What comes out to me from the “Black Spider letter” correspondence of Prince Charles published today is how utterly obsequious Tony Blair and New Labour ministers were to him. No sign whatsoever of radicalism from the former “People’s Party” as they fell over to ingratiate themselves with the heir to the throne. I rather enjoyed Charles quite sharp tone to Blair.
I am fundamentally opposed to the existence of the monarchy. It will hopefully be replaced by a better system, but no human system is perfect. Given that we have a monarchy at present, you will perhaps be surprised to learn that I do not see anything wrong in Charles’ letters, which put forward views which are much what we would have expected him to hold. Of course there is interaction between the monarchy and government, and of course we should get rid of this hereditary element. But Charles’ lobbying is hugely less damaging and pernicious than the corporate lobbying I witnessed throughout my Whitehall career. At least Charles is not lobbying them for corporate advantage and giving large political donations at the same time.
While in my view he did nothing wrong in writing the letters, he and government are both very wrong in arguing they should be private. It is when it is secret that such attempts to wield influence between two branches of government – and monarchy is a branch of government – can be most simply perverted to ill ends. That such publication will not occur again because government has legislated to keep it secret, is an example of the privileged arrogance that prevents this from being a genuine democracy.
Altogether not that big a story and it gives Rusbridger and the Guardian the chance to pose as radical. I find the fact that what is published is so anodyne and unobjectionable rather suspicious – what has not been published? Rusbridger is of course the editor who complied enthusiastically with a GCHQ instruction to smash the Snowden hard drives. The existence of other copies does not justify this any more than it justifies book-burning.
By coincidence, a very worthwhile article by Michael Gillard that had been excised from the net has recently been republished, setting out how Rusbridger in 2002 conspired with Andy Hayman of the Met to bury an investigation into police corruption, including the burglary of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. By a further coincidence I was having a pint with Laurie Flynn in Sandy Bell’s four days ago.
Hayman went on to be the promoter of the stream of lies about the murder of Jean Charles De Menezes and the publicist of numerous fake terrorist plots, before having to resign in a scandal involving nubile police officers at public expense in tropical islands.
Rusbridger and his extraordinary wig go on and on as a pretend opposition outlet, their reputation much dented by recent hysterical unionist output which exceeds the Daily Express. But Rusbridger’s continued usefulness to the establishment is not in doubt. The pose of publishing the most harmless of Prince Charles’ letters does little to help a threadbare disguise.
Naa, don’t think it was a hack John, i’m back in after punting my last name up. It did also have an option to confirming the current name (not my real last name) with id, and they do have this as a policy I understand from before.
Maybe someone was suspicious and there is a way to flag up a suspect id. But I’d been using that abbreviated version for mouth’s now though.
Thanks for the thought though, I normally spot these standard issue fishing redirects. It’s either the above idea or a targeted ‘making life awkward’ for people supporting Veterans or something. Or who knows, maybe talking about the money trick.
I’m sure I’m not important enough to be chuffed about it. But if I am, I am. (:
I came across this while investigating, feels like it has some truth in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyyN543EF_E
Hilton’s joined Policy Exchange, hardly a bastion of egalitarian socio-economic thinking:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy_Exchange
Whoever’s running the country, he’s not about to increase state benefits.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/may/16/cameron-adviser-steve-hilton-leaves?newsfeed=true
Indeed, whoever’s running the country, it’s going to be business.
He implores Mr Cameron to go further in reforming welfare, scything regulation, and opening up public services to non-state providers. He thinks the police are ineffectual, and much of his recent work has focused on persistently troublesome families.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2012/03/steve-hiltons-departure
Somewhat conflicted, is Steve, then. The wonder is, he apparently thinks no-one will notice.
Nota Bene: SNP – The Royal Navy engineering technician WE submariner for the UK’s Trident II D5 Strategic Weapons System is not a ‘whistle-blower’per se, more an authorised John Brennan ilk ‘leaker’ of obverse information intended to reinforce the argument for a Trident/Submarine replacement.
http://www.banthebomb.org/images/stories/pdfs/substandardsub.pdf
Scene A GP surgery in the West Midlands earlier today
Enter stage left. A well coiffured middle aged man wearing make up. He stands at a podium and speaks to the invited audience including some pre- primed members of the media.
