Political Thoughts

 

Afghans Again

Al jazeera

 

The blame game continues, accusations are thrown about, meanwhile on the ground thousands strive to escape the all conquering Taliban.  Questions as to how this occurred so quickly appear to have some answers.  For a start Trumps envoy Pompeo released many from prison, including the now leader of the Taliban whom Obama had locked up.  Agreements were made re the US leaving by May 2021, who knows what other deals were on offer then?  How much money was involved?  The Taliban set about deals also, local governers were paid, bribed, threatened, thus ensuring no opposition to the Taliban in almost every district.  The Afghan forces, well trained and well led until the US/UK departed suddenly, fell apart as desertions increased, the men aware of the impossible situation if they fought and so deserted and went back home.  Meanwhile Trump and his friends blame Biden for running away after spending the year grumbling he was continuing the war and ought to leave!  

Politics has no morals.

The immediate situation on the ground will not encourage tourism any time soon.  Rumours abound of murders of US/UK lackeys occurs and may be true.  What discipline there is may be rough and not controlled from the top.  Add also while the Taliban are a controlling group they are also a comparitively small group, most Afghans belong to their tribe or region warlord first and not to a dedicated islamic organisation, most just want foreigners out and the chance to get on with their lives.

The bleating in the west continues, many demanding action, few offering intelligent suggestions as too that action, most caring for the women and ignoring the plight of the men.  The people who have done nothing for Afghan women now demand action when the situation has become impossible.  I wonder if they offer cash to the organisations that will work among women in the region, or is that costing more than Tweets on Twitter I wonder?

A mess it is and a mess it will remain.  

 

A carful reading between the lines is now required.  With Afghanistan filling the pages the politicians will be sending out many newsworthy items that will be hidden by the loud wailing over Afghans and their problems.  As many MPs are on holiday, such as the Foreign Minister, it is likely a variety of difficult topics might be mentioned in passing in the small corners of the media, the corners we all ignore.

 

Alex For Me

 

National

 

This is the man who will get my vote tomorrow!  Sadly, he will not be represented on our voting paper.  For reasons unclear to me I am unable to vote for seats in the Scottish Parliament while 400 miles away.  This appears to me to be very discriminatory.  

The return of Alex to politics has upset Nicola's women and the Trans lobby that he claims have too much influence with the leadership of the SNP.  I believe he is correct in this.  I agreed with Alex on Twitter yesterday to find outrage from the Trans fraternity, many agreeing with those who dislike Alex, and abusing me for telling them he 'speaks the truth.'  Such lobby groups do not like hearing truth.  The number of 'He/she and Him/her' or whatever, who posted also shows they come in groups, partly to support their man/woman but mostly to justify to themselves their opinion.  I find trans and gays rarely come alone.  Brow beating is their speciality.

The other attack on Alex always implies he is 'creepy.'  This is because of his situation in court regarding women.  However, the Lady Judge and the mostly female jury (15 members in Scotland) cleared Alex of any wrong doing, with the judge implying the female witnesses had been put up to it by the unnamed Nicola and her Civil Servant friend, who still has not resigned.

Tomorrow however we will know which Poll has got it right.  It is likely SNP will once again take the majority but who will support them?  The Greens will, if they have enough seats, and Alba will also make their presence felt if they too get at least 6 seats in the House.  I hope so, the SNP have many internal divisions stemming from Nicolas and her support acts, Alba will bring Indy back to the people.

 

 

DMCA

The knees gave so much trouble at the weekend I have done little since.  I attempted to exercise, shop, walk and do other things all in one go.  I suffered for this as it appears I am no longer 25.   So, little has been done but annoy the neighbours while watching football, drink tea and argue on Twitter.  

That is all that is required surely?

The Unthinking!

Guardian

Caroline Lucas MP, looking in this picture the very essence of a Brighton resident, has until now offered some interesting points regarding the Brexit farce.  Today however she revealed that underneath her positive exterior lay the real fault at heart of the 'Green Party,' a failure to understand human nature.

She has demanded as as answer to Brexit a 'unity cabinet' comprising a number of female only MP's, indeed some who are not even members of this parliament.  Putting aside the constitutional legality of such an idea and considering her motivation we are left with head in hands wondering what goes on in the minds of those who read feminist books.  She states, "“Why women? Because I believe women have shown they can bring a different perspective to crises, are able to reach out to those they disagree with and cooperate to find solutions.”  She then offers one or two examples from the past when women have done something helpful.  She apparently did not notice any man ever doing similar.  I wonder why?  

This is the fault at the heart of feminism, it's bollox!

You see feminism is, and always was, based on middle class girlies who have never worked at anything in their lives, mostly American ones at that, telling other lassies that they have had a hard life.  No forgive me if I misunderstood but maybe women in coal mines, woollen mills, selling fish or clothes or any other goods might have noticed they had a hard life, often when confronted by middle class women who treat them like skivvies!  

The second fault is also here, these women do not understand women.

I do, I have worked with them, under them, amongst them and I can tell you it is very much the minority, and not always middle class minority, who know what work is like and how human nature works.  

