Nigel Evans is fully entitled to the presumption of innocence; and the media seem more inclined to give it to him than they did to Malcolm Blackman, linked to Anonymous. In this particularly disgusting piece of journalism by Paul Cheston of the Evening Standard, the vicious liar who brought false accusations against Blackman is referred to as “the victim” – not even the alleged victim, but “the victim” – even after Blackman was found not guilty.
The victim, who cannot be named, had lived at home in south London during the week, and slept in the Occupy tent at weekends.
Having been at the Occupy site, where every tent touched at least three others, the idea that repeated rape could be carried out amongst a packed group of people who were particularly certain not to condone it, was always highly implausible. Compelling evidence was given in court that Blackman was not even at the site on one of the two named occasions.
It is particularly sickening that Blackman’s name and photograph has been published everywhere in relation to horrifying and untrue accusations of binding someone against their will with cable ties and raping them. This terrible publicity will follow him everywhere for the rest of his life. The deranged or malicious person who fabricated this story in court continues to have their identity protected.
Blackman’s role within both Anonymous and Occupy has been exaggerated by the media. He was nonetheless associated with the internet and street resistance to the increasingly authoritarian state. The parallels to the Assange case are inescapable.
Returning to Nigel Evans, on the Jeremy Thorpe precedent there is no reason for him to resign his seat before a trial, presuming that he maintains his innocence. Should he resign, this could be one of those small historical chances that has great effects. UKIP will have a great chance of winning Ribble Valley, and the resulting momentum could contribute to a genuine political convulsion in the UK.
Nigel Farage and I were due to have lunch a couple of years ago, but couldn’t get our diaries to match up at the time. Unfortunately, while admiring UKIP’s insurgent spirit, I find myself the polar opposite of their major policies. Distrust and dislike of the political establishment that has failed this country and allowed inconceivable amounts of wealth to be creamed off by the heads of the financial services industry, while ordinary people struggle to get any work at all, is perfectly understandable. The three main parties in England all retail the same neo-con policies, with different packaging. It is inevitable this system must break. That is should break in the direction of right wing populism, is perhaps predictable. But there are worse people than Mr Farage inside all the main parties.
I remain entirely confident that the UKIP surge in England will convince a great many more people in Scotland that they need to break free of the United Kingdom.
“Technicolour, you are trying to paint me as racist” – oh, I think ‘racist’ is a very small, sad word, don’t you? You can be a racist all you like, if it makes you happy. I’d just like some answers to the questions about the statements you made in a public forum. I’m sure Habbakuk would support that too, on principle 🙂
April Showers
5 May, 2013 – 2:34 pm
Thanks for the Salon link
I know in ernest little about UKIP, but I can not help drawing similarities to two possible case studies in Norway and Denmark, that both have experienced the rise of “right-wing populist” parties. Both with prominent leaders (founders) like Carl I. Hagen, Progress Party (Norway) and Pia Kjærsgaard, (Danish People’s Party).
After establishing themselves in the national parliament, and even after going through periods of (in some cases) quite intense internal strife and turmoils, they have regularly secured from 15 up to 30% in both national elections and polls.
They have both had significant effects upon the centre of gravity in national politics, and the policies of other parties, especially centre right and right wing, (if I understand correctly).
Danish People’s Party (Denmark)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_People%27s_Party
Progress Party (Norway)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremskrittspartiet
Quote Craig:
“I remain entirely confident that the UKIP surge in England will convince a great many more people in Scotland that they need to break free of the United Kingdom.”
Iain Macwhirter echoes your thoughts in todays Sunday Herald.
However heard a journalist (Cusack ?) on BBC radio this morning doing his unconvincing best to craft the line that UKIP’s rise would have no effect in Scotland, Bob Wylie (Good Guy) had put him on the spot and he became very nervous.
Keep up the good work
Ah, Giles, thank you. ‘Not really English anymore’. Let’s take Tottenham. 69.5 percent, according to the last census, are ‘non-white British’. Does their skin colour, in your opinion (and I’m not trying to say that you’re racist, I’m asking for your opinion) make people ‘not English’, even if they are born here? Because, legally – and I assume you support the law, not being a seditionary 🙂 – that makes people British – and English.
