My world view changed forever when, after 20 years in the Foreign Office, I saw colleagues I knew and liked go along with Britain’s complicity in the most terrible tortures, as detailed stunningly in the recent Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee Report. They also went along with keeping the policy secret, deliberately disregarding all normal record taking procedures, to the extent that the Committee noted:
131. We note that we have not seen the minutes of these meetings either: this causes us great concern. Policy discussions on such an important issue should have been minuted. We support Mr Murray’s own conclusion that were it not for his actions these matters may never have come to light.
The people doing these things were not ordinarily bad people; they were just trying to keep their jobs, comforting themselves with the thought that they were only civil servants obeying orders. Many were also actuated by the nasty “patriotism” that grips in time of war, as we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. Almost nobody in the FCO stood up against the torture or against the illegal war – Elizabeth Wilmshurst, Carne Ross and I were the only ones to leave over it.
I then had the still more mortifying experience of the Foreign Office seeking to punish my dissent by bringing a series of accusations of gross misconduct – some of them criminal – against me. The people bringing the accusations knew full well they were false. The people investigating them knew they were false from about day 2. But I was put through a hellish six months of trial by media before being acquitted on all the original counts (found guilty of revealing the charges, whose existence was an official secret!). The people who did this to me were people I knew.
I had served as First Secretary in the British Embassy in Poland, and bumped up startlingly against the history of the Holocaust in that time, including through involvement with organising the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. What had struck me most forcibly was the sheer scale of the Holocaust operation, the tens of thousands of people who had been complicit in administering it. I could never understand how that could happen – until I saw ordinary, decent people in the FCO facilitate extraordinary rendition and torture. Then I understood, for the first time, the banality of evil or, perhaps more precisely, the ubiquity of evil. Of course, I am not comparing the scale of what happened to the Holocaust – but evil can operate on different scales.
I believe I see it again today. I do not believe that the majority of journalists in the BBC, who pump out a continual stream of “Corbyn is an anti-semite” propaganda, believe in their hearts that Corbyn is a racist at all. They are just doing their job, which is to help the BBC avert the prospect of a radical government in the UK threatening the massive wealth share of the global elite. They would argue that they are just reporting what others say; but it is of course the selection of what they report and how they report it which reflect their agenda.
The truth, of which I am certain, is this. If there genuinely was the claimed existential threat to Jews in Britain, of the type which engulfed Europe’s Jews in the 1930’s, Jeremy Corbyn, Billy Bragg, Roger Waters and I may humbly add myself would be among the few who would die alongside them on the barricades, resisting. Yet these are today loudly called “anti-semites” for supporting the right to oppose the oppression of the Palestinians. The journalists currently promoting those accusations, if it came to the crunch, would be polishing state propaganda and the civil servants writing railway dockets. That is how it works. I have seen it. Close up.
Sue MacGregor is entertaining ‘day of the living dead’ gang of four on the Beeb. No historian and uncritical. Referencing ‘labour fascists’. Shameless
…so my driving instructor said to me, “Put your foot on the clutch”, so of course I stopped the car, got out my tool kit, whipped off the clutch housing, took my right shoe and sock off and, performing the appropriate gymnastics, reached up with my foot until it was touching both the clutch diaphragm and the clutch plate.
Once we were back on the road he said “put your foot on the brake” so of course I replied “which one? There are four on this vehicle, you know!”
“Stop acting like a conspiracy theorist” he snapped.
“There’s no conspiracy!” I quipped; “there’s quite obviously only one of you!”
Clark, Try changing a clutch in a Triumph GT6 from inside the car.
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2018/08/censoring-alex-jones.html
Extract
“Thinking Americans are just not gullible enough any more. Jones has exploited this gullibility shortfall in the general public for all it’s worth by going after every conspiracy theory out there, while I am just like you—gullible. Sure, a few Arab tourists armed with box cutters destroyed three steel skyscrapers by flying two aluminum planes into them. Do your own math, but that’s just 2/3 of a plane per skyscraper—ought to be enough, right? Jet fuel, which burns at 800° to 1500°F, melted steel columns. (Steel melts at 2750°F.) Two aluminum cans packed with kerosene, meat and luggage destroyed three steel structures. I find this explanation perfectly satisfactory; do you? If you need to know more, it’s easy to find out, but don’t wait on me because, being so gullible, I am perfectly satisfied.”
Tony
I knew someone from the states who listened constantly to that sort of thing, Used to have that look of ‘I know what’s going on’. …He’d had several heart bypasses & died shortly after I left Canada.
Very nice guy though.
Precisely Ishmael. Such secret-knowledge stories merely inflate the ego.
Great article, Tony, thanks for the link.
Here’s a bit more:
Still, first they came for Alex Jones, and then they may very well come for me, and so the time to start paying attention and pushing back is now. These internet entities—Google, Facebook, Apple, Google Podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, MailChimp, Disqus, LinkedIn, Flickr, Pinterest and several others—have no more right to censor him than does your phone company to screen your calls for you or to determine whose number you should be allowed to dial. What was done to Jones was blatantly illegal under both US and international law, and while these companies don’t have much to fear in the US, where they are politically protected, they have a great deal more to fear internationally.
Jones did not, as far as anyone can tell, violate the terms of use of any of these internet services, yet they shut him down.
Shit, hypocritical argument. Criticises Jones for exploiting gullibility, and then does exactly the same thing himself!
They’ll never come for you, King of Welsh Noir; you write for the Telegraph!
It’s a bit clunky but he is being ironic when he talks of gullibility. He means Alex Jones connects with folk because they are no longer gullible enough to believe official narratives, such as 9/11. At least that is how I read it.
As for me, I don’t think I’ve ever written for the Telegraph, unless perhaps a travel piece many moons ago done to promote a book.
They probably won’t come for because I’m small fry. I suspect they would like to come for Craig though.
Oh sorry, the Sunday Telegraph.
Why did you stop linking to your home page?
http://www.malcolmpryce.com/
I haven’t written for them either. The moniker ‘King of Welsh Noir’ is from a review of one of my books they did. As for the link, I was absent from this blog for a while and when I came back only the first two items – name and email – were populated for me and I didn’t bother to fill in the website bit . No reason.
If you’ve read Craig’s Murder in Samarkand you’ll know that “they” already came for Craig, except that “they” were an ex-KGB acquaintance using an Uzbek acupuncturist. The UK Government air-lifted him out of Tashkent and ensured that he was promptly treated – even though they were attempting to discredit him with false disciplinary charges.
There is no single “them”. Objectives are short-term, vary frequently and often contradict each other. The world is complex; if it wasn’t, it couldn’t even support life. Yet the majority attempt to hammer all issues into “this versus that, good people versus bad people” false dichotomies. Well it beats actually thinking, wondering, and being disturbed by unending uncertainty I suppose.
OK KoWN, I find that explanation satisfactory.
@ Clark August 17, 2018 at 14:01
I read the book quite a few years ago, but as I remember it, he got ill on the flight back to Uzbekistan, after insisting on taking back his Ambassadorial position against the wishes of HMG. It was some kind of weird but dangerous illness, and Craig had to be repatriated immediately he got to Uzbekistan.
I don’t remember anything about an ex-KGB acquaintance and an Uzbek acupuncturist.
Perhaps Craig has told you this privately?
Paul, no, it’s in the book. As I remember it… First Craig suffered a very odd tendon problem in his leg, His ex-KGB nightclub acquaintance recommended an Uzbek acupuncturist. The acupuncturist successfully treated the leg problem, but then offered to set Craig up with under-age girls, to “boost his life force” or something. Craig gracefully declined, but as he went to leave, the acupuncturist plunged a very long, very fine needle right into the middle of Craig’s chest. Shortly after, Craig suffered a medical emergency and was airlifted out of Tashkent. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed, which is blood clots on the lungs.
ie. permit us to have blackmail material on you, or we’ll try to kill you.
Addendum: the very sudden tendon problem started in the embassy in Tashkent, after Craig had returned from the UK. I regard the tendon problem itself as suspicious, if that’s what it really was at all. Remember that the Uzbek, US and UK governments all shared a common interest in silencing Craig.
My memory could be at fault, of course. It’s a few years since I read the book; must read it again.
Argh, literal interpretation jokes! 🙂
Aside from the lies and deception the government engages there is also the matter of competence, for example, today in the Intercept:
https://theintercept.com/2018/08/16/trello-board-uk-canada/
If the relevant authorities cannot look after their own information how can we possibly believe they they might be competent to oversee the data of the rest of us?
