David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition says that the failure to supply more helicopters to British troops in Afghanistan is "a scandal".
Gordon Brown, Prime Minister says that army chiefs in Afghanistan were satisfied they had the equipment to do the job asked of them and the army was better equipped than ever.
The government insists that the military has never been so well resourced as it is at present.
Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup says that the deployment of more helicopters to Afghanistan would save soldiers' lives.
John Hutton, who retired as Secretary of State for Defence last month says that the mood among UK troops in Afghanistan is "unequivocal" on the need for more manpower and resources. He also says that ministers have a "fundamental responsibility" to grant military equipment requests.
Whoa! Hutton WAS the minister up to the start of last month. So how come he didn’t acknowledge this fundamental responsibility when he was the top banana?
When a renegade minister starts criticising the Government, phrases like ‘vote catching’ and ‘populist statements’ come to mind!
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Monday, 20 July 2009
Saturday, 18 July 2009
New Labour Is Old Hat
In an interview in today’s Daily Telegraph, former Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, who quit the cabinet during the local and European elections last month, has said he lost faith in Gordon Brown as leader six months ago.
This has prompted the ‘never say die’, government faithful to pop their heads above the parapet.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson, also in the Telegraph, said that Mr Brown is the "best man for the job".
Ex-Defence Secretary John Hutton, this time speaking on the BBC's Straight Talk programme, said Mr Brown had "many, many talents" and it was a "tragedy" voters did not see them.
OK John, tell Gordon to show us these talents and we’ll have a look at them!
Meanwhile, back to Mr Purnell who stated "It's a very different feeling being twelve years into government from the idealism of the start, but we need to recapture that idealism, not by living in the past or by aping New Labour or just sticking to the old tunes.
We need to open up New Labour, reinvent it and then eventually move beyond it."
Try running that one past the traditional flat cap toting, whippet owning voter who, back in 1997 thought that he was voting for the good old red flag waving Labour Party. See what they think about your New Labour now!
This has prompted the ‘never say die’, government faithful to pop their heads above the parapet.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson, also in the Telegraph, said that Mr Brown is the "best man for the job".
Ex-Defence Secretary John Hutton, this time speaking on the BBC's Straight Talk programme, said Mr Brown had "many, many talents" and it was a "tragedy" voters did not see them.
OK John, tell Gordon to show us these talents and we’ll have a look at them!
Meanwhile, back to Mr Purnell who stated "It's a very different feeling being twelve years into government from the idealism of the start, but we need to recapture that idealism, not by living in the past or by aping New Labour or just sticking to the old tunes.
We need to open up New Labour, reinvent it and then eventually move beyond it."
Try running that one past the traditional flat cap toting, whippet owning voter who, back in 1997 thought that he was voting for the good old red flag waving Labour Party. See what they think about your New Labour now!
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
The Battle Of Culloden 2009
A story today that is tucked away inside the newspapers, but first a history lesson.
The Battle of Culloden on Culloden Moor near Inverness, Scotland on 16th April 1746, where hundreds of men of Charles Edward Stuart’s Jacobite army were massacred by the Hanoverian army of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. The last battle on British soil, a battle that altered the course of Scottish history. One of those battles where the dead were buried where they fell.
Now, 260 years later, signs are to be erected at the site asking visitors to respect the site as a war grave following a complaint about picnickers.
A member of ‘A Circle of Gentlemen’, a society which recalls the Jacobite cause, said he was furious at the behaviour of some tourists.
Alasdair MacNeill said he saw a family picnicking on top of one of the grave mounds.
Mr MacNeill said he and other members had complained to the National Trust for Scotland.
He said, "A family of four and their two dogs were sprawled across a grave mound having a picnic. The father was leaning against the headstone eating a Scotch egg and smoking a cigarette."
The circle member said he would not expect such behaviour to be acceptable at World War I battlefields such as Flanders or Ypres.
Mr MacNeill said Culloden's fallen were hastily buried in wide, but shallow graves, by British soldiers.
He added, "Many people, especially American tourists, come to Culloden because it is a revered place and to find their relatives."
Mr MacNeill is absolutely correct. This must be a terrible affront to the Scottish nation. I know little about Scottish history but this must be the most important and revered site in the whole of Scotland.
