Mid week special quote

''I have often been called a Nazi, I don't let it bother me for one simple reason. No one has ever had a sexual fantasy about being tied to a bed and sexually ravished by someone dressed as a liberal.''

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PJ O'Rourke

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A clasic, found on the new forum attached to www.eureferendum.com

Of Torrington and Trafalgar

Amazingly a replica of Nelson's HMS Victory was set alight in front of thousands of spectators to mark the Battle of Trafalgar's 200th anniversary.

The Torrington Cavaliers fund-raising group, of Devon, hoped to raise £57,000 on behalf of a cancer charity - the cost of the original Victory - with the event in the town.

The group spent two years building the 100ft-long half-size mock-up.

What the French - Spanish Fleet failed to achieve in 1805 the residents of Torrington achieved last Saturday. One can not help commenting that it is a strange way of celebrating the great Naval victory.

Perharps Torrington is twinned with Trafalgar and the firing a half size model of Nelson's flagship is a new euro bonding exercise.

Democracy is not a spectator sport

By Dr Richard North

Something that caught my eye today ostensibly has nothing to do with the European Union but, in fact, has everything to do with it.

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That "something" is the Home front column by Philip Johnston in the Daily Telegraph, in which he tackles the vexed problem of traffic fines and the use by local councils of traffic laws as a way of making money.

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Writes Johnston, "local authorities continue to cash in on traffic controls that everyone accepts are necessary but that are resented when they are unreasonably applied." He cites an example of one camera monitoring a bus lane in south London which has resulted in 5,000 drivers being fined.

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"Our household," he reveals "has paid three of them - in just one year because cars have to enter the lane to turn left.

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That will have raised at least £250,000, or more if the offending motorist has failed to pay the £50 penalty within 14 days and has had to stump up £100, which is a disincentive to appeal.

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"After local protests, he adds, the council's head of traffic has promised to introduce gaps in the bus lane to allow access to the roads on the other side, though only as part of a general road resurfacing scheme. "Will we all get our money back? Fat chance," he concludes.

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Therein lies our problem. If the likes of Johnson, with his access to the media and the power that affords him, is prepared to roll over and pay up for something that is so manifestly absurd and unjust, no wonder our rulers feel they can get away with something as outrageous as handing over more and more powers to Brussels.

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This was sort of what I was getting at in my piece a few days ago when I wrote that the remedy lies ultimately with us the people.

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"We must badger our representatives until they do their jobs," I declared, "and to refuse to accept any authority but Parliament. In effect, we must make ourselves ungovernable other than through the lawful rule of our own Parliament.

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"Without dwelling on semantics, as to the price meaning of "lawful" which can get everybody bogged down, one must make the distinction between "legal" which, presumably, these traffic orders are – and a fair, honest exercise of the law.

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Traffic orders were never intended by Parliament – and certainly by the people to whom they apply – as a revenue-raising exercise and, in that respect, they are not "lawful". They are an abuse of the law.

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To contest these laws is not easy, and takes personal sacrifice. If you get it wrong, you end up in the cells, as I have done, or the bailiffs turning up at your door to steal your car, with the connivance of the police.

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But Neil Herron seems to be making a fist of taking on Sunderland Council over its traffic rules, and many more are looking to follow his lead. There are many ways, as he as shown, of bringing the battle home to the bureaucrats, and making their lives misery, and we should learn from him. Either we can do that, or we can roll over and suffer, in which case it will only get worse.

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The choice is yours but, as I am wont to say, democracy is not a spectator sport.

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Richard North is joint editor of www.eureferendum.com

Disobedience - a sport for players only.

From the Editors keyboard. In response to Dr North's piece above I posted the following comment on eu referendum forum:

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In September 2003 three self employed 'bailiffs' contracted to a firm of national 'bailiffs' called TNT - called on me demanding payment of over £500 in respect of three fixed penalty parking fines, which were originally of £30 each.

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A period in hospital had interrupted my defence of these three local tax impositions and the court insesitive to my predicament issued a warrant. The three tattooed thugs, arrived at my front and back door at 8.15 am threatened to, first clamp my car on my property then remove my Toyota - valued at over £ 8,000 - if I did not pay.

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My demands to see the warrant issued by the court was met with abuse. The Police when they arrived following my 999 call made matters worse; they threatend to arrest myself if I did not co-operate with the 'bailiffs.

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My protests that I had not been shown the court warrant was ignored by the two attending Police officers ! I paid the fines and immediately made a formal complaint to the Police, the courts and the national bailiff Association.

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My complaint was that the three thugs had demaded money from me under duress and with physical and mental violence, additionaly they had used illegal documentation, were not properly licenced to be bailiffs, were not in possesion of any authorisation to demand money from me and that the Durham Police service had failed in their duty.

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Three months into the complaint I received very reluctantly from the chief executive of the local court service a copy of the warrant which in bold print explicitly prohibited the removal of vehicles. Some twelve months after the incident it was clear that neither the Police, the Court Service nor the Bailiff's regulatory body were prepared to properly handle my complaint nor address the issues I raised.

