Veritas uncovered.
What motivates Robert Killroy-Silks sycophants ?
Sunday, February 6
Up up and a whale
In a speech to assembled guests in a packed hall in Airbus's headquarters in Toulouse, southwest France, the German Chancellor Gerhart Schroeder said (in German) ''Good old Europe has made this possible''.
The German Head of Government was referring to the A 380 'European' aircraft - the worlds largest.
Well half the aircraft parts, by value, are built by US companies. British engines get the A380 into the air, British wings keep it there and British landing gear will bring it back to earth.
The illuminating description from the normally precise Nick Heigham of BBC News 24 is perhaps more amusing and perhaps equally as worrying as the comment from the German Chancellor. Higham said the new aircraft was rather large and used a graphic to make his point: '' This is a blue whale. It is half the length of the A 380 but it carries no passengers.''
I see, not so much a white elephant but a blue whale. I had better stop now I am in danger of mixing a metaphor or two.
With thanks to: The Times 18 Jan, Deutsche Press-Agenture 18 Jan, US Today and Private Eye 4 Feb.
The German Head of Government was referring to the A 380 'European' aircraft - the worlds largest.
Well half the aircraft parts, by value, are built by US companies. British engines get the A380 into the air, British wings keep it there and British landing gear will bring it back to earth.
The illuminating description from the normally precise Nick Heigham of BBC News 24 is perhaps more amusing and perhaps equally as worrying as the comment from the German Chancellor. Higham said the new aircraft was rather large and used a graphic to make his point: '' This is a blue whale. It is half the length of the A 380 but it carries no passengers.''
I see, not so much a white elephant but a blue whale. I had better stop now I am in danger of mixing a metaphor or two.
With thanks to: The Times 18 Jan, Deutsche Press-Agenture 18 Jan, US Today and Private Eye 4 Feb.
The Sunday Quote
'' A liberal is a person too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel.''
Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Robert Frost (1874-1963)
More on ID Cards
Labour MP Ann Cryer has has a sudden change of mind on Identity Cards.
On 28 November the MP signed an early-day motion submitted by Austin Mitchell MP calling on the Government to ''reconsider its proposals for national identity cards'' and regretting ''the Government's efforts to stampede support by using fears of terrorism and asylum seekers''.
Astonishingly, however, by the very next day Ann had changed her mind.
She solemnly told the Commons that once illegal immigrants had arrived ''ID Cards will control what they are able to do and enable them to be arrested and deported.''
Indeed, of course they will !
Saturday, February 5
Politics Matters
Spike Milligan once said when asked for a comment on politics: ''One day the don't knows will get in, and then were will we be''.
Political issues matter, apathy especially for people in business is not an option. Quite simply, if business people do not take an interest in political issues then politics will soon take an interest in them. To pretend otherwise is to deny the facts of life.
Not all of what is printed in newspapers or reported on television and the radio will actually impact for good or bad on people. There is a need to distinguish between the soap opera aspects of politics, purely party political issues and the business relevant issues. It is clearly one of the functions of pressure groups and indeed webbloggs to fully explain the effects of proposed government policy on the process of peoples lives. To know an issue is to understand an issue.
To be a ''don't know'' is not a luxury anyone, particularly those in business, can afford.
It has been my view that for some time the true government of this country these days resides in Brussels. It is for this reason that I indend to propose a motion at the forthcomming Federation of Small Business (FSB) confrence, expressing concern that the EU Commission is by definition of its remit unable to oblige the Federation and adopt a policy of deregulation.
One need only look back a few years to the Foot and Mouth Crisis to find an illustration of how politicians (or rather the failure of politicians) threatened the very existence of many businesses. The disaster and particularly the financial and human cost is well documented as well as being a very painful memory to many of our members.
At the time of the epidemic I was instrumental in persuading the FSB to adopt a policy of demanding a public inquiry in to the causes, management and effects of the crisis. The government ignored the demand and produced three tame reports which is, in my view, reason enough for strong and effective non governmental pressure groups to exist !