Again, I’m sorry, a primary question remains. Those areas of London have seen a high influx of emigrants, just as major cities across the world always do. How does this affect what has happened to ‘your country’? Across the UK the same demographic is approx 9 percent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom
.. will you ever criticise the Bangladeshi owners, several of whom did a runner to the Indian border?…
Don’t blame the owners. They saw an opportunity. Entrepreneurs are loved by the capitalists.
If we were not the customers, and companies like H&M, the second largest clothes retailer, were not getting their bulk supplies from Bangladesh, the horror holes would not exist.
They use over 170 factories in Bangladesh, listed here.
http://about.hm.com/AboutSection/en/About/Sustainability/Commitments/Responsible-Partners/Supply-Chain/SupplierList.html
….The rich treat the poor like dogs
Bangladesh sounds just like the UK under the Con|Dems!
ISRAEL has got attitude.
Exactly as Günter Grass said on the tin, the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran is no longer out of the operating range of the Israeli naval fleet, all thanks to quality submarine engineering and monetary concessions from the German state that originally financed Israel’s nuclear bomb program in the late sixties.
The modified Dolphin submarines have fuel cells that permit the subs to remain below the surface for longer than eighteen days. The submarines can launch long range(2500Km) nuclear cruise missiles delivering a variable 200Kg plutonium thermonuclear payload.
These boats are equipped with NSA cryptographic equipment using the same advanced 256 bit cipher key as US and Britain.
Technicolour, 43% born outside of the UK according to the last census. I can’t for the life of me think why you are trying to turn this into a debate about skin colour.
Technicolour – I would assume that an independent Scotland would have at least as good a chance (probably better) as a continuing Britain to promote a progressive agenda. But pushing these agenda’s is often dependent on having the money to afford them, and that is why I say that the oil is the biggest argument for independence – because it gives one the ability to push agenda’s one otherwise couldn’t afford to push; while also ensuring an improved standard of living.
.
Of course, my criteria assumes that a future system would respect the rule of law and, unlike the present UK system, be truly democractic.
.
I believe that the biggest threat to our liberty is coming from our own intelligence / security apparatus as they morph into secret police thugs using “the war on terror” as an excuse. No form of democracy can function effectively once a secret police operation gets going as it so clearly has in the UK. I continue to write occasionally on the subject. Some of my articles are on the following web site:
.
ca.linkedin.com/pub/roderick-russell/13/278/943/
Giles: 43% of what? And sources please. Before I try and ‘turn this into a debate’ about anything; could you please clarify
a) what you meant by Tottenham not ‘really being English’ any more; and
b) how you extrapolated this judgement to represent what has happened to ‘your’ (sic) country. Thanks.
Giles
5 May, 2013 – 7:09 pm
“…will you ever criticise the Bangladeshi owners, several of whom did a runner to the Indian border?
All those involved in the exploitation of the weak and vulnerable in any society are criminals in my view but that, after all, is what capitalism is about; exploitation; forced labour; human rights abuses and all for profit.
By your logic one could argue that the African slaves transported to the Americas were “lucky” in the sense that they had a job; they weren’t paid but they had food and shelter what more would they want?
The slave traders of the time are now roundly condemned for their inhuman activities but it was western capitalist governments and businesses that paid for the supply of black slave labour; business is business after all; no sentiment in business as they say.
The Bangladeshi owners you refer to are akin to the slave traders of the past – a product of western capitalist corporate demands and their “profit over people” mentality.
The West no longer imports slaves we simply outsource slavery.
Mary, Bangladeshi workers are treated like shit with or without H&M, but they at least have some sort of rights working for Western companies. You can’t bring yourself to criticise the appalling standards of Bangladeshi shop owners , because for you, everything must be the fault of the West. You are an absolute phony, Mary, you hide your hatred behind a veil of compassion, but as I said, not one of your thousands of comments has made a difference to any of these people. If you really cared you would be out there doing something for them instead of spending your entire life on here.
