Showing posts with label Labour Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Labour Party. Show all posts

Tuesday 13 February 2024

Truth and Trauma

 


Azhar Ali, the prospective Labour candidate for the Rochdale by-election, has been 'disowned' by the Labour Party.  This comes after he spoke the truth re Israel and Gaza, and frightened Keir into running away from the Tory press.
The problem here is that Ali spoke the truth and upset the Israeli propagandists.  He made clear that Israel knew the Hamas attack was coming, that the defence force was instructed to do nothing, and that this allowed Netanyahu to attack Gaza, something he had long wished to do.  
Nothing wrong here.  Nothing anti-Semitic here either.
So, 'outrage,' and 'fury,' appears in the Tory press attacking this man and his 'lies.'
But he spoke the truth.
Keir, aware of real anti-Semitic leanings amongst some in the Labour Party, though whether this was anti-Semitic or anti Israeli government policies is arguable, Keir decided to act, slowly.  He has withdrawn support for Azhar Ali, however, as it is too late to amend the election list Ali must stand anyway.  No official Labour candidate will no be available, and this means Ali will win with a whopping majority in a place Labour hoped to use to attack Sunak.  What a mess from Labour.  I note the 'Daily Mail' do not allow my comments to appear on their report...


Amidst all the press glorying in the murder of Brianna Ghey, and the press loved this story, there was one interesting point that was, deliberately, missed.
We heard a lot about the two who decided to commit murder, but little about their reasoning, nor what caused this desire.  The media enjoyed splurging space on the 'evil' twosome, using the word 'shame' without any sense of irony.  There has now been considerable comment from Brianna's mother, especially after Sunak make a joke about Starmer not knowing what a woman is, and setting off a bandwagon of faux anguish.  The gay/trans lobby supporters in prominent places rushed to express their concern and outrage, and to ensure their voters and the media heard their opinions.  Loud voices condemned the inept PM, many of them Tories hoping for a position under whoever replaces him, and the Labour Party urged the bandwagon on, considering this was the publics desire.
Votes mean votes!
Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, was loud in his condemnation of the PM, demanding apologies and heads rolling.  No answer came the reply.
This brings me to my point.  
Why was the father commenting separately from the mother?
Because they are not married to one another, both appear to have other partners.
It would be easy to jump to conclusions here.
So, jump I will.
Why did this young boy decide he was female?
A young boy with several problems finds his parents splitting up.  Was this the trauma that led to his desire to be female?  This has occurred in many cases.  The media do not wish this to be mentioned, they are off one mind that such 'transitions' are normal, possibly because so many in the media or their friends are heading that way.  Of course the liberal society does not wish to believe that such sex changes are not normal, this is because this allows them to live life their way, whatever that entails, and we are not allowed to indicate how wrong this is, for them and others.  
Did this boy go through a transition without any hindrance?  Did no-one indicate that this was a wrong move?  Or was he encouraged to 'be himself,' when he was not 'being himself' at all.
Divorce, parents splitting up, new step-parents arriving, can be very difficult for a child, especially one who is autistic or has ADHD, and can lead to confusion and problems.  Was this the case here?  Was there no-one who could stop this boy changing sex, by a piece of paper?  
We are born male or female, we cannot change sex, and we cannot be born in the wrong body.  All this comes from a traumatised mind, nothing else.  God created us male and female, this cannot change.  Jesus demands our repentance so he can make us fully what we really are, we cannot become what we  really are by a slip of paper and self identification. 
The police quickly established the 'trans' was not responsible for the killing.  That was the equally troubled lassie from elsewhere who befriended the child and soon decided to commit murder.  Quite what went through her mind, what caused her to enjoy torture and murder we might not understand, though similar things are happening right now across the world by men in uniform 'protecting their people,' while torturing and killing others.  Such attitudes to be truthful, lie deep within all human nature.  The nature we all carry.
So, one is dead, two are imprisoned, many more hurt and traumatised both near and far. 
I am just glad the police worked quickly and successfully to bring this sad tale of woe to court.  Where would we be without a police service as good as ours?  But that is another story.

Dutch Boat in a Gale - 1801 Turner

Monday 12 December 2022

A Trudge to Get Bread


As expected we rose to a white landscape this morning.  Slow traffic edged its was along the highway, occasional workers coughed and muttered as they slipped their way past.  Occasional dogwalkers muttered also while trying to find a clear spot for the dog.  Clearly, not all succeeded.  


Much against my better judgement I joined the cheery throng, once the schoolkids had passed by.  Whether they were off to school or off school I knew not, but I let them go first.  By the time I got fed, dressed and had my boots on, the traffic was beginning to flow normally.  Clearly the majority had remained indoors and only the workers and the desperate went out.  I needed bread... 


To get bread I trudged through the snow, being reminded of how hard this could be.  A few inches lay there, pathways already clear down the middle of the path, and at the side areas where children had sought to be the first to leave their footprints in the large white expanse in front of them.  Who can blame them?  Did we all not wish to do that?  And some of you still do!

One man, dressed for the front room, hurried across the park, pulled out his phone, took a quick picture, and ran away back from whence had had come somewhat guiltily.  The rest of us, warmly wrapped and slow moving, ignored him.  Most offered a rueful remark as we passed one another, one woman annoyed at being 'called in' to work when she wanted to take pictures also.  How cruel life is.  I bet her pictures would be better thought out than mine.


