Whilst waiting to drive on the 8th hole this evening I received a tip off from someone present at the UKIP NEC count shambles that completely invalidates the whole process.
My informant alleged that votes were counted by head office staff. When one of these staff pointed out to Challis, his boss and UKIP's office manager that this was against the rules they were allegedly told by Challis to get on with it. The NEC appointed returning officer Zuckerman seems not to have been present. Who is his nominated deputy John Knotts? Why did he not enforce the rules banning head office staff from executing this count? Did he even know what the rules were?
Worse, at 3 pm on the afternoon of the count to speed things up, it is alleged Elizabeth Burton, a candidate was called in to help. It is alleged she was seated in a separate room from the other counters, in Trevor Colman's old office, to do her part of the count. Was this Mr Knotts idea of how to conduct a count?
I wrote this morning that UKIP was degenerating to Banana republic practices but that if these allegations are correct it is insulting to Banana republics! Not even Robert Mugabe counted his own votes as it is alleged Elizabeth Burton did! I hope Elizabeth Burton can rebut these allegations.
Clearly these NEC results cannot stand and the whole voting procedure must be repeated as the integrity of the ballot itself has been clearly compromised. For God's sake UKIP get the ERS to conduct the ballot rerun. It deeply saddens me that the UKIP ruling Cabal has resisted for so long using the ERS. If UKIP wants to be considered as serious political party it has to clean up its internal voting procedures otherwise it will remain a vehicle for pathetic media wanabees and the people of the UK will have no hope of escaping their enslavement by the EU.
UKIP is now a party dominated by a Cabal desperately trying to cling onto power. Fish and political parties rot from the head. UKIP needs a new leader and a fresh NEC. I will happily stand down in favour of Tim Congdon if Gerard Batten will do likewise. We need a leader untainted by the EFD group with its racist neo-Nazi associations . A leader based in the UK, who will work in the UK, to get us out of the EU.
Tuesday 31 August 2010
UKIP should use the Electoral Reform Society
Another UKIP election surrounded by allegations of ballot rigging. The mysterious box of ballot papers that allegedly appeared at the last minute whose contents allegedly moved Mr Finch from in the lead to, well not elected to the NEC. When you add in the Junius allegation of a 'B' list of approved candidates sent out to some members by a UKIP MEP and subsequently find 4 B listers were elected then of course questions will be asked. The UK media would ask questions if this happened in a Banana republic!
You can't stop MEPs taking ill judged actions. The only solution is the long term one of selecting better MEP candidates. With this end in view, when on the SWCC I argued that UKIP use the ERS service which cost only a few pence per ballot more than an internal ballot and would have squashed most allegations of ballot rigging and given UKIP their seal of approval. This was passed by the SWCC but stopped by the Cabal. I wonder why?
The ERS also always uses FREEPOST so would have generated a higher response than the actual ballot that I estimate was in the low 30 percent range. The ERS will not only issue; receive and count votes, they will also verify the database containing the membership details of the voters. A service worth paying for in my opinion.
When at the NEC I tried to have the ERS used for all regions MEP selection ballots. I was shouted down by Farage and Whittaker who claimed completely wrongly that the ERS only did Single Transferable Vote ballots. I had a copy of an email at that meeting from the ERS stating they would use any system the client wanted including specifically the UKIP one. Still Farage and Whittaker insisted this was wrong and then there was the usual Cabal tribal chants from Clarke, Denny et al in support of NF.
There was so much to gain from using the ERS that one must ask why not? Well the latest allegations answer that question. As to those elected I know Julia Read is honest decent and will speak her mind without fear or favour. I cannot say the same about the rest that I know who were elected.
So now we move on to another leadership ballot. Last time this was conducted by the ERS funded by Mr Mickelwaite who was I believe subsequently reimbursed by Lord Pearson. It was a fptp election thus showing Farage and Whittaker were wrong but nothing unusual in that -it happened all the time. Let us just hope the ERS is used this time also.
Every professional body I and my wife have ever been a member of uses the ERS for their elections. They all have larger and better resourced head offices than UKIP yet they still see the ERS seal of approval as worth paying for. It stops dissent and argument about the probity of the election. Its high time UKIP learned its lesson on this. It became a political laughing stock over Pearson but a banana republic allegation will be much more damaging.
You can't stop MEPs taking ill judged actions. The only solution is the long term one of selecting better MEP candidates. With this end in view, when on the SWCC I argued that UKIP use the ERS service which cost only a few pence per ballot more than an internal ballot and would have squashed most allegations of ballot rigging and given UKIP their seal of approval. This was passed by the SWCC but stopped by the Cabal. I wonder why?
The ERS also always uses FREEPOST so would have generated a higher response than the actual ballot that I estimate was in the low 30 percent range. The ERS will not only issue; receive and count votes, they will also verify the database containing the membership details of the voters. A service worth paying for in my opinion.
When at the NEC I tried to have the ERS used for all regions MEP selection ballots. I was shouted down by Farage and Whittaker who claimed completely wrongly that the ERS only did Single Transferable Vote ballots. I had a copy of an email at that meeting from the ERS stating they would use any system the client wanted including specifically the UKIP one. Still Farage and Whittaker insisted this was wrong and then there was the usual Cabal tribal chants from Clarke, Denny et al in support of NF.
There was so much to gain from using the ERS that one must ask why not? Well the latest allegations answer that question. As to those elected I know Julia Read is honest decent and will speak her mind without fear or favour. I cannot say the same about the rest that I know who were elected.
So now we move on to another leadership ballot. Last time this was conducted by the ERS funded by Mr Mickelwaite who was I believe subsequently reimbursed by Lord Pearson. It was a fptp election thus showing Farage and Whittaker were wrong but nothing unusual in that -it happened all the time. Let us just hope the ERS is used this time also.
Every professional body I and my wife have ever been a member of uses the ERS for their elections. They all have larger and better resourced head offices than UKIP yet they still see the ERS seal of approval as worth paying for. It stops dissent and argument about the probity of the election. Its high time UKIP learned its lesson on this. It became a political laughing stock over Pearson but a banana republic allegation will be much more damaging.
Thursday 26 August 2010
UKIP's dirty tricks - an incomplete list
As it seems a UKIP leadership election will be called and as I am considering running I think it is time to list some of the dirty tricks that I have experienced of and their perpetrators. They are in no particular order.
In Autumn 08 at the request of Ian Proctor, a SWCC member, I agreed to do a test run of their video capabilities for the forthcoming election. Doug Dawson did all the very good video, sound and editing. So I went down to Lexdrum and recorded three unscripted talks, entitled, "Why should we vote UKIP", "Stay out of the Eurozone" and "The Government is running out of money". All three were posted up on YouTube and were accessible via the UKIPSW web site and were generally well received with around 1000 hits each which I was quite surprised at given my little talks were given no publicity at all especially from UKIP!
I went back to check them sometime later and found they had mysteriously disappeared after I had been deselected as a UKIP MEP candidate. Someone in the UKIP hierarchy had ordered their removal because they showed Eric Edmond was a very good communicator and a real asset to UKIP, the words of branch members not mine.
As I knew the dirty tricks UKIP uses I had taken a copy of these videos and have managed to get two back up on YouTube.
Click on below to see the videos, judge my presentation and how prescient my financial forecasting was:
Government Money
Eurozone
Vote UKIP
I put these up now a number of UKIPers have said I am selling myself short. I have never been given a UKIP platform or a chance to give a prepared speech to a UKIP conference or branch other than my own. I do not expect to be so invited so please forgive my self promotion in this matter! UKIP only promotes those in or favoured by the Cabal especially those with titles.
In late September 08 I received a phone call from Nuttall re the scheduled UKIP NEC meeting for Monday 6th October and that a UKIP member, Mr Mottram wished to attend and address the NEC, and what did I think about this. I replied I did not know Mr Mottram but my attitude would have been the same for any UKIP member who put themselves to the inconvenience of travelling up to London to address the NEC. We should see any member and listen to what they had to say but make clear it would be for a short fixed time of 10 minutes.
I heard nothing more from Nuttall until just before the 6th October when he phoned again to say he had cancelled the meeting as people could not make it. I pointed out to him that David Abbott had arranged to take time of his hospital work to fly back from Oregon to attend this meeting and urged him to reconsider. He refused and offered no further explanation to me Del Young or David Abbott. Given the trouble and expense David had been put to offering him recompenses for his airfare was the least UKIP should have done in my opinion.
I have made several attempts as a UKIP member to join the UKIP members forum but my application has never been approved. Rob McWhirter, current NEC candidate, who lives in Zurich. He contacted Arnott who is nominally in charge of the UKIP forum who asked me to submit yet another application. I did so and again nothing happened. Rob took it up with Arnott who admitted he had been instructed by Nuttall not to approve my application as the forum was only for 'members of good standing'. in UKIP. I did not know about this. I was never notified of my lack of standing. The decision seems to have been made by Nuttall and it could happen to any member of UKIP. There is no appeal against Nuttall's decision.
So there you have it UKIPers. You are a member of a party with two classes of member those Nuttall approves of and those he does not and you have no appeal! If it sounds like a dictatorship that is exactly what it is.
These are is only some of the dirty tricks used against me but Del suffered to with Harling being used to oust him from Young Independence. David had to put up with Farage's inane parrot cry of BNP, BNP, BNP. All to sick making for words given the neo-Nazi racists Farage is now allied to in the EFD group. UKIP is not a fair or democratic party. It has been hijacked by a self seeking Cabal. Only a new leader, permanently working for UKIP in the UK, untainted by Brussels and the Cabal can rescue UKIP. If not we must seek another option to get us out of the EU..
In Autumn 08 at the request of Ian Proctor, a SWCC member, I agreed to do a test run of their video capabilities for the forthcoming election. Doug Dawson did all the very good video, sound and editing. So I went down to Lexdrum and recorded three unscripted talks, entitled, "Why should we vote UKIP", "Stay out of the Eurozone" and "The Government is running out of money". All three were posted up on YouTube and were accessible via the UKIPSW web site and were generally well received with around 1000 hits each which I was quite surprised at given my little talks were given no publicity at all especially from UKIP!
I went back to check them sometime later and found they had mysteriously disappeared after I had been deselected as a UKIP MEP candidate. Someone in the UKIP hierarchy had ordered their removal because they showed Eric Edmond was a very good communicator and a real asset to UKIP, the words of branch members not mine.
As I knew the dirty tricks UKIP uses I had taken a copy of these videos and have managed to get two back up on YouTube.
Click on below to see the videos, judge my presentation and how prescient my financial forecasting was:
Government Money
Eurozone
Vote UKIP
I put these up now a number of UKIPers have said I am selling myself short. I have never been given a UKIP platform or a chance to give a prepared speech to a UKIP conference or branch other than my own. I do not expect to be so invited so please forgive my self promotion in this matter! UKIP only promotes those in or favoured by the Cabal especially those with titles.
In late September 08 I received a phone call from Nuttall re the scheduled UKIP NEC meeting for Monday 6th October and that a UKIP member, Mr Mottram wished to attend and address the NEC, and what did I think about this. I replied I did not know Mr Mottram but my attitude would have been the same for any UKIP member who put themselves to the inconvenience of travelling up to London to address the NEC. We should see any member and listen to what they had to say but make clear it would be for a short fixed time of 10 minutes.
I heard nothing more from Nuttall until just before the 6th October when he phoned again to say he had cancelled the meeting as people could not make it. I pointed out to him that David Abbott had arranged to take time of his hospital work to fly back from Oregon to attend this meeting and urged him to reconsider. He refused and offered no further explanation to me Del Young or David Abbott. Given the trouble and expense David had been put to offering him recompenses for his airfare was the least UKIP should have done in my opinion.
I have made several attempts as a UKIP member to join the UKIP members forum but my application has never been approved. Rob McWhirter, current NEC candidate, who lives in Zurich. He contacted Arnott who is nominally in charge of the UKIP forum who asked me to submit yet another application. I did so and again nothing happened. Rob took it up with Arnott who admitted he had been instructed by Nuttall not to approve my application as the forum was only for 'members of good standing'. in UKIP. I did not know about this. I was never notified of my lack of standing. The decision seems to have been made by Nuttall and it could happen to any member of UKIP. There is no appeal against Nuttall's decision.
So there you have it UKIPers. You are a member of a party with two classes of member those Nuttall approves of and those he does not and you have no appeal! If it sounds like a dictatorship that is exactly what it is.
These are is only some of the dirty tricks used against me but Del suffered to with Harling being used to oust him from Young Independence. David had to put up with Farage's inane parrot cry of BNP, BNP, BNP. All to sick making for words given the neo-Nazi racists Farage is now allied to in the EFD group. UKIP is not a fair or democratic party. It has been hijacked by a self seeking Cabal. Only a new leader, permanently working for UKIP in the UK, untainted by Brussels and the Cabal can rescue UKIP. If not we must seek another option to get us out of the EU..
