Watching this issue develop over the last weeks has had the feeling of watching a car crash in slow motion.
Recent events are just the culmination of a long-term process started by Blair, approved of by Bush and continued by Brown. The Prime Minister has been conspicuously silent on this matter up to press. Colonel Gaddaffi has thanked Gordon Brown personally for the release of Al-Megrahi.
The sight, today, of Scottish politicians wringing their hands in apparent anger and anguish, during the recall session today of the Scottish Parliament. That they were engaging in the worst form political opportunism, to be seen in recent times, was not an edifying sight to say the least!
If Iain Gray (Leader of Labour in Scotland) rather than Kenny MacAsKill (Scottish Justice Secretary) had to take the decision it would, I am confident, been the same.
The fact that the Scottish Nationalist Party is in power in Scotland and is getting the blame and taking all the flak is perceived by every other political party as playing to their advantage, even Nick Clegg (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) has had his pennyworth of condemnation.
Gordon Brown (Prime Minister of UK) meanwhile in typical fashion is nowhere to be seen, just like Macavity the cat. He did, however, have the time to congratulate our victorious Ashes winning Cricket Team yesterday! Does Brown not watch television or read newspapers when on holiday? MacShane too, perhaps untypically, seems to be silent. Can't he find a TV camera to talk to? He must be slipping!
Everyone who has studied this case with an open mind comes to the same inescapable conclusion, that Al-Megrahi had nothing whatsoever to do with this terrible atrocity. When Tam Dalyell and Teddy Taylor agree on something the likelihood is, that they are right! Neither believe Al-Megrahi to be culpable in any way at all. Nor, for that matter, does Dr Jim Swire. See also this review on DeepBlackLies.
I don't know about anybody else, but I believe, that locking up the wrong person to satisfy the victims families understandable desire for retributive justice, has nothing do do with giving them that justice.
The whole world has been lied to from the first. The problem with this situation is that the evidence that would have been presented to the Scottish Appeal Court will now, not be tested in a Court and therefore no one will ever even look for the guilty.
What will never be known now, will be the truth! That is the real scandal here!
The Lockerbie families, rightly in my view, demand justice, but this is just the thing they have never had.
It is time for a formal Inquiry to establish all the verifiable facts. Then perhaps the authorities will dedicate themselves to catching and punishing the real guilty men!
Lockerbie families deserve nothing less!
Stop Press 25 Aug 2009 Gordon Brown has finally surfaced saying that "he was repulsed by the welcome home" he however had nothing to say about the release? Why not? Does he not have an opinion or is he hiding something?
Monday, 24 August 2009
Saturday, 22 August 2009
Charlie Whelan Unite Update
Since the publication of the story 'Now there is turmoil in the UKs largest union, Unite!' things have moved on a pace.
The grievances raised by the staff who worked in the political department of Unite the trades union, he heads, have been settled at last.
Evidence was cited involving Whelan's behaviour as being 'totally at odds with the policies of the union' and 'totally against the principles established under dignity at work procedures' as well as presiding over 'a real culture of fear and a climate of bullying' in the department.
Whelan himself seems to have moved to settle other scores. He has instructed the top peoples solicitors, Carter Ruck, to pursue a libel action against Frazer Nelson of the Spectator Magazine.
What has he taken offence at? Frazer Nelson made a reference to the above complaints in a Spectator blog.
Now Carter Ruck are claiming, 'distress and embarrassment' when Whelan was accused of having a bullying manner. This case will be followed by many, probably because it might make legal history if Whelan succeeds in this legal adventure, but then I recall that Lord Jeffrey Archer once won a libel action, so anything is possible I suppose?
The grievances raised by the staff who worked in the political department of Unite the trades union, he heads, have been settled at last.
Evidence was cited involving Whelan's behaviour as being 'totally at odds with the policies of the union' and 'totally against the principles established under dignity at work procedures' as well as presiding over 'a real culture of fear and a climate of bullying' in the department.
Whelan himself seems to have moved to settle other scores. He has instructed the top peoples solicitors, Carter Ruck, to pursue a libel action against Frazer Nelson of the Spectator Magazine.
What has he taken offence at? Frazer Nelson made a reference to the above complaints in a Spectator blog.
Now Carter Ruck are claiming, 'distress and embarrassment' when Whelan was accused of having a bullying manner. This case will be followed by many, probably because it might make legal history if Whelan succeeds in this legal adventure, but then I recall that Lord Jeffrey Archer once won a libel action, so anything is possible I suppose?