The political process (and politicians) will interfere as much or as little as we, the voters, will allow them. All regulations are born from the political process. The politicians we elect are, or should be, accountable for the cost of the regulatory burden, the more regulations the greater the cost. Last year the Institute of Directors and the Better Regulation Task Force separately estimated that the cost to businesses of complying with the vast volume of rules and red tape was 12.5 per cent of the nations GDP. That is an amazing 1,000 billion pounds, each year.
The political process (and politicians) will interfere as much or as little as we, the voters, will allow them. All regulations are born from the political process. The politicians we elect are, or should be, accountable for the cost of the regulatory burden, the more regulations the greater the cost. Last year the Institute of Directors and the Better Regulation Task Force separately estimated that the cost to businesses of complying with the vast volume of rules and red tape was 12.5 per cent of the nations GDP. That is an amazing 1,000 billion pounds, each year.
Now if that is not something to talk to politicians about I don't know what is !
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Peter Troy was a Branch Chairman of the FSB from December1999 - February 2005.
In March 2002 Peter drove through a motion at the Federations Annual Confrence calling for the FSB to demand that HMG repeal 'The European Communities Act 1972 (and all subsequent Acts)'. The consequence of which would be withdrawl of the UK from the European Union.
The motion was accepted by the representitives of the UK's 3 million small business community by a majority of 2:1.
Owed from Foot and Mouth
A businessman says he is still owed £500,000 by the government for removing and burying carcasses after the foot-and-mouth crisis.
Robert Pugh, from Shropshire, left his business selling agricultural machinery to help organise equipment and labour for a cull at 40 sites in the county.He says that after four years the government is still querying the bill.The outbreak, which began in 2001, led to the slaughter of 6.5m animals andruined many farms and rural businesses.
It is estimated to have cost the UK up to £8bn.Organised burningMr Pugh's claims follow the National Audit Office's report into the outbreakwhich revealed that some of the contractors who helped in the clean-up operationare still owed money.His company organised the burning and burial of dead sheep and cattle acrossmuch of Shropshire.
Mr Pugh told BBC News said: "It was absolutely, incredibly badly run."The opportunities to exploit it were there and we didn't and that's what reallyhurts.
"We viewed ourselves as heroes at the time because everything they asked us todo, we did and at the end of the day when it was done, this is the situation wehave found ourselves in."£1.1bn compensation
His wife Caroline added: "Hundreds of tonnes of timber and coal had to beordered and supplied."A huge amount of equipment went into helping it all go together - we're talkingof hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of disinfectant."The National Audit Office says farmers received more than £1.1 bn incompensation for animals that were slaughtered for disease control purposes and some £200m for animals slaughtered for welfare reasons.But figures from the European Union show the British government paid out toomuch compensation after the crisis. Lawyers and forensic accountants are nowchecking the details of each bill.
The National Audit Office says overpayment was due to the sheer volume of caseswhich put compensation schemes under enormous pressure and led to costs beinghigher.
Story from BBC NEWS:
The Question of ID Cards
Who said
'' .. And instead of wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on compulsory ID cards as the Tory Right demand, let that money provide thousands of extra police officers on the beat in our local communities."
Answer: Tony Blair at the Labour Party Conference, 3 October 1995.
Mr Blair's comment came some ten years after he insisted in his election address that remaining in what was then the Common Market was bad for British Jobs.
It would appear that Mr Blair has a serious change of mind every ten years, mind you, his next door neighbour would argue that the PM's U turns more frequent than that.
'' .. And instead of wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on compulsory ID cards as the Tory Right demand, let that money provide thousands of extra police officers on the beat in our local communities."
Answer: Tony Blair at the Labour Party Conference, 3 October 1995.
Mr Blair's comment came some ten years after he insisted in his election address that remaining in what was then the Common Market was bad for British Jobs.
It would appear that Mr Blair has a serious change of mind every ten years, mind you, his next door neighbour would argue that the PM's U turns more frequent than that.
EU Constitution
It appears that there is going to be an early debate on the EU constitution in parliament after all.
