A bit like the same old same old
Just over a month into the "new" politics and it's already beginning to sound a bit like the same old same old. Before the election I used to joke that if the Tories got into government you'd soon hear the mantra from ministers that
"We've seen the books -- and it's much worse than we thought".
As if on cue, that's exactly what David Cameron said yesterday.
Britain's fiscal position is certainly bad, perhaps even dire. But is it really any worse than we knew? The Prime Minister seems just to have discovered that national debt interest is heading towards £70 billion a year by 2014-15. But we've known that was the figure, on current deficit projections, for some time: the Institute for Fiscal Studies worked it out using Treasury figures, the Treasury quietly acknowledged the efficacy of the IFS sums and several economic commentators, including the Telegraph's excellent Edmund Conway, even wrote about it (Mr Conway placed the annual debt bill at £74 billion way back in March).
Of course this level of debt interest (which would see £1 in £10 of government spending going on servicing the national debt) will be seen by many as bolstering the Tory desire to take an axe to public spending asap. Indeed they seem to be winning the arguments for doing that, with not just the Lib Dems now supporting that strategy on the home front, but even last weekend's meeting of the G20 finance ministers dropping its previous commitment to open-ended Keynesianism and agreeing that heavily-indebted countries now need to start balancing their books (as many, from Greece to Spain to even Germany are now doing). But it will seem to some a little disingenuous of the Prime Minister to feign surprise at a debt servicing level which has been known for some time.
Indeed in some respects our deficit position is less dire than we thought. The election was fought on the Treasury forecast that the deficit for 2009/10 would be £163 billion -- or a Greece-style 12% of GDP. But a few weeks ago the Office for National Statistics slipped out that the actual turnout was £145 billion, or 10% of GDP. Still rather high, to be sure, at a time of mounting global concern about sovereign debt and, many will think, no reason for blunting the axe. But a reduction of £18 billion in our national debt when politicians were squabbling during the campaign over a mere £6 billion doesn't quite live up to the "it's much worse than we thought" mantra.
Then there's Ed Balls. This former second brain of one G Brown and now contender for his mentor's old job has concluded, along with all the other major candidates for the Labour leadership, that failing to face up to concerns about immigration lost Labour the election. Ah hae ma doots, as they say north of the border, but let's leave why Labour lost for another day.
For now, note how seamlessly Mr Balls has moved into opposition mode. For his solution to immigration is to stop the free movement of peoples within the EU -- and that's the sort of thing politicians only say in opposition. It may or may not be a good idea but let's be clear: it is never going to happen (at least not as long as we remain fully paid up members of the EU).
The free movement of people within the EU is enshrined in the Treaty of Rome and reinforced by the Treaty of Lisbon. Even some Eurosceptics, so critical of so many aspects of the EU, regard the free movement of people (and capital) as one of the "good things" about the EU. It would take a major treaty amendment for Mr Balls to get his way -- and nobody elsewhere in Europe is up for that. But such realities do not stop Mr Balls propounding something in opposition that he must know he could never do in government. Government is preferable to opposition if you're a politician -- but opposition clearly has its compensations.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~46~RS~)
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Well, a month is a long time in politics.
As can be the interval of its reporting.
Darn cuts.
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Cameron came over like a dodgy tradesman with his “rolling up his sleeves and clearing up the mess” rhetoric before polling day, and he only reinforces this image now – when they come round and take a look, it’s always “bad news”, isn’t it? Obviously thinks that the public, even now, don’t see the need for spending cuts. Perhaps he’s right. As for Balls, we can assume that he will do and say pretty much anything – including (as here) a bit of lowest common denominator pandering - to get the Labour leadership. He has the killer instinct. I’m not a supporter but I happen to think he’s going to go close.
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It's funny. Before the election I had this uncanny feeling that the contest was between a grumpy Scottish guy and some estate agents.
My estate agent told me my house would sell easily for "X". As soon as I signed up he told me that "X" was a little on the high side, and a more realistic value was "x" minus 15K. Clearly I was wearing my stupid hat at the time (maybe I wear it most of the time, but that's another story). Now here in the parallel universe of estate agents running the country we have, oooo, it's worse than we thought....the patient looks dead, but in fact .....
A new face and a new suit does not mean a new politics.
Booooo!
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I'm not sure where Andrew was going with the debt interview. Was the idea to make us all sit up and think "phew, well that's nothing to worry over; there was I thinking we'd have to pay more tax or retire later, but no the deficit is taking care of itself".
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Whatever is said by any aspiring Labour leader (or by any other member of the political class), the fact of the matter is that a cap on EU, or even non-EU, immigration will serve no purpose whatsoever. The elephant in the room is that the numbers are already on their way to being out of control. And it is all to do with the birth rate among the Muslim families who have settled here. A walk down the Edgware Road or a ride on the number 6 bus will show you that it is all too late. 5, 6, 7 children seems to be the norm, all one presumes with British passports so the next generation won't class as immigrants. Those children will in turn have the required 5, 6, 7 ... As they say - 'you do the maths'...
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Andrew's questions showed us that the politicians will take credit for anything positive, place blame where it suits them, but in fact know little more about the details buried beneath the statistics than the general public.
I will feel more comfortable with the politicians once the much heralded openness is deomnstrated. If the public can review and interpret the figures for themselves we can decide on the relevance of the politicos without needing to listen to them harvest the benefits while kicking the negatives under an opponent's chair.
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Thank you Andrew for some very wise thoughts. I am the Headteacher of a Primary school and am getting fed up on two levels with what is happenning:
1. There is this assumption that those in the public sector are buffoons and 'just don't get it'. No, actually I do, Mr.Cameron; stop mucking around (public consultation for Heaven's sake: you were voted in to lead) and tell me I've got to shave 10%? 15%? 20%? off my budget. The 'public sector' is as diverse as the private. Of course savings can be made in schools but let's stop pretending that there is so much waste there won't be closures, redundencies, pay cuts and, ultimately less effective education through very big class sizes - the very thing that sends the wealthy off to the Private Sector.
2. You're right to query the sudden 'suprise' at the level of debt and, undertsandably, Conservatives want to use this as an opportunity to cut back the state: an honourable political position, but be careful; reshaping society through deceit will, ultimately, lead to greater social distress than we had even during the eighties; it's worth remembering that back then the poilitical class weren't held in such low regard
P.S. Very pertinent remarks on the background of those who make up Parliament; I'm not averse to the return of Grammer Schools, but those that propose them never have an answer to what is done with the 80% of 11 year olds that are left. No point in training for a manafacturing-less economy. Also, Grammaers' would have to be far better at being open to new entrants through the Secondary years, ie, if a child starts to show real promise at 13 they need to be able to move across to the local grammer School.
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Andrew,I have read your blog......twice in fact......and I fail to see
where you are going with this,which point you consider to be most worthy.
Could it be that you are delighted,nay proud,that Cameron has indeed said
the very words that you prophesised that he would?
Er,wouldnt whoever found themselves in Number 10 have said the same?
Ooops,correction,unless it had been Labour of course,when the mantra would have been .....we are investing......global.....america......its the right thing to do.....
The enormous budget deficit.......what are you saying exactly? Nothing to
get flustered about? Quit worrying its not quite as huge as we thought?
Did anyone seriously think that Balls wouldnt say or do anything this side of legality so as to claim the prize of Labour Leader? The man is an
inarticulate buffoon,the flavour of what passes for a so called socialist
in 2010.
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I am pleased to see that even Euro-sceptics regard the free movement of people as a good thing.
When might we get it please ?
I am can travel all around mainland Europe without once being questioned and searched . This all changes when I try to re-enter MY country. Checked, scrutinized, questioned, vehicle searched etc. All this whilst French visitors drive past me waving a credit card sized bit of plastic and are waved through like VIPs.
Why is this so ? ( Assuming I am not on some "dangerous" list and nobody has told me)
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You need to review your image, Tun. Maybe lose the goggles and the leather cape.
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10 Saga
What else does one wear when motoring Sir ?
Oh yes I forgot. They are also obssessed with how much booze you have despite in EU law there being no limits on personal importation. I believe the UK has been warned by the European Commission about harassing citizens making personal imports but Customs just ignore it.
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5 Westniner
I remember when the Irish were the main immigrant population and boy did they have big families, 10 kids was not uncommon.
The second generation though didnt emulate this as they realized that they couldnt have so many kids and enjoy a good standard of living for themselves and the two or three kids they had, plus the influence of the church on such personal matters had declined.
I know that the latest immigrants are somewhat different and seem reluctant to adopt the ways of their adopted country plus always going on visits "home" even though they were born here. They are also very influenced by their religion and it seems to have a stronger hold than the church did over the Irish.
Do you know of any figures for birth rates amongst second and third generation Asian/Muslim immigrants. I would be surprised if they have as many kids as their parents.
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I was once strip searched at Dover - that was an experience.
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Andrew,
people keep talking of cuts. In the meantime I live in Exeter, part of Devon and I pay my taxes to both the City and the County.
Now yesterday I attended a meeting of the Environment, Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee of Devon County Council. Now this committee were discussing the 'Arts Investment and Culture Projects' and in this there were proposals for various schemes which the County thought it good to fund.
Now individuals can look up these proposals for themselves but as a taster £400,000 goes to the Arts Investment Programme, £65,000 goes to Cultural & Heritage Outreach Activities, and another £65,000 goes to Other Cultural Projects.
Andrew, this is probably being repeated around this once great country of ours, and it is time to stop. I have earned my money, I have paid my taxes, and I seriously resent any of my taxes, our money, going to a dance company, heritage outreach, or a cultural Olympiad which is just a taster of where money is going.
So the government should close down with immediate the Culture, Media, and Sport department. At his time we seriously cannot afford them, not funded by any taxpayer money at all. So, that is my first suggestion to the government, the Treasury, stop funding parts of our economy which serve no useful purpose at all. You want culture, media or sport, well you pay for it, and that includes the 'arts'.
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#9 xTunbridge
"When might we get it please ?
I am can travel all around mainland Europe without once being questioned and searched . This all changes when I try to re-enter MY country. Checked, scrutinized, questioned, vehicle searched etc."
Never hopefully.
Thousands of people travelling all around mainland Europe are asylum seekers and illegal immigrants heading for the UK. None of them want to stop in the first country they enter (as they should if asylum seekers) which is usually Italy or Spain(via Canaries,Mallorca). They then travel unhindered till they reach France where the French let them stay until they can illegally enter the UK.
The UK needs to make entry conditions even tighter.
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Good Morning Andrew,
as you will know I have kept up an almost constant comment about the appalling situation in Afghanistan, you know the Harry and the 'we do bad things to bad people' American cap. Well I have just read a piece from the Times Online and I am shocked, more shocked than I thought I could be. Why? Because just read this small extract:
'Offering an insight into the opaque process, no one contacted by The Times was able to say categorically why, when dividing up the south in early 2005, Britain ended up with Helmand, rather than the more important province of Kandahar. “Search me, Guv,” said General Sir Mike Jackson, then head of the Army'.
Now I think that what sort of person have we had as head of the army who is quoted in a serious newspaper as coming up with 'search me , Guv', who has just given his 'evidence' to the Baha Mousa inquiry. I mean seriously we have drones operating, we have had enhanced interrogation techniques, we have had extra-ordinary rendition, we have charities looking after the care of our injured and maimed soldiers, we have military spending out of control, so many problems with the damage to our repution after the war in Iraq, and the subsequent occupation, we have a prime minister who continues with the charade of reading out the names of the dead on wednesdays, and what do we all think about this. Well 'search me, guv' is an appropriate response to just about well, everything.
I mean can we now expect Cameron, Osborne, and the rest to come up with 'search me, Guv' as the whole system collapses, ten million economically inactive, well you could have knocked me over with a feather, didn't think that would happen, how did it happen 'search me guv'. I think this could become my catch phrase.
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Andrew,
don't you just love that John Prescott. Reasoned argument in the House of Lords can be expected, especially after this mornings Today interview on housing. May I quote the greatest linguist of our country 'It was the bankers who buggered up the economy', yes I am sure that the Lords will be so much better for John being there. Would John be able to pass the new immigration English tests, should we actually allow people from 'up North' to come south and west, I somehow know what my response will be.
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Enjoyed Andrew's interview with Mr Tyrie. He was patronising your viewers too. The union woman didn't have much to offer either.
Why can't an interviewee just say "I don't know" and then stop? Does it ever happen?
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Andrew,
I am amazed that somehow or other there is an almost total lack of reporting of the 'evidence' being given to the Baha Mousa Inquiry.
Yesterday evidence was given that people were going around with ID cards from the US Titan Corporation and that these cards 'explained that the person carrying that card was assisting US army with their war effort. Often these cards were found to be fake'.
Now excuse me but this is getting unbelievable, what was going on in Iraq at the time of the death of Baha Mousa, with prisoners being detained by the British and being handed over to the Americans and Iraqis where we have no idea what happened to them, that is unless you look up for yourself a brief history of Titan Corporation, and tell me that nobody had the slightest idea as to what was going on. I can even now hear all those voices 'search me, Guv'.
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13. At 10:38pm on 08 Jun 2010, sagamix wrote:
'I was once strip searched at Dover - that was an experience.'
For whom? ;)
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The technique of political brainwashing is thus:
If you want to 'soften' up the populace about how "bad" things are you almost certainly need to emphasize how "dire" they are.
Then second phase kicks in and you lead on "it's not as bad as we thought" but it's definitely got to be dealt with.
Then to put people off their guard - instead of making these harsh decisions yourself you pretend to let the people decide - that way it looks like you did it to yourself and no real protest.
I am heartened to know that it's harder to get into England through officials channels - it's the unofficial channels that worry me.
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I note that you have Digby Jones on your programme tomorrow.
Recently he appeared on "This Week" and claimed that the banking sector pay 24% on all taxes and this is why George Osborne shouldn't clobber them.
The very excellent More or Less programme on Radio 4 examined this claim in detail and found that considering all taxes contributed by the banking sector (Corporation tax, income tax of employees, etc) that it was actually just 12% of all taxes:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/more_or_less/8720866.stm
They go on to explain that before the recession the banking sector contributed to 25% of Corporation tax (it is significantly less than that now) and this may be where Digby got this figure from.
Can you ask Digby to clarify this and ask if this isn't just as much a dishonest use of statistics as we have come to expect from politicians?
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Andrew
As you say it is disingenuous of Cameron to claim ignorance about the servicing of the debt. On the other hand the debate over the last few months has been stage managed so the argument has been about the timing of the spending cuts, and at that only the paltry 6 Billion Pounds which is a mere ONE PERCENT of total debt.
HM Opposition is still not prepared to move the debate on and members of the Coalition have displayed timidity both before and after the GE in broaching a new agenda. Where the spending cuts will fall is but one example. They should be bolder in sharp contrast to Brown's non vision that never materialised.
If Obama plans on running for re-election on the basis of US troops pulled out of Afghanistan, he will have to get a move on. The logistical process to move that number of troops and equipment is enormous not to say costly. The absence of reliable reporting on the front is an utter disgrace and a large amount of blame can be placed squarely with the MSM. When someone with the integrity of Michael Yon (ex decorated Green Beret) is kicked out of theatre and treated like a pariah in his home country, you know things are not quite right in the state of Denmark.
I support the coalition troops unreservedly it is just a shame that the west's politicians have not done so. The weasel excuses of why the troops are there are laughable: if anything we should be in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia if the intention to defeat Al-Quaeda is a serious one. But the indiscriminate killing of Muslims in Afghanistan means that the propaganda war is being lost by the west. most Muslims are peace loving people, but at the end of the day you only need one suicide bomber to wreak a lot of damage.
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Telling Porkies
I notice yesterday in George Osborne's speech that he said that the 70bn interest had been kept secret by Darling when, as you point out, it had been discussed publicly in several places.
Therefore either Osborne (the failed journalist by trade) is very uninformed, worrying for a chancellor, or he is stupid, more worrying still, or he is simply lying.
Which do you think it is Lord Neil?
Gossip-mongers for PM?
Against your predictions of two weeks ago, Diane Abbot has been able to borrow enough nominations to get, er, nominated.
I think some hat eating is in order.
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Blame (20), well let's just say that I've never since been able to look at a pair of rubber gloves without a wince and a wry smile.
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23. excellentcatblogger
Same old spin about homeland protection from the new government as per the previous... if the coalition, or more accurately the Tories, don't learn from the unpopular Iraq war then Afghanistan could become their Iraq.
I see one of the MoD's spending excesses under New Labour came up in PMQ's today:
Almost £300,000 for 8 paintings, all new commissions by the MoD.
Others include:
£300M 'lost' or written off
£3.5M pa on London luxury accommodation for senior staff
£2.3Bn office refurb
A few cuts deeper and sooner there wouldn't go amiss.
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Being Browns second brain is as helpful an entry on your CV as being Tony Blair's speechwriter...
How I wish Balls had also been given a peerage, so he could be shuffled off out of harms way, to gather dust...
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The simple reason as to why no politician told the truth about the economy during the election is that they knew there was a sense of total denial pervading the country. Sure, a lot knew what the situation really was but if you told the truth, the other side would be down your throat and you would be accused of talking down the pound.
The classic example was when George Osborne spoke about the new age of austerity and the Conservative support in the opinion polls began to evaporate.
There are a lot of people in this country with serious interests at stake who do not want there to be any change that endangers their status. Just look at the furore over Capital Gains Tax. Why shouldn't those who have done well over the last few years put their hand in their pocket to pay for their obvious advantages?
As for Ed Balls: he is finished, only he is so arrogant he doesn't know it yet. With the exception of Diane Abbot the Labour leadership election looks like a party of clones. Whoever wins won't last. The Labour leader after the next two might have a chance at winning an election but only after the party has gone through massive changes. At the moment Labour is unelectable and will remain so until the Blair-Brown catastrophe is forgotten: one generation or two?
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Andrew,
there is much interest in the upcoming Budget. We are seeing inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index at over 5%, yet interest rates for savers are miniscule, many older people are now having to dip into their capital, because unlike the late Queen Mother many older people cannot have massive overdrafts with Coutts Bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland.
Now may I refer to a cartoon from Punch in August 1879, during the Great Depression which I have recently referred to. Now in this cartoon the landowner is talking to a shrewd tennant farmer and he asks of him 'Well Jackson, how do you like living on your capital?' and the Farmer replies 'Not too well, my Lord; but I find it cheaper than letting you live on it!'
I have to ask the question why is it that I, in receipt of a modest pension, should pay so much in taxes that a Chief Executive of a council can 'earn' over £100,000 and take away my services. We are beginning to see the figures of what some taxpayer funded individuals are actually 'earning' and the figures are truly staggering. Anybody, and I mean anybody paid for by the taxpayer, should be subjected to an immediate 20% cut in their wages, none of this 5%. A cut of 5% will not be enough, so the cut should be for everybody to take, and accept, a 20% cut, but only for those earning 20% over £40,000.
It really is time for drastic action, because what is meant to happen when all the capital has gone, are we meant to take a long walk off a short pier, and just drift away on the tide. There is revolution around, this is not good enough, and apart from anything else we are in an occupation of a country, Afghanistan, and we can't afford it, we are bankrupt, busted, the Great Bust, and don't listen to the siren voices of who say that the cuts should fall somewhere else. I think that many have been squeezed to the extent that the pips are beginning to squeek.
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Andrew,
the Baha Mousa Inquiry continues, at massive public cost. We have still not seen the result of the 'Bloody Sunday' Inquiry, at massive public cost, as for Chilcot, well that's gone very quiet, and I still await some individuals being possibly recalled to 'clarify' their 'evidence'.
However, what I look forward to is seeing the evidence being given by a certain Rt Hon G Hoon, who is down to give his statement today. What I would like to see is the instructions given by government as to the treatment of prisoners during the conflict, a document which was promised to us some time ago, over a year, but which has still not seen the light of day.
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Andrew,
it is now being reported that Cameron is even now in Afghanistan chatting with Quizling Karzai. Isn't it weird that as the news about the situation deteriorates with regard to the discipline in the army, reference Baha Mousa, that the more the government keeps trying to tell us how brave and courageous these people are. Would Cameron also like to explain why there were so few, if any, deaths of our soldiers between when the election was called by Brown, and when it was held!
Rather than train and equip the soldiers surely the answer is actually to withdraw them, to keep terror off the streets of our country. Only tell the people of Cumbria about keeping terror off of our streets, or the prostitutes who were recently murdered.
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31. Catch22
I agree with your last paragraph Catch. It seems we have a police force who are unable to carry out their prime directive, which is to protect the public. They are wearing a uniform universally considered to carry authority and force. But it seems all they are empowered to do is to follow a suspect, preferably in a car, and observe.
Even the humble motorist is treated with more force that a member of the public carry a gun and killing innocent members of the public.
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Andrew
I see that Obama is ramping up the empty rhetoric as only a failed Chicago politician can adding to the mix his vindictive hatred of Britain and anything that is British. BP is at fault and as far as I can see is doing everything in it's power to remedy the oil spill. But this is not enough for the grandstanding poser as he seeks to bring BP to its knees, by cancelling dividend payments.
Thankfully Boris Johnston and Lord Tebbitt have told Obama to back off, but will Cameron say anything? I know Lady Thatcher would have leathered him with her handbag as she was not scared of telling Reagan where to go when the need arose. These sorts of spats tend to escalate quite rapidly and out of control into a Trade War. Indeed wars between countries have happened for less cause than this.
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Andrew,
there is much talk about the problems of a British company, namely BP. Now I did say that as soon as this terrible incident occurred, and we must never forget that people actually died on the platform, that this would lead to problems. Now I listened to the media today and somebody who used to work for Shell came on. Now I paraphrase but this is becoming about a British company, and that the Americans don't like the way we talk, or what we say, this from somebody who held a senior position at Shell. Now Vince Cable, the most brilliant man in th country in respect of the economy, used to work for Shell, as an economist. However, what we must not forget, and here I am not being lazy by the way, but Shell have a past themselves, never forget the overstatement of their oil reserves, and I think that there may still be court proceedings going on.
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Same old politics, same 'old' Labour faces on Question Time.
Are there any other MPs besides Ben Bradshaw and Caroline Flint who can represent Labour in a panel/discussion programme?
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32 japanbytes
I recall many instances in the past when old style coppers with only a wooden truncheon took on all comers, knives guns what have you.
The modern lot look like a walking arsenal with their extending batons, pepper spray etc but dont seem to have the same dedication.
I would like someone to explain why the police following couldnt pick their moment to ram Derrick Bird's car, preferably when he was halfway in/out of it.
Hungerford was left to Michael Ryans mercy as the police closed it off and let him do his shooting, they wouldnt even let ambulances in.
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#35 Blame
Well, there's Alistair Campbell, and Lord Hattersley, and maybe Lord Prescott would have a go. And what about giving Gordon a call?
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35 Blame
Labour does not come across well in opposition - whoever presents themselves on a panel has first to climb over the hurdle of the deficit before they can even start to promote their policies once again. The fact can't be ignored that it looks as though the party is thrashing about trying to find a a viable leader whilst all the time the body of the party is slowly contorting into a myriad of versions of itself.
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I think the discussion about the police reflects the change in our country as a whole. Tow other cases in recent years have included community officers who would not go to the aid of a drowning child (because they had not had te requisite training', although members of the public did try to help - sadly too late); and the incident where a woman, her sister and her mother were all shot by her ex-partner and the police wouldn't help nor allow ambulances in on 'health and safety' grounds - but again members of the public, in this case her middle-aged neighbours, were helping - all the while exposed to the danger of the gunman returning. Now, it would seem to me that regardless of training and regulations, officers in the field should be able to use their common sense and their bravery in the understanding that their jobs do involve an element of risk - but they seem incapable of making decisions by themselves.
This culture in our publis services (and some of our charities, too) is reflected in our society as a whole. I think we have had so many years of being told what to do and how to do it (I've been given government-funded advice on everything from what to feed my kids to how to read their bedtime story) that we are no onger capable of thinking for ourselves. When everything falls apart we look to the Government to 'make our lives better', having forgotten long ago (if we ever knew it at all) that we make our own lives better, for most of us it's nobody else's job.
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38. Japanbytes
Yes, classical example on QT was Ben Bradshaw's Tory successor Jeremy Hunt making it known that they had ended the existing excessive costs (figure was quoted) of hired cars and chauffeuring in Bradshaw's old department... which left Bradshaw with nowhere to go but sucking a lemon. A pity, because it will get in the way of allowing the opposition to do its job effectively. But that's what happens when a party has 13 years of office and a majority that allows it to do pretty much whatever it pleases. Hopefully lessons WILL be learned.
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Andrew,
just as we have to listen to the rhetoric coming from the US over a famous oil company let us please not forget the derisory sentences handed down to certain individuals in India over the terror brought to peoples lives over the chemical poisoning at Bhopal. The listen to the today programme this morning and listen to the letter being read out relating to a compensation payment is absolutely shocking.
What American presidents have to realise is that they are guilty of appalling acts of savagery with regard to their own almost total eradication of native Americans. We know that England has history, but so do many others. It is not only about Hurricane Katrina, it is even about the deaths reported today from Arnkansas, let us hear from him on that one. Deaths in his own back yard.
This is about distraction politics, they are losing in Afghanistan, they have lost in Iraq, and pretty soon they will lose in Iran. Just listen to the Obama inaugaration speech, I think that he detests Britain, or England if you like. There are many Americans who want to forget, or ignore their history, yes we did burn down Washington, but it was a civil war, it was not a war of Independence, it was about overthrowing the legitimate government of the day. As for Obama, there are still unknown facts which are still needing clarification as to whether or not he is actually eligible to be President. Where was he born, where is his original birth certificate, so I would be very careful Mr President, you may well be opening up a can of worms. After all you are not the first black President, you are the first, what could be called, the first mixed race President of the USA.
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Andrew,
I was listening with great interest to the Today programme this morning with regard to where money could be 'saved'.
Now down here in sunny Devon we have Devon County Council and they have something called the Environment, Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee. Now we can see how important this committee is, and involved in culture because they use an ampisand rather than 'and', that's what you get with culture.
Anyway they had a meeting this week, on Tuesday and I thought I would go along and listen. Now within the papers is the Arts Investment and Culture Projects for the year ahead.
Now this committee scrutinises the expenditure, and thay are agreeing to £530,000 of taxpayers money going to various groups. This is reduced from £691,900 last financial year, and we are meant to doff our caps and say thankyou for spending hard earned taxpayers money, council tax money going to various pet projects.
Now there are many examples of where the money is going to, one of which is the recipient of the largest sum £52,000 going to Theatre Alibi, which the Guardian says “Theatre Alibi are among Britain's most inventive companies” now with the receipt of £52,000 of taxpayers money, then I would hope that they are inventive, maybe they could be so inventive that they could do without so much of taxpayers money.
Maybe other people would like to get access to the expendiure of various departments of other councils to see where our money is being so wisely 'invested'. I don't think we can afford all this money being spent of Culture, Media and Sport. What on earth are they doing with our money.
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Andrew,
in the past America has suffered defeats on its own soil, Battle of the Little Big Horn, when the 7th Cavalry were defeated by native Americans under the leadership of Sitting Bull.
Now after the victory Sitting Bull ended up in Canada, but subsequently returned to America where he toured in his later life with Wild Bill Codys sort of circus. My point is that in Afghanistan America, and her allies are being defeated by a much less well armed foe, but it is their land, their country, and America will not ever win the occupation. They will defeat the Taliban, but not in the head, they can never 'win'. They will end up having to withdraw, and they will have to talk to Terry Taliban, whether they like or not.
We and our allies may well kill an awful lot of people over the coming weeks and months, but just so that we can claim 'victory' and bring the troops home with their heads held high. Only it like the parades which happened in London after the Boer War, we lost that war, and we have lost the occupation of Afghanistan, it will all have been for nothing.
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40 BG
I think the press will be the effective opposition in the short term, until Labour decide what they stand for they are just making noises for the sake of it.
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The law of unintended consequences is coming into play more and more lately.
Not unreasonably Obama has slated BP for not having a fail safe shut off system and allegedly being tardy with compensation claims.
Now he finds that not only are British pension funds heavily into BP shares but US ones also. Interersting to see how he rides that two headed horse.
Great letter in yesterdays daily Mail from some insurance guy to Obama. Pointed out that when the at best grossly negligent actions of US banks brought down our economy as well, our leaders didnt slag off the US operation anything like he is having a go at BP. It ended with "liked the Obama that was elected, lets have more of him".
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#45 xTun
It is strange that Obama didn't (doesn't?) seem to realise the extent of US involvement with BP - in terms of both pension funds and employment. It might come back to haunt him.
Regarding the Daily Mail letter, the cause of the recession isn't that clearcut. Brown was fond of saying it started in America, but also referred to it as a 'global' problem. And it's difficult to believe that all of our banking disasters/deficits, and the deficits of Iceland, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal - and even Germany (now embarking on cuts/savings, etc) were entirely due to America.
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46 m-j
Yes it is far too simplistic to just blame America. The whole world had been living on tick for ages and that chicken came home to roost.
However I believe that the American sub-prime market was the catalyst.On it's own it was their problem. Unfortunately our banks bought the scam packages from the US and the catalyst had its agent with which to react.
The rest is history.Well ongoing history really.
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Good Morning Andrew,
at the time that the bankers gave 'evidence' to the MPs select committee the 'bankers' were asked what qualifications they had to be 'bankers'. After all they headed up some very large banks, then it was realsied that none of them were 'bankers' at all.
Many people call themselves 'bankers' only they are not bankers at all. What is it that makes a banker, a banker? Just becaus you work for a bank does not make you a banker, being a dealer in a bank does make you a banker. I was a senior manager in a Mercahnt Bank in the City, but I never regarded myself as a banker.
What needs to happen is that all deposits are ring fenced, that they are held by the bank for the customer. What many people do not realise is that when you make a deposit at the bank you are lending them money, they are borrowing it, and when you 'lend' it to them it is then their money, to do with as they will. Would you walk up to a complete stranger and say here's a hundred quid, look after it for me will you. The person you lent gave the money to then walks into the bookies and places it on some nag in the 3:30, which comes last. You have lost your money, all gone. Whose fault is it, well why did you think that the person you gave your money to would just sit around, doing nothing with your money.
The banking sector is in a complete mess, again. Just as it was when it speculated before the Great Depression of the late 19th Century, and the Great Depression of the middle of the 20th Century, the problem is that Great Depressions last longer and are deeper than many people realise, in fact it is more than likely that depression are more common than many will have you believe, it is the norm, growth is just an illusion.
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Andrew,
as we sit at home wondering how on earth we managed not to beat the USA at soccer maybe people ought to look at Haiti, which seems to have disappeared off our screens. What is Obama going to do about the floods in Arkansas, how many Americans have died?
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Andrew,
you just can't make it up. Down here in Exeter the local league side is laying a new pitch. The Met Office, based here in Exeter, forecast rain, and so the delivery of some grass was delayed, because of the weather forecast, only it has not rained.
This has drawn a comment from the Met Office 'A spokesman for the Met Office said: "These are forecasts and things do change." Yes, I wonder how much the Met Office are paid for their forecasts, bit like bankers, and economists, could be that we could all answer any question, how did England not beat the USA, 'search me, guv'. It was only a forecast.
By the way, why have the BBC sent so many of its 'stars' to South Africa, and how much is it costing? We the taxpayer are getting very angry, very angry indeed, I would swear at this point but we must try to maintain standards.
It is all the same Andrew, what is that Darling said, that we will be 'pissed off' with labour, and as for 'Lord' Prescott, well it was the bankers who 'buggered' up the economy. Yes, MPs set a good example for the Englandland language! Come on Englandland!
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Andrew,
what a way to run an Army, and keep them supplied. Is not the problem that people will be retired, for us to pay their pensions. Yet it has to be asked why? Can you imagine just how much these people will be retired on. In the meantime the soldiers are killed and injured, we kill and injure unknown thousands. From evidence coming out today Pakistan would seem to be 'the enemy'. Are we not coming to the time when we are going to further expand the operation, already drones operate in Pakistan, should we not be sending our, and our Alies, Special Forces in, like America did eventually in Vietnam.
There is serious trouble, now we have the Russians going in to protect their 'citizens' in a country which has supply bases for Afghanistan. This is just collapsing into total anarchy, meanwhile why do Ministers make their announcements through the papers rather than parliament, I don't know if things have changed at all. Same old, as we say how have we come to this, well search me guv.
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51
They can say these things about Pakistan as they are not a major oil supplier. In saudi Arabia the situation is analogous in that the Intelligence Service has it's own agenda separate to the Royal Family, religious police and armed forces.
You may remember that Saudis trained up the Taliban after 2001 from a rabble into a discipline fighting force. And who trained the Saudis? We did! Not just regular army sargeants, but Paras, Royal marines and to cap it all even the SAS. The SAS (who thought the idea as immoral) were also told to pass on all their secret tricks as well. Well done Blair!
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#52
It would seem that we did an awful lot of 'stuff', not for reasons of our national security, but to get in the oil or the money. Many will never forgive Blair, and his government, for dropping a very high profile corruption case against a British company, which has also dropped the name British from its title.
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Andrew,
it does seem that some very influential people read your blogs, and the attached comments. Today in parliament it will seem that Cameron will make a statement about the future of our occupation of Afghanistan at the invitation of the Afghan government.
The trouble is that the soldiers will not be able to return with their heads held high. The officers have let them down, mainly the senior ones, but also the junior officers who continually accepted orders.
At the end of the day this has been an unmitigated disaster, and it will always be the case that it needed a new government. The trouble is that Obama will also need to leave, but he will need to leave with a 'victory' America will not tolerate defeat by a coalition of 'foreigners'.
Go back to the various wars in Europe between France and Prussia (Germany) where Germany won the wars and then demanded reparations, well Afghanistan will pay for this with years of internal strife, and when Quizling Karzai is overthrown nobody will shed a tear. In the meantime America will have their gas pipeline, and the protection of western interests will be by private security teams funded by overseas aid. That is where the retired soldiers will end up, a load of mercenaries operating at arms length form government.
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Andrew,
there is much talk in the government and media about changes to banks, the clearing banks and the investment banks. Some keep referring to investment banks as casino banks. What utter nonsense. Does anybody understand that it is the investment banks which manage many of the pension funds, through their asset management operations.
I have made it very well known that I used to work for one of the major investment banks, originally a Merchant Bank. They were not a casino, however, a clearing bank took us over, the problem lies with the clearing banks, not the investment banks, they think differently.
What I would say is that I went to evening classes to study for the British Bankers Exams, even though I was not an employee of the clearing bank. I did it to know what they were being 'taught'. It was about accountancy, and identifying what a bond looks like, it was just so, well boring, banking is boring, end of, investment banking is about something intangible, it is an attitude of mind.
Most of the banks are now nothing but holding companies, it will be easy to split them off, but it will cost millions. For example, my company had a non contributory pension scheme, with entitlement to a full pension after twenty years. The clearing bank had a contributory scheme, where you had to work for forty years.
Is it any surprise that on being taken over by another bank I was made redundant, I mean I would have made me redundant, it was affordable but there had to be equality of terms and conditions of service, and there was no way the other employees wcould be part of a pension scheme which was so 'generous' as the one I was a member of.
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Does anyone else get 500 Internal Error when they log onto this site and an exhortation to try again later ? But if you scroll down the blog is there anyway ??????????????????/
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#56
No!
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56 xTun
This has happened a few times but I think it's only because of updating the site or tweaking. I've not had it come up and then find lower down though - bit like life - everybody has a different experience.
I think Obama is finally coming to understand that big business runs America and not him. There is not much he can do when he is being led by the lust for money.
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Andrew,
I was immensely impressed with you and your guest today in that both must have read the comments which I have been leaving for some time. Namely, that why have a separate Army, Navy, and Air Force. It is only that historically they have been separate. To call them the Marines, as they do other countries, and have them as an integrated fighting force, a very Special Force, is of its time. We can then have a fighting force, rather than what we seem to have now, Social Services, or trainers.
Now is the time to bring our military into the 21st century. It's time to send in the Marines.
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Andrew
Someone at the Pentagon has let the cat of the bag as to why we are really in Afghanistan, where a memo desctibes mineral wealth of up to USD 1 Trillion of gold, iron, copper and lithium. The latter is vital for the manufacture of batteries in laptops and mobile phones.
Although the story is in the Mail it is a far more convincing reason than what the politicians would have us believe.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1286464/US-discovers-natural-desposits-gold-iron-copper-lithium-Afghanistan.html
Presumably this "wealth" now belongs to private western countries and the poor Afghans can just sod off.
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Or finding all this "wealth" will make the "war" even more violent.
Is this the real reason we and the Americans are there. Oil - minerals - just need water now.
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Andrew,
it is really great that we are in a grand coalition with America in Afghanistan, it really is.
For example people can look for themselves at Sundays New York Post, brilliant. The headline USA wins 1-1, the Greatest tie against the British since Bunker Hill.
It is great that that it is not English Petroleum rather than BP, I can see the headline now, England burnt down Washington, now they destroy our coastline. As for the War of Indpendence, or Civil War I, USA beats England, hands down. Little resistance from old enemy.
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Andrew,
there is much talk about Public Sector Pensions. What will be happening over the next five years is that the immediate post war bulge will continue to retire, in particular those born between 1944 and 1949, and it will not be all that it is cracked up to be.
There will however be a massive loss of income to the economy. Let us say that you were 'earning' £20,000 for the sake of argument. Now when you retire you will be lucky to get say £4,000 from the employer, but £6,000 from the state, if you are low paid you could never really afford to 'save' for a pension. Not everybody was chief executive of a bank, whatever bank, and receive a mammoth pension like some have revealed.
Some may do very well from their pensions, but it will still reveal a massive loss of income, for everybody. Incomes will be massively reduced, and those that take the place of the retirees will not have the income that the former worker had. Wages are falling, terms and conditions of employment are nothing like as generous as they were. It is alright for the politicians to to talk but all they are doing is protecting their own age group, they don't care about the fact that it is our age group who have destroyed the economy, that we have lived an unsustainable lifestyle, we have destroyed it for our young people, we really ought to be ashamed.
As for the current pensioners, listen carefully, they are getting so much more out of the system than they ever contributed, they didn't pay sufficient tax and national insurance to get out what they are now. I mean an individual over seventy getting their cash, over £120 a week, I mean it can't be afforded, there is not enough money to pay the existing pensions, let alone the future ones. We are doomed.