At the far end I snapped a shot from an area dominated by the early, and frozen, dog walkers.  I have taken such shots for years yet little changes.  To think that once this was a school ground, and before that a rich man's house?  Before that it appears to have been a field, an old painting shows this in the 1800s with a cow happily wandering about.  All things must change.


 
I had hoped to see the birds behind the church but clearly they were struggling for food at the moment.  None bar an occasional wood pigeon flew by, and they were not stopping.  I wondered how they would feed themselves today, though I suspect peoples gardens would be places to find free offerings in this weather.  Not much I can do to help these days.


My route took me past the freezing Town Hall and the old water fountain, it no longer works of course, but there are less horses, pigs, sheep, cows and buyers these days.  Bottled water appears uppermost today.  Council workers were spreading grit around the area, clearing a safe path, and working up a sweat.  Sadly, we have no equipment that allows me to do this here, just an old stiff brush which merely spreads the stuff and makes it slippier!  I will not tell you how I know this.


The only splash of colour comes from the Post Box.  Note the 'Sat' for Saturday tag, indicating nothing was collected that day.  I suspect it was not collected today either.  Vast quantities of mail fills the Royal Mail offices, little of it finds its way to me however!  I am all in support of the striking workers, however, Royal Mail and this grubby government are not willing to do the deal, the failing attempt to turn the people against the strikers has not yet led to a climbdown by government or their men.  I note however, the nurse will not strike in Scotland as the government their has found a solution to the problem.  Why can the English not do the same?  Simple answer, they do not want a solution, they wish to sell off the NHS to their American friends, line their pockets, and care nothing for the people.


Keir Starmer and the 'Tory Two' Party has failed the workers by refusing to back them, calling for an end to strikes, and even claiming it is impossible to pay the NHS staff more.  This is no longer the Labour Party, this is a man desperate for the top job and he will say anything to get it.  It is time for Starmer to go, he could do nothing when the failing Boris was PM, he failed to remove Liz, and now fails with the latest failing PM, it is time for Keir to leave the show and allow a member of the Labour Party to take over.


Wednesday 29 September 2021

The Labour of Hermes

 

 
Today Keir Starmer delivered his first speech to the Labour Party conference.  I didn't bother to notice it. I expected little and it appears that is what we have been offered.  He did not say anything revolutionary, offering some leadership, or suggestions to take the nation out of the mess into which it has sunk.  My reading of the far from enthusiastic responses to his speech indicates no changes from Labour regarding opposing the Tories.  The nation will continue under this inept government for some time, another, possibly 'snap' election is possible soon, and after that Boris victory the Tories will reign supreme for some time because Labour have failed to oppose him or offer solutions.
What a mess.
What should he have said?
Had Keir made clear Labour would return to the EU, nationalise the main society supports, the buses, railways, NHS, gas, electric and water, for a start, he would have found a strong support from millions fed up with private profit while their fares and costs soar under any excuse that fits.  This however, is not something he would ever contemplate.  I understand there were no references to Clement Attlee in his speech.
Clearly supported by Lord Mandleson of disrepute, he instead just wishes to continue as a 'Red Tory,' teaching the youth to learn 'how to live with it,' and 'make the best of it.'  Super!  Nothing planned to change the way things work or find a better way for the future?  Get used to Boris, he will be around for ever if Keir remains in charge of Labour.
 


Wednesday 9 June 2021

Wednesday Wittering

 

 
Just on Nine I slogged my weary way to Sainsburys this morning in 67%F of heat (that's about 19C to foreigners).  Three days in a row the sun has shone, this, as you will realise, is a clear indication of a storm to follow.
At the supermarket I took a basket as always and perused the shop for the few items I needed.  The picture above claims to be representative of the most popular trolley in supermarkets.  I always take a basket, partly because these days I can only carry so much but also because it makes progress around the store much easier and quicker.  To pass aged men with no idea what they are doing, bar obeying orders of 'she who must be obeyed,' and women with trolleys packed with expensive shopping most of which they could easily avoid, you require a basket.  For many years this has speeded up the shopping trip.  Certainly it can get heavy, but a well organised basket can carry a fair amount, at least that is what the cost at the checkout indicates to me!  £20:18 for that lot?  There again this is cheaper today because of the diet, without the cakes, beer and other fattening items omitted once again I am saving money.
Once again I noted the indifference to the checkout operators from those pedalling vaccines.  There ought to have been an urgent requirement for such as these to be vaccinated first.  These people meet the public daily, as indeed do postmen, bus drivers (several of whom died from the virus) and dustbin collectors alongside other council workers.  We realise NHS workers and care staff ought to have been offered the 'jab' first, but how many received it?  In Scotland they did do the care homes first, one good thing from Nicola, but how many missed out?  It is 'unfortunate' that these other front line workers, who face us daily, are considered so unimportant.
 

We can ask here how many missed out taking the 'Jab' because they believed the anti-vax nonsense spouted by many who fell for conspiracy movements?  Why do people think a virus would contain a bug that transmits your details to Bill Gates?  He already has all your details through Microsoft, as indeed has Google, Facebook, and all sorts of other organisations, let alone those 'official' government departments that can look you up if required.  Why believe the Bill Gates lie?  Do you really think he needs to know about your boring life?  
This I suppose belongs to the politicians need to polarise the world to advance their personal position.  One of the oldest political motives, 'divide and rule,' this has been around since the dawn of time.   How many have died by avoiding the 'jab' because of such polarisation? 
 