Wome, in spite of the needless increase of women's football, do not work well in a team.  They tell you they do but this is a lie.  In open plan offices women work in small groups of three or four, ignoring all others, I have seen this so often.  Men, the bad people on the planet, can work in groups, are made this way, and in similar operations work well together.  It has been said and disregarded by feminists, that when at a football match men support 'our team,' women will support 'their baby.'  This sums it up nicely.  No woman will accept this as they try accept the lie that they are the same as men, they are not.  

I could give hundreds of examples, I may write a book about this if I found a publisher who was not too scared to publish.  The lie of 'unisex' has led to gay marriage, trans people, and who knows what to come by ignoring how we are made.  Normal life has been stolen by the Lie and the world has swallowed it.  Men and women are different, are meant to be different, have different ways of viewing the world and are made this way to work together.  Spewing lies and half truths, usually in feminist books all varying from one to another, does not help especially when it comes down to the woman on the Clapham Omnibus through grubby newspapers or colour supplements.  Ask any woman the 10 commandments of feminism and she will not know, she may invent some however.  They do not exist and vary everywhere.

This leads us back to Lucas, she has the idea woman can do what men cannot, bring peace to this nation, forgetting the different outlooks of the women she has called, the different political spectrum,the underlying bitchiness from the previous encounters of some of them!  

The only answer to Brexit is to forget it!  

Certainly we will now have a General election, six weeks I think from the date called, possibly the EU leave date will be put back, certainly a referendum must then be called,  and that way a better understanding of the situation might appear.  This answer would be clearer if the voters failed to vote for the party and voted for the country, that way some of these louts, both male and female will be removed!

 

Tired Tuesday

You may not have noticed but as far as I can make out the Brexit thing is still ongoing.  As I write the PM, someone called May, has locked her cabinet in Downing Street, removing their phones, shoelaces, belts, sharp objects and not allowing them to contact a lawyer while she decides what they are thinking.  It appears that the PM might make an appearance soon, late enough to avoid the 6 O'clock news, so fewer people notice it, then she will tell the world what her cabinet has decided and how wonderful it is to be 'Strong and Stable' and that she intends to reign as sovereign for life.   
This may not be good.

'Breaking!  The 'Daily Mail' has a new headline.  "Theresa May says Brexit will be delayed AGAIN after epic nine-hour Cabinet stand-off as she promises talks with Jeremy Corbyn on joint plan for final UK-EU relationship."

More bull this time involving Corbyn.  So a 6, 7, 8, 9 hour cabinet meeting (depending which paper you read) leads to nothing.  I am surprised. 

Elsewhere other MPs are resigning from cabinet, Parties or the local coffee shop as the caffeine is not helping them keep calm while in the House.  Instead they have turned to the House bars where cheap booze helps them sleep.  
In the real world murder, rape, theft, speeding cars, divorcing/marrying celebs/royals fill the gutter press and help most of the population ignore what is happening in No 10.  I suppose some people prefer celebs to reality, I understand there are also an increasing number of royal stalkers, the ones who follow the royals and whom the police have decided are just a little over the top.  I suspect most who follow royals or empty celebs are a wee bit over the top myself.
Being over the top in normal in our liberal society, a society in which we make up the rules as we go along and in the end have nothing but a glorious mess.  One result is the violence offered, through social media, by those who disagree with you!
I read this in the 'Scotsman.'   "Joan McAlpine, who chairs the Holyrood committee which is scrutinising the Census Bill for the 2021 census, has been called a “transphobe”, “trash” and told to “f*** off” for raising concerns around the deficiencies in the way the consultation was carried out around planned changes to the sex question, which was being conflated with gender identity."
Nothing new these days in such a response.
The whole 'gender' issue is such that we are not allowed an opinion today instead we must accept what 'they' decide is normal.  Add to this politicians rush to accept every daftie in the world to show they are on their side leaves us with a law, written and unwritten, that is impossible for many to accept, for lawyers and police to implement and one that will bring many decent people into trouble.  The SNP member is one such.   
Christians must state clearly we are born male and female, there is no other!  It is not possible to be born in the wrong body as science has proved and those who believe they have been, if they really believe this, require help nit justification.  However it is difficult to state this publicly as situations as seen above result.  Lobby groups composed of such people insist we must obey and threaten violence, very similar to Brexiteers placing items on rail lines offering to disrupt society as seen today. 
Where does this hate come from?
The loss of Christina values, often feeble taught but generally accepted to some extent, the liberal approach that says 'if it feels good do it,' and an attitude that no-one can tell you what to do becomes the norm.  Confusion and disaster is the norm.
Oh and climate change is happening also, sleep well....  

Fraught Friday

I awoke this morning, this was a bit of a surprise to me.  I was somewhere else when I realised I was struggling to hold onto the ebbing dream that was preferable to the voice on the radio.  That voice was bringing the real world to me when I wanted whatever the dream, whatever that was all about. I canny mind what it concerned but the voice droning on about England's football team made me reach for the button and head to a more sensible voice.  
The dawn had come up like thunder, the sun was shining brightly and I took this picture as the clouds began to turn sunlight into night once again.  I confess it was a wee bit lighter than the picture shows.  Sun, sunlight, bright, not words heard about here very often.  Hot sunshine yesterday, very warm and 'close' today.  This canny go on, and it won't.