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Andrew,
as we await the report of the 'Bloody Sunday' events we really must not lose sight of the events surrounding the death of Baha Mousa, something which we, the current generation are responsible for. Not events from 1972.
I believe it was in 1974 that the Heath government banned 'hooding' of prisoners by the military. Yet it would seem that in Iraq, during the war and subsequent occupation hooding was used, against all the rules.
I would say that if any of the soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday are ever prosecuted, then I really do await the prosecutions of all those involved in Iraq for what I regard as illegal actions. It is not the squaddies who should be prosecuted either, it is the officers, the generals, and those who maybe did not know what was going on, but who should have known.
I think that at some time discipline broke down in Iraq, that surely it is encumbent on the senior officers, and the Ministry of defence to perform their tasks in accordance with International Law, and in particular the treatment of prisoners or detainees in accord with the Geneva Convention.
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#64
It was of course in 1972 that the Heath government banned 'hooding', my apologies for quoting the incorrect date.
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Andrew,
when talking about Public Sector Pensions surely we are coming to the time when all State Pensions must be means tested. We all know of at least one pensioner from the banking sector who is in receipt of what can only be described as a substantial pension. Now we know he must have paid his tax and national insurance but the purpose of the state pension is to keep people out of hardship, not to give people pocket money.
Now if anybody is on any employee pension of say over £50,000 then they lose their entitlement to any State Pension. It is morally indefensible for the pension system to be misused. I know that this may seem harsh, and will probably not save very much, but it will set an example.
As for Cameron and his reduction in ministerial salaries, they are still 'earning' far much more than they were, not as much as they could have done, but more than they would have earnt before being ministers. Now the saving would have been that they get no more money than an ordinary MP, now that would have set an example.
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Andrew,
is there not a problem beginning to become apparent in respect of the bloody Sunday inquiry. Now Cameron has effectively said that the government is responsible for the actions of its military. The retired General Sir Mike Jackson at the baha Mousa Inquiry has effectively said that discipline is paramount in the British army, and that it the officers who are ultimatley responsible for the actions of their soldiers.
So it is the man at the top who is responsible. Now look at the Baha Mousa inquiry, and if anybody seriously thinks that Baha Mousa is a one off then dream on. As for extra-ordinary rendition, and enhanced interrogation techniques, then it is the men at the top who are responsible. Now if British soldiers have been detaining people who have then been the subject of enhanced interrogation techniques, that is torture, then the British soldiers are I think guilty of commiting that torture, and the officers who gave the orders are guilty, on the basis of the chain of command. Soldiers follow orders, that is what we are told they do, and that because of the exemplary officer class of the army those orders must be legal.
So, I wonder what the government are going to do when the Baha Mousa inquiry reports back, and must we actually wait for the results of the inquiry, so that anybody implicated can do a runner. Search me guv, I am not a legal expert, just a barrack room lawyer.
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Andrew,
as you know I am a reader of Hansard online, and would like to take this opportunity to present an extract to your readers:
Northern Ireland Lord Balniel Written Answers — February 18, 1972
'No. British troops will remain in Northern Ireland for so long and in such strength as they are needed'.
Now then I do not print the question, it is actually irrelavant. What is interesting is the analogy to recent events in Iraq, and current events in Afghanistan. 'British troops will remain in (at this point name your own place where British troops have been) for so long and in such strength as they are needed'.
Now we have to say that with Prince Harry now in Africa, for his charitable work, and who will fit in a visit to watch the football, said it all on his cap 'we do bad things to bad people'. Now I have to say that reading between the lines of the Saville Inquiry, in particular the evidence given by Captain Jackson, I have to say that I get the feeling that the soldiers involved had exactly the same mind set, that they went into the operation with the attitude of 'we do bad things to bad people', only it was not the 'bad people' who got on the wrong enbd of a British soldier's bullet.
I personally think that the disaster was to send in members of the Paras who previously had been in Belfast, with their 'sort it' attitude. I think that the problem does lie with what happened in the White House, there must be no cover-up in the White House, I think that the problem with what happened on that terrible day was that there was an attempt to cover-up what happened.
There has been a failed cover-up, and that is what is wrong, it is the people involved in the cover-up who must be brought to book. There are connections to recent events in Iraq, with Baha Mousa, and even to My Lai in Vietnam, it is not necessarily the evnt which is the problem, it is the cover-up, or attempted cover-up.
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Andrew,
I have often heard to the Widgery Report, which was published on 10th April 1972, but have never even read the conclusions. I have often heard of them referred to, but read any of it, no. So now that Saville has been published I thought that would look-up what it actually said, and I beleive that there really should be prosecutions brought in respect of not the actual events, but the attempted cover-up afterwards.
This is part of the conclusions of Widgery:
'8. Soldiers who identified armed gunmen fired upon them in accordance with the standing orders in the Yellow Card. Each soldier was his own judge of whether he had identified a gunman. Their training made them aggressive and quick in decision and some showed more restraint in opening fire than others. At one end of the scale some soldiers showed a high degree of responsibility; at the other, notably in Glenfada Park, firing bordered on the reckless. These distinctions reflect differences in the character and temperament of the soldiers concerned.
9. The standing orders contained in the Yellow Card are satisfactory. Any further restrictions on opening fire would inhibit the soldier from taking proper steps for his own safety and that of his comrades and unduly hamper the engagement of gunmen.
10. None of the deceased or wounded is proved to have been shot whilst handling a firearm or bomb. Some are wholly acquitted of complicity in such action; but there is a strong suspicion that some others had been firing weapons or handling bombs in the course of the afternoon and that yet others had been closely supporting them'.
Now I understand that the extract could be seen to be a bit long, but I think it is necessary to understand why there should have been so much anger in a part of our country as to how such deeds should go unpunished. I am coming to the appalling conclusion that there should be charges brought, not against the soldiers who actually fired the bullets, but those who wrote the reports, the scribes who have failed in their attempt to cover up this massacre. How it happened I don't know, why it happened well search me guv. All we know is that it did happen, and the lawyers have made millions from the event, and subsequent inquiry.
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69
"and the lawyers have made millions from the event, and subsequent inquiry."
Quite. It is about time that the rules on what rates lawyers can actually charge at public expense are reviewed. It is disgraceful that the high earners actively seek out legal aid cases just to line their pockets to keep them in luxury.
The country cannot afford this anymore. This is probably worse than the Brussels gravy train. Parasites all of them. Not much different than benefits cheats really.
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@70
Yes the breakdown of the costs would be interesting to see, it is an astounding cost for the enquiry.
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Andrew,
we are hearing to the changes to the banking regulation system. What must be asked is exactly who regulated any bank which thought that the business model it adopted was to lend long, but borrow short. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one.
The other disaster was self-certification of mortgages, another recipe for disaster. Also the multiples which people were allowed to borrow, and the fact that many borrowed over 100% on their mortgage, unbelievable more than five times salary, and repayable over twenty five years, absolutely crazy.
One has to look at the management of the banks, the bankers who gave the orders, which were followed because if you didn't reach your target then you were out. People have to look at themselves, were they more interested in using other people to their own benefit. The problem comes back to one of my most useful Shakespearian quotes 'money makes whores and pimps of us all', anybody who seriously thinks that the banks or bankers are either altruistic or a charity can please leave the planet now, they do not live in the real world.
Listen to the so-called experts, are they thinking of you, who gives advice for 'free', what is the purpose of their disclosure. To benefit anybody other than themselves.
One has to ask is that so much is actually being invested in the head of the Bank of England, but 'Steady Eddy' was meant to be a great head of the Bank, and now we have Mr King, who will retire when? To be eventually replaced by? Any system must not rely on any one person, the person is actually totally irrelevant, because what if the person is run over crossing the road, so when it is said that this that or another person will sort this out, then dream on.
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Andrew,
we really should be more critical of the new powers being given to the Bank of England under Mervyn King. Now we should never forget the role which King played in the fall of Northern Rock, by depriving them of the lending which they begged for before their collapse. Now we know that the Bank of England is the lender of last resort, only they did not lend the money, and we know what happened next. A run on the Bank.
I have long said that the day which really changed the world was not 9/11 it was 9/15, the day when Lehmann Brothers finally collapsed. It has suited an awful lot of people that Lehmanns eventually fell, a few people have made an awful lot of money, or been bailed out to retire in wonderful leisure, at the expense of the taxpayer.
If we had a proper Bank of England there would not have been Quantitaive Easing, and we would have proper interest rates, this 0.5% is appalling, and if anything the Bank must raise interest rates to at least 2% with immediate effect. We have seen a massive devaluation of the pound, and it is no wonder that the rate of inflation is so appalling.
What I would do is drop the link of pensions, employee pensions to the Retail Prices Index, and change it to the Consummer Prices Index, and also to drop the link of Index-Linked Gilts from the RPI, and instead link it to the CPI.
I would also hope that the Chancellor will set up a review of why there is still a difference between Income Tax, and National Insurance, there should be just one tax. I mean, even the government is admitting that the money raised by the hike in National Insurance is to reduce the deficit. There is no reason why the two should be separated.
So increase personal allowances, to get people out of paying any tax, increase VAT, merge National Insurance and Income Tax, and implement some sort of National Care Service for the elderly. Most contentious would be that We should drop inheritance Tax, and treat the beneficiary as though they had received some sort of income, and tax it accordingly, as income, with Capital Gains Tax as exactly the same rate as the new combined tax, and no allowances, or tapering.
One of the main reasons why the government of the day had to drop tapering previoously on CGT was because it was costing so much to calculate the money due, and collect. I mean only 130,000 paid any CGT last financial year, unbelievably inefficient.
The problem comes down to some computer consultants setting themselves up as companies, underpaying themselves, paying their wife or partner to avoid taxes, and then closing the company to suit their tax planning, not for their retirement. So get rid of all tax planning, and avoidance, by severely reducing allowances.
Finally, impose a statutory cap on all public sector pensions, including teachers, the police, and armed forces of £50,000 and reduce that further by deducting from all public sector pensions the State Pension.
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Andrew,
So BP has caved into the demands of President Obama. Hmm, as one Gulf resident remarked "thats all very well but when will we be paid?" The thing is Andrew the US Federal Government's track record in disbursing funds after a disaster is quite appalling.
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrine washington promised to move heaven and earth to rebuild New Orleans. The BBC still reports on occasion that many are still waiting. We sometimes forget that not all Americans live in a lifestyle reminiscent of TV shows like Dallas, but like many Britons struggle to live a decent life.
If the funds are to impact where needs are greatest and not wasted they ought to be held at state level. If they go anywhere near Washington then bye bye money. I expect Obama will divert some of it to the Climate Change CO2 wheeze and benefit pooor former politicians like Al Gore - millionaires always need more you know.
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74. At 05:43am on 17 Jun 2010, Catch22 wrote:
Andrew,
we are hearing to the changes to the banking regulation system. What must be asked is exactly who regulated any bank which thought that the business model it adopted was to lend long, but borrow short. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one.
The other disaster was self-certification of mortgages, another recipe for disaster. Also the multiples which people were allowed to borrow, and the fact that many borrowed over 100% on their mortgage, unbelievable more than five times salary, and repayable over twenty five years, absolutely crazy.
======================================
Before we had something called a bank that had a branch network and a head office. Branch managers at their discretion loaned firms and people money, in essence being the arbiter of risk. Then the concept of retail banking was introduced and this was the start of the downwards slide. Computer models replaced the branch managers and much of the loan business moved to regional offices and call centres were born.
The MSM portray investment banking as casino banking and retail banking as safe and solid. But this is not true as the computer models are risk free only if all the parameters are correct and the client's personal details correct. Now this is not always the case and with self certification mortgages an awful lot of fictitious data was input to keep the computer models happy.
All staff were encouraged to flog products to the reatil bank customers. The role of risk management was downgraded and in some cases the Head of Risk were ousted from the executive board. As`a bank customer I became used to getting junk mail promoting loans (whether I needed one or not), my credit limit was raised by the bank even though the limit was incompatible with my salary. I was not tempted but millions were...
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The thing that niggles me about the environmental catastrophe that is occurring in the Gulf of Mexico is how hypocritical people are in their reactions.
On the one hand, yes it is terrible, tragic and should and could have been avoided.
On the other hand, should permission to deep-sea drill have been given.
And on another hand, we are all guilty of participating in this disaster every-time 'we go the pumps' purchase goods or switch on a light etc. etc.
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78. Japan
All hands to the pumps, Jp. (How many do you have?)
Looks like the Dorset landscape may be home to hundreds of oil pumps in the not too distant future. That we haven't yet made the transition to electric or biofuel cars is shameful.
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The New York Times contrasts the Gulf of mexico spill coverage with another oil spill that no one cares about: the Nigerian delta entitled "In Nigeria, Oil Spills are a longtime scourge". The piece relates the commonality of leaks some big others small, but a lot of them and all the time.
The local ec0-systems are dead: the swamps are silent as there is no birdsong. Life expectancy in the areas affected is very low. The once fertile arable land is toxic, now barren. Over the last five decades an estimated 546 million barrels of oil have been spilt in the Nigerian delta. Locals are bemused at the media coverage over the Gulf of Mexico, but I am sure that Obama only cares that the oil continues to flow as Nigeria accounts for a tenth of US imports.
The blame is diffcult to apportion between sloppy maintenance by the oil companies and sabotage say environmentalists, though both sides are pretty good at the finger pointing game. The recent Exxon Mobil spill from a pipe has meant fishermen cant fish due to the oil in the sea. Oil companies also contend that they clean up much of what is lost. A spokesman for Exxon Mobil in Lagos, Nigel A. Cookey-Gam, said that the company’s recent offshore spill leaked only about 8,400 gallons and that “this was effectively cleaned up.”
Hmm, sounds suspiciously like an underestimate here. Clearly the oil industry is not ready to change the habits of a lifetime.
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Andrew,
listen to the testimony of a senior oil company executive. Read the testimony of the senior soldiers to the Baha Mousa Inquiry. Listen to the testimony given to the Select Committee of the commons when they questioned the senior bankers. Listen to any of these senior, very well remunerated people. Then ask the question, who actually appoints these people.
My problem is that they do not seem to very much knowledge of what they are actually doing. Even Generals, no, I didn't read that memo, I do other stuff. Bankers, oh dear no, I don't know very much about banking, I am just the Chief executive. The oil company executives, no I am not an engineer, I am very good at (fill in your comment) and am very well paid for it.
Andrew, I do love it when you and the BBC actually begin to ask questions of 'experts'. I do remember some well known cases where there were 'expert' witnesses' and very well paid they were as well. Only when people began to ask about the evidence, it was realised that they were not experts at all. Or of questionable relevant knowledge.
So, as I have said before, listen very carefully to the 'experts' especially anybody, and I mean anybody not any one individual, who claims to have any sort of exclusive report on some financial breaking news.
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Andrew,
first a very good morning. Fantastic weather down here in the home of the Met Office. But to my main point. I listened to the discussion with the American soldier on the Today programme, appaerntly he 'died' for about fifteen minutes, but has now recovered and is returning to Iraq.
However, during the interview he described the last few moments before he 'died', and I have to be honest he brought me to tears. He described his last few moments, and the thougghts in his mind were his mother, and two sisters, they were on his mind, and he is probably like so many others when they die, they think of their mothers. It was just so emotional, just a few seconds which should be played and played again. It is not only this soldier, it is others, it is the 'enemy' when they die, it is most men, in Iraq, or Afghanistan, they cry for their mothers. That is why I detest what they did to Baha Mousa, the thought they as our brave and courageous soldiers kicked and punched this man to death, that Baha Mousa probably thought of his mother.
We should all feel the shame of what our soldiers have done to the young, and the old, the males, and females, the State has to enforce discipline, and all those who break the law must be brought to book. Prosecuted no matter when they did, and the whole chain of command, the soldiers and their officers, and the politicians who sent them. Nobody can plead that they were following orders, or that they were insufficiently trained for the task they were ordered to perform. There must be no hiding place, there must be no cover ups.
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Andrew,
can we remember one thing about changes to banking regulations and it is in respect of same old, same as.
You see some people seem to have very short memories, well I think so because surely one of the reasons why the Bank of England became held in something less than high esteem was the disaster which was a certain bank which went under in the not so far distant past, namely BCCI.
Now when this 'bank' went under many people lost absolutely everything, all their savings, all that they had worked for over the years. What happened to these people, nobody bailed them out, this was no Northern Rock, with people queueing for their savings.
The reason why Northern Rock failed was because the Bank of England washed their hands of the situation, just as they did with BCCI, only we could not have hard working families losing their money. What must be understood about BCCI was that it mainly dealt with 'foreigners' and ex-pat Brits.
So, when we hear of the brilliant Bank of England, let please not forget their history. Where were they when Barings crashed, when Johnson Matthey went under, don't be fooled, the Bank of England is not, and never will be a charity, and the people who run it are not necessarily working in the national interest. Well that's what I think anyway.
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Andrew,
others can do this for themselves but what anybody interested in the furore over a certain oil company can do is to research something called the Newton Creek Brooklyn Oil Spill, and see just how hypocritical the Americans are actually being.
Many people refer to the amount of oil spilt by the Exxon Mobil, well try mutiplying that by three. A certain American oiul compnay is even now paying massive sums of money to attempt to eradicate the problem, so maybe, just maybe, the very angry congressmen might just care to look at stuff in their own back yard before they attack us Brits.
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History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. Karl Marx.
Well let the farce begin, here we are the fifth richest country in the world and all we can talk about is what we can cut, and the strange thing is people seem to be strangely euphoric about the idea, even when the people that got us into this mess seem to be carrying on as usual with their bonus culture and no heed of any deficit the country has.Had we not had to pump billions into the banks we wouldn`t be in this situation but once again the politicians convince us that it`s all for our good, we have to cut public services, cut benefits cut pensions cut , cut, cut !! what about build , build , build ? If we had had this attitude during the war we would all probably be speaking German now, what happened to the British spirit.
I have yet to see how taking billions out of the economy will reduce the deficit, if people have less money they spend less, if they spend less then production falls when that happens people lose their jobs it`s a vicious circle, but hey who am, I what do I know, i`m just an ordinary Joe.Let the millionaires club do their worst I know at some stage the people will once again see sense and vote for people that will look after everyone in society, or am I just being a little naive !!!!
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# 77 Excat My husband took early retirement from RBS because of exactly the same attitude and behaviour patterns you outlined. He believed that the whole situation would get out of hand as fewer and fewer people of any experience would be making all the ( wrong ) decisions. Bit like the 'multiple choice' question in exam papers these days. You no longer have to prove the ability to think and evaluate anything - you just have a good guess at ticking the correct box. No wonder so many mortgages were allowed to people who did just that, with no checking re veracity and ability to pay.
Brown did exactly the same thing with our gold reserves, unsustainable borrowing and inability to check how, and where, all the largese he handed out was spent.
But heigh ho! he's alright Jack (and Jill)!
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Good Morning Andrew,
when will the media pick-up that it is not only the deficit which needs to be cut. There has to be enough income coming to the government to actually repay the debt which has been accumulated, and which will continue to accumulate.
If you borrow £100 in year one, another £100 in year two, and so on each year until after ten years you have accumulated £1,000 of debt. So far so good. However if you reduce your borrowing in year eleven to £50 you still owe the lender £1,000 from the accumulated debt, but you have reduced your annual deficit to £50, but no allowance has been made for the interest which you have had to pay, and if this borrowing has been used for unemployment pay then what exactly have you got to show for the borrowing.
In Norway they used the money from the oil gushers in the North Sea to build up their infrastructure, they built bridges to islands which had only four or five residents, and the ferry men lost their jobs, but at least they had something to show for all the money from the oil exploration. What exactly have we got to show for all the money which we have got through, not a lot, and how did it happen, well search me guv.
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Andrew,
news is breaking of yet another American Drone attack in Pakistan.If it is known that there are persons who the Americans believe are 'the enemy' then surely the way to deal with these people is to have them arrested, and put on trial, not just kill them from the safety of a bunker.
Somebody must have decided that the people who died as a result of the drone attack are 'guilty' so who are these people making the decisions to kill persons in a sovereign state, namely Pakistan. There really ought to be the subject of proper investigations, this is no different to when America bombed Cambodia in its illegal and undeclared war against Vietnam. Why does the world seem not to be upset about American activity in its 'war on terror'.
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Andrew,
I wonder if the media will pick-up and run with what is also now happening in Northern Iraq. You know the sovereign state of Iraq which our brave and courageous soldiers helped bring freedom to.
Well you know those Drone things, well you see the Israelis apparently have their own Drones, and they have supplied them to Turkey, who now uses them to bomb 'rebel' bases in Iraq. I just so love international law, violations of the air space of a sovereign state, and how Turkey is so upset with Israel that they take military supplies from them to attack Iraq.
Surely we should apply the strongest diplomatic pressure to Turkey to stop these attacks. Oh, that's right we can't because America, our wonderful allies, who threw us out after 'winning' a civil war, which they call a war of independence, uses the Drones to attack 'terrorist' groups in Pakistan.
Mind you we have got some sort of revenge because we did burn down Washington during the war, and now we pollute the American shoreline. We have also been involved in the Newton Creek Brooklyn Oil Spill, which has polluted huge areas of Brooklyn, New York.
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79 Blame
Only speaking metaphorically not actuality - but amusing nevertheless ; )
However, maybe this 'public hanging' of BP will cast their eyes to the other incidents as mentioned by Catch and excellentcatblogger - could this be the turning point - we can hope.
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90
Don't forget that many patents for solar power inventions have been bought up by the oil companies from the 1970's onwards. The basic photovoltaic cell developed in 1954 has hardly evolved from the 1960's to those used today. Contrast the radical development of Television technology over the same period, and you will understand what we have been missing.
British universities research and development have invented fabulous stuff but which then never sees the light of day. Oil is king: drill baby drill! Lobby groups that have bought the politicians will ensure that oil interests are paramount. Assuming that the moon landings were real, it is ridiculous that we could have a fully functional solar powered moon buggy in the 1960's but not have solar powered cars now.
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Andrew,
it was truly wonderful that the princes, William and Harry were able to fit in a visit to Africa in respect of their charitable work, and then to watch the travesty of a football match between England and Algeria.
What however should be noted is the interview which the boys gave with Beckham explaining the 'intruder'. What a laugh they have had, apparently they left the door open, giggles all around. Oh what a hoot, the boys have raised the spirits of the team, and it is a very good thing that Harry was not wearing his cap from Afghanistan, you know the one 'we do bad things to bad people'.
As for Harry and his 'typical English way' and 'make everyone worry' I would say that we are not worried about the English display young man, we are appalled, the players seem to me very much like spoilt children, given money beyond the dreams of most of the hard working families who pay large sums of money to watch 'the team'. May I say that some of the England players seem in fact very much like our wonderful princes, very spoilt, and very rich, with them having inherited a substantial sum of money from the grand mother, who fortunately held on for the necessary 7 years thus avoiding any possible inheritance tax.
Yes we are very lucky to have such young men as an example, however I do do wish that Mr Rooney would actually sing the national anthem, because his silence is very noticeable when the cameras pan down the line of players.
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Andrew,
apparently a senior liberal MP, one in the cabinet has admitted to an affair. Now I have no problem with the affair, but what I do have a problem with would seem to be that the other party involved was the MPs Press Manager for the 2010 election. I hope that no public money has gone to the other woman, that is the problem, not the morality, that is for others to comment on, but it is that I would like a statement that no public money, expenses, have been spent, not one penny.
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Andrew,
what in the dickens is going on. Your header same old same as is just so topical. We are now hearing that £18,000 has been spent on fine wine by the government since the general election. I mean get serious, this is appalling, tell you what the individuals can pay for their meals, and entertainment, out of their own pocket. Now that would be a good start. Either that or the beneficiaries should declare all meals as unearned income, benefits in kind it is about time that people reallu understood what has been going on. Angry you bet I am.
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Andrew,
Cameron is calling on us all to be more supportive of our military, those in Afghanistan, our brave and courageous soldiers.
Exactly how brave and courageous is it to bomb people using drones, unmanned planes. Just how brave and courageous were the soldiers who were responsible for the death of Baha Mousa. How brave and courageous is it to accept orders, to give and follow orders, and we are not at war in Afghanistan, we are there at the request of the Quizling Karzai. A Karzai who 'won' an election. We are part of an occupation, we are not at war in Afghanistan.
I detest this idea of an armed forces day, it is no different to the days of jingoism on the outbreak of WWI. What amazes me is the wonderful uniforms of our army, surely we can save millions by getting them all out of uniforms more approriate for Ruritania.
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What a great morning Andrew,
another clear blue sky, wonderful sun already rising, not a cloud on the horizon, only.
Ah yes the budget on Tuesday, England 'play' football on Wednesday, but what a glorious royal Ascot we have had, massive crowds, women in all their finery, yes it is great to see the country in such fine form, I hear people say, recession, what recession, as for depression, what depression can we expect. It is only such a shame that we have lost another brave and courageous soldier in Afghanistan.
As for the expenses scandal, well it almost claimed it first 'victim' with a conservative MP falling under a train, fortunately with no serious injury. As for Chris Huhne what should be told is has the other woman been in receipt of one penny of public money, just one penny, either directly or indirectly because she did act as his Press Manager for the 2010 elections.
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Andrew,
there is breaking news of the inspections and investigations into the oil rigs in the North Sea. There are to be checks on the paper work, all the certificates issued, all the hard ware used to prevent a repeat of the awful events off the coast of America. May I humbly suggest that these investigations should actually be for all onshore oil pipelines as well.
We have been told by others on your blog of the issues concerning the Chad Cameroon Oil Pipeline. Others are now becoming more aware of the terrible events in Nigeria with oil spills, and even in America with Newton Creek Brooklyn, and how many more situations. We see it for ourselves when we see the petrol stations cordoned off after their closure, I think any investigative journalist would find a massive amount of seepage, pollution.
I hope that we do not find that certificates have been issued which do not stand up to serious scrutiny, that equipment which has been fitted has not been thoroughly tested, and that there is a serious risk of the events off the coast of America being repeated off our shores.
There must be a commons statement that if anything is found to be out of order that the polluter pays, that charges will be brought if anybody has signed off any certificates without proper checking, and that the safety procedures are applicable to our shores, and that we do not have mention of iceberg strikes, or rigs being at risk from an asteroid strike, or that our brave and courageous soldiers are fighting and dying in Afghanistan to keep terror off the oil rigs in the North Sea.
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Andrew,
let's make life easy shall we. In America there was Three Mile Island, and that was a disaster for the nuclear industry, as was Chernobyl, and welsh hill farmers still can't put their sheep onto the market because of the fall-out from Russia.
Now it would be approriate for one of the main TV channels to show that wonderful conspiracy film 'The China Syndrome', which I will not spoil for anybody who has not seen it, but I think that the oil industry might want to keep it uppermost in their minds as the oil industry comes under severe scrutiny.
This is not about the North Sea, this is global, this is about exploitation, and we may well end up paying a proper price for our love affair with petroleum. Be afraid, very afraid, because the truth is out there, and how has it come to this, well search me guv.
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Andrew,
the disaster which is Afghanistan gets worse, we are not losing the war, we have lost it, and we are not winning the occupation either. We are continually told that the reason we are there is to keep terror off the streets of our country, and that we will withdraw as soon as the locals are able to secure themselves. Nonsense.
I am reminded of the wonderful comment by Lord Palmerstone over the issue of Scheswig-Holstein, that only three people understood the problem:
'one was Prince Albert, who was dead; the second was a German professor, who had gone insane; and the third was himself, who had forgotten it'.
What on earth is happening, how has Afghanistan gone so terribly bad, because when we first invaded in 2001 there were no deaths for a number of years of British soldiers by 'insurgents', the problem is Iraq, and we can't get over it, and part of the reason why Iraq went so wrong was extra-ordinary rendition, enhanced interrogation techniques, and the likes of Baha Mousa, and anybody who thinks that Baha Mousa was a one off can dream on. It has taken so long to get to the 'truth' over Bloody Sunday, well when will we get to the truth over Afghanistan, and Iraq. These are boils which must be lanced.
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So Tony Hayward takes a day off to go sailing - the first day off he has had since April when the oil rig blew and the sanctimonious White House denounces this as bad PR.
Oh, I get it. BP have gone about this crisis completely wrong. They should not have spent any money on clear up or even try to cap the well: instead they ought to have concentrated all their efforts on PR.
Obama has just proved to the world that he is a jerk.
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Andrew,
I have just been listening to Radio 5 and there was a person who sounded like an expert on finance called 'Justin' referred to some sort of austerity bond, as a way of raising money, and he linked it to the concept of War Loan.
Now I have referred to War Loan in the past, it was meant to be repaid in 1928/9 and is a Gilt edged stock, only trouble is that the government defaulted on it. An absolute disgrace, and it is still with us today, paying 3 1/2%, in perpetuity, because it should have been repaid, but never will be.
So when you listen to siren voices as to bail out their generation, the baby boomers, shut your ears to these voices in the air. There are some who still don't understand that we are in the first Great Depression of the twenty first century. This is not a recession, this is a depression, with deflation, with long term unemployment, not with austerity, but pay back time.
Go back to the Great Depression of 1873-1896, in part caused by the collapse of Credit Mobilier, a bank, in America over funding for railway expansion. Now it could be said that this was not one continuing period of depression but one of a series of recessions, which lasted for over twenty years.
Go back to the Great Depression of 1929, in part caused by the failure of the Versailles Treaty and reparations, paying for wars, and the collapse of a bank Credit Anstalt.
Now we have 9/15, the collapse of Lehmann Brothers, and we are in for a series of recessions, or a double triple multiple series of recessions, which will become historically identified as a Depression, and in the meantime we will still have summer days, with cricket, tennis, and royal Ascot.
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Andrew,
I have to say that there is more trouble over the pond with regard to USAID, the equivalent of our overseas development aid programme. It relates to the building ofa hospital complex outside the Pakistan capital, and also relates to the worldwide depression.
The plan, the cunning plan, was that Pakistan needs nurses, especially maternity nurses, what with so many women dying in childbirth, and with a high mortality rate in children.
So a US businessman of Pakistan origin gets USAID to help build a $500 million, world class, they are always world class, medical institute using a subsidiary of Partners HealthCare, the company that runs Boston's elite teaching hospital.
Now here is the punch line from the Boston Globe 'Dr. Sania Nishtar, a health care expert who founded the Pakistan-based health care think tank, Heartfile, said Pakistan’s medical community is still debating the merits of the plan. Training nurses and midwives is crucial, she said, but much will depend on how much access the public will have to the hospital and whether graduates of the schools remain in the country'.
Is the individual not confirming a problem which we have, that we keep paying for the overseas deprived countries to train medical personnel, and then bring them over here to staff our NHS hospitals on the cheap. It is a national disgrace the way which our country effectively raids these foreign countrys for cheap labour, doctors and nurses which should really be working in their own country. When we give foreign aid it should be for asset stripping the medical fraternity.
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102
I can confirm at first hand the large numbers of agency staff at all levels from consultant surgeons down to cleaners who were trained abroad. There are also staff working as ward nurses even though their qualifications in their native country would entitle them to work either as doctors or opoerating theatre nursing but cannot as the qualifications are not recognised here.
Some are Europeans but most are from the Third World. Yes we may get a good deal, but last time I looked most of the countries have high infant mortality rates, low life spans and a desperate need for hospital staffed with fully trained personnel. Meanwhile we assauge our guilt by building new hospitals etc. It is no wonder that people do not wish to live in the a Third World country anymore.
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91 Blame
Yes - I agree most of the advanced technology never sees the light of day simply because as you say, oil is king.
But maybe, not for much longer. This could be the 'tipping point' and it will take this catastrophe to push through the new fuels.
Have you heard about the Bloom box ?
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Some very interesting comments in the BBC Science and Environment section, Richard Black's Earthwatch: Oil spill muddies green political waters. It seems Obama is actually doing as much as possible to block efficient cleaning up efforts and the US media is now taking him to task unlike the BBC which still worships him in slavish adulation.
All foreign assistance has been refused. He does not listen to experts. Advice is given but routinely ignored. This is damning stuff and I would not be surprised if he does the occasional Macavity. Who does he remind me of....
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At first I was so sure, but I am liking the move to what seems to be a monthly format.
At the very least the mods can't really use the vague catch-all of being 'O/T'.
Well, credibly.
100. At 11:00am on 20 Jun 2010, excellentcatblogger
If only Mr. Hayward had enjoyed a nice round of golf instead.
If it is all about PR, I am not sure BP are the only ones to be kinda fouling up.
I wonder what the President's handicaps are?
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Andrew,
listening to the Today programme this morning on pensions.
They don't have a clue. My problem is that we must grant pensions with immediate effect on the basis that it is based on the average of the last ten years pay. That will avoid the appalling situation where somebody 'earns' £20,000 for the last nine years of their career, then gets 'promotion' and suddenly earns £30,000 for the last year, and then the pension is based on the £30,000 which will be very expensive, and yet the contributions have been low.
Now I know some firemen, and this is exactly what is happening. Suddenly given control of the station, extra-responsibilites, promoted in the last year, now if as I think it is happening in the fire service, then it is happening everywhere.
In the private sector there is the chief executive who works for two years past fifty, then retires on a massive pension. We as a nation must have a limit on pensions, and what must be understood is that the recipients of pensions do not pay any national insurance, and they benefit from the pension they receive is based on the hard work of current employees, not from their own efforts in the past.
Unless the pension problem is 'solved' and it will be very demoralising, and contentious then we are in serious problems. Already we have had teachers who 'retired' years ago under the pretence of stress, who are now in all probability receiving their pensions, and also some form of disability allowance, and living abroad in some wonderful place, like Spain, or Portugal. They also probably get winter fuel allowances as well.
So I am not envious, it is just that most people want to keep a lid on all this largess, and I don't want to be able to tell John Hutton, I told you so, and what I have said is the tip of the iceberg.
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Andrew,
surely when we hear that the Council tax is to be frozen then we should also be told that the payments for the Fire Service, and the Police, will also be frozen. They must also be controlled.
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Andrew,
we must restructure the armed forces, all the armed forces, into the equivalent of the Marines, with no separation under different forces. A combined, army, navy, and air force, with no separation between the hierarchy.
Listening to the Today programme this is not a war, it is an occupation at the invitation of the Afghan 'government'. There is so much self interest being spoken. We have lost, it is just how and when we retreat with our tails between our legs, just like Iraq, and we will not be able to have parades with soldiers with their heads held high. We have lost.
Finally, men do fight for Queen and Country, unless they do then the whole purpose of the armed forces is nothing other than a rabble, and they do do 'stuff' like Baha Mousa, and Bloody Sunday. In the old days there used to be the Ministry of War, well now we have the Ministry of Defence, and in defending ourselves we apparently now go to war, to keep terror off our streets. You seriously can't make it up, it ends with people killing, and being killed, and for what. Is it war, or defence!
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Andrew,
It is illuminating to us ignorant plebs to see what President Obama has accomplished in the days since the oil spill:
http://politipage.com/2010/05/28/obamas-days/
At this rate he will have played more golf than Tiger Woods!
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Good Morning Andrew,
just how brilliant the internet is. I keep hearing of the number of barrels being discharged from the oil spill off the American coast.
Then I thought how many gallons is that and apparently we should multiply the number of barrels referred to by the magic number 42, and all of a sudden it all becomes clearer, we are beginning to talk quite big numbers.
But then I thought I would do even more research, and it becomes really interesting because we have to go back to 1824 to identify when all these sizes became regulated, the early weights and measures. Do you know what Andrew I thought I would give your readers the advantage of seeing all of the various terms, because, well that's the sort of stuff I find interesting. So I hope that you will allow me to just list the various names, which are just so much more interesting than just saying litres:
Gallon
Rundlet
Barrel
Tierce
Hogshead
Firkin
Puncheon
Tertian
Pipe
Butt
Tun
Now I only wish that we still used these terms because if people do their own research there is such a history which is being lost under the metric system.
I remember as a child buying my military toys, and there was nothing better than my 25 pounder which fired match sticks, so much more interesting than those German guns, measured metrically.
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Andrew,
as I sit here I wonder about how bad things can get, Wimbledon, the Budget, Iraq, Afghanistan, Oil Spills, you know it is quite depressing. Then I thought we all need cheering up, and somebody has sent me this wonderful story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Apparently the dwarfs worked in a mine, and everyday Snow White took them their lunch. One day she got to the mine, and found that there had been a mine collapse. Fearing the worst Snow White shouted down the mine, are you alive, is anybody alive. No reply, so she shouted again, and again, and almost gave up hope. She prayed, wishing beyond hope that somebody had survived. Then she heard a cry, a single cry:
England for the World Cup
Snow White was exstatic, she at least knew that Dopey has survived.
Sorry about that but life is sometimes just too serious.
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Andrew,
I would like to hear more from the experts on the revaluation of the Chinese Yuan. There is to be a meeting of the G20 on 26/27 of June and it looks like the Chinese are trying to avoid legitimate criticism of their currency value.
The problem is that with our reliance on Chinese imports these will now have to rise, and we cannot replace their products with our own, because we can no longer manufacture them. Accordingly, the price of Chinese imports will rise substantially, with the effect on our Retail Prices Index. We are just so doomed.
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Andrew,
I so much enjoyed the Daily Politics today, especially Austin Mitchell referring to MPs expenses. He referred to emotive language being used, when neither you nor Jo had used any, whilst at the same time he was saying that 'people' thought of MPs as murderers and rapists. Talk about emotive language, a very old trick to divert attention from the central point.
However, as is well known I read the foreign press and thought that others might well be interested in the front page of the Boston Globe. Now they are nowhere near the oil spill but they have got an involvement because of MIT being in Boston, and this is what is being revealed today:
But an unusual experiment conducted in 2000 off the coast of Norway, a trial run of a deep-water oil and gas spill that BP helped pay for, showed that oil could remain underwater for some time.
'The North Atlantic exercise was designed to understand how a spill would behave as the drilling industry plumbed new depths to extract oil and gas. The federal Minerals Management Service and 22 companies took part in the test, at about half the depth of the gulf disaster.
Oil and gas were released close to the sea floor and only a fraction of it was spotted on the surface after about seven hours, defying conventional wisdom that oil would almost immediately surface because it’s lighter than water'.
