Posts Tagged ‘government’
Theresa May Must Act On Gary McKinnon And Ian Tomlinson
It's Decision Time
After defence there can be no higher priority for any government than justice. The new government’s honeymoon period is over. The cases of Gary McKinnon and Ian Tomlinson need urgent attention from our new Home Secretary.
A Victim Not A Villain
Gary McKinnon’s case raises profound issues. He is in danger of “extradition” to the US but any idea that this is some legitimate process is nonsense. He is actually in danger of illegal rendition or kidnapping which the previous Labour government seemed ready to sanction. Any alleged crime was committed on British soil so there isn’t even any question of “extradition”. If he is to be tried he must be tried where the alleged crime was committed.
There seems though to be no progress at all on the murder of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests. This is a scandal and injustice of the very highest order and those responsible for prevaricating and filibustering over bringing charges are criminals themselves.
Murder
Ian Tomlinson’s family waits helpless while the dilatory DPP, Keir Starmer, and the CPS quibble and procrastinate over facts that the whole country has seen revealed on its TV screens. Obviously they intend to delay long enough so that the case be consigned to history like the murder of Blair Peach by a police officer in 1979. It was only last month that the Metropolitan Police came clean on this, 30 years too late.
There is some nonsense excuse being peddled that there is a problem with obtaining expert medical evidence. This is a dreadful miscarriage of justice. These are issues for a jury to decide. Keir Starmer should be dismissed for gross misconduct and should consider himself lucky if he doesn’t go to jail for perverting the course of justice.
Thug
We have already seen the inexcuseable acquittal of Sergeant Delroy Smellie, the thug who assaulted Nicola Fisher at the G20 protests (see here). This must be one of the lowest points ever in the history of British justice. There can be no other description of this verdict and District Judge Daphne Wickham who made the decision than corrupt. She deserves to be tarred and feathered for what she has done.
What can be higher in priority on Theresa May’s todo list than these matters of great principle and injustice? She should put everything else aside. There can be no more excuses.
An Obama Of Change
What extraordinary times. An Obama of change. For my father, myself and my sons, across three generations, British politics has never been through such drama.
Everything now remains to be seen but these are the “broad, sunlit uplands”. I think it is crucial that we have faith in the good intent of the government. A spirit of optimism, trust and co-operation has characterised these last few days. Let’s hope it continues.
Now the work begins.
Tories Need Electoral Reform Too
I would have thought it was obvious after the unsatisfactory result of this election that Tories need electoral reform too. It should definitely not be a dealbreaker between the Tories and Lib Dems. In fact, I’ll go further, David Cameron should offer a referendum on the issue – why not?
A redrawing of constituency boundaries so that each seat has the same number of voters would in itself be a more proportional form of representation. I also think that a fixed term of office would lead to fairer and more sensible government.
David Cameron has an opportunity now to become prime minister and usher in a new, fairer, brighter politics. If he misses this chance then he will have let down the British people as well as the Tory party and himself. Brown, at last, thank God, is gone. At least we can be grateful for that and, yes, eventually, he did find some dignity in his defeat.
Gordon And The Daily Mail Stand No Chance Against Joanna
Our Avenger
The appalling story of the way that this debased, corrupt and immoral government has treated the Gurkhas continues.
Another Snide, Underhand Labour Minister
A press conference was called today to refute the smears and misinformation promoted by the Home Office and the MOD. With extraordinary timing, just minutes before the conference was due to start, three things happen:
- Kevan Jones, Defence Minister, issues an apology
- The Legal Services Commission publishes its report clearing the Gurkhas’ solicitors of misconduct
- Gordon Brown frantically tries to contact Ms Lumley
Some worthless journalist at The Daily Mail is also responsible for fuelling this slander against the Gurkha heroes and their heroine, Joanna. Anyone who has ever read any of the lies and and sensationalist nonsense published in this “newspaper” knows just how much credence to give it.
There is no further investigation needed because the stench, the foul odour, the stink coming from these events is all too familiar. It is Gordon and his cronies at it again with their unmistakeable, unbelievable and despicable perversion of the truth. Just how low down in the dirt can you get?
Fraud, Deceit And Death
For the second week running a member of the “Question Time” audience, the parent of a serving soldier, has complained that they have had to pay for equipment for their son or daughter to take to Afghanistan.
Our Brave Boys
There can be no greater condemnation of the funding of our troops than this. In the face of doublespeak and accounting tricks from the government, this is a true insight into reality.