I have spent the day in WW2.  I had to reread, rewrite, rethink, and rewrite again and again and it is still not write right.  If I was hearing Vera Lynn singing one minute I was hearing  Heinkel Bombers passing over the next.  Interesting note from one young man who found himself on the roof of a bombed building.  The ladder had been moved, there were too few to go around, and as he worked on the repair from the previous night another bomber arrived, flying low in his direction.  Just imagine his thoughts as he watched this helplessly?  As it was it passed by and bombed harmlessly a garden further up.  His laundryman would have been busy I suspect.
So I have struggled through to 1942, not exactly finished with the previous years either, and now the bloody Yanks are pouring into the country!  "Got any gum chum" will be the cry for several years and not just from children!  Airfields are getting erected and soon dirty big aircraft will be either noisily heading for the east or on occasion failing to take off and crashing to earth.  A common enough happening but not spoken off during wartime.  The German Messerschmidt 109 killed more men in training than were ever lost in action.  
Nothing else has been done because of this.  I must have it ready by last Tuesday so I have not bothered with hoovering, cleaning or washing.  I think people might be beginning to notice.  There again the football does not begin to start until next week so I have got some time before then.  I might even finish this....

The 'land of the free' has decided by 5 to 4 that gay marriage is acceptable in law.  Quite how that works, nine unelected people deciding for a nation in which leadership is stopped by President or Congress vetoing one another fails to impress me.  Something clearly wrong, something that goes against common sense as well as the will of the God who created us being declared acceptable reveals the depth to which the west has sunk.
There is no equality here, marriage is only between one man and one woman committed for life, like it or not, and we know how hard that can be.  Pretending something is acceptable when it is not will only hurt those involved.  Truth sets us free, it is far from easy, but truth reaches the centre of our being and obeying truth brings life.  Jesus came to set us free from that which hinders life.  These decisions obstruct this.
The next step will be the attack on churches that rightly refuse.  The power of the gay mob has been quiet recently but soon it will dominate and persecute openly the Christian church.  Satanic inspired hate will fill the hearts of many, understanding dimmed and open persecution is round the corner.
Sadly, so is judgement from a higher court.  


.

Harold MacMillan

Having nothing else to do with my time I read a book.  'Harold MacMillan by Charles Williams, just in case you did not see the picture above.  All too often books about politicians can be heavy going.  The chapters veer from one in-depth investigation into this bill and that boring the pants of everyone bar trainee lawyers.  This one however avoids the nitty gritty of parliament and rushes through the 478 pages.

MacMillan made a lot off his humble Scots background but by the time he arrived the family was definitely 'upper middle class,' wishing to be 'lower upper class!'  'Supermac.' as the cartoonists dubbed him, liked to give the impression he came from the latter, regarding the workers as 'servants' rather than staff. His paternal grandfather began the MacMillan publishing company and in time Harold found his way there.  His extremely pushy American mother pushed his education which led to him eventually reaching Eton, where too many of Britain's leading politicians have come from.  Sickness however forced an early removal and home tutoring.  One tutor was Ronald Knox who later became a leading Catholic theologian.  This left Mac with a very High Anglicanism which remained throughout his life.  

His time at Balliol College Oxford was interrupted by the Great War.  He served in the 4th battalion Grenadier Guards, later also in the 2nd Battalion, being wounded three times, the bullet in the hip at the Somme being the most serious.  Like Captains in all regiments he remained in a slit trench suffering while reading a copy of Aeschylus, as you do!  His wounds took years to heal and the shuffle and weak handshake never left him.  Indeed his main relaxation was shooting grouse which was conducted using the left hand as the right no longer had the grasp required.  

During 1920 MacMillan married Lady Dorothy Cavendish.  She the daughter of the Duke of Devonshire, he someone in 'trade.  The family considered him below them, she an nineteen year old outgoing horse lover, he academic, withdrawn and twenty six.  It was never going to work!  It didn't!  In spite of the children who arrived she soon discovered the outgoing Bob Boothby more interesting and spent her time playing with him.  A later remark by Mac regarding the works of Anthony Trollope which he adored was interesting. "It's good to go to bed with a Trollope," he said, and he did!  The fourth child was in Harold's eyes likely to be Boothby's but now we cannot be sure. 

Much influenced by Liberal politicians Macmillan's politics were centrist, or even left of centre.  This was magnified not only by contact with working men during the war but by being elected to Stockton on Tees as MP in 1924.  This deprived area in the working class north east brought home to him the reality of lower order life.  he may not have been an angel in disguise but like Churchill before him he wished to be an aristocrat but did not wish to let the servants die of starvation.  His first book, 'The Middle Way,' with its centrist policies was a turgid read, as were his speeches at the time, and his ideas pushed him well away from the Conservatove leaders of the day, Stanley Baldwin and then Neville Chamberlain.

The second world war did allow Mac the opportunity to show his administrative talents.  He worked under Lord Beaverbrook to some success, which in itself was not easy, and in 1942 became 'Under Secretary of State for the Colonies.' (By 1942 this no longer included the USA or Australia) During this time he began pushing the idea of a Commonwealth of nations working together for the good of all.  Not popular with Empire builders like Churchill.  He reached cabinet ranked when sent to the middle east as liaison between Eisenhower and Churchill.  This allowed him direct access to the PM avoiding Anthony Eden then Foreign Secretary, which annoyed Eden! Although nearly killed in a plane crash and much time spent dealing with De Gaulle, his talents showed through.  The biggest question mark of his time included the forced return, probably to their deaths of Russian POWs and their families.  He never forgot this but found himself in an awkward situation.  Many hard decisions were taken during 1945.