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The promised apology that I was offered by the local Police Inspector from the amazingly stupid attending officers that I sought assistance from was never given.

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However the Booker column featured a half page story on the issue as did the regional newspaper and the local radio station - the responce from the public was amazing, clearly the bailiff thugs 'authorised' by Durham Court service had other 'victims'.

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The conclusion is clear; official complaints procedures do not work. The press however is the more effective method to seek redress.

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When the authorities wake up to the fact that speed cameras, parking fines and other tax collecting efforts, masquerading as public safety measures are seriously alienating the otherwise law abiding public perhaps there will be an improvement in co-operation with the Police.

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In the meantime as Dr North correctly states (occasionally from a Police cell) democracy is indeed not a spectator sport.

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As many of us are now regrettably aware the 'umpires' and 'referees' in the game of fair play are as much a concern as the misfit players (ie the Police).

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The only real solution is for the people to engage en mass in the sport of disobedience. British fair play demands support on the 'field' not from the sidelines.

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Peter Troy - Sedgfield, County Durham

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The Sunday Telegraph Booker column, featuring the events refered to above can be read from by clicking below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/16/nbook16.xml

Bring it on

By Dr Richard North

Some time ago in a pub in Brussels, I held forth to an audience of Dutch, Belgian, French and Danish colleagues, on the merits of the Imperial measurement system.

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Take distance I said. We start with an inch. Twelve inches make a foot, three feet make a yard, five-and-a-half yards make a rod, four rods make a chain – some 22 yards – ten chains make a furlong and eight furlongs a mile. That is one thousand, seven hundred and sixty yards or five thousand, two hundred and eighty feet.

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They sat there for a little while, silent, their mouths open in wonderment at the stunning simplicity of the system. At least, I think that's why they said nothing.

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And now, having already foisted part of that Napoleonic curse that is the Metric system, the EU commission wants to go all they way and rob us of the mile and, heavens forfend, the pint.

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So says the Observer yesterday, backed up by a report in the Financial Times today, so it must be true.

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According to the Observer, Brussels has said enough is enough to the uniquely British mess.

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Commission officials have ordered the government to announce a date when it will abolish the use of pints, miles and even Britain's farmers' acres (although farmers now have to use the accursed hectares if they want subsidy).

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A spokesman for the European Commission said the UK government had to fix a date "as soon as possible".

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Whitehall sources, however, are distinctly nervous about the move, knowing that it hits a highly sensitive spot, and is saying that there is no prospect of banning pints in the immediate future.

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In fact, it seems, the development has triggered panic in Whitehall.

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Any suggestion that Britain should rid itself completely of all Imperial measurements is, commentators believe, political suicide.

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In addition, an order from the commission is likely to set Britain on another war footing with Brussels. Nevertheless, the commission seems to be set on its own suicide, warning that if the government fails to comply with its demands for a date, the UK risks facing an "infringement procedure" that would force Britain's hand and, ultimately, could take the country to the ECJ.

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However, The Financial Times report suggests that EU commissioner Gunter Verheugen's is being cautious, his spokesman saying: "We want to avoid this becoming another Euro-scare story."

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According to other sources, the commission prefers to work on persuasion rather forcing people to change. Of course, it is not going to succeed with some of us.

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These days, my tolerance for Metric – which I used happily before compulsory metrication – is now diminishing. I listen to the news for as long as it takes the first hack to mention a metric measurement and then I hit the "off" button.

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Recently, aired again on the TV Discovery channel was the history of a WWII Spitfire. At one moment, against the backdrop of superb flying shot, part of the pilot's log book is read out, describing an action during the Battle of Britain. But some mindless fool has converted heights to metres and speed to kilometres per hour. I find that so offensive, and I still haven't seen the whole film.

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Thus, I welcome any move by the EU to hasten the compulsory introduction of full Metric. It will expose more fully the lie that the EU does not threaten our national identity, as the Imperial system is very much part of what we are. And, as the late Steve Thoburn and the very much alive Neil Herron showed, it will be met with very stiff and public resistance.

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And uncomprehending commission will find, therefore, that it hastens the demise of the EU. Bring it on.

The Business of understanding

A superb editorial in The Business today argues that the European Union is beyond reform.

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This is matched by an article by Nigel Robert Wilson on "how the textiles tariff row has hit my business," pointing out how ignorant are the EU commission bureaucrats on the ways of business.

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Meanwhile, the op-ed tells of how "EU and Brown red tape could kill off the city".

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The Sunday Telegraph offers a damaging story about how Peter Mandelson, at the height of the textiles crisis, with firms going into bankruptcy, is sunning himself in Italy, enjoying his new-found status as a tranzi VIP.

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Daniel Hannan comes out and says we should quit the EU, while Ross Clark writes a stunning piece on the European meltdown.

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The Times joins in the chorus of criticism of Mandelson, complete with an editorial, while the Europhile Observer is mute, as is the Sunday Independent, as they always tend to be whenever their beloved EU is under fire.

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Taken in the round, anti-EU sentiment is now leading the field, clearly demonstrating that public opinion is swinging against the EU project.