One of the most obvious examples of 'Divide & Rule' is found here, with Rupert Murdoch.  He, in all his grubby papers, along with the 'Daily Mail' and 'Daily Express,' have encouraged their readers to believe the country was flooded with immigrants, all the fault of the Labour Party, and that such immigrants were given priority over housing, benefits, and opportunites, all of which were being denied to the indigenous white 'working class' population.  
This has worked.  
In similar fashion lies re the EU has led to many Labour people voting to 'Leave' because they felt hard done by.  However, the benefits regarding tax dodging for the owners of such papers was not made clear, or ign ored altogether.  Now, a collapse of the UK economy which will hit the white, and indeed immigrant, population very hard indeed has arrived, will the Brexiteer white understand why he is laid off?  Or will he blame the pandemic?
We see how successful 'Divide & Rule' has been.  The areas of northern England, once industrial heartlands, now desert like places, has seen the Labour voting population not just die off but change their voting habits and support the new incoming Conservative member, why?  Do they agree with Tory policies?  Do they know what those policies are?  This is highly unlikely, however, they have heard that the Tories will 'Control immigration,' and protect the local natives from a Muslim takeover.  
That is all that was required.  
Lies about Muslims, frequent in the 'Yellow Press,' re immigrants, mostly black, and the EU citizens flooding in also, (no comment ever made re the 3 million UK citizens in the EU by the way) all added up to a fear campaign that benfits the Tory party but not the voter. 
The result of this lie, added to the inept situation in both the Conservative and Labour Parties has led to a feeble government since 2010.  With no opposition bar the SNP who cannot have sufficient influence in the Hosue, and the dead Labour Party, there is nothing to stop the Tories doing whatever they wish.  Add also the instability withing the party producing Boris Johnson as Prime Minister and we are left with a chaotic situation unsurpassed in UK history.  It times of strife in the past serious politicians came to the fore, today none can be found.    
I have just discovered what the amendments to the constituencies will mean if allowed to go through, a vast number of increased Tory seats, and Boris and his mob ruling for ever!
Glory?
 

 

Wednesday 12 May 2021

Thought's Occasioned by a Magazine

 
'The Oldie' is a magazine I have been reading most of the year.  It is well laid out, attractive design, with many items, some regular some occasional, they are all accompanied by astounding cartoons, relevant to life today.
However, this morning filling time reading a page or two I was once more aware of how limited many items were.  'Middle Class Angst' replaced with 'Middle Class Hero's.'  The 'heroic' stature given to long dead drunks, perverts or scoundrels, becomes a wee bit boring after a while.  People who the author would not allow through their front door are raised up as some sort of role model and we are expected to laugh at their doings as if they were worthwhile.  Usually these 'doings' just reflect an empty life.
In my mind several things can be said here, the most obvious is that the mostly middle class readership (who can afford the mag) want to identify with such individuals.  They desire to live lives that are 'free' from society objection, ignoring the cost, broken marriage, lost and confused children, sickness, death and other minor hindrences.  
One cause that often appears is lack of parental care.   
Boarding School: Such schools at eight years old is not, in my experience, something that binds a family, even if dad is in the forces or diplomatic service or some form of business.  Dumping kids at a distance, with no family contact, especially in the days before mobile phones such as we now possess, is cruel in my mind.  I am not surprised to find so many gay folks informing us of their situation often began in such circumstances.  How many 'celebs' have similar broken family lives behind them?
Public School:  The Public school ethos, whatever that is, where future leaders of power, church, media, government, get together to form friends or enemies for life and encourage 'The Old School Tie.'  This is the manner Boris has been making use off to run the country.  The attitudes encouraged at such schools do not encourage care for others, they certainly do not encourage 'socialism' in any form, instead it has become 'Look after number one,' us!
Bad Parents:  Whether sending kids to far off schools or just having too much money in the end, bad parents are responsible for bad children.  Fathers who have no intention of loyalty, mothers who play around, those who use the other for class, money or position reasons and make no effort at a real marriage will not produce contented children.  The lack of assurance, the lack of love will always show.  'Love' of course is not a feeling here, it is an action.  A daily action, often in difficult circumstances, a costly action, that is why so many fail!  When the wealthy fail it is not through lack of cash, it is lack of many other things.  Children are thus taught selfishness, lack of concern for others and indeed many spend their lives looking for the missing parental care elsewhere. 
Money:  Those who can afford Public Schools have no knowledge or understanding of how the people live, whether those of what we call 'working class' or indeed 'middle class.'  Their world is far removed from the daily life of most.  
It is clear Boris and his kind wish to keep it that way.  The moneyed class, and where did that cash come from? The moneyed class care little beyond themselves.  It is true that in the past some have taken action to change the world for the better.  Well educated Clement Atlee took to looking after those in London's East End, eventually leading the most radical government the UK has known.   Harold MacMillan, Eton boy at that, was far to the left of Tony Blair and that guy who is now the Labour leader.  He met the lower orders during the Great War, respected them and served them in the 1930's in Stockton to the extent of running soup kitchens for them, and depised Thatcher and all she stood for.  Thatcher of course was Lower middle class, the daughter of a shopkeeper.     
War:  Of course many mentioned in the magazine pages were born before or during the war.  This affected the entire nation and while all suffered a reaction the upper section of society had the privelage of being able to move about and spread their problems in a less stressful fashion.  Money was available, better jobs also, the rest of us just had to 'get on with it' and make the most of their lives.