After 11945 the Labour Party were given a mandate to build a new nation which they did.  The National Health Service being their greatest success.  However the Conservatives returned in 1951 and now seated in Bromley, very much more Tory than Stockton, Mac was given the job of building three hundred thousand homes each year.  He succeeded and I grew up in one of them! These were not high quality housing but they did the job and were perfectly acceptable, especially to those coming out of tenements like we did or slums like far too many others did!

His work gained him respect, and enemies within the party.  Ambition is a terrible thing and anyone who has watched 'Yes Minister' will see politicians pushing one another aside to succeed. It has been seen in action this week in Westminster where Teresa May and that nice Mr Gove have been knifing one another in the back publicly.  

MacMillan became Chancellor in 1955, a very high rank indeed.  During the Suez crisis of 1956, when an allied force invaded Egypt and Eisenhower, afraid of losing the upcoming election, forced them to withdraw, it is thought the Chancellors warnings of impending monetary doom caused the cabinet to harden their stance against Eden, leading in the end to his inevitable resignation.  Harold MacMillan then became prime Minister.    

His first few years were a success.  Many African nations became independent, South Africa was told to change the apartheid policy in a straight forward speech, and the economy at home grew. Indeed we 'never had it so good,' as he said.  Actually we never had it at all!!!

One 'trouble' was the monetarist policy of the treasury.  Looking around the north east Mac knew this would cause hardship there, that would lead to less votes and so opposed their tight fisted policy.  he would oppose austerity today also for the same reason!  The resignation of the Treasury team was dismissed as 'a little local difficulty.'  Mac's success was establishing the UK as a nuclear state, aiding arms negotiations, using British troops in the middle east and Malaya to oppose Soviet aggression.  He failed by aImost getting into the Common market and rushing work at Windscale reactor that almost cost us all dear! 

After his success in the 1959 election he ought to have retired.  His determination to stop Rab Butler becoming leader however and his self importance in world affairs kept him in place.  Then it all went wrong.  His incomes policy caused great resentment and while Africans were finding their independence the UK began to wilt.  The dismissal of several. mostly junior ministers was called 'the night of the long knives,' and the public perception was that of panic.  "Greater love has no man than he lays down his friends for his life," said Jeremy Thorpe.  The election of John Kennedy changed US-UK relations.  No longer were the Americans friends from the war, here was something completely new and from a different age.  The Profumo affair, in which a cabinet member was involved with Christine Keeler at the same time as a Russian Naval attache!  This did serious damage to a sinking ship and being diagnosed wrongly with cancer he retired.

He retired to his publishing once again reinvigorating the work there.  Family owned companies can be ideal to work for, or they can be unbearable.  There were those who saw both sides under Harold.  He continued to travel widely, his marriage improved but a gulf remained, he played golf constantly, and shot innocent creatures for fun.  He occasionally spoke in the House and eventually became the 'Earl of Stockton.'  Possibly that area still meant something to him, maybe he used it for effect.  he was of course an actor, all politicians are, our present lot are just bad actors.  Mac learned much during his time, to act as a leader, to speak well, to use humour to deflate an enemy, and act like he was in control, unflappable.  He appeared in the early 60's as an Edwardian in a modern age, his shuffle, his upper class pretensions, his high class associates, but he was indeed a canny political animal.

This book is written by a man who married Rab Butlers daughter.  He might reveal a certain bile but of so he keeps it under control.  He writes smoothly making the book easy to read, boring bits are avoided and summarised well, and we are left with an image of a powerful politician who had some care for a decent society, although quite why may be harder to understand.  Was it a godly care, or a political game?  We might never know.  I like Mac, had I met him I might well change my mind however.  One thing remains.  His dislike of Thatcher's privatisation policies was well known.  During the Falklands conflict Thatcher called him into her office in the Houses of Parliament, a place he knew well.  At that time it was being redecorated and most of the furniture had been removed.  As he entered he looked around at the almost empty room and asked, "Have you sold it all?"

  

.

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

.

Freedom!

.

                        This belongs to Day by Day Photos a photographic site you must see!

Today there is much rejoicing in the streets of Raith, and many other parts of Scotland. The Scots election last night saw the Scottish National Party take an overall majority into the Scottish Parliament and take total control as the Scots Government. The Conservative Party of course failed once again. This party has been in the wilderness since the days when Margaret Thatcher's racist policies saw deprivation kill Scotland's once proud manufacturing base, hundreds of thousands without work, and those on the Dole informed that they were 'scroungers.'  Council houses sold off cheaply to residents, then resold for a fat profit and lost to those in need. Absurd policies which gave no thought to human need. The Liberal Democrats have been vanquished after Nick Clegg their leader took his party into a coalition with the Conservative Party in England. This party is now in deep crisis. However the Labour Party, once the natural party for many Scots, handled the entire election badly. Ignoring Scotland's requirements and concentrating only on the English needs their vote fell dramatically. A shocking state for this party, reflecting the failure to consider what the people want and following out of touch leadership.