UKIP needs a leader in the UK not a Brussels MEP
I might add to the title that members of the House of Lords or looney aristos will be no good either. They are too out of touch with the voters.! Apply these filters to the possible runners and riders and you are left with Tim Congdon and me!
Guido Fawkes ran an interesting piece yesterday on his blog entitled Nepotism, the oldest and most basic form of petty corruption. He then proceeds to list the 25 current MPs employing members of their own family on public funds. Its the same in UKIP with Farage employing his wife on EU funds and Bloom allegedly has a niece working for him.
Even more worrying are stories that both Farage and Bloom are quietly claiming lavish second EU pensions at a time when pensions in the UK for ordinary people are being cut and in some cases eliminated altogether. UKIP cannot be run by a group of MEPs that have a huge financial interest in supporting the EU to increase their income and benefits far in excess of that available to the ordinary UK voter.
The EU are carrying on raising their administrative budget. The DT today reports the EU is defying our PM, the boy Dave, and increasing its budget by 8% over the next three years Cuts? Not here in Brussels. Its not just the NHS budget thats ring fenced! And what has the Boy done? Err.. well nothing just like the Lisbon Treaty. In the same DT edition another headline relates how anger continues over MP's expenses.
UKIP needs a leader who will be resident in the UK and in touch with the UK electorate not the bars and restaurants of Brussels. The coming crisis in the EU which will affect us in the UK is the debt crisis. The spread over bunds of Greek bonds is now 9.4%. Their interest rates are over five times the German rates. The tourist season has not been a great success and soon the major cities of Greece, Athens, Salonika, etc will be full of young people back from the island holiday resorts with a lot less money than last year. There will be huge trouble this Autumn and it will spread to the rest of Club Med.
Given this is a huge financial crisis how can UKIP exploit it to help get us out of the EU, Well as a start elect a leader who knows and understands monetary economics. None of our MEPs have any expertise in this field only Tim Congdon and I know the difference between an EONIA swap and a SONIA swap. We are the only two credible candidates and neither of us are financially beholden to the EU in any way so we will always put our country before our non-existent EU pension.
Guido Fawkes ran an interesting piece yesterday on his blog entitled Nepotism, the oldest and most basic form of petty corruption. He then proceeds to list the 25 current MPs employing members of their own family on public funds. Its the same in UKIP with Farage employing his wife on EU funds and Bloom allegedly has a niece working for him.
Even more worrying are stories that both Farage and Bloom are quietly claiming lavish second EU pensions at a time when pensions in the UK for ordinary people are being cut and in some cases eliminated altogether. UKIP cannot be run by a group of MEPs that have a huge financial interest in supporting the EU to increase their income and benefits far in excess of that available to the ordinary UK voter.
The EU are carrying on raising their administrative budget. The DT today reports the EU is defying our PM, the boy Dave, and increasing its budget by 8% over the next three years Cuts? Not here in Brussels. Its not just the NHS budget thats ring fenced! And what has the Boy done? Err.. well nothing just like the Lisbon Treaty. In the same DT edition another headline relates how anger continues over MP's expenses.
UKIP needs a leader who will be resident in the UK and in touch with the UK electorate not the bars and restaurants of Brussels. The coming crisis in the EU which will affect us in the UK is the debt crisis. The spread over bunds of Greek bonds is now 9.4%. Their interest rates are over five times the German rates. The tourist season has not been a great success and soon the major cities of Greece, Athens, Salonika, etc will be full of young people back from the island holiday resorts with a lot less money than last year. There will be huge trouble this Autumn and it will spread to the rest of Club Med.
Given this is a huge financial crisis how can UKIP exploit it to help get us out of the EU, Well as a start elect a leader who knows and understands monetary economics. None of our MEPs have any expertise in this field only Tim Congdon and I know the difference between an EONIA swap and a SONIA swap. We are the only two credible candidates and neither of us are financially beholden to the EU in any way so we will always put our country before our non-existent EU pension.
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Will Pearson show his face at the Torquay conference?
Malcolm Pearson has let UKIP down. He purported to be the leader of a party seeking independence for his country and yet he walked out of the job leaving an administrative mess, or should I say Eton mess, presumably so as not to miss the stag shooting season with his old Tory chums. Clearly he does not want to account for his pathetic performance verging on sabotage of UKIP's General Election campaign particularly in the South West where the conference takes place.
His behaviour comes as no surprise to me but will UKIP members learn from this sorry episode? On their past record, No. They will do as before and vote in as new puppet leader whoever is endorsed, as Lord Pearson was, by the cult leader N Farage. Remember the last election with Farage on national TV describing Pearson as head and shoulders above all the other candidates and hence denigrating people who had spent many years working hard for UKIP in favour of a newly arrived, Thatcher created Life Peer, who ditched UKIP as soon as it suited his real agenda.
Ah say the sycophants but UKIP increased its share of the vote. But look at the highly favourable circumstances of the General Election for UKIP. The voter's were still mad with their MP's over the expenses scandal. The Labour government was in disgrace and the Tory party was nothing more than a bunch of public school PR oiks. The LibDems, campaigning as the clean party, were at over 30% in the polls at one stage, unknown since the days of Lloyd George. And what did UKIP achieve but, 3.1% of the vote and zero MPs, again! Its not easy in a fptp system for small parties but the Greens managed one by concentrating on an area, Brighton, where they had been building up their strength over previous elections.
Where was UKIP's main effort and money put? Contesting Buckingham, one of the safest Tory seats in the country, to generate personal publicity for Farage! Well Bercow unsurprisingly bested him easily and the whole thing ended in the air crash farce where thank God no one was killed. But Nigel got the best UKIP result at 17.4% of the vote say the sycophants. Given the amount of TV time and money was that really a good result? The Independent, John Stevens, also standing on an anti Bercow platform, without Farage's money or TV coverage, came second with 21.4% of the vote! All Farage achieved was to finish third, split the anti Bercow vote and let the Tory back. There is a pretty obvious message there. Voters given the choice between Farage and another candidate on the same issue won't vote Farage. (In the Europeans in the South East they voted UKIP.)
The money and effort should have been invested in UKIP's strongest region the South West where results in the 6% to 9% range, twice the national average, were achieved by good local candidates who are there for the long haul. And who did most to destroy the moral of UKIP's South West candidates? Why old Lord Pearson urging these committed candidates to stand down in favour of his Tory friends. Given this, UKIP's South West results were excellent, Thank goodness many of these candidates will be back fighting these seats again in the next election. And where will Lord Pearson be? Up on Rannoch moor a'chasing the deer!
I urge UKIP members to vote for a leader who is in it for the long haul in this country and not some media wannabe posturing in Brussels.
His behaviour comes as no surprise to me but will UKIP members learn from this sorry episode? On their past record, No. They will do as before and vote in as new puppet leader whoever is endorsed, as Lord Pearson was, by the cult leader N Farage. Remember the last election with Farage on national TV describing Pearson as head and shoulders above all the other candidates and hence denigrating people who had spent many years working hard for UKIP in favour of a newly arrived, Thatcher created Life Peer, who ditched UKIP as soon as it suited his real agenda.
Ah say the sycophants but UKIP increased its share of the vote. But look at the highly favourable circumstances of the General Election for UKIP. The voter's were still mad with their MP's over the expenses scandal. The Labour government was in disgrace and the Tory party was nothing more than a bunch of public school PR oiks. The LibDems, campaigning as the clean party, were at over 30% in the polls at one stage, unknown since the days of Lloyd George. And what did UKIP achieve but, 3.1% of the vote and zero MPs, again! Its not easy in a fptp system for small parties but the Greens managed one by concentrating on an area, Brighton, where they had been building up their strength over previous elections.
Where was UKIP's main effort and money put? Contesting Buckingham, one of the safest Tory seats in the country, to generate personal publicity for Farage! Well Bercow unsurprisingly bested him easily and the whole thing ended in the air crash farce where thank God no one was killed. But Nigel got the best UKIP result at 17.4% of the vote say the sycophants. Given the amount of TV time and money was that really a good result? The Independent, John Stevens, also standing on an anti Bercow platform, without Farage's money or TV coverage, came second with 21.4% of the vote! All Farage achieved was to finish third, split the anti Bercow vote and let the Tory back. There is a pretty obvious message there. Voters given the choice between Farage and another candidate on the same issue won't vote Farage. (In the Europeans in the South East they voted UKIP.)
The money and effort should have been invested in UKIP's strongest region the South West where results in the 6% to 9% range, twice the national average, were achieved by good local candidates who are there for the long haul. And who did most to destroy the moral of UKIP's South West candidates? Why old Lord Pearson urging these committed candidates to stand down in favour of his Tory friends. Given this, UKIP's South West results were excellent, Thank goodness many of these candidates will be back fighting these seats again in the next election. And where will Lord Pearson be? Up on Rannoch moor a'chasing the deer!
I urge UKIP members to vote for a leader who is in it for the long haul in this country and not some media wannabe posturing in Brussels.
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Why does the Pope have a Swiss guard?
This is fact I just accepted and not a question I ever asked. Following my excursion into Irish history yesterday I thought I would look at what other lessons history might have for UKIP. I started with my favourite democratic country, Switzerland, and having believed William Tell freed Switzerland from Austrian tyranny I was disappointed to discover he was as real as say Robin Hood, an invention to make the Swiss feel good about themselves.
Switzerland has always been a small mountainous country surrounded by much larger expansionary militaristic states, France, Prussia, Austria and most importantly the Holy Roman Empire, the dominant mid European power over the whole middle ages. The Holy Roman Emperor was in fact elected by a very selective group of seven people, called conveniently the electors. These included three archbishops and four princes. I hope the parallels with the EU are already becoming clear with Barroso the emperor and Merkel and Sarkozy clearly two of the princely electors and Giscard d'Estang as one of the archbishops. Nothing comes from nothing as Julie Andrews sang.
Switzerland had started to establish itself as a country in the 13th century when it was awarded the status, 'Reichsfrei' meaning it was answerable only to the Emperor and not the neighbouring noble electors. After this the Swiss confederacy , contrary to legend started gobbling up bits of the Austria. The Austrian Hapsburg dynasty was not best pleased and by 1438 they had had enough democracy and turned the Holy Roman Empire into a hereditary monarchy.
The scene was set for a number of wars ending in 1499 when the Swiss confederacy and its allies defeated the Hapsburgs and their allies in 1499 and dictated peace terms to the Hapsburgs. Neighbouring states were not will ing to help the Hapsburgs as they feared they might be next on the Hapsburg list and also some of their cities would throw in their lot with Switzerland who were by common agreement the best soldiers in Europe. And that dear beloved is why the medieval Popes decided to have a Swiss guard and it has continued to this day!
The Swiss confederation has continued to be the best armed, best trained and per capita biggest army in Europe to this day. Even Hitler left Switzerland alone in! The Swiss support their military with their federal cantonal referendum system and a singular lack of a political class. Every Swiss politician has done, and continues to do military service up to the age of 55. I can think of only a handful of British politicians who have served in the armed forces.
More than that every adult Swiss male on starting his national service is given his rifle and when he has completed his 2 years or so national service takes his rifle and ammunition home with him to have to hand if needed. They all do two weeks of refresher training each year up to 55. Is there an epidemic of gun or any other crime in Switzerland, No! Per capita there are more guns in the citizens hands than there is in the USA. This provides a crucial safeguard against the rise of an unpopular political ruling class out of touch with the electors, they can be assassinated or remembering the independent Cantonal system overthrown by armed force. The same thing to a lesser extent in the US where the right to bear arms is enshrined in their constitution and unlike the Swiss they do have a track record of Presidential assassinations.
Political assassinations are not nice but when you consider the damage some politicians do to their own people its clearly the lesser of two evils an can be the only way forward. In the UK we are in such a situation. Gun ownership was severely restricted in the 1920s as a 'temporary' measure by a government terrified of a Communist revolution. Since then these laws have been made permanent, more draconian and tightened at every opportunity so today only criminals and the police have guns and the great mass of the population is left defenceless. With our police looking increasingly above the law when shooting dead unarmed innocent people where does the populace turn? Well in Ireland it was to the paramilitaries and that could happen in the UK also.
Chairman Mao put it brutally and correctly when he said political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Even the boy Dave recently stated it is armed soldiers that won and defend our freedom. Our monarch was unwilling to act to defend her realm from the Lisbon Treaty. The great Reform Act of 1832 was not passed because the parliamentarians of the day led by Wellington thought it a 'good' thing to emancipate the adult males and get rid of rotten boroughs but because they were under the imminent threat of armed civil unrest in which the army could well have sided with the rebels. Rotten boroughs continued, they were transformed into safe seats, and the system was skewed to retain power for the political ruling class.