Reading about some cad this morning brought Boris to mind as many mentioned in the mag are very Boris like.  Indeed one individual rather scathingly mentioned parents of today's cabinet members in passing, and I am left wondering if the failures of school,lack of parents care and having too much cash has led to the Boris we see today?  His cheeky personality wins him many fans though udnerneath he is a scheming brat, very schoolboyish.  His battle for power with Eton Boy Dave Cameron saw him win, though honesty and integrity played no part.  It is difficult to consider what went on behind the scenes!  He now has power, without the ability or drive to make it work.  Where will it all end?  
His latest policies, declared by the queen, who managed not to spit even once, include Bills to cut the number of Labour voters, hinder judges from stopping parliament wrongs, both attempts to oppose anyone who might disagree with his decisions.  
This is the actions of a man afraid to debate, a man who needs control, a man who is afraid of the consequences when he loses that control, not the sort of man to be called democratic.  Boris has learned a lot from Fascist Steve Bannon, these are actions copied from Adolf during the 30's, although the press was already on Boris's side and only the BBC was to be taken over.  The nation has suffered a coup and does not see it.  Soon, the 'Red Wall' will realise they have been had, then what?
 

 

Wednesday 10 April 2019

Wednesday Waffle


This delight was awaiting me as I came home the other day.  Only the Tories and Labour bother with our house.  Clearly they do not know the people within.  It was the phrase 'Conservative Action' that grabbed my attention.  With three years of Brexit inaction, Theresa going back and forth on her knees and the ERG knifing one another in the back there appears to be either no 'action' or too much of the wrong type of 'action' within the Conservative Party.
This area is of course very much a Tory stronghold and always has been, the 'Daily Express' sells well to people in big houses who ought to know better as well as to the 'Working Class Tory' who clearly doesn't!  UKIP made a big mark a few years ago and the people returned to the Tory vote only after an anti-EU showing, many here are not upset with them and with the MP seeking his fortune by keeping in (successfully) with the big names and ignoring his constituents his large majority will soon take a beating.  The upset voter may not bother to vote in this local election, too few do anyway, and with feelings high there is a possibility changes might occur.  
This however may fail as it is impossible to discover any information regarding the few who have put their names down as candidates.  These Tories and the usual losing Labour types apart we know nothing about the independents, it appears 'social media' is beyond them, the 'Green' candidate I have discovered works in some form of environmental work but otherwise nothing, even their very poor website did not mention him!  I say we must vote however with such a choice and such small minded voters it appears the 'democratic' election is going to be a farce.  
Funny how those who don't vote do complain mind.


I was sitting here idly watching some rubbish on the laptop when I realised I had one of these flea things chomping away at my hand.  Where did he come from?  No pets in here, I have not ventured out, so where did this brown beastie come from?  Indeed where did he go?  I flicked him away and ought to have killed him but I am now wondering where he is hiding, I may meet him again, he will not find fodder anywhere else in here.  How exciting, I have never been bitten by fleas before and now I have the chance to obtain Bubonic Plague, how historically interesting!  But stupid!

 

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Autumn Mists


Autumn, the season of 'Mists and mellow fruitfulness' said he poet, I'm not sure about the mellow fruitfulness but last night there was plenty of mist.  This contrasted sharply with the warmth found in the middle of the day today where people walked about shirt sleeved, they must be mad!  

  
The aged bandstand in the gardens has been in attendance at almost 140 such seasons.  The trees around have cheerfully deposited their leaves for someone else to gather over a similar time.  The gardens once were the sole property of one of the Courtauld's, George I think, who had the big hoose over the road.  He also had a huge area of fields there also which now form the park l and in a spirit of generosity donated the gardens to the town.  This was received with much pomp and display.  The townspeople marched through the town in celebration and a picnic in a local field was held at the end with a bonfire and carousing no doubt at night.  People made their own fun in the late 19th century.  The gardens are now run by a trust and a Courtauld is one of the leading men attempting to keep the gardens running.

        
Apparently the Labour party have been having a conference this week, only listening to the news headlines means I miss out many tales and yet miss out nothing important.  It appears Jeremy Corbyn thinks he could win an election but there are two problems here: we are not having one and stopping Brexit is more important.  The election one is fun as this is three years away I guess and the Tories will have gone through about three Prime Ministers by then and while it is possible Jeremy might be acceptable to many by then I suspect he also may have followed them into the abyss.
If however Brexit is not stopped, and Jeremy is all for it, then in three years time Scotland will be independent, England broke taking Wales and Northern Ireland with them and the world will be a different place.  In the meantime we struggle on with the worst government we have ever had, sometimes I wish David Cameron would come back at least you knew where you were with the ignorant toff.

        
There has been much cheering in the realms of the easily led by the radical news from Saudi Arabia that from next June women will be allowed to drive cars in that country.  Cue much cheering from feminists, media women and others with little intellect.  Women being allowed to drive gets a round of applause yet not one word is asked re stopping the crucifixion of 16 year olds, the decapitation of offenders nor the chopping off of hands and other bits and the stoning for adultery, these are less important than a woman driving!
Questions must be asked why this decision has been made?  Could this reflect the new young rulers intention to 'modernise' his nation?  Could it be a lessening of the influence of the Wahhabi imams? Or could it be a distraction taking our minds of the proxy wars on Yemen and Syria?  Or is this to hide something else we are not being informed off?  We wait and see.



