I was called a traitor by a Conservative MEP in a committee meeting of the European Parliament to which I was giving eyewitness evidence on the UK’s complicity in torture and extraordinary rendition. Doubtless that is recorded in the minutes of the meeting, which means I am marked down on a forest of European Parliament paper as a traitor in each of the European Union’s 24 official languages.
Nobody turned a hair, least of all me. There were some giggles as the Tory MEP immediately walked out of the meeting, which was viewed as childish. But nobody thought of it as way outside the normal levels of political discourse. Indeed it was quite mild by European parliamentary standards. It is, of course, perfectly true that I used to represent the United Kingdom and now it is my dearest wish to destroy it as an institution. It is therefore arguable that I am technically a traitor. I am not scared of names.
My Scottish readers will have realised that this disquisition on treachery is a reference to the Labour Party’s published dossier of evil cybernats. The majority of those cited qualified as evil because of use of the word traitor. I am devastated I did not get included. I am unsure that my ego will ever recover.
It seems to me that, in an argument which revolves around what constitutes a nation, the idea of treachery to the nation is one that logically is bound to intrude, on all sides. Indeed it can be shown to intrude into the entire discourse around unionism and nationalism over centuries. I have used the term myself.
It seems to me context is important. There is a legitimate discourse on whether treachery to either the United Kingdom or to Scotland is involved in the independence conundrum. To make plain that some consider a position or act as traitorous has a place in robust political debate. I deplore the idea that politics must be reduced to genteel commonplaces over tiny areas of disagreement. Passion is important. But to imply violent retribution is different, and comes under bullying and threat.
“Traitor” should not be shunned like a racist epithet. It carries a meaning which is important.
You’ve just blown your chances of getting an invite to Queen’s garden party then 😉
Damn my life is ruined!
@Craig “it is my dearest wish to destroy it (the UK) as an institution”
Oh dear, I guess the Queen can’t give you a CBE for services to human rights then, as she did the former South African editor Donald Woods, friend of Steve Biko. 🙂
I’ve been asking myself for some time: are you really interested in attacking the UK, or are you engaging in the mother of all conspiracies? Many years ago I read ofa Russian aristocrat who pretended to cheat at cards, and then in the ensuing public disgrace in the culture of that day and place played the role of the disaffected well enough to become an excellent double agent against the Germans.
The trouble in your case is that it’s not clear just who the target would be. Crackpot Scottish nationalists don’t count. Unless, perhaps, you just go on shooting off your mouth and let terrorist sympathisers surf on your website,let that fact be recorded, and GCHQ can do the rest. Thus you may be “operationally useful” without moving a muscle.
But I am beginning to think that you may indeed be a genuinely disillusioned and disaffected ex-ambassador who is beginning to lose his marbles. Oh dear.
Been calling the Scottish Branch Office of the Liebour Party Traitors to Scotland for years and still not on their list……….what does an evil Cybernat have to do these days to get onto the Liebour List……
Not heard too much about their List ……. Maybe their advisors at BBC Scotland have decided it’s a bad idea.
To know whether someone is a traitor, you first have to ask to which country or cause (if any) they owe allegiance. You can be loyal to one country and a traitor to another. Arguably no-one really considers themselves a traitor, even when they sell their country’s secrets for mere money.
More philosophically, I love my country (England) but do not give it my *allegiance* or unquestioning loyalty. I’d like to think I’m more principled than that.
I’m too old to fight now, but would not have fought for still less killed anyone in the cause of country. I guess in the World Wars I’d have been a conscientious objector. Some people would call that being a traitor. But I’d have been in good company.
Loyalty, to a corrupt, morally bankrupt oligarchy that degrades humanity, destroys nature, and sells the ground from unborn feet forever?
What filthy secrets consummated in what boardrooms, lavatories and government offices, to take what is not yours forever?
‘Don’t let them see us, don’t tell them what we’re doing!’
‘Not now, premature, premature, others must pay’
Are these the words of the all powerful boards and syndicates of the ‘United Kingdom.’
A parasitic ‘Royal Family’, embalmed in money and ancient cruelty, addicted to the suffering of their victims?
For this we must sell our sons forever..? For this?
Foe Liars and cowards who cannot even face their loyal human dogs?
You want my name on your filth deals, my loyalty?
Listen to my last words. To you I am a traitor.
I’m too old too but I see myself in a more supportive role, assisting wives, girlfriends and loved ones to cope with the pang of separation.
They can call me a traitor as much as they want. It will not stop me trying to inform people of what I consider to be the truth, like the declaration by DPR of Shirokino as a demilitarized zone and moving its military personnel out, while asking Kiev to do the same.
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150701/1024073124.html
And if I get incarcerated in the Tower of London for reposting this so be it. When would you ever read in mainstream media about our Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh abducting and “vanishing” children? I’ve read similar stories about the Dutch Royal Family being involved in hunting naked children to death.
http://blogfactory.co.uk/archives/9750
â–² nutter alert â–²
@John Goss, I recently viewed this by Heathcote Williams, which although doesn’t contain any such sensational claims, is more than enough to make anybody think twice about swearing loyalty to Queen & Country;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIukrdRhnpw
▲ nutter alert ▲ 🙂
Sorry Macky not to you.