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Expenses for MPs, top Tory on 'Planet Zog'
Senior Tory Grandee, Sir Patrick Cormack, Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire, has called for MPs pay to be doubled in return for loosing their second homes allowances. This would mean a rise from £64,766 to more than £130,000! MPs not currently eligible for these allowances would disproportionally benefit!
He has been criticised by Labour as 'out of touch' and by Lib Dem, Ed Davey, Foreign Affairs spokesman is quoted as having described him as 'living on Planet Zog'
Alan Duncan, Tory MP for Rutland & Melton and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, has also embarrassed the Tory Party for being secretly filmed by a campaigner complaining that they were 'having to exist on rations'. Watch the video HERE
Even the New Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt. Hon John Bercow MP (previously Tory MP for Buckingham) doesn't yet get it! He has just ordered an expensive refurbishment of his apartments in the Palace of Westminster!
In view of the recent disclosure by Baroness Royall, slipped out while in recess, in response to a written question by Viscount Tenby (Read it HERE), it is about 2 thirds way down) that the total cost of running Parliament now stands at £500 million a year and rising! you would have thought that enough was already being spent on them. This profligate bunch of Parliamentarians need to economise before the people will ever trust them again.
He has been criticised by Labour as 'out of touch' and by Lib Dem, Ed Davey, Foreign Affairs spokesman is quoted as having described him as 'living on Planet Zog'
Alan Duncan, Tory MP for Rutland & Melton and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, has also embarrassed the Tory Party for being secretly filmed by a campaigner complaining that they were 'having to exist on rations'. Watch the video HERE
Even the New Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt. Hon John Bercow MP (previously Tory MP for Buckingham) doesn't yet get it! He has just ordered an expensive refurbishment of his apartments in the Palace of Westminster!
In view of the recent disclosure by Baroness Royall, slipped out while in recess, in response to a written question by Viscount Tenby (Read it HERE), it is about 2 thirds way down) that the total cost of running Parliament now stands at £500 million a year and rising! you would have thought that enough was already being spent on them. This profligate bunch of Parliamentarians need to economise before the people will ever trust them again.
Parliament cost us £500m last year!
Yes that is a cool half Billion Pounds!
What on earth do they spend it on?
At a time like this when constituents are in desperate straits, this kind of lavish expenditure on their own comforts is quite extrordinarily arrogant to say the least!
The time is coming when the citizens of Rotherham can throw them out if they want to!
What the voters give they can also take away!
What on earth do they spend it on?
At a time like this when constituents are in desperate straits, this kind of lavish expenditure on their own comforts is quite extrordinarily arrogant to say the least!
The time is coming when the citizens of Rotherham can throw them out if they want to!
What the voters give they can also take away!
Monday, 17 August 2009
Time to take stock!
It is now time to start to take stock after the longest continuous period of Labour in Government. This is an enormous task that will keep analysts and historians busy for the next fifty years or so. A few random thoughts to start with.
After 12 years of Labour Government, real anger is present amongst even the most loyal members and supporters. They feel betrayed and badly let down by a government that promised much. Why should this be?
We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis that capitalism has ever faced and this time the axe is falling much higher up in companies than hitherto. There are now at least 2.5 million out of work and it will rise rapidly in the autumn when seasonal jobs dry up. The youngest members of the workforce are also now bearing the brunt. Young people in the Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETS) category is one of the the fastest growing sectors.
The poor have got poorer under labour and the rich, richer. Surprisingly the rich have gained three ways under labour, they now get a larger slice of the national income, pay less tax and even get a bigger slice of welfare benefits than they did before labour came into power in 1997. This has had a disproportionate effect in Rotherham given the demographics. This government has actually taken from the poor and given it to the much better off, not something a labour government has ever done before. No wonder ordinary people are in such a deep despair and feel such anger and estrangement from the Party they though would help them.
We are engaged militarily in two conflicts that, with the benefit of hindsight, were ill judged and have proved far more difficult, complex and costly than imagined at the outset. Can killing people just because they don't want a western style nation state and believe in a different way of life ever be justified?
Our civil society is under threat from both domestic and foreign terrorist attack. Unlike the IRA attacks the perpetrators wish to die whilst committing these atrocities. In some areas social cohesion is under severe strain like never before, with a siege mentality developing in some communities, doing irreparable harm.
Many questions come to mind that require answers, here are a random selection of these;
What is the state of the Labour Party locally and New Labour nationally? Why is this important?