The Autumn sun peeked out between the large misty cloud formations time and again today indicating that more such weather awaits us.  Rain clouds form as we speak, the residue from those US hurricanes make their way east and affect our nation, typical Yankees!  Not only do their money loving Boeing attempt to kill of 4000 jobs in Northern Ireland they dump their old storms on us also.  We can hit back concerning the aero companies but sending our weather to them is not so easy.
I expect Mrs May, when not taking the knives out of her back, will call that nice Donal Trump and inform him handbag style what she thinks of it all.  He can attempt to hold her hand but I suspect this will not work again.  Not sure it worked last time right enough.  
Mrs May is still PM but there are rumours of a coup approaching.  However all rumours are just that, rumours.  Who plants them?  The Russians, The Tories, a Tory bigwig unsettling other bigwigs, the CIA or 77 Brigade?  Who knows?  So many false items on Twitter and Facebook and so little truth among the whole thing.  I am cutting down on both social media and lessening my search for information to more reliable informants, who are possible lying I must admit.  
Just imagine, a British government with a divided cabinet, backstabbing ministers and no opposition, no matter what Jeremy says, is this possible? 




Sunday 13 September 2015

Sniffling



Sniffling forced me to remain indoors all day today, suffering but not complaining!  I wish I had stayed in yesterday also as I was washed out afterwards.  Nothing much happened today although the Tory press appear transfixed with the new Labour leader.
Jeremy Corbyn, another middle class left winger now has the leadership and is forming his policies as we speak.  What these will be and whether any will work is debatable, but what we have now is unacceptable and what was opposed to it was too similar to be acceptable.  
For too long the Labour Party has sought the middle ground simply to get elected.  In doing this they forgot the people who they were supposed to represent.  'Class structure' is not what it was in the UK but the large middle class vote tend to go for the Tories as they fear Labour will steal their cash.  These are the same people who pay through the nose for gas & electric, plus water, and commute by rail murmuring about the privatised prices charged.  Will they never learn?
Certainly the Tory papers, the Daily Mail, Telegraph and Sun, will be attacking Labour now with tales off woe and despair, infighting and fear.  The fear of course is that he challenges their position on all things and people will soon realise this government is destroying not building a nation!

 
 Of course it could be worse....


Ah yes, thanks for reminding me, I need to put some honey in my Hot Toddy, this local stuff will do the trick, G'night all...

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Tuesday



The Labour Party have a conference.  This is the last big moment before the General Election in May 2015 for Ed Milliband to make play for being the next Prime Minister.  What a choice, Ed or Dave.  At the last election I was given the choice of six candidates, and the Tory always wins with eighty percent of the vote here, and I didn't want any of them!  Worse still I knew almost nothing of most, and what I did know was not inspiring.  I always vote and this year I am hoping the Monster Raving Loony Party will stand, I will vote for him!  The UKIP candidate, more dotty than the Tories, will put on a good show this time and cut the Tory boy's majority by half, but he will still win.  Democracy, don't ya love it?
What did Ed say?  Does it matter, really....?


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Thursday 19 June 2014

Overwork, not enough sleep.



Being broken down and pooped yesterday I did nothing but grumble, and that's not like me. Today I forced myself awake and managed to work for at least fifteen minutes!  Then I had to pop down to the museum to cover for a lass who was not coming in.  She came in!  Bah!  Typical woman!  I could have spent that time asleep working.  Stopping off on the way home I bought meat, yes MEAT!  It was reduced.  I burnt it.
That sums up my exciting life just now.


Today we hear the Labour Party offering to reduce young peoples dole money until they obtain certain educational qualifications.  Why?  Because too many cannot find jobs and this will make them better candidates for any openings.
What rot!
The reason there are so many unemployed young is simple, there are no jobs! Not only have many thousand young folks arrived from eastern Europe, happy to accept low wages as they are higher than wages back home, but any vacancy has three hundred applicants!  Two and a quarter million are unemployed, the answer, cut the dole!  This from a Labour opposition that was built by the working class!  
The reason for this nonsense, the desperation of the failing Labour Leader Ed Milliband to get the votes from 'Middle England!'  He must appeal to these people as he thinks they consider all on welfare as robbing them through their taxes.  This is nonsense as the vast majority would take a job if it was available but the cost of creating jobs is to high, much better to attack the unemployed by using Tory values.

    

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Monday 12 August 2013

PR Stunts and Emptiness.




