Media promotes so-called minorities against the indigenous peoples.

Notice how many councils give help to incomers to this country before they help the native Britons and note how often it is abused.

We can take back our country but it will require a complete change of attitude by this government, or a complete change of government. It will also require the people to waken up to what is happening around them, and very quickly, otherwise we will be in the situation of the Amerindians and it will be too late. Curry will be the national dish, not roast beef.

If we do not learn from history we will be doomed to relive it.

Why The EU Is An Economic Disaster

Visit here, play the video and just listen to a little common sense!

In Days Of Olde, When Knights Were Bold.....

Well not quite that long ago, more recently in fact. Just generations ago it was the right of anyone in this country to pursue their own interests and hobbies, whatever they were, reasonably uninterrupted too much by overbearing officialdom. Yes there were certain 'rules', compliance with which was obligatory, but those 'rules' were decided by our own authorities. One of the hobbies some people have is flying, be that by means of a light aircraft, glider or microlight.

Until a few years ago anyone wanting to fly a conventional light aircraft (whether factory or home built) had to have a Private Pilots Licence (PPL) which required a medical examination and ECG and had to be carried out by a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) authorised Aero Medical Examiner (AME). The PPL allows a pilot to fly under Visual Flight Rules  (VFR), or with additional training, at night and under Instrument Flight Rules  (IFR), ie what ever the weather. On the other hand glider and microlight pilots are limited to Visual Flight Rules  (VFR), and only require a medical disclaimer signed by their GP. Many years lobbying persuaded the CAA to introduce the National Private Pilots Licence (NPPL), which allows people to fly, who may not be able to pass the full medical examination, but only by day under Visual Flight Rules  (VFR).

The NPPL can also be used by those who are fully fit, but simply do not want the full privileges of a PPL. Now both new glider and microlight pilots must obtain a NPPL. Currently all kit/home built and some factory built aircraft below certain maximum weights can be flown on the NPPL licence, but are not allowed to operate under IFR or at night, even if suitably equipped. This system has allowed a lot of people to either become pilots, or continue to fly, who would otherwise not have been able to, and is credited with helping to keep many small airfields and clubs operational, and injecting extra money in to their local economies.

Enter the EU. (Yup, 'trouble' ahead!).

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - who would dearly love to take over from national bodies like the CAA - are proposing to establish a Light Aircraft Pilots Licence (LAPL) modelled on the NPPL and including a medical which was a declaration much like the current UK system that benefits all aficionados of flying. Originally the EASA proposed that the declaration could either be oversigned by either a GP who had access to an applicant's medical records or who has aeromedical training (essentially an AME) in those member states that do not have a GP system like the UK.

Following a 'consultation' process the EASA revised the rules to change the 'or' to 'and', so that throughout the EU the declaration can only be signed by a person who is a GP who has access to your medical records and who has aeromedical training. The new rule can be found here and the changes from the original proposal can be seen by viewing Subpart D GMPs. The inflated requirement for the examination can be seen by scrolling to the bottom of the EASA documents where hidden under 'information' is the LAPL examination form and medical certificate.

A number of points arise:

1. There are not enough AMEs in the UK to examine the 15,000 approx (including 7,000 glider pilots) who could no longer use a GP medical declaration.

2. This change to the rules would appear to be protectionism by and for the AMEs - and protectionism is contrary to EU law. It is also disproportionate, again contrary to EU law.

3. To my knowledge the EASA has not presented any evidence that the declaration by an ordinary GP is unsafe.

4. A system that has worked perfectly well, with no safety issues, is about to be scrapped - by just one word being changed - by a body that is not accountable to us.

Now the idea of strapping myself to what looks like a bastardized bicycle frame with a propeller added - or a plane without an engine - is not my idea of fun, however I believe those that wish to do so, should be so able.

It is also a matter of contention that we are supposed to be a free people and that we have a choice how we live our lives - especially without interference from others over whom we have no control - whether that be at home, work or play!

William Hague & Ethical Foreign Policy

William Hague writes in the Telegraph about his vision of the UK's foreign policy and that it must be a policy with a conscience. Beginning his article praising the 'efforts' of the British public in donating £33million to Pakistan during the first 20 days and continuing that it should make us proud as it has shown that our ability as a nation to help others rests on real goodwill, generosity and compassion, made me consider that if he wants generosity perhaps he should also have a word with their cricketers who, according to recent press reports, have a bob or two to spare! Hague also makes the point that the British government also donated £64million of our money - without asking us, I hasten to add - which is indeed generous, especially to a nation that seems to have sufficient spare money for a nuclear programme.

In his article he also talks about the fact that we cannot have a 'foreign policy' without a conscience. Why not one has to ask as we seem to have a 'home policy' without a conscience in that the political elite of which Hague is a member take decisions that appear to have no bearing on the wishes of their electorate. He writes about unchecked climate change taking hold which causes people to suffer. The suffering is financial and does affect people because it is caused by politicians taking decisions and spending public money on an unproven science.

It is a great pity that all the effort and money about which Hague writes - 0.7 percent of national income on overseas aid, fair elections in Burma, access for humanitarian aid to Gaza, lobbying the Government of Iran over death penalty cases, women's rights and religious freedom - is not spent relieving the poverty in this country.