David C I want to start by welcoming you hard working people to this medical practice chosen by my spin doctors as enthusiastic supporters of my Health and Social Care act………..
…..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32772548
Completely missed or ignored by the media (or perhaps they are too thick to find out), there was a poster on the wall behind him saying Vitality Partner. Vitality is a health and life insurance company heavily advertised on Sky News using Jessica Ennis and a cute dachshund. Prudential Insurance I believe.
http://www.vitality.co.uk/?gclid=CPmlrLHOy8UCFYeWtAodMCkAtA&gclsrc=aw.ds
YCNMIU
The whole speech. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-on-plans-for-a-seven-day-nhs
The poor thing did not take many questions as he has a touch of flu and had to save his voice for the HoC later.
Extract
‘But as we see this through, so we also need to keep our eyes on the main prize.
Too often talk about healthcare can get bogged down in statistics and technocratic terms. But there’s actually a big vision at the heart of this plan.
A vision of a modern NHS working for you 7 days of the week – when you need it, where you need it.
And that begins with a transformation of primary care – just as we are beginning to see at the Vitality Partnership here in Birmingham. One of the great winners of my access fund – supporting GP surgeries to open 8 till 8, 7 days a week.
Vitality are dramatically increasing the range of services available in one place; the times those services are available and the ease of booking them.
So here’s our vision. Rethinking what primary care can be. Prevention, not just treatment. Tackling causes, not just symptoms. Treating the whole person, not just an individual ailment.’
I am inclined to agree Mark. It’s all too pat.
@MJ: The wish to avoid civilian casualties would have made bombing more difficult, tedious and in the end ineffective in an urban environment. Since the Americans are unwilling to put soldiers on the ground except for special operations, it will probably be Iranian-backed militias who will retake Ramadi.
Mark at 4.30 p.m. It crossed my mind too. However, let’s get rid of them once and for all. If you do not have nuclear weapons nobody is going to attack you with them one would hope. 🙂
Wee John Bercow re-elected as Speaker of the House,little Lord Fauntleroy,lives to fight another day.
The curse on those who have worked/now work for Dave at No 10.
Coulson now on trial in Scotland. Hilton departed and returns to put the boot in. Oliver still there but separated from his BBC presenter wife, Joanna Gosling, last year. Some other underling left to join Wonga and look what happened to them.
~~~~
Hilton is married to Rachel Whetstone, once at No 10 but now head of communications at Google.
Policy Exchange’s trustees include David Frum, neocon speechwriter for George W Bush.
Another is Simon Wolfson, now Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise. A ‘let them eat stale bread crusts’ Tory type.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lord-wolfson-next-living-wage-5367964
Policy Exchange, a charity!, has an income of £2.5m. Other trustees listed are Lord Finkelstein (Danny Finkelstein of the Times) and General Peter Wall.
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/ContactAndTrustees.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1096300&SubsidiaryNumber=0&TID=3610617
Well, an SNP MP is doing something very worthwhile in Westminster now: The Guardian: Trident submarine whistleblower to turn himself in to police:
An unhappy end to the Bercows’ marriage.
Speaker John Bercow ‘prepares to divorce wife Sally over affair’
Telegraph.co.uk http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11611277/Speaker-John-Bercow-prepares-to-divorce-wife-Sally-over-affair.html
Romanian grandparents.
This made me heave.
‘In 2003, Bercow praised Prime Minister Tony Blair for his speech about Iraq’s alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction. He wrote, “Congratulations on your superb speech in the Iraq debate. On this subject, as on many other foreign affairs issues, you have provided outstanding statesmanship.”‘
Ghastly little creep.
disagree that McNeilly is a scripted leak, for the following reasons:
– in an authorized disclosure, the personal touches would be much more rigorously controlled. McNeilly clearly had no editor.