Welcome to the fold,as a republican who wants independence for Scotland I and many of my kind have been dubbed traitors by the Britnat establishment followers, I couldnt care less.
You however were just doing your job by holding the establishment accountable for its actions, action that reflect on the people of the UK.
Is it any wonder that Brits are viewed with contempt and suspicion in some countries around the globe when you begin to realise the Westminster governments covert roles in other nations affairs.
Others again will say it’s folly or naive not to expect a government to be involved in covert operations, around the world, better to be on the inside than out right?
As for the Labour branch office in Scotland the Cybernat dossier,is a huge puerile mistake,and it clearly shows Labour just can’t let go of the hatred towards the SNP.
Of course it’s a two way street, but the unionist press don’t want you to know that.
Check it out:
https://mobile.twitter.com/britnatabusebot
@Mary, Well I guess it can be said that I’m nuts about something or other ! 🙂
Anyhow you were being quite polite iro Anon1 as “nutter” is letting him off really !
What happened to the last thread, the comments are closed?
[ Mod: Yes. ]
May I request a ‘nutter alert,’ please?
Abe
Aside from your more extravagant theories (that i’d never discount totally of course, without good evidence) I feel your some way correct on the final point, sadly. This blog does not know what it is. There is no professional direction, it goes from inane nonsense or worse, to some useful stuff, all jumbled together with a veneer of proper rules for gloss effect…
If your going to mount an attack on ‘the other’ (something else that needs looking at) there are 100s of better examples, even from young people. See Harry fear, many People going though RT, ‘going underground’ or at least more professional blogs, I could list dozens without looking.
Once Criag has recovered from his ruined life he may want to consider what he or his campaign (if he still wants one) is about and running it with some credibility besides just being an honest chap. Until such time I no longer feel it necessary to be a present opposition to this blog. They have all done a dam good job themselves…
“Through their own words They will be exposed”
I seriously suggest people take a LONG break, You can’t remain human constantly involved in all this as recent events illustrate. Flailing about just makes you look like and idiot.
Maybe there are enough people to come together and do something significant here, make up for stuff. Yet personally I even feel this final contribution suspect. I’d rather see nothing than more of the same stuff that really hasn’t done me any good either.
I don’t think i’ll visit again for months and then not contribute for years, depending if it looks every different, ie not a blog really. It took me way to long to see the moral imperative before my eyes.
‘depending if it looks very* different, ie not a blog really’
Good speech Craig, you’re not afraid to say things that other would recoil at when asked, so we killed 15,000 in Sirte Libya by bombing them, I’m sure in corridors of Whitehall it will be seen as doing the right thing.
Lol Mary, good effort.
” so we killed 15,000 in Sirte Libya by bombing them, I’m sure in corridors of Whitehall it will be seen as doing the right thing. ”
Except of course it isn’t true.
” The Afghan war was all about the oil pipeline. ”
Oh dear oh dear…
@Ishmael “Aside from your more extravagant theories .. I feel your some way correct on the final point”
I grant you that the “mother of all conspiracies” theory does sound extravagant. That is why I put it as a question in my mind, not something I definitely know.
But consider: someone brilliant enough to be in the top few of the Fast Stream of the Civil Service (a very tough IQ test), and who’s had experience of running a student union and then rises to Ambassador – does someone like that screw up political campaigns so badly, or could it be a show? All the anti-Western, anti-Israel, anti-UK rhetoric could be part of the show.
Only a question in my mind, but we might be agreed about the conclusion. What began as a human rights activist lobby seems to have given way to chaos.
“Except of course it isn’t true.”
_________________________
Kempe.
As if anyone in their right mind, would take your word over Craigs.
Come to think of it, people would believe George Bush or Blair or even Jack Straw (maybe stretching it there) before they’d believe you.
Craig, that thread came down because you were shamed….
Yes, it did. But also because it involved people who stated that they would rather not be involved (in an endless abuse-fest among total strangers) Think you’d have wanted it down if you’d been called Murray. Any Murray. Leave it.
[Ba’al, I don’t consider myself in the least shamed. You and others do not know the background. But it is, as you say, not a conversation for public consumption. Thank you for advising to leave it though].
Thanks Macky, I’ve watched 20 minutes of it and realise the rest would we well worth watching, which I will do later. That photo of the Duke of Edinburgh with a shiner is a cracker! We should all be traitors like Heathcote Williams and Alan Ginsberg. Sadly there are too many royal subservients (I nearly said arse-lickers but the image put me off).
If you were wondering the “w” key is right next to the “b” on my keyboard. 🙂
Nobody now calls the people who wanted Irish independence traitors. Or those who wanted Indian independence, for that matter. (They tried to try the officers of the Indian National Army for treason in the Red Fort Trials, a judicial debacle that helped to hasten the day of Indian independence.)
” As if anyone in their right mind, would take your word over Craigs. ”
Craig has been challenged to produce evidence to back up this claim before and singularly failed. It vastly exceeds any other claims regarding the death toll and even exceeds the total killed and missing for the whole conflict to date.
I am retiring until it (this blog and the weather) cools down.
In soon to be leafless Surrey if these temperatures continue, the thermometer outside and out of the sun is reading 41C at the moment.
Mod, please delete my 4:02 pm comment. It’s not relevant now, and I’v have enough of influencing tbh.
Thanks.