As a result of this disarming of the UK have now a dominant, career driven, useless political class whose only loyalty is to itself not to our country. It is our political leaders that sold us down the river to the EU for their own sordid ends. Its jobs for the boys and Brussels whores. Seem in this light UKIP is only a microcosm of the UK political class system. Until we change it nothing will change for the better for the ordinary people of the UK. How do we get to a Swiss system? I don't know but it is never going to happen if we continue to send our elected representatives to Brussels. The bordellos, brasseries and restaurants of Brussels will survive very well without UKIP MEPs.
The battles have to be fought in the UK and Yes there may be real fighting with real guns. The Swiss won their total freedom because they had the most experienced, battle hardened troops and the best commanders whom the rank and file trusted. We should look at our history and learn from that how our freedoms were won and protected, by ordinary citizens standing up and fighting for their rights. Our democratic system has become so perverted by the political class it is no longer fit for purpose. A root and branch reform of our democratic processes is as in 1832 the only thing that can save us from armed conflict and its inevitable suffering. Faced with the choice between the good of the people and their own interests we all know which option our political class will take.
Switzerland has always been a small mountainous country surrounded by much larger expansionary militaristic states, France, Prussia, Austria and most importantly the Holy Roman Empire, the dominant mid European power over the whole middle ages. The Holy Roman Emperor was in fact elected by a very selective group of seven people, called conveniently the electors. These included three archbishops and four princes. I hope the parallels with the EU are already becoming clear with Barroso the emperor and Merkel and Sarkozy clearly two of the princely electors and Giscard d'Estang as one of the archbishops. Nothing comes from nothing as Julie Andrews sang.
Switzerland had started to establish itself as a country in the 13th century when it was awarded the status, 'Reichsfrei' meaning it was answerable only to the Emperor and not the neighbouring noble electors. After this the Swiss confederacy , contrary to legend started gobbling up bits of the Austria. The Austrian Hapsburg dynasty was not best pleased and by 1438 they had had enough democracy and turned the Holy Roman Empire into a hereditary monarchy.
The scene was set for a number of wars ending in 1499 when the Swiss confederacy and its allies defeated the Hapsburgs and their allies in 1499 and dictated peace terms to the Hapsburgs. Neighbouring states were not will ing to help the Hapsburgs as they feared they might be next on the Hapsburg list and also some of their cities would throw in their lot with Switzerland who were by common agreement the best soldiers in Europe. And that dear beloved is why the medieval Popes decided to have a Swiss guard and it has continued to this day!
The Swiss confederation has continued to be the best armed, best trained and per capita biggest army in Europe to this day. Even Hitler left Switzerland alone in! The Swiss support their military with their federal cantonal referendum system and a singular lack of a political class. Every Swiss politician has done, and continues to do military service up to the age of 55. I can think of only a handful of British politicians who have served in the armed forces.
More than that every adult Swiss male on starting his national service is given his rifle and when he has completed his 2 years or so national service takes his rifle and ammunition home with him to have to hand if needed. They all do two weeks of refresher training each year up to 55. Is there an epidemic of gun or any other crime in Switzerland, No! Per capita there are more guns in the citizens hands than there is in the USA. This provides a crucial safeguard against the rise of an unpopular political ruling class out of touch with the electors, they can be assassinated or remembering the independent Cantonal system overthrown by armed force. The same thing to a lesser extent in the US where the right to bear arms is enshrined in their constitution and unlike the Swiss they do have a track record of Presidential assassinations.
Political assassinations are not nice but when you consider the damage some politicians do to their own people its clearly the lesser of two evils an can be the only way forward. In the UK we are in such a situation. Gun ownership was severely restricted in the 1920s as a 'temporary' measure by a government terrified of a Communist revolution. Since then these laws have been made permanent, more draconian and tightened at every opportunity so today only criminals and the police have guns and the great mass of the population is left defenceless. With our police looking increasingly above the law when shooting dead unarmed innocent people where does the populace turn? Well in Ireland it was to the paramilitaries and that could happen in the UK also.
Chairman Mao put it brutally and correctly when he said political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Even the boy Dave recently stated it is armed soldiers that won and defend our freedom. Our monarch was unwilling to act to defend her realm from the Lisbon Treaty. The great Reform Act of 1832 was not passed because the parliamentarians of the day led by Wellington thought it a 'good' thing to emancipate the adult males and get rid of rotten boroughs but because they were under the imminent threat of armed civil unrest in which the army could well have sided with the rebels. Rotten boroughs continued, they were transformed into safe seats, and the system was skewed to retain power for the political ruling class.
As a result of this disarming of the UK have now a dominant, career driven, useless political class whose only loyalty is to itself not to our country. It is our political leaders that sold us down the river to the EU for their own sordid ends. Its jobs for the boys and Brussels whores. Seem in this light UKIP is only a microcosm of the UK political class system. Until we change it nothing will change for the better for the ordinary people of the UK. How do we get to a Swiss system? I don't know but it is never going to happen if we continue to send our elected representatives to Brussels. The bordellos, brasseries and restaurants of Brussels will survive very well without UKIP MEPs.
The battles have to be fought in the UK and Yes there may be real fighting with real guns. The Swiss won their total freedom because they had the most experienced, battle hardened troops and the best commanders whom the rank and file trusted. We should look at our history and learn from that how our freedoms were won and protected, by ordinary citizens standing up and fighting for their rights. Our democratic system has become so perverted by the political class it is no longer fit for purpose. A root and branch reform of our democratic processes is as in 1832 the only thing that can save us from armed conflict and its inevitable suffering. Faced with the choice between the good of the people and their own interests we all know which option our political class will take.
Sunday 22 August 2010
Why Sinn Fein IRA won and UKIP is a surefire loser
I watched a programme on political assassination yesterday which dealt with the killing of Michael Collins, the Southern Irish military leader in the eventually successful campaign for Irish home rule. Knowing little of Irish history I googled Michael Collins and came up with some interesting history. His web page in Google is captioned, ' Michael Collins, the man who singlehandedly brought the British Empire to its knees.'
So will Nigel Farage and his Cabal bring the EU, the reincarnation of the Holy Roman Empire, to its knees? I think not. Collins and his patriotic colleagues were prepared to sacrifice everything to achieve their freedom. What do UKIP's leaders want? To be on TV, political careers, media careers and most of all EU money status and pensions.
IRA/Sinn Fein put its cause above all else. Collins along with many other Nationalists were elected as British MPs in 1918 just like UKIP got 13 MEPs in 2009. The difference, Sinn Fein did not go to London to de facto support a state they wished to free themselves from. Instead, they set up their own parliament in Dublin. Do you know of one independence movement that has succeeded whilst residing in the Imperial capital, taking the empires money and as a condition obeying the empire's rules? I don't!
The only Irish party that did go to London was the Irish Parliamentary Party. They won 7 seats in 1918 compared to Sinn Fein's 70! Where are they now? They were consigned to the trash can of history by 1925. That is the fate that awaits UKIP unless it changes its strategy and does not send representatives to Brussels but keeps them in the UK to work for our cause. I put this view at the first UKIP NEC I attended and was shouted down by the Cabal. There can be no hope for our cause of leaving the EU until we in UKIP rid ourselves of these people. They are bought, paid for and owned by the EU, Range rovers and all.
So will Nigel Farage and his Cabal bring the EU, the reincarnation of the Holy Roman Empire, to its knees? I think not. Collins and his patriotic colleagues were prepared to sacrifice everything to achieve their freedom. What do UKIP's leaders want? To be on TV, political careers, media careers and most of all EU money status and pensions.
IRA/Sinn Fein put its cause above all else. Collins along with many other Nationalists were elected as British MPs in 1918 just like UKIP got 13 MEPs in 2009. The difference, Sinn Fein did not go to London to de facto support a state they wished to free themselves from. Instead, they set up their own parliament in Dublin. Do you know of one independence movement that has succeeded whilst residing in the Imperial capital, taking the empires money and as a condition obeying the empire's rules? I don't!
The only Irish party that did go to London was the Irish Parliamentary Party. They won 7 seats in 1918 compared to Sinn Fein's 70! Where are they now? They were consigned to the trash can of history by 1925. That is the fate that awaits UKIP unless it changes its strategy and does not send representatives to Brussels but keeps them in the UK to work for our cause. I put this view at the first UKIP NEC I attended and was shouted down by the Cabal. There can be no hope for our cause of leaving the EU until we in UKIP rid ourselves of these people. They are bought, paid for and owned by the EU, Range rovers and all.
Friday 20 August 2010
Edinburgh tourism booms. UKIP and the Eurozone sink further into the mire
I attended the funeral of my late father's last surviving cousin at Prestonpans, near Edinburgh on Wednesday and returned late last night. I had to drive up and back as the flights from the South West to Edinburgh were fully booked, a testimony to the attraction of the Edinburgh festival to many. Hotels in Edinburgh were chock a block and my wife and I ended up staying at Melrose, some 40 miles away in the Scottish borders. Even there the huge number of foreign tourists was very noticeable along with the lack of UK visitors. At the funeral tea held in a pub in Longniddry, 16 miles East of Edinburgh, the manager told me a similar tale and that they had done 2000 'covers' already that week!
My second cousin, Ella, died aged 90 in a two bedroomed council house she had lived in with her family for 81 years! ConLib wish to make this impossible. How much money would it have saved to have turfed Ella out of her house and into a care home funded at Council expense and no doubt put in some asylum seekers?
Returning to less important manners I read from AEP's piece in today's DT, click on link to read, that reality is slowly sinking in in Greece and that even their tourist trade is flagging. We have gone sailing in Greece the last two years but not this year. Nobody wants to be caught up in public sector strikes wrecking their travel plans with the possible threat of riots thrown in.
On the money markets side many now believe that a Greek debt restructuring, that is a default, is coming and that Greece cannot recover without a currency devaluation which will of course require them to leave the Euro. AEP's comment on lack of eligible collateral for ECB loans is correct and will become increasingly pressing. Reuters run the same story with the point that markets wont believe words not backed by action. "Only when some of these countries translate words into action, and some of these spreads start to come in, then perhaps markets will fully believe we're on the road to a longer-lasting recovery," said Mark Miller at Lloyds Banking Group.
Things stagger on from bad to worse with the UKIP NEC elections and leadership crisis. The story broken by Junius of Godfrey Bloom sending out a marked ballot paper of 'approved' NEC candidates to UKIP members to vote for is quite incredible. This involves use of the UKIP members database. What about data protection law Mr Zuckerman? My only consolation is that two weeks ago I managed to identify the approved candidates as those I recommend not voting for!
As for the interim leader to be appointed by the NEC just before the party conference well I can find is no such provision in the UKIP constitution. Which NEC will choose, the old time expired rump NEC or the new G Bloom recommended one? The devil is always in the detail!
My second cousin, Ella, died aged 90 in a two bedroomed council house she had lived in with her family for 81 years! ConLib wish to make this impossible. How much money would it have saved to have turfed Ella out of her house and into a care home funded at Council expense and no doubt put in some asylum seekers?
Returning to less important manners I read from AEP's piece in today's DT, click on link to read, that reality is slowly sinking in in Greece and that even their tourist trade is flagging. We have gone sailing in Greece the last two years but not this year. Nobody wants to be caught up in public sector strikes wrecking their travel plans with the possible threat of riots thrown in.
On the money markets side many now believe that a Greek debt restructuring, that is a default, is coming and that Greece cannot recover without a currency devaluation which will of course require them to leave the Euro. AEP's comment on lack of eligible collateral for ECB loans is correct and will become increasingly pressing. Reuters run the same story with the point that markets wont believe words not backed by action. "Only when some of these countries translate words into action, and some of these spreads start to come in, then perhaps markets will fully believe we're on the road to a longer-lasting recovery," said Mark Miller at Lloyds Banking Group.
Things stagger on from bad to worse with the UKIP NEC elections and leadership crisis. The story broken by Junius of Godfrey Bloom sending out a marked ballot paper of 'approved' NEC candidates to UKIP members to vote for is quite incredible. This involves use of the UKIP members database. What about data protection law Mr Zuckerman? My only consolation is that two weeks ago I managed to identify the approved candidates as those I recommend not voting for!
As for the interim leader to be appointed by the NEC just before the party conference well I can find is no such provision in the UKIP constitution. Which NEC will choose, the old time expired rump NEC or the new G Bloom recommended one? The devil is always in the detail!
Tuesday 17 August 2010
Pearson resigns. Job done for the Tories
Having done his very best to help his Tory friends at the last General Election and at least deliver the boy David into Downing Street, Pearson has resigned as he is 'no good at party politics'. Well I think the Boy might take a different view and as Pearson is already in the Lords, reward Nigel with a peerage as well for services to the Conservative Party if his back is up to sitting on the red leather.
