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.
“Thatcher allowed paedophile to keep knighthood: Late former Prime Minister blocked plans to strip Sir Peter Hayman of honour.”
_______________________
I would advise readers to read carefully and in full the link provided by the obsessive Lysias.
It is a good example by our transatlantic friend of how to give an impression (in this case, probably, about Baroness Thatcher and “establishment cover-ups”) in the hope that the lazier reader will either not read the link or not read it carefully.
Pretty typical behaviour for a phantasist …… and someone who demonstrates some of the more unfortunate traits of an Irish-American (allegedly).
Mr Goss
“..in the arts I think heterosexuals are at a disadvantage. I put a raunchy “het” play on “Ice Cold in Alaska” in a gay pub (The Australian Bar on Hurst Street in Birmingham) and none of the local gays who used the pub came to see it.”
___________________
Boo-hoo! Such self-awareness and critical insight.
Perhaps it was just that your play was crap?
+++++++++++++++++
Memo to Mr Goss – keep away from the societal issues, you don’t do them very well. Stick to Ukraine, where you can post off a script.
Recent thing I overheard (typical thing you may hear in a day) two girls outside a pub discussing about another pregnant girl getting a beating and kicking by her boyfriend after a fall out.
I have story’s I would not write on here.
@John Goss “People wonder why I despise “A” so much. Everywhere they “B” death and destruction is never far behind.”
Substitute for A and B depending on your point of view.
e.g. B = “come to power” and
A = “Communists”, “Islamists” etc
🙂
Yes Ba’al Zevul, I’v heard about underage girls in cocaine dens.
Same old, same old bilge from the Troll. Nothing to say about Peres and his troughing, Bercow and his troughing, the Blatter visit to Israhell, the ZF dinner – dream more and remember less. All revolting stuff.
John Goss;
“Not being gay I have no real idea whether gays in this country are oppressed.”
I’m foxed John!
Are you suggesting that JSD has a dog in the race? Or perhaps even a cock in the fight?
“dream more and remember less. ”
Sounds like sensible advice to me, all round. No?
A touch more of Mr Cameron’s privatisation.
Alexandra Hospital moves to cut cancelled operations
The first patients have been treated within a new mobile operating theatre at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch. The temporary theatre was supplied by mobile fleet operator, Vanguard Healthcare, to assist Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in increasing patient access and reducing the risk of cancelling operations. The facility offers a modern clinical environment featuring an anaesthetic room, two-bed recovery area, and an operating theatre equipped with a laminar flow ventilation system. In its time at the hospital the unit will be used to carry out a range of general and gynaecological procedures, allowing the trust to organise its waiting lists around the extra capacity. The hospital is forecasting that the unit will allow up to an extra 50 procedures a week to take place. The unit was officially opened by Redditch Mayor, Pat Witherspoon.
On the sidebar
Another Bioquell Pod to the rescue
Spire Liverpool Hospital solves capacity issues with mobile surgical theatre
Vanguard Healthcare successfully completes extended contract at East Surrey Hospital
Related Jobs
Vanguard Healthcare appoints senior NHS figure as business development director
Vanguard Healthcare works with former hospital chief executive and healthcare consultant
Vanguard Healthcare strengthens sales team
http://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.co.uk/news/article_page/Alexandra_Hospital_moves_to_cut_cancelled_operations/108387
Vanguard Healthcare Solutions. NB It’s always ‘solutions’.
http://www.vanguardhs.com/
Note the Chairman is a chartered accountant. That fits.
http://www.vanguardhs.com/about-us/the-team/
Ba’al Zevul
19 May, 2015 – 9:20 am
“Armageddon just got a step nearer, and no-one seems to care…”
Ba’al perhaps because its old hat and we’re numb to it? Old dynamite, new keg?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Saudi_Arabia
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia surely have at least a deal in place, if not some Pak bombs possibly already on location in Saudi Arabia. Long history these brothers-in-arms.
Much of this is obviously put down to Muslims etc, IMO this is of no relevance. They operate in the same conditions, conditions that promote this, conditions created by the very people who “have to solutions” Ie more violence, prisons, revenge. Etc.
The prime proximate cause is created by poverty, degradation, oppression. No meaning to life and totally unvalued. The corporate sponsorship of gangster culture. Our ruling classes create these conditions and are the biggest players into these issues. Some say they’re simply the biggest players doing exactly the the same thing. My feeling is yes, they are the biggest gangsters, that’s obvious.
Mary
Why did you see fit to remind us that John Bercow’s grandparents were from Romania ans what was the relevance of that information to the rest of your post about “trougher” Bercow?
‘Fess up, girl! 🙂
“Nothing to say about Peres and his troughing, Bercow and his troughing, the Blatter visit to Israhell, the ZF dinner …”
You say enough for 5-6 people. It’s so REPETITIVE. And your “Romanian grandparents” was uncalled for. Not that you had the guts to spell it out, of course.
God bless the USA…That’s all I can say, god bless em.
“I’m speaking to the Justice League of America
The US of A
Hey, you
Yes, you in particular
When it comes to the judgement day, and you’re standing at the gates in your weaponry
You dead go down on one knee, clasp your hands in prayer and start quoting me
‘Cause we say
Our father we’ve managed to contain the epidemic in one place, now
Let’s hope they shoot themselves instead of others, help to civilize the race now
We’ve trapped the cause of the plague in the land of the free and the home of the brave
If we listen quietly you can hear them shooting from grave to grave “
XTC: ‘Melt The Guns’
John Goss
19/05/2015 10:19am
I’ll post your excerpted comments (without in any way identifying you, of course) around a bit, see what the LGBT community thinks.