I don’t know if people north of the border understand the word ‘respect’ but it seems to have disappeared from the dictionary in England!
Speaking of which, has anyone noticed that Gordon Brown has never been to RAF Lyneham for the repatriation of any of the Afghanistan War dead?
While the rest of the nation bow their heads in respect, Gordon should be hanging his in shame!
The Battle of Culloden on Culloden Moor near Inverness, Scotland on 16th April 1746, where hundreds of men of Charles Edward Stuart’s Jacobite army were massacred by the Hanoverian army of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. The last battle on British soil, a battle that altered the course of Scottish history. One of those battles where the dead were buried where they fell.
Now, 260 years later, signs are to be erected at the site asking visitors to respect the site as a war grave following a complaint about picnickers.
A member of ‘A Circle of Gentlemen’, a society which recalls the Jacobite cause, said he was furious at the behaviour of some tourists.
Alasdair MacNeill said he saw a family picnicking on top of one of the grave mounds.
Mr MacNeill said he and other members had complained to the National Trust for Scotland.
He said, "A family of four and their two dogs were sprawled across a grave mound having a picnic. The father was leaning against the headstone eating a Scotch egg and smoking a cigarette."
The circle member said he would not expect such behaviour to be acceptable at World War I battlefields such as Flanders or Ypres.
Mr MacNeill said Culloden's fallen were hastily buried in wide, but shallow graves, by British soldiers.
He added, "Many people, especially American tourists, come to Culloden because it is a revered place and to find their relatives."
Mr MacNeill is absolutely correct. This must be a terrible affront to the Scottish nation. I know little about Scottish history but this must be the most important and revered site in the whole of Scotland.
I don’t know if people north of the border understand the word ‘respect’ but it seems to have disappeared from the dictionary in England!
Speaking of which, has anyone noticed that Gordon Brown has never been to RAF Lyneham for the repatriation of any of the Afghanistan War dead?
While the rest of the nation bow their heads in respect, Gordon should be hanging his in shame!
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Eight Deaths Too Far
Five more British soldiers have died in Afghanistan, with the deaths of three other soldiers in Helmand, this brings the total to eight killed over 24 hours, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Their deaths take the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184 and higher than the 179 killed in Iraq.
This number pales into insignificance compared to the battles of the Somme or Rourkes Drift but that’s not the point, this is a conflict that shouldn’t be taking place.
Do the governments of the troops engaged in Afghanistan honestly believe that it will make a ha’pence worth of difference to the fight against terrorism?
Do they think that the bulk of Taliban, Al Qaeda or any other group of terrorists are stuck in Afghanistan waiting to be wiped out?
Given Britain’s record on immigration, Osama Bin Laden is probably sitting in his council flat in Tottenham, laughing his socks off!
If the coalition killed every living thing there, do they think that this would end international terrorism?
Bombs will still be made in the back-rooms of Bradford, Bromley, Bridlington or wherever.
This is a war against a faceless enemy which, in all probability, will never be completely won.
So, Mr Obama, Mr Brown, in the unlikely event of you reading this, digest my words, cut your losses and bring all of the allied troops home today, and start looking at the enemy within!
Unless, of course, you are scared of the ghost of George W Bush!
Their deaths take the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184 and higher than the 179 killed in Iraq.
This number pales into insignificance compared to the battles of the Somme or Rourkes Drift but that’s not the point, this is a conflict that shouldn’t be taking place.
Do the governments of the troops engaged in Afghanistan honestly believe that it will make a ha’pence worth of difference to the fight against terrorism?
Do they think that the bulk of Taliban, Al Qaeda or any other group of terrorists are stuck in Afghanistan waiting to be wiped out?
Given Britain’s record on immigration, Osama Bin Laden is probably sitting in his council flat in Tottenham, laughing his socks off!
If the coalition killed every living thing there, do they think that this would end international terrorism?
Bombs will still be made in the back-rooms of Bradford, Bromley, Bridlington or wherever.
This is a war against a faceless enemy which, in all probability, will never be completely won.
So, Mr Obama, Mr Brown, in the unlikely event of you reading this, digest my words, cut your losses and bring all of the allied troops home today, and start looking at the enemy within!
Unless, of course, you are scared of the ghost of George W Bush!