I read the Jeremy Hunt (the guy who made many millions trading with China) interview with ITV. He is putting himself forward to be a player in the next Tory leadership election, at least in the first round and perhaps later ones too. As far as Brexit goes, he is threatening “problems” on “the other side of the Channel”. (Presumably the arrangement with ITV was that Ireland wouldn’t be mentioned.) The key things to grasp in the matter of Britain-EU27 negotiations are 1) the British government represents the City of London, by which I mean the interests that own the international finance sector mainly based in the City, and 2) the spectre of famine looms.
2) explains why for example the discourse has included statements such as that Britain can act more easily than EU27 in a customs emergency, such as to let lorries through without customs formalities when there is a critical need for what they are carrying. This plays to the association of the EU with red tape. (In actual fact, WTO would mean far more red tape – indeed, far too much red tape for many continental suppliers even to continue supplying to Britain.) Often “agriculture” is mentioned. That means food. The only reason you’d ever need to get food lorries through in an emergency is if there’s a food shortage. But Britain is dependent on EU27 for food and the converse is not true. The problems that Britgov could cause on the other side of the Channel are nothing to do with visible trade. They are a) financial, and b) terrorist.
Successive British governments have already destroyed much of industry and culture for financial profits. See if you can guess what they are salivating destroying next. I would use the word “sacrifice”, but this isn’t the right word. Sacrifice is what you do with something you value, and it causes you to experience a loss. Ruining other people’s lives to make a profit isn’t sacrifice.
Mr Unt. The cousin of Virginia Bottomley whose parliamentary seat of SW Surrey was handed to him on a plate. She is now a peer as is Cumberlege to whom there is a connection. Both involved, especially Cumberlege, in the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 aka ‘Privatisation Is Us’.
https://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/revealed-at-last-the-hunt-bottomley-link/
Does he pretend to be a bit thick so as to endear himself to our goodselves? Japanese wife etc. when she is Chinese. When sitting on the front bench, I have noticed that he chews air. His daddy was an admiral and a friend of Admiral Dunt, Jeremy’s godfather and an ex chair of the local NHS Trust. Matthew Swindells who was the same Trust’s CEO is now on the board of NHS England.
Louise Irvine, National Health Action Party, got close to Hunt in 2017 but did not oust him unfortunately. His canvassing team was in overdrive.
I won’t forgive him for what he’s done to OUR NHS. An example from behind the back door – all the patients with cataracts here are being referred (in great number) to a private outfit called Optegra for their operations. The same consultants employed by Optegra work for the NHS in the local general hospital. Cannot find any info as to the cost of the contract that must have been awarded or its length.
Note that Optegra, who operate nationally, have ‘customers’ not ‘patients’.
https://www.optegra.com/
B I G Business as you see – https://www.optegra.com/news/new-optegra-managing-director-looks-forward-to-gre/
Swedish. American. Belgian. British. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10242080/officers
and at the same registered address, a multinational company, Eight Roads Services Ltd, under whose name multiple healthcare companies operate.
I have long believed the City is behind brexit, don’t let their crocodile tears over passporting financial services (a red herring) fool us.
They do not want to abide by the transparency rules coming into effect on 1st January 2020.
The only way was to veto (failed eventually) , cajole (can’t buy off all 27 countries) , destabilise (Macron was installed but they failed to get rid of mutti Merkel – game over) and if all else failed flounce out on WTO terms – it is not about chlorinated chicken or other GM nasties – it was only ever about the money.
However lovely the ME is – they are not yet ready to abandon their ancient City here, to return to that fearsome pit surrounded not by green hills and cool seas, but ancient enmities.
So they must concede – or walk the WTO walk – unfortunately they would have a double whammy as Corbyn is as solid as the ancient stone edificies and any election sees them losing the control they have enjoyed for most of their centuries in the City.
Hunt is lined up to take over from May, he has been the power behind the throne and the bankers choice to deliver the NHS . Bojo is a sideshow.
The gate keepers and damage limiters of the media and academia are forced to blow their cover as ‘reasonable’ ‘independent’ ‘liberal’ voices of the man on the street – to screech at the poor denizens that they must not peek behind the curtain … Peston you are not a mighty wizard.
The can of worms that was opened to win brexit and spilled the rotten deep state across our carpets and streets enters its final act.
If all that is hard to understand or explain to people, try this:
The ancient spirits have risen and fortified the grassroots to create and fortify heroes, to defeat Mamon and save Gaia.
Is that succinct and poetic enough? 😉
One for the ” oderator bot” – happy friday
A Jewish father was very troubled by the way his son turned out and went to see his rabbi about it.
“Rabbi, I brought him up in the faith, gave him a very expensive Bar Mitzvah and it cost me a fortune to educate him. Then he tells me last week, he’s decided to be a Christian. Rabbi, where did I go wrong?”
The rabbi strokes his beard and says, “Funny you should come to me. I too, brought up my son as a boy of faith, sent him to university and it cost me a fortune and then one day he comes to me and tells me he wants to be a Christian.”
“What did you do?” asked the man of the rabbi.
“I turned to God for the answer,” replied the rabbi.
“What did he say?” asked the man.
He said, “Funny you should come to me…”
EU27 “won’t comment” on the notion that SIS is spying on its negotiators. In other news, conspiracy theorists on the internet are spreading the theory that Jorge Bergoglio may in fact be Roman Catholic.
I don’t know any of the details with Alex Jones, but a contract involves parties agreeing to exchange goods or services or money or rights. A person who posts to Facebook doesn’t have any kind of a contract with Facebook. What you do for Facebook, you do for free. What they do “for” you, they can stop doing whenever they want. You no more have a “right” to post to Facebook as you have a “right” to walk about in Tesco’s. It doesn’t matter whether or not you scrupulously keep within their “acceptable usage policy” or not.
Bloody hell! Do some people think Facebook’s services are common land?
When before in human history has there been this scale of voluntary enclosure? People died resisting enclosures. People fought tooth and nail. Now hundreds and millions of people have willingly given up a lot of their social lives to these vile advertising and surveillance multinationals, for the sake of a few flashing lights on their shitty little screens. These morons who have chosen to rely on Facebook and Twitter are utter scabs. Don’t make me reach for my Jack London.
I’m reminded of 14-year-old gum-chewers who get asked to leave shopping centres. “That’s illegal”. No it’s not. It’s private land.
iv flipped back & forth on the issue, & regarding this very blog some time ago.
Good debate, though fuzzy. https://twitter.com/theintercept/status/1030184594954305536
My feeling is I do not really consider the net a space for communication. language itself being a very limited & subjective “interaction”, even in conversation i think it’s more a way of working out your own ideas. I feel community spaces need rebuilding (lowering the work week may be one step toward this, letting people build the sort of committees they want rather than everyone must have a house etc. ) & the internet should be a side channel..
I think it’s expected for journalists to think it’s some big issue for people to find out what’s going on, & I don’t think people who want are going to be stopped by FB. I went to democracy now site direct to find out about Egypt. The question is more what we do about it. And that’s more a question of real community organising imo, to be more effective.
Brexit may help bring people together, though hopefully not in the way the ruling classes want, and we can then smash the Bourgeoisie class rule that cause’s these issues, permanently.
ps, Does anyone believe Borris’s act? One of us. ..It does astound me how the English can be fooled over and over and over again.
I note, houses are a bit like cars. Isolating, inefficient & cause stress. Just a cash cow for the wealthy.
I had a dream about India last night, so different, They have thriving communities & basically live outdoors. All you need is a place to put your head down, the idea we should all have a permanent fixed residence is Thatcher (TINA) & a renting/property creating classes thing, to make money, and what cased the financial crash.
That’s why they hate the travellers. We are not free do do anything except what serves their interests. Even if it does screw the planet we all depend on.
And that’s why Thatcher quashed the Stonehenge Free (libre) Festival, and now festivals need miles and miles of temporary fencing and an approved security company in order to get a licence.
I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be private residences. People need privacy too. But even house-share renting has been legislated almost out of existence. The Right to Free Association was all but abolished by Thatcher.
Thanks.
Private property is anther matter, but yes, I’m not against people who want to live privately or have permanent residence. But It’s not like we are short of this lifestyles is it? I just want choice.
This just keep going from bad to worse for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. As Dame Margaret Hodge, has come out and said she felt like a J** in Nazi Germany with regards to Labour’s investigation.
“Dame Margaret Hodge has likened a Labour Party disciplinary investigation into her conduct to the persecution faced by Jews in Nazi Germany.”
Hodge added, “I felt fear, and a feeling as though they were coming for me. ”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/dame-margaret-hodge-compares-labour-investigation-to-treatment-of-jews-in-nazi-germany-a3913636.html
If Corbyn, is to survive this onslaught as Labour leader, he must take appeasing steps now, or face a possible split in the party.