If Hague really wants an 'ethical foreign policy' then he would set about ensuring that it re-established the rights of the British people to govern themselves! If Hague had any sense of honour - instead of acting as the EU's messenger boy albeit with the title of Her Britannic Majesty's Foreign Secretary - he would promptly resign. Surely even he must realise that he is no more than a fake politician, pursuing a fake foreign policy, on behalf of a fake government!

Liam Fox Is Giving Us 'Nudge'

Cross-posted from IanPJ on Politics

There are 3 word identical articles today, The Times (which I wont link to because I refuse to use the paywall), The Guardian and the Express.

All carry the same headline – Britain, France plan defence pact.

Its bullshit, a PA syndicated piece of Nudge from Liam Fox but reported to be from an unnamed source. This is simply step 2 of the Royal Navy big boys toys (subs & carriers) being integrated into the EU Navy, the key posts of which have already been given to the French, and is following through on the EU Capability Development Plan (CDP), as agreed in July 2008.

I wrote at length about this in March this year, before the election, along with the references to the EU moves to ensure that our carriers and subs will carry the empire’s blue ring of stars alongside, if not replace, the White Ensign.

This is what I wrote then, and I stand by every word today:

Its a question of National Security

Posted on March 20, 2010 by Ian Parker-Joseph

When this story appeared in the Guardian yesterday, it is easy to gloss over the offer by France to operationally merge our nuclear submarine capabilities as purely an economic matter, but as we have seen time and time again, moves by those who would see a federal Europe always use the economic argument as the driving force, ignoring completely the issue of national sovereignty and with it, national security.

What the Guardian failed to tell us was that a similar offer was made by France in December, but this time it was with regard to our carrier fleet, and in particular the 2 new super carriers still on the building ramps.

Whilst economic prudence is something that we must all be aware of in these very tight fiscal times, the operational nightmare of merging two very distinct national fleets in this way, like most things EU, would have a disproportionate cost in reality.

Then there is the political and cultural differences, operational standards, command and control, language and last but not least, the fact that our nuclear systems are still only leased from the US, as one commentator put it:

I will love to see Britain put distance between itself and the US on this issue, considering that your so called independent deterrent carries leased US Trident missiles created and built by Lockheed, are armed with a copy of the US W76 warhead using US materials, built at Aldermaston by American scientists from DOE (Department of Energy) and Lockheed, the platform (the sub) is built by General Dynamics Electric Boat Division using Vickers, the launch/fire control systems are built by Lockheed and the President of the US holds one set of the codes used to launch those missiles. The upgrade program is known as D5LE (D5 Life Extension), which is American, Britain can be excluded at any time and the leased missiles can be recalled. You need to understand that this is an American weapons system, and the key word here is SYSTEM, not British. Anyway, good luck with making your wish come true.

As with the nuclear submarines, so with the Aircraft Carriers.  Design work for the UK carriers is still going on, with much wrangling and back-room deals going on over the type of aircraft that will fly from these massive ships, the decision of which will ultimately shape the final design of the flight deck area, and a decade old design agreement with the French has broken down several times with the design and procurement arguments is still ongoing. The French are making the MoD look expert in comparison.

But lets not take these French offers of naval closeness in isolation, lets look at the bigger picture and see what the French government have been doing on the wider EU front with regards to defence.

European lawmakers adopted agreements on the need for increased strategic autonomy of the European Union based on two reports prepared by the chairman of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, Arnaud Danjean from France.

I am still looking for these 2 reports, although the content of one has already been discussed in the EU Parliament. MEPs supported the establishment of a Council of Defence within the Foreign Affairs Council and a permanent operations centre under the leadership of the EU high representative for foreign policy, Baroness Ashton.

This is yet another move by the French to establish an EU wide Military structure, head-quartered not in Brussels but in Strasbourg, yet at the same time being able to sell it politically to their respective populations as an economic agreement between 2 nation states. Their moves for collaboration over Carriers and Nuclear submarines is just a part of that wider EU structure as the UK and France are the only member states to have such equipment.

The European Union has to strengthen its strategic autonomy and pursue a strong and effective foreign policy, and security and defense policy, the European Parliament decided on Thursday in Strasbourg.
According to the deputies, strengthening these measures is necessary now that the Lisbon Treaty has come into force, said a parliamentary press release. Parliament must now be consulted before any missions are launched within the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).

At the same time, the EU apparently no longer regards nation states as having their own armed forces, and refers to them collectively as EU forces.

MEPs also urged “rapid progress” on improving the speed of deployment of CSDP missions and EU forces.

The EU net closes in, quicker and with more urgency. As Calling England indicates:

Quiet Man makes the clear-cut case for a sovereign nation keeping control of its nuclear deterrent – it’s logical but our govt doesn’t ‘do’ logic.

