Tories Still Up To Their Old Tricks?

The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg (Can one still say 'coons'?) 'twitters' that "Willetts to announce more apprentice places this week".

So the Tories still control their candidate 'A' list then - and therefore open primaries 'ditched'?

Just a query........................

WTF Do We Pay Taxes For?

Politics Home front page, at 19:03, under the headline "Terror Threat Raised" reports:

"The foreign office has upgraded its travel advice for Europe from a "general threat" to a "high threat", in line with the US government's heightened warning over "potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure". Foreign Secretary William Hague urged Britons to be "vigilant and alert" to combat terrorism, while home secretary Theresa May said: "The US advice is consistent with our assessment. I would urge the public to report any suspicious activity to the police." The foreign office has warned of a terror threat to Britons travelling to France and Germany."

When one reads posts such as this from Inspector Gadget, is it any wonder that our politicos want the public to do the work that the police should be doing?

Another thing that really makes me a tad annoyed - and forms part of the question above - is the vacuous pronouncements of our politicians, such as those of Hague and May. Just who does May believe the public will report suspicious activity to - the News of the World? Hang on, that could happen, in view of the intellectual levels of our younger generation. As for Hague, have we not had 'vigilant and alert' rammed down our throats virtually every month since 9/11?

Britain is supposed to be the beacon for producing great political minds - and all we can do is offer the world Cameron, Clegg, Hague, May, Osborne, Cable, Lansley, Clarke, Huhne, Hunt, Maude, Letwin, Gillan, the MiliBros, Precott, Brown, Straw, Hoon, Flint (now, reverting to my earlier post in which I discussed arses - sorry, I almost digressed), Blears, Smith?

No wonder our country is in such a piss-poor state

So It Is True Then

As having googled 'Mark Pack Wikipedia' - which resulted in no entry appearing - Wikipedia do not concern themselves with nonentities.

Only such a nonentity could come up with a suggestion such as this, which is no more than another method to continue the state monitoring of people and keep all those 'liberal-thinking' bureaucrats on the public payroll.

If this 'Liberal Democrat Voice' believes it is such a good idea, might one suggest that he does pack his bags and then put the verb to procreate into action elsewhere!

FFS! Put Up Or Shut Up!

Yet another 'scare du jour' story, which has been brought to my attention by IPJ on Politics, detailing dire warnings that vigilance is required by tourists visiting Europe.

"Current information suggests that Al-Qaeda and affiliated organisations continue to plan terrorist attacks"

It may be a stupid question, but if they know attacks continue to be plotted, why don't the authorities just arrest the perpetrators?  No doubt the answer to that is the authorities are hoping to catch 'bigger fish', which is just utter b******s!

The cynic in me suggests that this latest announcement is but another false alarm and one designed to take the public's eye off other more interesting matters. But fear not, the EU is 'monitoring' the situation - how and at what cost (and who is paying?) we are not told, other than the EU are in contact with their US partners. WTF (just to prove to Muffled Vociferation that I am not that much of a gentleman) announcements such as these are too reminiscent of those of Newspeak in 1984.

As an aside I would love to see that list that all governments inherit that specifies who shall be saved in the event of Armageddon and in what order. One thing you can rely on and that is your arse will be way down the list from the point at which 'their' arses appear! Following on from that thought one has to wonder how far down the list the arses of Cameron and Clegg appear from the point at which Van Rompuy's, Barroso's and Ashton's arses appear? As in the order of all things it would undoubtedly prove that some arses are more precious than others - so much for equality of opportunity!

Are Social Workers A Law Unto Themselves?

I ask the question as Christopher Booker, in his comment piece in the Sunday Telegraph, has been highlighting cases of what appears to be 'heavy-handed' action by social services where it is thought abuse of children has occurred. His latest revelation follows the same 'mis-placed authoritarian line of action by social services' as previous cases about which he has written.