So now the SNP lead Scotland for the next four years. Already many are looking towards the day of the next referendum in Scotland, asking if the nation ought to be independent once again from the English neighbours. It is at times like this that I find living in England an irritation!  I joined the SNP in 1968 when I was just sweet sixteen. We traipsed the streets putting leaflets through folks doors, debating with all the intellectual ability a 16 year possess, almost nil I can confirm, and touched on the major element in the Scots psyche - England!  In 1707, much against the wishes off the people, England forced Scotland into a Union, not just of 'crowns' but politically also, and moved the parliament to Westminster. Some Lords were happy while the nation seethed. During the following three hundred years it quickly became apparent that Scotland was not considered of much worth in England. An attempt was made to change the name to North Britain! When this failed the English just resorted to their Edward the First manner and called the Island 'England!  By 1968 we were all aware of the manner in which Scotland was constantly downgraded by England, no matter which party was in power. I recall the Wilson government making the entire nation a business productivity zone, and excepted Edinburgh and Leith from this! This was around 64-66 time. Incredible! We all found TV was English based and Scotland was almost forgotten. Major Scots stories were shown in Scotland, in what the BBC still refers to as a 'region,' but rarely mentioned on 'National' News. Scots tennis players were 'British' at Wimbledon until they lost, and promptly became Scots. Some believe this to be a myth but I can tell you it is true. The constant lack of regard for Scotland encouraged a proud nation to rise again, and it did!  Following on from Winnie Ewings election to Westminster in 1967 a stimulus was created and during those 1968 local elections some 368 council seats were won by the SNP, often much to the surprise of some candidates!  I recall however one seat in Inverness was won by a Communist Party member, his leader appeared on telly informing the world that "The Scots people had realised that Communism was the answer and soon they would rule Scotland."  He ignored mention of the SNP.

The emotion of those days I can look at with different eyes today. Long since I have realised that England was not Scotland's main problem, it is not nations but people that matter. The people in this case being English and let's be honest for the most part did not notice they treated Scotland badly, they just didn't notice it at all. Scotland was 'Up there,' a place for holidays and a nation to play football against once a year. When pushed most admired the Scots, it was just that they were involved in their own lives and didn't notice. In fact East Anglia usually doesn't notice much let's be frank! Many Scots delight in the union,and I do not refer to Rangers fans with a misunderstanding of Irish history here, many would rather the union worked as they consider the United Kingdom stronger than a single entity, and I agree with them. The time when Britain stood alone against the Nazi threat may well be the only time that 'Great Britain' really was 'Great' and indeed 'United.'  I think Churchill never used the term 'England,' a term constantly used during the Great War, but he referred to Britain at all times. How sad that the opportunity to make the nation great was lost by English indifference and indeed at times contempt. The saga regarding the return of the 'Stone of Destiny,' showed English contempt for Scots feeling. Actually come to think of it I mind how in 1953 this contempt was made very clear by the erection in the Craigmiller district of Edinburgh of a pillar box. With Elizabeth crowned as Queen of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' the Post Office erected new pillar boxes when required baring the slogan 'ER II.' It does not take much knowledge to note that Scotland has never had a queen called 'Elizabeth.' Clearly this was unacceptable and something had to be done. This new council housing estate soon rocked to an explosion caused by a stick of gelignite shoved through the slit. This was done in such a manner to ensure no mail was damaged and nobody was hurt. The investigation that followed could not find a perpetrator.  I suggest knocking on Wendy Wood's door that day may have been helpful to their enquiries.  What am I trying to say here? I am attempting to say that Scottish Nationalism would not be noticed if England had treated the Scots as partners and not part of 'Greater England. Now we do not know where this will lead, and emotionally I am with Scotland.

However reality must be considered here. The world wide recession, let's not argue about who started this, this recession is not over and will cut deep for some time. The planet is over crowded and the birthrate is not slowing down. Global warming is real, no matter what daft folk say, and at any time glacial melting could raise the sea levels fifteen to twenty feet. Not much problem here but swamping some nations. Food resources are running out and already some Malthusian answers have been muttered in dark corners, the fat rich may not notice but the skinny poor certainly will. It may well be two or three years before Scotland considers a referendum on independence, but the world situation may be a very different place in that short time.  I hate to be a Jeremiah on peoples joy (actually I would love to be a Jeremiah, what a man!) but reality is the Scots strong point. Emotion is great but reality will win the day. Those who voted SNP this time may not the next, and during a referendum many more will vote than did last night. How Alex Salmond, probably the only proper politician in the parliament at the moment, how he deals with the economy will be the major point of his rule. Careful judgement might well see folks willing to separate themselves from the 'UK,' and this would be a very interesting time indeed.

This is a little rushed, and while I wish Scotland to be a strong independent nation again, I fear for it with so few powerful men to lead. Alongside Salmond there is who? Opposing him there is nobody. We need to raise some powerful leaders in Scotland and in very short time. 

. 

                                   

Leadership

.

The Pakistani Premier wandering about Europe while his nation suffers severe flooding leaves a question about leadership in my mind. The word 'Without a vision the people perish' comes to mind, and leadership is about offering the people that vision. What the Pakistani's thought of their premier is likely to contain no words concerning 'vision,' although it's fair to say most will not know, nor care, who he is most likely. Anyway, their thoughts are on the floods not him, nor his son's future prospects. 