So what does the Conservative party make of this speeding up of federalism in the post-Lisbon EU. Yesterday Timothy Kirkhope, leader of Britains Conservative MEP’s had this to say, reported in the EU Politics News:

“The fact is that during the 13 years of the Labour government, public support for our membership of the EU has fallen, it is lower now then when they took office.
“That is a sad indictment of their record in Europe. For all the sound-bites and soft words, the government hasn’t delivered in Europe and the public knows it.
“What Britain now needs is to earn the respect of our European partners by engaging constructively in the debate with a consistent approach.”

Now we all know that Labour has kept the EU off the public agenda when it comes to debate and consultation, but as those at the Albion Alliance already know, the Conservative Party are micro managing this to a greater degree than their Labour & LibDem colleagues, so its going to be more of the same federalist backroom dealing with the EU, just so long as the public don’t find out.

To re-inforce that view, back to the ‘Naval cooperation’. Liam Fox, has said that if the Conservatives formed the next government, the Ministry of Defence would invite France to make a formal submission to the promised Strategic Defence and Security Review “stating what they expect from their relationship with the United Kingdom”

Showing clearly that he also intends to continue to conflate national political sell with EU ambitions he had this to say.

“We will need to be able to project power on a strategic level alongside the US and France.”

He is expected today to point to the advantages of closer defence procurement co-operation with France – on a bilateral basis, he will emphasise.

I am sure that he will continue to emphasise the bilaterial basis of this, whilst keeping out of the news the EU basis that our governments are working towards with the creation of the the establishment of a Council of Defence within the Foreign Affairs Council and a permanent operations centre under the leadership of the EU high representative for foreign policy, Baroness Ashton.

Do not be fooled by this smoke and mirrors approach to defence. Whilst all other areas of the UK armed forces have been run down, it is these 2 areas, carriers and nuclear subs which have consistently been given the necessary funds, and the boat designs not for a UK National Defence role, but together with France for the projection of sea, air and nuclear forces of an empire, as outlined in the link – Ambitions for EU Defence.

Did it never occur to anyone to question why if we are building such huge carriers at British taxpayers expense, we are not also building the support vessels that a carrier battle group would require. It is because our other, smaller EU member states navies would supply their fleet submarines, destroyers and frigate vessels to fulfil that role in this new EU Navy.

Do not be surprised if these new carriers never carry the White Ensign, I surmise that by the time they are built in 2013, they will only have room on the jack for the ring of stars, but as always with things EU, it will be raised with stealth until it is too late to reverse the process, along with the death knell for the Royal Navy.

UPDATE 26/03/2010

The Telegraph is reporting that France is now quite openly advocating an EU military structure and has all but taken the majority of the top seats in this new establishment under Baroness Ashton.

Under the proposal, the EEAS’s secretary general will be in direct “day-to-day” command of the EU’s intelligence, military and crisis response bodies.
Pierre Vimont, Nicolas Sarkozy’s current ambassador to Washington, is the favourite for the job, giving France a powerful lever for its ambition to create a European army.
The French “Sec Gen” would control secretive Brussels bodies, including the EU’s military staff, the civil-military planning cell and the Situation Centre, a clearing house for intelligence gathered by national secret services.
In a separate line of command, Christine Roger, another French official, will be in charge of strategic political and security and coordination, giving France a dominant position.

So much for Blair’s red lines or Cameron’s Red Toryism. Much of this is down to the weakness of Baroness Ashton, and before her Geoff Hoon, both as Defence Minister & Europe Minister admitted that he ignored the rule of law when negotiating articles on European federalism. A useful idiot is the only way I can describe this man, who now, his usefulness to the EU project over, is being thrown to the wolves.  May he rot.

Liam Fox will suffer the same fate once his usefulness is over. Today, I will denounce him as a Traitor to the UK, holding office but working in furtherance of a foreign power, the EU.

And We Are A 'Free People'?

According to the Guardian:

"David Cameron and Nick Clegg stand accused of sending the "wrong signal" to pimps and human traffickers across the world after the coalition decided against endorsing an EU directive designed to co-ordinate European efforts to combat the trade in sex slaves.......The coalition is invoking a special British right on any EU justice and home affairs measures. The directive will be decided in the EU by the system known as qualified majority voting, according to which no member state can wield a veto. But Britain has the right to decide whether to "opt in".

A number of points arise here:

1. And the difference between Brown & Cameron/Clegg is? Leaving aside all three are 'pimps' in that they have decided that we must live a life according to their 'diktats' (and the difference between a 'sex slave' and a 'voting slave' is?) this is nothing but another loss of a freedom to decide the 'rules' under which we wish to live. Consider: sex slaves and we, the people, both end up being unable to alter the system under which we live - both groups ending up being 'raped'!

2. As with the European Investigation Order (EIO), this latest Directive is a loss of our freedom to decide our own laws and the punishments to be meted out. On the EIO the Coalition decided to 'opt-in' without asking us whether we agreed. This is in direct contradiction to the Conservative Party manifesto - and agreed by the LibDems on entering the Coalition - that no further 'powers' should be passed to the EU without a referendum. Broken promise number 1! Broken promise number 2 will be when the Coalition decide whether to opt in or out of this latest Directive on sex trafficking, without consulting the British people.