The exercise was in 2000 and was held off the coast of Norway, and shows that even before the oil companies seriously exploited the Gulf that they had concerns about this form of drilling. The trouble is that there are even now massive plumes of oil drifting below the surface, and the worst thing is that these plumes are not only polluting the shoreline, they are also, together with the dispersants, killing the ocean, by taking all the oxygen out of the water. Be afraid, very afraid, there is still trouble which few even now understand.
My problem Andrew, is why is the internet not being used to disseminate all the emergency procedures so that people can be aware of where the dangers lie. Total access to all emergency procedures, because people are paid an awful lot of money to come with health and safety procedures, and we seem not to get very much value for our money.
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Hello there, it's Bob, you know - the 1962 olympic athlete Chris Carter used to live down the road from me and Annie Nightingale once lived in the next road along. Whatever, I was sitting here, with Tom-Dick on one side and Harry on the other, and couldn't help but wonder which Hillary David Miliband was referring to today. Was it Hilary Benn? Was it Edmund Hillary? Or was it even Hillary Smith from East Dulwich?...Oh, Hillary Clinton. Of course, well, it makes sense now. Silly me. I must say though, if the next Labour leader is going to be decided by how many names the candidates can drop, to avoid any confusion, they really ought to attach some surnames.
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Andrew,
what people seem to fail to understand is that the VAT increase will come into effect either later this year, or April next. This will actually boost consumption because people will buy goods in advance of the increase, especially if it is going up by a whole two and half basis points.
I refer to it in the way that I do because of your error yesterday. The new higher rate of tax is not ten percent above the current forty percent, that would result in a higher rate of forty four percent. The correct way of describing the new higher rate of tax is that it is ten basis points above the current forty percent.
In percentage terms the recent increase is a rise of twenty five percent.
In respect of labour claims that they have never raised VAT, well they have actually. If you reduce something from 17.5% to 15%, then that is a reduction. If you then raise it back to 17.5% then you have raised VAT, to what it was before but I suppose in 1984 speak there has not been a rise in VAT, only there was.
I could raise the higher rate of tax in a five year fixed term parliament to 100% for all but one day of that parliament, but then reduce it at the last possible moment to zero, and then say that we have abolished higher rate tax. And we are meant to be grateful.
We are back in the realms of lies, damned lies, and statistics, and as for the expert economists! It's about time we got rid of this democracy lark, let's just have a permanent government of national unity, then we can forget elections, and pre-election bribes.
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Andrew,
as we listen to the budget the news from 'the front' in Afghanistan is appalling. The whole way forward was based on the surge under the American General McChrystal. He only went and gave an interview to a magazine and the views he expressed in his interview have led to his recall to explain his comments.
The whole expedition is a massive error, this is and always was going to end in tears, and our soldiers have been killed and injured, and they have killed and injured for what? To keep terror off the streets of our country, or for the careers of the generals and the officers concerned.
It is time that not only were the generals recalled, it is time to bring the boys home. We left Iraq with our tails between our legs, and no amounts of parades, or church ceremonies will alter that. It is the same with Afghanistan, get out now, we can't afford it in so many ways.
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#116
So I got it wrong, but only because I reckon Osborn read your blog and the comments I made and then changed the date so that he would not have to admit that Catch got it right, as usual. I don't know Andrew the worst thing is the link to the Consumer Prices Index, rather than the Retail Prices Index, just check to see which index the Index-Linked Gilts are now linked to, the Retail Prices Index, or the Consummer Prices Index.
I hope that the pensions of private firms still have their pensions linked to the RPI. There could well be trouble ahead because which earnings will pensions now be linked to.
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Andrew,
I know that most people will be concentrating on the World Cup game, or the repercussions of the budget but there is trouble in America. The situation with regard to General McChrystal is surely untenable.
To say what he did in his interview with a magazine surely must result in his immediate dismissal, if he is not then the whole status of the President, and the Vice President, is dimished. The policy of the States in Afghanistan must never depend on one man, it is not the McChrystal surge, it is the American military surge.
Back in Iraq, where they had a surge, there are still terrible problems, deaths, murders, corruption, poor infrastructure, Basra a mess. The surge in Iraq had brought temporary relief, now who cares, all the soldiers and civilian deaths. And it will be the same in Afghanistan, the 'surge' is an exit strategy, America must not lose as they did in Vietnam is the aim. Obama must go to the election with a 'victory'.
Now this is not exactly the same as the situation of General MaCarthur in the Korean conflict, but this is Obamas Truman moment. He must show his power, because if he does not sack McChrystal, then it is seriously over. As is well known I have been a long term critic of this occupation, well this is the point when it must end. No soldier can say what McChrystal did without paying the price of being sacked. If he stays Obama too is finished, he will become a lame duck President, with repercussions for the lives of all the military in Afghanistan, where the death count rises every day, and it is much worse for the Americans. As for the Afghans, with their corrupt Quizling Karzai still in place, a corrupt President, who does not deserve the support of the west, or of anybody, well he must be laughing all the way to the bank.
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good Morning Andrew,
maybe when people listen to the noise from the White House over McChrystalgate they ought to look into the situation of the Tillman Affair, where Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan.
Now Pat Tillman was a national hero in America, and when he was killed a certian Three Star General at the time put forward a citation for a medal which was manifestly wrong. US congressmen investigated only the General seemed to suffer from a severe memory loss, and the general concerned, McChrystal who should never have been appointed to his current position in Afghanistan.
He was also involved in Iraq in extra-ordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques. Could it be that he rose so high because of what he knew, rather than other skills which he might have acquired.
In our country we have had the Bllody Sunday Inquiry, and who was mentioned in that over his involvement, why our own General Sir Mike Jackson, who was a junior Captain at the time, and we all knew what happened to him don't we.
Too many times in my life I have seen that it is not who you know, it is what you know. Only some people are not able to say what they 'know' they are silenced by High Court injunctions, on the spurious grounds of confidentiality agreements.
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Andrew,
today apparently there is to be a parade of our returning brave and courageous soldiers from Afghanistan. They have 'lost' a large number of men to the action taken by people who want their country back, by freedom fighters against a foreign invasion.
Now my point is that there was a brilliant interview on the Today programme in respect of what action should be taken in respect of McChrystal. Some say that for Obama to sack this general would indicate that he is thin skinned, others that not to sack him would show weakness.
Now the individual from America interviewed on Today came up with a wonderful quote 'the grave yards of the world are full of men who were indispensable' General McChrystal is not indispensable, he must be sacked.
Now I have a very close family member who 'didn't join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy' Now McChrystal I believe was in charge of some of the forces operating in Iraq at the same time as my close family member and we have to ask of the Americans why they killed people they would say 'we are up against the tough foreign fighters'.
Now I am of the firm belief that the interview on Today indicates that the Americans are actually becoming quite aware that the military seem to be taking over the States, that the military are to some extent being privatised, with drones, and individual contractors being hired for protection. America is again a troubled country, Afghanistan is turning into Obamas Vietnem, it is time for us to withdraw, this occupation is lost.
As the parade through an English town goes ahead today just think what you are supporting, I think that military have lost it, the Baha Mousa Inquiry reveals more about attitudes to discipline, and the Bloody Sunday Inquiry brought out other problems, problems which have still apparently not been resolved. Our soldiers killed civilians in Derry, well just because they are not the same colour or religion as ourselves it does not excuse the deaths in both Iraq, and Afghanistan.
The war in Iraq was illegal, the generals who took the orders are guilty, well that's what I think, or are we no longer allowed to think.
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Andrew
Over the last few months Michael Yon has slated senior members of the military mission in Afganistan: the Canadian General who used his handgun inappropriately and had a liaison with a female officer; the bridge that was not properly defended that cost soldiers lives; and General MacChrystal. The backlash from the miltary and the MSM was swift and brutal. Demonised and cast as an outsider he also lost any further embed.
In the first two cases Yon was after an investigation, found to be correct. Now he has been vindicated and some members of the US MSM have apologised publicly over the MacChrystal Rolling Stones interview.
He has been covering the riots in Thailand but also visiting other countries in the region as he is persona non grata in Afghanistan. He did come up with an idea to solve energy needs in rural areas in Afghanistan after talking to Gurkhas in Nepal, however UK and US Aid will never adopt this as it is the cheap option, it works and does not require western technology.
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#122
I think that the media have a lot to answer for over both Iraq and Afghanistan. What taught me a lesson was when they allowed themselves to be silenced over Harry in Afghanistan. They should not have stayed silent. I consider that the media can no longer be relied on to tell the whole truth. That the official media is staying silent over so many of the issues which are of real serious concern.
It is well known that I have a close family member that has a High Court injunction against him, how many others are being prevented from coming into the open. We all know about the confidentiality agreements that have to be signed before compensation is paid to injured soldiers, or their relatives if they have been killed. Nothing without the prior agreement of the MoD, well I ask others to look into the case of the American soldier Tillman, killed by friendly fire, a true hero, and the facts of the case only come out in dribs and drabs. Totally unaccpetable what is happening in Afghanistan, the truth is out there, but be afraid, very afraid, there is a slow corrosive take-over by the military and the private sector involved in all things military, including the hiring of mercenaries for covert operations, and as for the Drones!
It is also well known that back in 2001 the British SBS were within hours of capturing bin Laden, only they were told let the American Special forces do it, and the chance was lost. It suited some people to keep this thing in Afghanistan boiling, it is time for the doves to come home, the hawks have had their day, and now it must be ended. Bring the boys and girls home, end the catastrophe in Afghanistan, and there will be no terror on the streets of country as a result. We should not be afraid, all we have done is to reinforce our inevitable defeat.
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123
Ironically McChrystal's new rules of engagement under which the coalition forces must adhere to when fighting the Taliban has p***ed off the soldiers under his command. The new rules are even more less war-like than the previous ones which really begs the question why have an army in place if they have one hand tied behind their back.
This was reported in the New York Times which hinted that McChrystal was a new breed of General. Given the political intervention in the military over the last decade it is not clear if some political skullduggery is going on behind the scenes or not. We know from experience that politicians will not take responsibility and certainly are not accountable.
When it comes to the aid business it really is big business. It is astonishing the number of countries signed up to this wheeze but the electorate of all these nations are kept in the dark. Even with the internet it is hard to pin down where money has been spent and on what. I smell a rat and as you say the news media has been remiss in its reporting.
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Andrew
I have just been listening to the Budget debate in the HoC. I was struck on how eloquent and amusing Darling came across now that he had written his own speech as opposed to ceding to the clunking fist. Could Darling be the best leader that Labour never had? They do make a habit of this.
It never ceases to amaze me the fragile grasp that the vast majority of MPs have on the economy, taxation and spending. You would think that as a part of candidate selection process each political party would test candidates on financial literacy etc. But I guess a big toothy smile sells.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Andrew,
I never cease to be amazed at who reads your blog. Was it only yesterday morning that somebody posted about McChrystal and that he must go, and now, well, he has gone. Nobody is indispensable.
I think that we can now take it that there will be an increase in inbedded journalists, reporting on the war. Meanwhile since our election there has been another spike in the number of the deaths of our brave and courageous soldiers. I seriously have to ask though why were there so few deaths of our soldiers between when the election was called in early April, and when the election was actually held in May.
One must also ask what on earth has happened to the volcanic ash, which in a bizarre way has contributed to the end of the McChrystal career. How? Well it was whilst McChrystal was caught up in the delays and had to kick his heels whilst waiting to get back to the front. He gave his interview whilst caight up, so what else can we blame on the act of nature.
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Andrew,
I think that the question needs to be asked why the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is facing a 2.5% budget cut on a budget of £3.2 billion when other front line departments such as Education, Transport etc are facing cuts of upto ten times more at 25%.
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Good Morning Andrew,
so McChrystal has gone, but what of Sherard Cowper-Coles one must ask.
Now he was our most experienced diplomat in Afghanistan, and is now according to the BBC on extended leave.
I hope that his 'removal' is nothing to do with the cable which was sent on the 2nd Septmeber 2008 sent by the French deputy ambassador to Kabul to Elysee Palace and the French Foreign Ministry.
In the cable the British envoy Sherard Cowper-Coles was quoted as saying 'the current situation is bad, the security situation is getting worse, so is corruption, and the government has lost all trust'.
Now we know for sure that many well informed individuals, and those in power, read your blog with great anticipation. Yours truly had exposed this cable many months ago, and I will finish by making a reference to the cable:
'The presence of the coalition, in particular its military presence, is part of the problem, not part of its solution. Foreign forces are the lifeline of a regime that would rapidly collapse without them. As such they slow down and complicate a possible emergence from the crisis'.
Now this whole occupation has gone pear shaped, because the politicians know that the big game is up. It really is time for a proper statement be made to the people so that they too will know that all the lives have been wasted, the money has been wasted, and for what, a benign dictator.
This is a disaster, only the ones who are paying the price are the ones who attempt to tell the truth, or at least the truth as they see it. troops out now, there are too many poeople with blood on their hands.
It is no surprise that Obama should phone his allies about the dismissal of McChrystal, we are entering the end game. It is over, and the sooner they admit it then the better, and where is bin Laden?
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111. Catch22
'I remember as a child buying my military toys, and there was nothing better than my 25 pounder which fired match sticks, so much more interesting than those German guns, measured metrically.'
Just catching up on this blog, which I rarely read now as AN can't be bothered to refresh it. At least it's another forum for open discussion - well done the mods and others involved.
Catch, you've just stirred up some memories there for me with your matchstick 25-pounder. You must be ancient! :)
I used to have many Britains figurines (lead and moulded) but have got rid of them now owing to metal fatigue and loss of limbs - if only as a child one was aware of the potential long-term value of these things.
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127
I suspect that McChrystal is a very relieved man to get out of the dogs breakfast that is Afghanistan. The moment Obama opined about withdrawal by 2011 the game was effectively up. Now it only remains for NATO to find a scenario/storyline that can be dressed up as a glorious victory for the coalition.
As for NATO itself I can see this as the last hurrah before it disbands. The reputation of the UN must also be questioned in sanctioning this farce after 9/11. The real problem with the oft repeated mantra of "we are there to keep terror off the streets of London" etc is that Al Quaeda has such a strong presence in many other countries not least in the UK and US already. Hint: the number of Jihadists that cant be deported to their own countries (who want them on terrorist charges) as it would breach to their Human Rights is barmy.
AQ do not need to strike straight away. That is the western mentality where we do things here and now. Time has no meaning for the Jihadist as it is God's will (or Allah if you are pedantic) that determines the aims of the Jihad. Bin Laden will not care a jot if an action against the UK or US happens in his lifetime or not. What matters to him is the belief that it will happen: who, when or what it really is the will of Allah.
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The budget debate on the Parliament channel seems to have degenerated into perpetual accusations by Labour that the Lib-Dems have not stuck to their manifesto promises. What do they expect from a coalition? It's inevitably a requirement for give and take on policies.
The amusing aspect of all this is that an attempt at a Lib-Lab coalition collapsed apparently because Labour refused to give any concessions on policies whatsoever. They expected the Lib-Dems to abandon everything - not just a few of their promises.
Coalition and compromise are obviously not words in Labour's dictionary. How could they ever have suggested that they favoured a move towards more proportional representation in the voting system?
The current debates are exposing their narrowmindedness and their age-old tendency to attack the messenger instead of dealing with the message.
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Mr Neil
All I have just seen your programme This Week.
I would like to reply to your statement "Why are there so many disfunctional (west indian) families in this country and why do so many West Indian young men end up in a life of crime and gangs". You have deeply ofenede me and my family by diplaying such extreme racist tendancies on the bbc. I believe that you could even be prosecuted under the Incitement to Racial Hatred Act and have committed a Hate Crime. I will be contacting my local Police service tomorrow to file a charge against you and the BBC.
I have found you comments to be deeply upsetting, offensive, and damaging to my family and as a parent of a child with West Indian heritage.
By the way, I am not a crank, although it may seem so as I have bothered to write to you late at night and in my free time. I hope you are takeing this seriuosly as it is not a joke or at all funny.
What you have said is extremely damging to the self esteem, confidence and faith of young black men in our society. You have presented yourself as yet another old, middle-class white man with racial predjudeces against black men. You did not back up you statement with any factual, evidence based information nor did you present the comment as a "devil's advocate" respose to Dianne Abott. It acme accross as your personal view as condoned by the BBC.
The fact are that only a MINORITY of young West Indian males, taken as pole from the whole West Indian community, are involved in crime and gangs. The infortaion you spoke was inaccurate and inflamatory. I think you should be made to leave your post for this as it is a blatent abuse of your journalistic and broadcasting power to propogate racially abusive viewpoints.
Try to walk in the shoes of a PERSON of West INdian Heritage, having to face predjudice constantly spouted out by people in the media, like you.
The problem is not with West Indian mothers but the legacy of British colonialism and Slavery which you subscribe to and the supercillious attutiudes such as yours to young black men.
I cannot believe that my BBC licence money is paying your wages to spout such dangerous, incendiary langauge in atime when people are facing extreme poverty and hardship and should be coming together to support each other. You are an educated man who understands the power of the workds you use, so I can only deduce from this that it is your intention to incite racial hatred. You cannot please ignorance on this matter as a writer and broadcaster it is your s
I expect a reply to my commenst and Please rest assued I will be taking this further.
Best wishes
Sarah Mangan
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Andrew,
indeed it is the same old same as.
On the Today programme there is news of the visit of the Afghan Mining Minister. Now for a few days now some of us have been hearing of the trillion pounds of minerals beneath those Afghan hills. So there we have it, all the justification for our troops dying on the foreign plains of Afghanistan! Yes, we can make some money out of this.
This news is appalling, in all seriousness this is nothing other than an attempt to justify our continued presence in Afghanistan. What people have to understand is that if there were assets to be exploited, then they would have been by now.
Look at what happened to America, when it fell to the European exploiters, mines dug, trees felled, rivers polluted, native Americans thrown into reservations, even as I listen to the news from the front, the worse it gets. Now apparently the Americans are now under the command of a British Commander because McChrystal has gone.
So, does this mean that American soldiers will now have to accept orders from the British, but more importantly will any charges be brought against any soldier who violates any laws, or is found to done so in the recent past. Does this mean that the rules of detention will be changed, that the rules of engagement will be changed, and that the use of Drones will be limited, with more people actually being brought to trial rather than be assasinated.
Yes we have the minister of mining in our country, but please do not come up with the ends justify the means because their are mineral assets to be exploited, that our soldiers fight, die, are maimed, for money, for the exploitation of the natural assets below the soil of Afghanistan.
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#133
Good Morning Andrew,
with regard to your programme last night and the comments from Sarah
'Try to walk in the shoes of a PERSON of West INdian Heritage, having to face predjudice constantly spouted out by people in the media, like you'.
Now then let us ask the individual concerned to actually think about what she has said. If she asks for a person to walk in the shoes of a person of West Indian Heritage then of course this can be turned around to ask her to walk in the shoes of a person of white English heriatge.
We are all human beings, of all races, and religions and it was during the election that many people realised that it is definitely not racist to say that which is obvious, that there is a problem of difference. That it is not your colour which might make anybody different to me, it is their beliefs, it is their customs, their behaviour which might well differentiate somebody else to me.
It is grossly unfair to say that all West Indian young men are the same, the generalisation is unaccpetable. However there is evidence that some West Indians, male and female act in a way which may lead to them being incarcerated. The same with young men in the North, with very little prospect for the future resorting to illegal behaviour.
When we talk of boom and bust there are many who have never shared in the boom, it has been bust all the way. That is the problemwe are a very unequal society, there is trouble ahead, Greece is nothing as to what may well happen in our country, but above all Andrew the way ahead is not to stay silent on the basis that somebody might be upset. To stay silent is the road to ruin, we do live in an open society, a land of free speech, and I have benefited from that over the last few years.
I know that there are rules still to be applied to free speech, the Harm Principle applies, but nobody must hide behind that philosophical perspective. Free speech applies to all, but nobody can stop people thinking, well unless of course you stop educating them, because what would we think if we didn't have the words.
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Andrew,
there is at last some talk about the severe problems of Post Traumatic Stress and the Iraq conflict. This is a serious problem and I think that although it is unlikely to win any prizes there will soon come onto release a Ken Loach film 'Route Irish' and I think that some senior politicians know of its content and are concerned. It needs the artistic community to get something done, leave it to the likes of me and nothing happens, but when this film comes into the public domain I think you will find that the issues and problems surrounding the treatment of our troops will soon come into sharp focus.
The problem will not come from Afghanistan, it is from Iraq, and we are seeing some of that in the evidence given to the Baha Mousa Inquiry. In Iraq we did bad things, and not always to bad people.
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133.
With all due respect I doubt if it was Andrew Neil's intention to stir up racial hatred. More likely lazy stereotyping of which the media is regularly guilty. The previous day one of the country's most high profile criminals and alleged gang leader was released after serving half of his custodial sentence. He was white and middle-aged.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
(#133)
There does seem to be very little politics wise on the go at present that does not revolve around New Labour and it's doings and undoings.
I notice from my local newspaper that La Abbot continues to attempt to justify her schooling choice. This time her rhetoric runs...
"West Indians mothers would go-to-the-wall for the benefit of their children, something only a WI mother would do."
Or words to that direct affect.
This has gone down like a lead balloon.
I did not see the programme where AN spoke these words, but I imagine he is just trying to help his pal.
These present times do appear to me rather barren of political arguement. As if we have for the past few years been hacking our way through a jungle and now, post election, are hacking our way across a political desert.
It is indeed high time we had a new blog Andrew. One that fits with our present sorry-pass;
Wars
Economy
Taxation
Life-time employment
Life-time unemployment
Wars
Fiscal responsibility
Corporate responsibility
We are in this together
'all'?
Wars
In all of the above New Labour has NO part to play.
[the next mention of New Labour will come when (OK, if) England are put out of the WC and the conversation returns to 1966-and all that]
Fortunate for you AN that you yet have your 'Costello' for that other of your progs.
So, to recap;
It is not that we white folk do not understand the viewpoint of those we are not, but that the self hatred of some is the righteous justification of those few fortunate amongst them.
P.S.
Well done Terry for keeping the whole thing alive. :)
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#138
Actually it is not me that you should thank Tom, although it is appreciated. We should also thank the moderators who operate this site to let me go off topic. This is what Andrews blog the brilliant blog it is. Just look at the McChrystal situation. As soon as the news broke, Catch was there giving his opinion, and it was the right one, it was so obvious that McChrystal could not continue. There are so many other situations where the moderators could have said to themselves, this is off topic, let the paid professionals say what any sane logical person would deduce.
McChrystal is part of the big game being played out in the capitals. For example the court ruling on British soldiers being handed over to the Afghans. It is a small victory for the state, but it has forced the government to issue different advice to the military, no detainees to be handed over if they end up in Kabul, because we are not in a position in Kabul to protect the detainees. The British and American military do not operate in Kabul, not in full uniform they don't. They operate as private contractors, protecting the diplomats and carpetbaggers.
The situation in Afghanistan really is a disaster, Iraq was bad enough, but with Quizling Karzai how can there be any democracy, as for women they are more under threat they were. The problem is the Pashtuns, and the corruption, and duplicity. Why were there so few British deaths between when the general election was called in April, and when it was held in May. I think that the troops were confined to barracks, which is where they should be now.
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Andrew,
went on to the iPlayer to actually watch your programme from last night. I want to see and hear all that you said, and there is the message 'coming soon' can't wait!
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Andrew
Well done for asking Dianne Abbott relevant questions about her policies on This Week last night - despite your previous association with her on the programme.
So often interviewers who are friendly with MPs fail to be objective in their reporting and questioning. Your questions during the elections (and to Dianne Abbott) were evidence based which is so refreshing.
Unfortunately Jeremy Paxman seems unable to ask the obvious questions any more and I fear he no longer does the background research that he should. Do you fancy moving over to Newsnight on a regular basis? credoes not seem to know
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Andrew,
having watched the Daily Politics today there is no doubt that Jerusalem will become the English National Anthem. However, may I humby suggest that the most wonderful has to be 'I vow to thee, my country', and would be many peoples choice. I know that it may be difficult for many people to be able to remember the words, but if they may make the effort then these are the words which they will be able to sing to, and I don't think that there will be a dry eye in the house. Oh and the music by Holst, and I have to say that as I played it I wept, for all those who have lost their lives in the service of their country, any country, not only England. Until we get rid of countries, because we all seem to have flags, and banners, and parades, and pipes and drums, and tunes of glory.
I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.
I go for 'I vow to thee, my country'.
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I too watched the programme and Andrew's question to Ms Abbot was quite justified considering her remark (implication) re West Indian women. To follow Andrew's line might I question whether Sarah has seriously considered what she has said, also that he could not elicit a reply from Ms Abbot?
I lived for over 20 years in a large east midlands city and by the end of that time felt like a stranger in my own home. By the way, my occupation at that time would put me - if I made a truthful comment - in line for the same 'reporting' as you threaten for Andrew.
Please remember we fought for 'freedom of speech' and most of us use it, without malice, as an expression of what we are now experiencing. Which after all is the purpose of this partiucular freedom - open to all. I hope you got a good night's sleep Sarah and can appreciate what is good about this country when compared to so many others!
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Andrew,
I went to the HMRC website today and the figures given for the year 2010-11 personal allowance is shown as £6,475. Now let us say that you receive £6,475 and not a penny more. Now if your personal allowance is raised to £10 million pounds before any tax is paid how would an individual earning £6,475 benefit by any raising of the personal allowance. I think that you will find that they will not benefit by one penny.
This budget is not fair, it really isn't, and it does as you so well pointed out in your Daily Politics they know it as well. There may not be trouble ahead, there will be trouble, of that there can be no doubt.
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133#
Another one playing the knee-jerk victim. Oh dear.
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Fantastic news! Michael Yon has been invited by both the UK and US to embed again with the troops in Afghanistan. You can read more:
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/
It looks like the dismbed in April was down to General McChrystal after all.
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Andrew,
there is always the same old same as. For example it is now being reported that a well known England footballer has allegedly got a very young woman pregnant. However, the full details will not be published until England are out of the world cup.
These uses of injunctions are beginning to cause me some concern. I hope that the player concerned makes an extra effort to lift the cup, because let us all hope that his efforts are not diminshed by worries about what may or may not be revealed once the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 is won, hopefully by an England team fully committed to the cause. By the way I hope that Land of Hope and Glory does not become the English National anthem. There is no hope, and after events in Afghanistan, and Iraq, there is no glory, despite armed forces day.
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#147
There is not a great deal AN or any other can say about injunctions of this sort Catch. Not when one of their own has one such injunction in force.
Not even if you had radar ears would you hear one thing about it.
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#148
Well I remember a great character from the film 'Mash' and I can tell you that with the net now operating in the way that it does some of us know. Is it any surprise that the government want to close down so many sites, I mean us oldies with time on our hands can look into an awful lot of 'stuff'. The best one at the moment is to look into the Baha Mousa Inquiry site, and as for Chilcot!
Can't wait until all you others find out who we are talking about, the truth is out there, be afraid, very afriad. Pandorras box has been opened. Come on Englandland.
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Andrew,
we have elected a strong coalition government, we have had one foisted on us.
However, these people seem to be saying the labour party got us into trouble, and that we are going to have to take the medicine. Now some of us have to ask the simple question what sort of opposition has there been that actually allowed this to happen. What did they actually achieve in opposition, with arguably the worst Prime Minister that this country has ever known, and with a cabinet who just went along with it to keep their jobs.
The last parliament was the worst ever, and I mean ever. There has been nothing like it, and the trouble is that they were all complicit in the total abject failure of the last parliament. This is unaccpetable, people I know are already having their benefits taken away from them, and people really must look at the deteriorating situation in America, as reported in the Unreported World programme on Channel 4.
There has previously been a programme revealing the problems with Detroit, there is a catastrophe unfolding, and this is worse than the Great Depression of the thirties in so much that many people effected by the Great Depression had very little to lose, well now some have gained something, and lost everything, be afraid, very afraid.
This is no land of hope and glory, all hope is gone, and the glory faded long ago.
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Re :142
I too Catch love I vow to thee my country. However you omitted the middle verse
I heard my country calling, away across the sea,
Across the waste of waters she calls and calls to me.
Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head,
And round her feet are lying the dying and the dead.
I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of her guns,
I haste to thee my mother, a son among thy sons
Andrew your questioning of Diane Abbott was absolutely outstanding. Well done
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#151
I think that the middle verse has been dropped on the basis that the CoE found it a 'problem'. There is also the title it is 'I vow to Thee, my Country' note well the comma.
Mind you why do I we only sing the first verse of the current National Anthem, when it could be so much longer. I suppose it works on the basis that the shorter the anthem, the more powerful the country.
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Andrew,
our political leaders really must start getting the description of what is happening in Afghanistan correct. We are not at war, I can find no declaration of war between us and any other country, especially Afghanistan. This is an occupation, and if we are occupying a foreign country with others, then surely the correct terminology is is 'Troops out, end the occupation now'.
As for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) then what has happened to them. We seem to have ordered a massive amount of equipment, helicopters, and road transport vehicles, yet will they be delivered in time, or will they be handed over as part of some overseas aid agreement.
We are told that we have been in Afghanistan for nine years, and what I would do is to look at the death toll of our soldiers since 2001, and when we invaded Iraq, and how many soldiers died in that period?
It suits the military to keep this occupation going, it keeps them all busy, all the MoD media men reading your blog, and the local papers. It suits the military equipment suppliers busy, and as for the mercenaries, busy protecting the diplomats, and the engineers, and the other carpetbaggers, making their money.
As for the locals, well all we have to do is to take a line from our national anthem 'Confound their knavish tricks' is it any surprise we don't sing all of the anthem.
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Andrew,
with the new government in place I wonder what they have to say about that al-Megrahi, you know the convicted Libyan terrorist who was released because he was close to death. Also how is Ronnie Biggs who was also released on compassionate grounds, no wonder we can't afford care for the elederly. Which reminds me, what has happened to the National Care Service? You know the one about the death tax.
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Re :152
Catch the Church of England thinks the whole song / poem is a problem. They believe it is heretical apparently.
But then who ever took any notice of what the Church of England thinks?
They dont decide for me what is appropriate or not.
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Andrew,
there really has not been enough said in the media about the situation with regard to handing over prisoners, or detainees, in Afghanistan.
There were three sites where these people were taken, two are still allowed to be used, but not the one in Kabul. Now transferring had stopped earlier but one has to understand why. They had to stop because of allegations that people sent there would be tortured, either by the Americans, or local Afghans.
We have lost the battle for hearts and minds, we are always going to be the problem and never the solution, and there is awful misuse of power, by all concerned. To see what has been going on then people can look up for themselves reports from Camp Sullivan, another stain on America, and her use of private contractors.
We have been in Afghanistan since 2001, and from the beginning we were meant to be training and mentoring the local army, and police. Where were these people who we have spent so much time, effort, and money on during the last big operation in that country, namely Panthers Claw. It is only since some asked the question how many Afghans were involved in Panthers Claw, that the emphasis has changed to using more locals, even though despite their training they really cannot be trusted.
We are all being fed on the big surge, at least they don't use the term 'the big push' just like the wasted pushes in World War I on the western front, just one last push, it will soon be over, more lives, more equipment, more profit for the private firms.
This is turning into a massive disaster, and the Russians must be in hysterics over what is happening, but at least we have democracy, and the rule of law, don't we?
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Good morning each & Andrew.
My #155
I have probably overstepped the mark there. Which leaves me only to remind all that Linton Kwesi Johnson wrote an 'England' anthem some time ago.
Arms sales are to be promoted, I read.
Ah, the poesy of it all; Come desperate times, come the Despot.
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Andrew
In the new era of austerity it is still the same old same old when it comes to junkets and banquetting at G8/G20 plus whatever else the money grabbing sleazebag politicians can dream up. Why do they persist in having ostentatious events in a large commercial city where "security" concerns virtually shut down that city for up to a week before and during the event?
From the police point of view it will be "ta very much for the overtime Guv"! But for the taxpayer do these summits give value for money? Of course not. Why do these host nations not use one of dozens of air force bases that would be secure and remote from the public inconveniencing no one? Somewhere like Ascension island would be ideal - the RAF catering for senior officers is not short of a 5 star restaurant anyway.
And the real selling point for Obama is that the island does have an 18 hole golf course! The "Greens" are called "browns" and are made of crushed compacted lava smoothed flat with diesel oil and around the edges of the fairways can be found large boulders of volcanic rock. So whilst the others were quaffing the Krug champagne the "Golfer in Chief" cold be doing some good PR perfecting his putting technique.
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158. At 10:55am on 26 Jun 2010, Tom Austin wrote:
Good morning each & Andrew.
My #155
I have probably overstepped the mark there. Which leaves me only to remind all that Linton Kwesi Johnson wrote an 'England' anthem some time ago.
Arms sales are to be promoted, I read.
Ah, the poesy of it all; Come desperate times, come the Despot.
==============================================================
Hmm, arms sales are to be promoted then are they? I wonder if this time when they send soldier trainers to train up the purchaser's armies that a modicum of restraint can be shown in what constitutes the content of the curriculum.
Last time when we sold arms to the Saudis, Libyans and A.N.other undesirables Blair and company thought it perfectly reasonable that the elite special forces should not only train them but also divulge all their secrets. Even though the SAS resisted fiercely as they knew it was morally wrong these were the orders.
And who trained the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban? Ex Saudi soldiers naturally. And people wonder why we are having a tough time out there. Film footage of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus last year, show the classic 4 man SAS`formation as the pakistan taliban withdraw casually from the attack. We will pay in blood for decades to come due to this treachery.
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On topic and off topic.
On
The deficit doesn't include hidden PFI or unfunded pension obligations.
Obama is in an even bigger hole than we are now but is in denial.
Off
I have been telling everybody about your very efficient demolition of Dianne Abbot. I was a bit surprised it was you that did that as you are usually so congenial on the normal "This Week".
Watching Portillo trying not to laugh was almost as amusing as watching Abbot squirm.I had to take my kids out of state schooling after all of the spending they did created box tickers and jobsworths, and quite a bit of my additional expense was down to her.
Such a rare event, real hard questioning on the media.
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#161
You are absolutely correct about Obama, and America. They are totally in denial about the situation. The media have been exceptional in exposing the precarious state of some major American cities. Breakdown in law and order, so many people living on the streets, whole areas blighted by boarded up homes, the infrastructure destroyed by neglect, their roads, rail, and the whole edifice collapsing. And then there is Afghanistan, and still there was Iraq, and now Yemen, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, all over they are under pressure, an aging population, pensions, their military in disarray.
But what must really rankle is that the democrats, the party of blue collar workers, the underclass, have been exposed as no different to the rest. Now our wonderful ex PM had previously gone to America and bestowed an honourary knighthood on a Kennedy, and that Kennedy has died. And with the death of Kennedy who now can speak out for the poor man. Well Kennedy never did, not really, he was just a man driven by guilt, and now we have Obama, a weak president, with Jo Biden now pulling the strings, because Obama is a puppet, he is in as poor a position as Quizling Karzai.
America is getting ready to cut and run on Afghanistan, all the Americans want to do is to kill, to 'win' then they can withdraw with 'Job Done' only it isn't. America is being destroyed from within, because to be destroyed from without a country first has to be destroyed from without. Just like Russia is no longer a functioning state, so America will fail, only England will truly survive, not Britain, but England, slowly but surely England will divest itself of the dead weight of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. There will be independence, the end of the UK, and America will go the same way, it will split, the Union cannot survive with all the strains it will have to endure. Not in my lifetime, but America was born in revolution, and civil war, it will not endure.
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Andrew,
this dementia is getting worse:
'America is being destroyed from within, because to be destroyed from without a country first has to be destroyed from without'. From my previous posting the final word should of course be 'within' what am I going to do but in the meantime look for yourselves at Deuce-Four, interesting, very interesting. That is why America lost in Iraq. Special Forces are great at war, but really not suitable for an occupation. They win battles, but lose wars, because it is a Cruel Sea, and as Jack Hawkins so famously says 'It's the war, the bloody war'. The ends do not justify the means.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
#s 162-163
So, you have changed your allegiance to...
"Land of Hope and Glory."
Maybe here as with a conjuring trick the thing is to keep your eye on the ball and not the nut-cases under which said ball is concealed.
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I have just this morning come across the 'Abbot-gate' story in the MoS.
I perhaps misspoke earlier when I said that dear Andrew might have been trying to help his old chum DA. When, as usual, he was simply trying to get to the facts.
La Abbot was not drawing the crowds yesterday as she and a photographer were strolling nearby.
This issue could run-and-run. Well done AN.
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#164
No I stick with 'I vow to Thee, my Country' there is currently no hope, and as for the glory.
What I have to say though is the almost total lack of coverage, not of McChrystal but of the recall of Sherard Cowper-Coles from Afghanistan. It would seem that it is yet again a case of shooting the messenger, and not the message.
As was pointed out so lucidly on the Andrew Marr Show, we have been in Afghanistan since 2001, I ask you 2001, although it did not really kick off again until our wonderful Harry went there, a brave and courageous Harry, he of 'we do bad things to bad people'. As for Pakistan, well I suppose I do Drone on rather a lot, but that is another undeclared war.
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Mr Neil, you write about 'new' and 'old' politics and such was recently amply demonstrated on This Week.
Speaking as someone (a viewer) who generally like Diane Abbott (DA) but not her politics.
Firstly, reference arguments about DA ethnicity and gender - to say DA has not traded on these since entering politics is an understatement.
Secondly, it was DA who said the bigoted/racist comment about 'West Indian mothers' that has so inflamed the recent situation.
Thirdly, its politics and media and a leadership contest for Prime Minister, she is supposed to be canny and big enough to know the spotlight would be focused on her, her background, her discussions and would be held accountable ref her mantra i.e. what she says versus what she does actually does etc *
* like she has done on This Week to other people in the news since 2003 - a nice little influential earner for her.
Fourthly, some have attempted to try and spin it around that the RACIST ones are actually you - Andrew Neil (with whom she has happily shared a mutually beneficial media platform with since 2003**) and Michal Portillo, who has known her since the age dot (met at a Harrow Grammar school together).
** in 2006, This Week won the Hansard Society Award for Opening Up Politics which was awarded at the Channel 4 Political Awards ceremony.
In reality, perhaps DA has really done everyone a favour, not least herself, by so clearly demonstrating why she is not fit to serve as Prime Minister.