The UK needs leadership at the moment. Economic disaster has left three million unemployed, business's fearful of the future, and mountains of debt many cannot repay. What leadership do we find from the compromise coalition? So far they have paraded their heartlessness in the 'Daily Mail,' the readership of this paper being the 'Middle England' that votes for the Conservative Party, and have claimed Social welfare must be cut. Already the disabled have been suffering, the intention is to make those on 'invalidity benefit' find jobs, and while this ignore the three million already looking for the half million jobs available, and takes no account of employers not wishing to employ such folk, the real reason is to cut the cash given out on benefit. In short a scam to save money! The Tory rag has been telling us that 100,000 are taking benefits worth more than people earn, around £30,000 a year they claim. This information comes from Chris Grayling's department, so the reliability of the numbers is to be doubted. Today the Sunday version claims 250,000 homes where no-one has ever had a job! Quite how these figures add up I fail to understand, but that is typical 'Daily Mail' half truths for you. In short, the Tory leadership in fixing the economy is to attack the welfare state, while offering platitudes, and avoiding any policy that hurts their friends, such as catching tax dodgers for instance. In fact hundreds of tax office folk are being cleared out, what a coincidence! That will save cash, but not in the JSA department!


Leadership must offer a vision for the nation, not just a few. Churchill had his moment in 1940 when his leadership stiffened the nation to 'stand alone' against the Nazi threat, and 'stand alone' it  did! Attlee, in 1945, offered a new world for Britain. Better housing, the NHS, schooling for the kids and a cleaner future for all, and the nation, barring the selfish afraid to lose their advantages, followed on. Most politicians, good and bad, offered some form of leadership, even the dreaded Maggie Thatcher offered leadership, although she killed of the manufacturing world without replacing the jobs! Some folks still suffer from that! Love her or loathe her she did offer leadership, and that is lacking today!


The compromise leadership took its place not to lead, but to get the front seats in the house of Commons. Since then a hotch potch of daft ideas have been thrown out, mostly to cut the economic problem, but all to often these policies are knee jerk party reactions. Not thought out, not considering the results for the nation, simply following Maggies idea that if you don't spend, you save cash. However we must spend to save also, and the only spending appears to be the wives of the politician leaders in the Bond Street shops! The MP's main concern is not their constituents problems, but their expense accounts! I fear for the future. Brown and Blair were not great and encouraged a politically correct approach. Cameron and Clegg appear to encourage a slapdash approach. It is possible that we could achieve ten million unemployed. It may not happen, but who knows what will occur tomorrow? Cameron, who considered 1940 a year when we were the 'junior partner' to the US, (even though the US did not enter the war until late 1941,) and has informed the Turks that the EU should speed up their application process, (thereby upsetting the Greeks, Germans and French), also upset the Pakistani's by demanding they stopped encouraging terrorism, in spite of the thousands who die there from terrorism annually! I fear for our future. Amateurs and imbeciles and self serving people on all sides of the House of Commons are lacking 'vision,' none have any idea of how to handle this crisis. I suggest there is more to come, and I fear there is no vision, and the major world leaders have no answer!


.

Sunday Evening

This afternoon I had the delight of watching Engerland playing their last friendly match against Japan. It was a delight to me! Japan are not the mediocre side of the past, however they are still not world beaters as yet. England had most of the play and yet did not dominate their hard working opponents, indeed they went behind to a nicely worked goal early on. Cue cheering from me! The second half saw a better England side, even the commentators had begun to realise their boys were not doing very well in the first half! Yes it was that bad! A silly penalty from naive Jap defending ought to have given the equaliser to Frank Lampard. I could see from here where the ball was going (goalkeepers instinct never die) but I did not expect the goalie to save it and he did! Laugh, what me? Oh yes! Sadly as the home side desperately attempted to sort themselves out the unfortunate defenders twice put the ball into their own net! This game revealed to almost everyone the nature of England's footballing record. Not organised or capable, yet get lucky penalties and even luckier goals. This makes them think they are world beaters! In a few days they will be playing for real. I look forward to how they deal with the top sides opposing them, oh hold on they have the easy group once again! Indeed they have, USA, Algeria & Slovenia! Now I must say the USA now have a quite powerful side and the contest will be between these two, and I am looking out my USA flag for that game! Algeria are poor and Slovenia I am not sure about at all just now. Still, in a couple of weeks we the hype reaches its zenith and then comes the fall! Wooppee!

A nice picture for a Sunday evening. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I got this nor who the artist is. However I like pictures of this type and will find out the answers soon enough. Good innit?

In today's Telegraph we find Ken Clark, the only Tory I have any time for, defending David Laws after the ex- Treasury minister stepped down. This is loyalty and understandable but what does this situation tell us about government today?

Laws, who made his money in the city and became a millionaire by the time he was 22 I heard, had been claiming expenses for a flat used by his boyfriend. Claiming they were not 'in a relationship' so I suppose they were just friends who played with one another?  What irks me is not their private life, which always ought to remain private, but that a multi millionaire, demanding vast cuts in government departments which may lead to thousands of job cuts, is using tax payers money (@ 'Daily Mail') to the tune of £40,000 to pay for his weekends away! Resigning this morning he continues to imply he has 'done nothing wrong' and cannot see how this financial misuse is unacceptable? Do these people not live in the real world? I suppose he never has, his background and work life are not similar to one cleaning office floors or sitting on a checkout getting bored.