The deception that Gordon Brown is running about defence spending would not pass the most provincial test for petty fraud. He must be recalled by Chilcot to explain himself. He must be cross examined, as a hostile witness, as if he had stolen a credit card.
We learn this grubby and sordid truth about our prime minister while our boys bleed to death into the soil of a foreign land.
Vince Cable For Tory Chancellor
Mr Common Sense
What wonderful common sense and wisdom was heard from Vince Cable at the Lib Dem’s conference today. Here is the only man justified in saying “I told you so” about the financial crisis and the only man who seems to offer a plan for the future that makes sense and has integrity.
The Lib Dems will not form the next government. Neither will Labour. Whatever wobbles and uncertainties there are in the next couple of months I have no doubt that David Cameron will be our next prime minister. He would do well, if necessary, to get down on his knees and beg Vince Cable to join his cabinet. Not only would that be great news for the country but, I believe, it would be great news for the Tories. If David can’t see that then I suspect his wife probably can. I am certain that Samantha will be a great asset in the election campaign. She could start by inviting Mr & Mrs Cable to dinner.
OFT – Incompetence, Conspiracy, Paper Tiger Or All Three?
I’m one of the lucky ones. I recovered over £2000 of illegal penalty charges from the Nationwide and HSBC a couple of years back before the High Court stayed all the claims. I had the great pleasure of walking into HSBC’s Kilburn branch with a judgment stamped by the Bow County Court (local to its Canary Wharf headquarters). I demanded my money there and then and created a right hiatus in the branch! I didn’t get it then but I did the following day in crisp £50 notes.
Den Of Thieves
It goes without saying that the banks are all, without exception, cheats, thieves, liars and lowlife scoundrels. That’s why millions of people were relying on the Office Of Fair Trading to stand up for them. The OFT’s decision now to drop their action against the banks is a national disgrace of monstrous proportions. Although we cannot be sure of exactly who is behind this scandal, the fact that dishonesty, corruption and theft are at the root of it is manifest and crystal clear.
The banks were making around £7 billion a year in charges, most of which were for unauthorised overdrafts. Claimants would have been able to claim for six years of charges so the banks have been let off a £40 billion hook. Never have the British people been so let down by those who are supposed to protect them.
The High Court first made the extraordinary decision that these charges were not penalty charges. This is nonsense. HSBC actually described many of their charges to me as “card misuse” – so is that a penalty or not?. Of course they were and as such were illegal and unenforceable at law. When the banks debited your account like this they were committing theft and they’ve got away with it scot free.
It has now been well established that the actual cost to the banks of these transactions were less than £2 each when they were charging their customers up to £40 a time.
It must be truly astonishing to any right minded person that the OFT has backed down. Even in the last Supreme Court judgement the OFT was given a clear hint, more like an invitation, that it should revert to the Court on a different basis. So what possible reason can there be for abandoning the claim?
There can be no doubt that this decision is improper. I wonder why it was announced on 22nd December when the entire country was at the peak of its pre-Christmas mass hysteria?
Two Faced Coward
John Fingleton, the OFT’s chief executive, should resign immediately. He is either corrupt or weak. He certainly has no integrity because whatever pressure or bribery has been put upon him he should have fought to his last breath to stop this massive crime by the banker robbers.
We cannot rely on these paper tigers of consumer protection. We certainly cannot rely on government. It is doubtful that our self-serving, whipped and bullied MPs will do anything meaningful. It seems the only option now may be molotov cocktails through the door of every bank premises throughout the country. How else are we supposed to protect ourselves when we are so badly let down?
We live in an entirely monetised society. It is impossible to function without a bank account. Therefore, the banker robbers must be regulated virtually to death. Their policies and profits must be ruthlessly controlled. Their crimes must not be overlooked but punished severely with massive multi-billion pound fines for the institutions and long prison sentences for the responsible executives.
UK Ministers Surrender Mckinnon To US Kidnap
It’s said that when Gordon Brown offered Alan Johnson the Home Office he rejected it as a poisoned chalice. He’s probably right. It seems to be destroying his reputation just as it has so many others.
Abandoned
Nevertheless, the shameful and deeply treacherous conduct of this disgraced government towards Gary McKinnon cannot be excused. There is no greater duty on any government than to protect its citizens, particularly those who are vulnerable. There can be no basis in any system of justice for allowing a foreign power to abduct an accused person away from the scene of their alleged crime. This is not extradition. It is illegal rendition, as extraordinary as any. It is kidnapping.