Skincolour, 43% of Tottenham born outside of UK, over 300 languages spoken. Why is that a good thing?
And do please refrain from referring to this as “your (sic) country”. You wouldn’t dare do that to any country on earth except the white, western ones you hate.
Fine, Giles. But perhaps instead of simply attacking Mary – who may well be doing all you urge and more, without shouting about it, and who, at the very least, is trying to disseminate factual information, not merely prejudice, perhaps you would also like to answer the salient questions, above. Of course, feel free to share your own good deeds when it comes to standing up for the oppressed. But do please answer the questions.
This conversation reminds me of these bunch of crooks, who were responsible not only for the initiating the financial armageddon we’re now heading towards, but also setting the path towards the end of civil liberties.
Notice that both the financial armageddon and diminishing civil liberties applies to white and black, poor and middle class.
Vote for evil for others if you like, but don’t be too surprised to find yourself taking it us the ass as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbFzpq343s8
43% of Tottenham born outside of UK,
Source? Not that it would be unusual, or bad, or anything other than one might expect from a major city worldwide. Not a source of doom.
over 300 languages spoken. Why is that a good thing?
Why is it a bad thing?
Both other questions remained unanswered! (It’s OK, in a way, if you laugh at yourself still)
a) what you meant by Tottenham not ‘really being English’ any more; and
b) how you extrapolated this judgement to represent what has happened to ‘your’ (sic) country. Thanks.
Doug, Arabs were trading blacks and blacks were trading other blacks for a long time before white man turned up with his “capitalism”. You need to read more on this subject because it isn’t the simple narrative you were pushed as a child by the likes of Technicolour.
And you really can’t blame what Bangladeshis do to each other on “Western capitalism”. Honestly, mate, grow up, or at least go and see for yourself.
Sorry, did the your (sic) country thing again – but missus, I’d dare do it anywhere. Who’s so small that they’re constrained to a land patch?
“land patch” – just about sums up your attitude to this country. And I’m afraid I really can’t stand your schoolteacher tone for a moment longer. Goodnight.
Having now looked more closely at the UKIP constituent entities, I can safely say that they’re the most diverse, cantankerous and muddled misfits ever gathered together in one group. Catholic ain’t the word for it, though no surprise to see habbakuk supporting them.
Hitler himself would be proud of such construction. They’re so diverse within themselves that there’s no danger of any challenge to Farage, and without him they’ll simply self-destruct.
I don’t imagine Farage thinks this motley crew will ever take him close to power. My suspicion is that he’s using them to out-Tory the Tories and grab for himself, and himself alone. a senior position within the Conservative party.
Indeed he’s said as much himself.
Bravo Nige!!
And tough titty, muppets.
Well, of course, rather than answer questions. Far preferable to attack people at random – says a lot for UKIP’s brave new world. As does the nasty attitude to teachers – I’m not a teacher, but I think quite a lot of people rate them. Anyway, goodnight, Giles, sleep well and sweet dreams.
@Mark Golding 10:52pm
“ISRAEL has got attitude.”
Mark ,also the Israel`s are stupidly arrogant. As I use to be in T boats I remember the Israeli navy buying some of our submarines , one of them being Totem which had a actual totem carved by a First nation medicine men with the intentions to keep the boat safe. The first thing they did was to remove the Totem and rename the boat. She sank with all hands on route to Israel.
The whole UKip/Farage farrago scene has got spooks(UK/US/Israel) written all over it.
The “rise” od UKip gives reason for the Tories to lurch further right.
Come just prior to the next election the spooks will blackmail/reveal Farage as some kind of tax-avoider/sex freak thus forcing all the UKip votes onto the Tory bandwagon thereby to continue the austerity/war/shaft the poor agenda.
Been game-theoried for years by the spooks.
Giles,
A most patronising question that you,nor anyone else,can answer.
But,whether they have or not,the point remains:At least she’s trying to make a difference.