Ken Clark, who ought to be the leader of the Conservative Party in my view, is right in saying this man may well reappear in a year or so, and I suspect this will be right, however parliament needs to realise just how out of touch many of them are!

Teeth

This is former Senator John Edwards, one of the candidates for the Democrat Party in the US Presidential election. Watching the news tonight I noticed him as he came forward, family at hand, to announce the end of the campaign as far as he was concerned, and the end of his political life I suppose. But what do you notice? As he arrived he immediately put on the American smile! The first thing that appears every time one of these noble candidates arrives on the scene is the false smile. Now it is clear that politicians everywhere have to put on a certain acceptable appearance and look the part, this is fair enough, I would not vote nor trust someone with my fashion sense. However, there is something slimy in the practised American smile. It is seen in politics, it is seen in the church and I remember thirty years ago that all the Christian books that arrived from the US always had a picture of the author on the back cover, always dominated by a row of teeth that reminded me of a Commonwealth War Cemetery! Salesmen, newsmen all have the perfect teeth, all straight and fitting together in a nice straight row. All these folk must have spent billions on dental work, clearly the 49 pence I spent on Tesco toothpaste will not be enough to remove the film, much better than the ones shown on telly, from my big mouth. Pity....

This smile is made worse by the image consciousness of the Yanks in that the teeth need to be perfectly white. No grimy UK teeth would ever won an election there, not even in Pennsylvania! Chat show guests, the home of the attention seeker and deviant, would happily come on and talk about their father being homosexual, their four husbands and their love of stealing form their granny, but never ever would they talk without specially whitened teeth! That would be seen as a disgrace! All people in all nations are image conscious even so the desperation for the perfect, although false, smile is very depressing. Real people for me please.

US Elections

Watching the news regarding the results of the latest primary votes in the States I could not help but think what a feeble collection of candidates are making themselves available for election. It seems to me that with each US Presidential election those who put themselves forward are less capable than those who have gone before. There is no doubt the future for the United States is not healthy with this collection of candidates.

The unknowns, at least on this side of the Atlantic, who are making the attempt to replace Bush as the Republican leader make almost no headlines in the UK, such is their importance! The Democrats, who's candidate is clearly favourite to be the next president, take all the attention, and mostly the Woman and the Black man get the majority of that. I say 'Woman' and 'Black Man,' rather than use their names as it appears to me that this is one of the main selling points here. Political policies are less important in chasing the No 1 spot, having a face that fits seems more important. For instance, a glance at the TV interview of Mrs Clinton, voice almost breaking, tears just appearing, probably helped her to win this primary. There is a strong possibility it may win her an 'Oscar' at another ceremony in a few days time! How many fell for that? Enough to get out there and vote for her. Try that in the UK and they will soon see through you, or consider you not up to the job! Some say her husband gave her many causes for tears, but in truth,if you came home every night to that would you not want to run off with a proper lassie? If she wants tears I am always willing to help her in that regard. Her opponent Mr Obamu, has not deliberately used his colour to get any advantage, although he does not need to mention it in race obsessed America, but clearly many will vote for him just because of the colour of his skin, although possibly not in Alabama! If he goes marching through Georgia looking for votes he may find himself hanging around for a while......

The quality of the Democrat and Republican candidates is worrying, the world is entering a dangerous time and these people may not be up to the job. The only candidate with the experience for the job seems in my view to be Mrs Clinton, and she is the last creature I would want on the throne. Her ambition to be the first female president overpowers all else in her life. Pushy, selfish, and unwilling to listen to another point of view (well, she is a woman), she is what Radio 4 listeners would call 'Feisty,' and then spend an entire hour tearing her apart as the sisters do. But her experience as 'wife of Bill' does give her an understanding of how the world works, an experience that puts her well ahead in the capability stakes. Obamu may do well enough as a senator, and a relatively young one at that, but what does he know, and indeed what do his adviser's know about the real world out side of the US? I doubt he, and they, are ready for such a job. His wife is a bit of alright mind and if she wants to learn about the UK I am willing to offer my services - as long as she brings her credit card with her.

The Republican contenders, who are they anyway? The Republican contenders will be vanquished after the George Dubya Bush adventure. Even America can only take so much of that! So unless the oil companies and certain other 'friendly' countries contribute heavily to their expenses I doubt they will have much chance. At the last election Bush spent $273 million while his opponent only spent $249million. (BBC NEWS) Where did that come from, and is that really all the cash he raised then? Nothing is ever really clear in politics. Unless Bin Laden intervenes again I doubt any Republicans chances now.

There is never a 'safe' time in any period, there is always some problem or other to deal with. A war or two here, a terrorist outrage there, and always Israel and the middle east. But where are the big names,the men of political clout? Roosevelt would walk any election now in the US, Nixon, for all his many faults, was a canny operator and knew his way around the world, another Kennedy will not appear soon. Not that any Kennedy actually achieved anything except the art of bullet catching of course. I fear for America, and I fear for the world. The US political system, with its absurd checks and balances, its election of a president but not his cabinet, allows for the wrong people to take office. Money counts, not ability, and this time it could all go badly wrong.

Hey ho! Always look on the bright side, that's me!