Cameron is at it again I see.  With UKIP folk making a fool of themselves in 'Bongo Bongo land' the PR man has spent much of his holiday in PR stunts attempting to win back the favour of his lost voters.  The Conservative Party has apparently shed thousands of members during his time. He has turned up in the paper almost daily spouting 'vows' and 'promises,' each one assuring that 'he will...' or that 'something is done.'  Lies, all lies.  He is very into 'Fracking' today so I suspect he is suffering 'dropsy' of some sort, a terrible disease.  Asking people in the south of England to think of the 'good of the country,' and accept his friends 'fracking' is pushing it I say. I understand the councillors who allowed this project in the south to go ahead may have connections with the company involved, allegedly.  Cameron of course lives in the Cotswolds, far away from the work.  
Those phone in programmes dominated  by the lonely, the desperate and members of parliament seeking attention have also drawn him in.  He has called in to earnestly support gays in Russia, yet would not withdraw from the athletics there obviously, rebuke Spain and spout about any subject of the day.   Did it make a difference?  Only to his party members, or at least to those in his office. The Norwegian PM took to driving a taxi to meet the people, I canny see Dave following suit, he would get a fair idea of what the public really think.  I suspect they would be less genteel than the friendly Norwegians!  Today the PR was attacking the weakest once again.  Ian Duncan Smith, that cretinous worm of a man, once again wishes to point out that all the welfare budget goes on scroungers!  He does this by finding 4000 who he claims are earning £23, 000 a year from handouts and he will end this, his figures are of course disputable.  Total baloney but the Daily mail reader is happy enough.  He claims his policies have saved million from the welfare budget but does not show how, nothing new for IDS that.  He still claims all the expenses he can doesn't he?  IDS once claimed a £39 breakfast on expenses, and a £9 cocktail while still in opposition. Sadly this was rejected!
All this is to win back the Tories ready to defect to UKIP, the party the Tories claim is full of 'swivel eyed loons.'  While they are not wrong they are not really in a position to criticise are they?  I suppose it stops questions arising re tax dodging friends and the latest news that the recession (is it called this?) will last at least three more years or until 750,000 are taken from the dole queues.  Fabulous!  By the time so many have got jobs or retired there will be a million more on the dole, the futures bright eh?
Where are the opposition while this is going on?  Not to be seen anywhere!  One Labour female, who got her job because of her sex, waffled on about something the other day but I cannot remember what she said.  She will go far in the Labour Party.  Ed Milliband is writing his speech for the conference which follows the holidays.  It is make or break time for him. If he fails to deliver he may well be ejected, and that will be no loss, but what will replace him?  There is nothing left in Labour's box, merely a collection of middle class Oxbridge types with less idea of what the world requires than Cameron has.  The future is indeed bright, but not here.  What a mess we are in and no-one knows what to do.  The truth however, is out there!

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Monday 1 April 2013

News Today





On this April Fools Day the news offered to us via screaming headlines and chattering voices informs us, to some extent, that the Conservative Party's vain attempt to amend the 'Welfare State' is once again under way.  Having spent the past few years informing 'Middle England' that all on benefit were scroungers, that the vast majority of those on sickness benefit were fit for work and that those on housing benefit had plenty more cash than those working, a state of divisive hate has arisen between those poorly paid ion work and those on benefit.
A note on language here.  We used to refer to 'Social Security,' a system that secured the individual from poverty, starvation and homelessness, whether through unemployment, sickness or other outside situation.  Now we used the word 'Welfare,' an American term that implies all such are lazy scroungers.  A small but important use of language encouraged by the Tory press.
There are, and have always been, people deliberately refusing to work while claiming as much as they could get for nothing.  Liverpool and Glasgow know much of this.  However the fact remains that the near three million unemployed would take suitable work tomorrow if it was on offer!  Where I ask are such jobs?  The Tory's claim a million have found work, but the vast majority are part time, and then on minimum wage.  Refusal to accept such work, even if highly qualified elsewhere, is not an option given by this government of millionaires who would never dirty their hands by working.  Ian Duncan Smith never stacked shelves when he was twice unemployed!

The amendments to the Social Security budget is merely an attempt to cut the bill, understandably, and get the 'Daily Mail' reader to vote Conservative by encouraging a hatred of benefit seekers and a false promise of tax cuts.   Sadly as so many middle classes now find themselves claiming dole money I fear this will not be successful,  especially as both Dave and George have missed many opportunities to improve the nation and instead turned it into a liberal ghetto, losing their core voters while doing so.  
The Labour Party?  Ed Milliband will follow a similar course.  After all Labour began the use of the ATOS company to weed out those fit for work from those genuinely unfit.  The money made by declaring an individual fit ensured many, whether missing limbs or mentally sick, were declared fit, in spite of the vast majority winning appeals backed up by medical records.  The sick in Afghanistan get better care.  Labour offer nothing, and it is Ed's fault.

'The welfare reforms' have been badly thought out, rushed through, and incompetently handled.  IDS will still insist they work however. and work is something he has never managed successfully before.


Not only, but also the Tory plan for selling off the NHS has taken another step forward today.Since the days of the vile Thatcher women destroying the nation the NHS has been under threat.  To save the taxpayer a penny, and earn votes for herself, she began to sell the NHS, that failed, but only just.  All governments since have puzzled how to maintain a free health system while cutting the ever increasing costs, all have failed.  On the same day that a failed reorganisation of the Social Security is introduced the government introduce a revamped NHS.  In theory doctors will control the spending, in practice it will do nothing for patient care, and fail to stop the overspending.  Hamfisted and ideologically led the overhaul will be amended by the next Labour government, quite how we await with anticipation.   Not exactly eager anticipation I must say. The Labour Party has nothing to offer but Tory failings, and that is not enough.