“…The curtain has been pulled aside on the once secret world of tax havens, and the scale of abuse is nearly beyond reckoning. Week after week, Americans and Europeans worn down by budget austerity have learnt about the secret accounts of their politicians,”
http://rowans-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/lies-damned-lies-and-civil-service.html
Roderick Russell…(i also hope you’re well?)
“I believe that the biggest threat to our liberty is coming from our own intelligence / security apparatus as they morph into secret police thugs using “the war on terror” as an excuse.”
Ain’t that the truth.
‘My suspicion is that he’s using them to out-Tory the Tories and grab for himself, and himself alone. a senior position within the Conservative party.’
Herbie’s suspicions about Farage’s long term ambitions are shared by the blogger John Ward in this excellent essay-
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/the-saturday-essay-ukip-its-easy-when-you-dont-know-how/
In the short term however it is hugely enjoyable to witness the discomfiture of senior Tories at UKIP’s success. Farage is an astute debater and an engaging, non pc personality, and I hope he and Craig can sort out their diaries and meet up. I just worry a bit over how the UKIP wave will pan out when the leader gets a sniff of actual power.
http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-75789101/
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. human rights investigators have gathered testimony from casualties of Syria’s civil war and medical staff indicating that [b]rebel forces have used the nerve agent sarin, one of the lead investigators said on Sunday.[/b]
The United Nations independent commission of inquiry on Syria has not yet seen evidence of government forces having used chemical weapons, which are banned under international law, said commission member Carla Del Ponte.
“Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated,” Del Ponte said in an interview with Swiss-Italian television.
“This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities,” she added, speaking in Italian.
“The three main parties in England all retail the same neo-con policies, with different packaging. It is inevitable this system must break. That is should break in the direction of right wing populism, is perhaps predictable. But there are worse people than Mr Farage inside all the main parties.”
The sheer amount of non-newsworthy positive media coverage that UKIP generated before recent election successes should be treated with suspicion. I believe UKIP is TPTB’s attempt at attracting people back to the ballot box with a down-to-earth pint-and-fag bloke – the same ‘qualities’ of popular appeal that almost made Ken Clark a contender for PM. Any idiot can see that the turnout for the next General Election would have been a disaster without some sort of populist figure to encourage new supporters and scare the other parties voters into getting out and voting.
While the British Government and people are (according to some spreadsheet somewhere) in dire debt to international bankers the idea of ‘independence’ is beyond laughable, it is truly sad that people are this deluded. All of our government ministers are taking orders from the highest bidder to hand over the nations public wealth for generations to come to bankers under the guise of ‘cutting the deficit’ and paying the ‘national debt’, both of which are impossibilities – which is why most if the major economic indicators are so blatantly fixed.
How is any future pre-selected public representative going to have any influence over public affairs when all the powers of the state are in private hands and being used for the purpose of generating private profit? What sort of ‘independence’ will that be?
The same David Goodhart whose new book, The British Dream, and who was on BookTalk last night, is on Sky News’ screens this morning in this report. He speaks for Demos where he is a director.
http://news.sky.com/story/1087279/white-britons-in-retreat-from-minority-areas
~~~
David is the director of Demos.
He is the founder and former editor of Prospect magazine, which he set up in 1995. David has grown Prospect into Britain’s leading current affairs monthly and he remains the magazine’s editor-at-large.
David is a prominent figure in public debate in the UK. He is a well-known broadcaster, author, commentator and journalist who regularly contributes to the Guardian, the Independent, the Times and the Financial Times. Before Prospect, David was a correspondent for the Financial Times for 12 years – including a stint in Germany during the unification period.
David has recently published a book, The British Dream, about postwar multiculturalism, national identity and immigration. He is married to the FT columnist Lucy Kellaway—they have four children and live in Highbury, north London.
~~
Cable, Alexander, Cruddas, Evan Davis (BBC), Milburn, Laws, Omand, Tett, Willetts, and others are on the Demos Advisory Council.
http://www.demos.co.uk/people?council_page=3&tab=council
Demos Ltd is a registered charity with income of £1.89m and expenditure of £1.55m
Accounts:http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends46/0001042046_ac_20111231_e_c.pdf
Its history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demos_(UK_think_tank)