Booker is unable to report all the facts involved in cases like this for legal reasons yet the question must be asked as to the whereabouts of the MP in whose constituency these 'care orders' are enacted and what the hell has he/she been doing about it. As our elected representatives go to great lengths to get their names into print, one could be forgiven for expressing surprise that mention of an MP's intervention is most noticeable by its absence. Oh and where is the Coalition, bearing in mind that 'BrownRule' has ended?

To plagiarise Thomas Jefferson:

"When State bodies fear the people there is liberty. When the people fear State bodies, there is tyranny"

It is totally beyond comprehension that in a 21st century society, fed a daily diet of Human Rights and other PC crap, any state body can act in such a totalitarian manner as do the 'Little Hitlers' who seem to propogate children's social services. On the other hand, maybe not!

Ukip - Is There Any Hope?

One of the complaints about their party, by those within it, is that the administrative ability of Ukip is non-existent - they just don't do 'Admin'.

At the start of the leadership campaign I was asked to sign as an Assentor for Nigel Farage, something that I was quite content to do. Having done so, I do not believe it unreasonable to expect that one's name be included in any article, posted on the Ukip website, listing proposers and assentors.

But, in my view, it is also a tad disingenious to head the article "Who's backing whom.......". In signing as an Assentor, I am purely agreeing to an individual's right to stand as a candidate in that election - it does not necessarily mean that I am voting for him.

End of rant.......................

Conservatives, Patriotic?

The agenda for the Conservative Party conference has now been published and can be viewed here, courtesy of their website.

One omission that is immediately noticable is the subject of 'Europe' and EU membership. One doubts whether it will even get a mention - maybe one sentence? - during the Defence and Foreign Affairs debate on Wednesday morning.

Oh, there is plenty of discussion about the Big Society, the Environment & Climate Change, Devolved Nations and New Politics and People Power - but of Europe and the EU: Zilch, Nada, Nothing, F'All!

And this from the conference of a party that considers itself 'patriotic'!

The Conservative Party Has To Be Joking, Surely?

Paul Goodman,  Conservative Home, writes that Cameron has wrapped himself, his Party and his Government in the Union Flag with the conference slogan "Together in the national interest", having at the same time 'Union Jacked' their tree symbol.

For any one of the Lib/Lab/Con to present themselves as a patriotic party is an affront to the intelligence of the British People, who are becoming more aware by the day of the leeching of powers to Brussels. It is doubly hurtful for the British people when the Conservatives join in this facile attempt to boost their ratings as that party have in the past been very much for Queen & Country - well, until that bastard Heath appeared on the scene, that is.

And just what exactly is the 'National Interest'? Presently it is that which ever of the political parties in power decides it is. For the parties that pontificate endlessly about devolution of power and that the voices of the people must be heard, they sure as hell don't seem to be in any rush to actively implement that. Every time I question a politician on this I am informed that the electorate had their chance at the last General Election. Some chance - not one of the political parties actively discussed EU membership and in the second Leadership Debate, from memory, I believe the subject of 'Europe' occupied less than three minutes - no doubt something that was 'agreed' by Cameron, Clegg and Brown.

For any politician to agree to membership of an organisation one of whose leaders openly admits that its existence is necessary:

"..........precisely because it’s not democratic. Left to themselves, elected governments might do all sorts of things simply to humour their voters:

Governments are not always right. If governments were always right we would not have the situation that we have today. Decisions taken by the most democratic institutions in the world are very often wrong. "

would appear to show that those politicians stood on a false ticket at the General Election.

For the likes of Cameron, Clegg and especially Barroso, all of whom lecture on the subject of freedoms, one is reminded of a quotation:

"Freedom is not a luxury that we can indulge in when at last we have security and prosperity and enlightenment. It is, rather, antecedent to all of these, for without it we can have neither security nor prosperity nor enlightenment"
Henry Steel Commager (1902-1998) Freedom, Loyalty and Dissent, 1954

Re-Positioning Of Political Parties

James Forsyth, writing on the Coffee House, has a post entitled: "Lib Dems to the right of their Tory colleagues?"

