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.
Gove used to be a hack for Murdoch and his contributions were as good the anon1 et al, pretty much always bombing everywhere and sending in the troops was his line. After all being brave by others’ blood and intestine comes easy to this sort.
His extraordinary contribution to education was the fake “trojan horse letters” (kind of protocols of the elders of zion stuff about Muslims) that he used to shut down a couple of the Muslim ran schools and was getting ready to bring all manner of laws that got Christians and Jews worried to the extent that his plans were shelved.
He is a little tosser of the first order, and by the time he is finished in his new departments probably Jails will be sporting Yale Locks adverts and prisoners will be sent in chain gangs to the farms to do the Romanians/Latvians/etc jobs cheaper less the room and board.
The man is an unmitigated disaster and he is being inflicted on us all.
This is the state of affairs;
Nigel Farage tells critics: swear loyalty to me or leave Ukip
Ex-U.S. military translator denied bail
Pledging allegiance seems to be the order of the day among these extremists.
Gove is the most dangerous fascist of the lot of them.
Initial signatories[edit]
The initial signatories of the statement of principles included:[9]
Members of Parliament Michael Ancram, Michael Gove, Edward Vaizey, David Willetts, Denis MacShane, Fabian Hamilton, Gisela Stuart,
former MPs David Trimble, Jackie Lawrence, Greg Pope,
former soldier Tim Collins,
Sir Richard Dearlove — former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, and presently Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge – and the American economist Irwin Stelzer.
International patrons included Richard Perle, William Kristol, James Woolsey (former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency), and Vytautas Landsbergis (former President of Lithuania).[10]
Look at the PNAC creatures in the bottom line.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Jackson_Society#Initial_signatories
No on second thoughts, equal first with Theresa.
“Pledging allegiance seems to be the order of the day among these extremists.”
Unlike UK MPs, officers passing out of Sandhurst, etc etc
@Republicof Scotland “you’ll be citing Dieu et mon droit, as a fact.” That sounds like preachers from the *other* side of the Atlantic!
Rouhami may have studied in Glasgow, but it won’t do much good with the ayatollahs having their hands firmly on the wheel. His limited ability to move is painfully obvious. It’s “Dieu without mon droit” over there.
The problem with that part of the world is that any regime that is overthrown is liable to be replaced by something worse. Therefore any intervention needs to be very carefully managed.
For what it’s worth, I do not buy the ‘private life’ explanation re. Umunna, at least not in the way it has been portrayed, that he was upset cameras were outside his mother’s house. He’s a national politician, he knows this will happen. It’s a bit like, “he resigned to spend more time with his family”. I suspect that there is something else. I’m not sure what it is, but might it be possible that the spooks who have dossiers on all politicians, might have had something to do with it? Perhaps there is dirty linen somewhere? In-fighting among the elite, of course. But fascinating, nonetheless.
The Boston bomber Tsarnaev has been sentenced to death.
If I were a lawyer for the defense, I would argue on appeal that, in a jurisdiction like Massachusetts and especially the Boston area, where so small a percentage of the population supports the death penalty, a “death-qualified jury” does not constitute the constitutionally guaranteed jury of one’s peers.
CPS grants Lord Janner review
55 minutes ago
Lord Janner – More than a dozen allegations have been made against Lord Janner, pictured here in 2000
A group who claim ex-Labour MP Lord Janner sexually abused them have been granted a review of the CPS’s decision not to prosecute him.
The Director of Public Prosecutions had said Lord Janner, 86, would not be prosecuted, despite sufficient evidence to bring a case, due to his dementia.
But the CPS said a senior prosecutor unconnected to the original case would now review that decision.
The ex-MP has denied any wrongdoing.
Defending her decision following calls for a review last month, DPP Alison Saunders told the BBC that Lord Janner’s dementia was so severe that he could “play no part in a trial”.
Ms Saunders said that she had written to the alleged victims to inform them they have the right to a review.
Alison Saunders on Newsnight
Alison Saunders has said she was aware her decision “might not be welcome”
Lawyers representing a group of alleged victims confirmed shortly afterwards that they would seek a review.
One man, who claims he was abused by Lord Janner, had called for the release of the medical reports which prompted the decision not to prosecute the peer.
He told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme that seeing the reports would give him peace of mind.
‘Unique circumstances’
The CPS Victims’ Right to Review Scheme allows a complainant to request a charging decision be reconsidered.
A spokesman for the CPS said in a statement on Friday that reviews are usually conducted by the CPS appeals unit, but added that “due to the unique circumstances surrounding this case, the CPS has instructed external counsel instead”.