Just plain wrong. Twitter has been having fun for hours now with Margaret Hodge, false equivalency puns (as well you know). I have very little time for Saint Jeremy, but the forces arrayed against him are arrogant, self entitled and know no self restraint. Let them destroy their edifice from the inside out and let the MSM cover their efforts with hyperbole. Hodge and her ilk are like Nehmar taking a dive, if they were capable of self analysis they would realise that their little act had long since been rumbled by the audience, but self analysis is beyond them.
ROS is the biggest promoter of MSM power on this site. Enthralled to everything they say.
He/she is like some person going into every home with that racist/xenophobic uncle and then running out saying look what old joe says. Like anyone cares and it really matters. & not only that, but that we should bend to their will.
Bourgeois reactionary.
“Like anyone cares and it really matters. & not only that, but that we should bend to their will.”
Good Afternoon Ishmael.
Not bend to their will Ishmael, but learn when to cut your losses. Politics is a game, of wit and will, it has been for centuries.Corbyn in my opinion, should appease his detractors by apologising, and move on.
Yes it is. Stop obfuscating.
& No it’s not a game.
Move on to where: having to put up with yet another smear campaign? The sooner those neocon Labour MPs pack their bags and move on the better.
“The sooner those neocon Labour MPs pack their bags and move on the better.”
MJ.
Wishful thinking on your part I’m afraid.
Corbyn has nothing to apologise for!
It was you who raised the possibility of “a split in the party”.
“It was you who raised the possibility of “a split in the party”.
MJ.
Actually MJ, I heard about a possible split on LBC, and I’d imagine so did the tens-of-thousands of other listeners to LBC.
@RoS,
The worst thing that JC could do is appease these rats and scum, and defenders of child abusers. He is a true and honest man unlike the majority in Westminster.
Anyoldlabour
Remember it’s not what it is, but its what it looks like that matters. Brexit being a prime example.
The anti-Semitism and the wreathgate stories will run and run, pushed mainly by the media and Corbyn’s political opponents. Corbyn may well be a decent and honest bloke.
However a quick apology in my opinion would negate somewhat the media, and Corbyn’s political adversaries, all in one foul swoop.
How many politicians and ministers for that matter have apologised for their misgivings (I’m not saying Corbyn has much to answer for on both charges) and carried on working at Westminster, many I think.
Vivan.
You must look at it from a larger perspective, if Corbyn refuses to concede, and does not apologise (even though he may have very little to apologise for). Then damage will not only be done to Corbyn’s credibility as a future PM, but the Labour party itself could remain out in the wilderness for years to come, or even split.
Look at it this way, he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.
BS. His vote share has gone UP as a result.
You endow these rags with credibility, bending over for them. & reduce yourself. keep that sort of thing for yourself.
You must remember that RoS doesn’t like Corbyn, because he accepts the Scottish referendum result.
“BS. His vote share has gone UP as a result.”
Ishmael.
So Labour and Corbyn are finally a couple of points ahead in the latest poll. They’re up against one of the worst Tory governments in living memory, a party like Labour fractured and at war with itself.
Yet Labour are at present nosing ahead, you’d have thought they’d be out of sight by now, but they’re not, one has to wonder why that is?
@Ishmael,
Well said!
@ Republicofscotland August 17, 2018 at 15:28
Labour are not ‘at war’ with each other, it is just a marginal though powerful and vocal group who oppose Corbyn in this anti-Se^itism smearing malarchy.
It is funny when political bias gets in the way of rational assessment. The last thing Republicofscotland wants of course is a more socially-minded government in Westminster because that undermines one of his main arguments for Scottish independence. So he’ll report uncritically one of the worst examples of New Labour calculated hyprocrisy to-date, and use it to present a poisoned chalice to Corbyn in the guise of friendly neutral advice.
Here’s a proper reaction to the pantomime Dame’s performance:
“Hodge is the first person who should be booted out of the Labour Party, for trivialising the memory of the N_zi holocaust & for making wretched, repulsive comparisons between herself & what J_ws endured during WWII”
https://twitter.com/robn1980/status/1030391110349336576
Firstly Dave the Labour branch office in Scotland is floundering badly behind the second placed Tories, even occasional jaunts north by Corbyn hasn’t had a positive impact for the branch manager a one Richard Leonard. So realisticallly Corbyn as PM, (the way he’s going it’s more wishful thinking than reality) wouldn’t be taken too seriously north of the border.
As for Corbyn’s predicament, accusations by the media, fellow politicians, British J**ish boards etc may not be completely founded, but sticking your head in the sand instead of apologising and adopting the IHRA in full, then moving on, isn’t helping Corbyns cause one little bit.
If Labour had handled the matter better, then Corbyn might be way out ahead in the polls but he’s hasn’t and Labour aren’t.
Agree, whole things built on the notion we are all premaritally stupid (& will have permanent Tory rule as a result) Vs “the Scottish” who are wise & look down on us from their mountain of political superiority.
Seeing JCs rise has been such a blow to the picture of politics painted for the last few decades. & Their whole romanic nationalist project is in tatters. & The idea they are colonised by us ? Ha, they were critical in OUR colonial projects. & now they want to split off from their own past, & make their “own” little corporate capitalist state.
RoS,
The adoption of the IHRA in full is not the final resolution. If adopted it will be the means to provide worse trouble for Corbyn and his supporters up to and including attempting to use it to remove Corbyn himself. So you are naively or disingenuously offering a poisoned chalice.
Corbyn could perhaps have done better – it’s hard to say given the constant flack from his own party machine – but apologising and adopting the IHRA in full is the worst of the two bad alternatives. Standing up to and kicking out people like Hodge and Mann for bringing the party into disrepute would be the better alternative.
We’ll see in due course if the opinion polls, which are favourable to Corbyn despite the Propaganda Blitz, actually underestimate the true picture.
“The adoption of the IHRA in full is not the final resolution. ”
Dave.
That might well be the case, but as Corbyn dithers on the matter. The Jewish Labour Movement, Labour’s only formally affiliated Jewish group, has warned that they could enter an unprecedented legal dispute with the party over its refusal to adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance.
The fracas surrounding this is doing political damage not only to Corbyn but to the Labour party as well. Some Labour folk just won’t accept the full IHRA, other believe Labour has already signed up to it.
The longer the matter remains unsolved the more precarious Corbyn’s position as leader could become.
https://labourlist.org/2018/07/why-wont-jeremy-corbyn-just-adopt-the-full-ihra-definition/
RoS,
If your assessment and advice is meant genuinely, then all I can add is you need to look again at how you arrived at your conclusions. This article, and the links in it, might be a good place to start.
Why calling I*rael an apartheid state or racist is not anti-Semitic
Dave.
I agree that Israel is an apartheid state, as I commented to Ishmael, as such further down the thread.
However I know, and can fully understand Corbyn’s life long position on the terrible plight of the Palestinian people.
But, and it’s a big but, Corbyn is putting the horse before the cart in my opinion. He’s damaging his chances of becoming PM, yes the IHRA, in full will restrict his ability to condem Israeli actions, something he’s done his entire life I’d imagine. However if he crosses the winning line, it might be with the aid of votes he wins back from those who at present are disillusioned by the party.
As PM he can still I imagine aid the Palestinian people in many other ways, besides criticising Israel.
The alternative could be losing the next GE, and being replaced as leader, is it really worth the gamble?
He who fights and runs away, gets savaged by Momentum. My d-in-law is a member of the Labour party. She is currently feeling distressed by the efforts of a small caucus of Momentum supporters in her local party to impose their candidate on the selection process for a new Parliamentary candidate. Frankly they don’t sound very democratic.
@ MaryPaul August 17, 2018 at 16:30
Do the local party favour a Bliarite?
No not not a Blairite, just a local (female) school teacher who happens to be a long term Labour supporter and local party member but the Momentum faction have their own preferred candidate
You can’t reach a happy compromise position with Hodge, she’s playing by AIPAC rules. The more subtle the criticism of her client, the more fervent her attack will be. Pour encourager les autres. There have been two attempts in the last year to criminalise BDS at a Federal level in America. Civil liberties legislation has defeated one attempt and is likely to defeat the second. At a state level (Virginia) they are trying to effectively criminalise any criticism of the recent Eurovision winners.
@Vivian,
you are totally correct, if the beast (AIPAC, Israili embassy London) detect a weakness/flaw, then they will move in for the kill.
Your last sentence sums up Kinnockism and Blairism up beautifully.
By the sounds of it you think accepting all the IHRA examples will lead to another successful Middle of the road Labour government.
No chance.
The Financial Crash 07/08 season put paid to any Middle of the road anything. It is THE reason for the political choice of austerity and the Brexit vote.