3. On the question whether the British electorate has 'prostituted' itself by not insisting on a 'full and frank' debate on EU membership; by not insisting on a cost/benefit analysis; by withholding their vote at general elections until their right to the full facts are known and by allowing the politicians to 'coerce' us into accepting EU membership, I leave you to decide.

What is obvious, under this system of democracy by which we live, is that it is most definitely not a democracy wherby the people can decide their own laws but a system of 'democratised dictatorship', whereby a select few decide the fate of the majority!

It has to end and end now!

Plucking A Figure Out Of Thin Air - EU Style

The Council of the European Union: Report to Standing Committee on operational cooperation on internal security (COSI): The Joint Report by Europol, Eurojust and Frontex on the State of Internal Security in the EU (EU doc no: 9359/10) has just been published (snappy title - no?). From page 3, 2. Background, we are informed:

"Most threats to the internal security of the EU either originate outside Europe or have a clear nexus to other parts of the world. All heroin and cocaine consumed in Europe, for example, is trafficked here from a different continent. So, too, in the case of the estimated 900,000 illegal migrants entering the EU each year......" (my emphasis)

Now I believe it is correct to say that the EU has no idea, nor consequently hasn't published any statistics, on the number of illegal immigrants entering the EU. This statement is back up by Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor who has commented:

"A few years ago a Europol official was put on the spot by the media when asked about "illegal" migration and said that 500,000 "illegal" migrants entered the EU every year. This figure was quoted time and time again. Later this same official admitted that he had simply invented the figure as logically the number of migrants entering the EU undetected was unknown. Now we have the three leading EU agencies do the same thing, inventing a figure to get headlines and budgets."

This 'massaging' of statistics, popular with all politicians and bureaucrats, is nothing other than pure 'spin' designed to keep populations in a state of fear, whilst being able to plunder their pockets for yet more money in tax to counter that 'manufactured' problem.

Total Politics (Indeed!)

Total Politics has an article on Sharon Bowles, LibDem MEP, currently chair of the economic and monetary affairs committee of the European Union.

"The Lib Dem MEP is a hugely powerful and yet virtually unknown British politician. She has had far more impact on our legislation than your average Westminster politician."

And that my friends is why the whole concept of the European Union is fatally flawed - that a virtually unknown politician should have had - and continues so to do - far more impact on our legislation than could a Westminster politician surely shows that we most definitely are not a self-governing nation!

That the EU, together with our own political elite and media, don't wish us to know just how much our lives are 'controlled' by the EU is surely the greatest insult yet suffered by man in any democratic process.

Now can we please get the hell out?

The Albion Alliance Presents

INFORMATION.

Information is power, we all know that, but until now in the UK the politicians and the media have had a virtual monopoly on information coming out of the EU, and on the way in which it is shaped and presented.

Well that is about to change. The Albion Alliance have set up a site to bring you information and news direct from Brussels, as soon as possible after it is published, and wherever possible, in its raw state.

No bias, no spin, no editing, no shaping or nudging, just raw data from all the main agencies of the EU. The president, the European Council, the Commission, the Directives, Regulations, Acts, Opinions and Decisions, the Committee of the Regions, the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Economic & Social Committee, the European Ombudsman and even news about SEPA. (what’s SEPA I hear you ask!)

Read it raw, make your own mind up. The politicians are going to hate us.

As the system settles down, more links will be added to give an even wider picture of what is going on around the EU. The layout and font will not suit everyone, but what The Albion Alliance are providing is information, not presentation.

There is a list of categories down the left hand side, where you can check for specific news not on the front page, there is also a list of databases in the documents link, where you can search for EU documents directly and they even bring you the latest Statutory Instruments from the UK Parliament so you can see our own Government turn EU law in to UK law whilst they and the media spin you a line.

Want to check out all those Euromyths, now you can search for the original documents and decide for yourselves (if you can navigate the purposefully complicated cross referencing systems), but its there, all for you to use.

There are even tabs at the top explaining how EU law is made and a list of all the main EU agencies with links to their sites for your reading delight, or distain. Few realise just how many areas of government are already controlled by Brussels.

The Albion Alliance is not gone, despite the best efforts of some, it is back with gusto with a view to providing the means for people to educate themselves about the EU rather than having to rely on the biased media, if and when they mention the EU at all. A reference point to counter the Government Nudge.

Since its launch yesterday, the European Commission and the European Parliament have been crawling all over it, no doubt they and many UK politicians would rather you did not access EU data in this way, so please, give this new Albion Alliance site your support. You are not a number, you are a free people. Make use of this information.

Cross-posted from IanPJ on Politics

Wadda Y'know 'Bout The EU?

Want to know what the European Union is?

Want to know how it works?

Want to keep abreast of EU 'pronouncements' as they happen?

Want to know what all the various institutions and agencies are doing?

Want to keep abreast of all the Directives, Regulations and Opinions that flood our country - with which we have to comply?

Want to really know why we are not a self-governing nation anymore?

Then here is your source.

Councils Allowed To Discriminate On Their Housing Lists?