It was not her final hour but it was not her finest hour either, in respect of her personal performance in politics.
Diane Abbotts own goal does not reflect positively on Labours leftwingers or the Labour Party top dogs who tried to make such a BIG THING about having a BLACK candidate a WOMEN candidate.
In an age of defacto Positive Discrimination in some sectors, PC'ism and the desire by some to generate a 'positive' multiculturalism spin where and when ever they can ....
.... all that Diane Abbott has proven is that ethnicity and gender are not enough reasons by themselves for any person to get a job, esp the top job.
Diane Abbott has ably demonstrated to us all that ability to do the job is the important thing, irrespective of pigmentation and genitalia***
*** ... take note 'Harriet Harman' clones
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Andrew,
the Americans are often blamed for the Global Economic Crisis, or another Great Depression as I have said long ago, but nobody really listened because well I am not an 'expert'. However, let bygones be bygones and watch what is happening in Massachusets this week. Now the Stae has given various incentives to boost the housing market, only it runs out on the 3oth June. Therefore, there is now operating a false market, which will distort the market for years.
The trouble is that we have never really had a free market, a real free market, a real capitalist system, because the governments will bribe, will bail out their friends, they don't care about the great mass of people. We are so doomed, abandon hope all who enter here, the oldies are saddling up, getting ready to go to another place, leaving the future generations to pick up the pieces. This is a wagon train into the unknown, and when the destination is reached it might well not be the place where it was intended to go, or wanted to be.
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Andrew,
I have previously referred to the secret document from the French deputy ammbassador to Kabul to the Elysee Palace and the French Foreign Ministry, the document being a cable which quoted Sherard Cowper-Coles who was the British envoy to Kabul at the time, being 2nd September 2008.
Now it is being revealed that in all probability it was not the Rolling Stone article which brought down McChrystal, it was in all likelihood the briefing which McChrystal had given to NATO and ISAF about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
Now Cowper-Coles has been recalled, and no real explanation given, but some of us have a pretty good idea. I think that over the next few days the real appalling deteriorating situation is getting much worse, and that the losses cannot be maintained. Why is it that during our election campaign there were so few deaths and injuries, and yet as soon as it is over, the number of deaths rise, and how are they being caused? What has happened to the IEDs, it seems that soldiers are being killed whilst on joint patrols with the Afghans, and how many of them are being killed or injured, those on 'our side' rather than the insurgents.
In Vietnam one of the main problems which the military was the complete breakdown in discipline, with soldiers taking drugs, and 'fragging' their officers. I think that the Aghans are doing the same, they are killing their own, they cannot be trusted, and no British soldier should ever have his back to the Afghan army, nor armed police. This is a disaster. It is no wonder that McChrystal has gone, it will be the case in the media that if only he had been given an extra period, another six months, I was just so close to victory, and now what.
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169
I noted that recently more soldiers deaths were caused by gunshot wounds than IEDs which was a puzzle as combat sides in Afghanistan are usually at least half a mile apart and an AK47 assult rifle is only accurate at close quarters. At that distance only sniper rifles can be used. What is more galling is that the MSM must know about this but are choosing not to report it.
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Andrew,
England same old same as. What an absolute total disgrace. I know that you would not normally allow football reports, but that was pathetic. Our soldiers in Afghanistan watching that display must be just so angry. Do not allow ourselves to be duped by a goal not 'allowed' but really not good enough. Andrew, I am so angry, the economy ruined, the military in disarray, the Baha Mousa Inquiry, and Chilcot, lies, just not good enough. I said about England earlier, there is no hope, and there is no glory, the country is ruined.
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Andrew,
I wonder if the injunction which prevents details of a famous footballer's 'love child' will now be lifted.
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171.
We're leading the Aussies 3-0 in the cricket, Catch. It's not all doom and gloom.
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#173
The one who should be in the dock is Sepp Blatter. It is a disgrace the way which England were denied a 'goal'. However, look at impoverished cricket, even they have a method of seeing run outs, similar did the ball go over the line. Maybe they should even have goal line referees.
As for leading the Aussies 3-0 well they are not the best in the world, and Germany does not play cricket. However,maybe the BBC will now recall all the reporters, and interviewers, and specialists because surely we are not going to have the current full complement at the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010.
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Andrew,
the news of the privitization of the military continues. The wonderful Today programme is now reporting that Xe Corporation have been given a contract to guard American Consulates. Now Xe were previously known as Blackwater, and people can see for themselves what has happened with regard to their activities.
However, it is time to move on, they have changed, they are now a wonderful company, and by supllying their guards they are enabling the real army to do thier brave and courageous work.
Now no doubt there are people who read these blogs who will complain about this posting, refer it for further consideration, or assert that it is off topic, people who do this are known as Trolls. They get paid to refute anything which might cause a problem. Well somebody needs to bring this sort of 'stuff' into the main arena, because as we know with a famous English footballer the use of injunctions is rife.
It has to be understood that although we 'occupy' Afghanistan, we have no soldiers in the streets of Kabul. mustn't upset the locals, so we use companies like Xe to do the work, usually former Special Forces, but are not reported as being killed or injured, and do not register on the radar for our continuing losses in the 'war', which is not a war.
It would make life a lot easier for the military if actual war was declared, but who do you decalre war against. The rules change if we were to be at war, only we are not, we are effectively in Afghanistan as a load of mercenaries, but what is stupid is that we, the taxpayer, are paying the mercenaries, in all probability as some sort of Foreign Aid.
If you want proof look at the evidence given to Chilcot by Brown as to how they 'funded' the initial attack in Iraq, taken from another budget allocation.
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Andrew,
so now we hear from the wonderful best soldier who we have ever had that we should be talking to the Taliban.
Now somehow I smell something rotten. I have previously referred to the now infamous cable and the involvement of Sherard Cowper-Coles who previously worked in Afghanistan. Now the soldier is Sir David Richards, and it is his 'private view' that negotians must start soon, as was proposed and known back in September 2008.
Now Cowper-Coles has been brought home from his post in Afghanistan, so that Sir David can now say that it his own new policy, that it shows we are not wasting lives, and that as I have said before we are the problem, and never the solution. Well as Harman once so famously said about the Terry effect, or so I have heard it said around and about.
Now I wonder who will take over from Stirrup when he goes, it can't be Dannett because he has gone to the Tower, so I wonder who it might be, surely not Sir David. This is a mess, and as somebody before me has said 'the grave yards of the world are full of men who were indispensable'.
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Andrew
Over on Guido fawkes website there is a piece on total government spending over the course of this Parliamentary term. If you were to believe the slanted and erroneous reporting of the BBC or worse still have the misfortune to listen to the obnoxious Balls you would think that the cuts would leave the public sector in tatters; there would be riots in the streets etc.
But over the next 5 years total government spending is set to increase by 9 percent! Granted it is cut in real terms but it is still an increase. In this context would you not agree that last week's Budget was simply a rearrangement of the deckchairs on the SS Titanic, hours after she struck the iceberg?
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175
Perhaps this privatization of the military is the future of Afghanistan. As coalition troops are pulled out and returned home they will be disbanded and made unemployed. Xe and other firms will advertise for mercenary positions which will be filled by the unemployed ex-servicemen/women and they will be shipped back to Afghanistan which by then would be NATO free.
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174. Catch22:
#173
'As for leading the Aussies 3-0 well they are not the best in the world, and Germany does not play cricket.'
Well, not currently, but they are the yardstick when it comes to cricket.
And perhaps it's just as well the Germans don't take cricket too seriously.
To be beaten by them in both sports would be totally unbearable.
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174
Would you believe that the referee that disallowed Lampard's goal has previous? Incredibly he disallowed a Brazilian carbon copy goal in a world cup qualifier against Colombia. He is not a supporter of technology. But surely Sepp Blatter's position is untenable.
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Andrew,
it looks though there is more trouble, now with the Catholic church. There are serious allegations surfacing, not only of the problems of paedophiles, but also now financial shinanigins, and most took place under the wonderful Pope John Paul II, who took over in some mysterious circumstances after the demise of John Paul I. These are indeed very sad days. There would seem to be corruption in an awful lot of places,and some of it very close to home.
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Andrew,
is there not a problem which nobody seems to be at all interested in. We know of the financial problems at Northern Rock, at Royal Bank of Scotland, of Halifax Bank of Scotland, to name just some of the big names. Well my problem is that I have still not heard anything about the tax advisers, the auditors, and the accountants who were meant to be monitoring these institutions.
I have also have very big worries about the exclusives which were revealed during the whole debacle, and why the shares were not suspended, because there must have been in market terms conflicts of interest, and worst of all a false market, some people 'knew' stuff which others didn't and I would like full disclosure of all share dealings in the shares from the 'news' breaking of the problems and the 'end'.
The reason why this has returned is that people ought to look at the share dealings of a judge in America, Judge Feldman, in relation to oil linked stocks. Judge feldman is the judge making decisions on the deep sea oil drilling moratorium.
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'177. At 09:32am on 28 Jun 2010, excellentcatblogger wrote:
If you were to believe the slanted and erroneous reporting of the BBC or worse still have the misfortune to listen to the obnoxious Balls you would think that the cuts would leave the public sector in tatters..
Frankly it seems that most 'reporting' seems to consist of opinion these days, primarily from a single class of invitee selected more for their ability to stir things up than any competence or credibility. And for sure untroubled by any challenge in some quarters as to their qualifications to snipe about situations they spent a long time creating.
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Andrew,
I do so wish that the BBC would start to take an interest in demographics. How many times do we have to say that the post war baby boomers are going to be retiring over the next five years, if they have not already done so. Any organisation would look at the age profile of their 'workers' and would have been employing their replacements years ago to make sure that when the workers retired then there were replacements already in situ, rather than have to go out and hire people when there was not enough time to train them.
I have to continue to explain that I was born on the 7th April 1949, almost nine months to the day after the 'birth' of the NHS, why do you think that the NHS had to come into being on the day it did, it was because of the civil servants, and the entitlements of those born in the new tax year, and their continuing benefits from the socialist state.
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Andrew
What is the coalition playing at? The Cabinet are meeting in Bradford instead of in London. I thought that this sort of caper was the sole preserve of NuLabour, indeed i am surprised that they did not copyright it! Please, can you find out if each cabinet minister is paying their expenses out of their own pockets? This is a political stunt not Government business.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
I got around to watching yesterday's prog a few minutes ago.
Another Milliband show?
I skipped through most of it, but I did see something about 'skills shortage'.
What skills are we short of?
Did I miss the answer to that question?
I think not.
If business should be free to source cheap labour globally then why not again rename the programme, from...
The Daily Politics Show. to...
The Millibros Show, to...
The Sweatshop Show.
One contributer, whose name I did not catch, bemoaned the fact that 'I' do not know what Politicians are for, what they actually do.
I can add to that, that I do not comprehend what a show about politics does either.
Little wonder that nowadays we have management rather than Government when a 'flag-ship' politics programme is no more that water-cooler gossip.
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ECB,
"But surely Sepp Blatter's position is untenable."
No it's all fine now - he's apologised.
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187
The fact is Blatter should have been either fired long ago or languishing in prison. Google "FIFA missing money" and the numerous hits suggest something very fishy. In police parlance there is no such thing as coincidence.
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183. JunkkMale wrote:
'Frankly it seems that most 'reporting' seems to consist of opinion these days, primarily from a single class of invitee selected more for their ability to stir things up than any competence or credibility.'
The media, esp. the electronic media, is mostly driven now by looking for divisions in the coalition and, in the absence of any official fodder from No.10, using ex-cabinet or new opposition members to declare government policy on behalf of the government.
I think they are still coming to terms with their neat universe being turned upside down.
As yet there doesn't appear to be the constant feed of announcements and briefings they enjoyed under the last lot, although that will surely change the longer the coalition remains in power or once they've worked out what it is they're going to do.
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2 things football needs... technology and getting tougher on wusses who fall over at the slightest contact. I'm not suggesting bringing back the Norman Hunter era, just keeping it a contact sport.
Good to see Howard Webb doing just that last night. At least our ref & linesmen over there are up to par.
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Andrew,
there are apparently rules in America about the flying of the national flag. No flag must be flown above the stars and stripes. There is a video now on the net relating to a situation where a store flew the Mexican flag above the stars and stripes. At this point an veteran turned up, cut down the flags with his ex army knife, threw the foreign flag to the ground and then walked off with the American flag under his arm saying more or less come on what are you going to do about it.
Now I wonder what would happen to anybody in our country who did anything similar, probably taken to court, and prosecuted. It would be interesting, what with all the English flags now being flown, despite our ignominious defeat. There is one thing the yanks do have, a great pride in their country, and its symbols.
Mind you we could be Italian or French.
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So Cameron has ordered an independent judicial inquiry about the torture of suspects by the intelligence services. I wonder if he discussed this with the Golfer in Chief (Obama) last weekend or not. Labour will not be at all happy especially an ex PM who is now a Mid east peace envoy.
There are a lot more skeletons in the cupboard that have yet to have a proper airing. Quite a few dodgy goings on happened in the last 13 years. What was the old saying? If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear. Problem for NuLabour is that they have plenty to hide and not all of it is covered by DA Notices...
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Mmm, possibly (188). Perhaps it's time to appoint a totally different type of individual as head of FIFA.
Kevin Keegan?
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#192
There is so much to happen before the inquiry begins. I have a very close family member who has an injunction on him preventing him from speaking in public about enhanced interrogation techniques, and extra-ordinary rendition.
Now you guys have been absolutely brilliant in allowing me to continue the fight to get at the truth. I felt vindicated when Hutton had to come to parliament in February last year to make reference to detainees in Iraq. However, it will not be good enough to get around the problem by offering compensation. There must be public trials, not behind closed doors, as was the case concerning the injunction against my very close family member.
We, the British people, must share in the blame, but so must the politicians, the senior army officers, in fact all ranks share to blame for this transgression of international law. We cannot, and must not hide behind the excuse of we were following orders. The Baha Mousa Inquiry is revealing so much, with official documents coming into the public domain.
There is much that our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan can feel very proud of, but the stain of our involvement in some terrible events, on the basis that the ends justify the means, has resulted in 'stuff' which brings shame to our country. I do not feel at all vindicated for my long stance on these issues, I just feel shame that somebody had to bring the silence, and I am so proud of my close family member who had set the ball rolling, and from the evidence being given to the Baha Mousa Inquiry at last show that others are now breaking the wall of silence which the senior officers, and politicians, have been hiding behind. There has been a select committee looking at these issues, and they have not gone away, they have continued to search for the truth. Sometimes parliament does work, there are brave souls who continue the work that others have started. No matter what the cost.
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Andrew,
it would appear that Sepp Blatter has apologised for the Lampard 'goal'. However I went to one of the independent media, and found that because FIFA claim copyright we can no longer see the appalling events being repeated. Bet they won't complain for the good stuff, like a wonder goal, or a good refereeing decision.
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Andrew,
I can never be amazed who reads your blog. For example I often have been allowed to make comments about the economy, and the impression I have that we are now in a depression which actually started in 1987 with the stock market crash of that year.
Now one of the major heavy weight newspapers is carring a piece that only 'experts' should be allowed to comment about economics, and this is what they have said about a certain Dr Athreya:
“Economics is hard. Really hard. You just won’t believe how vastly hugely mind-boggingly hard it is. I mean you may think doing the Sunday Times crossword is difficult, but that’s just peanuts to economics. And because it is so hard, people shouldn’t blithely go shooting their mouths off about it, and pretending like it’s so easy. In fact, we would all be better off if we just ignored these clowns.”
So I hope that this 'clown' is allowed to continue to give his view on the so called experts, who really did not see this coming, unlike yours truly. Oh, and I do not get paid unlike the wonderful economists, who are the most wonderful people, and really should be on another planet.
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Andrew,
yesterday there was an announcement that there may be an announcement on an inquiry, led by a judge, into allegations of torture, or complicity in torture. Now no formal announcement has been made, and there is nothing about it on the wonderful Today programme.
However, there is the announcement due in respect of the Ministry of Defence and their appeal against the earlier announcement by judges that British soldiers are bound by the Human Rights Act. Now for my part of course soldiers should be bound by the Human Rights Act, otherwise they could always plead 'I was following orders' and that goes right to the very top, the Head of State, oh and that is not the Prime Minister that is the Queen or King under our constitution. It is for that reason that I believe that Blair made sure that the decision to go to war in Iraq was made in parliament without the Royal Perogative. We surely could not have the Queen being brought before a court in chains, or photographed in an inhuman way in her underclothes as happened to another Head of State.
So there is trouble, because with one hand there is to be this inquiry into allegations of torture, yet at the same time the judges are to announce on the military and the Human Rights Act and the military. My feeling on this is that the Human Rights Act should not apply whilst we are at war, with a formal declaration of war between states, because that can be sorted by war crimes courts, whilst during any subsequent occupation the Human Rights Act applies, together with war crimes courts.
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Andrew,
I wonder why more is not being made of the guilty plea by Sarfraz Ibrahim a lawyer for 19 years and who was the CPS trials unit chief for Gwent, in South Wales. We must have a statement by the government minister responsible for the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) to affirm that there will be a full investigation into the CPS because there must be total trust in the CPS that they are not above the law and that we can have total confidence in the process of law which operates in our country.
Reading the transcripts of the case lead me to have grave concerns as to what has been going on. This even concerns decisions made at Prime Ministerial level into some difficult decisions, namely why really was the case of BAE and Saudi Arabia dropped, surely the government must never hide behind national security, because the ends do never justify the means. We are on the road to serfdom, and we are coming to a fork in the road, and it really is important as to which fork we take.
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Andrew,
there is trouble brewing. I have taken the opportunity to look at the Armed Forces Bill which has gone through parliament. I think that the Human Rights Act applies to all the Armed Forces. I think that the government has got a problem, and the problems of Iraq are coming home to roost because of Section 8. Soldiers who go absent with leave (AWOL), and there have been thousands, and intend to refuse to take part in a military occupation of a foreign country or territory can be imprisoned for life. Now I wonder why the military do not bring cases against people rather than just let them leave the army. I mean were we not told by a certain Prince of the realm that unless he was sent to serve with his men in Iraq, and he was confined to a desk, then he would leave the army, just like that. Now the same Prince then went off to serve with glorious distinction in Afghanistan, where he wore a cap with the legend 'we do bad things to bad people' which surely any court would find contravenes something or other.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
Was there ever a battle of Swan?
Let's hold an inquiry, [diddle-dee-dum]
A judicial inquiry, [fiddle-dee-dee]
In secret; so the truth itself will out.
Let's hold it quite soon, [diddle-dee-dum]
In an oak-panelled room, [fiddle-dee-dee]
It's gravitas shall never be in doubt.
And when to report? [diddle-dee-dum]
A report of what sort? [fiddle-dee-dee]
How long is long in due deliberation?
And what shall it find? [diddle-dee-dum]
Never cruel or unkind. [fiddle-dee-dee]
No good can come from any condemnation.
Oh, fiddle-dee-dee,
Dear dear, goodness me,
All the bad guys are now dead,
In the report that no-one read,
It is to be met with the heartfelt thanks of our great nation.
[Oh, fiddle-dee-dum]
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Andrew,
I know that this might seem slightly pedantic but surely we are not 'at war' in Afghanistan. Does a state of war exist between us and the state of Afghanistan, or are we what I think nothing other than a force of occupation. Now if we are at war then 'stuff' can be done which cannot be done if we are simply an occupier. There are different rules which apply, and I think that as soon as others see that we are a force of occupation then people might just understand that it really is time for the military to be brought home, and leave it to the carpet baggers, and mercenaries.
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Andrew,
as we listen to the politicians with regard to Afghanistan, and the moves by the Americans to withold some of the foreign aid because of the corruption in Afghanistan, money being transferred out in some very large numbers, then please let us begin to consider what is happening to Bill Shaw.
Now it would appear that Shaw has been jailed for two years in Afghanistan in respect of corruption charges, and I think that our government must do more to get this individual released. A quick call at the highest level would get his release, even on compassionate grounds. These are sad days when a man who has served his country with some distinction should be incarcerated by a very corrupt government in Afghanistan whilst the leadership under Quizling Karzai continues to operate with the agreement of the British and American governments.
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As it seems not to have registered (how does that happen?), I'll repost if I may...
At 7:56 am on 1 Jul 2010, JunkkMale wrote:
189. At 1:27pm on 29 Jun 2010, TheBlameGame wrote:
The media, esp. the electronic media, is mostly driven now by looking for divisions in the coalition and, in the absence of any official fodder from No.10, using ex-cabinet or new opposition members to declare government policy on behalf of the government.
I think they are still coming to terms with their neat universe being turned upside down.
As yet there doesn't appear to be the constant feed of announcements and briefings they enjoyed under the last lot, although that will surely change the longer the coalition remains in power or once they've worked out what it is they're going to do.
I simply mourn the subordination of facts to opinion, especially when the opinion seems more guided by producers' needs to fill space and/or satisfy personal agendas with 'guests' that offer a few degrees of separation.
Much of this seems to be determined by vast swathes of remoras whose existence depends on an industry that has gone a lot further than simply sharing facts via 'reporting'.
Hence, if not fed enough to fuel the machine via PRanews or tasty controversy, the solution seems to be to go out and find something to fill the void.
Unique, but hardly professional or good value.
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#189 Blame, #203 JunkkM
The media obsession with driving a wedge into the coalition doesn't bode well for the future of PR, which would result in perpetual government by coalitions. The BBC, in particular, seems unable to understand the concept of compromise on policies in order to allow government to go ahead. It is unfortunate - and baffling - that many Lib-Dem MPs and activists also seem unable to understand this concept, yet they are the ones professing to want PR. The drive to collapse the coalition might be a good advert for the FPTP system (which I think is best, in any case).
Of course, the BBC stance might be driven by more sinister factors than lack of understanding. You only have to study Andrew Marr's questioning of different guests to start wondering...
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201 / 202.
Are we still to believe that our troops are in Afghanistan to make the country a stable democracy and bulwark against terrorism, thereby making our streets safer?
Does our government honestly believe this is achievable under a Karzai led government?
Who has benefited most from this occupation since its beginning?
The people of Afghanistan or corporations like the Louis Berger Group, Blackwater (now reincarnated as Xe Services), Bearing Point and DynCorp International? (contract values available on various sites)
The money spent on aid is a fraction of that spent on the war. US aid is often tied to reciprocal purchasing of American products.
Basic needs like agricultural aid and water supplies have been largely ignored in preference to less critical projects which are more profitable to the contractors.
If the Iraq invasion has warranted several inquiries then Afghanistan also needs to be put under independent scrutiny. In the meanwhile our government continues to be an accessory to fraud and in theory, murder.
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Andrew
So blair is to get a medal for his peace envoy efforts and a 100 grand prize. But what has he actually achieved? The Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan situations are unchanged; Iran and North Korea are sabre rattling except their sabres are of the nuclear weapon variety. I suppose that we have managed to refrain from declaring another illegal war is an achievement though I am dubious as to whether Blair had much influence over Brown and Cameron. Oh, and the irony of him giving the prize money to charity, his charities is priceless.
Over in the Daily Mail they lead with a tale relating that Dr Kelly was too weak to slit his wrist as he even found it hard to cut a steak. An US Air Force officer has come forward with this testimony putting in doubt the conclusions of the Hutton report. Hmm, Blair will not like that.
The MSM keep on about the coalition fracturing etc and that it cannot last. The main way for this to happen is if they lose a parliamentary vote. Last Monday there was a vote on the VAT rise and all parties declared a three line whip which meant that every MP was supposed to vote. Two Lib Dem MPs voted against the coalition but not all of the HM Opposition voted: step forward Gordon Brown, who 40 odd days of this Parliament has made only 2 appearances to the HoC. Quite frankly if Labour MPs cannot be bothered to vote especially in a key vote, the coalition will survive quite easily.
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203. JunkkMale
'I simply mourn the subordination of facts to opinion, especially when the opinion seems more guided by producers' needs to fill space and/or satisfy personal agendas with 'guests' that offer a few degrees of separation.'
The one thing I would say in defense of the media is that in the (temporary?) absence of an organised Opposition, criticism of the government is welcome and vital. That criticism will often be less than informed and prejudiced, given the media's diverse ownership and agenda.
Free speech and a free media is one thing, professionalism is another. We seem to be lacking more in the latter than the former.
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Surely we should get some new presenters for Andrew Neil for this tired programme. We value Andrew Neil but Diane Abbott and Portillo both need replacing. Why not have different presenters each week to add some variety to their uninteresting views. Portillo was knowlegible but now past his sell buy date. Abbott to me has a lack of detailed knowlege and always unminds any guests who she feels has lower level of poitical knowlege. She is particularly unpleasent with non political female guests who she makes to look small. It has been very refreshing for the programme to have replacement guestd recently both for Abbott and Portillo. There are so may good people about so why do we have to endure these presenters that I feel add very little to the show. Full marks for Andrew in his interview with Abbott for the Labour leader contest, she got what she deserved and a very poor response from her.
Come on BBC you can surely get a selection of good presenters rather than the boring Abbott and Portillo
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Excuse my absence. I've been having a few dramas and creating some.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a supporter of the NHS, just not the one we've got.
My experience over the past few years has been nothing short of horrific and that's my treatment, not the iilness. It's worse that some of it has been so dreadful it's actually quite funny, but I have a very dark sense of humour. My website has begun but I'm not publicising it here.
Gordon's cancer claims reached a stage where I seriously wondered if he governed a country I wished I could live in. NHS performance statistics went from fiction to plain fantasy.
Not unexpectedly my hackles rise when I see Ministers using their own NHS experience as evidence of how well it functions. What a surprise. Probably a private room and washing facilities to boot.
In my research I have discovered that there is no organisation better at self promotion and propaganda, and hiding its failures, than the NHS, though this is going to change in my area.
It is my considered opinion that the NHS is in desperate need of some serious surgery.
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Andrew,
there is something which I do not fully understand. We are being told that the Afghan leaders are basically corrupt, and 'bad' people. That they are just waiting for us to leave so that they can resume their war of terror, and bring terror to the streets of Britain. Now do I believe this, well no actually and I don't think that many of our military and political leaders believe it either.
If they did then consider this. There has been this Loya Jirga, where we are told they all came together, in one big meeting. Now if they were so bad, so evil, so winning the war, then why did the Americans let them get together, and then bomb them with bombs from a Drone, kill the lot. Now that would have been the equivalent of Adolf Hitler and his night of the long knives, take out all the enemy at the same time. I think we ought to be told why not get all the enemies of our way of life in Afghanistan, and kill them all at the same time. After all we are being told that we are at war in Afghanistan, not an occupation.
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Andrew
It is quite unbelievable the salary levels paid out to some public sector bosses and trade Union bosses. On the one hand I can understand that the Olympic development Authority would want to attract the best individual as there is a tangible deliverable in a set timescale. But for bog standard Quangos and Trade Unions the justification is hard to discern.
And what about the perks? Cars, hotel accomodation, catering and wining will all add up to a pretty penny. We all saw last year the expenses alloted to certain BBC staff, and I suspect that the lifestyles of Quango chiefs will not involve many receipts from PoundStretcher stores!
And now we have a Counter Terrorist chief saying that spending cuts will raise the threat of an Al Quaeda attack. Really and no doubt his budget has no perks whatsover, no high performance cars (usually Mercedez Benz from what I have seen on the streets) etc. But why is he moaning? Does he not know that that we are in Afganistan to keep ther terror off the streets of London - his efforts will only count if he himself flies out and joins the troops.
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#211
A most excellent point about keeping terror off the streets of our country. Of course it was a not a terrorist who pumped six dum-dum bullets into the head of Mr de Menezes, who war from Brazil. And now we are told that we really must do more business with the newly emerging countries, including Brazil. Maybe we could do better business with these countries if we didn't end up killing their citizens on our soil. Surely by the logic of certain police chiefs we can now expect Brazilians on our soil to keep terror off the streets of their country.
Maybe the same police man would like to explain what exactly has happened to Dr David Kelly, who apparently committed suicide without having the strength to cut his own wrists. But then again we have a brilliant police force who are even now training the Afghans having been so very successful in training the Iraqi police force.
I don't think many people realise exactly how many police have actually gone to Afghanistan to train the wonderful Afghan police, who do such a brilliant job, and who will be so trained-up that we can bring our brave and courageous soldiers home. But above all we must not give solace to our 'enemies' by being negative about the war, the war which we will not win, but we will not lose, but it really is already game over. I mean these Afghans do not fight their wars in the same way that we did, full on, I mean just not cricket is it old boy.
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Gomer - you have my very sincere sypathies - I do hope you manage to get a better end result than I did!
Not only am I disabled because of what I was sarcastically told was a 'routine' operation but was virtually called a liar until they had to do an MRI scan!
My husband was told by his consultant that our doctor would give emergency cover - no such arrangement existed in that practice an my husband died in the night!
Don't ever go near a so called 'teaching' hospital if you don't want to end up having an unnecessary major operation - particularly one which leads to another major ( this time badly needed ) operation. Twelve months off work they cost me!
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Andrew,
after more evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry it must be that there must be an immediate announcement as to who will be recalled to clarify their 'evidence'. Surely Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Geoff Hoon, and Jack Straw must be recalled, I really cannot see any alternative. I can only hope that all documents declassified must come into the public domain, now. There was once a leader of the liberal democrats who held some view on this, well Clegg I can only hope that you force the government to ensure that all documents are released, or have you been 'bought off' with a referendum on voting reform.
Docments released are only muddying the waters, release all the documents now, even though it might well lead to charges being brought against some politicians for crimes against humanity, and for waging an illegal war. Afghanistan, I think, has deteriorated to where it is now because of Iraq. Surely, there must be another public inquiry, into how on earth Afghanistan has gone so terribly wrong. It is all down to Iraq, well that is what I think anyway, but then again who am I, a nobody, no expert, no influence, an absolute nobody, and the politicians, well they are quaking in their boots, because yet again Catch22 is right, just as we are now in the longest Depression since the 1873-1896 great depression because this one started in 1987, and it will not be over for an awful long time. Its the same old same as Andrew, have a great week-end.
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211 / 212.
I read that the US is keen for India to take a lead role in training the Afghan army in counter insurgency. That should go down well with their mates across the border.
Training and mentoring is also provided by the US, the UK, France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, Romania, Poland and Mongolia, as well as by private contractors MPRI, KBR (formerly a division of Halliburton), Pulau, Paravant, and RONCO. So very little continuity in the training then.
The numbers of trained army and police members are also wildly inflated, the reality on the ground is very different. This whole exit plan based on training up the ANA is a scam. Once the Western Alliance forces leave the ANA will collapse.
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#215
I too am totally amazed at what the public are being sold as being the exit 'strategy'. I mean seriously we have been in Afghanistan since 2001, I mean seriously 2001, and every year it seems to get worse, not better. What concerns me most of all is that no allied troops can trust the soldiers they train, they dare not turn their backs to them when they go on armed patrols.
As for Panthers Claw, it was only after yours truly asked where were the Afghans during the campaign that they were sudeenly mentioned. As for the surge this is the exit strategy, go in kill some people, say we have victory, and now withdraw. We keep hearing of our losses, how many Afghan soldiers or police have died since our general election, how many Afghan civilians, they cannot all be Taliban, have been killed or injured since our general election.
I have still had no satisfactory reference by any of the media as to why there were so few deaths between when the general election was called and when it was held. I don't know Andrew, I get just so angry, and in the meantime Chilcot continues, and surely the media must be taking in all that has come out since Chilcot came back to his hearings, especially after he took his 'evidence' in America. Nobody is picking up the contradictions from evidence given by the likes of Blair, Blair, Straw, and Hoon. I thought that I could begin to wind down, but it seems it is actually getting worse, not better.
I really did hope that somehow my 'job' was done, only it seems not. The economy is a disaster, the environment is a disaster, the war in Iraq was and still is a disaster, the occupation of Afghanistan is totally unsustainable, and Pakistan is in civil war, with India waiting in the wings. The one good thing which can be said is that all the factions in the area of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India continue to live in peace and harmony in our country, and long may that tolerance continue.
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Good Morning Andrew,
The Rt Rev Michael Langrish, the Bishop of Exeter, added in a personal statement: “As some of us warned at the time, the amendment to the Equality Bill has opened an area of unhelpful doubt and confusion. The Church of England will not be allowing use of any of its buildings for civil partnership registrations.”
It would appear that real stuff happens down here in Exeter, besides the wonderful Met Office who got the barbecue summer comment wrong by a year, the weather has been fantastic this year, despite some much needed rain yesterday. But my serious point.
Well we have Ben Bradshaw as our MP, and Ben is in a Civil Partnership. However, on Facebook he describes himself as 'married' he says because Facebook doesn't have Civil partnership as an option, well why not. He also has a 'wedding ring' which is ok, but I think you will find that he has also had his 'marriage' blessed by a priest, although it was a retired priest, or so I have heard it said around and about.
Now with respect to the above, I actually have no problem whatsoever, but this issue must be sorted, it was always going to be contentious, but let's get this sorted can we, please. For all religions, and not just the Church of England. Please can we end the distinction between Civil Partnerships and marriage, this will not go away.
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Andrew,
today there is to be the appeal for Bill Shaw who is incarcerated in an Afghan gaol because of corruption charges against him. He was sentenced to two years, for corruption. Now I have not read the whole case reports, there are none, but surely this charge is beyond belief that this person should be tried and convicted, whilst Quizling Karzai and his tribe get away with massive fraud. I mean even the Americans are putting a stop to aid on the basis that it was just being transferred out of the country into foreign bank accounts.
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Andrew,
great interview with General Sir Mike Jackson (Retired) on the Today programme this morning. Surely his position, as well the other Chiefs of Staff, on taking orders to be part of the invasion of Iraq becomes more untenable with every passing disclosure. It is well known that I have a very close family member who is now under a High Court Injunction preventing his freedom of speech.
Now then it is becoming apparent that where he led others have followed in speaking without permission, as an example look at McChrystal and see what has happened to him, and now senior state officials are saying that the military must not give any interviews without permission, and referral of their answers before being printed. In other words censorship.
Now this is how wars are lost, when the truth is suppressed, because it is unpleasant, or is defeatist. Now Jackson must take responsibility for the events surrounding Baha Mousa because from his own words the law is precious, and certainly nobody should be above the law, and the chain of command goes right to the very top.
It is my strong belief that nobody can hide behind the claim that international law is vague on this or that. There was no justification for the war in Iraq, and especially the failure to protect the local population once the war was over.
Do I need to go on and on and on about what I consider to be the illegality of the Iraq situation, well yes I think I do, and one day there will be trials in the International Court, because without the rule of law we are all lost, there can be just wars, there can be but without the rule of law there will be anarchy, because might does not make right, even though some may hide behind their understanding of what they have done, they cannot hide behind I took legal advice and I was following orders. At least one person, on looking into the same laws as the senior officers came down to their view that the war was illegal, and were given an honourable discharge, whilst one would have expected him to be charged and jailed for refusing orders. Some people can live with their consciences, others will eventually wish that they had not followed orders.
There must be trials for the politicians and senior officers, without these trials justice will never be served. There must be justice.
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215
Exit Strategy. Among all the private contractors aka "mercenaries" who are making big bucks doing all manner of tasks some above board and others downright illegal or immoral, is it in their financial interests to do a good job expeditiously? Quite a few of these firms only came into existence with the Iraq and Afghanistan "gold rush". They are not wars it is just one long scam where the aim is to hoover up as much taxpayers cash as possible.
Meanwhile General Petraues urges everyone to work together. Does he mean that this was not the case before? He should name names. It really is a mess. Now the US Defense Secretary has announced mew rules for the military vis a vis the media, which is odd as stringent rules already exist within the US military Code of Ethics. Mind you that code is overlooked a bit when soldiers partake in the sport of torture.
What Mr Gates really means is the US media is normally very subservient when reporting on the US military. The Rolling Stones magazine broke this unwritten covenant. Several US media groups have openly castigated Rolling Stones for printing the offending article. Michael Yon has been invited to embed again by the British and American military, but has yet to reply. I suspect there are not only strings attached but a straitjacket and gag supplied for free as part of a package deal. No doubt the Golfer in Chief Obama will consider this as good PR, but we know better - it is censorship plain and simple.
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#220
Could not agree more. Simple.
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Andrew,
I thought the Andrew Marr Show was most interesting this morning mainly because of the problems surrounding Blair and the advice from th Attorney General. It does seem so unfair that one individual is seemingly identified as the reason as to how it was that Blair was able to go ahead with the war in Iraq.
I no longer can care about the Americans, they can sort their own problems out with regard to the legality of the war, but there are unresolved issues. There must be specific concentration on the legality of the advice from the Attorney General, I say that Blair is guilty, I don't know how he and some people around him, can live with themselves.
I say that the police protection around Blair must be withdrawn, in fact they should arrest him, that is what I have said before, I will in all probability go to my grave with the issue unresolved. Blair must face a trial, there must be justice. Crimes have been committed, the Baha Mousa Inquiry is showing what happens when discipline breaks down, but the orders must be legal. People can look at the rules for themselves, the Human Rights Act must apply to all the military, both at home and abroad, and it must apply to the politicians who gave the orders, because this war was not under the royal perogative, it was parliament, and that was for a very real reason, I believe that the Queen was advised that there was no way she should sign any documents, because as Head of State she might herself even now be on trial. And I am not a conspiracy theorist.
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222
What puzzles me about Blair's police protection costs, is what was the reaction of the bean counters and auditors to this profligate spending? We are supposed to be in the age of bean counters ruining public service quality in the name of cost. Is this particular budget a bottomless pit?
What is also not disclosed is the overall budget and how many people are the recipients of state funded bodyguards. As this country does not have a history of Presidential assassinations like the US, is this a luxurious expense that is affordable?
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Andrew,
surely with regard to Blair and Iraq what needs to be in the public domain is the letters which Blair wrote to Bush. Then we can decide, and there is really no reason why we should not be given copies of the letters, surely there can be nothing to hide, what with the taxpayer paying out so much money to protect Blair. I wonder how many body guards there were when Blair had his meeting with Bush, was it just the two men, or did the President have anybody with him. Because surely it can't be that Bush just cannot remember what was said at the time of the meeting.
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Andrew,
we keep hearing about the problems of the pension schemes, and how they are underfunded. Yet, nobody seems to be critical of the very highly paid actuaries, or the accountants, auditors, consultants, who keep signing off on the pension schemes, and seem to ensure that the executives who got the schemes into the mess they are in always appear to be able to go off with their maximum entitlements.