At the last UKIP leadership election the members could have chosen a genuine UKIP candidate who had been in UKIP for many years and worked hard for the UKIP cause. But no, they followed Nigel's dictum and voted for a candidate, who had recently joined UKIP, who according to Farage 'stood head and shoulders above the rest'. What was not said is that this pre-eminence would be devoted to sabotaging the UKIP campaign and promoting the Tories, the party that took us in to the EU and has fixed us deeper in the EU at every opportunity and will continue to do so under the Broke Back LibCon coalition.
Compare the honourable and decent way Nikki and Alan Wood behaved with Pearson's support for the Tories. I hope the membership will have learned its lesson and when the leadership vote comes vote for a clean candidate of integrity who has had nothing to do with Nigel Farage.
At the last UKIP leadership election the members could have chosen a genuine UKIP candidate who had been in UKIP for many years and worked hard for the UKIP cause. But no, they followed Nigel's dictum and voted for a candidate, who had recently joined UKIP, who according to Farage 'stood head and shoulders above the rest'. What was not said is that this pre-eminence would be devoted to sabotaging the UKIP campaign and promoting the Tories, the party that took us in to the EU and has fixed us deeper in the EU at every opportunity and will continue to do so under the Broke Back LibCon coalition.
Compare the honourable and decent way Nikki and Alan Wood behaved with Pearson's support for the Tories. I hope the membership will have learned its lesson and when the leadership vote comes vote for a clean candidate of integrity who has had nothing to do with Nigel Farage.
Monday 16 August 2010
EU students take good British students places at UK universities
'Thousands of straight-A students could miss out on university' is a front page headline in today's DT but no one is asking how many British tax payer financed non UK EU students are taking places at British Universities assisted as well by the student loans scheme. Loans to these non-UK students have a very poor repayment rate and things will worsen under the Cable's graduate tax scheme. Why? Because once these students have got what they want from the UK tax payer, their University education, they return to their home countries where the UK tax writ does not run.
Johnny Foreigner mainly applies to our best and oldest Universities. They are not interested in jumped up Technical colleges or teacher training colleges. Like many things connect to the EU there is a complete lack of transparency and obfuscation rules. I have tried to find out these figures at Oxford and got the response we don't keep separate figures for EU students they are lumped in with UK nationals who pay the minimum fees or in Scotland no fee at all unless English! It is indefensible but then so is much related to the EU. Its the true Euro Communist philosophy, what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine also and the UK government of all parties acquiesce.
We want the best students bleat the Universities but hold on they are British institutions funded by the UK tax payer to educate our children. Charity begins at home. Like many British sacred cow institutions, the police, schools and the GP system of poor but expensive health care it needs a good shake up.
Johnny Foreigner mainly applies to our best and oldest Universities. They are not interested in jumped up Technical colleges or teacher training colleges. Like many things connect to the EU there is a complete lack of transparency and obfuscation rules. I have tried to find out these figures at Oxford and got the response we don't keep separate figures for EU students they are lumped in with UK nationals who pay the minimum fees or in Scotland no fee at all unless English! It is indefensible but then so is much related to the EU. Its the true Euro Communist philosophy, what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine also and the UK government of all parties acquiesce.
We want the best students bleat the Universities but hold on they are British institutions funded by the UK tax payer to educate our children. Charity begins at home. Like many British sacred cow institutions, the police, schools and the GP system of poor but expensive health care it needs a good shake up.
Friday 13 August 2010
UKIP's good idea and lack of talent. Eurozone cracks widen
I wrote yesterday about what a good and long overdue idea UKIP's 'Positive Vision' which looks to me like a cost benefit analysis of our EU membership showing we would be better off out of the EU and not face complete meltdown as the 'philes claim. The problem I opined would be UKIP's lack of talent to take on such a heavyweight political debate.
Nothing better illustrates this than the postings of Denny, a UKIP NEC member, and chief Farage apologist on the Democracy Forum, click on link to see it. Denny's stock in trade is factual errors and personal abuse. He frequently calls those who disagree with him idiots etc. He is I am afraid all too typical of those at the top of UKIP so I fear although we have a very strong case to put forward it will go by default for lack of serious advocacy.
I nevertheless look forward to UKIP's policy paper on this crucial topic.
Today Eurostat announced the German economy grew by 2.2% the last quarter. The weak Euro is cited as the cause. The Eurozone as a whole grew 1% but Greece GDP fell by 1.5% following a 0.8% decline the previous quarter.
Quite, I wish we had the same attitude in the UK. Charity begins at home as my Granny used to say.
Some bond fund managers are dipping their toe into poorer EU sovereign credits, "We have added to positions in Italian bonds in the past few weeks, but remain cautious regarding the more risky names, such as Ireland and Portugal", is one quote.
The basic position remains as Merv King said on Wednesday bank crises take a long time to fix, at least 10 years. Ask the Japanese, they have been in the toils for the last 20 years following their bank crises! For those considering investing in China I predict they will be next for a bank crisis. Their banking regulation is a shambles.
Nothing better illustrates this than the postings of Denny, a UKIP NEC member, and chief Farage apologist on the Democracy Forum, click on link to see it. Denny's stock in trade is factual errors and personal abuse. He frequently calls those who disagree with him idiots etc. He is I am afraid all too typical of those at the top of UKIP so I fear although we have a very strong case to put forward it will go by default for lack of serious advocacy.
I nevertheless look forward to UKIP's policy paper on this crucial topic.
Today Eurostat announced the German economy grew by 2.2% the last quarter. The weak Euro is cited as the cause. The Eurozone as a whole grew 1% but Greece GDP fell by 1.5% following a 0.8% decline the previous quarter.
Slovakia flirts with EU censure by opposing Greek aid
is Reuters headline today, "In an overwhelming parliamentary vote on Wednesday, the euro zone's poorest member ruled out providing 816 million euros towards a 110 billion euro (91 billion pounds) Greek bailout fund, saying it was unfair to make taxpayers in a country that has kept its debt under control stump up to bail out a profligate one."Quite, I wish we had the same attitude in the UK. Charity begins at home as my Granny used to say.
Some bond fund managers are dipping their toe into poorer EU sovereign credits, "We have added to positions in Italian bonds in the past few weeks, but remain cautious regarding the more risky names, such as Ireland and Portugal", is one quote.
The basic position remains as Merv King said on Wednesday bank crises take a long time to fix, at least 10 years. Ask the Japanese, they have been in the toils for the last 20 years following their bank crises! For those considering investing in China I predict they will be next for a bank crisis. Their banking regulation is a shambles.
Thursday 12 August 2010
UKIP gets something right, BoE admits its errors and Ireland has a relapse
I received by email a note of the highlights of the UKIP Torquay conference. I can't get the full details on the members web site as although a member, I am not an approved member! That is approved by Nuttal which requires approval by Farage. So no change there then.
Still it seems Mr Bannerman will be 'unveiling the party’s ‘Positive Vision’ project – a detailed prospectus for the UK’s future outside the European Union, to prove we would be freer, safer and more prosperous if we left.' This is a long overdue move by UKIP. Its serious politics and cuts to the heart of the Europhile's arguments. No British government has ever commissioned a proper cost benefit analysis of our EU membership. Its bleeding obvious boom the 'philes' like K Clarke and Paxman et al of the BBC leave it there. Well its not obvious to me or many others and if the 'philes are so confident of their argument why not put it to the test and kill UKIP stone dead?
UKIP's problem is it will need serious political talent to make this argument and it right now does not have that talent. Farage's cabal drives talent out of UKIP to preserve their place on the pecking order for the gravy train. Bannerman would do well to drop the Campbell. If this debate takes off and he is involved his use of Campbell would blow the whole thing out of the water. It won't stand scrutiny.
MAK coughed yesterday at the BoE quarterly inflation report press conference that their inflation model was not quite fit for purpose. It never was! I and others pointed out its obvious failings but it was a BoE holy cow to which MAK's reputation and subsequent appointment as Governor was linked. I was surprised the reptiles, whom we were kept separate from at the press conference never noticed. The problem will come if the BoE's inflation monitoring reputation has taken a hit in the City as a result.
Meanwhile in the Emerald Isle, part of Euroland, AEP reports in today's DT that Oirish 10 year bonds are now trading at a spread of 297 basis points over Bunds. Like Spain its the property bubble that was at the root of the problem. For comparison, Spanish bond spreads are at 108 bps and Portuguese bond spreads at 266bps. Greece of course is still way out ahead at 920bps.
Given Ireland introduced draconian public spending well before Boy George it does not auger well for Paddy land or us in the UK.
Still it seems Mr Bannerman will be 'unveiling the party’s ‘Positive Vision’ project – a detailed prospectus for the UK’s future outside the European Union, to prove we would be freer, safer and more prosperous if we left.' This is a long overdue move by UKIP. Its serious politics and cuts to the heart of the Europhile's arguments. No British government has ever commissioned a proper cost benefit analysis of our EU membership. Its bleeding obvious boom the 'philes' like K Clarke and Paxman et al of the BBC leave it there. Well its not obvious to me or many others and if the 'philes are so confident of their argument why not put it to the test and kill UKIP stone dead?
UKIP's problem is it will need serious political talent to make this argument and it right now does not have that talent. Farage's cabal drives talent out of UKIP to preserve their place on the pecking order for the gravy train. Bannerman would do well to drop the Campbell. If this debate takes off and he is involved his use of Campbell would blow the whole thing out of the water. It won't stand scrutiny.
MAK coughed yesterday at the BoE quarterly inflation report press conference that their inflation model was not quite fit for purpose. It never was! I and others pointed out its obvious failings but it was a BoE holy cow to which MAK's reputation and subsequent appointment as Governor was linked. I was surprised the reptiles, whom we were kept separate from at the press conference never noticed. The problem will come if the BoE's inflation monitoring reputation has taken a hit in the City as a result.
Meanwhile in the Emerald Isle, part of Euroland, AEP reports in today's DT that Oirish 10 year bonds are now trading at a spread of 297 basis points over Bunds. Like Spain its the property bubble that was at the root of the problem. For comparison, Spanish bond spreads are at 108 bps and Portuguese bond spreads at 266bps. Greece of course is still way out ahead at 920bps.
Given Ireland introduced draconian public spending well before Boy George it does not auger well for Paddy land or us in the UK.
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Where does UKIP's money go and what does it do?
This is a question which occurs to me every time UKIP comes round with their begging bowl. UKIP now have 11 MEPs entitled to substantial EU funds. A large amount goes into the EFD and is thus controlled by Farage. What can only be described as a motley crew of quasi PR people seem to be employed on these funds. Mark Croucher, former publican and scourge of neo-Nazis and racists seems to be one. Strange then to find him having to defend the neo-Nazi racist Liga Nord, the other main component of the EFD.
Junius named one Herman Kelly, EFD Director of Communications no less, as allegedly a Republican sympathiser as also being paid from EFD funds. Mr Kelly appears to have previously worked for Ganley's Libertas as a spin doctor. Strange as I was villified by the Cabal when some members of my branch, not me, I was neutral on the issue, wanted to explore a joint venture with Libertas about 18 months ago. But as in all cults if the leader says its all right, its all right and if the leader says its all wrong its all wrong because the leader is always right!
Not including Mr Kelly there are 33 people listed as on the EU payroll for what I opine will be big bucks, sorry Euros. I note the oft mentioned Mme Laloux whose responsibilities on Fish and Women's right seem to be also covered by Mr Illingworth. Mr Croucher's name strangely does not appear on the list although Mr Kelly is tight at the top in overall charge.
Of UKIP MEPs only Gerard, 1, and Andreasen, 3, list any research assistants. Nikki list one also but I am not sure if she now counts as a UKIP MEP.
MEP's also finance the ROs in each region from EU money to keep an eye on the members and coordinate things in their region.
It does not seem quite to add up to the 185952€ Euro annually the EU were reported by Times Online in 2008 paying MEPs plus of course the 4052€ per month to run a constituency office. I would be grateful if anyone can post the answer to this puzzle as a comment on this blog.
I can see what Nikki is doing with her EU loot to try and get us out of the EU. As for the rest...?
Junius named one Herman Kelly, EFD Director of Communications no less, as allegedly a Republican sympathiser as also being paid from EFD funds. Mr Kelly appears to have previously worked for Ganley's Libertas as a spin doctor. Strange as I was villified by the Cabal when some members of my branch, not me, I was neutral on the issue, wanted to explore a joint venture with Libertas about 18 months ago. But as in all cults if the leader says its all right, its all right and if the leader says its all wrong its all wrong because the leader is always right!
Not including Mr Kelly there are 33 people listed as on the EU payroll for what I opine will be big bucks, sorry Euros. I note the oft mentioned Mme Laloux whose responsibilities on Fish and Women's right seem to be also covered by Mr Illingworth. Mr Croucher's name strangely does not appear on the list although Mr Kelly is tight at the top in overall charge.