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Portfolio Without Minister
The Whitehall farce just runs and runs, and I don’t just mean the in-fighting and back biting over the last couple of days.
Last week, Mr Brown appointed Glynis Kinnock, wife of ex-Labour leader Neil, as Europe Minister.
OK, so she’s not an MP, but I can live with that, after all Gordon is running out of trusted sidekicks in the House.
Yesterday it emerged that she could not do the job because she was still an MEP!
Under EU Parliament rules, Glynis is not allowed to serve as a minister in a national Government until she steps down as an MEP on July 14.
She is reluctant to quit her job as an MEP as she would have to give up some of her rather generous pension and the golden handshake that goes with it.
What more proof do we need that we are being governed by headless chickens and a Prime Minister with a bullet hole in his foot?
Last week, Mr Brown appointed Glynis Kinnock, wife of ex-Labour leader Neil, as Europe Minister.
OK, so she’s not an MP, but I can live with that, after all Gordon is running out of trusted sidekicks in the House.
Yesterday it emerged that she could not do the job because she was still an MEP!
Under EU Parliament rules, Glynis is not allowed to serve as a minister in a national Government until she steps down as an MEP on July 14.
She is reluctant to quit her job as an MEP as she would have to give up some of her rather generous pension and the golden handshake that goes with it.
What more proof do we need that we are being governed by headless chickens and a Prime Minister with a bullet hole in his foot?
Friday, 5 June 2009
Et Tu Purnell?
Last night, James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, stepped down from the cabinet and told Prime Minister Gordon Brown to "stand aside".
With the government crumbling before his very eyes and almost certainly poor, no, make that bad results in today’s elections, poor old Gordon has nowhere to go now, so as a Parthian shot, why doesn’t he teach all of his ministerial toe rags a lesson by going to the Palace and calling for the dissolution of parliament?
He can then sit in his garden on sunny summer mornings, writing his memoirs, while his old “mates” are all out looking for a proper job!
With the government crumbling before his very eyes and almost certainly poor, no, make that bad results in today’s elections, poor old Gordon has nowhere to go now, so as a Parthian shot, why doesn’t he teach all of his ministerial toe rags a lesson by going to the Palace and calling for the dissolution of parliament?
He can then sit in his garden on sunny summer mornings, writing his memoirs, while his old “mates” are all out looking for a proper job!
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Whitehall Farce
As everybody knows, tomorrow (Thursday) is Election Day.
This time around it won’t be so much an election to vote for your county councillor, more of a referendum on whether Gordon Brown should call a general election.
The government is in so much disarray, the outcome doesn’t need predicting.
The lower house has turned into the real, reality show. Forget next week’s forthcoming new series of ‘Big Brother’, it will be no contest.
So far this week we have had three government ministers falling on their swords. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Tom Watson, the Cabinet Office minister, (that ones a surprise, he is a close ally of Mr Brown), and Beverley Hughes, the Children’s Minister, are all leaving the Government. We are still waiting for the top scalp in this massacre, Alistair Darling. Surely he must resign!
The Prime Minister is now forced to have a Cabinet reshuffle, but wait, some ministers, including David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, are reluctant to drop their post to take up another.
Four Labour MPs caught up in the expenses scandal, namely Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Ian Gibson and Margaret Moran were all barred from standing at the next election by the party’s disciplinary panel. Jim Devine has also been referred to the panel over allegations that he submitted receipts from a firm that may not have existed.
To top it all, there’s a rumour going around that senior Labour MPs were urging colleagues to sign a letter declaring that they had no confidence in Mr Brown.
All we need now is sex! Are we only days away from seeing a couple of back benchers copulating on a bench at the back?
Expenses scandal? Tony Blair must be sitting in his £4m mansion laughing up his Armani sleeve!
This time around it won’t be so much an election to vote for your county councillor, more of a referendum on whether Gordon Brown should call a general election.
The government is in so much disarray, the outcome doesn’t need predicting.
The lower house has turned into the real, reality show. Forget next week’s forthcoming new series of ‘Big Brother’, it will be no contest.
So far this week we have had three government ministers falling on their swords. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Tom Watson, the Cabinet Office minister, (that ones a surprise, he is a close ally of Mr Brown), and Beverley Hughes, the Children’s Minister, are all leaving the Government. We are still waiting for the top scalp in this massacre, Alistair Darling. Surely he must resign!