The biggest news however, according to the number of times it has been mentioned on the news, is David Milliaband's resignation as a director of Sunderland Football Club because they have chosen to sign Paulo Di Canio as manager.  Di Canio, an unstable character, was recently fired from lower division Swindon Town, but is seen as the man to fire up Sunderland as they fight the danger of relegation and all that means.
Now Milliband's problem is not a football one. No sensible Premier club would appoint this man Di Canio.  Let me give an example of his character.  While playing for Celtic some years back he won a penalty kick, probably rightly.  He took the penalty, he scored the penalty, then he, not they, he began to argue with the Heart of Midlothian defenders.  He got sent off!  Rarely do Celtic players get sent off, rarely does any player get sent off for winning and scoring a penalty kick!
David Milliband objects however not to the nature of the man but to his politics.  Italian football is very politically motivated.  Silvio Berlusconi, when not running his TV stations, bouncing around on young women, or even in one of his court appearances owns A.C.Milan, one of Europe's premier football teams.   In Rome Lazio, who Di Canio played for, represent the right wing in Italian politics.  All other teams have leanings one way or another, something which makes overall control of football in Italy very difficult for any government, and Italy has had lots of them  since the war.
Di Canio famously used the Fascist right arm salute during one game, for reasons I know not, and gained much opprobrium for doing so.  Whatever his reasons, I forget those now, it matters not.  This, especially in the left leaning press, was a great evil and a wonderful way to fill space.  He has never been allowed to forget this.  David Milliband has resigned he says, because of this man's political beliefs.  Is he right to do so?  Is he telling the truth?
I cannot stop dealing with people because of their political beliefs, to do so would be 'undemocratic.'  For Milliband to resign because the manager appears to support Mussolini is likewise 'undemocratic,' and somewhat over the top.  However let us remember that David has also resigned from the Labour Party and taken a job in the USA leading an 'International Charity,' for which incidentally he will be paid some £200,00 a year.  During the past year he has already, it has been claimed, received almost a million in payments for his 'other projects.'  Not bad for a man who failed to become the popular leader of the Labour Party because of the Unions choosing his more amenable brother.   
David has made a splash here.  This news has gone worldwide.  His stand against fascism and Nazism is clear.  What is also clear is that when Ed, his brother and present leader of the Labour Party fails to ensure a decisive defeat of this shoddy government then David will return as the great white hope, ascending from the Americas to the delight of the desperate Labour accolites and then lead them into a brave new world.
Aye, he cares about fascism right enough.

It is an interesting aside that while the dangers and horrors of Fascism, as seen during the 20th century, are real enough the dangers and horrors of the left as noted under Communism are less dangerous in some eyes.  The chattering classes in the UK, that is the middle class socialists, not those that have to work and get their hands dirty socialists, lean to the left while paying lip service to the wrongs of Stalin or Mao, Pol Pot or Castro.  Dictatorship is OK if we do it apparently.  I must add that the first to object to living  under such a system as run by those men would be the chattering classes.  Their left wing approach is to let them dictate to others, while keeping their wealth, and demand their rights to progress while pretending to themselves that they do this for everyone.  The Blairite Milliband flying to his wealthy abode in new York has laid his plans to possess the vote of such as they.  While pandering to middle England he will soon be pandering, from afar, to the Guardian reader.  Both share a delight in their money, both vote accordingly.
The people?  They know their place, and the news agenda is fixed by their betters to ensure they keep it. 

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Tuesday 4 September 2012

New Villains



What with an election just over a year away the head honcho has to gather his gang around him and make plans to ensure the little people don't catch him out.  To this end our Prime Minister shuffled his cabinet and sadly offered us more of the same, with a slightly differing flavour, and the certainty that if they play their cards right the Labour Party will form the next government.  Thatcher and her hard hearted mob took up around 13 years of our lives.  John   Major held Labour out for over five, winning one election while doing so.  Tony Blair held of Gordon Brown   the Tories for over ten years before Gordon was brought down by the economic collapse, three years after taking over.  In spite of the unpopularity long time governments receive he almost won the election!  It was only a deal between the 'Toffs,' Cameron & Clegg, both selling out their own parties to do so, that got them, unwanted, into government.  Now they will prepare to lie & cheat for the next 18 months or so while the world falls apart, the economy stutters, war here there and everywhere, Afghanistan continues, and most folks remain glued to soap operas whatever rulers win.   Labour will win by a landslide, there is no mistake there, the two criminals and a few other failures will ride off into a well heeled sunset, and .....and then what?  We lose one set of incompetents and replace them with Mister Ed.  Suddenly the future is not any better.....

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Saturday 28 July 2012

James Keir Hardie





On September 25th 1915, with the Great War in full flow, James Keir Hardie passed away. His life had been dedicated to improving the lot of the working man, and the working man's lot at the time was terrible indeed!


Born illegitimate to a servant girl in Lanarkshire on the 15th of August 1856 he started at the bottom of life. Eventually his mother married a ship's carpenter and the family moved to the new area of Partick in Glasgow with the intention of finding work. The young lad had to work himself from an early age and at eight years old became a Baker's delivery boy working around seventy five hours a week! With his father unemployed, his mother pregnant and with a brother to care for he became the wage earner of the family, at three shillings and sixpence a week! When he was ten years of age his brother lay dying and the young Hardie tended him through the night. This caused him to be late for work so he was sacked, and fined a weeks wages by his boss! Some people still question why unions came into being?


With work difficult to find the family left Glasgow and returned to Lanarkshire  and after his step-father had gone to sea, he was a ships carpenter, the young lad became a miner, at the age of ten, in Newarthill Colliery!  Working as a   'Trapper,' he spent ten hours a day opening and closing doors enabling air to reach the miners. The  unschooled boy was taught to read by his mother and became literate by the age of seventeen, and this in spite of twelve hour shifts down the pit. This was not unusual in the second half of the nineteenth century. David Livingstone the missionary,taught himself to read and write by placing books on his machine as he weaved cloth in nearby Blantyre. A hunger for self development to improve an individuals position spread throughout the nation.  Reading newspapers taught Hardie that others were forming unions and taking a stand to improve their working conditions, and in an effort to improve his own mine Hardie formed a union and led the first strike in 1880. He was dismissed!  