Of UKIP MEPs only Gerard, 1, and Andreasen, 3, list any research assistants. Nikki list one also but I am not sure if she now counts as a UKIP MEP.
MEP's also finance the ROs in each region from EU money to keep an eye on the members and coordinate things in their region.
It does not seem quite to add up to the 185952€ Euro annually the EU were reported by Times Online in 2008 paying MEPs plus of course the 4052€ per month to run a constituency office. I would be grateful if anyone can post the answer to this puzzle as a comment on this blog.
I can see what Nikki is doing with her EU loot to try and get us out of the EU. As for the rest...?
Tuesday 10 August 2010
UKIP needs strategic leadership and that's not Nigel Farage
As a result of me and others rattling the cages of the Faragistas on Democracy Forum the Mods have come up with one or two good comments and ideas. Denny always the first into print Farage apologist in UKIP's version of Animal Farm attempts to dismiss the Green's success in getting an MP in Brighton as below,
'It (UKIP) has failed to obtain an MP it is true. And the Greens obtaining one is thrown in our faces. But always there can be special cases where MPs win seats - like the white suited Bell chappie for example, and the hospital consultant in an area where the hospital was to be closed - and then lost again next time most likely as it is unsustainable. Brighton was one such special case.'
One of the Mods, Tom Wilde replied as follows,
'I really can't let that terrifying remark pass without comment. I'd have said that the Green Party's victory in Brighton was exactly not the kind of flash in the pan "special case" that you describe. It was the result of focussed, long-term activism in a particular town. They've build their presence there from the foundations upwards over many years, first winning a few councillors, then more, then doing pretty well in Westminster elections, then finally capturing the seat. This is exactly what UKIP has needed to do and has failed to do - so far. When it has had areas of strength in terms of activists and councillors - like Devon a few years back - it has generally failed to back those with the necessary resources to consolidate and build on the local successes. The nearest thing to an exception is Newcastle-under-Lyme, (5 borough councillors and 3 county councillors). UKIP must learn to back local success stories, and to realize that winning an MP takes a decade or more of hard work, not just a quick lucky break!'
Spot on Mr Wilde! The Greens worked long and hard over many years in Brighton a UK city for their success. Mr Farage was parachuted into Bucks and then for an encore crash landed there as well and lost abysmally to the most unpopular Speaker the Commons has ever had! Caroline Lucas who was also an MEP spoke in Brussels on Green topics unlike Farage did not do cheap, media attention seeking, personal attacks on EU officials. As Mr Wilde points out the Greens had a long term strategy, built up from the grass roots through local democracy and won with a good candidate.
Farage is always trying to ape Kilroy Silk's success in 2004 but he lacks RKS' political skills or media reputation or personna. Both are needed to win a parliamentary seat as Esther Rantzen found out in her defeat at Luton. Martin Bell won against Hamilton in Knutsford because he had political skills and a media reputation. He also fought against an expenses soiled MP but also Bell was perceived as a man of integrity and not just another politician on the make as was the successful Kidderminster ex hospital consultant.
Tony Butcher, who owns Democracy Forum, underlined the need for some real long term strategy on voting reform thus,
'All this talk of winning MPs again raises the question of why UKIP does so little with regard to electoral reform. UKIP would have a good number of MPs under a proper, fair system of voting'
'The Lib Dems have managed to put electoral reform on the agenda - that is a massive success for them.
I am not sure that UKIP has had any big success so far in influencing policy wrt the EU. All I can think of is that the Lib Dems now support an in/out referendum and the Tories were, perhaps, forced to sound more eurosceptic in the last EU elections although there appears to have been little substance behind their rhetoric in this regard. Unfortunately, UKIP has done little to follow up on the broken promise of a referendum on the LT however.'
Well said Mr Butcher and dead right. No UKIP follow up on the LT promised Referendum and no push to influence UK voting reform. UKIP needs a strategy now!
All we get is a promise from Farage to continue to be a bad boy at Brussels for the cheap media personal publicity shots. He cultivates the Max Miller cheeky chappie image. He should read up what happened to Max Miller. Farage is not a credible political leader and neither is there a potential good leader amongst the Cabal. Pearson is cringe making with his anti Islamic remarks.
UKIP will not get a decent strategy or management until the current leadership is ousted. Their horizons extend only to getting on the Brussels gravy train.
'It (UKIP) has failed to obtain an MP it is true. And the Greens obtaining one is thrown in our faces. But always there can be special cases where MPs win seats - like the white suited Bell chappie for example, and the hospital consultant in an area where the hospital was to be closed - and then lost again next time most likely as it is unsustainable. Brighton was one such special case.'
One of the Mods, Tom Wilde replied as follows,
'I really can't let that terrifying remark pass without comment. I'd have said that the Green Party's victory in Brighton was exactly not the kind of flash in the pan "special case" that you describe. It was the result of focussed, long-term activism in a particular town. They've build their presence there from the foundations upwards over many years, first winning a few councillors, then more, then doing pretty well in Westminster elections, then finally capturing the seat. This is exactly what UKIP has needed to do and has failed to do - so far. When it has had areas of strength in terms of activists and councillors - like Devon a few years back - it has generally failed to back those with the necessary resources to consolidate and build on the local successes. The nearest thing to an exception is Newcastle-under-Lyme, (5 borough councillors and 3 county councillors). UKIP must learn to back local success stories, and to realize that winning an MP takes a decade or more of hard work, not just a quick lucky break!'
Spot on Mr Wilde! The Greens worked long and hard over many years in Brighton a UK city for their success. Mr Farage was parachuted into Bucks and then for an encore crash landed there as well and lost abysmally to the most unpopular Speaker the Commons has ever had! Caroline Lucas who was also an MEP spoke in Brussels on Green topics unlike Farage did not do cheap, media attention seeking, personal attacks on EU officials. As Mr Wilde points out the Greens had a long term strategy, built up from the grass roots through local democracy and won with a good candidate.
Farage is always trying to ape Kilroy Silk's success in 2004 but he lacks RKS' political skills or media reputation or personna. Both are needed to win a parliamentary seat as Esther Rantzen found out in her defeat at Luton. Martin Bell won against Hamilton in Knutsford because he had political skills and a media reputation. He also fought against an expenses soiled MP but also Bell was perceived as a man of integrity and not just another politician on the make as was the successful Kidderminster ex hospital consultant.
Tony Butcher, who owns Democracy Forum, underlined the need for some real long term strategy on voting reform thus,
'All this talk of winning MPs again raises the question of why UKIP does so little with regard to electoral reform. UKIP would have a good number of MPs under a proper, fair system of voting'
'The Lib Dems have managed to put electoral reform on the agenda - that is a massive success for them.
I am not sure that UKIP has had any big success so far in influencing policy wrt the EU. All I can think of is that the Lib Dems now support an in/out referendum and the Tories were, perhaps, forced to sound more eurosceptic in the last EU elections although there appears to have been little substance behind their rhetoric in this regard. Unfortunately, UKIP has done little to follow up on the broken promise of a referendum on the LT however.'
Well said Mr Butcher and dead right. No UKIP follow up on the LT promised Referendum and no push to influence UK voting reform. UKIP needs a strategy now!
All we get is a promise from Farage to continue to be a bad boy at Brussels for the cheap media personal publicity shots. He cultivates the Max Miller cheeky chappie image. He should read up what happened to Max Miller. Farage is not a credible political leader and neither is there a potential good leader amongst the Cabal. Pearson is cringe making with his anti Islamic remarks.
UKIP will not get a decent strategy or management until the current leadership is ousted. Their horizons extend only to getting on the Brussels gravy train.
Monday 9 August 2010
UKIP needs a dose of democracy
At my first UKIP NEC meeting I suggested that the policy of sending MEPs to Brussels was not delivering, and indeed had no possibility, of achieving UKIP's stated aim of the EU leaving the EU. This was howled down by the Fargistas Denny and Clarke MEP who was and still is on the gravy train. There was no debate as 'this had been settled a long time ago'. Well excuse me but if a policy is patently not delivering is it not time to revisit it and consider the alternatives? Not in UKIP where there are many whose income now comes from the EU.
I found it incomprehensible for an avowedly EU withdrawal party to be based in Brussels, paid by the EU and toeing the EU rules to get EU money. Its the same sordid money grubbing reason why UKIP, an avowedly anti-racist party is now allied in the EFD to the racist Liga Nord, a party that was and is one of the prime supporters of the Lisbon treaty. What really concerns me is why debate on this issue has been shut down by the UKIP hierarchy.
The reason again goes back to money to pay sycophants and party hacks. Farage rules UKIP through a set of placemen and women many of whom are paid on EU funds and those who aspire to an EU funded poat in Farage's gift. These funds are only available if UKIP obeys the EU rules. These rules are designed to break down nationalist parties and make them form pan European alliances and hence good Europeans whose loyalty is to their paymaster the EU and not to their country. Thus does Farage's control freakery harness UKIP to serve the EU's aims and betray those who vote for UKIP believing they are helping to get the UK out of the EU.
This is the British way of politics. Ask the LibDem footsoldiers who have seen their party manifesto policies dustbinned to put the bums of the Lib Dem hierarchy onto ministerial chairs. The Tories also feel betrayed by the Boy who now runs a government indistinguishable from Tony's, even down to its own Gord figure called Vince. As for the voters who Clegg admitted lying to, who cares. They can be safely ignored for the next 4 years until the next election.
One way out of this undemocratic rule would be to restore democracy in UKIP. This could happen but not under Farage. The current UKIP ruling Cabal combines all the worst features of LibLabCon with a leadership that is largely Tory party rejects. You cannot campaign against the undemocratic EU and at the same use these same EU practices in your own party to maintain your ruling clique in power..
I found it incomprehensible for an avowedly EU withdrawal party to be based in Brussels, paid by the EU and toeing the EU rules to get EU money. Its the same sordid money grubbing reason why UKIP, an avowedly anti-racist party is now allied in the EFD to the racist Liga Nord, a party that was and is one of the prime supporters of the Lisbon treaty. What really concerns me is why debate on this issue has been shut down by the UKIP hierarchy.
The reason again goes back to money to pay sycophants and party hacks. Farage rules UKIP through a set of placemen and women many of whom are paid on EU funds and those who aspire to an EU funded poat in Farage's gift. These funds are only available if UKIP obeys the EU rules. These rules are designed to break down nationalist parties and make them form pan European alliances and hence good Europeans whose loyalty is to their paymaster the EU and not to their country. Thus does Farage's control freakery harness UKIP to serve the EU's aims and betray those who vote for UKIP believing they are helping to get the UK out of the EU.
This is the British way of politics. Ask the LibDem footsoldiers who have seen their party manifesto policies dustbinned to put the bums of the Lib Dem hierarchy onto ministerial chairs. The Tories also feel betrayed by the Boy who now runs a government indistinguishable from Tony's, even down to its own Gord figure called Vince. As for the voters who Clegg admitted lying to, who cares. They can be safely ignored for the next 4 years until the next election.
One way out of this undemocratic rule would be to restore democracy in UKIP. This could happen but not under Farage. The current UKIP ruling Cabal combines all the worst features of LibLabCon with a leadership that is largely Tory party rejects. You cannot campaign against the undemocratic EU and at the same use these same EU practices in your own party to maintain your ruling clique in power..
Sunday 8 August 2010
A good time to write on UKIP
I have been asked why I have started to write on UKIP again. There are a number of reasons. Principally there is a lack of news on Euroland economics, my favoured subject, caused by the Euro officials and politicos all being away for the whole of August, the grande vaccances as the EU calls it. In the UK its a similar story,the Edinburgh festival etc and as yet no one has been able to locate Mandy's holiday retreat! Its called the silly season when the media cast around for silly stories but I will surpass the mainstream media and write on UKIP.
UKIP's ruling Cabal illegally postponed the NEC elections that should have held in March and resulted in a new NEC for its early April meeting for their own devious reasons, mainly I suspect to protect Pearson from well merited criticism of his appalling leadership and support of the Tories during the May General Election. So now we have NEC elections ongoing during the holiday season, another Cabal coup, with results due just as people return from holiday and just prior to UKIP's annual conference in Torquay.
My marking the NEC runners and riders card earlier this week seems to have triggered off some debate on the British Democracy Forum. This was my aim. Any debate that sheds even a little light into the murky inner workings of UKIP is a good thing. Denny, Septic and the rest of the Cabal spin machine will be obfuscating furiously and trying to block the day light from penetrating the inner sanctums of UKIP but hopefully it will still shine in through a few orifices for the illumination of the ordinary UKIP member.
I have been vastly amused to receive indignant responses from a number of the candidates along the lines, I am completely independent, I am my own man or Nigel Farage won't tell me what to do etc. Well as Mandy Rice Davies remarked about another political cabal, 'they would say that woudn't they!' Its all very predictable but it does betray an alarming naivete about how political power is exercised to control people like themselves.