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So where are the Tory politicians, and especially the leadership candidates? All we get is a wet interview from David Cameron who the Sunday Telegraph mysteriously describes as a "Eurosceptic". Mr Cameron thinks that Clarke is evidently hoping that Europe will not be a big issue in the leadership, but begs to differ. "It is an important issue in our time, getting Britain's relationship right with Europe.

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We have done better by staying out of the euro," he says. "Getting Britain's relationship right with Europe". Is that all he has to offer? Clearly so !

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In all these articles there is no mention of Britain's largest Business organizationn, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), highlighting to the media the damage that the European Union is doing to Britain's Small business community. In fact in the North East of England the FSB's regional policy committee is, by its own admission, spending most of their time intergrating into the EU Government system. They are clearly unable (if indeed they understand the need ) to lobby effectively on salient issues on behalf of those they represent.

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Time was when politicians led, voters followed and business pressure groups applied pressure.

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Now, they have to be dragged kicking and screaming into following public opinion and understanding the realities of modern British political issues.

Howzat

England wobbled before holding their nerve at Trent Bridge to beat Australia by three wickets and lead an Ashes series for the first time since 1997.

England, 2-1 ahead, need only to draw the final Test at The Oval to win the Ashes for the first time since 1986/7.

Warne had England stuttering early in their chase with three quick wickets before Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen looked to have done enough with a 46-run stand for the fifth wicket.

But a withering burst of speed bowling from Lee accounted for both, and England were sweating profusely when Geraint Jones threw his bat - and his wicket away - when holing out in the deep.

It was yet another nail-biting finale to a Test between these two sides, but such an outcome was not on the cards at the start of the day with Australia 222-4 and following on in their second innings.

Simon Katich and Michael Clarke struck fifties in a stand of 100 for the fifth wicket and Warne hit a brisk 45, but nobody could produce the big innings Australia required.

The pair were largely untroubled at the start of the day, Clarke registering his fourth Test fifty - and second of the series - with a leg-side push for two off Ian Bell.
The new ball was tossed to Steve Harmison two overs after it was due, with Hoggard operating at the other end.

Neither looked threatening until Hoggard nipped one back onto Clarke's pads and launched a huge appeal, which umpire Steve Bucknor turned down after a long look.

But England's disappointment soon turned to joy when Clarke (56) fished outside the off-stump and feathered Hoggard to Geraint Jones.

Adam Gilchrist wasted no time settling in, crashing Flintoff for successive fours in the last over of the session, but England went to lunch buoyed by the belated reward for their morning's toil.
Hoggard was again to the fore after the break, targeting Gilchrist's leg stump and trapping the out-of-sorts left-hander lbw for 11.

The obdurate Katich brought up his eighth Test fifty soon after, but his 183-ball 59 came to an end in contentious circumstances when Harmison's lbw appeal was upheld despite the ball pitching well outside leg-stump and looking too high.

England deserved to win, their first at Trent Bridge over Australia since 1977.

The Sunday Quote -no. 124

The Sunday Quote:

''How is the world ruled and how do wars start ? Diplomats tell lies to journalists and then believe what they read.''

Karl Kraus 1874-1936.

The Greatest Lie ever Told

" The Great Deception" by Christopher Booker and Richard North.
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The history of the plans for a supranational 'United States of Europe' when bound together in 454 pages reveals the greatest lie ever told.
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The history of the European Union would without doubt qualify as the most boring subject in the world; yet, the authors of 'The Great Deception' have produced a work of political history, which is as readable as a fast flowing novel.
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''This book tells the story of the most extraordinary political project in history". The bold first sentence makes a statement, which, if it does not arouse the intellect of the reader then he or she is recommended to read another less disturbing book. Like the plot of a novel the details of the conception, birth, growth and inevitable demise of the 'European Project' is revealed in chronological order.
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Christopher Booker and Richard North tell the story of the most important, yet most unknown, series of political events to effect the UK during the last 86 years.
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The authors have dissected a tangled web of political intrigue of Machiavellian proportions from 1918 to the present day and produced an easily readable book; it is a work of pure genius.
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The very fact that it is not a work of fiction but a true story of British political history is the great tragedy of our time.
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A benefactor has bought and sent a copy of’ The Great Deception’ to every MP and UK MEP an act that should disturb the nation’s political establishment, though I doubt that many took the trouble to read their New Year’s present.
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Perhaps those of us that have read the definitive work should write to our elected representatives recommending some essential reading with a follow up letter demanding how the UK is to be saved from inevitable disaster or whether they intend to perpetuate the greatest deception of modern times.
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Some story some book.

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The Great Deception ISBN 0-8264-7105-6 The Secret History of the European Union, by Christopher Booker and Dr. Richard North, ISBN 0-8264-7105-6. is published by Continuum at £20.

Less tribal reporting

By Tim Worstall

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Stephen Glover in the Independent notes something interesting about the coverage of the Juan Charles de Menezes shooting.

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Twenty years ago, if the police killed a seemingly innocent civilian, the press divided in a rather predictable way.

