After a couple of weeks of government sleaze stories it’s nice to read good news for a change.
After a ‘U’ turn by the government, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that Gurkhas who retired before 1997 can settle in the UK with their immediate families.
What I found strange was Ms Smith saying that she was "proud to offer this country's welcome to all who have served in the brigade of Gurkhas". Why was she proud yesterday, but didn’t give a toss when this was discussed a few weeks ago?
I don’t know if this decision was prompted by people power or by government spin, trying to catch a few votes!
Whatever the reason, justice has prevailed.
In another story, the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), who have been running the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme since 1988, have found that the number of dormice fell by 9% between 2002 and 2008, compared with 31% from 1992 to 2002.
PTES said there was "reason to be optimistic" that conservation efforts were proving effective.
Jim Jones of the PTES, said: "While the slowdown in the decline is very encouraging, the species is still in decline, so conservation and monitoring efforts remain a priority if dormice are not to disappear from the British countryside."
There have been 16 successful reintroductions of more than 600 dormice in the past 16 years.
One small step for conservation, one giant leap for dormice!
And finally, two years ago to this very day, everyone thought that the 140 year old tea clipper, ‘Cutty Sark’ had gone forever when fire ravaged through the ship’s three decks at it’s berth in Greenwich, south east London.
With much dedication, skill and millions of pounds it is announced that this national treasure will be reopened to the public next year.
When the restoration is complete, the ship will have more than 90% of her original features, which is an achievement worth applauding.
I, for one, will be pleased to see this Phoenix arise from the ashes!
After this little round up of the brighter side of life, I can truly say, dear reader, ‘Have a nice day’!
Showing posts with label Home Secretary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Secretary. Show all posts
Friday, 22 May 2009
Friday, 24 April 2009
Make This A Land Fit For Real Heroes!
Today, Gurkhas and ex-Gurkhas who retired before 1997, those Nepalese soldiers that are everything a super-hero should be, courageous, brave, loyal and law abiding, will find out if the Government are going to grant them the right to settle in the UK.
How much discussion and paper shuffling in Whitehall did it need to come to a decision? This was a no-brainer, surely. Even the High Court told the Home Secretary in September last year that the immigration laws denying them the right to settle were unlawful.
This regiment has fought for Kings and Queens and Country for nearly two hundred years. 45,000 of them have died over those years. They have picked up every bravery award going, from the Victoria Cross, down.
Even though the British Government has defecated on them from a great height, not only by denying the right to settle in the UK, but by awarding them less than half of a British regular army soldier’s pension when they retire, back in Nepal they are still clamouring to join this noble regiment.
How do they feel when they see the Government welcome immigrants, from countries that these men have fought and died against, with open arms, people that have contributed absolutely nothing to this country, people that are only here to take advantage of our lax benefits system, when the Gurkhas are denied the same right.
Jaqui Smith, take a leaf out of the Gurkhas book and be loyal too.
All they asking for is your signature on that piece of paper!
How much discussion and paper shuffling in Whitehall did it need to come to a decision? This was a no-brainer, surely. Even the High Court told the Home Secretary in September last year that the immigration laws denying them the right to settle were unlawful.
This regiment has fought for Kings and Queens and Country for nearly two hundred years. 45,000 of them have died over those years. They have picked up every bravery award going, from the Victoria Cross, down.
Even though the British Government has defecated on them from a great height, not only by denying the right to settle in the UK, but by awarding them less than half of a British regular army soldier’s pension when they retire, back in Nepal they are still clamouring to join this noble regiment.
How do they feel when they see the Government welcome immigrants, from countries that these men have fought and died against, with open arms, people that have contributed absolutely nothing to this country, people that are only here to take advantage of our lax benefits system, when the Gurkhas are denied the same right.
Jaqui Smith, take a leaf out of the Gurkhas book and be loyal too.
All they asking for is your signature on that piece of paper!
Monday, 30 March 2009
Too Expensive
It looks like Home Secretary, Jaqui Smith, amongst others has been caught out fiddling her parliamentary expenses sheet.
I’ve singled Ms Smith out because she holds one of the highest offices in the land. She’s the lady entrusted with sorting out the wrongdoers in our society.
I’m the chairman of a Local Access Forum, and the government say that the local authority has to pay me any travelling expenses that I incur doing the job.
This works out to a few measly quid a year for which I have to supply an almost yard by yard, (or for younger readers, metre by metre), account of my journeys before I get begrudgingly paid months later.
This is not a gripe, just a statement of fact. Most of the members of the forum don’t even bother to claim, we all do the job for free because we feel privileged to represent the public.
It seems to me that a lot of MPs seek election, not to represent the people but to see how much cash they can extract from the job. Why are these people not singled out and expelled?
As JFK once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
A very apt motto for our times!
I’ve singled Ms Smith out because she holds one of the highest offices in the land. She’s the lady entrusted with sorting out the wrongdoers in our society.
I’m the chairman of a Local Access Forum, and the government say that the local authority has to pay me any travelling expenses that I incur doing the job.
This works out to a few measly quid a year for which I have to supply an almost yard by yard, (or for younger readers, metre by metre), account of my journeys before I get begrudgingly paid months later.
This is not a gripe, just a statement of fact. Most of the members of the forum don’t even bother to claim, we all do the job for free because we feel privileged to represent the public.
It seems to me that a lot of MPs seek election, not to represent the people but to see how much cash they can extract from the job. Why are these people not singled out and expelled?
As JFK once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
A very apt motto for our times!
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