Should there not be an urgent investigation into the whole area of auditing, accounting, and consulting independent of the whole industry. The banks seem to have 'got away' with an awful lot, and who signed off the accounts.
Even this week-end I had a problem. I watched on my BBC screens Wimbledon, where Nadal played a certain Scot by the name of Andy Muray. Now Nadal just had a flash on his shirt, whereas the man Murray seemed to be a mobil advertising hoarding. A water company, and a certain nationalised bank, RBS, or Royal Bank of Scotland as it was known. Now why is this still happening, Murray is already a very rich young man, yet why does he still carry the RBS logo empblazoned on his shirt, surely he is still not an ambassador for the company, like the wonderful Zara Phillips, or the wonderful Sir Jackie Stewart, who still frequently appears on our screens, although now totally irrelevant as a long retired racing driver.
What is also galling is Northern Rock, another nationalised bank, which still seems to sponsor a very famous northern football club. One has to ask what is going on, what with all the adverts on our screens for Nat West, part of RBS, and Halifax, part of Bank of Scotland, now Lloyds Group.
Andrew, there is something still not quite right about the banking crisis, what with Coutts, the Royal Bankers being saved, and we could not possibly have had the royal family losing their money could we! I mean what would have happened to William and Harry.
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Andrew,
I know that others have been on the case as well as yours truly but you blog is seriously influential. It would seem that even the Afghan legal system read you, and the comments which some of us make. I think that people underestimate your influence, the reason, I am so pleased that Bill Shaw, the contractor operating in Afghanistan, who was gaoled for corruption, has had the case dropped, and will soon be released.
However, we really should investigate the role of these contractors, who are doing the work of the military but are not under the same controls. In particular we really should look at retired generals, and special forces, who even now seem to benefit from the chaos which they have contributed towards creating. Some of us maintain an interest in Xe Corp which was formally known as Blackwater, what with Xe having been given a multi million dollar contract as they seem to have sorted themselves out.
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223.
How long is this level of protection afforded to ex-PMs?
It's alleged that Blair is costing more to 'protect' than the incumbent PM, even costing twice as much to protect as Brown did while in office, according to some sources.
It also appears he is making no contribution towards security on his private money-making wheezes.
Ironic that we the taxpayer are subsidising his unpopularity over Iraq and his cosy relationship with Bush, as those factors must be contributing towards the high level required. Is the UN picking up the security tab for his 'peace' envoy work?
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Good Morning Andrew,
I alsways wonder how some stuff is reported by the BBC and then disappears. For example the appalling situation developing off the coast of America with the piple line spewing out the oil.
What do you think is now happening to the massive cavern which is being created. As the oil leaks into the sea, what is filling the space vacated by the oil. It is not as though the sea is filling the hole, it is going to be a catastrophe when the sea bed collapses, surely resulting in a Tsunami off the coast which will wreak havoc.
It is the same with the 30 million gallons of oil in Brooklyn, the oil once it is drained creats a vacuum, and everything is sucked in, making the situation even worse. You can all do your own scientific experiments and see what happens, nature detests a vacuum, trust me.
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Andrew,
just been watching the Parliament channel with regard to Sir Ian Kennedy and IPSA. What a fiasco this has turned into. Receipts for gas and electric bills to be presented, not the bill, but a receipt, you seriously cannot make it up. People ought to see a job creation scheme at work, unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable. Why not use a credit card scheme, and oh I don't know I think that would scream, I have very little sympathy for MPs, but this 'system' is crazy.
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228
A very good point. Factor in also that the Gulf of Mexico is an area of significant seismic activity with numerous fault lines. The university of Edinburgh's Geology Institute lists all significant earthquakes as they happen on their website:
http://tsunami.geo.ed.ac.uk/local-bin/quakes/mapscript/show_map.pl?mode=full_extent&layer=plates&layer=background&layer=newquakes&x=17&y=11
The map details quakes over the last week. What is even more revealing is that the number of big quakes per year have increased exponentially over the last 150 years. There is also speculation that the oil field was under so much geological pressure that no wellhead could ever have coped to contain the flow.
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Good afternoon each & Jo.
Balls!
All this re-butt-all from Balls is set to give me a couple of achers.
How much is Balls himself willing to give up?
There is no better way for him to begin than by giving up guesting on this show.
It's quickly getting to a 'him-or-me' situation.
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Andrew,
missed you on the show today but more than adequate replacements. However, like others listened to Ed Balls, who I really can't believe is anywhere near the real world. For example, look at just part of a report in todays Boston Globe:
An informal survey of town governments and school departments in about 25 Greater Boston communities found that because of the leaner state budget signed last week, communities are reducing the time libraries are open, cutting hours for some employees, leaving staff positions unfilled, taking advantage of new tax options such as the meals tax, and even switching to more energy-efficient bulbs in street lights.
The difference between Balls and myself would be that I believe that many public sector workers, those paid by our taxes, and also who pay taxes, do actually have the solution in their own hands. Be altruistic towards your fellow worker. Rather than simply being a question of job losses, then maybe people ought to work for less, take pay cuts, don't replace people who retire, or who leave, and be harder on those who skive off work. This does not have to be as painful as some make out, show some consideration towards others, and be altruistic.
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#231 TA
You speak for many. Balls is rapidly revealing himself as a third rate politician with nothing positive - or even honest - to say. Never gives a straight answer to deficit questions, simply spouts increasingly wild accusations at the opposition.
Ed Miliband seems to be drifting in the same direction and Abbott is already there.
Looks as if Dave M is, believe it or not, looking like the only sane choice as leader. There is another one, but his existence escapes me.
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...altruism
Oh, how it rolls off the tongue.
And, what is more...it has to stop!
We hear a great deal today about the efforts of her-maj to reduce her burden upon the taxpayer, going as far as to spend her own money- something, we know MPs are loth to do.
But what of the business world?
Productivity is down boardroom pay is up. What part does the public purse play in all of this?
Is it not high time the area of what is and is not tax-deductable be looked into?
Old 'Diggers' (another regular on the show) speaks highly of the part played by royalty in promoting British business abroad, but who if not the taxpayer pays for the whole kit-n-kaboodle of those attending such soiree-sales pitches.
Given the sums paid in widespread tax avoidance, just what is left of a company's tax bill for the public purse?
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.... altruism (take two)
From radio 5 Live:
India spends GBP 633 million on it's space program.
UK Aid budget development spend to India over 3 years amounts to GBP 825 million.
Good to know we have our priorities right.
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...altruism
Another gift that keeps on giving...
Land Value Tax...
http://www.landvaluetax.org/
Why not make Britain (our Britain?) pay. Rather than we Britons pay?
Why, even on a current affairs/politics show. We should not be above taking the line that Politics IS people.
We get no say in how taxes are spent, we get no option but to pay.
How easier could it be for we each to appreciate what we get from taxation if such taxation was independent of income?
We need to hear much much more of ideas of this sort instead of the usual...
It's the rich what get's the pleasure etc.
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227 Blame
I think it is right to cover his protection in this country but foreign junkets should definitely be self funded, unless acting in an official capacity for HM Government.
When he is representing the Bank of Blair, he should bear in mind the parlous state of the economy he presided over and dig deep into his own pockets.
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235 ECB
Overseas aid should be targetted at the those with the greatest need, the Indian situation is bizarre - I believe we also gave aid to China.
I guess the only defence is that the aid goes to areas which the local governments would choose to ignore.
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Andrew,
it is my firm belief that overseas aid is based on just keeping certain people out of our country. Effectively bribe them to stay where they are, also people must never forget Woollas, and his comment that we are in Afghanistan to keep them there, rather than over here, as asylum seekers. Many seem to have forgotten about the Iraqi interpretors who have been deserted.
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238
What I find very annoying is the evangelical zeal by all sorts across the political spectrum in justifying its ringfencing etc. When aid agencies go into countries they rarely leave, and success stories like mission accomplished are as rare as hens teeth.
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Andrew,
there seems to a rising head of steam over schools for the future, or some such school scheme.
May I refer readers to the situation in Exeter, where six, yes six, High schools were demolished and completely rebuilt under PFI. The capital cost was about £98 million, yet the cost over the PFI lifetime was, wait for it, over £315 million, these costs having to be met from revenue, with the schools being handed over after twenty five years, and wait for it again, in pristine condition.
The schools PFI scheme is a disaster, it always was going to be a disaster, there is not enough money. It is brilliant that Exeter has six new buildings, and probably the rest of Devon looks on with envy, but in the long run, the way they are funded is unsustainable, from the people of Exeter, thank you the rest of Devon, and thank you the taxpayers of our country.
There is even a link to the Met Office which moved down here. It was at last realised that Exeter had a system of transfer from middle school to higher at age twelve, rather than eleven, and this completely distorted the education system. So when the Met Office were mooted as coming down here consultations were held, and the age of transfer standardised, and justification for demolishing all the existing schools proposed. Only trouble was that some of schools did not need to be demolished, but you all know how it works, I won't grant you permission for your new school in your wards, unless I get one as well.
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Andrew,
there is much in the media with regard to the wonderful picture of the Universe taken by a satellite which apparently has cost 600 million Euros. Now yes it is a wonderful picture, but how exactly does it help humanity with the problems on our own little planet, apart from proide work for a group of scientists, probably the same type of scientist who has given us the Large Hadron Collider.
If people think about it what an appalling waste of money, just to give a job to some scientists, and give us a great photo. I mean it would appear that the Universe is actually a standard shape, sort of egg shape, although of course it isn't, it's a complete distortion to present it in such a way. Maybe if we concentrated on the future rather than the past, that is the big bang, then the world might just be a better place.
It is the same with the overseas aid budget, why give money to India, to Pakistan, to China, so that they can build nuclear weapons, send a man into space, or cause problems in Chad/Cameroon, or Zimbabwe, and use our money to do it, madness, absolute madness.
Mind you after listening to the Today programme this morning with regard to the gay man from Cameroon being told just go back and keep it more discrete in future then we can see that our money is sometimes being so well spent on 'advice' to asylum seekers. Unbelievable, totally beyond belief.
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Andrew,
I think that many people are now beginning to understand a point I have been making for some quite considerable time, although not being an expert nobody pays any attention. My point about the Great Depression of our century. Mow this is somehow being represented as a 'w' double dip. Now just think deeply about the representation as 'w'. It is positive, in that we are meant to read it as an optimist, we will come out of this, that we will be left with a rise. But what if the reality is actually an 'm'. That in fact the reality is a rise, followed, by a fall, and that the natural way is a fall. Also look at the difference, between the two. The sharp 'w' with a strong turning point, a point, whereas the 'm' is rounded, it is more wave like. So, should the media be optimistic, and use the 'w' or should we really be using the 'm'. I am afraid that it is the 'M' or 'm' for me, such thinking just on 'W' 'w' 'M' or 'm'. Too much thinking going on here.
One of the pressures which I had to put up with is that's 'great' but where are the figures, I have a meeting to attend, but you just keep on thinking. Give me the numbers, in the meantime, Catch just keeps on thinking, a little bit of deep thinking never does anybody any harm. Now where was I with my new wave theory. I feel a very deep low approaching, stormy weather, dark clouds, very choppy seas, doomed, we're all doomed.
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Andrew,
I thought that your interview with I think Angela Knight of the British Bankers association was illuminating. Maybe the way forward is to ask people like her what is your salary and bonus, and more importantly I would ask 'what do you actually do, I mean do!' same with the Union leader you interviewed, what do you get, and the same for the person who you interviewed who seemed to think that £150,000 was I think she actually said 'miniscule', but I am ready to be corrected. We really ought to be told how much these people are being given by the taxpayer, so that they can buy very nice clothes, and jewellry, and that's not only the very important women. Keep up the good work Andrew, sometimes it a joy to look at the faces as you get ever better at asking the difficult, but necessary questions.
Oh, and the bankers have gotten away with it. But consider this. You are a banker, there is £1,000 available and somebody comes up to borrow the money, and you lend it to the borrower. They go off and buy a house, and then twenty years later, they have borrowed the £1,000, paid interest, and then they have a house worth £30,000 after twenty years, this is off course back in the sixties. Now then who is the idiot, the person who borrowed the money paid the interest, and then ended up with an asset worth £30,000 or the very stupid banker who had to borrow the £1,000 and then had to pay interest and repay their loan, or the 'investor' who borrowed the £1,000, paid interest and owns the asset worth £30,000. Answers on a postcard, becuase actually shareholders ought to be very angry with the bankers who have not been very good at all.
It may seem harsh but many of the bankers are being rewarded for total abject failure, they lent money to people who made far more from the money they borrowed than the bankers who lent them the money, not good, not very good at all. Just think that when you put your money into your bank account you are lending the bank money, they are the borrower, you are the lender. Just remember, neither a borrower nor a lender be, good advice, very good advice.
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mike @ 233
"Balls is rapidly revealing himself as a third rate politician"
I'm not his biggest fan either but he really wants the job - this much is clear - and I think he has a better chance than most people think.
(btw, does the political commentator we know as Andrew Neil blog no more?)
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Just watched the excellent Daily Politics on i-Player and I have to say that I was appalled that Angela Knight seemed to be more slippery a guest than most politicians. Ms Knight's slipperiness even extended to her lack of an answer for the DP Quiz. No wonder the Merchant Bankers (Cockney rhyming slang intended) want her to represent them.
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#246
What many people do not realise is how much the banks actually make from their asset management arms, the asset management teams are very well remunerated, but they manage the pension funds which are now in such dire straights.
Take bank xyz, they have a corporate finance team which buy, sell, invest, or disinvest, in companies. Now the Asset Management side of the banks buy and sell bonds, equities, property, and they charge a management fee to the pension funds for their service. They sometimes set up these things called benchmarks, much too complicated for me to explain here but trust there are benchmarks.
So the Asset management teams cannot trade the pension fund assets, otherwise they become trading funds and not pension funds, not allowable under Inland Revenue rules, so they bought BP years ago, maybe foresaw the problems and sold them, and have since seen the price fall substantially, but they cannot now buy them back at the lower price because the IR would say that you are trading the shares and not investing.
Same with government bonds, they invest in say a British Gilt but it is not the running yield you need to look at, it is the yield to redemption, the day on which the government will give you your capital back. The problem is that all the time, with a few exceptions, the investor buys the stock at a premium to the redemption price, usually at parity, that is you will get £100 for each £100 invested, but you might have paid £120 for each £100, so you are guaranteed to lose £20 of your capital, its a no win game, our pensions, all of them, are just so messed up. Its is unsustainable and nothing but a glorified ponzey scheme. There is soon to insufficient income to pay pensions, so the assets will soon have to be sold, to enable the pensions to be paid.
The example of the banker who was entitled to the pension of over £700,000 per annum is the tip of the iceberg, I mean, the persons getting pensions of over £30,000 per annum will still get the full state pension, this is not what pensions were designed for all those years ago. This is utter madness, and so not fair for our children, grand children, and nowadays even great grand children, who are going to have to pay through their taxes for all this. Unbelievable, the confidence trick which has been pulled, and the taxpayer of tomorrow will not be happy, not happy at all.
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Andrew,
listening to the Today programme about our retreat from Sangin. Now there was a reporter who asserted that this was not like Basra. Well actually it is worse than Basra, because this time it would seem to me that the politicians and military chiefs have more or less said that we can't have somebody like Catch saying that we are leaving with our tails between our legs, defeated by a motley crew of terrorists, or insurgents, or freedom fighters, so lets go out, do a bit of killing, getting some of our own brave and courageous boys killed, so that we can then say that the Americans are taking over an improving situation. We have fought well, we have done our bit, but now it is the time that somebody else took over, because they also will be leaving once the battle is won, like before the next presidential elections.
So please, do not insult our intelligence, this is another massive defeat, just like Basra, only this time we are not leaving the body of Baha Mousa and others behind us. for thoise who don't believe me then ask yourselves why there were so few deaths between when the election was called, and when it was held. This is a disgrace, another bitter defeat, we reinforced defeat, we were the problem and never the solution, the brave and courageous soldiers, who have kept terror off the streets of our country have been let down again, in ten years time nobody will care, only the loved ones of those who have been killed, or worse injured. Nobody will say anything though because of the contracts which have to be signed, confidentiallity agreements, you'll lose your compensation if you say anything, or why did you not speak out before. Doomed I'm afraid, so doomed.
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#246
I wish that I was a fly on the wall as the credits rolled, just to hear what Andrew was saying to the wonderful well coiffered Angela. She looked very calm under the relentless questioning of our Andrew. He was fantastic and the look on his face as Anglea just kept going on, about absolutely nothing. I think that if I was the British Bankers Association I would look again at what value they get from some spokespersons.
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Good Morning Andrew,
it seems to have taken so long but at last there is to be an inquiry into 'extra-ordinary rendition' and 'enhanced interrogation techniques' and I am so pleased that no matter how it has come about it is at last to happen. It has taken so long, and could only be authorised by a new government.
It is known that I have a very close family member who has a High Court injunction preventing him from speaking in public on these issues. I assert that if anybody should get some sort of honour, or recognition for his efforts in Iraq, and after, then it is my close family member who has 'suffered' so much, in that he had to resign from his military service for reasons that he was not a conscientous objector, but an Iraq War Resister.
The war in Iraq was illegal, and despite General Sir Mike Jackson taking his own legal advice as revealed in his book, then surely it is the military, the senior military, if it found that there is a problem, that it is not the soldiers on the ground who must take responsibility, but the officers, the commanders who must take the blame for not knowing what was being done in our name, or failing to impose sufficient discipline to prevent illegal acts, which will cost millions to correct with compensation payments.
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Andrew,
just to remind people we first went into Afghanistan in 2001, do not allow people to distract the media from our total abject failure in that country. It is Iraq which is the problem, it is the war in Iraq which has caused this. Lost in Basra, lost in Iraq, now lost in Afghanistan. All those lives destroyed, both ours and Afghan, and for what, to keep terror off the streets of our country, please, don't insult our intelligence.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
I have just read what purports to be the full text of a resent speech given to the assembly of the UN.
Is there no back that should not be patted? No head that cannot be, likewise?
As we are asked to look back over 53 years and note, from the head of a large family, that others too have been long at-it like knives. Can we but wonder at the seemingly inexhaustible supply of humanity ready to fall before the might of those who seek to do right?
As we are (again) encouraged to 'endeavour to persevere' while we work to "secure the security, prosperity and dignity of our fellow human beings."
Is there none but a variety of 'god' to call humanity to account and then only at some ever far-off time?
Is there never to be;
Disappointment?
Regret?
Atonement?
Truly, he who shall make the last bandage shall find employment making bullets.
All this that is made of she being of long-service, steeped in the ways of the world-leaders and all she can say is Well done, keep-up the 'good work'.
Alas, what else can she say when the speech begins with saying things are as they are because millions wished it that way?...
"Remarkably, many of these sweeping advances have come about not because of governments, committee resolutions, or central directives - although all these have played a part - but instead because millions of people around the world have wanted them."
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mike @ 233
"Balls is rapidly revealing himself as a third rate politician"
I'm not his biggest fan by any means but he really does seem to want the job very badly. I think one of the Milibands will end up winning with Balls a close second. He might even pull it off and then, if the Coalition collapse (got to be a chance of that), we'll have EB as our PM - say within 3 years. How does that prospect grab you?
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Andrew,
one of the best bits from PMQs was when the Speaker told Cameron not to bother to read from the book. Mind you when Cameron had his first couple of PMQs there was no leafed papers, with yellow stickers. Now, the papers are growing, given a few years I wonder how thick the aid memoirs will be, and I even more enjoyed the selective piece from Harperson with regard to Johnson, the answer was 'no' good old BBC, you have such a brilliant library of 'stuff'.
No doubt you even have a copy of the text message which I sent about the time of the original RBS rights issue where I asked about what if there was not enough money to take-up the rights, which proved correct, and also the one where I pointed out at the time of Lehmanns that we were heading for depression, which I think you will find was also quite a good scoop.
Finally, on Daily politics it was great to see Nick again, and especially with him being 'happy'. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, and Jo is a more than able assistant, she has fitted in very well, but not quite so much of the eye make-up. Can't wait for the answer to the guess the year competition.
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Andrew
I had not noticed last week, but it is a good thing that the roll call of the dead soldiers in Afghanistan has been dropped from the PMQs. It was and is totally inappropriate time and place to inform the House. Many bloggers from all sides of the political spectrum, on this and other sites are agreed on this.
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#253
I don't like Balls, I like Cooper even less, but I think that Balls will be what is needed opposite Cameron. What will do for the Milibands is one, the extra-ordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques, and for Edward, or Ed, then it will be the environment, it is not yet his time, he is the future after Balls. As for the coalition, well I won't give it long.
One reason is what is happening down here in sunny Exeter, where councillors have effectively been 'sacked' over the complete foul up over Unitary status for Exeter, and that after the visit from the reporter from the Today programme to Exeter to comment on the housing market. Brilliant, now then how can I bring in the redevelopment of Home Park Plymouth, where Argyle got relegated, only I am so sad that Michael Foot will not be alive to see our resurgence. Which politician will want to take over his mantle.
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I can hear a deafening silence from the bbc.
Not about the administrative error leading to 22 out of hundreds of schools projects cuts, the bbc commentators are quoting comments of "huge embarrasment" over that,but a deafening silence over why the previous labour government left nothing in the cupboard but hundreds of billions of pounds worth of IOUs.
Maybe the bbc has realised it was resposible for promoting the election of a barrow load of squealing international socialists and incompetent ones at that.
You don't need much intelligence to throw money at the public sector for thirteen years
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I believe that Balls means to have 'the job' regardless of anyone else running for it.
His enthusiasm for himself goes beyond the bounds of policies - you will agree with me - I will shout you down - I will contradict everything you say regardless whether it's relevant or not!
What am I saying - I'm not interested in this 'race' - but I would rather not see a caricature of a 'snarling dog' as the leader of the opposition.
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#253 saga
Balls as PM in 3 years is not an attractive proposition, but I can't believe he'll ever get the leadership - he's neither popular enough nor flexible enough. And I doubt whether he's competent enough. But you're right - he certainly wants the job, and he's a schemer.
The coalition might well founder after a 'No' vote on AV, but it would be up to the activists and party members. I suspect that those Lib-Dems in government would try to hang on - just for the experience!
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256
I find balls obnoxious beyond belief. But if he were to become leader of the PLP it would be a godsend to the right wing blogosphere. At the recent GE his once solid majority was shaved to wafer thin partly due to labour doing badly but also due to the huge amount of material on the web that shows Balls unfavourably.
At Oxford Uni he was a Young Conservative, and at one party was pictured dressed up as a Nazi SS officer. His friendship with Damien McBride will also alienate voters. It is no surprise that the likes of Guido fawkes want Balls to win the leadership of the Labour party. But what I have seen of balls is one dimension.
He is good at shouting back but can he do sensible debate? Interviews with Balls plus A.N.Other Tory or Lib dem frequently descend into farce and anarchy with interviewers opting to curtail the chaos. This one area of politics that the public detest more than any other apart from over claiming on expenses.
My tuppence worth says Darling would have been a very effective leader as most in the party would gather round him, but Balls is very divisive in the Brown mould and he has many enemies and not just the Blarites. What labour need to do and there is no indication that this is imminent is define their identity - fairness for all is simply an empty platitude which most see as meaningless or political rhetoric.
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209 Gomer
There you are - welcome back and you seem to have been having a fun time bashing away at the NHS! It has gone the way of all things I am afraid - so intent on how good they are they forged ahead and forgot the patients.
I think I have mentioned before - if it's imperative you get the right diagnosis - go private and see what they say - first consultation does not cost a lot.
I heard on Radio 4 the other day that The Trafford General Hospital in Manchester will be the first Hospital in England to scrap car parking charges. It was suggested in this report that it would probably encourage patients to opt to be treated at this Hospital rather than another one. Strange thought, it's possible I suppose but I can't help feeling 'treatment' must have some play in choice.
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Andrew,
so Fox thinks that to describe the British handover to the Americans as a retreat is contemptible. Well sorry Fox but it is a retreat, and what is truly contemptible is that there was one death on the 7th April, that there was one on the 2nd may, and there were two on the 3rd May. Now you or anybody else tell me when the election was called, and when it was held, and Fox, you try to explain to me why there were no deaths between the 7th April, and the 2nd May, not surely because the military confined soldiers to barracks during the election period. There have been so many deaths since the election, but what was going on.
Why during the election were the foreign correspondents unembedded under orders from the British. So Fox and others do not dare to call me contemptible, because there has been no justification for all the deaths, on all sides. Just retreat, get out, just like we left Basra with our tails between our legs, and having treated the Iraq people like low life, just ask the relatives of Baha Mousa what they think of the British invasion of their country.
As for Afghanistan, just tell me why there were so few deaths from 2001 and 2004, surely not because the government was too interested in Iraq to worry about Afghanistan, angry, you bet I am, and they are all as bad as each other, the pathetic contemptible politicians. How dare they, mind you they probably still think that we can now call them the old contemptibles, just like in 1914! Over by christmas they said, only they never said which one.
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ECB,
"But if he were to become leader of the PLP it would be a godsend to the right wing blogosphere."
Yes, for sure. He does have a certain presence though. You can go a long way with that in politics.
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Andrew,
I have said before about the six wonderful High sc
hools we have down here in Exeter, all built under PFI, and mostly funded by people outside of Exeter. Thank you all and sundry.
There is a problem though, because what have other MPs been doing whilst our MP got this scheme through. For all of his faults, and problems, I have to admit that our MP Ben Bradshaw was instrumental in getting the Met Office down to Exeter, and was very influential in getting the six new High schools, with their specialisms, and for that we have to be eternally grateful.
Consider what other MPs have been doing whilst Bradshaw did such a fantastic job, do they have the new schools, the improved facilities for the young people in their constituency, it would appear not. Exeter has a thriving independent school system, and the public schools, and now with the improvements to our education system down here what sort of idiot would send their child, at massive expense, to an independent school, when the public schools do it 'for free'.
I have to throw a question into the ring because there is something I don't understand. Who trains the teachers who now teach in the independent sector, who pays for teachers at Eaton and Harrow to be trained, how do they acquire the skills to teach the rich kids, surely not the taxpayer, surely we don't allow the best to be trained at taxpayers expense, and then work in the private sector.
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#264
Isn't nearly everyone educated and trained at taxpayers' expense (more or less, except for the debts they might incur at university or training college), whether they go into the public or the private sector?
Doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, lecturers, scientists, etc, etc might all work for private companies or in public services.
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Andrew
I see that Barcelona FC could not pay its wage bill last month. They have a deal with the local Catalan TV station that pays them commercial rights, but The TV station is in difficulties so no money was transacted. Only Barcelona FC indulged in Fantasy Accounting and posted a healthy profit as if the monies had been received. But this is not a problem only confined to Spain. Last year a UK national house building company revalued upwards its work in progress housing stock (when house prices were falling) in order to make a profit. This is not accountancy as practised over a decade ago, it is alchemy.
Not all firms indulge in these shenanigans but the question is why is it allowed? The change in culture is dubious in its legality and surely immoral. I am old enough to remember visits by external auditors reducing grown men to tears. Yet when at HBOS (before their spectacular fall from grace) the auditors assumed that as a profit had been posted all was hunky dory. It was just an informal chat and perhaps some business could be put to some of their management consultants? Rigorous audits? No chance!
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263
In that case why ditch Brown? Unquestionably he has presence.
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#265
But surely if somebody wants to work in the private sector, then the private sector must pay for them, why should I an impoverished poor almost destitute pensioner pay for a teacher to be trianed to educate my children, and grand children, only for that person then not work in the public sector, but teach rich kids. Surely they should repay all of the public money spent on them!
Is that not one of the problems that there is massive subsidy of the private sector by the taxpayer, we have never really lived in a free market economy, we have never really had a capitalist society, or any laissez faire economy. Maybe it is about time that we did.
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#268
It's misleading to say that there is a massive subsidy of the private sector by the taxpayer. Most of the taxpayers work in the private sector - and it's the taxpayers who pay for those in the public sector. It's the private sector that provides most of the national income.
Regarding teachers, as I said earlier, there are other professions/occupations that fall into the same category as teachers working in the private sector. It would be unworkable to start putting limits on their free choices - and there would be a counter-argument for rebates for those paying taxes for services they didn't use.
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On the question of who educates the teachers who teach the rich - surely it's the way that annoys us most - the rich educate the rich.
If you can afford to send little Henry or Seraphina to private schools then they will eventually go off to Oxford or wherever and graduate on and some will eventually end up teaching other rich kids.
I am not sure that it works the other way. Children from the Comprehensive may well end up teaching but wont get positions in private schools - or maybe I am wrong. It was ever the way as regards employment there is still the culture of - but who are your parents, where were they educated.
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#270
I don't think you'll find all that many Oxbridge-educated teachers in private schools. They can do better financially in other occupations - such as in parliament, sometimes as a hobby afer building up a nest egg in the City. Most of those on both front benches seem to originate from Oxbridge, so I assume it's the combination of power and money that attracts them.
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ECB @ 267
Well Nick Clegg got rid of Brown, didn't he? Him plus the electorate.
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Japan 270
Is it the teachers or is it the ethos of the schools that breed supremely confident individuals, with excellent communication skills?
Put an average teacher in that environment and they would flourish.
I cannot remember off hand but I am sure one of the public schools has a headmaster from an ordinary background.
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271 mike-jay and 273 menin
You may well be right - points taken.
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Darn repeats...
1. At 10:46am on 08 Jun 2010, you wrote:
Well, a month is a long time in politics.
As can be the interval of its reporting.
Darn cuts.
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Andrew,
I see that the government seems to think that it might be better to allow occupational pension schemes to link the rate of increase in pensions to be linked to the CPI rather than the CPI. This change must be resisted, it would be a disgrace to all pensioners to have this change imposed on them.
One of the reasons why many pensioners accepted the change to their collection system for pensions to be changed from receiving their pension over the counter at the Post Office to automatic crediting of their bank account was because they began to realise that the amount of their pensions was beginning to be aproblem. Many of these so called impoverished pensioners actually are very wealthy, and they have gotten out of the system far more than they ever put in. They have been living off the backs of the workers for too long, it is about time that there was a way of limiting their income to no more than they put in, they have been living off my, and others taxes.
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It was a badly thought out idea from the very beginning anyway - a big con with no safeguards written in! How the dickens could anyone, with any finacial 'nous', have devised a situation which took no account of the inevitable changes looming in a recovering nation?
Don't suppose anyone tried to 'opt out' though! Moan at the things which went wrong, yes - but tackle it? Not Likely.
However many of us are "very wealthy" (some amazing number living on your and my taxes?) most of us who were there, at the beginning, were well aware of the consequences and have taken steps, in the manner of our lifestyle, to ensure we didn't face relying on this system to take care of us in our old age. In other words we didn't spend every penny as it came in. We took any job until we could find one better and brought our children up to feel, as we did, that debt is not a good thing. If you did borrow you did so only at a level you knew you could support. You did not believe that anyone else owed you a living.
We are living longer - but we were abstemious, generally healthier, the bulk of us paid each and every tax required and we were the workers (from age 15 to 62 yrs for me) whose backs were lived on!
Good luck, say I, to any of those "very wealthy" of my age - I would also say that those are likely to be the ones who would moan less if their income were taxed/limited. We are the ones who were proud of this country, with all it's, well aired numerous, faults and will take what is needed to get it back on it's feet again.
Sorry if that evolved into something near a 'rant' but we all had grandparents and many of us are fearful for our grandchildren and are prepared to help them as much as possible too!
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Andrew,
I will accept any transfer of my pension being linked to the CPI on a couple of conditions. That with immediate effect the Office for National Statistics drops even calculating the RPI, there is no point in it at all, and as nothing will be linked to it there will be no purpose for calculating it.
Some may say that RPI is used to calculate the returns on Index-Linked Gilts. What I say is that the Bank of England must link Index-Linked Gilts to the CPI, and not the RPI. I do not care how foreign investors will feel, but I don't care any more, link everything to CPI, nothing to be linked to RPI. Now it could be that this should come into effect on the 6th April 2014, and I will explain why.
The NHS came into effect I think on the 5th July 1948 as a result of the NHS Act 1946. Now why therefore 6th April 2014, because nine months after the 5th July 1948 there was the beginning of the tax year 6th April 1949, and accordingly the government, any government, could say that the tax year beginning 6th April 1949 was the real beginning of the NHS, and all benefits which really followed on from that date would be that everybody knew that there was something new, a whole new way of life. From my argument earlier it can be seen that 6th April 2014 is the 65th anniversary of the real NHS, the pensions system must relate to that date for changes to the pensions system, everything.
Oh, by the way I was born on the 7th April 1949, and therefore was conceived almost to the day when the NHS was 'born', but our civil service, our system worked on the basis that the 5th July 1948 the NHS was not really born, but it was actually the conception date, with the 6th April 1949, the new tax year, when the real beneficiaries of the NHS came into the world. My parents really knew how to celebrate the NHS, and there really must be a serious national debate before pension schemes are allowed to change from the RPI to the CPI. To help those who can no longer do the maths, 6th April 2014 is 65 years after 6th April 1949, the pension age at the time that I have always worked to is 65 years.
The politicians had better be very careful before upsetting those born on or after the 6th April 1949, because this one person at least is not like anyone who came before, I no longer accept that it was always like this, it is the way things are done, well no they are not, upset me at your peril, and somehow I don't think that I will be alone.
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#277
The trouble is for many of our generation we also benefited from quite massive tax benefits, for example people bought thier homes alright, but with the benefit of Mortgage Interest Relief at Source 'MIRAS' where the state, the taxpayer helped offset the real cost. The same with Endowment Policies, again there was tax relief on the method by which many funded the purchase of their home. It is the same for Pensions, where there were quite exceptional tax allowances, and still are. What is disgusting is that some were going to be drawing 'pensions' of over £500,000 a year, which I am afraid to this 'socialist' is not what pensions were meant to result in. Neither was it intended to fund lavish lifestyles for public 'servants' or nor civil 'servants'. We have now got to where we were always going to end-up, as serfs again, we were on the road to serfdom, and we will soon reach our destination, a bit like a wagon train in the American West! Not quite where we intended, and it is definitely not a promised land.
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C2 you've lost it again. Of course you get more out of a pension than you put in. The money's invested so it grows over time, and hopefully will give you enough to live on. And, the company makes seperate employERS contribution, and may have also put in a pot of ££.
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Leuctrid,
sorry but I think that your assertion is incorrect. Try telling that to the pension fun managers who invested in the dot com bubble, or even BP. Try telling that to the 'investors' in War Loan. As for getting more out of a pension than you put in, please, it relies on the ponzi scheme that I have referred to many times in the past, it actually relies on many people contributing, and many dying before they 'collect'. Pensions, like insurance, and endowment policies are morally unaccptable insomuch that they rely on people dying, so that you benefit.
As for me I decided long ago to take my pension early on the basis that I looked at life expectancy. I worked for the firm I worked for, for twenty one years. I have been receiving a pension for over 11 years, and I expect to live until let us say until I am eighty, or even later. So, the company will pay me more in pension, than I actually 'earned' whilst working for them. This is of course the economics of the mad house.
However, my father served his country with honour and distinction, and was rewarded with an MBE, and do you know what, he died in the ambulance bringing him home from hospital, and I learnt a lesson about the 'they' who rule us, 'they' seriously don't really care, 'they' will send soldiers to their deaths in foreign lands for what exactly, so that 'they' can write their memoirs, exploit the pain and suffering of others, so I don't think that I have 'lost it again' I think that it is the lunatics who have taken over the asylum who have lost it, they don't get it, we are on the eve of destruction, it is our Titanic moment, unsinkable, we are all going down Leuctrid, and all will soon be lost. Not even Andrew can save us from our destiny.
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C2 - Now you're being ridiculous. Of course Andrew can save us from our destiny, oh ye of little faith. Why, the great man decides it in the first place!
I was going to say something about the corrugated ship and the Red Bishop, but I won't.
I'll get back to pensions later.
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C2 - The thing is you might be on a finally salary pension and if that doesn't increase the inflaion will erode it's value over time, and you will eventually notice that if there is a period of high inflation and/or depending on starting size of pension. It isn't dependant on your death at all, it is dependant on investment returns, a bouyant stockmarket etc which should outstrip inflation. The pension funds were getting into difficulties due to low dividends AND low savings rates. If YM93 had any savings she would know this, and talks rubbish.
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Good Morning Andrew, and Leuctrid,
the government wants to sort out the 'unfairness' of Equitable Life with its guarantees, and yet now seems to want to allow pension schemes to amend their 'guarantees' of the link to the RPI. Now what must be understood about Equitable Life is that it was the court ruling that Equitable must meet its guarantees which pushed it into serious financial problems. Now then MPs used to have a lot of their pensions with the Equitable, and many do not know that it was only a matter of days before the court decision that the MPs managed to transfer their investments from Equitable to an alternative provider, funny one that. However, when investigated there was not found to be any problem, you know no insider information or any of that stuff, and that the decision to switch was purely incidental.
Now I do not want any experts to come on to the BBC saying that we should accept the dropping of the link to RPI because, well, we all have to tighten our belts and all that, and it is in the long term interests of the country, and that we are all in this together. All those making any comments must declare an interest, to explain how they are effected, what scheme they are under, and that they will or won't be effected, will they benefit from special provisions or that because they will be on a pension of x amount the real provisions will not have the same impact as somebody on the lesser y amount.
What many do not understand is the effect of going into the Euro would have had. Think of it like this, and take an extreme example. The Euro at 2 Euro to the pound, you receive a pension of £10,000 per annum, on conversion you would have got Euro 20,000. At one Euro to the pound you would have got Euro 10,000 per annum, so a terrible decision.
However, if you were a debtor, then your debt would have been so much better at the lower rate. I think that eventually we will go into the Euro, and that for those with a positive bank balance the decision will be terrible, for the country as well, whereas for a debtor, a debtor country, or individual then the lower the rate the better. Now which country has massive debts, which country has massive personal debt, yes my friends, I firmly believe that in the long run, this country will go into the Euro, it will be for our children and grandchildren that this will happen, maybe not in my lifetime, but it will happen.