Chomsky quite rightly calls austerity ” Class War ” and Dame Hodge et al are supporting that war and do not want a Corbyn led government. Take away all the anti- semite rhetoric and that’s the root.
For Tories like yourself, a Corbyn government will be the start of the reversal of everything Thatcher did since 1979 and that scares the bejesus out of the chattering Upper Middle Classes as he might make them pay more tax.
The whole fault for the Brexit debacle lies squarely with the Tories and the idea of clinging to power at any cost.
The problem is that UKIP have bounced back a fair bit and being as the Tories out UKIPped UKIP for a while this is quite a blow.
The worse the Brexit negotiations go for May the more UKIP will grow.
I’m willing that on as they will take more votes off Tories than Labour.
TheTories have had a good run and as we know they have raised the aspiration bar so high that Junior Doctors and nurses are having to visit Food Banks.
By the way Corbyn won a libel case this week and he has donated the five figure sum to a Food bank in Mansfield.
You won’t read that in The Scotsman.
Excellent Viv may i quote you?
As far as I am aware all on this board is open source unless otherwise stated. I claim © on “The Porton Down poisoner”, but otherwise feel free.
Is the Porton Poisoner related to the Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town?
My dead horse and I’ll flog it if I wants to.
Fail.
JC is rock solid.
The splitters are going anyway – under their own steam or with a boot print of the local party members on their compromised arses.
Labour membership will pass a million.
The next election will see them win an overwhelming majority. (100-200)
That will set into motion the dominoe effect across all other rich countries as their citizens see that it is possible and finally the tyranny of money and power will come to an end. It is the only way if life on earth is to survive.
Surely most of us want that?
“That will set into motion the dominoe effect across all other rich countries as their citizens see that it is possible and finally the tyranny of money and power will come to an end. It is the only way if life on earth is to survive.”
Dungroanin.
I’m sorry Dungroanin, but the above paragraph is in my opinion pure fantasy.
I’d add that the rich have already won the battle against the masses, and the only real weapon left for them is to withhold their labour, and even that is slowly being replaced by machines.
Power and tyranny will always exist, alas it is in human nature, of some to seek out these things.
Syrizia. Podemos. 5 star. All actual and real grassroots movements.
The French revolutionary ressurgence is being primed. Just need a nudge.
Mexico has just done it. Rest of the Americas are ready to.
The spirit is willing. The body is hungry for it. It feels right. Only the conscious mind is confused by the fear of fear and defeatism that you preach. You are either one of the gatekeepers and damage limiters of the rich and powerful or at best one of their ‘useful idiots’ if you don’t embrace the change. Or just think you are one of them.
I’m expecting the tune to change from ‘no don’t listen to him’; ‘don’t look behind the curtain’ to channeling Col Jessup ‘we watch while you sleep you know nothings, you are not allowed to elect change’.
It is time.
“You are either one of the gatekeepers and damage limiters of the rich and powerful or at best one of their ‘useful idiots’ if you don’t embrace the change. Or just think you are one of them.”
Thank you Dungroanin, for pigeonholing me. However I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’m actually more of a realist.
No its not fantasy, Madge Hodge is seeing to it that Labour keeps its popular appeal.
to claim that it feels like the 1930 Jewish progrom in Germany when she has no personal experience, merely qouting heresay and the experience of others is bad form.
If Labour goes into a GE with a fudge policy on our future trade with Europe, without pledging a customs union, single market or full blown remain stance, many of his supporters will refuse to campaign for him.
Time to get going boar, stop reacting to Blairite sirens and rogue country leaders!
Start questioning Tory policies on the Nhs, HS2, the millions living in poverty, expensive nuclear power nobody can afford, fracking of our best beautyful asset landscapes, our bad foreign relations with Europe, China and off course Russia, our plans to support a war with Iran, etc.
Strawman – if you read it correctly you will see that ‘you’ means ‘one’. It is not meant to apply personally. That is against the rules. Sorry if that confused you – thats you, not one.
“Power and tyranny will always exist, alas it is in human nature, of some to seek out these things.”
The old blase complacent “human nature” argument. Well – if that’s true then there’s really no point. And since the rich have apparently already won anyway ….what the hell. Down we all go.
“Dame Margaret Hodge has likened a Labour Party disciplinary investigation into her conduct to the persecution faced by Jews in Nazi Germany.”
__________________________________________________________
Hodge has been roundly condemned for her grotesque comparison, not lest by fellow Jews:
https://skwawkbox.org/2018/08/17/jewish-people-respond-with-disgust-to-hodges-nazi-germany-comment/
https://evolvepolitics.com/margaret-hodge-faces-backlash-from-all-sides-after-comparing-labour-disciplinary-to-nazi-germany/
What I’m picking up is that Labour members are now extremely angry with the unrelenting efforts of the Israel lobby and Blairites to simultaneously skewer Corbyn and cripple the Palestine solidarity movement.
There is going to be a serious confrontation at the Labour Party conference.
@ Republicofscotland August 17, 2018 at 14:18
yet again Hodge oversteps the line, but this time she is getting stick from left, right and centre. She’d do well in Crossroads or East Enders, but her antics are not MP material.
She probably felt the same being confronted by female social workers and journalists concerning child abuse in Islington when she was leader of the Council.
They were certainly coming to get her then, so she ordered hundreds of incriminating files shredded.
If anyone should have felt like a Jew in nazi Germany, it was Jason Swift…..
So the US is to create an Iranian action group, to change the behaviour of the Iranian regime.
I wonder if Mike Pompeo, who heads up the group up realises that years of sanctions and threats from the Great Satan (consecutive US administrations) has only further deepened the average Iranian’s opinion of the US, and it’s one of mistrust and suspicion.
I suppose this new group, is infact loaded with disgruntled Iranian’s, hoping to convert more Iranians into overthrowing the current regime again.
https://www.rt.com/usa/436153-pompeo-iran-action-group/
Norman Finkelstein’s rebuttal of Hodge’s insane rant.
https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1030376764172853248
Powerful stuff.
Thank you.
Perspective.
Thank god there are still people like him in this backwards arse world. Hodge is as cynical and unscrupulous a human being as even the Labour right has ever produced.
Regarding the van that was following Salih Khater, David Videcette, a former officer in the Met who sometimes claims he had an anti-terrorist role (which he may have done), says
“The consensus between those of us who are ex-Police, is that this is likely an unmarked police vehicle, who spotted the Fiesta acting strangely before it rammed the barrier.”
What the video shows with certainty is that Khater was followed. It does NOT show
* that the van was manned by police;
* that the occupant or occupants of the van, whoever they were, were most concerned with preventing a terror attack;
* that the van’s movements are explained by its occupant or occupants having “spotted” something about Khater’s vehicle’s movements, or that Khater’s vehicle had acted strangely before the van first changed lanes. (The van’s second lane change did come after Khater had driven into the cyclists’ area, but I am talking about the van’s first lane change.)
Videcette may be doing a kind of “Peter Power 7/7” job.
Tory boy Paul Staines, who uses the name “Guido Fawkes”, is also on this case.
One key question (OK this is obvious, so obvious that Staines asks it too) is who was in the van. The possibilities include
1) British security (could have been police, MI5, or some other agency) actually doing genuine security. (questions then include a) when did they start following Khater? and b) why are the police saying they weren’t following him?);
2) British operatives involved in a false flag;
3) a person or persons in an attack team with which there was no cooperation with any British agency (or at least in the hostile team, if it was a reconnaissance that turned into an attack, which I doubt, but it is possible)
4) none of the above, i.e. a person or persons not cooperating either with any British agency or, if such existed, with a non-British-connected attacker or attack team.
If this was a single “have a go” “member of the public” “in a white van”, “Millwall supporter”, why doesn’t he give an interview? Answer: because what the van was really about wasn’t anything similar to this. The van is a very interesting part of this story, and I suspect the BBC didn’t know what they were doing when they put out that video clip.
ROS (who uses this blog as his/her own permanent personal fuzzy idealogical campaign)
“Yet Labour are at present nosing ahead, you’d have thought they’d be out of sight by now, but they’re not, one has to wonder why that is?”
Wrong question, the question is what effect do we have, i’d suggest these underhand put downs for personal political ends does not really require me to engage with your narrative framework at all.
He’s doing incredibly well all things (including yourself) considered.
“He” ..Correction
His team and all those behind the movement.
“He’s doing incredibly well all things (including yourself) considered.”
Perhaps Ishmael, the real reason that Labour, a party split and in turmoil, are nosing ahead, is not because Labour are doing incredibly well. But because the Tories are incredibly bad, that seems a more feasible explanation.
Wouldn’t you agree?