Guidelines suggest that a review would normally take six weeks.
More than a dozen individuals have made allegations to police relating to Greville Janner.
The allegations relate to residents in children’s homes in Leicestershire in the 1970s and 1980s.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32757978
Abe:
For God alone is the true and supreme Lord of the world. Everything without exception must be subject to Him, and must serve Him, so that whosoever holds the right to govern, holds it from one sole and single source, namely God, the Sovereign Ruler of all. ‘There is no power but from God.’
Pope Leo, but Khomeini would have agreed
At the time it was said Blair wanted to go into Burma …as well.
He’s dropped that nonsense, anyway. He’s working for the Burmese government now:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/02/an-apology/comment-page-1/#comment-512908
Some earlier and later posts also refer.
Nothing changes in the Westminster bubble corporate interests queue up for tables,at Park Lane fundraising dinners for the red and blue Tories.
They sponsor what are laughably called fringe meetings,at annual party conferences.
The crucifixion of principles is the first commandment,especially for Labour,as they sell their souls to the highest corporate bidders, as they munch down on their canapes
“As a young idealist in the late ’70’s, I sent a letter to the Lymbian embassy, asking for a copy of The Green Book. For our younger readers, this was before the internet, and all learning was by dead tree.
I received a nice parcel in return, full of interesting material.
Even in those days, the parcel had a sticker on it saying ‘opened and re-sealed by the ‘something’ services’.”
Given Gadaffi’s support for terrorism good to see the “something” services doing their job.
With this lie of logic;
Her MadJ=Farage= Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi
@Tim “Pope Leo, but Khomeini would have agreed” This reminds me of an article in a Scottish paper in the 80s comparing Khomeini with a certain Scottish fundamentalist Christian minister, possibly in the remote Scottish islands. As I recall, both he and Khomeini believed in freedom – freedom to obey God.
The trouble is, of course, that many don’t just speak for God but also impose their views on others. But spokesmen for “the people” or “the revolution” are liable to be even worse.
That’s one reason to be wary of any revolution that involves violence.
Manchester Evening News: Thousands call for the North of England to become part of Scotland: ‘New Scotland’ would take in everything north of Chester to the west and Sheffield to the east – including Manchester.
The North of England and the Scottish Lowlands used, before the High Middle Ages, to both belong to the Kingdom of Northumbria. Scots is quite similar to the dialect of the Geordies, and somewhat less so to the other Northumbrian dialects.
Oh why O why ought the white man have such an onerous burden put upon him?
The Abe centric world going into overdrive Abe has decided “that part of the world” are not fit to govern themselves, although earlier he was banging on about the “democracy” brand and its tide washing away all the sins and the tyrannies and bringing about and era of kumbaya and love and “democracy”!
After much deliberation now there is a new tack; “intervention” (ie bombing the crap out of people, shredding them to mince meat and diced meat, with shards of their bones sticking out of the pile of shit, piss and blood and flesh that was once a human; a child, a woman, a girl. a mother, a sister, a wife, a brother, a husband, a father).
Clinical words for mass slaughter of the people of “that part of the world”, which of course has to be very carefully managed.
Heil Abe Rene finger up and click of the mouse, where do I sign to join the first wave of interventionists that are sent to shoot fish in the barrel in “that part of the world”
Fucking shameless gutless reactionary whom would piss himself if he was caught in a half light street after nine at night! Pontificates about the faith of the millions of people living in that part of the world, that ought to be “carefully managed”.
Heil Heil democracy ………
“For what it’s worth, I do not buy the ‘private life’ explanation re. Umunna, at least not in the way it has been portrayed, that he was upset cameras were outside his mother’s house. He’s a national politician, he knows this will happen. It’s a bit like, “he resigned to spend more time with his family”. I suspect that there is something else. I’m not sure what it is, but might it be possible that the spooks who have dossiers on all politicians, might have had something to do with it? Perhaps there is dirty linen somewhere? In-fighting among the elite, of course. But fascinating, nonetheless.”
Or perhaps he just isn’t up to the job. He’s clearly way out of his depth, even when the BBC are giving him an easy ride.
Attention, security to Ward 4 where there has been another dirty protest at 10:20pm. Hose the cell down.
Abe.
It’s worth speculating that if Britain and the USA had not overthrown Mossadeq,there would have been no Shah,and therefore no Khomeini,and possibly no Iran Iraq war.
@Fedup: I would prefer to avoid the use of bombs, personally. As to why there any intervention should be considered at all: barrel bombs of gas dropped over towns harbouring dissidents is one good reason.