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catch22, leuctrid
Surely the decision on whether the RPI or CPI is used rests with the Office of Budget of Responsibility? Secondly a review of the baskets of commodities/services that makes up said index, should be undertaken. I seem to remember that Chancellor Brown removed some items from the basket of goods that calculates the index earlier this century, so it may not be at all representative anymore.
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284
We may end up in the Euro, but you have forgotten the big and very real possibility of the Euro collapsing entirely. Most Germans now think that the whole project is a mistake and the French are not far behind. The problems with the PIGS nations are vast, not least the very high unemployment rates and debt levels.
Business in Spain is very insular so the old adage "do not put all your eggs in the one basket" has not been applied. So for example a lot of Spanish investment in the UK buying British firms is made possible by huge loans by Spanish banks. If these banks have reinsured with the rest of the world's banking system, then fine but I suspect not. If the accounting fiddles that I wrote about Barcelona FC yesterday are more widespread then there is trouble ahead.
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#286 ECB
As you say, total collapse of the euro is a real possibility - thankfully there is no likelihood of us joining in the term of this parliament.
But it was never a rational economic decision to create the euro, the national economies are too unbalanced for that. It is purely a political currency, never liked by the Germans, and the only way it can survive is by total political integration. In that case, Germany, and possibly France, would be pulling all the strings and dictating economic policy and actions to the weaker states.
However, there is so much economic diversity that it is doubtful whether Germany would want to risk taking that responsibility. We shall see.
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Andrew
On a lighter note the Phsychic octopus at a German sea life zoo which has correctly predicted all Germany's football matches in the World Cup took just 3 minutes to pick Spain as Sunday's winners. However it has never predicted a match outcome that did not involve Germany.
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C4 & Leuc (279 & 283)
I was born in May 1930 and had a few years at work before the NHS was 'invented'. Being female my chance of an income on which I could live and save was exceedingly small. I had turned 50 before I was even allowed to join a pension fund, contribuary or not. My salvation was a small profit following self employment which provided the deposit for our very small house. My salary could not be taken into account to service this mortgage in those days, just as well perhaps as our three children were born after a couple of years.
My husband had looked for and found work with better prospects so I did not go back to work until 3yrs after his promotion had required a move to another part of the country. Very few of the benefits you enjoyed in your age group made any difference to us, I was not allowed any pension credits for the time away from work to bring up our children. My state pension was less than half the basic as my return to, low paid, work made it impossible for me to pay the full 'stamp'. When I achieved better positions (no pension plan, of course, as yet) our children were at Uni and £1 was taken toward their education for every £2 I earned above a basic amount. We had also moved twice in the intervening period. Savings - you must be joking!
The last blow was when my contracted retirement agreement - at 60yrs, following 25 yrs in the same employment - was changed to 65yrs as the trade union pressed for women to be allowed the right to retire at the same age as men. Also new employees gained the right to a month of leave on acceptance - it took me ten years to 'earn' that amount!! When I decided to retire at 62yrs my pension was actuarily reduced as I was deemed to have taken early retirement. The other item was the change in pension conditions - mine had been final salary but this had changed to an average over the last 3yrs. As it happened I had earned an upgrade six months previously which helped a bit.
So, basically, your generation won hands down. My state pension is now a full one, following the death of my husband and I have the benefit of AA due to being incapacitated by a 'routine' hip replacement. I need a car (learned to drive when I was 69 - our first car by the way - but because I was not on benefit until I was 75 I am not eligible for 'mobility allowance'. If my M reg car quits I shall not be able to replace it. What little 'savings' I manage are in an ISA - not much 'profit there!
No-one has been encouraged to follow the course I outlined in my last message and most do not realise - or want to know, where we are headed. The howls will reach to the skies soon and it will take some extremely brave moves by the present government to make any progress. Everything is lined up against them with no regard about whether their policies are neccessary, right or wrong but just because they are WHO they are!
'Everybody a university education'? - like the rest of the rubbish promoted this last decade. It will take a long time for the envious to realise that there are many more occupations of greater importance than a 'university education' is likely to offer.
Hope I live to see the change!
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Good Morning Andrew,
as is well known I live in the wonderful City of Exeter, with its almost new High Schools and almost new shopping Mall, Princesshay. Well my point is that it is exposed to in part to the elements, covered but with no serious attempt to make it sealed.
Now my point is that because the shops want to be welcoming, and easy access, they keep their doors open almost of the time, in all weather conditions. This is terrible for the environment, air being warmed in winter, and cooled in winter, and the shopper pays for it through higher prices. There really must be some sort of bye law passed because this is just so not green.
Others throughout the country must have similar epxperience of their new shopping mall, and they cannot 'blame' access for the disabled because all this was designed and built when the new laws had come into play. Same with smoking, they didn't close it off because otherwise they would not have been allowed to have the restaurants with outside smoking areas.
The worst 'crime' though was siting the new Post Office on the first floor of a building, albeit with up escalator, and a small lift. How many others see this going on around them all the time.
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Andrew,
we are so lucky yo have an independent press. Today one of the heavy weights is reporting at last on the shocking policy being followed in Afghanistan of training the army and police, to enable us to retreat with our heads held high, and our military having done a magnificent job what with our brave and courageous soldiers having done their job brilliantly.
I have been saying for some time what a shocking situation has been allowed to develope, only now there is independent evidence to support what could be seen by others as just assertions. Well Andrew, I think that at the time of Panthers Claw last year I was in the vanguard of asking where were the Afghans whilst we suffered such terrible losses. Now we are at last being told, only the messengers are being shot, with every body being brought to Wooton Basset a reminder as to how the policy has failed.
The coalition is in just as bad a situation as the previous labour government over Afghanistan, it is without end, and has abjectly failed in keeping terror off the streets of our country. It is time to overthrow Quizling Karzai, we are a force of occupation, but without any legitimacy, and we still can't track down bin Laden!
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Andrew,
I am becoming more concerned the more I am seeing and hearing over the Moat 'incident'. What sort of country are we in, bringing over armoured vehicles from Northern Ireland, massive numbers of armed police very aggressive armed police, what seems like hundreds of Volvo and BMW police vehicles. Police officers being transferred from the Met, with their specialist gun training, with snipers hidden in the grass, you would think that they were in Afghanistan. In fact why aren't they in Afghanistan, we seem to terrorise the people of our country with what seems to be a national 'security' force, ready and armed to be sent to any part of the country in the event of any terrorist activity.
If I was Taliban looking at those pictures I would think to myself I think I will stay in my country rather than go to your country, the police look pretty dangerous to me. We also have the example of Mr de Menezes to see what happens to anybody who even looks as though they may be 'a threat' shot six times in the head with illegal dum-dum bullets.
I think that all the trouble over Moat has eneabled the Home Office to effectively hold a massive exercise in anti-terror, and where ahs Ms May been during all this, I mean you can imagine what Churchill would have done, been on the scene, directing operations, maybe a bit too risky nowadays. We can however support our brave and courageous police, just like our army, very brave and courageous, all of them.
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292
Ironic that it was a member of the public spotting him that led to the inevitable conclusion.
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Andrew,
as is well known some of us take an interest in what is really happenin g over the pond. Today I have received my latest update from the Boston Globe, and here is what they are talking about today:
'This week, with unemployment still at its highest level in more than a quarter-century and hiring down to a crawl, the US Senate will try again to break a stalemate over extending through Nov. 30 the emergency benefits that allowed unemployed workers to collect for up to 99 weeks. The legislation has become tied up in deficit politics, with Republicans, including Senator Scott Brown, insisting that the $33 billion cost of the extension not be added to the nation’s burgeoning debt. Brown has proposed legislation that he says would pay for the benefits with unspent stimulus funds'.
Now I know that it is a fairly long extract but it indicates quite succintley what is happening with regard to the unemployed. I think that the same is happening over here. However, what people also are not focusing on is the possible decision to allow firms to link pensions to the CPI rather than the CPI, people have worked for long periods of their life, and then this, whole generations are being cheated.
We are actually going to be in a worse depression than many realise, it will be fine for the employed, but even they won't be employed for ever, there will soon be the knock on the door. I am listening to Radio 5 and somebody is talking about Roosevelt and the new deal, it really didn't work, America went back into the depression and was only 'saved' by the second Great War.
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282 and 293
I thought I was watching the annual convention of the National Rifle Association: the pro gun lobby group in the USA!
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Good morning each & Andrew.
Perhaps we shall get a blog on the subject of our kill or be killed Britain of today.
I cannot bring myself to join-in this festival of carnage; real and imagined.
Frankly; if this loon was indeed our "most wanted" we live in la-la-land.
I did not know what a 'pot-boiler' was until Spike Milligan wrote his book, but nowadays with this morning's tabloid TV toss-pots keeping us all under our beds there is no way to go but down.
Those who live by the gun should be free to perish by the gun. It is we who live otherwise that shall exist for nothing more than target practice.
Given what has come to a head in California this week we too are being pushed and cajoled into mute acquiescence of our new station as mere potential target.
As things stand the police can [and have done] sneak up on a person, shoot them dead in the back of the head and be praised for their bravery.
Little wonder here in London they want to get the chewing-gum of the streets...to make way for the dead bystanders no doubt.
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I wonder what the coalition government is going to do about this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1293730/Somali-asylum-seeker-family-given-2m-house--complaining-5-bed-London-home-poor-area.html
What really annoys me is that the house was being advertised for rent at GBP 1,050 per week and had not been taken up. The agreed price is GBP 950 a week higher. Why? If anytghing it should be less as there no takers at the advertised price. The company that owns it has a registered office in Liechenstein (so at least a non dom paying little UK taxes) - this is a state handout to make the rich richer.
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Before the election you couldn't switch on the TV without seeing Lord Mandelson campaigning in his inimitable way. And now we are being similarly bombarded with the unappealing sight of Lord Prescott ranting and raving, closely followed by Ken Livingstone, failed mayoral candidate.
Can't the BBC do better that this - maybe by interviewing some go-ahead people with interesting new ideas and some prospects for the future?
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@298 mike-jay
Well said that man!
I have discovered one person who does have something worthwhile to say.
He is the winner of letter of the week in the NewStatesman of July 5th. One David (E?) Clarke of London N4.
One of his previous gems, again on the subject of democracy, can be read via this link...
http://www.newstatesman.com/2010/05/election-happen-british
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#299
I don't think that I can agree with your assertion that you have discovered one person who does have something worthwhile to say. There many contributing to Andrew's blog who have something worthwhile to say, even yourself, and as for yours truly, well I leave that to others to judge.
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298 MJ
In fairness to Mandy he was doing his best to gee up a party that had given up - a bit like Heseltine in 97. I may dislike the chap intensely but I would credit Mandelson with being one of the most effective political operators of his time.
Blair was only good when he had Mandy or Campbell as backup - he was far more error prone without them.
Also in defence of Prescott [who again I don't particularly like] - one can accuse him of hypocrisy by going to the Lords but he is more worthy of being there given his history of union and political service than many.
I don’t accuse you of this but there is an air of superiority and snobbishness in many of the jibes against Prescott. That said I am not a fan.
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298. At 2:26pm on 11 Jul 2010, mike-jay wrote:
Can't the BBC do better that this - maybe by interviewing some go-ahead people with interesting new ideas and some prospects for the future?
http://www.catchwordbranding.com/catchthis/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/flying-pig.jpg
As opposed to, currently...
http://www.funbumperstickers.com/images/flying_dinosaur2.jpg
It's is a post about 'the same old...' after all:)
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301. meninwhitecoats
Prezza beat the system, only problem is when you spend years castigating a system and then join it, your credibility is diminished.
Can Prescott ever be taken seriously if he talks about electoral reform, or is he likely to vote himself out of a title?
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@303
Hard to defend him against the charge of hypocrisy but it typifies the man.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
#301 menin
I was simply making the point that a small number of people get excessive media exposure to peddle the same old predictable messages. And I think the descriptions of Mandy's and Prezza's modes of delivery were reasonable without being condescending or particularly insulting.
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Andrew
I am surprised (or maybe not) that the Lord Mandelson has omitted this little episode from his new book:
http://www.tpuc.org/node/34
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Andrew,
it is about time that a boil was lanced over the Dunblane massacre.
It is a fact that Thomas Hamilton killed 16 chlidren and one teacher with a gun. We have even had a similar situation where a man killed adults in our country, randomly bringing terror to the streets of our country. We have had Moat allegedly killing one man, and injuring a former girl friend, and a police man.
So, returning to Hamilton, was Lord Robertson a referee on the shotgun licence granted to Hamilton. If he was or was not is not important, it would be a matter of fact, there is absolutely nothing wrong, or criminal in being a referee on such a licence, so a simple answer to a question, who were the referees on Thomas Hamilton's licence.
Is it true that the Sunday Times has an FBI list of labour MPs who have used credit cards to pay for access to internet child pornography. Now I ask this question simply on the basis that it seems to be government policy, both this government and the last one, to give access to everybody to the internet, and people need to know what the internet has been used for.
Finally, is it true that Blair has even gone so far as to put a D-Notice on any publication of details of any paedophile rings operating in this country of ours.
I know, and to a certain degree can understand why there is an injunction against a close family member of mine on the grounds of breach of contract over Iraq, and also why there is an injunction preventing publication of details of a case brought against six SAS operatives. However, with the latest changes to the laws in respect of defamation I would hope that some senior individuals are not hiding from their just deserts by the use of D-Notices, and High Court injunctions.
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Andrew,
apparently the economy did grow by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2010. However, what really must be understood is that the increase was effectively down to 0.4% of the 0.3% being government spending. So, the economy grew, but not the real economy. Also I bet that there was the oldest trick in the book about bringing forward spending from the next year into this year. If this had been done by a private company then I am certain that the directors would even now be being investigated by the FSA.
One of the oldest tricks in the book was for a company to make a 'sale' on the 31st December so that they could include it in their profits figures for the year end, and then for the 'sale' to be cancelled on the 2nd January. Therefore they would say that they had made profits when they hadn't. It is no wonder that labour is actually glad that it lost the election, I mean fancy having to try to sort the economic mess out.
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Join the Euro?? I expect it'll be floated on the Stock Exchange like everything else nobody knows what to do with.
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Good Morning Andrew,
I see that my earlier posting #308 is causing your lawyers some serious trouble. I like it because I can even now imagine the lawyers wondering how exactly can we find a way either to disallow it, or allow it. I think that that there must be a full inquiry into the continued use of D-Notices. Did Blair use D-Notice to prevent this issue coming into the public domain, I think we really ought to be told because it must surely undermine all trust in government.
It is the same with the famous England player, now I am no conspiracy theorist but it is brilliant to see in the media failed England players being photographed with their wonderful exotic wife enjoying themselves, shrugging off the vigours of their exertions on the football pitches of South Africa. In the meantime appalling stories circulate around the net concerning love children, affairs, and all that sort of stuff, because surely the internet has seriously opened the box, pandorra must be smiling.
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Andrew,
there is much talk about the impending withdrawal from Afghanistan of NATO troops, and I would ask that people do not forget that we really have been there since 2001, despite what some might want to say. Now I always went on the basis that the reason why we really went into Afghanistan was to kill bin Laden, and there is evidence that it would have been possible in the early period of the occupation.
Now it suits some to say that we are there for democracy, for women, for the security of our country, to keep terror off our streets. I say think of it as a job, the military is no longer about serving Queen and country, it is simply a job, which enables the companies supplying the arms to profit from war. Afghanistan is finished, it has corrupted us, just as it was, and is a corrupt country.
If somebody could take the head of bin Laden to America to stick on a pole outside the UN building then the occupation would be over, just like that.
Consider this, and some may well have to think outside the box, but I always thought that Russia would never leave Germany until the last Nazi prisoner died, or was killed. There is still much which needs to be investigated surrounding the death of Rudolph Hess, the last Nazi prisoner held in Spandau prison. It suited some that he died, it enabled the prison to be closed, and eventually demolished, and the Russians could then start the process of withdrawal, and getting well remunerated for their withdrawal without a shot being fired in anger. The West Germans paid their gold for the release of East Germany, and their economy is still paying for it.
So, just find and kill bin Laden, and then we can bring all the boys home. Where were the terrorists who brought down the planes on 7/7 trained, not only were they mostly Saudi, they were not only trained in America, but also Germany. We really must be told how many we are killing in Afghanistan, we surely must be killing some of them, or are we just letting them kill us. I will never forget, or forgive, Harry for his 'we do bad things to bad people' that was a propaganda coup for the enemy, whoever that might be.
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297#
Its one way of looking at it, ECB... the crazy situation with Choice Based Lettings that NL introduced. Personally, I'd have thought if you'd have arrived here as an Asylum seeker that the London Borough of Brent, compared to downtown Mogadishu would have been like going from the Bronx to Malibu Beach.
Evidently not. The person concerned turned his nose up at it and said it wasnt good enough! Its an absolutely insane situation.
I'd like to think that had the conservatives got an outright majority that this type of thing would have been the first for the chopping block. However, under the more liberal Cameron regime and as a coalition partner, I cant see it being done away with in the next five years at least. And, if Cameron does successfully use this parliament to try and purge the old guard on the right, it probably wont happen after that either.
So what, some may say, particularly those on the left.
Well, on R4 this morning it was mentioned about there being a study reporting today on the predictions for immigration over the next 20 years. The ethnic minorities are expected within 20 years to make up 20% of the national population. Not a bad thing in itself, I readily admit, but what did concern me was that it was predicting a UK population size of 78 Million. Thats horrifying.
We're somewhere in the low to mid 60-millions at the moment and housing, infrastructure, transport, health, pensions and social security are creaking and groaning already, oh and thanks to Brown and Co, we're skint. The prospect of even more people settling in the UK without very serious, very radical changes to the way people are housed, educated, transported, fed and cared for is alarming to put it politely.
Certainly, things like this type of choice based lettings to provide social housing is completely unsustainable going forward. But no-one gives a damn, no-one will speak up about it.
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311#
You lit a bit of a fire under someone did you Taggy?
Given the fun and games going on over in Robinson-land... sheesh, I'm not even going to go there. Madness.
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#314
I very rarely go to Robinson land, Andrews blog is the best kept secret on the blogoshere. It is here that there is serious comment, with the odd curve ball sent in. Now I don't know how but there are some commentators who are setting a new standard, with a little help from their 'friends'. We need the forum which Andrew and his moderators allow, we can ask the questions, or make the points, which others then pick up and run with. I saw this with reference to the Angela Knight interview, and I had even noticed it last year with Andrew Marr. Now he interviewed a former chairman of Lloyds bank, and we were fed an awful load of guff, and it was here that I was allowed to ask the question, well how much does this person get, in pensions, and share options, how much! Well now people are beginning to ask the questions of eduction in our country. I am sorry but it has gone bananas. The teacher, whether a head or not, on the sorts of money now in the media is totally unaccpetable. Nobody seems to have picked up on the ONS where the economy grew by 0.3% in the first quarter, but that government spending accounted for 0.4% of that increase. Well in that case the 'real' economy actually contracted, as it will continue to do.
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312
Ah yes Rudolf Hess. Those days cover ups were all the rage although D Notices were limited to 30 years but these days of course "if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear" so DA Notices can be 100 years in duration.
But back to Hess, the alacrity to which MI5/6 reacted to his death in organising and carrying out a cremation of his body hours after death was quite remarkable. It was outrageous that the Hess family wanted to carry out an autopsy and compare dental records. I mean what were they thinking of? Cover up, what cover up?
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315#
I hear you, mate. Loud and clear.
Mind you I think I may have precipitated the latest Robinson shutdown this morning after a very heated run-in with the BBC's Central Communities Team yesterday about moderation policy and things being decreed as "off topic"... I asked the question this morning that as even Nick himself had apologised in advance for what is going to be a month of "sporadic blogging", how on earth could they possibly control the inevitable thread drift when the news is constantly changing and the blog is not?
The answer, is perfectly simple and occurred to me the moment I pressed the Post Comment button, as was itself realised within 15 minutes....
... Shut the blog down.
Ho hum.
meanwhile, with regard to your comment: "I say think of it as a job, the military is no longer about serving Queen and country, it is simply a job, which enables the companies supplying the arms to profit from war."
I'm afraid so. Occurred to me a couple of years ago and I'm inclined to think it is increasingly true these days, sadly.
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313
Over the last few months population and growth projections have popped up now and again in various media outlets and the one figure that oscillates quite wildly is the baseline figure: UK's current population. It is widely acknowledged that the last census underestimated the number as many immigrants as well as native inhabitants did not complete the forms or information was incomplete. But the fact remains that the factual figure is re-interpreted as to suit the agenda in the MSM.
The supermarket chains got together and calculated that taking into account rising obesity levels that the food consumption levels implied a population of between 70 and 75 million people living in the UK currently. Unlike the other EU countries we do not count people in and count them out at our border crossings so at a national level we have absolutely no idea if levels are rising, static or going down. Anecdotally the latter may be discounted.
The infrastructure issue is worrying in that the migrant chooses where to settle so how can any government plan for the future? The EU migrants are actually spread pretty much round the whole country, but the non EU migrants tend to stay together. Chesham, a small town in the Chilterns has a fair number of Afghans for some reason. Pleasant people, they keep to themselves but they do not speak any English so I cannot tell if they enjoy living here or not.
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318#
I lived in Chesham myself between 2004-7.. Not a bad little place except for the complete absence of a Freeview signal.
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Andrew
Is it only me that finds the term "friendly fire" so grossly insensitive? An Afghan soldier has just killed three members of ISAF, two of whom are believed to be British. Are the Afghans really our friends?
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Andrew,
the news is breaking of the three soldiers killed in Afghanistan. We do not yet know the actual details but ut is illuminiating that Quizling Karzai has apologised so I think most individuals can work out what has happened.
In the same way that our soldiers signed up to defend their Queen and country, and take an oath of allegiance, so the same with the Afghan army. I consider that I am being completely consistent but the situation in that country is now totally unacceptable.
How on earth can one of our soldiers now go out on patrol with a member of the Afghan army, without fearing being shot in the back. This is getting more like Vietnam all the time, where officers gave orders,which soldiers refused, and promptly either shot the officer, or threw a grenade into his tent. Our soldiers do take an oath of allegiance not to fight in foreign lands on behalf of the foreign policy of another country. America wants out, Canada wants out, the Netherlands wants out, it is time that we were out, and overthroww Quizling Karzai before we go, he is totally unaccpetable as a leader, and must be dismissed, and let's forget all about this nonsense about democracy, and education, this is either a war, or an occupation, and we have reinforced defeat, and at last many are coming round to the irreftible fact that we are the problem, with our allies, and will never be the solution. Get out now, not in five years, there are too many people make too much money out of this, their siren calls for continuance must be resisted.
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Catch, I dont know if you've been following Liam Fox's other comments as well ahead of the strategic defence review where he appears to be trying to hedge his bets; Seemingly, he says that not all future conflicts are going to be like Afghanistan (like, we didnt know that...) and that the broader warfighting capability must be maintained.
Talk about confusing the issue, eh? Urgent Operational Requirements taking precedence and being used by the military as a credit card compared to waiting for the capital programmes that should provide a capability, plus a huge programme of work run up by Labour that is overpriced and unaffordable and arguably not needed (the two carriers plus more Chinooks than we're ever likely to know what to do with) - makes me wonder how those conducting the review are going to know which way is up, depending on which way the prevailing political wind is blowing...
The one thing that will not change, as you rightly observe, is the ability of the military/industrial complex (ie EDS/HP, BAe and Westlands) to continue to grow fat on the public purse. Ho hum.
Ultimately, whether we are in Afghanistan or not, they're onto a winner...
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Did anyone catch the item on Radio 4 re Fidel Castro's remark - something about Iran is not going to be like Iraq or Afghanistan and wont take invasion so easily - did I miss-hear (pelting down a by-pass at the time and signal was bad)
Does this mean we are considering some sort of offensive in this direction?
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#323
I am afraid that there will be an offensive in Iran, all that 'they' are waiting for is a good excuse. It won't surprise you to know that 'they' will not use the WMD excuse this time, it will be a pre-emptive strike because of the danger of Iran acquiring the nuclear weapon.
I think that the military are also going to use the excuse that the Afghanistan insurgency is only able to carry on is because of the support of Iran, if it wasn't for them it would collaps.
I thought it interesting that some people are saying that most of the Afghan army is made up of non Pashtuns, yet the army is operating in mainly Pashtun areas, so there is bound to be conflict. The trouble is it is very much like Norway, where they had Quizling during the German occupation, and collaborators, that is exactly the same in Afghanistan. People always eventually leave that country, so the 'locals' know that they just have to sit and wait, always was the way, always will be, until such time as somebody decides that the only exit strategy is to nuke them, and then to pick up the pieces afterwards, literally.
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323#
You did hear it correctly. As for part2, I sincerely hope not.
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Good afternoon each & Andrew.
As Sgt Shultz was wont to aver; "I know nutting".
So it is hats off to BP for showing us the way.
For, faced with their serious situation in the gulf (of Mexico) the cry went out for ideas from the wider public as to how the leak could be fixed.
So it should be with Afghanistan.
The Americans seem to be more forthcoming with information, if here I am mistaken do please enlighten me.
I see from this site (link below) that the training of ANA troops is taken seriously by the US ...
http://www.understandingwar.org/themenode/afghanistan-national-army-ana
We, the public in and of Britain should be given far more information on how we are doing things in Afghanistan.
As things stand we are left with no other option than to trust that our Politicians and Commanders know what they are about.
BUT.
With yet more blueish on blue deaths trust is hard to come by.
This brings the number of deaths (British) to about 317 in total. Just above the average yearly toll in the construction industry here at home.
Life is cheap.
What not invite a cross section of Afghanis to a Pow-Wow in Hyde Park?
As the politicians are powerless to stem the tide of killings perhaps it is time for the wider population to have a go at it.
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Mandelson's publishers must be expecting good sales for his memoirs, prime time slots don't come cheap.
Although the book was commissioned during one of Mandelson's involuntary exiles it doesn't look good him rushing to be the first out with his autopsy while New Labour's corpse is still warm. And while he still has a seat in the HOL.
I suppose it follows the trend of celebs, like footballers, who bring out autobiographies before they're even half way through their career.
The age of the ersatz celebrity. And the ersatz politician.
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Yes, Fubar (317), they answered your question; that's exactly what I think happened.
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Andrew,
where on earth has the idea come from that we invade a country, defeat it (allegedly) then occupy it, and expect to leave having trained the local army to enable 'us' to occupy the country using local collaborators. It is absolute nonsense.
Imagine if Germany had invaded France in 1940, defeated it, and then said what we will do is to train the French army to defend itself against the future British invasion so that we can bring the troops home, so that they can then be sent to the Russian front to defeat those nasty communists. I mean if only Lord Halifax and his supporters had 'surrendered'.
Now all that people have to do is to let their minds go free and realise the insanity of the Afghanistan situation. It really is about time that we stopped being so deferential to the military, even Harry with his 'we do bad things to bad people' well he really needs to tell us who he regards as the 'bad people' some might be surprised at the answer. It is time to stop the country being taken over, if it has not been already.
On the grounds that the ends justify the means there is too much bad stuff being done in Afghanistan, we have lost the battle for hearts and minds, we always were, and always will be the problem and never the solution. We cannot 'win' in Afghanistan with a Quizling Karzai, and the support of one 'tribe' in particular, Afghanistan is not a country as we know it in the international community, it's not worth fighting and dying for, there is no point, and please can we have no more of this it is to keep terror off the streets of our country, especially with the deteriorating situation in Northern Ireland.
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#308
Still causing lawyers problems then Andrew! There is more to this than meets the eye, trust nobody, because it is these types of people who have sent our soldiers to their deaths, that is what is sticking in my throat.
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328#
It had to be brought to a head, Saga. The question had to be asked.
How could they enforce what is on topic or not when the blogger himself admits he's going to be too busy to blog? In the age of 24 hours news, of course topics of discussion are going to wander about all over the place.
A spiteful decision, to my mind. I likened it to despite us, the licence payers buying the ball, the stadium and the players, someone in that department got the hump and decided that regardless of that, we're not allowed to watch or make our contributions from the terraces anymore. "Say what we want you to say, when we want you to say it", it would seem.
I couldn't let that go unchallenged. Sorry mate.
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Two months into a new Gov and it's 'the same old, same old'. Andrew is playing my favourite tune. Short honeymoon but this lot are heavily into fast and bold and hitting the ground running (sprinting). It's nearly all about image.
Perhaps we should be asking to what extent this Gov is an extension of new labour rather that its demise.
Is this to be my new home for the summer? I've often thought that there should be an 'open' political blog that can respond better to day by day political events largely decided by posters. Is this such a place? Perhaps I'll come for a holiday and decide to stay.
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Andrew,
I am sorry but listened to Fox being interviewed on the Today programme this morning with regard to the continuing deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
I wonder when it will dawn on him, and others that it is over, how on earth can he get his head round the fact that it has taken hundreds of years for our soldiers to be as they are, loyal to their Queen and country, and forever willing, with a few notable exceptions, to follow orders, mindlessly, accept the order. In the meantime we expect the Afghans to be trained by us, but how can we be sure that the trianers are not the same soldiers and officers involved in the toxic events surrounding Baha Mousa, or the even more appalling Mr de Menizes, or Dr David Kelly, or even Mr Tomlinson.
I am concerned as to what training, mentoring or whatever we are giving to the Afghans, because listening to the stories of recreational rioting now going on in a part of our country I am seriously worried. `Surely the question must be asked who has trained the trainers, are they really the right people to train the Afghans to run their country. We will end up with a benign dictator, only it would be just like the Scots running England, after a while the people no longer will accept the status quo, they will want to be free, because Afghanistan is a group of tribes in a piece of land which really has no borders.
Fox seems to concentrate on Afghanistan, meanwhile there is Somalia, Yemen, and most dangerously Saudi arabia, which is where bin Laden and the 9/11 terrorists actually eminated from. It is not about Afghanistan, this is about American revenge, and the problem, the elephant in the room goes back to Carter and Iran, America was insulted, just like Germany was in the Moroccan crisis before WWI, or the Great War, and Americans still want revenge. They have been insulted, their blood is still up, even after all this time.
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332
The new government is still in its honeymoon stage, but they are also ably abetted by an Opposition which is not doing a lot of opposing on the voting front. Some of the vote majorities are quite large.
Over at Guido Fawkes one of his repeated blogs is on the topic of one Gordon Brown 2 apperances at the HoC (one to sign on) and zero votes cast. There is only so much he can achieve by staying in his constituency although he is rumoured to be writing a book. But his job is as an MP and that includes voting in the lobby especially when his party imposes a three line whip (ie compulsory vote).
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Andrew,
thank goodness for an independent press. Today one of them is running a front page piece on the figures of the real indebtedness of the country based on figures from the ONS.
Now here is just an extract of what they are saying:
'The baby boomers and their parents have also benefited from phenomena that are unlikely to be enjoyed by future generations, including: free university education, including maintenance grants; mortgage interest relief at the highest marginal rate of income tax; property booms that saw a massive transfer of wealth from the young to the old; free long-term care for the elderly; the proceeds of privatisations of state assets; and the demutualisation and distribution of reserves of the the former building societies and life offices'.
Now it is not at all annoying that more or less the very same comments have been made by your commenteers for an awful long time. I, and many others have been allowed by your moderators to go off topic for some time, but I think we have been a great source for all of the media in our references to the real world. Just about everything we have been saying is now accepted, even if truth be known that Brown was an Aspidistra, smile at that one.
In all truth I have read comments by others about the other blogs which some people have used, but nothing compares to yours, it is the intelligence, and knowledge of your contributors, and the ability of the BBC to allow mine, and others comments, that is apart from stuff like my #308 which I see as a sign that you guys want it to come into the public domain, but I can understand that it may be problematic. Why, before time maybe the BBC and its ace reporters will do their own proper investigation and get to the bottom about the issues raised.
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Andrew,
absolutely brilliant new BBC front page. Went to the front page, lead item 'How to make Afghanistan secure', the following item 'Britains secret WWII resistance fighters'. Doh, excuse me but is Afghanistan not allowed to have its resistance fighters, its insurgents, freedom fighters, whatever. Must we be so stupid as to think that we can just invade a country, occupy it, and then leave. For as long as Fox and his ilk think that we are not an occupying force then it is madness.
We invaded countrys and they became our colonies, even temporarily and then we were were either thrown out, or left, gave it back, so Afghanistan can read our history, they can see that we came, we saw, we conquered, then left. Same old, same as. We must stop listening to what we are told by interested parties, the military, the companies making money out of war and death, and as for our brave and courageous soldiers, well, 'we do bad things to bad people'.
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331. At 07:50am on 14 Jul 2010, Fubar_Saunders wrote:
How could they enforce what is on topic or not when the blogger himself admits he's going to be too busy to blog? In the age of 24 hours news, of course topics of discussion are going to wander about all over the place.
Ah, Robinsonland. In 'watertight oversight' lockdown again, I see. Not unique, but more blessed than many.
Hope it wasn't anything a license fee payer had the temerity to opine.
1 - 148ish. At 8:59am on 13 Jul 2010,
This comment will hopefully make it through because the moderators couldn't find it broke the House Rules.
Of course there's always, in matters of some speech being more freely available than others, the MontyBurnsian 'Deploy the OT' in reserve.
Or the filing cabinet labelled "Beware of the Leopard' in the locked basement.
Aunty is aware of Vogons, one has to presume.
At least here it has been accepted that 5 weeks is a very looooooong time in politics and some have moved on.
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ECB @334
Nope. Honeymoon's over considering recent reaction to schools, NHS, OBR's independence. Even the so far generally successful we must cut deep and fast may wane with time. Labour seem to be less opposition more competition for the ultimate prize of being in Government any which way. Our job - to stay on their backs all the way to the next General Election. Letting any of them get into 'intensely relaxed' mode would be deriliction of duty.
Dear old Gordon. What can we say. Being the mother of all scapegoats must indeed be somewhat uncomfortable. Cannons to the right of him and Balls etc to the left of him. Not that he doesn't desrvedly share some of blame heaped on him, but many of his 'opponents' must be secretly pleased or even thanking their lucky stars that they didn't have to serve his watch.
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Andrew
I saw on another blog that the BBC's Straight Talk program fronted by yourself is to be axed. This is a shameful decision by the BBC and really brings into question if they can still be called a public service broadcaster anymore.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
@338
"serve his watch."
This would be the thirteen year watch over our purse strings?
The funding of an unwarranted war in Iraq.
The many speeches to the banking community to..."go for it!"
His encouragement for banking business that no other country would touch to come here and..."go for it!"
The ever present boast in the 'eternal' rise in house prices.
His neat trick of off-balance sheet invisible spending with certain profits to all involved.
His many opponents may be quick and late, but his running away is entirely true to form.
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340#
You mean the thirteen year watch that resulted in this, then Tom?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/britainrsquos-debt-the-untold-story-2025979.html
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Andrew,
today I went to an cabinet meeting of my local county council. They were discussing an agenda, and proposals for reducing the budget.
My point, which can in all probability be repeated all over our country, is that the papers constituted 255 pages. Yes folks the people who work for my county council were actually discussing 255 pages. How much do all these reports cost, in time and effort. But wait I hear you all cry, 255 pages isn't a lot. But, there was also 87 pages of the Delivery Plan, and then the 54 pages of the Corporate Business Plan.
I am afraid Andrew, that this is madness.
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TomA @340
Although I might quibble with one or two from your list and add some mistakes of my own (even he had his regrets about some of them), he had, as I said in my post, his faults. He was a conviction politician in so far as he was convinced he should be Prime Minister. Hubris which perhaps assisted in his fall.
It was the period when he was PM to which I was referring with the 'serve his watch' comment. I think few cool heads would either envy him or fail to have some sympathy,achieving his ambition only to find himself steering the ship of state through the stormy waters of a worldwide recession. Mr Cameron was happy to endorse spending plans until 2008 and so would scarcely have been in a better position. Every ill-advised volley of 'he shouldn't have spent so much between 2003/7 is, of course equally targetted at Mr Cameron and the Conservatives. Since the IMF/G20 have only recently shifted to a more cut than spend emphasis, it is difficult to see how we would have been better off under other management.
Mr Brown still has my sympathies and I'm still not sure that anyone else would have done it better. (Poor though some may think that is.)
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If ever there was an example of mending somat that wasnt broke its the new BBC front page.
What was wrong with the old one ?
I could select England, for example, and get headlines for all over the country to select from. Now I have to select the various regions to get what is news there. Can I be bothered ?
And where has the breaking news ticker tape gone and the click point to go to 24 hour news live.
Also the "big picture" seems to have gone.
Not keen on the change at all. Very flash but lacking substance.
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F_S @ 341
Oh, yea, thanks. :)
The Austin plan...
Subtract...
PFI payments...200bn
CLs............500bn
Bank int'ons..1.500bn
Cancel these right now.
Phew, half way there. :)
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Idont Believeit @343
You and I sing from the same page, I may hit more of the bass notes, but that does not detract from your own performance.
The point I think is;Management or Leadership.
Gordon did run for election to be PM twice and as you say those old pals of his were happy that he stand unopposed the first time. BUT he then went before the country with his message of success after success for New Labour AND "I didn't do it!" "It was America wot done it."
I have no praise for any Party MP since 1997. They all filled their boots with free money just like Gordon told the bankers to do. BUT This disasterous state we are in is a Brown-out and no mistake.
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Xtun
Blowing their budget before the cutbacks perhaps?
It is all very irritating none of my bookmarks work either.
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344 xTun
No, I don't like it either - much like either Newspapers or Sky News pages. How we are going to get used to this beats me.
Just one disagreement - it's not 'flash" by any means.
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343Idont Believeit and 346 Tom Austin
There is no "song" - really there isn't - I am only surprised that the televised sessions in Parliament didn't show the MP's holding the obligatory 'shovel' when it came to policies, lobbying, expenses - the whole thing. Nothing was to be done to curb the spending of public money - it streamed through every government contract and probably still does.
It makes me wonder why we bother to vote or be involved in any way. It won't change - the beneficiaries won't let it.
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348
It is work in progress surely?
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Not that I want to break up the new accord with TomA but I might consider forming a duo with you based on you final remark. However, I like the new BBC News format - could have something to do with being too vain to wear my reading glasses!
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Can't see what all the fuss is about... homepage doesn't look radically different. Just has more options to make it more personalised.
Don't be afraid of change. Embrace it. :)
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#52 TheBlameGame
It has too much !