The Prime Minister is now forced to have a Cabinet reshuffle, but wait, some ministers, including David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, are reluctant to drop their post to take up another.
Four Labour MPs caught up in the expenses scandal, namely Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Ian Gibson and Margaret Moran were all barred from standing at the next election by the party’s disciplinary panel. Jim Devine has also been referred to the panel over allegations that he submitted receipts from a firm that may not have existed.
To top it all, there’s a rumour going around that senior Labour MPs were urging colleagues to sign a letter declaring that they had no confidence in Mr Brown.
All we need now is sex! Are we only days away from seeing a couple of back benchers copulating on a bench at the back?
Expenses scandal? Tony Blair must be sitting in his £4m mansion laughing up his Armani sleeve!
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Review Of Today's Oldspapers
With the dearth of decent news stories in the last few days, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as NEWS. Almost every news story is just a recycled OLDS story.
Michael Martin, first Commons Speaker to be forced out of office for 300 years, that’s obviously been done before, as has the House of Lords suspending two Labour peers for misconduct, the first such move for more than 350 years.
Test pilot, Timothy Peake is to become an astronaut. Scores of people have done this job since Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin first orbited the Earth in 1961.
Gordon Brown has defended the Chancellors decision to rise the top rate of income tax. Which PM has never done this?
‘Chihuahua invents the world’s smallest microprocessor’ or ‘UK Border Agency arrest three Martians’, now they would be news stories worth reading!
Michael Martin, first Commons Speaker to be forced out of office for 300 years, that’s obviously been done before, as has the House of Lords suspending two Labour peers for misconduct, the first such move for more than 350 years.
Test pilot, Timothy Peake is to become an astronaut. Scores of people have done this job since Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin first orbited the Earth in 1961.
Gordon Brown has defended the Chancellors decision to rise the top rate of income tax. Which PM has never done this?
‘Chihuahua invents the world’s smallest microprocessor’ or ‘UK Border Agency arrest three Martians’, now they would be news stories worth reading!
Saturday, 9 May 2009
R.I.P.
Since my post yesterday, a soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, another from 173 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police and one from 2nd Battalion The Rifles have been killed in Afghanistan.
This brings the total of operational fatalities to 157.
May they rest in peace.
Isn’t there one MP that is brave enough to force a vote on the withdrawal of British troops from this conflict? There must be one man, or woman in the House, with as much guts as these soldiers!
All I can say is, if you see Mr Brown, tell him I want a word with him!
This brings the total of operational fatalities to 157.
May they rest in peace.
Isn’t there one MP that is brave enough to force a vote on the withdrawal of British troops from this conflict? There must be one man, or woman in the House, with as much guts as these soldiers!
All I can say is, if you see Mr Brown, tell him I want a word with him!
Friday, 8 May 2009
Unidentified Enemy
A soldier from the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion in the Royal Regiment of Scotland has been killed in southern Afghanistan, bringing the total number of UK troops killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 154.
This is a drop in the ocean compared with something like the Battle of the Somme, but it is still 154 deaths too many!
Why are they there? They are there to satisfy the paranoia of an American madman and his egocentric British sidekick, neither of whom are now in power.
According to Bush, the purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al Queda, and remove the Taliban regime which provided support and safe harbour to al Qaeda.
Bush’s policy was, that it would not distinguish between al Queda and nations that harboured them. Blair nodded in agreement.
Where does that leave Britain? Allegedly, there are al Queda cells working within this country, and who knows, given the track record of local authorities, Osama himself could well be living in a council house in Islington and drawing state benefits!
This is a war that can never be won, ask the Russians.
Mr Brown, bring our troops home, NOW!
This is a drop in the ocean compared with something like the Battle of the Somme, but it is still 154 deaths too many!
Why are they there? They are there to satisfy the paranoia of an American madman and his egocentric British sidekick, neither of whom are now in power.
According to Bush, the purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al Queda, and remove the Taliban regime which provided support and safe harbour to al Qaeda.
Bush’s policy was, that it would not distinguish between al Queda and nations that harboured them. Blair nodded in agreement.
Where does that leave Britain? Allegedly, there are al Queda cells working within this country, and who knows, given the track record of local authorities, Osama himself could well be living in a council house in Islington and drawing state benefits!