– many of the failings he discloses are not remediable with system upgrades – they are organizational breakdowns. Reporting those won’t get you more funding. They’re more apt to get everyone drummed out.
– the syndrome is irremediable and familiar from the breakdown of the USAF strategic missile force. it results from neglect of a pointless white elephant. Trident winds up with the losers because it’s useless – unless the world is ending, in which case the glory doesn’t earn you a promotion, maybe just a medal for your bearskin caveman tunic. The brass would never disclose that kind of rot.
It may seem possible Mark, but surly they would want to squash the actual report in order to present it as “just needed upgrades” ?
I imagine to squash that report now, or to present these concerns as an argument for keeping them? would be hard.
It’s always seemed actually insane and deeply immoral just to have them to me. God knows the collective trauma we all subconsciously undergo having them, making us a threat and target.
Society lived at the edge of a nuclear gunpoint. When they abolish them they can use the money for compensation to the population for years of abuse and fear we are forced to live under.
It’s a sick sick society, and they say porn is degraded.
Daily Mail: Mandy lobbied Blair to give Janner a peerage AFTER sex abuse claims: Grandee said to have asked then-Labour leader about ennobling him ahead of 1997 election:
Maybe that’s what a lot of this consumption is about, escape. It’s not an easy thing to imagine, but it’s an ever present reality. It’s hard to acutely be with the fact millions of people could die honourably on any given day. Nicer to construct and live in imagined realities, class status, importance etc. But being present?
I wonder at what age children gain an awareness of this and what effect it has. I really don’t know how anyone can justify them, like perpetual fear is good or necessary.
@Giyane: “I was saved by an NHS team of cardiologists on Friday with a stent inserted up a blocked artery. Safely home again. Praise be to God”
So pleased that the op was a success, Giyane. Best wishes for a good recovery. Becky xxxxx
Peter Mandelson lobbied Tony Blair for alleged paedophile Lord Janner to receive a peerage, it has been claimed.”
___________________________
Thinking of Mandelson Lysais he had been a communist in his earlier days a member of the (YCL) Young Communist League, who could often be found selling the Morning Star.
Mandelson’s involvemrent with communism was such that MI5 held a file on him.
His grandfather was a government minister under Atlee.
Lysias / Republicofscotland
Just as a matter of interest.
Registered sex offender and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, convicted in 2008 of soliciting paid sex with a minor, allegedly had ten entries for Lord Mandelson and his partner Reinaldo da Silva in his personal address book. They included direct lines, home numbers, an email address and a fax and mobile number for Mr da Silva.
No idea why, or even if it’s true. Jeffrey Epstein seems to have known everybody among the great and the good, but ten entries does seem somewhat excessive. Lord Mandelson has no comment on the matter to date, to my knowledge. Life is full of unfortunate coincidences.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1364001/Peter-Mandelson-silent-contact-Prince-Andrew-friend-Jeffrey-Epstein.html
Kind regards,
John
Oh, and fao Ba’al Zevul too, sorry. J
A couple of links to throw in the mix !
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41886.htm
https://21centurymanifesto.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/video-appears-to-contradict-claim-north-korea-executed/
TY, JS-D. All part of the interconnected world of our betters, eh?
Looks as if the rich contact network let Tony down in Sierra Leone last week, though:
http://awoko.org/2015/05/18/sierra-leone-news-tony-blair-heaps-praises-on-radisson-blu/
I mean, that really is downmarket. I’ve seen the Birmingham Radisson compared to Premier Inn. Unfavourably.
Wonder what the celebrity endorsement cost the unhappy management, and what it does for bookings. Ebola? Yeah, yeah, I know, but you guys seem to be getting on top of it…Tony Blair stayed? Oh, shit, no. No. (Esme, honey, see if you can find a B&B in Freetown)
Resident Dissident,
I did not know the position of the SNP on fox-hunting, and if they are whipped to abstain I disagree with that. I think they should vote against a repeal on grounds of conscience. I imagine however this law affects the whole of the UK, so is not a “English votes for English laws” issue. Someone must have fox-hunted in Scotland, surely?