Yes it has much more but it has lost the instant snapshot of news around the Countries. To find out what is going on you have to select regions by the bucket load. The old format used to show them all and the headlines for the whole country.
For Gods sake it is a NEWS page not an all singing and dancing entertainment page.
Whoever decided this change has lost sight of the main raison d'etre.
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353 xTun
Totally agree - admitted we have an in-built aversion to change and maybe we just need to focus on accepting 'the change' - but it does look very much like a magazine format.
I used this sort of format when I messed around with publishing a long time ago. Still if this is how they want to present themselves - its not for us to disagree.
Would prefer a different colour scheme myself - has anyone dipped into channel RT - brilliant colours - their weather forecast is amusing and calming but overall it's really good!
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Andrew,
I listened to the Mandelson interview on the Today programme this morning. I know a question I would have put to him. When Blair read out the names of the dead from Iraq what did you feel Peter. When Blair read out the names of the dead from Iraq Peter did you think that really the whole invasion of Iraq was an unmitigated disaster, for our country and our people.
When Blair read out the names of our brave and courageous dead soldiers from Iraq Peter did think that this was New labour was about, that when you read of what happened to Baha Mousa did you think that it was all worth while, or what did you think when Mr de Menezes died as a result of having dum-dum bullets fired into his head from close range what did you think of the wonderful society you helped to create with New Labour.
Now I know that I will have to buy the book to find out, but actually I won't because I will go my library and request it. You see Peter if I was the labour party I would actually throw you out of the party, right now. Well that's what I would do, or so I have heard it said around and about.
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A very good morning to Andrew and the moderators, and all the others at Team BBC.
Why in particular, because you have cleared #308, after taking some time over the decision, you have allowed it, so well done to you all. It is this which sets this blog above all the others, and all we can hope that the boil can now be lanced, there must be an inquiry, and yes it would be another inquiry, but to many this is important, and I will tell you why.
Let us say that any MP felt committed to voting against the Iraq war, and that there was the possibility that the MP was on some sort of list, and at this time the MP was visited by a government whip, who said, and this is hypothetical, that if you vote against the government then the list will come into the public domain. Now some may say that such a proposal would be a disgrace, and that it would never happen. Well let me say that look at the situation which arose with the late Robin Cook, when he had to declare his love for his wife, or his lover, somebody knew something, which they kept secret until the 'right' moment.
Politics in Westminster is a dirty game, it is a house of cards which can collapse, just like that. Just like the old USSR, one minute it is there, the next, well gone, but it still leaves a stain, of the Gulags, of people suppressed, tortured, murdered, kept in poverty, and that never happens here, does it?
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353#
Never had you down as a Luddite, xT... :-)
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Catch22 #308
Very eloquently put. I fear that even now in the 21st century there are many MPs and ministers who have no real idea what the internet is and what it does contain, never mind the access it provides. Giving broadband access to all is a laudable concept but it also may open Pandora's box, and as we all know once opened it can never be shut again.
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355 catch
Agree with your sentiments - but what is strange is that Peter actually thinks he's amusing us with his foray into advertising his book.
He actually thinks we are going to purchase it so we can 'salivate' over the revelations - in reality this exposes the flaw in his personality because he thinks everyone's the same as him - how extraordinary!
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359
It could also be that he is clever enough to know that this is his last hurrah in politics, in that whoever next leads the Labour Party will view him as damaged goods. Even if he crossed the floor of the house the coalition would not ouch him with a barge pole.
His whole raison d'etre was to be at the seat of power and emulate his grandfather's political feats. I suspect that participating in debates in the HoL is not his cup of tea. The door to the EU also remains closed, so the only avenue open to him is either write more memoirs or God forbid get a job in the media.
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353. xTunbridge
'For Gods sake it is a NEWS page not an all singing and dancing entertainment page.'
Then just click on the News button on the menu bar across the top and hey presto you've only got news and only news.
Not sure if the Beeb's iPhone News App is available locally yet, but that sounds just the biz for you, xT.
What's an iPhone, you say...? :))
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What's going on in Devon then Catch?
They are going ahead with building a fantastic looking footbridge costing something like 4.3 million that is going to span a by-pass whilst cutting funding for schools - or has this been mentioned already - what do you know?
360 ecb
Really, you mean there is a chance he will actually 'go away' (colloquial for a different words) and cease these machinations within politics. I wish.
Let the media have him - then the majority of the people residing in the country can have the experience of his 'wisdom' (another colloquial word) they will soon have their surfeit.
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357 Fubar
I do sometimes think the Luddites had a point.
361 TheBlameGame.
Thanks for that I have tried it and it removes some of the flim flam but it still requires you to select areas of the country to see whats happenning. The old one used to list the headlines for ALL the country and you could just select the ones that caught your eye.
Now I have to select areas, 10 of them, to see whats happening everywhere, this is not my idea of an improvement. What makes the Beeb think I only want to know whats happening in MY area ?
And what has happened to that picture you used to get a little slice of and enlarging it gave you the full pic ? Some really nice subjects were revealed.
Err yes what is an iphone ?
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Andrew,
with regard to the Student Tax there is something which the commentators seem to be missing. I think that this government is financially just as 'bad' as the previous one. Consider this. The money from this new tax will not be coming in for at least a couple of years, let's say five minimum. So, there will be expenditure, and the whole set up, monitoring will take time, and cost money. So, I think this government will borrow against the future positive cash flow. This is despite we seem to be teaching a lot of foreign students who will not be liable for any UK tax, or UK students who will emigrate to get away from their liability.
Finally, what will happen to the Student Loan Debt book, which is already in some disarray. This will be anbother botch up, doomed, doomed.
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Evil!
What is this word for? Is it a form of absolution?
The system fails day after day, but it is nobody's fault. Oops, let's move on...must try harder...blame the opposing party...statistics...phew.
A pound to a penny these people who add to the facebook sites read the Sun, or leastwise look at the pretty pictures.
What has this old fleet street chum of yours got on you Andrew that you arrange your show's topics for him?
Who pays/has paid themselves vast sums arranging the education of the people of Northumberland, who sets the front page headlines day after day for these same people to purchase and fall prey to the advertising therein?
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ooooohhhh Andrew,
what a wonderful show tonight, Ed, or should it really be Edward Balls, was just so delicious, he even put the wonderful puppeteer, your erstwhile compatriot Coborn, into the shade, and what was great Jo, not too much eye make-up.
No, the show tonight was one of the best with Balls giving an absolute masterclass in the art of denial. However, I am amazed at your reading material, for myself I am just retiring listening to the breaking news of Goldman Sachs and its payments. But my reading material a little tome by Frannz Brentano 'Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint' which I think puts Balls into the shade.
I will leave this blog for tonight with the thought that tonight we have seen the new leader of the labour party, only it was not on your show, for the man needed by the labour party is not Balls, it is Andy, or is it Andrew, Burnham, a man with a passion, and also who could explain to the listener why he did not resign, which I feel Balls singularly failed to explain to my satisfaction, and as for all these people saying things about Balls, why maybe the use of High Court injunctions like what have been used to silence my close family member could possibly be used.
May I humbly finish by also referring to Moat, who was mentioned on the show tonight, now he 'only' killed one man, over passion, whereas the Prime Ministers Blair, Brown, and now Cameron, well how many have died in Afghnaistan and Iraq, exactly how much blood do they have on their hands, just because they do not hold the gun, or fly the Drone, doesn't mean that they do not have blood on their hands, because as I have said before, exactly how many people did that nasty Mr Hitler actually kill, just following orders, that's all I was doing guv, following orders.
Could it be said that when one of these politicians is in government, and he/she is faced with a choice, do they have a choice, well I think that they do, but it would require them to have principles, and that seems to this man to be one thing which they lack, because as they like to say, we all have to be responsible, well tell that to the Afghans, and Iraqis.
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Andrew,
there is something which must be understood with regard to the changes to the NHS and the proposed abolishion of the PCTs. Do not forget the Primary Care Trusts, which deal with issues not dealt with by PCTs, for example Mental Health, which is of such concern to so many.
Now I used to be on my local Community Health Council, CHC abolished by labour. I was also the first lay member of Clinical Governance, and 'helped' our local hospital, only what is being lost to all this, is accountability, who can go and ask the awkward questions, force the consultations to take place before changes effecting all our lives are imposed. Finally, what is happening to care for the elderly, whatever has happened to the National Care Service, and if we can have a Graduate Tax, then whatever happened to the Local Income Tax, which was meant to help those on low incomes, and the elederly, seems to be forgotten, mustn't go on, I have to read the chapter 'Feeling and Will United into a Single Fundamental Class' much better than Bill and Ben, and all that flop a lop.
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Andrew,
for some time I have been impressed by the influential individuals who read you blog, and the comments its attracts.
Now I have often referred to the Boston Globe, and you have allowed extracts to be printed, well for some time some of us have linked the Afghan war to the Vietnam situation from generations ago. Well this time it would appear that the Boston Globe is now following your lead for this is an extract of an article from todays edition:
'The CIA director predicted it would be a “long war.’’ A senator from Missouri, expressing concern about the unconventional nature of the fighting, wanted to know, “Who is the enemy?’’ A senator from Tennessee, meanwhile, warned that if the American people were being misled that “the consequences are very great.’’
'The words were uttered in secret more than 40 years ago during private meetings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the Vietnam War. But they were made public for the first time yesterday by Senator John F. Kerry, now the panel’s chairman, out of a belief that the lively debates offer lessons for how to grapple today with the war in Afghanistan and other hot spots'.
At last the truth, which was always out there is slowly being revealed, why one day we all might get to 'the truth' and when we do it will all be over, let's just hope that it is not revealed by the Large Hadron Collider!
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Astonishing! Ed Balls is barracked about his honesty and integrity, with Abi Titmuss as apparently Andrew Neil’s idea of a feminist attack dog questioning why Ed Balls rather than his wife was standing for Labour leader. Coupled with slobering over Abi was snide remarks about Ann Widdecombe. What a crude, misogynistic and unedifying setup, which I imagine was inspired by Kelvin Mackenzie’s presence. All very amusing to Andrew Neil and his mate.
Kelvin Mackenzie said of George Galloway (in relation to a partial quotation from Question Time) “He is a disgusting piece of work” (at about 7 minutes to midnight on 15th July 2010 on This Week, BBC One), whereas 2 days earlier on Radio 4 “PM” programme, at around 5.34pm (on 13th July 2010) he said in a debate on abnoxious views being expressed on the airways, in relation to those with controversial opinions, “I would like them to express their opinions” and then repeated twice his adulation of one co- controversialist “I love George Galloway”. Accuracy and taste were never a hallmark of Kelvin Mackenzie’s “Sun” (take his libel of Elton John or his Gotcha headline), but why he is wheeled out on the BBC he despises beggars belief. For someone with all your research backup and briefings, you gave Kelvin a very soft ride on his contradictory position.
“This Week” used to balance being serious and witty quite well but one could see Michael Portillo’s discomfiture as he became part of a Murdoch style dumbing down and this crude shadow of its former self.
Ah well, at least I can now get to bed earlier on Thursday’s while Sun style editorial values pollute the BBC political output.
But I suppose this is all in the name of the BBC liking them “to express their opinions”. Something they and Kelvin deplore in “thicko” others. From where I stand, the tag extends wider than the Moaty nutters to other professional contrarians with even more dangerous positions and views.
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369
Struggling lately to find justification for watching the show. Some strange guests choices. Perhaps it's trying to be more 'inclusive'?
Agree with a poster who recently suggested they look at replacing Abbott and Portillo permanently. Needs freshening up. Maybe a list of suggestions on here would be a good start.
Kelvin MacKenzie slagging off Galloway? That's rich.
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Andrew, in addition to the fact that you really should update this blog from time to time, please take some advice from someone who used to really respect your journalism.
Don't go down the Paxman route of believing your own hype. Your interviews of the Labour leadership candidates have been, frankly, pitiful. There are hundreds of thousands of viewers out there who want to know what the opposition might offer, where Labour might go next. We really are not interested in endlessly dredging up the politics of the Westminster Village.
I thought you were very harsh on Diane, but she does dig her own grave with some of her own comments and actions. Still, its hardly fair to pick on her for taxi expenses if you're not going to do the same to the other candidates, let alone the numerous house-flippers in the Cabinet. That whole murky episode reeks of selective justice.
Much worse though was your treatment of Andy Burnham, who you repeatedly ridiculed simply for not doing well enough in the contest. So what? He's running because he thinks he has something to bring to the debate. How about a question or two about policy? In what other walk of life would it be valid to criticise somebody for entering a contest?
Last night's fare was even worse. Outside Westmister, who cares what Ed said to Peter or Alastair said Ed said about Tony. We, the public, are utterly sick of this non-personality politics. We elect them to manage the economy and the NHS, yet during a period where the former is in crisis and the latter being privatised, we get endless discussion of private conversations that happened several years ago. Surely, as Gordon Brown's right-hand man, it would have been better to question Ed Balls about his role in financial deregulation, or manipulating the 'Golden Rule'?
Anymore of this and I might have to start going to bed on a Thursday at a more reasonable hour.
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Andrew
I had not seen this video clip before about an US soldier articulating his views on the Iraq occupation, It is called "Even the troops are waking up":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-CpCUOygqU
His views jibe with what a lot of us have felt about Iraq and Afghanistan, and also touching on the New World Order. Wars are profitable, the rich get richer and the rest of us become poorer.
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369, 371
Most of the media have left of centre views but they also want to see good governance. What has been exposed this year through many books about Gordon Brown and his cohorts ideas of what running a country entails is chaos, nastiness and a complete disregard for what was best for the country. Balls was at the heart of this malaise, so you can expect more harsh questioning about his integrity.
If you do not like it I suggest you switch off both TV and radio as other channels will likely have a similar views. Go down to your local library and borrow a bunch of books for the summer. Once the PLP have a new leader you can safely switch on again.
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When Andrew questions people about what role they played in government, what they said, or who they attempted to undermine, what we are meant to do, I think, is to just listen to these people. Do I trust this person, can I trust them if they support this or that decision, when really they should have resigned, or spoken out. I don't think some people get it, can we really think that it is right to follow orders, speak out and you lose your job, your position, follow the leader, it is a terrible place where we are now, trust nobody.
May I suggest that people review Andrews programme from last night, it was in its way quite shocking, the views of the former Editor of the Sun really ought to be listened to, his use of emotive language to denigrate others, and Andrew was actually quite brilliant, let these people speak, just listen to them, watch the features on their face, read their eyes. I think that because of the war in Iraq many fail to understand, that people lied, terrible things done in our name, and that these are the same people who have taken us all to these dark places.
Andrew, it is a shame that your programme only comes out so late in the evening, and many cannot be bothered, but it is worth waiting for, let them speak Andrew, because let them be cursed with their own words.
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369, 371, 373.
Nothing wrong with questioning a candidate's integrity, so long as policy also comes under scrutiny. Both are important with regards politicians seeking high office.
We could have done with more professional investigative journalism over the last decade instead of a diet of Westminster lobby fodder.
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As for Kelvin Mackenzie, that whole piece was hilarious. Denouncing people as 'thick scum'. These are the sort of people that have given him a career and made him rich. Presumably Sun readers are all PHDS.
The awkward truth about Facebook pages supporting scum like Moat is that they are a direct consequence of the celeb culture promoted by the likes of Kelvin Mackenzie. If these people were neighbours of Moat, or knew somebody he'd killed, they'd despise him. But they don't. He is a distant celebrity figure, someone who the endless media attention has demanded every man jack has an opinion about. Just as the 'baddie' in Big Brother has a minority, contrarian following, so does Moat.
It is reminiscent of the tens of thousands lining the streets for Ronnie Kray's funeral, or the idiots wearing 'Free Louise Woodward' T-shirts (the British nanny accused of killing an American kid some time ago). If it wasn't for these impressionable fools, The Sun, Mirror, Star, Talksport etc would be out of business.
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The trouble is that policy would seem to be being made on the hoof, reacting to the public and the media, rather than doing what is actually best, not for the individual, even not for the country, but we all know that if we kill, harm, or maim, just one individual, that the whole world is changed. Sometimes I get a headache just thinking about it, but even as I walk down the street, and maybe somebody moves out of my way, and crosses the road, then there whole life would, or could be changed. They are not where they would be if it were not for me, same with people parking illegally, on double yellow lines. They might have a disabled sticker, they park, somebody drives to avoid hitting them, then they have a crash, the person inconsiderately parking their car, well they are alright, they won't be prosecuted, but maybe they should serve time in gaol for actually contributing to any accident caused by their inconsiderate parking, just a thought.
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Andrew,
there are photos in the national media relating to a fire having taken place which has resulted in a former BBC celebrity leaving on a motor bike without a crash helmet. Now this celebrity now works in commercial TV, but the point is can we now expect the CPS to investigate to see if there is a case to answer for driving a motor cycle without wearing a crash helmet, he had enough time to put on his leathers, but a crash helmet!
As you say same old same as, in respect of the 'fact' that the laws of this land seem apply to some but not to others. I suppose if you are a celebrity then you can get away with anything nowadays.
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Watching This Week and seeing Edward "Ed" Balls morph into this other entity was quite mesmerizing - not one unconsidered remark - amenable - chastising in a gentle way - smiling profusely - sense of humour on show - but did you notice not one episode of "staring eyes". No I don't buy this or any other 'corrected personality' that any MP comes up with, let alone Ed Balls. Its obvious who wants to be leader of the Labour Party
The questions put to Ed Balls about his opinions and support during the Blair/Brown saga we can only assume that either several MP's have fertile memories or one doesn't remember anything at all! As for integrity - this has long since flown out of the window - and somehow I don't think anyone in Government these days' thinks they can afford it.
Did anyone catch the programme on Channel 4 - Undercover Boss - an episode on a chain of hotels broadcast last evening and exposed how people - instead of actually doing running repairs - just hid them. Well 'hiding things' seems to be in vogue.
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377 Catch
Whilst I agree with your scenario about things changing 'if I hadn't crossed the road just then' or 'if I had been there ten seconds later' - but we would never actually get of a chair if we considered this sort of behaviour.
When you talk of inconsiderate parking - I'm with you there - it happens all the time but not just by disabled drivers - but it's no excuse for not driving with due care and attention. If the obstruction is there - you must only overtake when the way is clear and in doing so will not cause an accident.
I agree that some laws apply in differing ways depending on who you are - but it also appears to be happening as regards what type of crime is committed. I recently reported seagulls being killed by someone using a gun of some sort. I was told that it was a 'trivial thing" and "it's probably only someone using an air rifle" - so it's ok for anyone now to use an air rifle in a public place as long as we only shoot seagulls - especially not blackheaded ones apparently!
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Andrew,
when will people understand that there are no 'free' bus passes down here in devon. The rider has to buy a ticket, for the full price, but does not pay the fare. The bus company is then paid a percentage of that fare by the local district council, and this is administered by the County Council.
So holiday makers come down from say Newcastle, with their bus pass. They then use our buses, and we have to pay through our taxes for their free travel. Before nine thirty the buses are almost empty, after nine thirty they are full of old people claiming their free bus pass travel, at the expense of the local tax payer. People do not have to use their free pass, they can pay the fare if they want to, they can walk, or they can use their own cars, or travel with a friend, but there is no such thing as free bus travel, somebody pays, and why should I pay my local tax to compensate people who can well afford to pay, like why should people who move overseas get their winter fuel payment.
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#380 is not one of the problems that gulls are scavengers, a bit like muggers, they swoop out of nowhere, steal your sandwich, or fish and chips, and then sit on a lampost laughing at us. It is about time that these hoodies were taught a lesson they will not forget, bring in pest control for Gulls which have got out of control, they are actually being over protected.
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381
Are you trying to imply that no one in their right minds would holiday in Newcastle?
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Ah, Newcastle the home of Northern Rock, the bank which is so symptomatic of the banking crisis which has caused so much problem for the whole of the UK economy. Newcastle the home of Newcastle United, the team still apparently sponsored by this very same Northern Rock. I would love to visit nEwcastle on a holiday, the headquarters of the Northern Rock, St James Park, the home of some of the worst excesses of binge drinking, where week-ends seem pretty appalling, so I suppose you could say that your assertion is quite correct, now Devon, what a wonderful place, a bit like good old England, none of that British stuff down here. The revolution started here.
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Andrew,
I don't believe it. I am just listening to Radio 5 Live from the Open Golf, where play had been suspended because of the wind. They must be reading your blog as well, why? Because one of the commentators is referring to eating sausage and chips, and others fish and chips, and the Gulls are circling, and trying to grab their food. Do the Gulls read you as well, there must be an inquiry into the Gulls, and their behaviour, is it time that there numbers were reduced, just like MPs, and Lords.
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382
Yes, seagulls are a bit of a nuisance - they do cull them on occasions - but only with permission from the RSPB and by official pest control. They are culled on land fill areas or where they have become a threat - but they are actually protected as are all other birds. With the exception of blackheaded gulls - don't ask me why these ones are singled out as different.
I'm not a fan of them and it wasn't so much the fact that they had been shot but that there seemed to be no reason. Also the use of the gun on the public highway concerned me. I cannot understand why the Police were using the word "only". As far as being a nuisance - they were simply carrying out their function - as birds. We build on land so they use our buildings rather like they use cliffs.
I wouldn't have thought that one family of seagulls would have been classed as "a nuisance" or that a private culling should take place.
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386
You are so "of the moment" it's incredible!
I think RBS is more than likely foaming at the mouth because it has only received $100 million from Goldman Sachs in part settlement after investing in sub-prime mortgages. It invested $841 million in something called Abacus 2007-ACI.
Not that I'm superstitious or anything but the word "Abacus" has always been unlucky for me - seems it's also unlucky for RBS and the government because we own 83% of RBS - well done Gordon!
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I did note your serious point. It is like any man who beats his wife up after going out for a bevvy, hey he was drunk, and its only his wife, if anybody can shoot a bird, or kick a cat, then they will have no problem with hitting a fellow human being. It is a sign of the times, it is like an earlier point I was trying to make about young impressionable men, or women, getting enjoyment from watching contrived wrestling, it really should not be acceptable for people to profit from what I would regard as a 'freak' show.
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Andrew,
When Cameron visits Washington next week to meet up with the "Golfer in Chief" to discuss amongst other things the environment in particular the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I wonder if he will raise similar points on the ongoing Exxon Mobil oil spill disasters in the Nigerian delta abd the Chad oil pipe line. I would really like to see a British PM re-invent the Special Relationship with a lion's roar rather than a poodle's timid yap.
Obama has been such a disappointment to so many and it is so reminiscent of the New Labour hope that turned quite quickly into dust. Obama seems to think that BP providing the money as compensation then everything is done and dusted. It is not, it is the doing, rebuilding the economic welfare of the region, the actual clean up etc. If only there was an expenses scandal on Capitol Hill then the politicians on both sides of the pond could be held in equal contempt by their electorates.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Apparently RBS are not at all foaming at the mouth, in fact they did not even know that they might get this 'windfall', according to BBC News Channel that is. So, can we say that RBS doesn't really care, or didn't because well the taxpayer is the one with the final bill. I mean it is only public money, our money, and who cares about that.
What people have to realise is that RBS would in all probability have sold on their 'investment' to other banks, or even the pension funds which their asset management teams ran. As for Coutts, part of RBS, they might just have even passed their possible investment to the Queen and she might just have even have been left holding the parcel, and we could not possibly allow that should we.
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Andrew,
I hope that others are now keeping abreast of the case of the freed Libyan terrorist and possible links to oil deals for BP in Libya. No doubt the former head of the company might assert that to be critical of the company which he used to run is some sort of anti-gay movement, it is not, it was badly run, and I think that it still is, there are too many deaths in Texas, and now the Gulf, which could possibly have not occured if proper safety matters had not been implemented.
Please remember that BP was not only previously British Petroleum it also had to be baled out in 1987 when its sale failed, and the sale of the government owned shares was saved by the Kuwait Investment Office, buying the shares, funny that, Kuwait, which we then saved from the hands of that Iraqi fellow. Oh, and many regard BP as being Blair Petroleum because of the favourable way in which it invested, funny how Lord Browne is still very much involved in the running of our country.
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I have read that the problem with gulls is that their excrement is very damaging to buildings and cars. Highly alkaline and corrosive.
They are also aggressive b*ggers, especially when looking after their chicks. They're one of the trade-offs of living near the coast I suppose.
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Good Morning Andrew,
isn't it interesting that when the BBC reports on the upper class stuff they will never refer to metres, or centimetres. For example, why is the Golf still being kept in yards, and the players miss by inches. As for the horse racing, why still furlongs, I think that it really was time that we seriously switched totally to the metric system, is it a class thing, is the reason that the upper classes want to keep their own language, fancy winning a race by a head, or how high is a horse in hands, ridiculous. It is time to let go, let's go metric, we have to when buying our milk, our food stuffs, why not force golf and horse racing to go metric.
As for the marathon, one minute there are miles, then kilometres, and the same for the Tour de France, the BBC must conform to the metric system, young people must be terribly confused.
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Good afternoon each & Andrew.
I cannot, truely, fathom why
the metric-system we yet decry
exa-, peta-, tera-, giga-
mega-, kilo-, hecto-, deca-
a million million million
down to ten
once this we absorb
what then
deci-, centi-, milli-, micro-
nano-, pico-, femto-, atto-
when
one tenth to a million million millionth
parts of other fish we have to fry
Careful we iambists here must be
and all other ode-ists such as we
lest we shoot
each other in
the metric-foot
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Andrew,
I am beginning to think that maybe the major events which are shown on the BBC should pay the BBC rather than the BBC pay to show them. All those free adverts, talk about product placement. I think that the licence fee ought to be reduced, and that the major events should also pay for all the commentators, their accomodation, their expenses, as well as all the BBC equipment, scaffolds, cameras, and the rest. The BBC has I think become a commercial TV channel with us the punters paying the company rather than the advertisers, who actually also pay the major events to allow their adverts. What do others think, next thing it will become government policy, and it is no wonder that a previous CMS minister made his decision on product placement.
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396
Interesting point. The BBC often pays sporting organisations like the FA to show Match of the day etc but this is true of commercial TV aas well though these also get advertising revenues. In the US and maybe here as well TV companies charge say car firms to use certain brands when shooting a car chase scene in a cop show etc. Not sure if this is good imaging as usually car chases end up with the car totalled.
However, I do not think that the sums are that large. Certainly the advertising seen at the World Cup was "inyour face" all the time. Post match interviews against a backdrop of a billboard displaying all the main advertisers. As things stand it is unlikely anything will change, but if the BBC refused to enter bidding wars for the rights of showing football say, the price could only drop as ITV and Sky are anxious to pay less anyway.
The other thing that people are forgetting is the analogue switch off. I do not believe that everyone is going to switch over to digital and the BBC are going to get a nasty shock when the direct debits to TV Licencing start to be cancelled.
Not evryone is well off and digital TV plus a licence will soon be seen as a luxury item that many families will not be able to afford. I have a feeling that millions entitled to some benefits do not receive them out of pride or ignorance. There are many widows up and down the land who have their own house usually woorth a lot but are cash poor.
Supposedly the analogue wavelengths were to be used for a new generation of mobile phones and the sell off rake in a lot of cash. Is this still the case? Are all commercial radio stations going didgital?
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380 Japanbytes
It never fails to amaze me how the police reaction to guns is so variable.
The shooting magazines are full of reports of Police armed response teams with RSPCA back up harrasiing those legitamately shooting wood pigeons with the farmers permission.
Some years ago in my neck of the woods a poor disturbed lad wandering round with a broken air pistol, the police were advised of the guns type and condition, was shot dead.
Of course you dont need a gun, a chair leg will do, shot dead by police who thought it was a shot gun not a repair job he was taking home to work on.
Use of a gun of any sort on the highway is fraught with potential illegalities, having a firearm together with ammunition in a public place is good for starters. Things like putting down an injured deer for example would be reasonable excuse. Having an uncovered empty gun in a public place can land you in serious trouble.
To discharge a weapon within 50 feet of the centre of a highway so that anyone is upset by it is an offence.
That wherever this was the cops, or was it the civilian phone answerer ?,find it trivial and do not investigate is amazing.
Bet the poor lady who just got 5 years for having her fathers old, 70 years old, war souvenir with no ammunition or intenion to use it, wishes she lived there.
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Good Morning Andrew,
well the breaking news is the changes to the Overseas Aid budget, where even more resources are to be put into the pit which is Afghanistan. With more going into Afghanistan then that will invariably mean less for others. India, China, both will surely have their aid reduced. One expenditure which will increase will be the payments to the private military contractors who will have to protect the aid workers.
There will be massive reductions in payments to the charities now operating in India, China, Pakistan even, to put a lot more into Afghanistan, in this way some of us will of course accuse the governments of just bribing their way out of the killing fields of Afghanistan, it is just becoming a hole, a money trap, we have made the appalling decision to reinforce defeat, and now we are paying, in blood, and money. It is time to get out, it really is. It was obvious from the very beginning that all the lives and money would be wasted, yes the soldiers are brave and courageous, but why exactly are they dying, and being maimed, to give more work for the charities!
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Andrew,
with the great news about the stoppage of the oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico there is a problem. Namely with all the oil having poured from the sub strata what exactly has been done to fill the space vacated by the oil. I have always thought that the oil is in pools, sort of a vast underground cave, so when it is extracted it leaves a space, which is usually filled with water to prevent the crust collapsing. So, what has been done to fill the space, or will it now just be allowed to collapse, could this be why the pressure is not a much as the 'experts' had expected. Is there now the danger of a Tsunami off the coast as the water pours into the 'cave'.
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Andrew,
we are told that a member of the Afghan army is now being hunted for the 'murder' of British soldier and some Ghurkhas. Now we read in one of the national Sunday newspapers that a brave and courageous soldier has been returned to the UK because 'they came under heavy fire as their tried to do so. Military sources said that in the heat of battle, the Gurkha took out his curved kukri knife and beheaded the dead insurgent'.
We must be told what happened first, did a Ghurkha behead the dead insurgent and then a cowardly attack was made by the member of the Afghan army, or did the Ghurkha behead the insurgent and then possibly in revenge the insurgent took his own retribution for the beheading.
We are being constantly told how brave and courageous our soldiers are, and how they are paying the price, well we also need to be told the other side of the story, how many of the Taliban are we killing, what is the ratio, surely we are not just allowing our boys to die, and nothing happens, no attacks, no Drone attacks, nothing, are we just targets?
We know that we will have to retreat, just like Basra in Iraq, and this time we will leave a vacuum, and nature hates a vacuum. It is imperative that bin Laden is captured, this is not about keeping terror off the streets of our country, this is about bin Laden, revenge, and keeping face, nothing other than imperialism, and a total abject waste of our scarce resources.
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Good morning each & Andrew.
As I am about to have my morning freed-up for the nonsense that is about to be on BBC1 shall not detain me.
It must be war for truth IS the first casualty. Dumb-dumb TV.
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The Mail has a story about a pharmaceutical company ripping off the NHS when selling their generic drugs. Generics are supposed to be always cheaper than the original but in this case the price has risen by 1000 percent in the last three years. If ever you wanted evidence of a dysfunctional government at work this must be it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1295610/NHS-doesnt-care-cost-medicine-Drugs-firms-accused-profiteering-raising-prices-ONE-THOUSAND-cent.html
As an aside funny how no one links to The Times anymore!
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This blog is crawling a bit at the moment. If you want fireworks pop over to the Editors blog. The world is condemning the changes to the Beeb News front page.
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401
Is the Gurkha being returned home because of what he did, or is it because the media have published the story? If it is the former Afghans beware as a lot of the soldiers are totally hacked off with this shambolic occupation. The US soldiers in particular are furious about the new Rules of Engagement which severely limit what they can or cannot do against the Taliban.
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It was always going to be the problem that the military were able to do 'stuff' in Iraq, which has come into the public domain, and they can no longer get away with it.
The extra-ordinary rendition, the enhanced interrogation techniques, the treatment of the civilians by the military, look at the Baha Mousa Inquiry to see what I mean. The rules of engagement are surely based on the Geneva Convention, and the fact that we, and our allies are not at war, we are a force of occupation, at the invitation of the duplicitous corrupt government of Quizling Karzai.
If we are to achieve any sort of success in Afghaanistan then it is imperative that our soldiers occupy Kabul, that they wear their uniforms and that they parade regularly through the City, showing the locals that the west are the victors, at the moment I would think that the locals are laughing at our stupidity.
In the meantime we now tell them that we are going to reinforce our military defeat by an economic one, telling them that they are to get even more of our financial aid, whilst the government continues to send their money abroad. Furthermore, the major problem is the actual make-up of the Afghan army, with non Pashtuns being in the majority, and all they have to do is to look and see what has happened in Iraq today where collaborators have just been massacred whilst picking up their pieces of silver.
Just as the locals took action against German collaborators after the occupations of WWI, and WWII then the same is likely to happen in Afghanistan. Just as the native American learnt lessons from the French on how to deal with the enemy, then the same with these 'foreigners', we are teaching them more than we are learning from them. Who exactly are the occupying forces.
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406
From what I understand the new rules of engagement drawn up by General (now sacked) McChrystal are a very watered down version of the Vietnam RoE. In that civil war US forces could only engage in battle if the enemy attacked. The USAF on bombing runs over Hanoi would fly near enemy aircraft on training missions but did not shoot them down as per the RoE.
similarly I saw a You tube clip of East European soldiers training some Afghans and a Taliban scout party was spotted on another mountain. the allies had the firepower and could have called up an airstrike but just watched as per the then RoE. Later that same Taliban group then attacked the allies position where a ferocious firefight lasted about two hours.
If the RoE were the Geneva convention as applied in WW2 this would have been over by now, a lot bloodier on their side and allied casualties far fewer. But then if we did that it would make mineral extraction in the future more difficult as the many airstrikes would have permanently altered the geological landscape.
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...Andrew,
I am just listening to the World Service.
The Interview. With the American Greg Mortenson (Sp?)
He wrote a book called "Three Cups of Tea".
He talks of the many (girls) schools he has helped build in Afghanistan.
Well worth a listen.
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It is also I think that the RAF were very seriously upset about the decision to prosecute and convict Fl Lt Kendall-Smith. The RAF have become infamous for deliberately missing their targets, especially with the Harry pictures where an air strike was called-up by the young man, the very same young man who wore the cap, 'we do bad things to bad people', and who protected him on his tour, why the brave and courageous Gurkhas.
As part of the defence review I strongly believe that the forces into to be combined into the equivalent of the American Marines, all of the military being front line, with the back up, or trainers all being something else, like paid for by the fund for International Development, and more or less trainers, and social workers, nurses, and teachers.
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408
I heard Greg Mortensen being interviewed on Radio 5 Live on the Simon Mayo show about 3 years ago. That prompted me to buy his book "Three Cups of Tea". It is not the best written book but is well worth a read for the insights into the prevailing culture and basically how to get anythng done in the region as well as being a quite unique tale.
His schools are built by the locals (his charity supplies the materials and school teaching stuff) as opposed to what UK Aid does by sending carpenters from the UK at a pay rate of 300 Dollars a day, which explains why his schools cost USD 50,000 and UK Aid runs into hundreds of millions. He is totally independent of any NGO and has no ties with the US Government.
At the outset of his mission he sought an audience with a senior cleric in the holy city of Qom in Iran, much to the fury of his own government and obtained a "To whom it may concern" letter that has guaranteed his own safety when he encounters the Taliban. The only people he steers a wide berth are the Saudis who are training the Taliban.
Girls education in remote Afganistan and Pakistan is frequently neglected, but what many do not realise is that before a young man goes to Jihad or become a suicide bomber he must get his mother's permission otherwise he would lose honour. An educated woman is more likely not to give permission. In one of the first schools built in NW Pakistan some of the alumni have gone on to university and one is medically qualified and has returned to that region to rpovide medical care that was previously non existent.
In the interview Greg also related how the book became compusory reading at the Pentagon (biggest single sale of 3,000 copies) and other US government departments. I suspect that it is not the case in Whitehall. I am sure that we are putting all our previous experience in Afghanistan to good use.
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410 ecb
It was much the same thing again. Updated (?) to include his work in Helmand.
I have reserved a copy from the Library, yes, he does admit to being not much of a writer, but it is good to here something positive for a change.
More power to his elbow.
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Good Morning Andrew,
listening to the Today programme this morning, the problems which are now being unearthed with regard to fraud. Again yours truly must ask exactly why does anybody pay for an accountant, or auditor, when all this fraud is going on.
I have raised the issue before of the banks, well they had their accounts signed off, they have employees who are meant to be in control of 'stuff' like granting a mortgage, and as for the self-certification of mortgages, where somebody gains a mortgage based on declaring an income which they do not have. There must be complicity, it is no excuse to say that fraud only becomes apparent after the boom and during the bust. People have not been doing their job, there really must be a full inquiry into the accountants, auditors, and consultants. People have been able to walk away with the money, and it is not the bankers, it is the people who have done this, and many really ought to look in the mirror before venting their venom on the bankers.
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Well, heres a turn up for the books, about Gordon....
"Although he has been snubbed by the electorate, and Madame Tussauds, for that matter, who have declined to make a wax mannequin of him on the grounds that he was not elected, rendering him the only PM in the past 100 years to be so ignored, he is intent on securing his place in history as the man who saved the global economy. "
Imagine that. You save the banks, save the world and still Tussauds wont touch you with a 20 foot bargepole. Oh, the ignominy....
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And a piece from Rawnsley as well administering the coup de grace to NL...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/18/peter-mandelson-gordon-brown-rawnsley
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398 xTun
Yes - seems as though we have an imaginary line dividing each Divisional area of the Police. Trivial matter here in Cornwall - other places - maybe where gun crime is more prevalent - different interpretation. Search me -
413 and 414
Oh sweet ignominy!
Good article from Rawnsley - it is as always, a failure to stand by convictions even if they are opposite from the majority - simply for aggrandizement in my opinion - they sold their souls and their party. The awful truth is they were gambling with the country and it's future.
I am persauded to think that Brown considered the position of PM as akin to that of President of the US. It didn't matter what he said or how he behaved - he was 'all powerful and untouchable'.
Se la vie!
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Good morning each & Andrew.
Thank you for the timely 'heads-up' of what is to be on today's show.
So Ed Balls thinks Gove's bill is being rushed through Parliament?