No.
As Ishmael says, no. With the entire establishment, including the parliamentary Labour party (including the parrty’s deputy leader), ranged against Corbyn, Labour’s lead in the polls is a minor miracle. I’ve said elsewhere the majority of Brits want what Corbyn is offering. Problem is the establishment and their cronies are making damn sure most people don’t know what he is offering. Congrats for your tiny part in that.
“I’ve said elsewhere the majority of Brits want what Corbyn is offering. ”
MattR?
Do they really? Lets face it Labour in Wales aren’t exactly setting the heather alight are they?
And in Scotland Corbyn’s at best, is seen as mediocre. I doubt the anti-Semitism and wreath laying fiasco’s has strengthened his cause.
Everybody with a brain knows those are dishonest Tory, NuLab, Israeli smears of one of the only honest politicians in the country. Have you read Craig’s blog that you are posting those smears under?
“Have you read Craig’s blog that you are posting those smears under?”
Smear? Iain, are you inferring that I’m smearing Corbyn? Rather than giving an opinion.
As for the establishment and the media smearing Corbyn, yes I think we’re all aware of that, it’s par for the course in politics. However Corbyn hasn’t handled the situation too well. Honesty amd integrity are admirable traits, that Corbyn probably possesses, but you don’t become PM without being at least a bit savvy.
“I doubt the anti-Semitism has strengthened his cause”
The majority of Brits I know wouldn’t touch Corbyn with someone else’s bargepole and that includes the fairly rabid left-wing ones too.
@ Goodwin August 17, 2018 at 20:13
What strange company you must keep!
You seem to love the Torys RoS, whyelse would you fail to mention that their split is more fragmenting, that it is erroding tje fabric of Government, macerating civil service morale and stifling the future of us all.
So sorry that nobody in the SNP will hand you another referendum on a plate soon, youll have to get of your backside like Brian, and get it for yourself..
“To say Israel is a racist state is not a political right, it is a moral obligation.
Labour’s obligation to peace between Israel and Palestine starts by rejecting the IHRA examples. Me for @novaramedia “-
https://twitter.com/AaronBastani/status/1030416988617814016
“How many other countries do you question their right to exist?”
https://twitter.com/RobertW56591655/status/1030475783666642944
Personally, All of them.
Ridiculous things.
“Labour’s obligation to peace between Israel and Palestine ”
Ishmael.
Although I admire Corbyn’s stance on Israel an apartheid state. Labour’s obligation should be first and foremost to the people of Britain, and at the very least to put forward policies to mitigate the oncoming disasterous Brexit. Of which Corbyn remained tacit for a very long time.
They’ll be plenty of time to aid the folk of Gaza and the Westbank, when Corbyn becomes PM. However being popular enough to become PM in the first place, surely must be Corbyn’s goal.
https://mobile.twitter.com/britainelects?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5E699320055859974149&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwingsoverscotland.com%2Fthe-helter-skelter%2F
” I admire Corbyn’s stance on Israel an apartheid state” .. but spend my days posting that it makes him an antisemite.
Again Iain, could you kindly point out to me where I’ve said that Corbyn is anti-Semitic? Thank you.
I have read through these comments and you are somebody who has repeatedly linked to every fresh enunciation of that smear. If you are not a paid Israeli troll, please explain why you have done that.
Well Iain, I find the whole saga interesting, as I’m sure many other do. I recall linking to Boris Johnson articles, which portrayed him in a less than favourable light. Does that make me a Hamas troll as well as an Israeli one?
No reason he can’t do both.
Have you seen the myriad of policy’s for the UK? You should get on board the train. Maybe quit your fetish & post under another…., less abstract Pseudonym .
@ Republicofscotland August 17, 2018 at 16:50
‘…Although I admire Corbyn’s stance on Israel an apartheid state. Labour’s obligation should be first and foremost to the people of Britain…’
You comment as though he went to Tunis yesterday. He went in 2014, before he became leader of the Labour Party.
I believe one newspaper even dredged back 30 years to try to get some smeary material on Corbyn.
I’m late to the discussion as I’ve only just stumbled across Margaret Hodge on telly comparing her situation to Jews in 30’s Germany. My jaw hit the floor. Just relieved there are some sane people here sharing my disgusted shock. I haven’t had time to read the whole discussion, but I see a troll is suggesting Corbyn apologises and moves on. Rather like a torturer encouraging a victim: “It doesn’t matter whether you did it, just confess and you’ll feel much better.”
I reckon 75% of the population broadly want want Corbyn is offering, so the establishment and its cronies are making complete arses of themselves in their desperate attempts to descredit him. Given Hodge’s good work on the Public Accounts Committee, I’m very sad to see her reveal her true colours. Of course I should have known given Private Eye’s revelations about her family’s tax affairs.
As I typed that last sentence I realised it could be construed by an agent provocateur as anti-semitic. Let me be clear – I believe wickedness is equally prevelant in all colours and creeds. There are only humans – good, bad and an infinite number of shades of grey. We all know where Corbyn sits on the contiuum compared to, say, Blair. Those amongst us trying to discredit Jezzer should contemplate their own location.
“I reckon 75% of the population broadly want want Corbyn is offering,”
MattR.
A credible link would be nice, or is it just an opinion.
I would hazard a substance induced opinion or blissful naivety.
” I haven’t had time to read the whole discussion, but I see a troll is suggesting Corbyn apologises and moves on. ”
I take it you’re referring to me MattR, so an alternative opinion on another possible approach open to Corbyn, is now in your eyes trolling.
You lambast those who oppose Corbyn, by claiming injustice, yet anyone offering up a view on the matter that you don’t like is met with disdain. A Tory trait I might add, shutdown opinion.
RoS, this clip offers an insight into how Corbyn’s opposition to the Tories is perceived by some. I know it’s not wholly representative but makes light of a serious situation…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=svwslRDTyzU
Ha, ha JOML, I’ve seen that one before, however it still makes me laugh. Thank you. ?
@ Republicofscotland August 17, 2018 at 17:28
Why should Corbyn apologise for attending a Peace Conference, and then attending a wreath-laying ceremony to honour those killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tunis?
The cemetery was in Tunisia, and the perpetrators of the Munich massacre were all buried in Libya – so we have either ignorance or deliberate falsification, including by Netanyahu.
And Netanyahu has the nerve to castigate Corbyn for being at a wreath-laying ceremony to Israeli air-strike victims, when he has just orchestrated the killing of nearly 200 unarmed protesters and the horrific wounding with illegal dum-dum type bullets of thousands more, including youths, children and babies?
RoS hardly qualifies as a troll. He has an unconventional stance on Corbyn’s best strategy dealing with the snakes that are out to get him, but RoS makes much sense on much else.
Thank you Vivian.
I should add that posting unconvential or non-glowing reports on Jeremy Corbyn in here, is met with a barrage of don’t you dare say anything untoward about our Jeremy.
Defensiveness outstrips logic.
If 75% of people want what Corbyn is offering then how come at the last election there was a turnout of 68.7% and out of that 68.7% only 40% voted for Labour. This means that only around 27.5% of the total electorate voted Labour.
Is your argument that something over 47% of the enfranchised population are either too lazy or too stupid to actually vote for what they want.
Whilst wickedness may well be equally prevalent in all colors and creeds – the mode of manifestation most definitely isn’t. Just check out serial killers and you will find that male Caucasians are massively over represented. Asians, Africans, and women do not go in for serial killing on anywhere near the scale observed in male Caucasians.
According to some percentages bandied about on LHC by a stand-in host, he was shocked that a yougov poll found only 20% of the UK voting public were interested and actively following the “Corbyn is mad & bad” propaganda.
Many people were phoning up to explain how they had recently signed-up to join the Lab party as about the only antidote to the pernicious attack on our shamocracy , plought by all media everywhere.
The host was almost dumbstruck. A few ‘regional voiced’ Mi5 types tried vainly to phone-in and control the narrative, but seems yesterdays zeitgeist has flown.
JC is not my choice, but he might just make it.
For Large Hadron Collider (LHC) it’s obviously London Broadcasting Corp (LBC), probably
@ Loony August 17, 2018 at 18:14
All the more reason male Caucasians should be drowned at birth (the non-Caucasian members of the CIA could use them to teach waterboarding).
‘Ex Mi5 Agent Annie Machon – Princess Diana Was Assassinated Because She Was About To Take On I^rael’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eSbhFrU5DA
I hadn’t heard that before – another extremely compelling reason some people wanted her dead.
Do you understand what the words “extremely compelling reason” means?