With Cameron having moved the Conservative Party so far to the left that it is only the 'modus operandi' that separates him from Labour, it is hardly news that the LibDems have ended up on the right of the Conservatives - is it?

But then one must not be too critical of a 'journalist' who is just trying to earn a living........

Yup - He Sure Can!

Richard Seymour, writing in the Guardian:

"David Cameron approaches conference season apparently well placed to brag about his accomplishments."

Accomplishments? Oh, yes, I remember them well!

Failure to win a majority in a general election that was there for the taking against a 'burned-out' government; failing to keep a promise about giving the electorate a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty; failing to stop any further transfers of power (EEAS and EIO); failing to bring forward a 'guaranteed' Referendum Lock Bill; failing to uphold the true 'conservative' tenets of 'Queen and Country'; failure to stop any 'Prince or Prelate' from holding the reins of power in this country; failure to tell the truth, during the election campaign, on immigration; failure to have the balls to publicly debate, in his own constituency, our membership of the EU; failure to insist that Clegg amends the smoking ban - which will do for starters!

Of course I do accept that in today's society where lowering of standards is commonplace, political failures are usually presented as accomplishments!

Seems Cameron has a 'sellective memory', as does Maurice Chevalier!

What Is Wrong With Our Education System

Is amply illustrated by this post, by a teacher, in the Independent blogs which is based on a belief that the state and he know what is best for a parent's child and that the parent is just that - a parent.

"However, largely as a result of the previous government’s policies, I believe it is imperative that in a context where the two roles – parent and teacher – are already becoming blurred, we make a clear distinction between the roles of parenting and teaching. In short, we need to let parents be parents and let teachers teach........For example, we need to confront head-on why many within education have lost faith in the transformative potential of a knowledge-based subject-centred curriculum.."

Even the least educated and erudite of those in the teaching profession - of which Kevin Rooney appears to be one (perhaps there is a hint as to his intellectual capabilities when considering his surname - but I digress) - who must accept that parents want the best for their children and if, in their view, that is not being delivered, that they will 'interfere'.

As for Rooney's statment that we have a 'transformative potential in a knowledge-based subject-centred curriculum', methinks he needs to become a stand-up comedian. If our education system is 'knowledge-based' and 'subject-centred', how come we have so many children leaving school, unable to write, speak English correctly, or have no ability with something as basic as mental arithmetic? I recall being stopped in my village by a young lad - no more than about 18/19 - who asked me the time. When I replied it was eighteen minutes to four, I was greeted with "Uh, whats that?". Responding it was 3:42, he did thank me most politely, but added "Is that the same as eighteen minutes to four then?" The mind boggles!

Rooney continues his words of wisdom thus:

"Above all, the biggest worry I have about the introduction of free schools is that it represents a technical, managerialist solution to problems in the education system......."

Err, have we not just had 13 years of a 'technical, managerialist solution' policy that has caused all the problems in our education system that we now suffer?

If I were you Rooney, I should stick to kicking footballs about - I believe the pay is better! At least that way no-one can 'Wayne on your pawade'!

H/T: Old Holborn, on Twitter, for bring this Independent post to my attention.

That Video

As I have previously stated, I have been without internet connection since Friday evening and therefore appreciate I am a tad late with comments on 'That Video' - one that most certainly does not warrant 10/10!

Beside being the product of sick minds, it also serves to show how the education of children has become a means for social and political indoctrination. It is also utterly incredible that in the article in the Mail there does not seem to be one politician voicing their disgust at this video. In fairness, the Mail being the Mail, it is perhaps possible (but unlikely) that they did not ask a politician for a quote, but in view of the public outrage one would have though the politicos would have been queuing up to get their names in print! On the other hand, as they all believe in that crap, they probably wouldn't. I refuse to 'further the 'mentalist's cause' by reproducing the video, despite their removal of it from their website.