Controlling ambitious people is child's play when you have in your gift what these wannabes want. In this case its being an MEP and/or getting on the EU gravy train. I pointed out the timing earlier of how these elections will fit into the next MEP selection cycle. In UKIP's case Farage controls the selection system so he controls many of these ambitious UKIPers who are standing for the NEC.
As I have said I did not want to go on the NEC. Along with David, I was independent financially so Farage had no control over us and this annoyed him greatly! I did put my name forward for the MEP list but only to have one fewer ill qualified Faragista candidate on the list!
My father used to say you cannot con an honest man to which I add and you cannot control a man who wants nothing that is in your gift. So to all these UKIP NEC candidates I pose two questions.
Do you want to be a UKIP MEP?
Do you want to work for Farage's EU EFD group on an EU funded salary?
Both of these are in Farage's gift and puts you under his control for the next 4 years.
UKIP's ruling Cabal illegally postponed the NEC elections that should have held in March and resulted in a new NEC for its early April meeting for their own devious reasons, mainly I suspect to protect Pearson from well merited criticism of his appalling leadership and support of the Tories during the May General Election. So now we have NEC elections ongoing during the holiday season, another Cabal coup, with results due just as people return from holiday and just prior to UKIP's annual conference in Torquay.
My marking the NEC runners and riders card earlier this week seems to have triggered off some debate on the British Democracy Forum. This was my aim. Any debate that sheds even a little light into the murky inner workings of UKIP is a good thing. Denny, Septic and the rest of the Cabal spin machine will be obfuscating furiously and trying to block the day light from penetrating the inner sanctums of UKIP but hopefully it will still shine in through a few orifices for the illumination of the ordinary UKIP member.
I have been vastly amused to receive indignant responses from a number of the candidates along the lines, I am completely independent, I am my own man or Nigel Farage won't tell me what to do etc. Well as Mandy Rice Davies remarked about another political cabal, 'they would say that woudn't they!' Its all very predictable but it does betray an alarming naivete about how political power is exercised to control people like themselves.
Controlling ambitious people is child's play when you have in your gift what these wannabes want. In this case its being an MEP and/or getting on the EU gravy train. I pointed out the timing earlier of how these elections will fit into the next MEP selection cycle. In UKIP's case Farage controls the selection system so he controls many of these ambitious UKIPers who are standing for the NEC.
As I have said I did not want to go on the NEC. Along with David, I was independent financially so Farage had no control over us and this annoyed him greatly! I did put my name forward for the MEP list but only to have one fewer ill qualified Faragista candidate on the list!
My father used to say you cannot con an honest man to which I add and you cannot control a man who wants nothing that is in your gift. So to all these UKIP NEC candidates I pose two questions.
Do you want to be a UKIP MEP?
Do you want to work for Farage's EU EFD group on an EU funded salary?
Both of these are in Farage's gift and puts you under his control for the next 4 years.
Saturday 7 August 2010
UKIP's Double Standards
The EU bureaucrats deliberately frame their regulations and laws in an ambiguous way so to leave power in the hands of the official who issues the EU edict or decision. Thus the EU interprets rules for its friends and applies them to its enemies. Thus it is with UKIP also. Our MEPs have at least learned something from their boozing, troughing and whoring in Brussels. Remarkable what you can pick up from a hot boar's head as Dr Spooner remarked one night in Balliol.
Del was thrown out of UKIP by Nuttall under a completely false allegation that he was a member of UK First. He was no such thing and anyway how many UKIP members are also members of the Conservative party? Should they not also be ejected? Well No, judging from the recently acquired Euro standards of Mr Nuttall who interprets UKIP rules differently for different people.
David was thrown out for having made a donation while in the US to an American organisation, as Obama might say, that subsequently turned out to have links to the BNP. What is worse Farage knew about this when David was elected to the UKIP NEC and interpreted UKIP rules in David's favour. Later when NF found out that David could think for himself, unlike most of the NEC, Farage decided to apply the rules to David and out he went.
Thus it was also with La Andreasen who when she was put on the UKIP MEP slate in two regions while not even a UKIP member. A helpful associate membership status was found for her and other awkward rules waived for her by the ever helpful, absent Mr Gill.
Martin Haslam was ejected for speaking to a journalist Farge had set him up with!
I was ejected for agreeing to go along with a wide held members view and proposal that given Ganley's successful campaign in Ireland against the Lisbon Treaty and Farage and the Cabal's complete lack of effort to oppose Lisbon in the UK it might be worthwhile looking at some sort of electoral alliance with Gabley's Libertas. But Ganley is an EU reformist squealed the Cabal! You are a traitor not following UKIP policy! Well Andreasen was also on record as being a reformist and she was waived through.
When Farage and the rest of the UKIP MEPs got to Brussels who did NF ally himself and UKIP with but the racist Liga Nord for money. Strange I thought UKIP was a non-racist party and David had been kicked out for unknowingly once getting associated with a US racist party!
Worst of all Farage's chosen leader Pearson was sent out to the TV studios and hustings urging some UKIP Parliamentary candidates to stand down in favour of Pearson's Tory friends. Admitting he did not know what was in the UKIP manifesto ie he did not know UKIP policy in some areas. He went out canvassing for the Tories in some areas and also managed to alienate almost every Moslem in the UK. Well with a leader like that is it any surprise UKIP bombed at the election despite the still huge anger over MP's expenses.
No, there is only one rule in UKIP, do what Nigel says irrespective of UKIP policy and any other scruples you may have. Otherwise you will be smeared by the UKIP attack dogs and kicked out.
Del was thrown out of UKIP by Nuttall under a completely false allegation that he was a member of UK First. He was no such thing and anyway how many UKIP members are also members of the Conservative party? Should they not also be ejected? Well No, judging from the recently acquired Euro standards of Mr Nuttall who interprets UKIP rules differently for different people.
David was thrown out for having made a donation while in the US to an American organisation, as Obama might say, that subsequently turned out to have links to the BNP. What is worse Farage knew about this when David was elected to the UKIP NEC and interpreted UKIP rules in David's favour. Later when NF found out that David could think for himself, unlike most of the NEC, Farage decided to apply the rules to David and out he went.
Thus it was also with La Andreasen who when she was put on the UKIP MEP slate in two regions while not even a UKIP member. A helpful associate membership status was found for her and other awkward rules waived for her by the ever helpful, absent Mr Gill.
Martin Haslam was ejected for speaking to a journalist Farge had set him up with!
I was ejected for agreeing to go along with a wide held members view and proposal that given Ganley's successful campaign in Ireland against the Lisbon Treaty and Farage and the Cabal's complete lack of effort to oppose Lisbon in the UK it might be worthwhile looking at some sort of electoral alliance with Gabley's Libertas. But Ganley is an EU reformist squealed the Cabal! You are a traitor not following UKIP policy! Well Andreasen was also on record as being a reformist and she was waived through.
When Farage and the rest of the UKIP MEPs got to Brussels who did NF ally himself and UKIP with but the racist Liga Nord for money. Strange I thought UKIP was a non-racist party and David had been kicked out for unknowingly once getting associated with a US racist party!
Worst of all Farage's chosen leader Pearson was sent out to the TV studios and hustings urging some UKIP Parliamentary candidates to stand down in favour of Pearson's Tory friends. Admitting he did not know what was in the UKIP manifesto ie he did not know UKIP policy in some areas. He went out canvassing for the Tories in some areas and also managed to alienate almost every Moslem in the UK. Well with a leader like that is it any surprise UKIP bombed at the election despite the still huge anger over MP's expenses.
No, there is only one rule in UKIP, do what Nigel says irrespective of UKIP policy and any other scruples you may have. Otherwise you will be smeared by the UKIP attack dogs and kicked out.
Friday 6 August 2010
UKIP NEC Runners & Riders
As I have not yet had my official paid for copy of this race card I have had to refer to Mr Allen's helpful posting on democracy forum.
There are 37 candidates for 7 places, almost as big as the Grand National field but not as attractive. I was surprised at the size of the field but it is understandable if you look 3 years ahead and realise that at that time MEP candidates will be getting chosen and having just been on the NEC guarantees you will make the slate. I can vouch for that personally although I was then removed by the Cabal! So if you give Farage 3 years of rubber stamping service on the NEC your reward will be a place on the gravy train list.
I received my Independence News today 6th August so now I can comment on these candidates more fully.
How does one choose between these people most of whom one has never met? I can only count 5 I have met.
If you wish to break the power of the Farage Cabal and restore democracy , honesty and decency to UKIP and elect candidates who will represent the ordinary honest decent UKIP members then look at who proposed, seconded and assented these candidates and do not vote for anyone with more than one of the following amongst their supporters:
Any UKIP MEP - they are all Farage approved.
Anyone currently on the NEC - they are largely Cabal members.
Anyone who has previously served on the NEC - they will have been supportive of the Cabal.
Anyone who is or has been on the UKIP or EU payroll
I annotate each candidate below and strike out those who fail the more than one independence rule.
Stephen Allison 5 MEPs plus 2 NEC members!
Ralph Atkinson Been on UKIP and EU payroll
David Black
Louise Boors 3 NEC, UKIP/EU payroll & Monckton!
Elizabeth Burton 3 NEC, 2 UKIP/EU, MEP
Nigel Carter
David Coburn 4 MEP including Farage, NEC and Monckton!
George Curtis 3 NEC, 3MEP & Pearson
Paula Daly 3 MEP
Charles Dodman
Terry Durrance
David Duxbury
Derek Evans 1 MEP
Ray Finch 2 MEP including Farage 1 UKIP
Kathleen Garner
John Harrison 2 MEP 1 UKIP
Paul Henke
Mike Hookem
Hilary Jones 1 MEP 2 UKIP 1 NEC
Jim MacArthur
David Macey
Donald Mackay
Marion Mason 1 MEP
Michael McGough 6 MEP, 1 NEC, 1UKIP proposed by Farage
Tony McIntyre 1MEP
Winston McKenzie
Robert McWhirter 1 NEC
Toby Mickelthwait 1 MEP, 2 NEC, 2 UKIP
Jamie Moyies 1 MEP 1 NEC, 2 UKIP
Christopher Pain 5 MEP, 2 NEC
Steve Povey 1 NEC
Julia Reid 1 MEP
David Rowlands
Gillian Seymour 3 MEP 3 NEC
Lee Slaughter 2 MEP, 3 NEC, 1 UKIP & Monckton
Marilyn Swain Pearson
Hugh Williams 2 MEP Pearson
Its clearly a slate packed with Farage supporters.
The independent list looks to me like:
David Black
Nigel Carter
Charles Dodman
Terry Durrance
David Duxbury
Kathleen Garner
Paul Henke
Mike Hookem
Jim MacArthur
David Macey
Donald Mackay
Winston McKenzie
David Rowlands
to which I would add those with only one mark against them
Derek Evans
Marion Mason
Tony McIntyre
Robert McWhirter
Steve Povey
Julia Reid
Marilyn Swain
A vote for any of the above 20 candidates will help restore independence and balance to UKIP NEC. A vote for any of the others will simply be a vote for the NEC to continue as a Cabal rubber stamp.
There are 37 candidates for 7 places, almost as big as the Grand National field but not as attractive. I was surprised at the size of the field but it is understandable if you look 3 years ahead and realise that at that time MEP candidates will be getting chosen and having just been on the NEC guarantees you will make the slate. I can vouch for that personally although I was then removed by the Cabal! So if you give Farage 3 years of rubber stamping service on the NEC your reward will be a place on the gravy train list.
I received my Independence News today 6th August so now I can comment on these candidates more fully.
How does one choose between these people most of whom one has never met? I can only count 5 I have met.
If you wish to break the power of the Farage Cabal and restore democracy , honesty and decency to UKIP and elect candidates who will represent the ordinary honest decent UKIP members then look at who proposed, seconded and assented these candidates and do not vote for anyone with more than one of the following amongst their supporters:
Any UKIP MEP - they are all Farage approved.
Anyone currently on the NEC - they are largely Cabal members.
Anyone who has previously served on the NEC - they will have been supportive of the Cabal.
Anyone who is or has been on the UKIP or EU payroll
I annotate each candidate below and strike out those who fail the more than one independence rule.
David Black
Nigel Carter
Charles Dodman
Terry Durrance
David Duxbury
Derek Evans 1 MEP
Kathleen Garner
Paul Henke
Mike Hookem
Jim MacArthur
David Macey
Donald Mackay
Marion Mason 1 MEP
Tony McIntyre 1MEP
Winston McKenzie
Robert McWhirter 1 NEC
Steve Povey 1 NEC
Julia Reid 1 MEP
David Rowlands
Marilyn Swain Pearson
Its clearly a slate packed with Farage supporters.