It does not mean “evidence free theory with obvious logical inconsistencies”
Why would someone powerful enough to assassinate Princess Diana not also be powerful enough to assassinate a person almost no-one has ever heard of but nonetheless purports to be a whistle blower setting out the scope of the evil perpetrated?
Loony,
Why should anyone “powerful enough to assassinate Princess Diana” want to “assassinate a person almost no-one has ever heard of”?
You normally make sense for an American,
Are you O.K.?
Tony
Paul Barbara,
Very interesting. I hadn’t seen that before either. I was gutted when Princess Diana was murdered. She used to go to the gym right opposite to where I worked, and also used to take her kids to the English National Ballet on The South Bank, and sit in the stalls wth my wife and kids.
I once very nearly met Annie Machon at a music festival, but I turned up late at the *redacted* tent, cos I was watching a band. David Shayler, had just lost the plot. He was due to turn up too, but I got the distinct impression from the guy running the meeting, that he had been spiked, though it could just have been a nervous breakdown due to the stress. I hope he has recovered. Both of them were exceedingly brave as is Annie Machon to this day.
Tony
Agree, Princess Diana was (even considering her formal position) a prominent progressive figure. Put’s the lot of the royal family in the shade….still, …& where she still lives.
@ Tony_0pmoc August 17, 2018 at 18:39
David Shayler went heavily into drugs, and may well have been ‘spiked’. I haven’t seen him for a while, but he is still around.
Annie lives in Europe, but often gives talks in the East End of London.
I used to see them both regularly around 2004/5 at 911 meetings.
Paul.
Does anyone really care about the unfortunate fate of Diana? She was afterall part of the royal family, who’ve lived of the backs of the taxpayer for generations, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Typical.
Im happy looking back, that such means put her in the prominant position she was.
I think we should just start booing your posts. Save typing much.
“Agree, Princess Diana was (even considering her formal position) a prominent progressive figure. ”
So donning a safety helmet and wearing a bomb proof vest in front of the press, to gain maximum exposure, and probably sympathy, is progressive? Hmmm. I’m pretty sure Diana, on marrying into the royal family, being privileged herself, knew exactly what she was getting into.
Grrr.
…Yes, and a hell of a lot more than that she did throughout her career. And planned to do, of which she surely knew what she was getting into, which makes your post even more offensive.
Why not go talk to your anonymous no soul mate.
So now it’s offensive to criticise a now deceased and once cosseted member of the royal family.
Lets see, so far Jeremy Corbyn and Saint Diana, are off limits when it comes to mild criticism. I wonder who else is intemerata in your eyes.
RoS, I blame her split up parents. They certainly knew what their daughter was getting into, particularly her father, while I feel she was just a child when she married – with her body just being a carcass to deliver Charles a child or two.
When she grew up, the trouble for the establishment started, as she tried to break free from the betrayal of her parents and the evil that is the establishment and the royal family.
Just my opinion… and I hope peoples’ fondness for Diana is another step towards a republic.
Republicofscotland,
I have to admit, that from a young age, I found it very hard to understand, the massive affection from not just the vast majority of The British public, but also much of the World towards the Royal Family.
I first became really aware of it, with the death of The Queen Mother, who is one Royal, who I have actually seen and who acknowledged us.
I think the real reason, goes back over 1,000 years, when the Kings and Queens had real power.
Us peasants, compared the politicians and the religious priests to Royalty
The Royalty, though they fcked us over too, did so with grace, and usually played fair. they valued the peasants, cos we grew their food. We were actually of some value to them, so they treated us with some respect, which is more than I can say for the priests and the politicians.
Princess Diana, was something else though. She mixed with us, was one of us, and was emotional, beautiful and really nice. Personally, I think what did her over was the landmine photo shoot. the CIA, and the neocons plans were well advanced. She was a major problem in the way.
She really was The Queen of Hearts.
I went to her home just after she had died.
I have never, experienced such a mass feeling of grief in my life, nor seen so many flowers, that went for miles not just around her home, but all over London and much of the World.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Death+of+Princess+Diana+Flowers&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CRelMy7P-u8mIjiRaT8zUMlfSYh1OJNq55QydG9WiOyWmnIQrIoJnyGcFUnA0gtNr734gpAQCBcLS2WYbPWQORUyKioSCZFpPzNQyV9JEV0sEWO5mY4_1KhIJiHU4k2rnlDIR4HUC2wO765kqEgl0b1aI7JaachFzlQ0vKzFY-yoSCRCsigmfIZwVEYuDORfgxO7zKhIJScDSC02vvfgRBYG53IUoFAwqEgmCkBAIFwtLZRHH8LCUwD4aKSoSCZhs9ZA5FTIqEQUs_1iEJPPnD&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3iMup3_TcAhUBxxoKHesDA1EQ9C96BAgBEBg&biw=1536&bih=726&dpr=1.25
I didn’t know at the time, I just accepted it as an accident.
About 5 years later, a friend of mine, who had been a journalist and had some very good contacts, told me, how it was done. What he told me conforms with the evidence, I have since found by independent research.
Lots of people know the truth, including The Jury.
The verdict “Unlawful Killing” was totaly misreported by The BBC and All The Media.
She was Deliberately Murdered.
Tony
@ Republicofscotland August 17, 2018 at 19:24
Yes, the majority of the British public had great love and respect for Princess Di, and I certainly did.
She was doing things for people, especially campaigning against mines, unlike most of the others in the ‘Family’.
It was because of her campaigns, and also because of who she was going to marry, that she was assassinated.
She was no longer ‘living off the backs of the taxpayers’, but supported by her very rich husband-to-be.
John Morgan wrote a series of about eight books on the death of Princess Diana. I haven’t read them all, but I recommend:
‘How They Murdered Princess Diana: The Shocking Truth’ by John Morgan.
He died in 2015. RIP.
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/John_Morgan
And all the children/disabled charities she supported. And she meant it, it was no PR stunt like most politicians etc do noways.
How anyone can not respect that person. Something is missing in them. But the people saw it & loved her. But to the high ups? I guess they can’t see what they don’t have, they will never get it and it’s no shock me they didn’t understand…
“And she meant it, it was no PR stunt like most politicians etc do noways.”
On the contrary, in my opinion it was a very ogranised campaign headed up by Princess Diana. Once the allure of being married to the future king of Britain, had faded, and she realised that Prince Charles no longer loved her, (replaced by long time love interest Camilla Parker-Bowles).
Princess Diana set about building a endearing public persona. One which would curry public favour, and allow her to exit the calculating royal family. She achieved that particular goal tears and all.
@ Ishmael August 17, 2018 at 20:38
‘Unlawfull Killing – Princess Diana Murder’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2fAwemN97U
This was banned in the UK for a long while – catch it while it’s available.
August 18, 2018 at 02:21
Well to put in a stir on this pot – a bit of research reveals this titbit from the Mail of all royalists :
“. there are good genetic reasons for the survival of the British Royal Family – namely their good mixture of Irish and Jewish stock. Queen Victoria inherited the physical strength and political deviousness of her real father, the Irish Sir John Conroy, and Prince Albert inherited the cleverness of the Baron von Mayern. ”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1158993/Were-Queen-Victoria-Prince-Albert-illegitimate.html
Now if we are putting the Israelis in the frame how about them Irish?
I don’t know if anyone has ascertained of Ms Machon if she was being wholly serious. It is interesting? if not just weird, or made up to divert attention from the clusterfuck that is the AS attack on JC – a bit of an own goal akin to Dementia Tax.
It’s becoming clearer that ‘politics’ is really just a passenger on a feelings zeitgeist that is both inevitable and uncontrollable. As someone who doesn’t believe in ‘free will’ (like a christian – omnipotent god) it isn’t such a surprise. nevertheless it’s hollow gut impotence like watching a car crash is frightening. As is the repetition of polarization, perceived and real impoverishment and re-inventing never existed kinships. The plague affects even the best kept homes.
https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/hans-georg-betz/everything-that-is-wrong-is-fault-of-68-regaining-cultural-hegemony-by-trashing-left
Laughing in our faces, cont’d
Arms salesman’ daughter to wed in Windsor.
Princess Eugenie’s wedding: Huge bill for taxpayers to guard ninth in line to throne revealed
EXCLUSIVE: Eugenie, 28, who carries out no royal duties, has nevertheless chosen to marry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle where Prince Harry wed Meghan in May
Taxpayers will pick up a £2million security bill for Eugenie’s wedding.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/princess-eugenies-wedding-taxpayers-fork-13091797
The little dear wants a carriage procession like Meghan’s.
Recently seen in sunglasses resembling welder’s goggles. Designer specs not your ordinary Specsavers.