Conservative Home reports that:

"Councils are to be given more power to decide their own waiting list criteria for social housing. Instead of it being entirely "needs based" they would be allowed to take into account those with "local connections" and to reward those who had got off welfare and into work.............So another day and another piece of radical localism from the DCLG"

Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) states:

"It shall combat social exclusion and discrimination............"

Bearing in mind that Member States share competence with the European Union, under Article 4 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in the areas of social policy for the aspects defined in this treaty; that under Article 6 the European Union shall have competence to carry out actions to support, co-ordinate or supplement the actions of Member States in the protection and improvement of human health and culture; bearing in mind also Article 8 which aims to eliminate inequalities; Article 10 in which the European Union aims to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, etc etc................

It would seem rather unlikely that this idea will come to fruition as it seems it will flounder on the same rock as did Gordon Brown's 'British Jobs for British Workers' - and, pound to a euro, surely an email will land in Shapps inbox along the lines of 'Err, excuse us but.......'

Have the Coalition got themselves into a bit of an 'Eric' here?

Lest We Forget

Jenny McCartney, in her weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph, has an article subtitled "War veterans must wonder at the use we make of the freedom they fought for" in which she discusses the case of Wendy Lewis - she of the 'urinating on a war memorial' fame - and the protest mounted at the entrance to the court by a group of war veterans. She ends her article:

"The dwindling band of veterans are fighting another war now, the war against forgetting. They remember how they bought us freedom, at a vast cost. But when they contemplate the nasty, senseless capering of fools..........you could forgive them for questioning what we're doing with it."

Of course the war veterans to which Jenny McCartney refers are those of World War I and II, however it is worth remembering that countless people have given their lives, through the centuries, fighting for the freedom of our country.

When writing about the "nasty, senseless capering of fools" we must not forget our elected representatives, the vast majority of whom have indulged themselves in giving away a great number of the freedoms for which those countless people gave their lives.

In the United Kingdom Rememberance Sunday is the second Sunday in November, the Sunday nearest to 11 November, at which HM The Queen lays a wreath at the Cenotaph, accompanied by the leaders of our political elite. Our political leaders are thus supposed to be honouring those that fought to retain our freedoms. Perhaps their brains have not registered the fact that their political acts should not therefore dishonour the dead!

Kinda makes that ceremony a bit of a sham - does it not?

Eyes Shut, Ears Blocked & Brains......Err What Brains?

As I believe we all know, Harriet Harman's Equality Act - which received its Royal Assent in April - forces all government departments to undertake an impact assessment on the likely outcomes for ‘protected’ groups in society before implementing policy.

First though allow me to digress......Little Harriet is, as I am sure we all know, on a personal crusade on behalf of women and women's rights, equality etc - as long as she remains 'top dog bitch'. Unfortunately, that does not extend to a level playing field where her husband, Jack Dromey, was seeking a parliamentary seat. The Telegraph reported back in August last year that he was 'being lined up' for a safe Labour seat (another 'digress': do note all her children, the Telegraph reports, have the surname 'Harman' - so much for equality) and the Guardian reported in February this year that Dromey had been shortlisted for a safe Birmingham seat, that previously held by Sion Simon. Note also the opposition he faced from the other three candidates on the short list - two local councillors and one ex-councillor. Contrary to my assertion that a level playing field was not extended in the case of Dromey, it has just crossed my mind that he may well qualify on the basis of being brain-challenged - look at who he chose to marry.........

Anyway, back to the point of this post. One has to ask where the Conservative Party were when this Act was going through Parliament as I do not recall much 'opposition', or noises of dissent, eminating from that quarter. 

The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for sexual equality, has deposited papers at the High Court questioning whether the Treasury and related departments met their statutory duty to undertake a gender inequality impact assessment on the provisions of the Budget, on the basis that the bulk of the cuts will affect the minority sections of our society. The High Court is shortly to adjudicate and a decision in favour of the Fawcett Society would create one hell of a headache for the Coalition, who have argued that the budget must be enacted or Britain faces ruin. Also the Coalition cannot say they were not warned as Theresa May, in her position as Minister for Women and Equalities, wrote to George Osborne - and copied to Cameron and others - reminding him of the need to meet the demands of the Equality Act. It is possible that George Osborne, believing that Theresa May was just covering her back, promptly tossed the letter into his bin. No doubt there will be a mad scramble to repeal Harriet's Equality Act, but one has to ask why have the Coalition allowed themselves to be 'cornered' in this way. This would seem to be an example of the classic situation whereby the light was on but no-one was at home!

The irony is that if the Coalition win the day then the cuts will affect all members of society*, including women, the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transexual groups and thus fully (see footnote) comply with the Equality Act - an outcome which I doubt Harriet had considered.

* Well, probably not all sections of society - we must remember that MPs do of course have their perks like cheap food and booze with some of them having their second homes paid for them.

Why Is The NHS Considered 'A Sacred Cow' - Time For The Abattoir?

The Guardian reports on suggested changes, apparently let 'slip' by Andrew Lansley, to the NHS Direct telephone line. Discussing the proposed 'trial' of '111' the report states:

"People can dial 111 to get health advice and information about out-of-hours GPs, walk-in centres, emergency dentists and 24-hour chemists."