This is a war that can never be won, ask the Russians.
Mr Brown, bring our troops home, NOW!
Friday, 1 May 2009
Even The Blind Can See
Former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, may be blind, but he can see the Labour Government’s future.
He has told the Guardian newspaper, "Labour has lost its political antennae and needs to get them back. We have no underlying domestic social policy. There is a void at present."
"We have got to get back to old-fashioned politics that's in touch with people we seek to represent and avoid self-inflicted wounds."
So, Mr Brown has left us up the creek without a paddle? Well, no, actually. The poor guy is just the scapegoat.
Tony Blair has to take the blame for all of this. Wasn’t he the one who hoisted the New Labour flag up the mast, back in 1997? He was the one who turned his back on the day to day running of Great Britain. In the ten years of his premiership, what great social reforms did he bring to the country? What was his equivalent to Aneurin Bevan’s National Health Service?
On being elected, he had his eye on the main chance. He wasn’t concerned with being the PM of a tiny island stuck out in the Atlantic Ocean, he wanted to be seen as a world leader. To make himself look powerful, he wooed, no, make that sucked up to, George W Bush, and sent British troops on an unlawful invasion of a country that was no threat to the UK, or the world for that matter!
What he really wanted to be, and still does by all accounts, was the first President of the United States of Europe. In his pursuit of self interest, he let the UK and the Parliamentary Labour Party run itself into the ground, now poor old Gordon is picking up the tab!
Sorry Mr Brown, but you have passed the point of no return. Go to the country now!
As a footnote to this, 10,000 people have signed a petition on the Downing Street website calling for the Prime Minister to resign. That says it all!
He has told the Guardian newspaper, "Labour has lost its political antennae and needs to get them back. We have no underlying domestic social policy. There is a void at present."
"We have got to get back to old-fashioned politics that's in touch with people we seek to represent and avoid self-inflicted wounds."
So, Mr Brown has left us up the creek without a paddle? Well, no, actually. The poor guy is just the scapegoat.
Tony Blair has to take the blame for all of this. Wasn’t he the one who hoisted the New Labour flag up the mast, back in 1997? He was the one who turned his back on the day to day running of Great Britain. In the ten years of his premiership, what great social reforms did he bring to the country? What was his equivalent to Aneurin Bevan’s National Health Service?
On being elected, he had his eye on the main chance. He wasn’t concerned with being the PM of a tiny island stuck out in the Atlantic Ocean, he wanted to be seen as a world leader. To make himself look powerful, he wooed, no, make that sucked up to, George W Bush, and sent British troops on an unlawful invasion of a country that was no threat to the UK, or the world for that matter!
What he really wanted to be, and still does by all accounts, was the first President of the United States of Europe. In his pursuit of self interest, he let the UK and the Parliamentary Labour Party run itself into the ground, now poor old Gordon is picking up the tab!
Sorry Mr Brown, but you have passed the point of no return. Go to the country now!
As a footnote to this, 10,000 people have signed a petition on the Downing Street website calling for the Prime Minister to resign. That says it all!
Thursday, 30 April 2009
The End Is Nigh!
Poor old Gordon Brown. He must be wondering today if even his wife and kids love him.
What a week for him! His Chancellor was caught out lying about the speed of economic recovery, less than two days after his Budget. To keep face with his party, he had to do a temporary U turn on MPs second homes, and now, probably the worst moment of his career, the one that even the political commentators didn't see coming, he has suffered his first defeat in a Commons vote.
When Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg called for a motion to offer all Gurkhas equal right of residence in the UK, the Government were expected to win, if only by the skin of their teeth. But lose they did, the motion being carried by 267 votes to 246, with 27 labour rebel backbenchers voting in favour of it, even though Mr Brown tried to do a deal with them. This in effect means that Mr Brown was defeated by his own party!
This was the first time that a government had lost an opposition day debate since Jim Callaghan in January 1978, and fourteen months later he was forced to call an election.
Mr Clegg must have been feeling smug, it was the Lib Dems biggest Commons victory in their twenty one year history.
As soon as the result was announced there were shouts of “resign!”. Perhaps this should have been offered as a motion as well!
This was one battle the Gurkhas weren’t expecting to win, but in the end, justice prevailed.