Stung, we are told by The Financial Times, by opposition accusations that he wants to bury the debate, he has decided that the ratification Bill will get its second reading on 9 February. In fact, Straw has been attracting as much criticism from his own side, for the low key approach to the constitution, and it has clearly been getting to him.His decision risks exposing divisions within the Labour party on the EU, only weeks before the start of a probable general election campaign.
The FT estimates that up to 50 backbenchers, mainly traditionalists from the left of the party, might be opposed to the Bill.However, the government will be imposing a three-line whip on its backbenchers, so the prospect of a revolt is very slim, especially this close to an election.
Possibly, only a dozen or so will break ranks and walk through the "no" lobby.Despite this, the Bill is still unlikely to become law until well after the election, as there are no plans to hold the time-consuming committee stage as more urgent Bills are competing for space for time. The Bill would, therefore, have to be reintroduced after the election, when the new government takes office.
An unnamed "senior Labour official", putting the best gloss on the decision, called the second reading "a useful event". He denied seeking to hide the issue. "The more national debate there is," he said, "the more exposed the fanciful arguments of the 'no' campaign and the Conservative party. "One suspects, though, that there will be a great deal of heat but very little light.
Dr Richard North http://eureferendum.blogspot.com
Letter to The Journal
Sir,
The assistance that the countries and people devastated by the Tsunami now need is the encouragement to recover, using their own resources.
Clearly, what the West needs to now do, is to help that process by removing those appalling trade barriers that prevent development and deny the people of South-East Asia proper money for their work.
Thailand, for example was last month told by the European Union in Brussels to buy six Airbus aircraft if it wanted to escape EU duties of 12 percent on its prawns. Thailand which is the world's largest prawn exporter, had reluctantly agreed to the deal - just before the disaster struck. The Thai Government protested that the prawn tariff it faced was three times the 4 percent imposed on neighbouring Malaysia. The United States also imposes similar tariff penalties on Thailand.
The long term answer to sustainable post disaster recovery and future prosperity is trade as well as aid.
The assistance that the countries and people devastated by the Tsunami now need is the encouragement to recover, using their own resources.
Clearly, what the West needs to now do, is to help that process by removing those appalling trade barriers that prevent development and deny the people of South-East Asia proper money for their work.
Thailand, for example was last month told by the European Union in Brussels to buy six Airbus aircraft if it wanted to escape EU duties of 12 percent on its prawns. Thailand which is the world's largest prawn exporter, had reluctantly agreed to the deal - just before the disaster struck. The Thai Government protested that the prawn tariff it faced was three times the 4 percent imposed on neighbouring Malaysia. The United States also imposes similar tariff penalties on Thailand.
The long term answer to sustainable post disaster recovery and future prosperity is trade as well as aid.
Friday, February 4
Corporate Language
Using the language of the corporate executive !
First, I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet.
At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word ‘go’ so we can square the circle.
It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we’ve got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
I don’t want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we’ll be in a whole new ball game.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing it back. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
It is imperative we nail our colours very firmly to the mast and look at the big picture. We’ve got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket, we’ll need to play with a-straight-bat.
I don’t want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks.
Have a nice day.
Impact assessments, of the higest quality.
Latest of the long line of critics, the government’s own "red-tape czar" is calling on the EU to improve its business regulation or face long-term economic decline.
This was from David Arculus, the chairman of the Better Regulation Task Force, speaking at a conference organised by the Institute for Economic Affairs in London.
He later added that the new EU commission represented "the best chance of change that Europe has ever had".
He then declared that the policies that the government had pursued to lower the burden on business should be spread across the EU. To achieve this Mr Arculus suggested that more bureaucrats might need to be hired, to carry out "high-quality impact assessments" on all EU proposals.
New EU legislation should be easier to amend and there should be mandatory consideration of alternatives to legislation, he said.He then called for an independent organisation to monitor and audit red tape and said: "There need to be sufficient commission civil servants (sic) to carry out these functions and to progress the simplification agenda."Asked what would happen if red tape continued to grow, Mr Arculus said: "I think the consequences for Europe are extremely serious."