 So why can't people dial their 'out-of-hours' GPs for health advice and information? Why cannot information about 'out-of-hours' GPs, walk-in centres, emergency dentists and 24-hour chemists be published on local authority websites and advertised in the local press? Why are we spending £123million on a 'service' which could be provided for £millions less? What is the point in providing a 'service' that is supposed to offer medical advice with fewer 'trained-medical staff'? How can the Department of Health state that the new service will be cheaper, yet also admit they have no idea of the actual cost?

"The NHS has been told to find up to £20bn of savings by 2014, even though the health service is due to see rises in its budget in the coming years. This is because of the increasing demands from an ageing population, new drugs and lifestyle changes such as increasing obesity."

The 'problems' 'highlighted' are not just due to the reasons given, but also due to the increased population, - an increase due in no small measure from uncontrolled immigration from EU member states? Do, by the way, note that the latest 'scare', obesity, is also introduced into the discussion!

For far too long we have been 'blighted' by both the LabCon parties, when it is their turn to 'govern', introducing 'ideas' - and ideas without any foundation - which conform to either adherence to the latest 'pressure group' that has caught the government's 'ear' or the imposition of an 'idea' that it would seem some political 'wonk' has had - or is the brainchild of a minister.

What has been the result is that successive governments have 'tinkered' with the system, only for those plans to be overturned by the next government 'incumbents'. As the ideology of both parties is at such variance, it has resulted in 'squat-diddley' at the end of the day.

Of course, this has resulted in a situation whereby we are also attempting to maintain a system, designed 65 years, ago to work in the modern world - an ideology akin to continuing to run our roads whilst ensuring that every vehicle is preceded by someone carrying a red flag! Encapsulated in this ideology is also the idea that the NHS is a 'sacred cow', one whose operating system cannot be altered. It should be recalled that the same 'operating idea' was also held when considering British Rail and British Leyland - to name but two - and all the other 'state-owned' institutions that politicans have 'dreamed up'.

Can this problem with the NHS ever be resolved? The short answer must be in the negative as we have a cat's chance in hell (or a wheelie-bin) of ever so doing whilst we remain a member of the EU. Yet another pressing reason why we should get the hell out of the EU – and also get some serious thinking done about a growing 'time-bomb', which if unresolved, will surely bankrupt our country.

Just thinking, on a quiet Friday night.................

Tory Outing 'Shock'

The Conservative MP for Reigate has announced the end of his marriage due to his wish to come to terms with his homosexuality, reports Conservative Home. According to another report in the News of the World, Crispin Blunt was married in 1990 and has a son and daughter.

The report ends:

"The decent course to take in these circumstances is to wish Crispin, Victoria and their children well. The comment thread on this item is closed."

Cynical it may be, but I do wonder why such an announcement was made, late on a Friday. Might this just have been due to the fact he was to be 'outed' in a Sunday newspaper? I also believe it an affront to the intelligence of the public that Conservative Home can write the sanctimonious crap that they have in their last paragraph and, in the process, ensuring that no comment is permitted. The only people for whom I have any sympathy is his wife and children.

To be perfectly blunt - this whole episode stinks!

Its All Greek

Open Europe press summary today advises that "The Greek government has discovered that millions of euros have been paid to deceased pensioners" linking to this report in the Guardian.

So then, it seems that the game of poker is not the only example of 'dead money'!

Thursday 26th August 2010

Posting will be suspended until tomorrow afternoon due some intensive work on a lease problem that has arisen,

Apologies to all readers.

One Law In, One Law Out - Well, Not Quite

The Coalition made much play of their desire to  'pare' laws and in so doing reducing costs to business and trumpeted the headline 'One In - One Out'.

Courtesy of IanPJ on twitter we are alerted to this website which reports that "The European Commission has modified the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD) that would require member nations to make it compulsory for energy efficiency ratings to be published in all homes for sale advertisements beginning in 2012." In actual fact this was notified in a press release by Brussels on 13th November 2008:

"With the proposed changes energy performance certificate becomes a real, active energy label of houses. For instance, the certificate has to be included in all advertisements for sales or renting. Also, the certificate with its energy saving recommendations has to be part of the sales and renting documents. Inspections of heating and air conditioning systems will advise consumers to use better these appliances or improve their operation, even replacing if need be. Member States have to ensure a good quality of the certificates and inspections."

(the content of which being something I don't recall the previous administration - or our 'watchful' media mentioning. Odd that we have to get our EU news from America, isn't it)

Now it seems we will be having another quango created to administer the system of inspections and also the compliance with this addition to the Energy Performance and Building Directive, together with the explosion of new rules and regulations that will result.

Those 3,000 Crimes........

Both Douglas Carswell and Mrs. Rigby have posted on this story in today's Mail and it also relates to my preceding post.

"Most of the new offences were slipped into law on the say-so of quangocrats without being debated in Parliament, it found."

WTF is going on here? So we have unelected lawmakers? Taken a leaf out of the EU's book then! And then, to cap it all, as Carswell says we have a quango deciding that those 'laws' should be treated as fines rather than subject to court proceedings.