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The general pattern was that the left-leaning titles assumed the police were in the wrong, while the right-leaning ones took the view that the police must have had their reasons for acting as they did.

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I'm not sure that it is just the authoritarianism of New Labour, which he points to, which is the cause of this change.

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The titles most critical of the Metropolitan Police have been The Guardian, the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph.

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Last Wednesday all three papers splashed with ITV's scoop that Mr De Menezes had not behaved in the suspicious way alleged by the police, and the next day they came back to the story with still greater gusto.

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By contrast, the supposedly right-wing Sun and Times relegated the story to the inside. So too did the Independent. The Daily Mirror was slow off the blocks but caught up on Thursday. The Daily Express, however, was adamant that the police could not be at fault. On Thursday its front page said: "Why the police should never face murder charges over that Brazilian."

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My feeling is that this is a small but welcome symptom of the way in which politics as a whole is changing in this country, becoming less tribal and more of a choose it yourself buffet. For example, I as a (pragmatic more than ideological) libertarian find that I often have more in common on some subjects with those on the left than I do with many on the right.

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Social authoritarianism, for example, the civil liberties implications of this case itself perhaps. I'm aware that my own views on the shooting are heavily coloured by my seven years in immediately post-Soviet Russia.

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It's very difficult to live in a place recovering from 70 years of being a police state, totalitarian even, without finding oneself forever more agreeing with Perry De Havilland's motto, "The State is not your friend." I agree that this is an extreme view but I regard this shooting as in some way worse than the bomb attacks themselves.

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We've for a century or more had groups of nutters trying to kill us and terrorise us, from the anarchists to the current lot via the IRA but one lesson I take from the 20th century is that the people we really have to be worried about are the State and its employees, doing what they think is best for us in aggregate. This is why I'm happy to see that the major newspapers are not moving in lockstep on this.

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The Telegraph seems just as concerned about civil liberties from the right as The Guardian is from the left, in some ways we're no longer shouting across the barricades at each other but finding those areas where we do have common ground.

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This has also been evident in the papers' reaction to the Civil Contingencies Bill, the suspension of Habeus Corpus, ID cards and many other similar matters. And, as we know, it is the people here at the Adam Smith Institute who are actually suggesting that the basic income tax allowances should be massively raised, thus taking the poor out of that tax's net altogether, something that should be desired by all concerned for the poor of left or right.

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I'm not suggesting that this makes politics any less ideological, in fact it probably makes it more so. But instead of accepting all the assumptions andpolicies of one tribe or another, one is able to think through the varioussubjects and options on offer and to judge which one one prefers on thebasis of rational thought rather than on the basis of social allegiance.

http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/

An idea who's time must come

Charles Moore in The Telegraph today returns to the theme of "Britishness", a subject that has been exercising many minds of late.

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His piece is headed: "'Britain' was revived to heal a fractured nation. An idea whose time has come?" Amongst his nostrums for the restoration of this diffuse but all-important concept, he offers three ideas: teach the English language; restore Parliament; and look again at the word "Britain".

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It is the notion that we should "restore Parliament" that, as you would expect, is of greatest interest to this blog, with Moore telling us that "the word itself derives from the French for speaking":

Parliament is supposed to be the place where the language concentrates in public form for public purposes.

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But now the action happens elsewhere and so the speeches are not worth hearing. Ours is the first generation since the 17th century to hold Parliament in contempt. If that continues, political stability and national unity cannot last.

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The sentiment is, of course, right, but the expression is woolly. As Moore puts it, one gains the impression almost that a disembodied outside agency should somehow reach down and miraculously restore Parliament to its pristine condition, and then all will be well.

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Equally woolly is Moore's assertion that "the action happens elsewhere…". It is not the "action" that is the problem – it is the power. People are attracted to power.

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People listen to powerful men and women, and the power has gone elsewhere. It has drained away to the European Union, to the government, to the innumerable quangos and agencies, and all the other institutions, leaving Parliament an empty talking-shop.But such is the nature of power that one cannot hope somehow that it will return to its rightful place. Power is never given – it is always taken. Parliament became powerful because it asserted its rights, initially against the King, in the name of the people. It demanded power and took it.Now it has yielded that power to pretenders, and until it re-asserts its rights - our rights - it will remain empty and devoid of meaning.

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The remedy lies in Parliament itself, and with us the people. We must badger our representatives until they do their jobs, and to refuse to accept any authority but Parliament. In effect, we must make ourselves ungovernable other than through the lawful rule of our own Parliament.To that extent, the remedy lies in our own hands.

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Moore may want to revive "Britain". We would say that we should revive Parliament. The rest will follow. And that is an idea whose time must come.

Gunho Police ?

We reproduce below two paragraphs from today's 10 Downing Street press briefing following a press confrence conducted by the Prime Minister's Spokesperson (PMS)

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''Asked what the Prime Minister's thoughts were about the case (the killing of an innocent man by the Police who they thought to be a terrorist on the London underground), the PMS said it was not appropriate to comment on the case. The IPCC were conducting an independent investigation, and the Prime Minister wanted that investigation to continue and be completed.