Alan Johnson, Gordon Brown and the rest are kowtowing to big bully USA. British justice is in tatters as they offer up another sacrifice to America. Believe me, they’d do the same to any of us: you, me, your grandmother, your starving babies and our injured soldiers if it suited them. If they wanted to take Gary Mckinnon to Guantanamo Bay I don’t believe our government would have the courage to stop them.
Spineless Cowards
I call for the entire cabinet to be indicted on charges of dereliction of duty. Will not even one of these excuses for men or women have the courage and decency to resign over this issue?
These people who call themselves our leaders are a disgrace to each and every one of us. They are cowardly and spineless charlatans who are dragging our great country through the mire of ignominy and shame. Gary Mckinnon is a victim of their cowardice. Nothing can excuse what they have already put him through, let alone what is to come.
Drug Crazed Politicians Promote Crime And Misery
Sir David Nutt
"I'm so stoned...I don't know what I'm doing..."
Nothing more clearly demonstrates the complete absence of integrity in this inane, corrupt government than the sacking of Sir David Nutt. I had always admired Alan Johnson. Now he shows himself to be just as stupid and dumb as any of Gordon’s cronies.
Cannabis is a benign, natural herb that has been used as a medicine and recreational relaxant for over 4,000 years until politicians took a dislike to it just over 100 years ago. Since then, despite dozens of “studies” across the world, each one of which has been specifically tasked to condemn it as dangerous, no harm has been proven. Nevertheless, from Richard Nixon to Gordon Brown, myopic, paranoid, self-serving, tabloid-worshipping politicians have imposed more and more severe penalties for its use.
In the 50s the argument was that it made white women promiscuous with black men. The standard of discussion has barely improved since. The recent government sponsored hysteria over psychosis in adolescents is now revealed as utter nonsense in the face of the facts.
So why do politicians continue to persecute those who use cannabis? What’s in it for them? After all there is overwhelming evidence to show that a properly regulated cannabis supply could be a huge source of new taxation revenue for government and that regulation would drastically reduce all the harm that is caused by prohibition.
Off His Head
It’s more difficult to accept this argument in respect of heroin and cocaine because these are harmful substances but look at the evidence from Holland, Switzerland, Portugal and many other places. There can be little doubt that if the supply and distribution of drugs was regulated rather than prohibited then the harm caused would be reduced enormously. Furthermore, decriminalisation would drastically – and I mean DRASTICALLY – reduce crime at all levels. Street crime is all about theft and robbery in order to fund the purchase of drugs. International organised crime and terrorism is all about the drugs trade. End prohibition, start regulation and you pull the rug from under criminals at all levels. It would transform our society and save thousands of lives.
So I ask again – why? What do politicians gain from such a fundamentally stupid policy? At a stroke they could cut out the majority of both street and serious crime and massively reduce the funding of terrorism.
Cannabis was first demonised because hemp was an early rival to the oil industry. Before diesel came biodiesel. Rudolph Diesel designed his engine to run on peanut or hemp oil. Henry Ford designed his Model T to run on bioethanol produced from hemp and planted hundreds of acres on his own farms for that purpose – then along came oil. More importantly along came the early investors in the oil industry, specifically Randolph Hearst, owner and controller of the biggest propaganda and disinformation machine ever known to man. He started the the “Reefer Madness” campaign and promoted the lie against cannabis. Hemp was outlawed in favour of oil and we have since spent 100 years burning oil, becoming more and more reliant on its byproducts, destroying our planet and persecuting those who use cannabis.
Politicans are cowards. They were bribed and cajoled by big money to turn against cannabis in the first place. They do not have the vision or the common sense to see past the mess they have got themselves in over drugs policy. In a very real way they are more responsible than anyone else for the misery, death and chaos casued by the drugs trade which they actually support through their stupidity.
This government might as well have a committee of tabloid newspaper editors advising it on drugs rather than scientists. All over the world politicans have let us all down over drugs policy. Why? Because they are cowardly, self-serving and only interested in short term political expediency.
Bring Cricket Back To The BBC
It is a disgrace that we have not been able to watch the glorious Ashes victory on TV. I blame Murdoch. I blame the BBC. I blame the government.
Even if I was prepared to pay to watch something that it is my right as a British citizen to see on free-to-air television, why would I want to be paying Sky for football? I cannot buy just the cricket or the rugby. I have to take the ignorant, overpaid ponces, Ruski-paid whores as well! I don’t want one second more of this moronic game for badly behaved children on my TV than I already have.
If this apology for a government that has heaped so much disgrace and ignominy on our country wanted to do one decent thing in its death throes then legislate to bring test match cricket back to the people.
Peter Reynolds 