FOI requests were supposed to allow members of the public to question public authorities on their performance, systems and procedures - which doesn't seem to have had much effect in this particular case.

On the subject of laws - and digressing slightly - Ed West has a post on what has been termed the 'landmines' left by the previous administration. One question that immediately arises is, in relation to the Act which Ed West cites - and also to these laws that were initiated without the ability of Parliament to debate them - where the hell was our Opposition, that same group that now forms our government?

A certain well-known lady was fucked some time ago - and the fucker has obviously decided that if she has been, then we may as well be!

The Law Is Above The Law

Or so it seems, according to Inspector Gadget who reports on some anomolies in the attitude of our 'boys in blue'.

Since when were the police empowered to ignore decisions made by a Minister of State?

"we are still spending money printing tens of thousands of glossy leaflets, advertising the now scrapped Policing Pledge and Public Confidence agenda, to every household in the shire."

"The Home Secretary has told Chief Constables not to set up internal bureaucracies to implement, monitor and audit central government targets. However Ruralshire Constabulary and at least 30 other forces have specific teams, made up of police officers, who ‘manage’ police performance targets."

Some will say that the sooner elected police chiefs are introduced the better, however the burning question is exactly what powers will they be granted by our political dictators? More importantly, what say will we have in the powers granted - Oh sorry, bloody silly question that last one!

Root & Branch Reform

Politicians today talk about 'root and branch' reform when discussing any problem, as if that is the cure to any of the problems we face - yet the one 'root & branch' reform they never mention is that required of our society. Eamonn Butler of the Adam Smith Institute has a thought provoking post on the Coffee House, which is well worth a read. Discussing the break down of family life, he writes:

"But it will take more than giving married couples a few tax breaks to restore traditional family relationships. Certainly, incentives are important and at the moment we are taxing the things that we want more of (like work) and subsidising the things that we want less of (like single parenthood and worklessness)."

This 'taxing' and 'subsidising' thingy has now become so ingrained in the political mind - and that mind so concerned about equality and diversity - that it will take a seismic shift before any change of ideology occurs.

Then of course there is the big, big problem of immigration, yet another subject where 'root & branch' reform is dramatically required, but cannot be undertaken as we as a country have no authority so to do. As I have posted before, the political elite are guilty of social engineering, of changing our society in ways that even they did not imagine.

Forty and two years ago a politician - one who's knowledge and intellect surpassed any of his time - gave a speech for which he was vilified and branded a racist. For a history lesson surrounding the background to this speech watch this video (with the remainder in the series notated in the right hand side bar). That speech was so prophetic, as history has shown, yet unfortunately not one of the political elite of that era paid heed to the words spoken - nor have those that have followed. However the public opinion expressed then here and here, is still being expressed today.

The political elite have tinkered, changed, re-written and bastardised just about every facet of our society - be that health, education or law and order - to the extent that they have dug a hole, are still digging and have now reached such a depth that even they are unable to escape.

There are those in the blogosphere who believe one simple fact and express it so - that our country is fucked and that a re-run of 1642-1651 is necessary. The good news is that today it should only take a week or two max - on the basis that between 1642-1651 they did not have the use of lamp posts!

Chloe Smith - Fact or Fiction?

A correspondent has sent me this article from the Norwich Evening News in which the 'baby of the House' gets some nice, free political publicity the chance to tell her constituents what she has been doing.

Unfortunately it would seem that young Chloe does not appear to have read 'The Coalition - our programme for government' which mentions quite often the need for 'transparency' and 'honesty', because had she, she would not be telling 'porkies' like this:

"Last year I was elected straight from a job working for the private sector to a high-profile role working publicly for about 70,000 people......"

Loss of memory in one so young is worrying - it seems she has forgotten this:

"She flags up her experience as a management consultant for Deloitte on her website, saying it has given her "a lot of valuable experience". However, she is currently on secondment at Conservative party headquarters where she says she is helping to "draw up detailed plans to put our policies into practice. In fact her Conservative connections are well rooted. After leaving school, she worked for former Education Secretary Gillian Shepherd who was then MP for Norfolk North, whom she describes as "a real mentor."After graduating from York University with a first in English literature, she also worked for former Conservative vice chairman Bernard Jenkin and is now registered as an assistant to James Clappison, a shadow work and pensions minister."

Hardly going straight from the private sector to becoming a Member of Parliament?

Lass, do stop spinning - you're making me giddy!

Wait For It............

With the 'outing' of 'Cat Bin Woman' - and bearing in mind this story - presumably the RSPCA will be starting another prosecution, with the preceding interview being held on police premises?

It beggars belief that the police can find time for 'babysitting the RSPCA' when they have far more important matters to which they should be devoting their efforts.

And We Are A Self-Governing Country?

Those that maintain the above statement is true need, in modern parlance, to 'get a life', especially when considering a few items that have appeared recently.

Exhibit 1: Courtesy of IanPJ on Politics comes this article which reports that "four European countries are blocking a proposal that could save Britain’s 1.6 million smallest businesses as much as £400 million a year. France, Belgium, Spain and Italy are obstructing a move to allow member states to exempt so-called micro-firms from a European directive on accounting standards. This is despite the exemption having been proposed by the Commission and approved by a vote in the European Parliament."