Asked if the Prime Minister still had full confidence in Sir Ian Blair in relation to the case, the PMS said the Prime Minister had full confidence in the Commissioner in all areas.

Asked how we would react to the criticism that it was not the Prime Minister who was most at risk, but it was much more likely to be ordinary citizens who would be the target of a terror attack, and the Prime Minister should not be as sensitive about his own security, the PMS replied that we did not discuss the Prime Minister's security. The Prime Minister was well aware that thousands of people used public transport in London every day and that there was a lot of work going on to protect people as they went about their business. ''

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One could be forgiven for asking whether that includes being protected from gunho Metropolitan Police Officers ?

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Indeed !

The Sunday Quote - 123

The Sunday Quote:

''The proliferation or radio and television channels has produced a wilderness of cave-dwellers instead of the promised global village.''

Howard Philips, The Times 1992

Big Girls' blouses

By Dr Richard North

Not content with causing total chaos over Chinese quotas for trousers and sweaters, the EU is now to add a further twist to the saga, taking it into really dangerous territory. European clothing retailers are now reporting that their quota of Chinese-made women's blouses hit an EU import ceiling yesterday, with nearly 24.8 million of the garments having been cleared for entry into the EU as of last night.
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Furthermore, data from an EU imports database show that two further categories — including T-shirts and brassieres — are also close to reaching 100 per cent of their 2005 quotas.
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Possibly, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson doesn't know what a bra is, but the lad is definitely on the rack on this one – which is more than you can say for the clothing – and he is struggling to find a way of bringing forward some of 2006 quotas for use this year.
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One thing he seems unable to do, however, is relax the system all together, even though four government ministers, from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, have written an article in the Financial Times saying there is a risk of job losses and bankruptcies unless the quota restrictions are eased.
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Anyhow, unless he gets his skates on, he is going to become very familiar with the term "big girls' blouse" and, unfamiliar though he may be with the female form, even he must know it ain't a garment.

460 new laws made in 6 weeks.

Christoper Booker reported in The Sunday Telegraph last Sunday that while The Prime Minister and most of Her Majesty's Ministers are on holiday, our legislators are as tireless as ever.

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A 47-page document from the European Parliament circulated by the UK Independence Party lists more than 460 directives, regulations and decisions issued by Brussels in the six weeks since Mr Blair took over the EU presidency on July 1.

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The total of new laws and recommendations issued since that date, including those that did not come before the EU Parliament, amounts to more than 1,000.

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These range from regulations setting refunds due on the export of egg yolks and on "the issue of import licences for frozen thin skirt of bovine animals" to new guidelines on how EU member states must run their economies.

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Another sets up the European Security and Defence College, designed to train the officers of the EU's future armed forces.

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As Euro-MP Roger Knapman, the leader of UKIP, reminds us, "Our Parliament in Westminster cannot amend these 1,000 new laws in any way". Our MPs and ministers may as well stay on holiday forever.

Birthday Greetings.

This site would like to convey warmest wishes to HRH The Princess Royal, on the happy occasion of her 55th birthday.

Many Happy Returns of the day Ma'am.

Lest We Forget.

The Japanese Government will today apologise for the appalling and inhumane treatment meted out to prisoners during the Second World War.

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What good are apologies? What price an innocent life?

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Lest we forget, 15,000 surrendered British Servicemen were killed in captivity at the hands of the Japanese during the second World War.

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60 years on, let this not be swept aside with an official 'fluffy (Jap) bunny' apology.

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We and indeed, the Japanese, must never forget.

Human Rights Act

There was a great deal of debate in the weekend press as to whether new legislation is required to circumnavigate the current Human Rights Act of 2000 (HRA) in light of the current terrorism issues.

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Why do we need to get around the HRA Act? Why not just abolish it?
The answer is that the UK Parliament cannot do so. Why? Well, quite simply the upholding the European Convention on Human Rights is a condition of continued membership of the European Union and the convention was intergrated into UK law at the insistance of the EU Council (1997 IGC) in the form of the HRA.

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If HMG were to ignore or change the HRA this will incure the wrath of the EU 's enforcer, the European Court of Justice.

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Once again we ask; who really governs Britain ?

Of Soup and Spinsters

An excellent piece by Professor Terry Eagleton from the University of Manchester in the current edition of The Tablet (not available on line but sold from at all good Catholic Cathedral book stalls) points out ''the doleful fact that bachelors, like spinsters, are to be legally abolished by a change to the marriage laws.''

Apparently because of the new civil partnership legislation that comes into effect on 5 December the Registrar General of England and Wales has decreed that the terms can no longer be used.

Bachelors will soon mean nothing more than soup and 'spinsters of this parish' will cycle down country lanes as single persons. Ah well progress indeed.

All you need is double negatives

Evidence, not that it is needed, that one does not have to write sense to make massive amounts of money was provided by the sale last week of John Lennon's hand written words to his song All you need is Love.

A buyer paid £ 600,000 at an auction last week for the original manuscript.