Afterthought: Also do not understand why they did not ask a few MPs to star in this video and get themselves blown up - which would have saved some of the electorate from having to do it later! You can't even get a decent calibre of MP now, can you, one with a sense of proportion.

But You Have Done It Before, Mr Cameron!

FT dot com has an interview with David Cameron by Simon Schama in which Cameron is quoted on the matter of the Leader's Debates. Commenting on the Liberals rise in the polls after the first debate and acknowledging that he had been in favour of such debates since 2006, Cameron says:

"......he couldn’t then “turn on a sixpence” and refuse them......"

To which the question must be asked; Why not, when he 'turned on a sixpence' and refused the people a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

Ah but in fairness, no doubt DC would argue that there were principles involved!

Barroso's Reasoning For The Existence Of The EU

Dan Hannan posts on the recent remarks of one of the EU President, in this case Barroso, that the existence of the EU is:

"..........precisely because it’s not democratic. Left to themselves, elected governments might do all sorts of things simply to humour their voters:

Governments are not always right. If governments were always right we would not have the situation that we have today. Decisions taken by the most democratic institutions in the world are very often wrong."

So this Portuguese Prat (Muffled Vociferation uses slightly stronger language, bless her) believes that only he and his colleagues know what the people want? Barroso needs to be reminded of how Ceausescu ended his political career - one of those involved is quoted as saying:

"it wasn’t a trial, it was a political assassination in the middle of a revolution"

The only consolation for Barroso is that I doubt whether his trial would last five minutes. In fact, as 'cut backs' are all the rage, lets retain that excellent policy and dispense with the trial!

And There We Were Thinking ID Cards Were a 'Dead Duck'!

First; an apology. Have been without internet connection since Friday evening. Anyway as the cooks say, here is one I prepared earlier!

Did you really, really think that ID Cards were being abolished? Why, because 'he' that does not tell us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and does not do 'U' turns, said so?

Well, just cast our eyes over this:

"Combating document fraud is a major factor in the fight against organized crime and illegal immigration, requiring several joint measures for the prevention and the detection of such criminal activities, including in particular making the best use of the new technologies for improving document security and control.

Measures already adopted in this area include the definition and the implementation by the Member States of minimum security standards regarding EU biometric passports, whereas the main challenges for the near future would be the implementation of an electronic residence permit and the issuance of electronic identity cards.

In this regard, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Article 77 (3) of the TFEU has provided for a specific legal basis for the adoption of provisions concerning passports, identity cards, residence permits or any other such document with a view to facilitating the freedom of movement in the territory of the Member States." (my emphasis)

A chilling phrase is it not - "or any other such document". Like a document prohibiting you travelling abroad? Or one prohibiting you travelling more then 'x' miles from your home? Or a permit to get married, have children - just what exactly is "any other such document"?

Reading further it becomes obvious that the EU is determined to get ID cards implemented, as the terms of reference for the Working Party are to be 'tweaked' in order that the desired result may be achieved.

This report just adds weight to the post of IPJ on Politics to which I linked earlier. I am reminded of the words of Vladimir Bukovsky, the Russian Dissident:

"I have lived in your future and it didn't work."

Might The SDSR 'Nuke' The Coalition?

Amidst the recent loss of brotherly love displayed at the Labour Party Conference, the Coalition must be thankful that one rocket that could have been launched by Labour, wasn't - well, not to any effect.

The Strategic Defense Spending Review (SDSR) presents the possibility of 'Armageddon' where the Coalition is concerned. Remember the Conservatives, in the shape of Cameron, originally exempted Trident from the SDSR, but the LibDems who are against a like-for-like scenario and would ideally ditch Trident quicker than the proverbial hot potato, have won the right to a study of its cost-effectiveness.

The leak of Liam Fox's letter to Cameron may well have been no more than deliberate and it is therefore possible the police, in seeking to find the 'leaker', should move their investigation from the Ministry of Defence to 10 Downing Street (it is said politics is a dirty game!).