Europe’s economy could decline to half the size of the US over the next 20 years if the tide of regulation was not stemmed, he said.Regulation is clearly primarily not a matter of procedures but of attitude and culture.
Would not less regulations be better for businesses and consumers - or is that too simple ?
A Quote
''Historians will one day look back and think it is a curious folly that just as the Soviet Union was forced to recognise reality by disposing power to its separate states and by limiting the powers of its central government, some people in Europe were trying to create a new artificial state by taking powers from national states and concentrating them at the centre''.
The Rt. Hon. Baroness Thatcher - Speech 1994.
An example EU of centralist control is 'The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe'.
I opened a debate recently at Edinburgh University with the comments:
'' The EU Constitution is not like any previous TU Treaty. It is the blue print not of a Supranational Europe, nor even of a Federal States of Europe but of a Centralised State of Europe.'' ( 'Sovereignty' December 2004)
Reflections of a Campaign, by Peter Troy
At the UKIP Scotland AGM I was asked by a member what I enjoyed most about the Euro Election campaign in the summer. The answer I gave was the same as when I was asked by voters which part of Scotland I was standing in; ''all of it''.
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The majority of callers to the Scottish Campaign Headquarters in Lockerby were asking ''who is our candidate in this area?''. The campaign team explained that the EU classified Scotland as a EU Region and thus all of Scotland had seven Candidates from each party that would be elected on a Proportional Representation System. The explanation to supporters of the mathematical computations avoided a detailed explanation of the complex PR system used by the EU Parliament ( first devised during the French revolution) - 120,000 votes would send a UKIP MEP to the European Parliament with a mandate to leave the EU as soon as possible.
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Starting from a base of some 12,000 votes at the 1999 European and the 2003 Scottish Parliament elections the target of 120,000 votes needed to guarantee a seat appeared to be a formidable target.
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Keep smiling, was the positive motto of election agent and (now UKIP Party Chairman in Scotland) Peter Neilson. To Peter failure was not an option. His attitude together with that of UKIP Scottish Secretary (now UKIP Scottish National Organiser) George Cormack's determined and detailed campaigning were the inspiration of the daily expanding team.
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Whenever or wherever we went campaigning in Scotland the campaign team attracted new members. The professional input from our press man Clive Page was a vital ingredient. I don't think I have properly thanked Clive for scaring me so much and often in so many television and radio studios across Scotland.
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The strap line of the campaign in Scotland was well receiced in the Scottish National press: '' Scotland is a country in the UK it is not a region of the EU''If pressed as to my favourite moment, it would have to be the conversation with the Salvation Army soldier selling copies of War Cry in the centre of Perth on the very hot Saturday afternoon before the election. Having used the comparison that the Salvation Army willingly extracts donations from drinkers in Pubs to save the soles to that of UKIP repatriating UK tax payers money from the EU to save our nation I felt obliged to purchase a copy of the Army's periodical.
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I explained my motives to the immaculately uniformed gentleman and as we swapped UKIP literature with that of the Salvation Army he confirmed to me that ''the only way to effect change was from within''.
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The reassurance was comforting.The evening of Sunday 13 June was a nerve racking experience. The previous week's two opinion polls had pronounced that UKIP would achieve over 12% of the vote which would take the second Scottish MEP seat off the Conservatives.I was actually asking, could we actually win a seat in the EU Parliament in what the EU disparagingly calls the Scottish Region, should I start to pack ?
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Alas the 4-5 percent error referred to in the polls small print was more accurate than the much published predicted result. As the gloriously sunny Edinburgh evening drew to a close it was clear that I would not be joining my 12 colleagues from other EU regions of the UK in the celebratory photo call on college green in Westminster the following day.
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My disappointment at not being elected was tempered by three positive factors. UKIP was now firmly on the political map of Scotland. The party had dramatically increased its membership as well as its credibility in Scotland, my Doctor was relived that my cholesterol levels would not suffer as a result of being on the gravy train and thirdly I had a exciting time electioneering with some truly wonderful people - all true Patriots.