Ah, where are the empresses of yesteryear
@charming
Elisabeth of Austria(Sisi),who was asassinated in Geneva in the late 1890s was very similar to Diana, although killed later in life,
in feeling stiffled by court protocol and wanting to lead her own life.Her death and the Mayerling affair took much of the glamour from Franz-Joseph’s court,(which then sneered at Franz Ferninand’s Czech wife, leading to their joint visit to Sarajevo and the Great War that is ‘niemals vorbei’).
More happily Putin will be a guest at the wedding this weekend of Kneissel, Austria’s EU-hostile Foreign Minister. Vlad has the charm of the old Austria well worked out andmay even play the piano.Just maybe once again “Thou oh HappyAustria marries while other nations make war”
and anyway, the squadies are paid anyway and better standing around in the park than doing unpleasant things elsewhere no?
Those are thomas browne sunglasses, minimum £1000 per pair, and as much as £5000 depending on the exact model.
She can pay for her own wedding.
On Margaret Hodge
https://mobile.twitter.com/SandraKavanagh/status/1030214972675186689
and Norman Finkelstein addresses her
https://mobile.twitter.com/EL4JC/status/1030376764172853248/video/1
So I had a Question: I saw this blue pill production on youtube by the beeb:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06hnyz7
Any thoughts? It’s obviously nonsense, as they say it is.
Trump’s a curious character.
I was just fed up with all the rubbish on this side of the pond.
Sorry YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ac9wj2ZVRM&t=18s
That’s rich coming from the BBC – this would be the same BBC that produced and broadcast this obituary to Jimmy Savile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPg9SgO9F34
Savile was a long time BBC employee and one of the UK’s most prolific predatory sex offenders.
The BBC must be one of the most nefarious and mendacious organizations in existence anywhere on planet earth.
Yes, it’s rich. I’ve never had a licence and never will. Legally of course, Used to have great fun with the TVLA. As an aside, my maternal grandmother was a good friend of JS apparently. I have family photos. My mum hated her mother.
@ Nick August 17, 2018 at 18:03
What is it you consider nonsense, exactly?
Paul -don’t get me wrong, it was what they were telling me to think. I didn’t see a fact or argument in there.
Better Q for theTrumpistas than the Scofield Bible with its redemtionism and justifiation of the gathering together for the last days..The BBC story seems like the anti-conspiracy series they ran a few years back , explaining their premature collapse
announcement,etc. and tyinghemselvesin more knots.
Certainly Q is an insider’s game.
Clark,
I am literally amazed, at what you attempted to do earlier today. If I had done anything like that whilst employed, I would quite deservedly have been fired. Great photo, though its probably not him. You’re a good looking bloke too.
Are you O.K.?
Tony
The old hypocrite when she acted like the Inquisitor General towards others in the chairmanship of the PAC.
Labour’s Margaret Hodge accused of hypocrisy over tax affairs
Former head of public accounts committee and a critic of avoidance received shares in family company
April 29, 2015
A prominent Labour politician and a fierce critic of tax avoidance has been accused of hypocrisy after receiving shares in a family company from a foundation based in a tax haven. Margaret Hodge, former head of Britain’s parliamentary public accounts committee, was among the beneficiaries in 2011 of the winding-up of a Liechtenstein foundation that held shares in Stemcor, the private steel-trading business set up by Hans Oppenheimer, her father.
he shares were brought onshore using a scheme, known as the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility, that offered reduced penalties and no risk of prosecution for Britons moving undeclared assets back to the UK.Ms Hodge said she had not been a beneficiary of the Liechtenstein foundation until the shares were brought onshore using the LDF in 2011, and that she had not played a role in setting up or running it.
/..
https://www.ft.com/content/4d9e16b4-ee3d-11e4-98f9-00144feab7de
“Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive”.
https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/UN-Authorities-Should-Allow-Lula-to-Participate-in-Brazilian-Elections-Respect-Political-Rights-20180817-0002.html?utm_source=planisys&utm_medium=NewsletterIngles&utm_campaign=NewsletterIngles&utm_content=11
“We want to be your partner, especially if trouble looms,” Mattis told students and others in attendance.
“Our native languages may be different, but four decades of military service have persuaded me that the profession of arms has a language of its own and a way of turning strangers into the family … I want any adversary to know that they are better off to deal with our secretary of state and our diplomats. They do not want to deal with my soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and me.” THREAT
Shortly after visiting Lula at Curitiba’s Federal Police Station, Brazil’s former Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim, said Lula is outraged by Temer’s submission to the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
“The times when a U.S. representative came to (Brazil) to give orders had passed, but now they are returning. The former president is outraged be the handing over of our sovereignty, which threatens Petrobras and public banks,” Amorim said.
@ kronstadt August 17, 2018 at 18:56
‘Telesur page takedown: Facebook becoming ‘US govt’s censorship vehicle’:
https://www.rt.com/news/435961-telesur-facebook-ban-us-censorship/
‘…The decision by Facebook to delete left-leaning Latin American news network Telesur’s English language page with no explanation has only added to concerns over censorship and US government interference on the platform.
Having been deleted on Facebook earlier this year, Telesur had been “even more careful” with its posts and broke “absolutely none” of Facebook’s terms, former director of Telesur, Pablo Vivanco, told RT.
Vivanco believes there is no justification for the social media giant to have removed the page once again, stressing that on Telesur, there was “always a process to ensure accuracy and journalistic ethics.”
While Facebook admitted that it was a mistake the last time it took down Telesur’s page, there are fears the incidents are links in a chain of tightening government censorship of dissenting voices.
Speaking to RT, James Petras, Professor Emeritus at Binghamton University and an expert on Latin America said that the US government — which did not recognize the recent re-election of president Nicolás Maduro as legitimate and has placed fresh economic sanctions on the country — is engaged in “an attempt to overthrow the [Venezuelan] government” and that targeting uncooperative media was one way in which they were doing it.
Washington, Petras said, is using social media platforms like Facebook to “isolate” the country and Facebook is willingly trying to “ingratiate” itself with US authorities. “The US is at war now with Iran, Russia, China, the EU and Venezuela and any dissident voices, so as the authoritarian position of the US increases, Facebook and other media are under increasing pressure to abide by the line that comes out of Washington,” Petras said.’
First they came for Alex Jones……
‘THE SAKER: “IRAN’S REPLY: NO WAR AND NO NEGOTIATIONS”:
https://southfront.org/the-saker-irans-reply-no-war-and-no-negotiations/
‘…In the immortal words of Michael Ledeen, “Every ten years or so, the United States needs to pick up some small crappy little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean business“….’
Typicall ‘Protection Racket’ mobster MO, straight out of Al Capone’s ‘Little Green Book’.
How dare you blacken the name of Al Capone with such anti-gangsteristic filth? He was guilty of nothing but tax evasion I must remind you. Margaret Hodge will be having another fit of the vapours.
Interestingly one of Al Capone’s sons, changed his name, moved to Nebraska, and became a Prohibition agent.
I’m pretty sure Al Capone was guilty of far more than tax evasion, they just couldn’t prove it.
America appears to be testing every rule of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War unlike China. Maybe nukes and a will to Armageddon like some drunken burnt out actor override the script and resort to method acting out a suicide.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu
“84 anti-racist and BAME community organisations have signed a letter against Labour adopting full IHRA.
Mainstream outlets won’t cover this – unless you all make it impossible for them not to #PalestineSpeakUp”-
https://mobile.twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1030485511134236672
that’s kicked up some dust, tee hee
@ Ishmael August 17, 2018 at 20:02
Dennis Skinner weighs in in support of Jeremy Corbyn, with a fact check:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156662262973829&set=a.119389178828&type=3&theater
“Mainstream outlets won’t cover this ”
Really? I think though, it’s much broader than just the plight of the Palestinian people respectively.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/letters-ihra-definition-palestine-israel-bame-sexism-labour-denmark-a8496251.html
Surrey County Council have been wrecking the county’s fire service – reducing the number of firefighters, closing fire stations, reducing the number of appliances, outsourcing the river rescue service, sacking the Chief Fire Officer and so on.
Now they are cutting down any dissent.
BANNED from having official social media pages
Surrey County Council is banning its fire stations from running their own official Facebook and Twitter pages
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/freedom-speech-removed-surrey-fire-15041850
That awful jargon ‘moving forward’ included.
Firefighters across Surrey have been gagged as the council has decided to close all of their social media pages for individual fire stations.
‘The ban will come into force on Tuesday (August 21) because Surrey County Council (SCC) , which is the local fire authority, said it feels “this is the most appropriate policy moving forward”.
The council said it was “aware of a number of unofficial social media sites” which it does not have access to and provided some strict guidance for how these should operate.