It’s not cut and dried yet but I’m sure it wouldn’t be presumptious to open the champagne bottle.
Even if Mr Brown reneges on this one, the Gurkhas have kick started the beginning of the end of New Labour, and I for one salute them for that!
What a week for him! His Chancellor was caught out lying about the speed of economic recovery, less than two days after his Budget. To keep face with his party, he had to do a temporary U turn on MPs second homes, and now, probably the worst moment of his career, the one that even the political commentators didn't see coming, he has suffered his first defeat in a Commons vote.
When Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg called for a motion to offer all Gurkhas equal right of residence in the UK, the Government were expected to win, if only by the skin of their teeth. But lose they did, the motion being carried by 267 votes to 246, with 27 labour rebel backbenchers voting in favour of it, even though Mr Brown tried to do a deal with them. This in effect means that Mr Brown was defeated by his own party!
This was the first time that a government had lost an opposition day debate since Jim Callaghan in January 1978, and fourteen months later he was forced to call an election.
Mr Clegg must have been feeling smug, it was the Lib Dems biggest Commons victory in their twenty one year history.
As soon as the result was announced there were shouts of “resign!”. Perhaps this should have been offered as a motion as well!
This was one battle the Gurkhas weren’t expecting to win, but in the end, justice prevailed.
It’s not cut and dried yet but I’m sure it wouldn’t be presumptious to open the champagne bottle.
Even if Mr Brown reneges on this one, the Gurkhas have kick started the beginning of the end of New Labour, and I for one salute them for that!
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Gurkha Justice Rally
It’s Gordon Browns lucky day today. I’m letting him off the hook on his U turn on scrapping MPs second home allowance. They can carry on renting their tacky DVDs and installing their £10,000 kitchens at our expense, for the time being.
Today I’m going to be serious.
When I opened my emails this morning there was one from Miss Joanna Lumley.
She has informed me that Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, has agreed to put a vote to Parliament tomorrow, Wednesday 29th April, calling for a fair deal for Gurkhas. This alone won’t change last weeks ruling but it will show the Government that they need to have a re-think.
To coincide with this vote tomorrow, there is to be a Gurkha Justice rally and protest against the Government's decision, starting at noon in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. Joanna has apologised for the short notice and asked that anyone reading this, and has the time tomorrow, to join her there to show your support.
As a final note, Joanna spoke yesterday to Lieutenant Madan Kumar Gurung, who has been at the forefront of the campaign since it began. He told her that he has no fear for the Gurkhas any more, as he knows the loving hearts of the British people will not let them down.
Prove him right, be there tomorrow!
Today I’m going to be serious.
When I opened my emails this morning there was one from Miss Joanna Lumley.
She has informed me that Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, has agreed to put a vote to Parliament tomorrow, Wednesday 29th April, calling for a fair deal for Gurkhas. This alone won’t change last weeks ruling but it will show the Government that they need to have a re-think.
To coincide with this vote tomorrow, there is to be a Gurkha Justice rally and protest against the Government's decision, starting at noon in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. Joanna has apologised for the short notice and asked that anyone reading this, and has the time tomorrow, to join her there to show your support.
As a final note, Joanna spoke yesterday to Lieutenant Madan Kumar Gurung, who has been at the forefront of the campaign since it began. He told her that he has no fear for the Gurkhas any more, as he knows the loving hearts of the British people will not let them down.
Prove him right, be there tomorrow!
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Labour Party, I Think It’s Time To Budget!
Happy St George’s Day everyone. Well the lily livered, spineless Chancellor let us down big time.
This Budget was supposed to have led us out of recession, instead of that he tried to retain the few Labour voters left in the country.
He lied about the speed of economic recovery, he predicted that the economy would shrink by 3.5% this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it will shrink by 4.1%. He said that the economy will grow by 1.25% next year, the IMF says it will shrink a further 0.4%. This leads to an all time record borrowing of, wait for it, £175 billion.
To salve the Labour faithful, he hammered the higher earner, gave the pensioners a few coppers more and increased child credit. In a populist move, he only increased alcohol and tobacco by the usual pennies.
The most ludicrous thing to come out of this budget is the grand opening of ‘Honest Al’s Car Sales’ where Al will give you £2000 for your old banger, (no sir, he didn’t mean your wife), against a new car.