When bracketing the words 'principles' and 'conservative politicians' together, it is well known that the former may have very elastic qualities, however unlike matters EU, where Trident is concerned those principles gather resolve quicker than an MP gathers his expenses.

Methinks Fox would not be the only one who would give Cameron an Edache were Trident to come to a vote in the HoC!

Anyone Told Cameron & The Brussel's Numpties Yet?

According to the Mail:

"The UK’s leading scientific body has been forced to rewrite its guide on climate change and admit that it is not known how much warmer the Earth will become. The Royal Society has updated its guide after 43 of its members complained that the previous version failed to take into account the opinion of climate change sceptics. Now the new guide, called ‘Climate change: a summary of the science’, admits that there are some ‘uncertainties’ regarding the science behind climate change. And it says that it impossible to know for sure how the Earth's climate will change in the future nor what the possible effects may be." (my emphasis)

Yay, now there is a way to cut the deficit - dump all those whirly-gig thingies, dump quangos like the Committee on Climate Change; the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and not forgetting - dumping Chris Huhne!

So The Ryder Cup Is Now EU vs America?

When was the Ryder Cup 'born'? When was the EU 'born'?

On the basis we are supposed to refuse terrorists entry to our country - and if they do manage to get in, are promptly 'banged-up' - how come Barroso is here and still 'on the loose'?

Let Us Hope The Dutch Have More Backbone........

Open Europe press summary reports that:

"The coalition agreement unveiled yesterday by the three parties set to form the new government in the Netherlands notes that "with the Lisbon treaty the limit has been reached for transfers of national competences to the EU for the coming period". BN/De Stem reports that Dutch incoming Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said that the coalition will demand a further €1 billion reduction on the country’s yearly €7 billion contribution to the EU budget, as w"ell as keeping the current €1 billion rebate."

Not understanding German or Dutch I shall take their word as true and I also hope that the Dutch coalition does not have the same big yellow streak up its back that ours does!

Of course Auntie, reporting on this new Dutch government, can only mention 'facts' such as 'anti-Islamist Geert Wilders'; 'Mr Wilders is well known for his controversial far-right views', but not one mention about the limit being reached for any further transfer of national competences. 

When confronted about bias, how many times does one see a response along these lines:

"We're committed to honest, unbiased reporting and are determined to remain free from influence by outside parties, whether political or lobbyists. Our Corporation's Charter and Agreement allows us independence from political pressure and the licence fee gives us independence from advertising, shareholder or other commercial interests. Impartiality forms the cornerstone of BBC News and Current Affairs and we've nothing to gain by weighting our coverage in political terms or by allowing influence from any other outside body."

I am firmly of the opinion that the BBC considers the people of Britain 'Came up on the down train'!


Update: this post from Open Europe is worth a minute of two of your time.

Now Hear This

For years now, Eurosceptics have been trying to convince the people of this country that membership of the European Union is harmful and obnoxious on the basis that we, the people, have never been asked specifically whether we agree to this or not. Both economic and political arguments have been put forward by Eurosceptics in the attempt to demonstrate this, yet the political elite of the three main parties continue to deny that any problem exists and refuse to engage in any debate.

Eurosceptics have also tried to argue that our future is being decided, whether you want it to be or not, by a host of unelected bodies and with the complete collusion of our governments. It involves the collection of data about every aspect of our lives and through the collection of that data, our control over our own lives will disappear.

Ian Parker-Joseph has been a busy boy and is starting a series of posts demonstrating just how the European Union intends to control the people, their lives and consequently their destinies. These posts will be lengthy, detailed and will probably require more than one 'read' to fully grasp what is involved. On the basis that bloggers are aware that not every reader follows any links given, I would plead with you that you do take the trouble to follow all the links in IPJ's posts on this subject, so that you may full appreciate what it is that that collection of unparented offspring in Brussels have in store for us all.

As and when IPJ posts further on this subject, rest assured this blog will make you aware of said posts.