If anyone can explain what the words, '' there's nothing you can do that can't be done / nothing you can sing that can't be sung,'' mean then I would be pleased.

Many will no doubt call me a square (or a cube even) however, clearly this is yet t another example of the 'Geldolf factor', i.e sound moronic, look unkempt, be rude to anyyone and everyone, mumble meaningless sentences as well as look permanently smashed ,so that millions of people can idolise their cult rock hero as a demi-god.

Letter

Letter Published in The Northern Echo - 6 August 05

Sir,

Tony Blair this week added his voice to the official expressions of regret over the death of Jean Charles de Menezes in the anti-terrorist shooting error in London by the Metropolitan Police last week.

"At the same time therefore, in expressing our sorrow and deep sympathy for the death that has happened, it is important that we support them (the police) in doing the job they have to do in order to protect people in this country," he said.

Foreign secretary Jack Straw added: "I don't have any precise information about his immigration status here. My understanding is that he was here lawfully."

Maybe he was but clearly there was nothing lawful about the killing of Jean Charles de Manezes.

In fact there is now a shortage of precise information as to why and how this young Brazilian electrician was killed by an armed Police Officer from the specialist CO 19 unit.

The best support that can be given to the British people in these difficult times of terrorist out attacks is the knowledge that facts of this killing are not 'swept under the carpet'.

The British public need to know that the Police are not a law unto themselves in order that proper support can be given with confidence.

Perhaps now is a good time to ask: '' is our Police service (once referred to as the Police force) properly accountable with a workable complaints procedure?" On current evidence one fears the answer is no.

Peter Troy

Booker in The Sunday Telegraph

For those of us preening ourselves about how so much better organised is the UK aid effort to the developing world, compared with the corruption-ridden EU system, Booker in his column today writes a sobering piece which points at massive corruption in the Department for International Development (DFID).

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Brought to light by Austin Mitchell, the MP for Grimsby, it concerns amongst other things the tale of the missing £18 million and the unexplained sacking of education specialist Howard Horsley, who sought to do his duty as a whistleblower.

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That was in 1999 and ever since, Horsley has been getting the right royal run-around, with no one, from the minister downwards being prepared to take responsibility.Well, Blair and his fellow-travellers want us to become "more European".

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In his own way, Booker points out how we seem to be achieving this objective, in government circles at least.For his second of three stories, Booker takes a tilt at the BBC – again. He points out how consistently, when ever there is a controversial subject (this one, "intelligent design") the BBC always has its own "agenda" and tilts the reporting accordingly.

In this one thing, though, the BBC cannot be accused of inconsistency.

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Also consistent is Sir Max Hastings, a passionate believer in the virtues of the European Union, whom Booker takes to task. His enthusiasm for the EU is matched only by his blithe ignorance of how it works, hence his half-page article in the Daily Mail this week on immigration. Headed "Now, more than ever, we must control Britain's borders", he was not, of course, tactless enough to say who we might have to recover control of our borders from. The words "European Union" appeared nowhere in his article. How typical of these "Euro-luvvies" – as always they profess to that love that dare not speak its name.

The Sunday Quote No. 122

The Sunday Quote - 7 August 05

''All the businesses of war, and indeed all the business of life, is to endeavour to find out what you don't know by what you do; that is what I call ''guessing what was the other side of the hill''.

Duke of Wellington 1769-1852


Today's quote is used by Dr Richard North in the introduction to his recently published Defence Paper titled ''The Wrong Side of the Hill.''

Dr North's paper provides a detailed background to one of the most significant, yet largely unreported political developments of recent years: The moves being made by the United Kingdom to integrate its armed forces with those of the European Union and capable of acting independently of Nato.

Copies of Dr North's paper are available in Acrobat format direct from my self, please email me on ptroy@fsbdial.co.uk

The Rt. Hon Robin Cook MP

The Death has been anounced today of Labour Politician Robin Cook.

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The death of Robin Cook not only deprives the Labour Party of one of its best known figures, it will also diminish the House of Commons.

Mr Cook was often talked of as a leadership contender. The former foreign secretary was one of the very few MPs - on either the back or front benches - who demanded attention when he spoke in the chamber.

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His piercing intellect and ability to go to the very core of an issue, combined with a devastating ability to take his enemies to pieces was never better displayed than during the debate on the Scott report into the arms to Iraq affair during which he flayed the Conservative government.

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The Commons witnessed it again just two years ago when he delivered his resignation speech after quitting the cabinet in protest at the war on Iraq.

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He had always been respected, even admired - particularly by the left - but his inability to attract a "gang" around him often left him politically alone in times of need.

That was never more obvious than during the revelation about his affair with his then secretary, Gaynor, which saw him left in the hands of the Downing Street spin machine as it attempted to minimise the consequential damage to the government.

Many in Westminster are also convinced that Gordon Brown would have offered him one of the big jobs in his cabinet.

He also had the ability to rub people up the wrong way and appear aloof, even haughty - one moment friendly and humorous, the next cold and dismissive.

He had made his fair share of enemies over the years, most notably Chancellor Gordon Brown with whom he had a famous falling out.