But, as I have said, what, if anything should be done is a difficult question. One wouldn’t want to create a vacuum into which something like IS could flourish, or the present chaos in Libya. Therefore any intervention needs very careful consideration.
@RepublicofScotland: I am inclined to agree about Mossadegh. Operation Ajax could be compared to the coup in Chile in 1973.
Other “interventions” that led to long term disaster were the nationalist invasion of a tiny Communist state in 1925 that led to the great March, and the invasion of the Paris commune by Prussians in 1870.
That’s with the benefit of hindsight. In 1953, apart from the bitterness over losing their oil concession, the British suspected that Mossadegh was joining the Soviet bloc and decided to try and put a stop to it. The rest is history. But, given the choice between Mossadegh and the ayatollahs, I would take Mossadegh.
Further more the 1953 coup of Mossadeq put into place because he (Mossadeq) wanted to nationalise Irans oil a henious crime in the eyes of the west.
The incoming Shah was a tyrant who led a foul dictatorship and his secret police the SAVAK were know to be brutal and ruthless,and many of the Shahs political opponents vanished,crushing any notion of democracy.
Infact Britain supported the Shah right up go the final hour he fell none more so than Labours Dr David Owen,if memory serves me he was Callaghans Foreign Secretary.
Node
My apologies for not getting back to you re the war memorial defacement. You must understand that a lack of response does not mean that I am “slinking away” or that I have been “slapped down”. It should indicate that I have something better to do with my time than engage with you.
I believe that one of the protesters milling around the war memorial with placards reading “Tory scum”, took it upon himself to scrawl “Tory scum” on the war memorial. On the other hand, you believe it was an MI5 false flag. In fact, every bit of bad news for your various causes is deemed by you to be a sinister conspiracy to make them look bad. So either they are irreproachable, or you’ve gone full conspiratard. I’ll leave it for others to decide.
Chunky Mark, the ‘artist taxi driver’, has put up an interesting interview he did today with Sukant Chandan, the journalist and human rights campaigner. Amongst other things it covers the history of the British working class, imperialism, the royal family and Sukant’s take on what’s going on in Scotland at the moment. For anyone interested, the interview is in three parts, as follows:
Sukant Chandan Anti Colonial Scots BRICs imperialist West 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1F-PiwI-o
Sukant Chandan Anti Colonial Scots BRICs imperialist West 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUWTyCbou2o
@chunkymark: Sukant Chandan Anti Colonial Scots BRICs imper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36ttH9eUEkE
“Her MadJ=Farage= Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi”
I didn’t say anything of the sort, dufus.
You said:
“Pledging allegiance seems to be the order of the day among these extremists.”
I was pointing out that it’s the order of the day among many people, and not (just) those who are labelled ‘extremists’. I don’t see how swearing loyalty to someone makes the accused any better or worse than anyone else.
“The Oath of Allegiance (Judicial or Official Oath) is a promise to be loyal to the British monarch, and their heirs and successors, sworn by certain public servants in the United Kingdom, and also by newly naturalised subjects in citizenship ceremonies.”
Does this make them saints? I don’t think so.
“The Boston bomber Tsarnaev has been sentenced to death.”
I knew that would be the outcome. They would not let his family see him. They would not let his family provide a lawyer who would enter a differnet plea to “guilty”. Now they want him out of the way so he cannot say what he knows – as they did with Gaddafi (the extrajudicial execution of whom seems to be supported by RD) and Saddam Hussein, who could not tell what deals the Yanks had made with him. Not forgetting of course the US funding of Osama Bin Laden to create havoc all over the Middle East and Chechnya.
http://russia-insider.com/en/society/what-if-putin-telling-truth/ri6952
It stinks Lysias – to high heaven.
Anyway it appears we now have open support for Kim’s North Korea, in addition to the Islamic theocracy of Iran, Assad, Putin’s Russia, Libya under Gaddafi and any and every other tyrant, megalomaniac, and psychopath in history (as long as they are/were anti-West). They’re just misrepresented! Is there a depth of depravity to which this freakshow of hard-left loons will not sink?
Anon1
Get a dictionary! You left out all the real megalomaniacs, Bush, Blair, Cheney, Thatcher, Cameron, Obama, Hitler, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Genghis Khan et al. Get a dictionary. And get a brain!
Rob G.
Was just wachting all three…and came over to put up Vid 2….
Found meself a new hero…need to look into this amazing dude – Sukant Chandan
Should check out Rob G’s links People Top Class Stuff