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As an other Doctor and well known political analyst, wrote on his web site, www.eureferendum.blogspot.com as the final results were announced on Monday 14 June, ''Peter will be bakc- he is both persistent and a tad dyslexic''.
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Peter Troy, the editor of this blog was the Lead Candidate for UKIP Scotland in the EU Elections.
Funded by who .......?
The EU budget plans for 2007 - 20013
Key Facts:
UK pays in £ 12bn per year aprox, this will rise.
UK gets out (popularly called European Money) £ 8.7 bn fixed.
Cost of compliance with EU structures £ 10 bn
Cost of EU regulaions to UK business £ 1000 bn
The EU partly funded by British Tax payers !
The Committee on Regional Development in Brussels. This committee is responsible for disbursing the largesse of the EU to the huge number of regions governed from Brussels, and for which the taxpayer pays, of course. At this week’s meeting, the Committee was discussing the budget for the period 2007-2013, when a total of £235 billion is due to be dispensed.
Pass on the detail - counter the propaganda of 'European money' .
Sunday, October 31
The Sunday Quote
'' Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit. It cannot like adultery or gluttony, be practised at spare moments; it is a whole-time job.''
Cakes and Ale (1930) William Somerset Maugham
Cakes and Ale (1930) William Somerset Maugham
Monday, October 25
Victory Flogging
Very British Subjects
New Monthly Competion.
Each month this blog will award a free dinner to the reader who posts the most politicaly incorrect statement from a UK newspaper. The dinner, with the editor and the most politicaly incorrect political journalist or politican of the moment.
As an example of the statard of quote we are expecting I site the wondefully politicaly incorrect comments from an assistant in the souvenier shop of HMS Victory.
'' In my view this woman from the council should be taken aboard the Victory and flogged for talking claptrap like that ''
The 'clap trap' was to issist that the aim of the celebrations in Portsmouth to mark the 200 th anniversary of Lord Nelson's triumph and heroic death at the Battle of Trafalgar was not to celebrate his Victory over the French. The woman from the Lib Dem Portsmouth Council said that the city was anxious to avoid ''rubbing French noses in defeat''
Clearly a silly comment - The French are well used to defeats they have had many generations of practice. Ed.
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With thanks to Jonathan Oliver from The Mail on Sunday - 24 October 2004
Sunday, October 24
Of Mandelson, Brown and Prescott
Peter Mandelson smiled and said it was a pertinent yet politically orientated question.
Clearly it was so politically orientated that the former Hartlepool MP and newly appointed UK's Commissioner to the EU, replied but did not directly answer my question; indeed a complement. The Rt. Hon. Peter Mandelson is a shrewd political operator, an important political figure who has been appointed by the new EU President as the EUs all powerful Trade Commissioner and as such is a part of the process of government of this country.
Many feel that it is reassuring to know that the North East of England will have its adopted son in a position of influence at the 'heart of Europe' giving a boost to Chancellor Gordon Brown's message of much needed Economic regeneration for the North East. Peter Mandelson has on more than one occasion been reported as saying he will be keen to continue to support the North East.
Reassuring as Mr Mendelson's offers of ongoing help for the North East may be the truth is, as I suggested to Commissioner Mandelson, he is in fact unable to serve two masters. The oath that he will swear at the European Court of Justice on 1 November is to '' perform my duties in complete independence,in the general interest of EU Community neither to seek nor to take instructions from any Government .......'' Hence my politically orientated question as to how he could promote North East issues when he will swear an oath not to do so ?
Some fellow activists of this blog editor in the Federation of Small Businesses query whether political issues are indeed business issues. I argue that political matters effect the process of business and are thus relevant to those in businesses. Politics is about ideas, ideas are needed to develop society. A healthy economy is vital so that businesses can flourish. In order to flourish society needs to be lead, leaders need ideas. Ideas is what politics is about which unless I am missing the point, questions about ideas need to be put to the increasing number of politicos that seek the attentions of business organisations.