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But the two had recently put that behind them and were once again seen as natural allies.
It also seemed likely Mr Cook's resignation would, in the long term, have given his political career a significant lift.

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He never delivered the sort of performance in the cabinet that his supporters had hoped for and, after his demotion from foreign secretary to Commons leader, his star was clearly on the wane.

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Many in Westminster are also convinced that Gordon Brown would have offered him one of the big jobs in his cabinet if, as widely expected, he replaces Tony Blair as prime minister.
And, of course, there had been times when Mr Cook had been talked of as a leadership contender himself.

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But, once again, that inability to attract a steadfast following always made that unlikely - a fact he appeared to have accepted himself.

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Nonetheless, there are many within the Labour party who will be devastated that the man they saw as their natural leader - even their hope for the future direction of the party - has gone.

Today in Brief

Plaid Cymru, The Welsh National Party, today celebrates its 80th anniversary. "Without Plaid Cymru, the evolution of Wales as a political entity just would not have happened," said leader Dafydd Iwan. "This has been crucial in the survival of Wales's national identity, but also of course to improve the governance of Wales for the benefit of its people and communities. For all their words, the British parties would not have given Wales any priority at all had it not been for the presence and policies of Plaid Cymru."

At the National Eisteddfod, Plaid Cymru's youth movement criticises Labour for actions which "stereotype young people as yobs."

The British Beer and Pub Association has said that around nine out of 10 pubs will seek later opening hours under new regulations which come into force this autumn. "With most licensees opting for a modest increase in opening hours, we are not witnessing a 'free-for-all'," said the BBPA's Mark Hastings. "Instead, there will be more choice for consumers, with many pubs opting for limited extra time on Friday and Saturday evenings."

A TNS survey for CNN and Time magazine finds that 31 per cent of Britons have been deterred from visiting London following the recent bombings.

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The study also found that 32 per cent of French adults had been deterred from visiting Britain. It is just as well this was was not a factor when British, Commonwealth and US troops were 'visiting' France to assist with univited Germans on two occasions last century.

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Indeed.

London today

Armed officers will patrol London's streets and transport system today.

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A massive police operation is under way in London today - two weeks since the failed 21 July bombings and four since the 7 July attacks in which 56 people died.

More than 6,000 officers, many armed, are expected to patrol stations and key sites, as the Piccadilly line reopens.

A high-visibility presence will aim to make people feel safer while undercover officers mingle with commuters on Tubes and buses trying to spot bombers.

The first person charged in connection over the attacks is due in court this morning

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said work on major murder investigations had "slowed to a trickle", because so many specialist detectives had been moved to tackle terrorism.

Let us hope that there is not going to be an other attack and we must also hope the Police do not kill an other innocent victim.

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The terrorists win if we the public lower our standards of tolerance.

Steam and ale

A recommended very British event is the CAMRA (The Campaign for more Real Ale) Real Ale Festival at West Somerset's Minehead Railway Station on 17th and 18th of September.

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Real Ale supporters can arrive at the event by a very British steam train. A special round trip fair of £ 8.50 is available to all CAMRA members.

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The festival will this year feature as many as eighty real ales and ciders. Full details are available from 01643 702624, the strength of British Real Ale has prevented a web site on the event being established. Hic!

From the Editor's keyboard

Treason, Victory and Spitfires.

It is a mark of the failure of Britain's higher education system that many of Britain's young graduates can not recognise a Spitfire fighter, do not know why Nelson's (that is Vice Admiral, KB not the former South African President) statue was erected on the highest plinth in London; nor do our countries so call brightest have much understanding as to why 5th November is celebrated with fireworks.

Between now and the end of the year there is ample opportunity for some self education on three important events in British History.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot there are three excellent exhibitions and displays to raise even the most apathetic students' knowledge above the minimal standard secondary school history curriculum. Waltham Abbey in Essex are running a series of displays and re-enactment as a part of the 'Gunpowder Plot 400' events which includes an illustrated talk that takes a close look at the background of the Plot to blow up Parliament 400 years ago.

Another recommended event is a free exhibition that runs until 18 November, in Westminster Hall, London which will provide the uninformed an introduction to the events of 1605 in a location close to the scene of the actual events. Thirdly 'Gunpowder Treason and Plot' is the theme of a display of paintings and engravings from 17th September - 18th December at the National Gallery. Full details of the events can be found on www.royalgunpowdermills.com.

As for an understanding of why Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson KB was such an important a figure in British History the self educating student should head to Portsmouth on 21 October (no need to explain why that date) to attend a ceremony in front of HMS Victory. The now better informed student should then attend Nelson Night; a musical celebration of The Battle of Trafalgar in the Albert Hall, London.