Is it felt that pro-indy commenters here are disinclined to criticise the SNP? I am happy to do so, and imagine everyone would.
Go Nicola!
SNP considers voting to stop lifting of foxhunting ban
The Guardian – 2 hours ago
Nicola Sturgeon hints that SNP could stand in the way of Tory clamour to repeal legislation.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/18/snp-considers-voting-to-stop-lifting-of-foxhunting-ban
Nicola Sturgeon hints SNP could vote on fox-hunting ban
18 May 2015 8.57am.
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-hints-snp-could-vote-on-fox-hunting-ban-1.876061
Macky, if what Putin says is true (your first link) it rather disarms the trolls. When asked where Russia has attacked anywhere in recent years, in the face of all the conflicts and regime changes started by the USA, their one trump card has always been Chechnya. Now it may be that even that was started by the Yanks. And yet they always want to blame Putin for the wrongs in the world. No wonder John Kerry returned from Sochi to Washington with his tail between his legs.
But hey, we should not gloat. We should be thankful that the US has at last accepted that the millions spent on regime change in Ukraine has been seen to be money down the drain. And Victoria “Fuck the EU” Nuland is having to eat humble pie in Russia.
It leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Where is the US evidence that Russia (or Eastern Ukraine) brought down MH17? Why are those guilty of the Odessa Massacre not being brought to trial? How is Kiev going to pay its debts? The EU does not want it. Russia does not want it. What were the 6,000 plus deaths all about?
Poroshenko’s forces are still trying to take Donetsk International Airport skeleton. Every day the Ukrainian government forces are violating Minsk 2. US forces out there to train Ukrainian troops are not happy with the quality of conscripts, the state of military equipment, or anything. Young people do not answer their mobiles from any unknown numbers in case it is a call to die for Porky Poroshenko and weasel-faced Yatsenyuk. Can’t see them lasting long now. But who wants to be at the helm of a sunken flagship?
Republicofscotland
“The SNP has a long-standing position of not voting on matters that only affect England. The Hunting Act is one such matter that purely affects England and Wales, and so SNP MPs would not vote on this issue.”
________________________
That’s as may be. But – some people would see this as a moral issue transcending national boundaries and therefore relevant to the whole UK. If the SNP thought like this then surely it would take part in any parliamentary vote on the question ans not simply abstain? After all, it claims the right to take part in deliberations affecting the entire UK, doesn’t it?
It may of course be that it doesn’t think it’s a moral issue.
BTW, RoS, do you think it’s a moral issue?
“I am told that foxes see themselves as animals rather than English or Scottish – it is strange how the ingenuity of the SNP to find Scottish angles on other English matters cannot somehow be applied to animal welfare.”
_______________________
Seconded entirely, Resident Dissident – and very elegantly put!
“How anybody could want to tear apart a beautiful intelligent animal like this, a close relative to domesticated dogs, is beyond me. Only people who are cruel in other ways, bombing civilians in Gaza and Eastern Ukraine, are likely to support such cruelty.”
_____________________
At last – I knew there was a Ukrainian and Gazan aspect to fox-hunting!
Thanks, Mr Goss. One can always learn from reading your contribution 🙂
“Ukraine is sovereign only to the extent that it complies with the UN Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the Rome Statute”
__________________
So would you say that North Korea is sovereign?
(Just to take one of Mr Goss’s favourite countries)
The latest from Exaro News…
http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5563/richard-kerr-ex-judge-sexually-abused-me-at-elm-guest-house
I really see little difference nowadays between the UK and North Korea, in the way that the public are totally brainwashed by government and a compliant media.
I could also give you the latest on Fukushima and the death of the Pacific Ocean; but of course that’s not happening, is it; it’s just made up by conspiracy theorists like me.
But even the Guardian have started to report it, but of course with no mention of the F or R words…
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/08/california-stranded-sea-lions-pacific-ocean