Kind regards,
John
In comes Dreoilin as usual from out of the blue when the Troll is attempting to have a go. She just doesn’t like me posting does she? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?
The troll has nothing to say about Bercow and his membership of the Conservative Friends of Israel.
His spelling of honorable at 11.15am is not the spelling normally used in the UK incidentally. It is ‘honourable’.
“She just doesn’t like me posting does she? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?”
Makes you wonder what, Mary? Why don’t you have the guts to say what you’re hinting at? Whatever it is.
“His spelling of honorable at 11.15am is not the spelling normally used in the UK incidentally. It is ‘honourable’.”
OMG. Never would have noticed if you hadn’t pointed it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You silly, silly woman.
From the Medialens Editors
Softball interviews with Israeli ministers breach impartiality code, BBC admits
May 19, 2015, 1:25 pm
Some good news – well done Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
DC
==
Softball interviews with Israeli ministers breach impartiality code, BBC admits
by Amena Saleem
A BBC investigation has found that one of its senior presenters, Sarah Montague, breached the organization’s editorial standards on impartiality in a radio interview she conducted with Israeli defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, in March.
The investigation was carried out following allegations of pro-Israel bias against Montague’s interview by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and a number of concerned individuals who complained to the BBC.
The ruling against Montague is the second time in recent months that the BBC has upheld a complaint initiated by the PSC.
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/amena-saleem/softball-interviews-israeli-ministers-breach-impartiality-code-bbc-admits
Ba’al perhaps because its old hat and we’re numb to it? Old dynamite, new keg?
Know what you’re saying, but isn’t the assumption that Saudi can have nukes being delicately placed, by default, in the public consciousness? OK, let’s go back to sleep while a Sunni fundamentalist regime known to be, er, ambiguous on the subject of a Sunni caliphate with a record of forcible conversion, is supplied with the leverage it needs before going full jihadi. Let’s consent to unrestricted tit-for-tat proliferation rather than lose our access to cheap oil. Whisper it…
Dreoilin – Ever read “The Moonstone”?
Mary
“In comes Dreoilin as usual from out of the blue when the Troll is attempting to have a go. She just doesn’t like me posting does she? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?”
_______________________
My only wonder is that more sensible people like Dreoilin don’t pull you up about your repetitive posts and your oh-so-sly (and cowardly) way of signifying that a public figure is or might be Jewish or of Jewish descent.
But I realise that most people on here are much less sensible than Dreoilin.
And now get back to your Mein Kampf!
HRT is failing so manifestly what happened to noob vocabulary having made an appearance in the wider world and got harangued to silence?
the merry go around as the various elements are making fleeting troll and run spam with no one left in any doubt (constant id change etc.) as to the nature of these characters and their remit; suppress any debate concerning any legitimate questions as to the over representations of a certain segment of the minorities which are evidently above even hinting at or mentioning, sort of super super injunction!
Dreoilin – Ever read “The Moonstone”?
No, I haven’t Ba’al. I’ll look it up.
“The troll has nothing to say about Bercow and his membership of the Conservative Friends of Israel.”
______________________
Assuming that’s a reference to me (childish, childish!): what would you like me to say about it? I would not approve or disapprove, on the basis that it’s a free country, that John Bercow is a Conservative and that every country is free and entitled to have people supporting it (and the contrary).
But perhaps not in your Hilde Benjamin world (ask our resident Irish-American German and Classics expert “Lysias” to tell you who that was, if you don’t know)
And next time I’ll spell it “honurable” and then Mary can speculate as to whether I’m Turkish 🙂
Fedup
Are you still out on licence? If so, I’d watch it. Unless you’ve developed a fondness for porridge, of course! LOL
Dre – Check out Miss Clack. Collins has had some Miss Clack, who is an evangelical Christian, and gives it back with interest.
Once self-supported by conscience, once embarked on a career of manifest usefulness, the true Christian never yields. Neither public nor private influences produce the slightest effect on us, when we have once got our mission. Taxation may be the consequence of a mission; riots may be the consequence of a mission; wars may be the consequence of a mission: we go on with our work, irrespective of every human consideration which moves the world outside us. We are above reason; we are beyond ridicule; we see with nobody’s eyes, we hear with nobody’s ears, we feel with nobody’s hearts, but our own. Glorious, glorious privilege! And how is it earned? Ah, my friends, you may spare yourselves the useless inquiry! We are the only people who can earn it — for we are the only people who are always right
Not that I would suggest any parallels there.
From Fedup
“..suppress any debate concerning any legitimate questions as to the over representations of a certain segment of the minorities which are evidently above even hinting at or mentioning,??”
_____________________
In English translation, I think that means “there are too many Jews in positions of prominence”.
Can any linguists here (Lysias, perhaps?) confirm?
HRT is failing so manifestly what happened to noob vocabulary having made an appearance in the wider world and got harangued to silence?
the merry go around as the various elements are making fleeting troll and run spam with no one left in any doubt (constant id change etc.) as to the nature of these characters and their remit; suppress any debate concerning any legitimate questions as to the over representations of a certain segment of the minorities which are evidently above even hinting at or mentioning, sort of super super injunction!
I get the drift, Ba’al. I’ve found the Moonstone for Kindle, so I’ll probably download it. I’m very wedded to my Kindle lately. (When my eyes are tired, I can change font size.)
From Fedup
“..suppress any debate concerning any legitimate questions as to the over representations of a certain segment of the minorities which are evidently above even hinting at or mentioning,??”
_____________________
In English translation, I think that means “there are too many Jews in positions of prominence”.
Can any linguists here (Lysias, perhaps?) confirm?