Exhibit 2: Open Europe press summary reports that "the European Commission is considering a proposal to introduce stricter consumer protection rules for mortgage loans, which would impose extensive information obligations, warning obligations in advertising and the imposition of standardised contracts. The regulations would also affect construction loans. A comment piece in the paper argues “what Brussels now does under the banner of consumer protection, raises the fear for extra costs of bureaucracy, which will raise the cost to build."

Exhibit 3: The same press summary from Open Europe also reports that "The Sunday Express noted that a directive has been presented to the European Parliament calling for road pricing, or taxes, for lorries to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The Department for Transport has already announced the Government’s commitment to introducing a lorry road user charge. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond ruled out a similar scheme for other vehicles but could be outvoted in negotiations with EU partners."

With the advent of the Lisbon Treaty, which has given the EU the power to basically do what the hell it likes, it is obvious that the expansion of the power they have knows no bounds. As The Boiling Frog posts "In essence the EU's founding father Monnet was too clever by half, he fatally underestimated the laws of human nature; when you create a system where the unaccountable in control feel comfortable, when they feel safe, then it becomes natural that they greedily want more power and abuse the power they've got. And eventually there's only ever one outcome." 

It should be remembered that there is no 'slippery slope' towards the loss of liberty, there is only a long staircase down which we the people are being led by our 'toy politicians' in our 'toy parliament', slowly, step by step in the hope we will not notice. It should also be remembered that those that lead us down that staircase are immune from the vast majority of the laws they pass, thereby being able to remain at the top of the staircase, due to their inflated salaries and perks.

One last point to remember: once that first step is taken then that is the start of the loss of your liberty and freedoms - and we in Britain are nowhere near the bloody bottom of this staircase yet - so how about we start the climb back?

Threat To Warships Raises National Security Fears

So headlines an article in the Financial Times (log-in may be required) in which it states that Britain’s national security will be undermined over the next decade because the number of surface warships possessed by the Royal Navy will decline to levels well below those deployed a decade ago, according to an independent study.

I appreciate that Ronald Reagan is quoted quite often on this blog - and this one is pertinent, albeit Reagan was, at the time, comparing the state of readiness to Pearl Harbour:

"We're in greater danger today than we were the day after Pearl Harbor. Our military is absolutely incapable of defending this country." (my emphasis)

But hey, worry not people - we have no country to defend and for that we can thank our membership of the European Union!

 

The Biggest Oxymoron In The World*

David Cameron, William Hague et all are Conservatives.

* With apologies to Gracie Fields!

Virgin On The Truth

Goodnight Vienna, over at Calling England, has a post in which she writes:

"On the one hand we have youngsters who have no concept of the word 'virgin' but at the other we have people who remember what words like 'gentleman's agreement', integrity, honesty, law-abiding meant. There's an enormous gulf between government and the people now. State education has taught our children things we didn't want them to know and omitted the things they should know. It's a mess, and that's why no current politician or quango will ever be able to make it better. It's also why the older generation should group together and 'gather rosebuds' before it's too late and remind generations of what they have lost. It's time to remind the government that we won't put up with this loss of civil liberties any more."

Goodnight Vienna is so right on every point she makes, for example:

"Its a mess and that's why no current politician or quango will ever be able to make it better" - as Ronald Reagan said: "Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them."

or;

"State education has taught our children things we didn't want them to know and omitted the things they should know" - and why? Because politicians have frigged around with our education system so much and purely as a result of the slavish wish to follow the ideology prevailing at the time, without the benefit of proof that that ideology was sound.

or;

" There's an enormous gulf between government and the people now." And just who has created that gulf by their prolifigacy with our money to boost their lifestyle? By their belief that once elected, it gave them virtual carte blanche to do as they liked, regardless of the will of the people? By their total abrogation of the responsibility to consult the people of this country prior to giving away what amounts to our birthright? By their policy of social engineering, resulting in an influx of immigration to the extent we no longer recognise our own country?

or;

"It's also why the older generation should group together and 'gather rosebuds' before it's too late and remind generations of what they have lost. It's time to remind the government that we won't put up with this loss of civil liberties any more." which means that it is us - the older generation who must be joined by those younger who do know what the meaning of 'sovereignty', 'honesty', 'truth', 'integrity' democracy, and 'gentlemans agreement' actually is - to whom will fall the task of re-educating our nation; of restoring a belief in that nation and its natural place amongst the leading nations of the world; of restoring that level of 'fair play' and 'common sense' for which this island was renowned; of reminding those we elect that they are not 'top dog' and in fact it is us, that they are but the tools to implement what we the people want; that we have reverted to being a self-governing nation, beholden to no other; of reminding the rest of the world that we wish to be left to live in peace, but that those who dare attack us will receive more than the proverbial 'bloody nose'; of reminding the world that our Parliament is regarded as the 'Mother of Parliaments' and that from this moment on it has reverted to that status; that this island is indeed a green and pleasant land and one that will be an example to others once again.

In other words people - I think it is time for the revolution to begin!


This post was inspired by this!