As for basic war time aircraft recognition there will be a flypast of the symbol of the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire Fighter at a commemoration of the end of the Second World War - 15 August 1945 - at the family home and birthplace of that Greatest of all Britains, The Late Rt. Hon Sir Winston Churchill KG, PC, Blenheim Palace. There will also be an easy to follow exhibition on the vital importance of the Battle of Britain and why the Spitfire is important as a national symbol. The ''rip-roaring day'' which will clearly be both entertaining and educational will be held on Sunday 14 August details can be found on www.flightfestivals.com

The former Home Secretary David Blunket became so annoyed at the lack of understanding of Britishness by adults acquiring British Citizenship ( which is in itself a misnomer since we are Subjects of the Crown, not citizens - another issue for another day) that he quite rightly introduced a test for aspiring immigrant Britons. Well, this blog proposes a test for all students prior to being awarded their degree. At least three of the questions of the post graduate, multi-choice (it must be kept simple) test, should be a) recognise a Spitfire, b) know the basics of the Gun Powder Plot and c) to know what happened on 21 October 1805.

Readers who are pleased to note that all the mentioned events celebrating our glorious history are a signs of a lessening of the opressive politically correct culture (conceived in 1920's Germany and re-born in 1980'S USA and encouraged by the true government of the UK - the EU) should, we are sorry to report, not be pleased since they need to continue to worry about the erosion of the factual an often brutal truth of our nation's history.

There is no mention at the 'Gunpowder Plot 400' exhibition that Guy Fawkes was horribly tortured before he was hung, castrated and disembowelled (whilst still alive).

At the October weekend events in Portsmouth the Lib-Dem group on the City Council are at pains to see that all are honoured who fought at Trafalgar (which would have been the Red as well as the Blue team). Well after all the French and the supporting Spanish are all our European cousins now. Please no one must mention the decimation of Britain's fishing industry by the Spanish or Britains farming industry by the French (and HMG in the form of DEFRA)

Additionally, Blenheim Palace's very PC press officer informed the editor of this blog that the commemoration on the 14 August of the 60th anniversary of the Second World War was a ''themed 'European' Family Day''.

What is worse than a people not knowing their history is a nation state that is afraid of it.

Lest we forget.

No more ''God and the Queen''

It is unbelievable, amazing, disgraceful where will it all end ?

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The British Scout Association has recently changed its traditional pledge of loyalty ''to God and to the Queen'' in favour of a series of multicultural options.

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Muslim Scouts can opt to swear just to Allah (what is wrong with Allah and the Queen), while athesists can drop God altogether and budding republicans can pledge themselves to the state rather to the monarch.

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The pledge is taken by all Scouts on joining the movement, which was established in 1907.

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The new variations are intended to reflect the growing diversity of Britain.

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Well call the editor of this blog a tad reactionary if one wishes, but he would have anyone who will not swear at oath (or affirm) to our monarch - our head of state - confined to a cell in Her Majesty's Tower until such a time as a change of mind was made by the rebelious British Subject.

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If there are people who wish to live in an English speaking republic there is quite a large one one just accross the pond, however by all accounts they are keener on God than we here in the UK are.

One fears that the time could come when Her Majesty's (by then former) subjects will have to to affirm to the European Union's Commission in the intrests of EU harmony.

In God (but not our politicians) we must trust.

Wood for the seas

To commemorate the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, 27 new woods are being planted accross the UK throughout the year - one for every ship of Nelson's fleet and each wood will be named after one of the ships.

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The Woodland Trust Society for Nautical Research's joint Trafalgar Woods scheme is being implemented with the help of local schools and communities to recognise the home-grown contribution of materials in the building of Nelson's fleet.

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The project is intended to be as much about the future as about the past; the 27 new woods will be reaching maturity at the next bicentenary.

The New and the Few

I was delighted to be invited to the VIP reception organised by Northern Aviation Ltd, owners of Cleveland Flying School, on the second day of the Sunderland Airshow in the North East of England.

The 'star' of the show was the new Euro Fighter landed at the renamed 'Durham Tees Valley Airport' on Sunday 31 July and was paraded in full view of the VIP's in the Northern Aviation hospitality suite.

The much written about new euro fighters were produced at a cost of £30 billion - what a pity the aircraft is not only out of date but it also has (without additional gismos) only limited ground attack facilities. Anyway it looked quite elegant as Europe's finest new military aircraft performed at the Sunderland Airshow on a cloudy Sunday afternoon; an excellent example of a euro project, costly, out of date, inflexible, impractical yet it looked and sounded reassuring. As one seasoned observer asked: '' it is a nice toy but what is it for ?''

A verity of aircraft from the UK, Holland and Belgium, were featured at the event. Enthusiasts were treated to a view of aircraft landing and parking in front of the Cleveland Flying School's superior club house.

There was also a flypast of both a Hurricane and a Spitfire, the observers at the Flying School (of all ages) where the display aircraft were based for the week-end all commented ''oooh '' as the vintage 1940's Fighters powered by the trusted Merlin engines proudly flew down the line of the runway. I was encouraged to hear one little lad explain to his sister, "that's the Hurricane and this one is the Spitfire." As many of us are all too aware not every young person is so well-acquainted with the profiles of the Battle of Britain Flight's two principle aircraft.

The few and the new were well represented in the North East of England on a warm summer's day.

This weeks recommended web site is:

www.bdfa.net

The web site of the British Disabled Flying Association.