Moving to Ayrshire he found work as a journalist, having been 'blacklisted' by the mine owners, and married a fellow temperance campaigner, Lillie Wilson. She was to find a life of struggle bringing up the bairns while he travelled around addressing meetings while he fought for the miners interests. In 1886 he was appointed as secretary to the 'Ayrshire Miners Union,' and shorty after the 'Scottish Miners Federation.' This was a time of growing economic wealth in the United Kingdom, and many men had formed guilds and unions to improve their conditions and educate themselves. Miners also desperately wished for change and a fairer share of the wealth. In 1887 a newspaper was produced as he attempted to educate the miners, called at first 'The Miner,' and later the 'Labour Leader.' In 1888 he decided that a new political party was required to benefit the workers. The Liberals, in whom he had trusted up till then, were not seen as being supportive enough of the working class, and Hardie stood, and came last, as an Independent Labour candidate at the local election. At this stage only around one man in three had the vote, and while artisans had received the privilege most had not. On August 25th 1888 the Scottish Labour Party came into being with James Keir Hardie as secretary!



In 1897 Hardie became a Christian and claimed the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth had been the main inspiration for his ideals. He had been brought up an atheist, but one infused with the teachings of the 'Sermon on the mount.'  Hardie described Jesus teachings as 'Communistic,' meaning a sharing and caring society as opposed to the Stalinism that grew up in the east.  A great many leaders of the Independent Labour Party were from a Christian Socialist background.  It is difficult to relate that Tony Blair claims he also belongs to that class!  


In 1892, after travelling the world investigating working class politics and conditions, meeting leaders of similar organisations throughout Europe, Hardie stood and won, as an Independent Labour candidate in the West Ham South constituency, a rough industrial area. John Burns in Battersea and J. Havelock Wilson in Middlesbrough were also elected as Independent Labour men. The MP's dress of the day required top hats and tail coats but Hardie entered the house wearing a cloth cap and a tweed suit! A sensation resulted! A year later he became the leader of the newly formed Independent Labour Party. MP's were not paid at that time, most had sufficient wealth to avoid the need for salary, however this, and an increase of tax on the rich were among the policies campaigned for by the new members. Pensions for the old, free schooling, votes for women and abolition of the House of Lords were also on his menu.

In 1894 a motion was presented congratulating the monarch on the arrival of a grandchild. On the same day the French president had been assassinated and over two hundred and fifty men had died in a mining accident in Wales. Sir William Harcourt offered the motion of congratulations on the birth, and condolences to the French for their loss and Hardie asked if an addition, regretting the deaths of the Welsh miners could be added to this. Harcourt refused and in an offhand manner offered regret to the miners. Hardie then launched into an attack on the monarchs privileges and continued in spite of the House viciously attacking him as he spoke. He then opposed the motion. His loss the next year in the 1895 general election may well have been the result of this action.

In 1900 Merthyr Tydfil sent Hardie back to the House of Commons where he joined by Richard Bell from Derby. He then produced a masterstroke by agreeing with the Liberal Party not to stand against one another in thirty seats at the next election, this meant that at the 1906 election the Labour numbers rose to twenty nine and the Liberals won the election. This also led on to pensions for those over seventy, Labour Exchanges and many other much needed reforms. During the early years of the century Keir Hardie involved himself in many issues, including calling for equality of races in South Africa, independence for India and many others that brought him much opposition.

He suffered much more opposition on the outbreak of war in 1914. His pacifism led to him addressing large meetings calling on working men to refuse to enlist, and he suffered taunts of "Traitor," although he was never a traitor to his beliefs like some in his party. Many of his former colleagues and friends disagreed with his stance, and it must be recalled that the socialist leader in France who opposed the war was shot in a cafe at this time! The workers did not listen to Hardie and by December 31st 1915 over two and a half million men had volunteered to enlist. The strength of character and determination to speak for his beliefs in spite of opposition from friends and foe did not stop him speaking out. Opposition is always the reward for truth! Much of his life was of course spent in being opposed! A sick man, he suffered from strokes, suffering a heart attack in late 1914 and unhappy with the pain of war, along with his friends decision to support it, he shrank away slowly. Returning to Glasgow to die in hospital there on September the 25th 1915. His heart would have suffered much had he known that as he died thousands joined him on the Loos battlefield, dying for the war he had so strongly opposed.


What would James Keir Hardie think of the Labour Party that now sits in the House?  He would be frank about their leadership certainly, especially the lack of real work experience and lack of understanding of the working class today.  His willingness to sustain opposition would certainly lead to a full and frank expression of opinion on David Cameron, George Osborne and Ian Duncan Smith that's clear.  The 'belief empty' front bench would remind him of much that he saw in the House when he arrived.  The late 19th century house of Commons had seen great men like Palmerston, Gladstone and Disraeli.  Today we have Cameron and Osborne, Milliband and Balls.  What a contrast, what would Hardie say?


James Keir Hardie

Pitwork Keir Hardie

Spartacus Hardie


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