Hang on a minute, I’ll give Al a call.
Me: “Hello, is that Al’s”
Al: “Yes sir, how may I help you?”
Me: “I hear that you will give me £2000 trade in against my old car, if I buy a new one.”
Al: “ Mmm, well that’s not strictly true sir. I will give you £1000 towards it and the poor motor company, you know, the one that’s sinking faster than the ‘Titanic’, the one that’s already slashed it’s prices to the bone, will give you the other £1000. You can pay the balance with your redundancy pay and Job Seekers Allowance. We are also doing a special offer, 2p ON a litre of fuel.”
Me: "I'll get back to you on that one, NOT!"
Gordon, I think it’s time you traded Alistair in!
This Budget was supposed to have led us out of recession, instead of that he tried to retain the few Labour voters left in the country.
He lied about the speed of economic recovery, he predicted that the economy would shrink by 3.5% this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it will shrink by 4.1%. He said that the economy will grow by 1.25% next year, the IMF says it will shrink a further 0.4%. This leads to an all time record borrowing of, wait for it, £175 billion.
To salve the Labour faithful, he hammered the higher earner, gave the pensioners a few coppers more and increased child credit. In a populist move, he only increased alcohol and tobacco by the usual pennies.
The most ludicrous thing to come out of this budget is the grand opening of ‘Honest Al’s Car Sales’ where Al will give you £2000 for your old banger, (no sir, he didn’t mean your wife), against a new car.
Hang on a minute, I’ll give Al a call.
Me: “Hello, is that Al’s”
Al: “Yes sir, how may I help you?”
Me: “I hear that you will give me £2000 trade in against my old car, if I buy a new one.”
Al: “ Mmm, well that’s not strictly true sir. I will give you £1000 towards it and the poor motor company, you know, the one that’s sinking faster than the ‘Titanic’, the one that’s already slashed it’s prices to the bone, will give you the other £1000. You can pay the balance with your redundancy pay and Job Seekers Allowance. We are also doing a special offer, 2p ON a litre of fuel.”
Me: "I'll get back to you on that one, NOT!"
Gordon, I think it’s time you traded Alistair in!
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Buddy Can You Spare a Grand?
Two stories grabbed my attention on this bright and sunny Budget Day, ‘UK suffers first signs of deflation’ and ‘Royal Mint privatisation closer’.
This is the stuff that makes the train of thought pull out of the station.
What if the deflation gathers apace and turns into hyper-deflation? Will we need coins, ergo, will we need a Royal Mint or are they going to mint £50 and £100 pound coins? Will £1 buy you 5 Euro cents?
The old man shaking his tin cup in the High Street may well be asking, “Spare a £1000 for a cuppa, guv!”
Turning back to deflation, the last time the UK was in this state was way back in 1960.
I guess that most working people now, wouldn’t remember those heady days, so to give an idea of the distance in time, Harold Macmillan was the UK Prime Minister, JFK was going through his election campaign in the US, nobody had ever heard of the ‘Beatles’, the whole country was waiting with bated breath to see the first ever episode of ‘Coronation Street’, which was transmitted in the December of that year, and yours truly was in the last year of his teens!
We survived that recession so I suppose we will manage to come out of this one alive.
Today’s Budget should prove to be the most interesting one in history.
If darling Alistair doesn’t give us some bad tasting medicine to get us through this, if instead he chases the populist vote with a few mamby pamby cuts here and meaningless concessions there, I think the best thing that Mr Brown can do for his Queen and Country is to give him a revolver and tell him to do the honourable thing!
This is the stuff that makes the train of thought pull out of the station.
What if the deflation gathers apace and turns into hyper-deflation? Will we need coins, ergo, will we need a Royal Mint or are they going to mint £50 and £100 pound coins? Will £1 buy you 5 Euro cents?
The old man shaking his tin cup in the High Street may well be asking, “Spare a £1000 for a cuppa, guv!”
Turning back to deflation, the last time the UK was in this state was way back in 1960.
I guess that most working people now, wouldn’t remember those heady days, so to give an idea of the distance in time, Harold Macmillan was the UK Prime Minister, JFK was going through his election campaign in the US, nobody had ever heard of the ‘Beatles’, the whole country was waiting with bated breath to see the first ever episode of ‘Coronation Street’, which was transmitted in the December of that year, and yours truly was in the last year of his teens!