What about other political parties in Rotherham and nationally.
What has it done for the people, especially at the lower end of the income scale?
How well have our three MPs, Kevin Barron, John Healey and Denis MacShane done for Rotherham and it's people? What have they achieved, if anything, for the nation? How have they spent our money?
How well have Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council done in serving its people?
How has the Leader, Roger Stone and Cabinet members benefited the people of Rotherham?
Elections, what do the previous elections in Rotherham tell us? Can any of the Parliamentary Seats be lost by Labour? We will show Labours vulnerability in next years General and Local Elections.
Over the next few months we will explore the record of Labour in Government in some detail, hopefully to bring illumination to some dark corners. We also invite contributions from others, either in the form of comments or letters and articles.
After 12 years of Labour Government, real anger is present amongst even the most loyal members and supporters. They feel betrayed and badly let down by a government that promised much. Why should this be?
We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis that capitalism has ever faced and this time the axe is falling much higher up in companies than hitherto. There are now at least 2.5 million out of work and it will rise rapidly in the autumn when seasonal jobs dry up. The youngest members of the workforce are also now bearing the brunt. Young people in the Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETS) category is one of the the fastest growing sectors.
The poor have got poorer under labour and the rich, richer. Surprisingly the rich have gained three ways under labour, they now get a larger slice of the national income, pay less tax and even get a bigger slice of welfare benefits than they did before labour came into power in 1997. This has had a disproportionate effect in Rotherham given the demographics. This government has actually taken from the poor and given it to the much better off, not something a labour government has ever done before. No wonder ordinary people are in such a deep despair and feel such anger and estrangement from the Party they though would help them.
We are engaged militarily in two conflicts that, with the benefit of hindsight, were ill judged and have proved far more difficult, complex and costly than imagined at the outset. Can killing people just because they don't want a western style nation state and believe in a different way of life ever be justified?
Our civil society is under threat from both domestic and foreign terrorist attack. Unlike the IRA attacks the perpetrators wish to die whilst committing these atrocities. In some areas social cohesion is under severe strain like never before, with a siege mentality developing in some communities, doing irreparable harm.
Many questions come to mind that require answers, here are a random selection of these;
What is the state of the Labour Party locally and New Labour nationally? Why is this important?
What about other political parties in Rotherham and nationally.
What has it done for the people, especially at the lower end of the income scale?
How well have our three MPs, Kevin Barron, John Healey and Denis MacShane done for Rotherham and it's people? What have they achieved, if anything, for the nation? How have they spent our money?
How well have Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council done in serving its people?
How has the Leader, Roger Stone and Cabinet members benefited the people of Rotherham?
Elections, what do the previous elections in Rotherham tell us? Can any of the Parliamentary Seats be lost by Labour? We will show Labours vulnerability in next years General and Local Elections.
Over the next few months we will explore the record of Labour in Government in some detail, hopefully to bring illumination to some dark corners. We also invite contributions from others, either in the form of comments or letters and articles.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Council Leader forgets Senior Railcard. Shock! Horror!
A couple of weeks ago the Rotherham Advertiser published a story criticising Roger Stone for forgetting his Senior Persons Railcard and claiming back the difference. As, is often the case, Marlene 'Gob on Legs' Guest, was involved in this petty, vindictive (almost to the point of obsession) non-story.
Why? Such a usually sensible newspaper gave space to this spiteful little story is beyond me? Could it, perhaps, have anything to do with its source?
They regularly give column inches to this loathsome woman's opinions and unacceptable political views. Presumably, their defence is one of providing balance. Would they have printed Nazi propaganda during the war to provide balance, I think not!
The Advertiser should refrain from giving this odious, attention seeking seeking female, the 'oxygen of publicity' for her poisonous and pernicious views. Enough is enough! Please stop it before you do irreparable harm to community cohesion in our ethnically and culturally diverse Rotherham.
Why? Such a usually sensible newspaper gave space to this spiteful little story is beyond me? Could it, perhaps, have anything to do with its source?
They regularly give column inches to this loathsome woman's opinions and unacceptable political views. Presumably, their defence is one of providing balance. Would they have printed Nazi propaganda during the war to provide balance, I think not!
The Advertiser should refrain from giving this odious, attention seeking seeking female, the 'oxygen of publicity' for her poisonous and pernicious views. Enough is enough! Please stop it before you do irreparable harm to community cohesion in our ethnically and culturally diverse Rotherham.
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