The independent list looks to me like:
David Black
Nigel Carter
Charles Dodman
Terry Durrance
David Duxbury
Kathleen Garner
Paul Henke
Mike Hookem
Jim MacArthur
David Macey
Donald Mackay
Winston McKenzie
David Rowlands
to which I would add those with only one mark against them
Derek Evans
Marion Mason
Tony McIntyre
Robert McWhirter
Steve Povey
Julia Reid
Marilyn Swain
A vote for any of the above 20 candidates will help restore independence and balance to UKIP NEC. A vote for any of the others will simply be a vote for the NEC to continue as a Cabal rubber stamp.
Reply
Wednesday 4 August 2010
UKIP, the Butcher of Ludlow and Pussy
Christopher Gill, ex Tory MP for Ludlow was put in charge in 2008 of overseeing the UKIP MEP candidate selection process. I had never previously heard of Mr Gill. I first heard of this and Mr Gill at a SWCC UKIP meeting in the Spring of 2008 when Malcolm Wood , SW RO and long time associate of Nigel Farage tried to slip it out quietly at the end of a discussion on MEP selection. Roger Knapman immediately spotted it and demanded to know what Mr Gill's function was. Wood replied Gill was there to see UKIP's selection processes and rules were properly observed. As things turned out this was more honoured in the breach than the observance!
Gill served as Conservative MP for Ludlow from 1987 to 2001, when he stepped down. He was known as the "Butcher from Ludlow", due to his family company being a meat processing firm and was a director of his family's sausage-making business, F.A. Gills Ltd. He was a Maastricht rebel, resigned from the Tories c 2004, joined UKIP in 2006 and was elected to the UKIP NEC in 2007. He served as Chairman of The Freedom Association from 2001, before becoming its President in 2007. He is an avid admirer of Nigel Farage.
So he was in parliament during 10 years of Tory rule, 1987 to 1997 but I could find no record of him ever holding a government post not even as an unpaid Parliamentary Under Secretary, the lowest rung on the government ministerial ladder, and known to all in the Civil Service and at Westminster as a PUSSY. Mr Farage and his Cabal did not appear to know about PUSSYs but then their interests lie with the EU gravy train in Brussels not in the UK parliament in Westminster. Mr Gill stood for UKIP in his old constituency in May 2010. He got 4.4% of the vote a slight increase on the 2005 result but still lost his deposit.
I conclude Mr Gill did not have a large personal vote in his old seat. He was a typical Tory MP of the old school probably selected because of his family connections with Ludlow and not because of any outstanding political talent. Had he had talent he would surely have been tried out as a PUSSY in his 10 years in the House under a Tory government. He was a staunch Eurosceptic, asked questions on farming, fisheries, the EU and local matters. In short he was a run of the mill Tory MP who did the job to the best of his ability.
Then Mr Gill fell in with Nigel Farage whom he described to me in April 08 as the best asset UKIP has. I disagreed with him then and still do. Farage had clearly done what the Yanks call a snow job on the gullible Mr Gill.
I was elected to UKIP NEC in March 2008, attended my first meeting in April 08, had my first disagreement with Farage at that meeting him and afterwards overheard Farage telling his Cabal , ' I want him (ie me) off'. Farage only wants Yes men he can control on the NEC.
In May and June 2008 complaints were rolling in to me and I presume other members of the NEC about improprieties in the MEP list selection process. Many complaints seemed to be coming from the Eastern region, but also from London and the South East. I tried several times to contact Mr Gill to discuss these matters with him as he was supposed to be in charge and could not do so. He was rumoured to be on a yacht in the Med. I found this strange as I had sailed a yacht round the Eastern Med in April 08 and had never had any difficulty reading my emails every night and making phone calls if needed.
I grew more frustrated with this unsatisfactory situation that the man who was in overall charge of UKIP MEP list selection was uncontactable to deal with serious complaints about the process at a crucial time.
I raised this matter at the early June NEC and stated as far as I could see Mr Gill had never had a government post even a PUSSY in his 15 years as an MP. I was then, an I am now perfectly happy to be corrected if this statement is wrong. If Mr Gill had ever held a government post he would have known one of the rules is you must be contactable by the private office at all times even when on holiday especially when matters for which he is responsible are ongoing. That was my point that the Cabal were oblivious to.
I was ferociously accused by Farage, Bannerman, Denny etc of attacking Mr Gill behind his back. To say I could not get a word in was an understatement. They were all making my point for me! Mr Gill should have been there! He was the man in charge.
There were many complaints from the Eastern region. One was that a strong candidate, Robin Page, who had been seriously ill, had been kept off the list in murky circumstances. Robin Page has a very high media profile in East Anglia, has written a number of books and is well liked. There was no doubt in my mind that had he been on the MEP slate he would have topped the poll easily defeating Bannerman. Mr Gill did not conduct any investigation of this that I know of.
More complaints from London and the South East surrounded the inclusion of the Farage backed Marta Andreasen on both the South East and London slates despite her breaching six UKIP rules. Mr Gill knew about these breaches and waived the rules, 'to be helpful'. All other candidates had to comply with the rules. I found Gill's behaviour outrageous. If you don't have rules and stick to them what you get is dictatorship.
After the election Greg Beaman came top in the North West and within 24 hours withdrew leaving Mr Farage's party chairman nominee, Nuttall top of the list. I found this strange to say the least.
Bannerman's charges against me for which I was kicked off the NEC by a kangaroo court of prosecutors largely revolved around my complaints about Mr Gill's absence during what I regarded as a crucial period in the UKIP MEP selection process. My actions were justified and correct. I did what I had been elected to do, represent the members who voted for me.
Duffy had nothing to do with it. Her pathetic attempts to smear me with her allegations that I had an alternative agenda could never be sustained as they are completely untrue.
UKIP's problem is its total disregard for due process and rules. NEC elections are deferred, NEC meetings cancelled at short notice, rules are waived for some candidates, Elcom letters ignored, kangaroo courts for those who displease the leader etc etc. Until these shortcomings are addressed UKIP is on a downward trajectory.
Gill served as Conservative MP for Ludlow from 1987 to 2001, when he stepped down. He was known as the "Butcher from Ludlow", due to his family company being a meat processing firm and was a director of his family's sausage-making business, F.A. Gills Ltd. He was a Maastricht rebel, resigned from the Tories c 2004, joined UKIP in 2006 and was elected to the UKIP NEC in 2007. He served as Chairman of The Freedom Association from 2001, before becoming its President in 2007. He is an avid admirer of Nigel Farage.
So he was in parliament during 10 years of Tory rule, 1987 to 1997 but I could find no record of him ever holding a government post not even as an unpaid Parliamentary Under Secretary, the lowest rung on the government ministerial ladder, and known to all in the Civil Service and at Westminster as a PUSSY. Mr Farage and his Cabal did not appear to know about PUSSYs but then their interests lie with the EU gravy train in Brussels not in the UK parliament in Westminster. Mr Gill stood for UKIP in his old constituency in May 2010. He got 4.4% of the vote a slight increase on the 2005 result but still lost his deposit.
I conclude Mr Gill did not have a large personal vote in his old seat. He was a typical Tory MP of the old school probably selected because of his family connections with Ludlow and not because of any outstanding political talent. Had he had talent he would surely have been tried out as a PUSSY in his 10 years in the House under a Tory government. He was a staunch Eurosceptic, asked questions on farming, fisheries, the EU and local matters. In short he was a run of the mill Tory MP who did the job to the best of his ability.
Then Mr Gill fell in with Nigel Farage whom he described to me in April 08 as the best asset UKIP has. I disagreed with him then and still do. Farage had clearly done what the Yanks call a snow job on the gullible Mr Gill.
I was elected to UKIP NEC in March 2008, attended my first meeting in April 08, had my first disagreement with Farage at that meeting him and afterwards overheard Farage telling his Cabal , ' I want him (ie me) off'. Farage only wants Yes men he can control on the NEC.
In May and June 2008 complaints were rolling in to me and I presume other members of the NEC about improprieties in the MEP list selection process. Many complaints seemed to be coming from the Eastern region, but also from London and the South East. I tried several times to contact Mr Gill to discuss these matters with him as he was supposed to be in charge and could not do so. He was rumoured to be on a yacht in the Med. I found this strange as I had sailed a yacht round the Eastern Med in April 08 and had never had any difficulty reading my emails every night and making phone calls if needed.
I grew more frustrated with this unsatisfactory situation that the man who was in overall charge of UKIP MEP list selection was uncontactable to deal with serious complaints about the process at a crucial time.
I raised this matter at the early June NEC and stated as far as I could see Mr Gill had never had a government post even a PUSSY in his 15 years as an MP. I was then, an I am now perfectly happy to be corrected if this statement is wrong. If Mr Gill had ever held a government post he would have known one of the rules is you must be contactable by the private office at all times even when on holiday especially when matters for which he is responsible are ongoing. That was my point that the Cabal were oblivious to.
I was ferociously accused by Farage, Bannerman, Denny etc of attacking Mr Gill behind his back. To say I could not get a word in was an understatement. They were all making my point for me! Mr Gill should have been there! He was the man in charge.
There were many complaints from the Eastern region. One was that a strong candidate, Robin Page, who had been seriously ill, had been kept off the list in murky circumstances. Robin Page has a very high media profile in East Anglia, has written a number of books and is well liked. There was no doubt in my mind that had he been on the MEP slate he would have topped the poll easily defeating Bannerman. Mr Gill did not conduct any investigation of this that I know of.
More complaints from London and the South East surrounded the inclusion of the Farage backed Marta Andreasen on both the South East and London slates despite her breaching six UKIP rules. Mr Gill knew about these breaches and waived the rules, 'to be helpful'. All other candidates had to comply with the rules. I found Gill's behaviour outrageous. If you don't have rules and stick to them what you get is dictatorship.
After the election Greg Beaman came top in the North West and within 24 hours withdrew leaving Mr Farage's party chairman nominee, Nuttall top of the list. I found this strange to say the least.
Bannerman's charges against me for which I was kicked off the NEC by a kangaroo court of prosecutors largely revolved around my complaints about Mr Gill's absence during what I regarded as a crucial period in the UKIP MEP selection process. My actions were justified and correct. I did what I had been elected to do, represent the members who voted for me.
Duffy had nothing to do with it. Her pathetic attempts to smear me with her allegations that I had an alternative agenda could never be sustained as they are completely untrue.
UKIP's problem is its total disregard for due process and rules. NEC elections are deferred, NEC meetings cancelled at short notice, rules are waived for some candidates, Elcom letters ignored, kangaroo courts for those who displease the leader etc etc. Until these shortcomings are addressed UKIP is on a downward trajectory.
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Nigerian scams and UKIP cons
Everyone must have received emails from Africa offering large amounts of easy money if you will allow Mr Odinga Odinga, FX manager of some bank in Africa to use your bank account to launder his windfall gains. There are people who fall for these emails that largely originate from Nigeria and reply.
If you are silly enough to reply then the next email from Mr Odinga explains he has a temporary liquidity problem to facilitate the transfer of his millions to your account. If you reply to this and send the money requested then your name and email is immediately placed on a 'mugs list' that is circulated around all the fraudsters ensuring you will receive a lifetime's supply of such emails.
The next email comes up with another slight problem that can be overcome if you could provide further funds and so on. The incredible thing is that once having fallen for the original con many people go on sending more and more money quite convinced Mr Odinga will honour his part of the bargain and deliver his promised money to their account, Indeed they become quite indignant if you point out that Mr Odinga has no intention of sending them any money only in receiving more and more facilitation fees, sometimes many thousand pounds from them. The suckers believe more and more in Mr Odinga the more they send him. Its a well known psychological syndrome or in everyday terms its very difficult to admit you are wrong especially when you have backed your views with hard earned cash.
There is a similar tale to tell of UKIP and its controlling Cabal. Everyone, myself included, joined UKIP, paid our subs, made our contributions at meetings, delivered leaflets, organised fund raising meetings and generally worked hard in the belief that UKIP's would work to get us out of the hated EU. But like Mr Odinga money and effort flowed into UKIP with a huge financial pay off to the Cabal, its chosen MEPs and hired hands and somehow the activity to mount a campaign to get us out of the EU just never seemed to appear. Work for the next election was the cry. We worked but our MEPs quaffed wined, dined well and some even visited the red light districts not of the UK but Brussels and the more we worked the more our representatives ate and drank and generally did what the EU told them.
Some even bought themselves large and very expensive cars as befitted their new found status as MEPs and made possible by their benefactor the EU. Strange to relate the same thing happened in Africa where a whole new tribe of the new political elite formed called the WaBenzi on the back of huge unaccountable foreign aid budgets. Just like many MEPs these politicians could never have dreamed of earning so much money by their modest talents. The distinguishing feature of this new African tribe was they all drove large and very expensive Mercedes Benz motor cars. Its the same thing that is happening with some MEPs. The unaccustomed and unmerited wealth that has come their way has gone straight down to the local Merc or Range Rover dealer. No wonder our lot are not over exerting themselves to get us out of the EU.