We survived that recession so I suppose we will manage to come out of this one alive.
Today’s Budget should prove to be the most interesting one in history.
If darling Alistair doesn’t give us some bad tasting medicine to get us through this, if instead he chases the populist vote with a few mamby pamby cuts here and meaningless concessions there, I think the best thing that Mr Brown can do for his Queen and Country is to give him a revolver and tell him to do the honourable thing!
Friday, 3 April 2009
The world's greatest whip-round.
Leaders of the world's largest economies (and Britain) have agreed to tackle the global financial crisis with measures worth $1.1 trillion.
If you write this figure down in numerals it looks more like binary code than a number.
Mr Brown and his Chancellor, Mr Darling have thrown so much money at the banks and other financial institutions recently I’ve calculated that Britain can only afford to chip in to this fund with something around a fiver!
Gordon, mate, as a country, we’re on the edge of bankruptcy ourselves, so don’t go making anymore rash promises, there’s a good boy!
If you write this figure down in numerals it looks more like binary code than a number.
Mr Brown and his Chancellor, Mr Darling have thrown so much money at the banks and other financial institutions recently I’ve calculated that Britain can only afford to chip in to this fund with something around a fiver!
Gordon, mate, as a country, we’re on the edge of bankruptcy ourselves, so don’t go making anymore rash promises, there’s a good boy!
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Nothing succedes like Succession
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Buckingham Palace have discussed plans to change the rules of succession to the throne. He wants members of the Royal family to be allowed to marry Catholics.
Why? Why fix something that ain’t broke?
The monarchy has ticked over quite nicely, thank you, since the rules of succession were set out in the 1701 Act of Settlement.
I have absolutely nothing against Catholics, some of my best friends follow the faith, but if Henry VIII wanted Catholic descendants I doubt if the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ would have happened.
Is Gordon planning to discuss his idea with the Vatican too? Will the Pope want any of his flock marrying into the family of the head of the Anglican Church?
I’ve come up with the perfect solution. The Queen should let her kids marry Catholics, if the Pope will let his kids marry Anglicans.
It’s a win/win situation!
Why? Why fix something that ain’t broke?
The monarchy has ticked over quite nicely, thank you, since the rules of succession were set out in the 1701 Act of Settlement.
I have absolutely nothing against Catholics, some of my best friends follow the faith, but if Henry VIII wanted Catholic descendants I doubt if the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ would have happened.
Is Gordon planning to discuss his idea with the Vatican too? Will the Pope want any of his flock marrying into the family of the head of the Anglican Church?
I’ve come up with the perfect solution. The Queen should let her kids marry Catholics, if the Pope will let his kids marry Anglicans.
It’s a win/win situation!
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Northern Ireland and the War on Terror
It looks like the ‘old troubles’ are rearing their ugly head again in Northern Ireland with another politically motivated murder, the shooting of a policeman in County Armagh just two days after the murder of two soldiers in County Antrim.
A para-military group, the ‘Real IRA’, whoever they are, have claimed responsibility.
Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in condemning the attacks, insisted there would be "no return to the old days" in Northern Ireland.
It’s all well and good coming out with a hollow phrase like that, but what if it does escalate to the level of thirty years ago, with bombings and killings on mainland Britain?
What will the American stand be with their ‘war on terror’?
Will Barry Obama respond by pouring thousands of troops into the UK?
Will we see GIs in battle dress and US tanks on the streets of London and Belfast, shooting up the terrorists?
I don’t think so. The ‘Real IRA‘ aren‘t a Muslim faction, are they?
A para-military group, the ‘Real IRA’, whoever they are, have claimed responsibility.
Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in condemning the attacks, insisted there would be "no return to the old days" in Northern Ireland.
It’s all well and good coming out with a hollow phrase like that, but what if it does escalate to the level of thirty years ago, with bombings and killings on mainland Britain?
What will the American stand be with their ‘war on terror’?
Will Barry Obama respond by pouring thousands of troops into the UK?
Will we see GIs in battle dress and US tanks on the streets of London and Belfast, shooting up the terrorists?
I don’t think so. The ‘Real IRA‘ aren‘t a Muslim faction, are they?
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