He, then, will need to muster as many votes as he can, but can he count on the Kirkaldy One?
I am sure we shall find out by 12:30.
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...I read elsewhere in the BBC...
"The government has taken the unusual step of compressing the parliamentary process by taking what is known as the "committee stage" of the bill in the Commons."
Although Gove argues that this matter has been a talking-point for five years or more and argued over during the Election. Many, of said committee and on the opposition benches, think it wrong that such an important bill should be rushed through this way.
I did wonder what sort of Bill tends to be rushed through without due consideration, but I did not have to wait long for the answer. For the same news report states...
"That is an unusual step and one which Labour says is usually reserved for anti-terror laws and constitutional matters."
So, that's all right then?
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394. At 10:42am on 17 Jul 2010, Catch22 wrote:
...the BBC must conform to the metric system, young people must be terribly confused.
Surely they are better able to cope with the confusion, being cleverer than old people?
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#418 IaO
They should be, but unfortunately they are only taught the metric system at school. Most of the Imperial units seem to confuse them. Older people have the advantage of having been forced to cope with both systems, so they can mentally switch from one to the other, as required.
In any case, if they got rid of furlongs, racehorces could become confused and races could be lost.
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The trouble is when I went through the education system in the mid to late sixties, I was told oh xxxxx you really don't need to concentrate on the old imperial system, that is so yesterday, tomorrow we will all be metric, meanwhile the clock keep ticking.
Listened to Radio Four this morning after the Today programme when a famous journalist was interviewed about his early life. I too loved in Portsmouth for a while, at the top of Portsdown Hill, under the forts, as my father was in the Navy we moved around an awful lot, I wonder if others of my age, early sixties, were strongly affected by their fathers being in the Navy, having lived and fought through the war, and saw such terrible things. Our life was never really fixed, and still isn't, I just think that many do not understand the problems which the post war babies had to put up with. In particular, like the Great War, to bring us peace, for us to live in a better world, well tell that to the fighters in Aghanistan., and formerly Iraq.
Do you know what really hurts though, that there are some who will accept some form of torture, even if you call it enhanced interrogation technique, there are some people who accept that the ends justify the means, and as for the ticking bomb excuse, please don't insult our intelligence. It didn't do any good for Mr de Menezes, on the basis that they should have arrested him for questioning, not shoot him to death, I mean if they had captured him, then they could by some peoples rationale actually totured him, like it would appear so many others have been.
What must be understood about the allegations in Iraq, is that it is my belief that many were detained over family feud, or different religious group, not that they were a threat to our brave and courageous soldiers.
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419. At 2:40pm on 19 Jul 2010, mike-jay wrote:
In any case, if they got rid of furlongs, racehorces could become confused and races could be lost.
You're right! I hadn't thought of that.
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419 MJ
Anyone with American clients knows that the imperial system is still live and kicking and many UK companies still use imperial for that reason alone.
To say nothing of the mental agility required to convert from say 5/64 etc to metric - many youngsters struggle with thirds let alone 64ths and 32nds.
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422
But under EU law everyone must go metric. As you say if you want to do business with the US you have to use imperial. Does this mean that European companies are banned from exporting goods to the USA?
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...perhaps there will be more to say, again, as this rolls along, but for now.
"The Big Society."
I had something of a small 'v' vision of how people-power could be brought into play to see us all through these hardened times, to get more bang for our buck.
The bit that is missing from Dave's view that I thought would be needed from the outset in order to bring this about is that it must be done from the bottom up. Here Dave has had very little to say, even though he says more that he has yet acted upon.
A renewal of our Democratic processes and a broadening of power and influence should be part and parcel of his DIY society.
He must now begin to pull these two aspects together; public action AND people-power.
The past couple of months have been filled with talk of 'consultation'. More must be done to show the we, that are all in this together, that the we shall come to feel our influence both within our communities and the Governance of the country as a whole.
Meanwhile N-Lab have nothing to add but complaint after complaint.
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If the 'big society' was such a good idea, how come Cameron managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? The Tories were way ahead in the polls, but by the time the election finally arrived people didn't know what they were voting for.
'The Big Society' is a crass nonsensical idea. Having received that message loud and clear from the voters, Cameron should have cut his losses and got on with dealing with the deficit - the only reason he was elected.
I'm all for 'power to the people' - but if Cameron believes this can be achieved by giving more autonomy to local authorities he is sadly mistaken. Many local councils are run like mini tinpot dictatorships who pay no attention to the wishes of the people. Planning objections and petitions are routinely ignored whilst big developers with loadsamoney to splash around always get their way. One has to question why that is.
If Cameron really wants to give people more say, he would do well to clip the wings of local government. He should not be giving them more power.
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423
No it just means you operate dual systems & convert the imperial back to metric in house - basically you do whatever the customer wants.
425
I am not sure how Cameron means it but if Big Society means people taking on responsibility for their environment and local facilities I would not knock it. If it means public services on the cheap that is a different matter.
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Andrew,
others seem to have picked up on my original thread about the metric and imperial systems, but at the same time failed to understand that there is a difference even between an Imperial gallon, and an American gallon.
Furthermore, was there not a situation where there was some sort of space shot, or piece of equipment which did not fit, because somebody did not calculate the correct the conversion rate.
As for the comment about the furlong and the horse race surely that is the same as the man who can run the fifteen hundred metres, and win, but when it comes to the mile, which is not its exact equivalent, cannot manage the distance. The runner trains to run one distance, but cannot manage the difference, the same with the horse, many say this or that horse is good over the mile, but cannot manage the extra distance, if put in for a longer race. Others are correct, the por thing just cannot remember to keep going, well not without being forced to.
I wish that people did not treat horses as if they were watching some sort of Hollywood movie, where horses gallop for what seems like mile after mile, massive distances, without even sweating, these American cowboys, surely they should race at Ascot, their horses would win every time.
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Andrew,
as we listen to the news from the front in Afghanistan with meetings being held then can we get something right. The occupying force is not made up of the Americans, the British, NATO, and the UN, because if we are to be correct then it would be more appropriate to call it just NATO, and the UN, of which we and the Americans are part of.
All the blood and treasure has been wasted, the worst aspect is that some of our brave and courageous soldiers are losing their lives for absolutely nothing. We have just had the mass burial of the Australians and British forces who lost their lives in a diversionary attack, so that the bloodbath which was the Somme could take place, which was a relief battle for Verdun, and all these lives just wasted, for what.
There is no country called Afghanistan, not really, it is just a piece of land given a name so that the map makers could call it something. It is just a collection of tribes, differenet tribes, who live on a piece of land. This is the modern day equivalent of the Chinese Opium Wars, this is no longer about the Taliban, or bin Laden, this is becoming all about not losing face, about not Kow Towing to a force which will win in the end. This is a disaster, a quagmire of our own making, it is us which is being bled, we are reinforcing defeat, and there is no longer any point, no purpose, the generals and the planners have got it so wrong, it is time to just send in the Marines, sort it by subjucating the locals long enough for the retreat to be completed with our tails between our legs, but then watch out because it is no different to the underdog winning their first test match, once they have one under their belt, then they think that they can win the next one.
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Good Morning Andrew,
may I suggest that others take the opportunity offered by thr Internet to look at what is happening across the pond in respect of education in the Boston area.
Around the globe there are changes afoot and we really ought to look at the latest reports to see where we are going:
'For the first time in nearly a decade, several towns recently joined ranks to create new regional districts, linking Ayer and Shirley, Berkley and Somerset, and three vocational schools north of Boston.
From a host of small Berkshire towns to Chatham and Harwich on Cape Cod, another three dozen districts are considering teaming up with their neighbors or expanding existing unions. Even Hull and Cohasset, Thanksgiving Day rivals with a decided class divide, are courting'.
Is this the sort of reorganisation we can expect over here. I can see the day when say a history teacher will actually work in three or four schools, there is not enough work in one school but if the teacher is any good then they can walk into a class and do what he/she is paid to do, teach, the same lesson can be used, same with many courses, even the three 'Rs'. Teachers should not be allocated to one school, they can perform their tasks in a multiplicity of schools.
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Andrew,
some of the media are at last catching up with your blog and the comments which you have allowed 'off topic'.
Consider what has been said on the reports from the New York Times of October 4, 2008 with the headline 'Afghan Dictator Proposed in Leaked Cable'.
In the report the British envoy at the time, who has recently left his post in Afghanistan, Sherard Cowper-Coles was quoted in the now infamous cable 'The current situation is bad, the security situation is getting worse, so is corruption, and the government has lost all trust'. Now all of that was included in a coded French diplomatic cable leaked to a French newspaper, and quotes the the British ambassador in Afghanistan as predicting the NATO-led military campaign against the Taliban will fail.
What must be of concern is that this was October 2008, and that the only way to unite Afghan istan would be for it to be 'governed by an acceptable dictator' and the cable added 'we should think of preparing our public opinion' for such an outcome. Now people wonder why I and many others are so angry. It was always going to end like this.
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425. At 9:38pm on 19 Jul 2010, DistantTraveller wrote:
If the 'big society' was such a good idea, how come Cameron managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? The Tories were way ahead in the polls, but by the time the election finally arrived people didn't know what they were voting for.
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Depends what you call "defeat" I guess. "Defeat" is sitting on the opposition benches, or being reduced to a rump. I dont think that happened. Not every election is going to result in a landslide, particularly when after the expenses debacle all the current players were seen as being tarnished in one way or another. Plus, theres the voting along tribal lines. The last real landslide was 97. The tories were way ahead in the polls this time because they weren't Gordon Brown.
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'The Big Society' is a crass nonsensical idea. Having received that message loud and clear from the voters, Cameron should have cut his losses and got on with dealing with the deficit - the only reason he was elected.
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Maybe, if you want to go through your entire life being spoon fed by the nanny state and have your every single need catered for apart from sex and shopping from cradle to grave. I heard on R4 yesterday that the B.S. is basically a rehash of New Labour's "localism", although I would venture that this had more to do with creating another layer of local nomenklatura with the illusion of doing something for the public.. The B.S., so long as it isnt just a front for cuts, MAY, just MAY work. It depends on whether the public can be bothered to have any community spirit, whether they give a fig about their neighbours, or whether they'd rather just sit around on their discount sofas eating Doritos all day moaning, expecting Nanny to do everything for them. They can have it that way if they want - but they cant say they're not being given the chance to do something about it if they dont.
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I'm all for 'power to the people' - but if Cameron believes this can be achieved by giving more autonomy to local authorities he is sadly mistaken. Many local councils are run like mini tinpot dictatorships who pay no attention to the wishes of the people. Planning objections and petitions are routinely ignored whilst big developers with loadsamoney to splash around always get their way. One has to question why that is.
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Vested interests. They (councils) only behave that way because we, the electorate, let them. We vote along tribal lines to give the central government of the day a bloody nose rather than holding them to account and getting in their faces and reminding them they are elected to do our bidding. You dont like the way they behave? Vote them out! Stand for local council elections yourself, make a difference!
The B.S. is meant to be devolving power down to parish councils and below, rather than to metropolitan, borough or town or county councils and is meant to be more direct, from the bottom up, not the top down. Thats my understanding of the concept, anyway. The need is more "Ask not what your country can do for you" rather than the way its been going over the last 10-20 years "whats in it for me?"
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I've just seen something about Sue Nye - the woman Gordon blamed for Bigotgate - being elevated to the Lords, along with Des Browne.
What on earth is going on???
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Andrew,
have just listened to the interview on the Today programme with William Jefferson Hague, who is apparently our new Foreign Secretary in the new government. He seems to be talking the same language as another Haig, our great brave and courageous general in WWI. He just doesn't seem to get it, that there will be no Afghan army or police to take over when our combat soldiers retreat.
I have been looking at his page on Wikipedia and note the 'problems' which he had over an election and this is a quote from that page which could actually now be applied to Afghanistan:
On a subsequent visit to OUCA as a guest speaker in the 1990s, Hague was reported to have told them "It is not the election that one needs to worry about...it's more the tribunal thereafter."
What I thought interesting was the way in which Hague had the last word, a positive word, and then the line went down. To be honest I thought that Hague seems to have lost interest, that he knows that the game is up, it it is so over. I know he has a difficult tone of voice, but surely he should have learnt by now that the impression he gives is of defeat, we have lost, he and the politicians have lost the argument, that this really is not about keeping terror off the streets of our country.
To me this is about killing and controlling the 'foreigners' in Afghanistan and Pakistan, rather than over here. Effectively I think that what the politicians are saying is that in our country we have many people from the region who live amongst us. This is about the dreaded domino effect which was an argument used in Vietnam. Listen hard to the words of the politicians because people must be allowed to read between the lines, this is tribal, this is about the different tribes in the region. Nothing has changed, not for centuries has the region been 'controlled', it is just open space, with people, who are really no different to us, just human beings who want to get on with their lives, and they will accept a benign dictator in Kabul, just get on with it.
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#432
Have you been asleep or something. Just look up who else has been 'elevated' to the Lords (and Ladies) by the way why do they they still call it the Lords, when there are so many who are not Lords at all but Dames, or Ladies. What I totally fail to understand is why anybody at all has been 'sent' there when surely it should be abolished, and made a fully elected second chamber, based on PR as well. There is such a con being pulled on the people of our country.
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430. At 08:00am on 20 Jul 2010, Catch22 wrote:
some of the media are at last catching up with your blog and the comments which you have allowed 'off topic'.
At nigh on 6 weeks, and with Nick R either off on holiday again or his blog locked down for watertight oversight, I'd be intrigued to find what a BBC mod might deem off topic these days if one wishes to discuss anything current.
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#431 & 432 The problems (as I see them ) with this country are
1. envy - somebody has more than I have and I want it but I don't want
to work for it or take on any form of responsibility.
2. apathy - why bother to vote or take any interest in local affairs
someone else will can do that but I'll have a damned good
moan if I suffer as a consequence.
3. - this can be summed up by the idea that anywhere is better than
Britain - just look at how much we are being 'given'!!!!? by the EU.
It is almost impossible to raise interest in anything except how badly done to everyone is. The ability to think things through is sadly lacking - there is always someone else to blame.
Like you I hope we can recover from this mindset and start taking responsibility for our own lives again. It will be a long hard road and there are elements out there who do not wish to see it happen. They are skilled at playing on people's predudices and fears becuase a people whon can't - or won't - think for themselves are always easier to rule.
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436#
Another indication of how far we have sunk and where, maybe the B.S could come in useful....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7898738/Dont-cut-the-grass-its-dangerous-says-council-that-stopped-cutting-grass.html
Honestly. Its chuffin' Dudley for heavens sake, not half way up Mount Snowdon. What the lord has possessed these jobsworths??
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434#
Taggy, I've just spotted another nickname for the HoL on Guido.
Given the amount of Labour apparatchiks, hangers on and members of the nomenklatura being ennobled, the new nickname is...
"The House Of Ermine Vermin"
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436#
Incidentally, your comments - in particular the last paragraph - are absolutely bang on the money. Couldn't agree more.
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435. At 09:52am on 20 Jul 2010, JunkkMale wrote:
At nigh on 6 weeks, and with Nick R either off on holiday again or his blog locked down for watertight oversight, I'd be intrigued to find what a BBC mod might deem off topic these days if one wishes to discuss anything current.
I've only been looking at this blog for a couple of days and so can't comment, but as a long-time regular on NR's blog I have to say that free discussion, latterly, seems to be actively discouraged. If any blog is left up then 'topic-dift' is inevitable. It is also a great environment for lively and useful debate, and even tends to drift back to the topic. When it is closed down mid-debate, with nearly half of the contributions disallowed for no apparent reason and the blog not replaced, you have to wonder what the blog was for in the first place. Is it just a contractual obligation of the Editor? I have no idea - I simply ask the question.
Think I'll lurk here for a while - it seems ok.
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429. At 07:51am on 20 Jul 2010, Catch22 wrote:
...From a host of small Berkshire towns to Chatham and Harwich on Cape Cod, another three dozen districts are considering teaming up with their neighbors or expanding existing unions. Even Hull and Cohasset, Thanksgiving Day rivals with a decided class divide, are courting'.
Is this the sort of reorganisation we can expect over here.
I have no idea what a 'Thanksgiving Day rival' is, but I think I'm hearing 'merger', 'acquisition' and particualarly 'economy of scale'.
So, if the 'coalition' think they can swing the voters round to it within three years, yes it probably is. It won't do down very well with the teachers' and Head Teachers' unions though.
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432. At 08:41am on 20 Jul 2010, Fubar_Saunders wrote:
I've just seen something about Sue Nye - the woman Gordon blamed for Bigotgate - being elevated to the Lords, along with Des Browne.
What on earth is going on???
Perhaps Sue was innocent? Perhaps it was a different apparat-chick?
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# 426 meninwhitecoats
"I am not sure how Cameron means it but if Big Society means people taking on responsibility for their environment and local facilities I would not knock it.
Apart from Big State Labour supporters, I think many would agree that 'people taking more responsibility' would be a very good thing.
The question is, how can this be achieved? Cameron is deluded if he thinks giving more power to local authorities is the same as 'power to the people'.
Local Councils are not interested in democracy and pay no attention to the wishes of local people. Local Councils are part of the problem, not the solution.
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442#
{**ba-doom-tish**} Scriptwriting for Basil Brush awaits you, Outrage. :-)
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437
Fubar, the Council are quite correct is that they would find themselves in the dock for a personal Injury Liability claim. Also, is that if the Individual may also find themselves being prosecuted by a Third Party for which it is unlikely that they themselves would be insured against.
The number of Liability Claims bought against the Councils each year are in the Hundreds of Thousands. I can envisage a load of claims now being issued against individuals for what may be considered doing a good deed, for which they may not be insured against.
Best leave some jobs to the experts wouldn't you agree or before I cut the verge outside my house do I need to go a H&S course and take our the necessary insurance?
BTW - Sue Nye and indeed John Prescott in the House of Lords will be terrific. I sometimes wonder how the HoL managed to struggle on for so long without these fine minds.
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# 431 Fubar
"Depends what you call "defeat" I guess. "Defeat" is sitting on the opposition benches, or being reduced to a rump."
My definition of defeat is failing to secure a parliamentary majority after riding high in the polls for so long, at a time when the Labour Government had brought about the worst economic disaster in living memory, whilst being led by a discredited and unelected Prime Minister apparently pursuing a scorched-earth policy - and who had signed away significant sovereign rights without holding a referendum.
Cameron was shooting an open goal, but the reason so many voters failed to put an X in the box was because the Tories fought a vacuous campaign. Someone should have whispered in Cameron's ear, 'it's the economy, stupid!'
You say, "if you want to go through your entire life being spoon fed by the nanny state and have your every single need catered for apart from sex and shopping from cradle to grave"
Labour's Nanny/Surveillance should indeed be dismantled - but the answer isn't giving MORE powers to Local Authorities. Top of the Tory list should be the repeal of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA)
In April 2008, it was reported that Council Spy cases hit 1000 a month. Under these regulations, local authorities can intercept phone calls and emails of people suspected of putting rubbish in the wrong bin, or putting out bins on the wrong day.
In 2009 it was reported that there had been over 500,000 requests for access to private emails and phone data
Local Councils are the problem - not the solution.
"They (councils) only behave that way because we, the electorate, let them."
No, we don't 'let them', but the system makes it more or less impossible to change anything. Councils routinely ignore the public on planning issues, even when there have been large petitions, and instead allow wealthy developers to ride roughshod over the wishes of local people. (Why does this happen, I wonder?)
As for standing for election one's self, this would not work either thanks to the Cabinet System introduced by Labour Local Government Act 2000. This system gives huge power to the leader of the Council including the ability to set up a cabinet of hand-picked councillors, excluding opposition members and independents. Decisions are now made by a small number of people behind closed doors. It is an affront to democracy. This should also be scapped
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443. At 12:03pm on 20 Jul 2010, DistantTraveller wrote
The question is, how can this be achieved? Cameron is deluded if he thinks giving more power to local authorities is the same as 'power to the people'.
Local Councils are not interested in democracy and pay no attention to the wishes of local people. Local Councils are part of the problem, not the solution.
Absolutely! But most problems would be at the local level, so Cameron could blame the Councils every time. The Councils will be right behind it because they'll see it as an opportunity to stop cutting the grass which will allow them to concentrate on more important things such as dodgy deals with property developers.
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What a brilliant programme today especially with the Overseas Aid. Whenever I see and hear anybody from a charity I would so love to see how much these people 'earn'. Your questioning draws out an issue which I have been looking at for some time, namely why aid to China, who builds roads in Africa for their own benefit. Please just look at the World Bank and its involvement in the Chad Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project, together with the World Bank. Look at the effect which the pipeline and the money flowing from it is having on the area, look at Dafur, for goodness sake, I get so angry when listening to these charity workers, and politicians.
It has been known for some time that the money is leaving Afghanistan on pallettes, just as it did in Iraq. I mean so much money just went into the back pockets of the military when sent out to buy the insurgents off. One million for you, one million for us. it literally went out in trucks, in dollar bills. Of course Quizling Karzai is right when he refers to our corruption being just as bad as theirs. There have been cases where returning British soldiers hid their ill gotten gains in flower pots outside the front of their homes, the case held in camera of six Special Forces where we were we not allowed to know anything of the case brought against them, or the result, this at the same time Kendall-Smith, a scapegoat.
Overseas aid must be reduced drastically, I believe that these people are having a laugh, gimme gimme gimme, and the apologists actually think we are making a difference please!
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# 431 Fubar
Just as a PS to my earlier reply to you (446), I spotted this in the news today.
Council snoopers target bins for clues to race and wealth
This isn't the Big Society, but Big Brother. The new government should put an end to it.
Cameron should get to work dismantling Labour's Nanny/Surveillance State - starting with RIPA.
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Good afternoon each & Andrew.
I thought I had read of a Taliban office in Kabul through which, at some cost, all contracts must pass. This may have changed, but I have no reason to think that it has.
"...A shadowy office in Kabul houses the Taliban contracts officer, who examines proposals and negotiates with organizational hierarchies for a percentage. He will not speak to, or even meet with, a journalist, but sources who have spoken with him and who have seen documents say that the process is quite professional..."
As reported here...
http://blogs.reuters.com/global/2009/08/13/who-is-funding-the-afghan-taliban-you-dont-want-to-know/
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446. At 12:41pm on 20 Jul 2010, DistantTraveller wrote:
# 431 Fubar
"Depends what you call "defeat" I guess. "Defeat" is sitting on the opposition benches, or being reduced to a rump."
"My definition of defeat is failing to secure a parliamentary majority after riding high in the polls for so long"
Then we have differing views and definitions of defeat, DT.
"Cameron was shooting an open goal, but the reason so many voters failed to put an X in the box was because the Tories fought a vacuous campaign. Someone should have whispered in Cameron's ear, 'it's the economy, stupid!'"
Arguably so. One of the reasons I didnt vote for them was Cam's constant pulling of his punches. IMHO, he missed more open goals than Andy Cole in an England shirt. But, thats by the by. I would rather have had a pigs head on a stick in No10 than Brown or Balls-Cooper.
I fully agree with you about the local councils - and I'm presuming you're referring all the way down to parish councils - being part of the problem and not the solution. I fully agree with you about RIPA. What I was getting at is that my concept of the B.S. was that it is meant to devolve the means and the finance to groups outside of that level of local government, which is why charities keep on getting mentioned. Mr N has a bit of fun about it, but why the hell shouldnt the locals be allowed to cut their own grass in Dudley if the council are too scared of personal injury claims to do it?
I stand by what I said about councils though, even down as low as parish councils. Our one in Buckinghamshire would have been glad to see the back of me going to Belgium as it is not particularly difficult to be a thorn in their side. The answer is in all of us. Get on their cases, call it lobbying if you want, but make your voice heard. If you dont like the way they do things, change it. Think long and hard about who you elect as a councillor, make them work for it. They're there to work for us. Take in our case High Speed Rail 2, which is due to pass within 1km of our village. The parish council have, in no uncertain terms been er... "informed", not only by the local residents, but also local businesses about the potential impact on the area. The pressure is being kept on at a local, regional and parliamentary level as the locals are making their feelings known. Also, Prescott's plan to cover half of one arc of the town with a huge housing development which no one wanted or could afford still hasnt rolled us over yet and thats been going on since we moved into our village, three years ago.
If you feel strongly about something, dont let it just blow a storm and then for it to pass over, keep the pressure on. I do understand that it DOES happen and councils DO go into "in camera" sessions where the public are excluded. The answer is to keep the pressure on, get local journalists involved (The Bedfordshire on Sunday was a major pain in the neck to the council between 2000 and 2004 and wouldn't let up and resulted in the town getting its first directly elected Mayor) and when the ballot comes round, get them out.
Democracy isnt all it could be, I empathise and agree. But, I venture that is as much to do with our apathy as it is to do with their self-interest. We, the electorate, need to take a far more active interest than what we do. All we're doing at the moment is giving them more and more rope. Someone, sometime has to say enough and snap the rope back in and start holding them to account.
If it means making representations to local MP's to try and get the act you're referring to repealed, then, why do we not do it? Why do we not present our case? If the three main parties wont do it, wouldnt one of the others, UKIP or the English Democrats for instance?
Is the B.S. the way to do it? Its probably too early to say, but it has the potential to form a framework, which has to be a step forward.
One thing is for certain. If we confine our complaints merely to a BBC board, nothing will change, because there is no ground swell, no momentum, no reason to do so. Hence we come back to why Cameron failed to score an outright majority. The public spoke. They're fed up to the back teeth with the tarnished buggins-turn politics that we've got and Labour were the worst of a bad bunch. Had there been a box on the voting papers marked "None Of The Above", I guarantee you the result would have been tumbleweed blowing through the House Of Commons and an awful lot of empty seats.
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Big society, mmm, why it may not work is pretty obvious, I would have thought. The concept is a good one as cuts will happen and produce a smaller state anyway. Giving the public a different vision of how British society could work, with more responsibility devolved to the individual, seems like a good idea. However Governments since the war have spent their time taking away the publics sense of individual responsbility and freedom. So is Cameron now trying to instil something that was lost long ago.
This is perhaps where being born better off becomes a problem for a politician. Cameron sees a vision of Britain which is totally different to the adverage man in the street, who lives with the day to day problems. Cameron still sees a Britain with the war time spirit of courage, honour and the British Bulldog mentality. Where love thy neighbour is still a part of British life. This belief in a society which no longer exists, could lead Cameron into very deep trouble in the future.
Britain over the years has become a mainly socialist Country in its beliefs. Reliance on the state, an expectation rather than a last resort to problems. The clock would have to move very quickly indeed to be turned back to the extent that the big society could become a reality. However no one can critize Cameron for trying.
The English football team sums up the sort of society we have now in Britain, in a way. There is no need to strive for anything, because it will be handed to you on a plate, no matter how badly you behave or how little you work for the desired outcome.
When travelling to other Countries you soon learn that, the wrong freedoms have been given to the British people, and the wrong ones have been taken away. Thus producing a society that looks to the state for direction in how they run their lives. As the state withdraws therefore, all that may be left is a void in its place.
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Andrew,
let us accept that pensions are deferred pay. Let us accept that many individuals who are employed by the state will lose their jobs over the next few years. many through retirement as the immediate post war bulge reaches retirement age. So, quite simply these people continue to do their existing job, but without pay, but then depend on their massive pensions as compensation for working voluntarily. In the old days I think that it used to be called slavery. Just look at the system of slavery which existed in ancient Greece, it was not what it seems to us today. Forget about capitalism, just embrace slavery, it never really went away.
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450
All of it too true. Of course it keeps the war/occupation/insurgency/civil war (take your pick) bubbling along quite nicely which suits the armaments suppliers the world over very nicely. It would not surprise me greatly if it was reported that the Taliban's own weaponry was flown into Kabul airport. In theory they should have run out of munition resources a long time ago.
It would certainly be cheaper in terms of soldier's lives if we just gave wadsof wonga directly to BAE and other armaments suppliers. But I suppose that would not be enough - they probably get a kick out of seeing other people's misery and suffering.
And politicians wonder why they are despised.
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450#
Pretty damning when Reuters is carrying it. I read something else like this about 18 months ago.
And yet... not a solitary squeak from the BBC or other UK broadcasters or any elected UK official.
Cant possibly imagine why.
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444. At 12:28pm on 20 Jul 2010, Fubar_Saunders wrote:
442#
{**ba-doom-tish**} Scriptwriting for Basil Brush awaits you, Outrage. :-)
Pretty bad, I admit.
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452
Susan for part of the country I can see this working, unfortunately that part has a relatively low population density. Near me in Buckinghamshire in Little Chalfont is a community library. From what I understand it used to a normal council library until due to cutbacks and there being a large library in Amersham only 5 minutes away by car (well not at rush hour).
It is now staffed by volunteers usually those who have retired and basically run by the parish council. They have their own stock of books but you can return books from other Bucks libraries. New books are either donated or bought on the reccomendation of library users. Some funds come from the parish council which presumably gets it from t county council.
It works well for all as far as I can see. It gives those retired something to do, the stock of books is generally the latest available. The opening hours are not as extensive as the council libraries so that is a potential drawback, but with Amersham library just down the road it is not a big deal. Equally from a job paying point of view it sucks. At the end of the day what is the library service for? To provide books to read or jobs for the community?
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"Amersham only 5 minutes away by car (well not at rush hour)."
Heh, definately not five minutes, not along that part of the A404, as far as the bridge where you turn off for Amersham... unless you're filtering on a rather large motorcycle, that is... :-)
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455. At 3:10pm on 20 Jul 2010, Fubar_Saunders wrote:
450#
Pretty damning when Reuters is carrying it. I read something else like this about 18 months ago.
And yet... not a solitary squeak from the BBC or other UK broadcasters or any elected UK official.
Cant possibly imagine why.
Latest from hard-hitting Panorama was a jokey piece about how banks are ripping people off. Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather!
It's impossible to know whether they are being gagged or simply prefer to leave that sort of thing to Channel 4.
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457. At 3:49pm on 20 Jul 2010, excellentcatblogger wrote:
...Equally from a job paying point of view it sucks. At the end of the day what is the library service for? To provide books to read or jobs for the community?
It is an interesting question. To volunteer some time to help run a local library (because libraries are brilliant for so many reasons), or to not volunteer in case you're doing your bit to keep a librarian out of a job?
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452
Totally agree - what is left of a sense of community spirit is sparse on the ground.
The state has created a society which parades wealth and luxuries far beyond what some of the younger generation can achieve. Which, in turn, is generating a section of society which lives fast and dies young because they see no future for themselves. They don't want or fit into the society as it is now but can't see how things can change to include them.
Certainly they don't think what the Politicians have to offer will change things for the better. Big Society policies mean nothing to them - some of them have dysfunctional families so before they even start to change society we have to start helping those most in need.
These are the people already 'in the void' simply because of government policy.
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excellentcatblogger 457
There are of course certain pockets of Britain where the concept of the big society has always existed. These are usually better off areas where the elderly, mostly, help out the community. However the inner cities will be the communities that will be hit the most by any cuts. In these and in the poorer areas in general, the sense of community was lost long ago and a fear of crime and anti social behaviour has replaced it. It is difficult enough to get projects off the ground in these areas with state support, let alone leaving it to the ordinary people to organize. unfortunately, sometimes, it has to be faced that a library such as you speak of in some parts of Britain would not operate very long without being vandalized, that is if you could get anyone to work there and set it up in the first place.
Can Britain turn back the clock, is the question to a much more graceful age. Probably not is the answer, unless a total culture change can happen overnight.
My fear therefore is that the underclass of Britain will grow as less jobs and cuts begin to bite.
I think a lot of people believe with a new Government the problems will merely melt away. However we may have a new Government but the problems remain and as yet I see no real solutions to them.
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Andrew
I see that Cameron is getting merry hell about Al Megrahi's release by the Scottish government over a year ago as he only had 3 months to live. The very hypocritical Senators and the sham of a government that passes for Obama's administration are shrill in thei persecution of BP, in that they infer BP instigated the release so as to get Libya business.
The hypocrisy comes as all the US oil majors are piling into Libya about 100 companies in all to exploit the biggest oil reserves in Africa, whilst only 4 Uk firms are involved. As usual for these fourth rate politicians America comes first, second, third etc as most deserving of any business going.
Perhaps Cameron should order MI5, MI6 and the Scottish police to reveal to all the secret files that were created as part of the investigation. I would be most interested in how members of the CIA returning for Christmas from the Middle East cancelled their flights with Pan Am at the last minute to fly with another carrier. Their powers of clairvoyance must be powerful indeed! After all, if the CIA have nothing to hide they will have nothing to fear.
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448. At 12:54pm on 20 Jul 2010, Catch22 wrote:
What a brilliant programme today especially with the Overseas Aid.
Excellent new blog on this subject just started.
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17. At 08:24am on 09 Jun 2010, Catch22 wrote:
May I quote the greatest linguist of our country 'It was the bankers who buggered up the economy', yes I am sure that the Lords will be so much better for John being there. Would John be able to pass the new immigration English tests, should we actually allow people from 'up North' to come south and west, I somehow know what my response will be.
I went South. Didn't like it and buggered off back up North. I missed the hills and the straight talking.
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...Afghanistan.
Everybody wants out, many have said so. Dang! It happens to be counter-productive though by letting the Taliban off the hook.
How can this be fixed?
Well, now we know. Afghanistan shall be left to keep one another busy, death-dealing wise and with our ol' pal Karsai set as the top man.
Hope, like the life expectancy of the President, springs eternal.
I wonder what an idle army will get up to next?
And with police numbers set to fall...
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I f we hadn`t had to bail out the banks would we be in the positionn that we are in now ? no matter what Just call me Dave and his millionaire cronies say it was them that got us into this mess!! but of course it`s the same old Tory rhetoric , wer`e all in this together and we all have to pay of course if you`re a millionaire it won`t affect you, just the poor sods on low wages and benefits (who of course are the ones ruining the economy )isn`t it good how they get you to believe this!!! As bad as Labour was I still believe Gordon Brown, who because of the right wing tory press never got a chance as leader, would have seen us through this mess, yes there would have been cuts but in a much fairer way than the current bunch, not destroying the Schools, police and yes the NHS as well just watch hoe they get in the back door to privatization. God help us all, I just hope that the people who voted for con dems are the ones who suffer, but I doubt this very much.
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Oh god, one of the late night trolls/wind-up merchants on duty.
Er, Bill.... cabinet ministers under Brown are running away from him as fast as possible, cant distance themselves from him quick enough.
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459#
Spoke too soon didnt I? At least Andrew had a go. Good on him, thats what I want organisations like the BBC to do. Ask bloody awkward questions. Demand answers, not let flanneling politicians off the hook.
This particular one ref Afghan is an absolute scandal and demands the widest possible publicity. As happened in Iraq, we have coffins coming back into Wootton Basset every week and meanwhile the money is leaving on pallets for Dubai? No, not bloody good enough.
Seems like Andrew is in a minority of one sometimes.
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Bill Mcneill 467
The truth is Bill at the moment none of the politicians have the answers because Britian is in such a social and economic mess. That includes Labour, Conservatives and the Lib/Dems.
Governments blame the bankers to hide their failures in controlling the money supply and lack of proper regulation on our financial system. Unfortunately all the punitive measures proposed on banks will do is to stop the lending we need to the private sector in order for them to grow and produce the jobs needed. It seems this coalition is making the same economic mistakes as many Governments have before them.
To cut the public sector is right, but you must have growth in the private sector to replace this. Otherwise the North of England, Scotland and Wales who have high levels of public sector spending will be devastated.
As this Government have decided to go ahead with high tax rates and are so afraid of the public that they are not brave enough to take the actions needed, growth, I believe, will not happen to the extent needed. However, before massive cuts are made to jobs in the public sector I believe the following actions should be taken. Welfare payments should be cut, overseas aid stopped completely, troops brought home from Afghanistan, foreign prisoners sent back to their own Country and a tightening up of our borders, welcome packages for immigrants cut, use of our health system stopped for those who have paid nothing into the system, public sector pensions reformed an application sent to the EU that Britain would like its yearly payments cut, Britian should decide whether it is a Union or not and cut layers of Government in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, if we are to remain together, etc. There are of course many more cuts that could be made, but I do not have time to list them all.
The way out of this crisis is actually lower rates of tax, allowing banks to get back on their feet by attracting deposits and giving them the ability to lend under proper regulation. Cutting all the projects that are not necessary to Britains future financial stability, curtail Britains growing population, improve training and educational standards, discourage welfare dependency, cut red tape for businesses in the private sector.
There is however a further problem, during the recession the Labour Government allowed taxation on business in the private sector to go unpaid fearing that the businesses would fold and jobs would be lost. This has left a hole in taxation collected. Business is no different to the individual and therefore this taxation should be collected immediately. A business which cannot balance its books will eventually fail anyway, it is not Governments job to prop it up.
As no Government has been brave enough since the war to really sort out Britains problems, I see no signs that this Government is any different. Tinkering round the edges is now not good enough. Judging by your own post none of the political parties made a successful argument to the general public why Britain needs to make cuts and why the age of austerity is upon the UK. This will mean in turn that this Government will become unpopular as the cuts bite and be thrown out at the next election, only for another inept Government to take its place.
Welcome to the merry-go-round which is British politics.
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468 Fubar
"A bit like the same old same old" Fubar!
BTW - Nice to see the Death Tax back in the charts, maybe it'll be a hit second time around.
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463. excellentcatblogger wrote:
'The hypocrisy comes as all the US oil majors are piling into Libya about 100 companies in all to exploit the biggest oil reserves in Africa, whilst only 4 Uk firms are involved. As usual for these fourth rate politicians America comes first, second, third etc as most deserving of any business going.'
Agree, ecb. Massive hypocrisy from these Senators. This from the world's leading exponent of shady deals and blatant political interference over procurement and security of US oil supplies.
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I would be interested to hear any comments regarding the £1000 extra tax relief that was announced by the Coalition to all tax payers, as was announced, I believe this will not be awarded to Pensioners, which was not mentioned at the time.
My wife and I are both retired and our total yearly income is around £13,000, of this we pay £700/year back in tax because we have small annuities, if the coalition were really looking after the pensioners and low paid, why were we not allowed this £1000 tax relief, and given to all pensioners to, as it seems wrong to have to pay tax on your pensions.
I would be interested to hear your comments, and those of the Coalition regarding these points.
Thanks
Alfieb5
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