Pakistan

Well done Pakistan!
Just what the nation needs, another dead political leader!
Now what for that nation? The planned elections in January must be delayed, a new leader for her party must be found, and nothing but instability dominates.
Who benefits from this? Bhutto had many enemies and it may never be known who sent in this 'suicide bomber.' I say bomber, but latest reports talk of bullet wounds to the neck. No doubt information will change in these early moments. However, somebody planned this,somebody was willing to kill and wound several hundred Pakistani people, somebody obviously thought this worth it. I hope they are satisfied.
Blame will be passed around from side to side now. Riots will take place, assaults and deaths will follow, but will it change Pakistan for the better? Will the people benefit? I doubt it somehow. The people will continue living their lives, being used and abused, both by politicians and a wide variety of dissident groups.
Some things never change, Jesus still weeps.

Monday Morning Lies!

Start the week the way you intend to go on! that is what this government is doing. Today the attention grabbing headline is 'Getting People Off Disability Allowance.'
Goody! But why? Peter Hain appears on TV this morning blethering, in that disreputable manner of his, about the benefits to those receiving such benefits getting back into work. 650,000 vacancies he says, ignoring that most of them are unavailable for the disabled and not in their district anyway, 'Help is available,' true, but not everywhere, and he wax's lyrical about the benefits for those who get back into the workforce.
Jolly good, but all lies!

David Cameron has taken the lead in the publicity stakes so Labour need to get the attention of the 'middle England' voter. How to do this? Attack those on the dole, after all are they not all scroungers? Indeed 60,000 claim disability allowance in Glasgow, vast numbers do so in Liverpool, and many more in the north east of England, non of which are considered 'Daily Mail' territory. Ah the 'Daily Mail,' yes indeed, it is the readers of this paper who matter here. They consider themselves the backbone of the nation, they work for their money, they are concerned to keep it in their grasping paws rather than share it with those in need, and all of them are scroungers who should get a job and 'stop hiding behind their disability anyway!' After all, if they have to work, what is stopping someone who has had an injury, and 'anyway it is not as bad as they make out is it?'

You see the truth is the disabled, or dole scroungers of any type, appeal to the 'middle England' reader, therefore attacking them in this way helps prop up the Labour party and its desperate desire to stay in power. If however Hain decided come on telly claiming tax dodgers were to be dealt with it would lead to a disaster at the polls for the 'Socialist' party. Stop folk cheating on the dole by all means but do not deal with those who evade paying tax! The fact that vast billions is removed from this country to off shore tax havens (yes Mr Lampard we mean you!) and those grossly overpaid rich folks who do this are encouraged by the 'Socialist' leaders because it 'aids the economy' says much for our understanding of 'decency' and the 'fair play' for which this country is 'justly famous!' Those who have are well able to keep what they have, those who are not 'middle class' or part of 'middle England,' and many small business folk are here, fearing the immigrant, terrified they will steal from their shop, not give the taxi driver his tip, and worse, open a business undercutting him. But they feel better when the powers that be stand on those who do nothing for their keep, even if it is not their fault.

A good business idea is to go to Glasgow or Liverpool and sell walking sticks. Thousands use them in and around Glasgow, just in case the camera van is watching them and they lose their dole money. Selling walking sticks at a few pounds a go will make someone's fortune, I wish I could do it but I can't afford the bus fare..............

Words mean So Much

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." That was one of the common things we used to say as kids, usually after someone calling us names had just hurt us! Words, as you know, mean so much. usually it is not the words themselves but the way we use them. In the UK it used to be common to describe any Asian who was seen as 'Paki.' Paki as in short for Pakistan. In Edinburgh in the seventies it caused no offence, except to that nice Mr Kyaham who insisted he was "Indian and no bloody Paki!" No-one of Pakistan descent worried about it. later of course it was used in a derogatory fashion by neo right wing groups and fell out of use. 'Jock' is a term for Scotsmen, and I think should always be viewed as complimentary. After all, what can be better than saying "I am a Scotsman?" However on occasion even that word can be used to hurt and insult rather than compliment.

Words are often misunderstood. When she asks "Does my bum look big in this" and you honestly answer that it does, she will deliberately use that as an excuse to remain stonily silent for several hours. Women seem to specialise in misunderstanding words in such situations. A "Yes" often appears to mean "no" and if you misunderstand and accept at face value here word all sorts of trouble can arise. Possibly women and words needs to be for another time?

Politicians and words are marvellous, the emphasis on the 'lous' part. If they lose a vote they will claim they have actually got everybody on their side! In 1968 I remember a Communist being elected in a council seat I think in Inverness. "This is a sign that the people are turning to us," said the leader of the Scottish Communists, ignoring the Scottish Nationalist Party winning 368 seats on the same night! To reach the top in politics it is advisable to avoid truth and stick to being devious. No one wants an honest politician anyway, they might expect it back from the citizens. That would never do!

One day every idle word we utter will be brought back to us,as I discovered when I found some things I wrote a hundred years ago. How frightening is that? Did I really think those thoughts and say those words? What else have I said in all these years I have drifted through life? The mind boggles at the cobblers I have come out with! Anyway I found some folks who may also regret the words they have used, but at least they give us a laugh.

Moving from Wales to Italy is like moving to a different country - Ian Rush

I never criticise referees and I'm not going to change a habit for that prat. - Ron Atkinson

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life," -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign.

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." --Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina
"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record." --Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

"As God once said, and I think rightly..."
- Margaret Thatcher.




Think before you speak, you know it makes sense.....