And the UKIP footsoldiers behaved just like the mugs on the Nigerian fraudsters list who cannot admit to themselves they were wrong! The more the Cabal demanded and the less it delivered the more the UKIP footsoldiers dug in their pockets and wore out their shoe leather and the more they believed that Nigel and the Cabal would one day lead them out of the EU and into the promised land. Anyone who dared point out the Cabal's multiple failings to deliver anything except fat salaries to themselves was ostracised, vilified and shunned. In Mr Denny's favourite word they were 'malcontents' who must be kicked out of UKIP. Indeed, even I, have been frequently rudely invited to leave UKIP by Mr Denny. I am not wanted says Mr Denny who takes it upon himself to speak for all UKIP members in these matters. Depart to the outer darkness in banishment and join GLW and Junius, the main hate figures in the swelling pantheon of UKIP heretics.
I am quite sure I will be kicked out of UKIP via some trumped up dubious procedure. I am also sure the UKIP footsoldiers will continue to do as Nigel says. After all they voted in Pearson as leader on Nigel's endorsement, a man who urged UKIP voters to vote Tory in some constituencies. A strange sort of leader who urges voting for the other side and does not seem too familiar with the party manifesto! The loyal UKIP footsoldiers believe he is playing some deep long game. That's what they have been told by the Cabal. Well believe it loyal UKIPers if it makes you happy but it ain't true. You are being conned as surely as those on any Nigerian mug's list. Nigel will keep you entertained from time to time with some utterly pointless, self publicising performance in the utterly powerless talking shop called the European parliament. That is all you will see for your money and efforts.
If you are silly enough to reply then the next email from Mr Odinga explains he has a temporary liquidity problem to facilitate the transfer of his millions to your account. If you reply to this and send the money requested then your name and email is immediately placed on a 'mugs list' that is circulated around all the fraudsters ensuring you will receive a lifetime's supply of such emails.
The next email comes up with another slight problem that can be overcome if you could provide further funds and so on. The incredible thing is that once having fallen for the original con many people go on sending more and more money quite convinced Mr Odinga will honour his part of the bargain and deliver his promised money to their account, Indeed they become quite indignant if you point out that Mr Odinga has no intention of sending them any money only in receiving more and more facilitation fees, sometimes many thousand pounds from them. The suckers believe more and more in Mr Odinga the more they send him. Its a well known psychological syndrome or in everyday terms its very difficult to admit you are wrong especially when you have backed your views with hard earned cash.
There is a similar tale to tell of UKIP and its controlling Cabal. Everyone, myself included, joined UKIP, paid our subs, made our contributions at meetings, delivered leaflets, organised fund raising meetings and generally worked hard in the belief that UKIP's would work to get us out of the hated EU. But like Mr Odinga money and effort flowed into UKIP with a huge financial pay off to the Cabal, its chosen MEPs and hired hands and somehow the activity to mount a campaign to get us out of the EU just never seemed to appear. Work for the next election was the cry. We worked but our MEPs quaffed wined, dined well and some even visited the red light districts not of the UK but Brussels and the more we worked the more our representatives ate and drank and generally did what the EU told them.
Some even bought themselves large and very expensive cars as befitted their new found status as MEPs and made possible by their benefactor the EU. Strange to relate the same thing happened in Africa where a whole new tribe of the new political elite formed called the WaBenzi on the back of huge unaccountable foreign aid budgets. Just like many MEPs these politicians could never have dreamed of earning so much money by their modest talents. The distinguishing feature of this new African tribe was they all drove large and very expensive Mercedes Benz motor cars. Its the same thing that is happening with some MEPs. The unaccustomed and unmerited wealth that has come their way has gone straight down to the local Merc or Range Rover dealer. No wonder our lot are not over exerting themselves to get us out of the EU.
And the UKIP footsoldiers behaved just like the mugs on the Nigerian fraudsters list who cannot admit to themselves they were wrong! The more the Cabal demanded and the less it delivered the more the UKIP footsoldiers dug in their pockets and wore out their shoe leather and the more they believed that Nigel and the Cabal would one day lead them out of the EU and into the promised land. Anyone who dared point out the Cabal's multiple failings to deliver anything except fat salaries to themselves was ostracised, vilified and shunned. In Mr Denny's favourite word they were 'malcontents' who must be kicked out of UKIP. Indeed, even I, have been frequently rudely invited to leave UKIP by Mr Denny. I am not wanted says Mr Denny who takes it upon himself to speak for all UKIP members in these matters. Depart to the outer darkness in banishment and join GLW and Junius, the main hate figures in the swelling pantheon of UKIP heretics.
I am quite sure I will be kicked out of UKIP via some trumped up dubious procedure. I am also sure the UKIP footsoldiers will continue to do as Nigel says. After all they voted in Pearson as leader on Nigel's endorsement, a man who urged UKIP voters to vote Tory in some constituencies. A strange sort of leader who urges voting for the other side and does not seem too familiar with the party manifesto! The loyal UKIP footsoldiers believe he is playing some deep long game. That's what they have been told by the Cabal. Well believe it loyal UKIPers if it makes you happy but it ain't true. You are being conned as surely as those on any Nigerian mug's list. Nigel will keep you entertained from time to time with some utterly pointless, self publicising performance in the utterly powerless talking shop called the European parliament. That is all you will see for your money and efforts.
Monday 2 August 2010
How the media helped create the BP Gulf crisis with low life politician's help
Nine years ago when Steve Waugh's Aussies were administering the customary Ashes thrashing to England I took my son and his friend then aged around 12 one Saturday to see the Aussies play Somerset at Taunton. Somerset for some inexplicable reason did not put out their strongest side and one of the Aussie quicks, not known for his batting duely hit many boundaries and one even into the river Tone. The crowd enjoyed this hitting and much beer was consumed.
Then when Somerset batted, abysmally as usual, the crowd got a bit bored and started to rib S Warne inquiring what colour lipstick he was wearing etc. Steve Waugh, always a bad loser at anything, took exception to this complained to the square leg umpire and they both came across to the square leg boundary to remonstrate with the crowd. This was not well received by the well lubricated crowd who rightly felt the Aussie crowds dished out far worse to the England touring sides and I think the teams left the field for a while and the match was interrupted.
The point of my story is that we left early and got back home in time to catch the main BBC evening news. Stone me, but the lead item was, 'Crowd riot at Somerset Aussie match at Taunton'! A complete travesty of the truth. There was a bit of heckling and an Aussie skipper who like many can dish it out but is not so good at taking it. My young son was flabbergasted and he was able to learn from this not to believe everything on the BBC news. In slack periods especially they just pump up any incident.
Thus it has been in the Gulf as a DT article on Friday entitled, 'Was Hayward Right After All' when he described the Gulf spill's effects as 'tiny'. It seems numerous American media crews have been dispatched to the Gulf Coast to get gut wrenching picture of dead or dying oil soak animals, pelicans, turtles, seals and have been reporting back they can't find any! Connoisseurs of Drop the Dead Donkey will recognise syndrome of the ubiquitous teddy bear the reporter carried round with him to every disaster to provide a heart wrenching tale of a possible dead child. Thus it was with the footage of that poor oil soaked pelican which was replayed ad nauseam.
The total number of animals found dead and covered in oil for the whole period is 1296 birds, 17 sea turtles and three dolphins. During the same period the number found dead without any oil on them was 1675 birds, 82 turtles and 53 dolphins. These totals are less than one per cent of the birds killed by oil in the Exxon Valdez tanker spill in 1989 in Alaska, an American company Mr President!
Remember the picture of that sordid politician Obama walking along a beach poking at the odd tar ball. I remember seeing the Cornish beaches after the Torrey Canyon, owned and operated by a subsidiary of the Union Oil Company of California, an American company Mr President, went down spilling 120k tons of crude. You could not have walked along these beaches without getting your shoes covered in oil. No need to bend down and poke the odd tar ball!
And did the American owners cough up for the clean up cost? As John Wayne would have said, 'the hell they did'. I copy the section below from Wikepedia on the UK and french governments efforts to recover some of the costs.
Claims were made by the British and French governments against the owners of the vessel and the subsequent settlement was the largest ever in marine history for an oil claim. The British government was only able to serve its writ against the owners by arresting the Torrey Canyon's sister ship, the Lake Palourde, when she put in for provisions at Singapore, four months after the oil spill. A young British lawyer, Anthony O'Connor, from a Singaporean law firm, Drew & Napier, was deputised to arrest the ship on behalf of the British government by attaching a writ to its mast. O'Connor was able to board the ship and serve the writ as the ship's crew thought he was a whisky salesman. The French government, alerted to the Lake Palourde's presence, pursued the ship with motor boats but were unable to board and serve their writ.
For the record, around15000 sea birds were killed and all fish within a 75 mile radius again much worse than the Gulf. On a human scale in 1988 in the North Sea, 167 men died in the Piper Alpha rig disaster operated by Occidental, an American company Mr President! The UK government made no reference at all to it being an American rig. It was an accident and we treated it as such. No one, even the Scot Nats, tried to make political capital out of a human disaster as this sordid US president did!
Obama would do well to remember the story of Brer Rabbit and the tar baby he might find this story sticks to him like, well, tar balls.
Then when Somerset batted, abysmally as usual, the crowd got a bit bored and started to rib S Warne inquiring what colour lipstick he was wearing etc. Steve Waugh, always a bad loser at anything, took exception to this complained to the square leg umpire and they both came across to the square leg boundary to remonstrate with the crowd. This was not well received by the well lubricated crowd who rightly felt the Aussie crowds dished out far worse to the England touring sides and I think the teams left the field for a while and the match was interrupted.
The point of my story is that we left early and got back home in time to catch the main BBC evening news. Stone me, but the lead item was, 'Crowd riot at Somerset Aussie match at Taunton'! A complete travesty of the truth. There was a bit of heckling and an Aussie skipper who like many can dish it out but is not so good at taking it. My young son was flabbergasted and he was able to learn from this not to believe everything on the BBC news. In slack periods especially they just pump up any incident.
Thus it has been in the Gulf as a DT article on Friday entitled, 'Was Hayward Right After All' when he described the Gulf spill's effects as 'tiny'. It seems numerous American media crews have been dispatched to the Gulf Coast to get gut wrenching picture of dead or dying oil soak animals, pelicans, turtles, seals and have been reporting back they can't find any! Connoisseurs of Drop the Dead Donkey will recognise syndrome of the ubiquitous teddy bear the reporter carried round with him to every disaster to provide a heart wrenching tale of a possible dead child. Thus it was with the footage of that poor oil soaked pelican which was replayed ad nauseam.
The total number of animals found dead and covered in oil for the whole period is 1296 birds, 17 sea turtles and three dolphins. During the same period the number found dead without any oil on them was 1675 birds, 82 turtles and 53 dolphins. These totals are less than one per cent of the birds killed by oil in the Exxon Valdez tanker spill in 1989 in Alaska, an American company Mr President!
Remember the picture of that sordid politician Obama walking along a beach poking at the odd tar ball. I remember seeing the Cornish beaches after the Torrey Canyon, owned and operated by a subsidiary of the Union Oil Company of California, an American company Mr President, went down spilling 120k tons of crude. You could not have walked along these beaches without getting your shoes covered in oil. No need to bend down and poke the odd tar ball!
And did the American owners cough up for the clean up cost? As John Wayne would have said, 'the hell they did'. I copy the section below from Wikepedia on the UK and french governments efforts to recover some of the costs.
Claims were made by the British and French governments against the owners of the vessel and the subsequent settlement was the largest ever in marine history for an oil claim. The British government was only able to serve its writ against the owners by arresting the Torrey Canyon's sister ship, the Lake Palourde, when she put in for provisions at Singapore, four months after the oil spill. A young British lawyer, Anthony O'Connor, from a Singaporean law firm, Drew & Napier, was deputised to arrest the ship on behalf of the British government by attaching a writ to its mast. O'Connor was able to board the ship and serve the writ as the ship's crew thought he was a whisky salesman. The French government, alerted to the Lake Palourde's presence, pursued the ship with motor boats but were unable to board and serve their writ.
For the record, around15000 sea birds were killed and all fish within a 75 mile radius again much worse than the Gulf. On a human scale in 1988 in the North Sea, 167 men died in the Piper Alpha rig disaster operated by Occidental, an American company Mr President! The UK government made no reference at all to it being an American rig. It was an accident and we treated it as such. No one, even the Scot Nats, tried to make political capital out of a human disaster as this sordid US president did!
Obama would do well to remember the story of Brer Rabbit and the tar baby he might find this story sticks to him like, well, tar balls.
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