Mindful of this I was very keen to be being able to put a double whammy of a question to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor when they addressed a meeting of business people in Newcastle I held my hand up at the start of the question and reply session. At the end of the session my arm ached with anticipation. The meeting Chairman did not call me to pose my question. Perhaps it was feared that I would take advantage of the presence of the two senior politicians to ask another politically orientated question. Perhaps some of my colleagues sitting cheek by jowl with me that morning were relieved; after all it would never do to discuss politics would it ?
Specifically I was intending to ask Messers Brown and Prescott what is the key difference between devolution and regionalisation. The answer is important since the former is what the Scots voted for and have, also what the Southern Irish were granted after the First World War. Regionalisation in the UK was rejected by Branch Delegates at the annual Federation of Small Businesses Conference in March by over 80%. A recent survey revealed a similar percentage rejection by business in the North East.
On the 4th November if the latest MORI Poll is correct the people of the North East well reject the option of an Elected Regional Assembly by a margin of at least 7 %. That rejection will also be a rejection of the Governments regionalisation in England. Now that will be a real nightmare for the Deputy Prime Minister.
A word of caution before anyone considers a celebration or perhaps a wake, MORI Polls can be wrong. If MORI was correct in June this Blog editor would now be an MEP !
Clearly it was so politically orientated that the former Hartlepool MP and newly appointed UK's Commissioner to the EU, replied but did not directly answer my question; indeed a complement. The Rt. Hon. Peter Mandelson is a shrewd political operator, an important political figure who has been appointed by the new EU President as the EUs all powerful Trade Commissioner and as such is a part of the process of government of this country.
Many feel that it is reassuring to know that the North East of England will have its adopted son in a position of influence at the 'heart of Europe' giving a boost to Chancellor Gordon Brown's message of much needed Economic regeneration for the North East. Peter Mandelson has on more than one occasion been reported as saying he will be keen to continue to support the North East.
Reassuring as Mr Mendelson's offers of ongoing help for the North East may be the truth is, as I suggested to Commissioner Mandelson, he is in fact unable to serve two masters. The oath that he will swear at the European Court of Justice on 1 November is to '' perform my duties in complete independence,in the general interest of EU Community neither to seek nor to take instructions from any Government .......'' Hence my politically orientated question as to how he could promote North East issues when he will swear an oath not to do so ?
Some fellow activists of this blog editor in the Federation of Small Businesses query whether political issues are indeed business issues. I argue that political matters effect the process of business and are thus relevant to those in businesses. Politics is about ideas, ideas are needed to develop society. A healthy economy is vital so that businesses can flourish. In order to flourish society needs to be lead, leaders need ideas. Ideas is what politics is about which unless I am missing the point, questions about ideas need to be put to the increasing number of politicos that seek the attentions of business organisations.
Mindful of this I was very keen to be being able to put a double whammy of a question to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor when they addressed a meeting of business people in Newcastle I held my hand up at the start of the question and reply session. At the end of the session my arm ached with anticipation. The meeting Chairman did not call me to pose my question. Perhaps it was feared that I would take advantage of the presence of the two senior politicians to ask another politically orientated question. Perhaps some of my colleagues sitting cheek by jowl with me that morning were relieved; after all it would never do to discuss politics would it ?
Specifically I was intending to ask Messers Brown and Prescott what is the key difference between devolution and regionalisation. The answer is important since the former is what the Scots voted for and have, also what the Southern Irish were granted after the First World War. Regionalisation in the UK was rejected by Branch Delegates at the annual Federation of Small Businesses Conference in March by over 80%. A recent survey revealed a similar percentage rejection by business in the North East.
On the 4th November if the latest MORI Poll is correct the people of the North East well reject the option of an Elected Regional Assembly by a margin of at least 7 %. That rejection will also be a rejection of the Governments regionalisation in England. Now that will be a real nightmare for the Deputy Prime Minister.
A word of caution before anyone considers a celebration or perhaps a wake, MORI Polls can be wrong. If MORI was correct in June this Blog editor would now be an MEP !
The Sunday Quote
''There are no true friends in Politics. We are all sharks circling and waiting for traces of blood to appear in the water.''
Alan Clarke (1928 -1999).
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