A letter sent on Thursday (August 16) described how fire stations should stick to a social media policy which “prohibits the use of the SFRS logo, operational photos and other images such as fire stations and equipment”.’
The weediest of 81 councillors (69 are Tory!) on Surrey County Council are treating the bravest of men and women who save lives and protect property like dirt.
‘Surrey’s chief fire officer has been removed from his post after resisting further budget cuts to the service, claims the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).
Russell Pearson was honoured for his “dedicated” service to the emergency services and the public in the New Year Honours this year.
However, just seven months later the FBU says he has been “ousted” from his position as a punishment for his warnings that a further reduction in funding would leave Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) unable to protect the public.
His apparent departure follows repeated concerns raised by the service and its firefighters, who fear further budget cuts could “decimate” frontline response and ultimately put lives at risk.
Mr Pearson joined SFRS in 1992 and has served as the county’s chief fire officer since 2007.’
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/chief-fire-officer-surrey-ousted-14934739
ROS You should have seen my twitter feed, i constantly criticised JC. But i don’t let my own agenda overstep the mark. And iv explained why i disagree with your critic of Diane & find your remarks on her offensive..
I could not care less about your childish reaction to me.
“Once the allure of”
You know there is a theory we see in others (when ascribing negative aspects) what we won’t see in ourselves.
A tai chi “instructor” thought me this. He said what ever fault or issue you see in others form, that’s what you need to work on.
It’s a fukcing hard lesson at times.
“You know there is a theory we see in others”
All very Freudesque Ishmael, Christian Huygens, was probably the first person to put forward the Wave Theory of Light.
However some of your comments, directed towards me Ishmael, have given off more heat than light I’m afraid.
#NormanFinkelstein indicates: by what right do unelected Jewish Elite Organisations have to impose policy on our elected Labour Party, especially when only 15% of Jews support Labour; large majority of Jews vote Tory. Their goal is to get rid of Corbyn.
#MOATS
#PalestineSpeakUp
https://mobile.twitter.com/55krissi55/status/1030537828680253440
btw, It’s no wonder we see push back from ROS on this is it.
“btw, It’s no wonder we see push back from ROS on this is it.”
Ishmael.
I’m not the one with an agenda, you are.
lol.
Come on ROS, I don’t think I’m ascribing anything. It’s clear as day. Every post you make “Republicofscotland”.
Ishmael.
So its “as clear as day” what I’m doing, but you’re the one with an agenda. All very interesting indeed.
The same could be said of unelected Muslim Elite organisations demanding changes in public policy when Muslims make up what 10-12% of the British population? Or indeed the Scots voting in Parliament on issues which only affect England. In fact of course in some constituencies, a minority group’s vote will affect the final result. And with the political parties support so finally balanced, politicians then seek concessions for these groups to win their votes. Then identity politics come into play and can end up with policy being dictated by a variety of vociferous but minority voice. The danger is then of a backlash from the silent and therefore ignored white working classes, as happened with the rise of Trump in the USA and over here Farage and the Brexit movement.
Came across this today. We were discussing Welby the other day.
Justin Welby’s globetrotting adventures spark spook speculation
New archbishop of Canterbury has travelled to Iraq, Nigeria and Ceausescu’s Romania, but Lambeth Palace denies MI6 link
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/21/justin-welby-spook-speculation
I know about the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, Canon White. Second branch of the US military in Iraq and funded by the US. A friend met him on a flight to Israel and he revealed all. Bush is an Episcopalian. White is apparently a sufferer of MS but I see he was still going until recently (below). Very spooky the lot of them.
Vicar of Baghdad Canon Andrew White defiant after Met Police drops investigation
6 Jun 2018
The Metropolitan Police has dropped an investigation in a British clergyman – known as the Vicar of Baghdad – who was accused of sending money to Islamic State extremists.
https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Vicar-of-Baghdad-Canon-Andrew-White-defiant-after-Met-Police-drops-investigation
He and Welby came from the so called Centre for Reconciliation etc in Coventry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Centre_for_Reconciliation
Who knows what is carried on under other names?
Felicity Arbuthnot knows almost of what went on in Iraq. She knows the country and its history very well and loves the people.
‘Troops then moved in to the nation’s palaces, painted murals of missiles raining down on the walls – and subsequently held Christian Baptism ceremonies in the swimming pools, having brought in an “Alpha” Christian indoctrination course, enthusiastically run and embraced by the self- appointed “Vicar of Baghdad”, Canon Andrew White (iii,iv) who also came in with the tanks.
White’s party piece for visiting journalists is to present them with a copy of one of his books and comment that he is signing it with the pen he lent Prime Minister Maliki to put his signature to Saddam Hussein’s death warrant. History does not relate how a man of the cloth became involved in this ghastly act.
Dismiss any doubts about it not really being a “Crusade” and that being another George W. Bush “miss-speak.”
By 1st May, to declare: Mission accomplished”, George W. Bush landed on USS Abraham Lincoln in a little flying suit, his manhood apparently encased in lead. Seldom “in the field of human conflict”, has a Commander in Chief looked such a prat. (Apologies to Winston Churchill.)
The episode, did, however, perhaps encapsulate the gargantuan, tragic, fantasy-land concept of the whole illegal, ill conceived Iraq invasion, the venture of a very “New World”, in to the “Cradle of Civilization” and, as Petra, it’s archeologically ancient cities: “half as old as time.” ‘
https://williambowles.info/2012/04/23/9th-april-iraq-massacre-of-a-country-by-felicity-arbuthnot/
Very well said!
Hey hey hey here comes the BBC with stunning revelations about Didsbury Mosque
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44729727
The dateline on this BBC report is August 16 2018 and has probably been written by highly educated people and been through a number of editorial and legal reviews.
Here is the view of a well known racist discussing Didsbury Mosque on a video dated June 7 2017 – over 14 months prior to the BBC report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYiWWx2tIn8
The well known racist does not benefit from a university education and I would guess lacks the editorial and legal resources available to the BBC.
That Tommy Robinson is a racist thug is obvious to everyone – so obvious that there is no need for any evidence. By contrast the BBC “is recognised by audiences in the UK and around the world as a provider of news that you can trust”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-41670342
How odd then that, when it comes to Didsbury Mosque, to find the racist heathen and the multi billion $ provider of news that you can trust moving in absolute lockstep – with the only material difference being that the racist beat the trustworthy news source to the punch by some 14 months.
Inquiring minds may be wondering what it is all about.
No he isun’t racist, obviously not, and your not. You follow the thread of the currant discussion perfectly…
?
….Now let’s all talk about muslims shall we?
You appear to be obsessed by Muslims.
Mu post highlights 2 discrete entities reporting substantially the same thing. One of those entities is essentially an individual with minimal support – and he and his support network are racists. The other entity is a multi billion $ corporation .and is respected as a “trustworthy news source”
They could be talking about anything – the absolute hatred of the British working classes would still shine through. Less obvious but equally true is the fact that the BBC is a lying mendacious organization with a visceral hatred of those it considers its social inferiors.
All you do with your ideological fetishes is to provide cover for the BBC to just lie to you some more. You should try reading Goethe “There are none so firmly enslaved as those who falsely believe themselves to be free”
To me you seem to sound almost as angry at Tommy Robinson, Loony.
“By contrast the BBC “is recognised by audiences in the UK and around the world as a provider of news that you can trust”
Loony.
I very much doubt the BBC hold sway over the masses, either at home or abroad that it once did. In some quarters the BBC has been exposed for what it really is, an establishment propaganda machine, albeit on a grand scale.
As for Tommy Robinson, or whatever he’s calling himself these days. He’s a boot boy for the far-right.
Yeah – but it is not my description of the BBC, it is the BBC’s description of the BBC.
If Tommy Robinson is what you claim him to be then how can the BBC be anything other than the same as Tommy Tobinson – given that they are both reporting on the same thing in substantially the same terms?
Why do people protest Tommy Robinson but not the BBC?
There are two likely explanations (i) the protesting people are simply cowards or (ii) they are misinformed as to the true venality of the BBC. If it is the former then who dares what cowards think or do and if it is the latter then how do they know that they are not misinformed about Tommy Robinson?
Could it be simply his off-putting manner?
If he is saying substantially the same thing, he’s got good reason to be angry; do you agree?
This one from Norman is a Good read Too –
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/08/14/norman-finkelstein-israel-na-aucun-droit-de-se-defendre-contre-gaza/
That BBC article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44729727
You have to read it very carefully to understand that Mustafa Graf did not call for jihad in the words translated. He called upon God to help the mujahideen to victory, presumably over the Assad government forces. The West has allied with mujahideen before. He praised jihad, much like our side praises and prays for our “heroes”. Then he criticised the West for not attacking Russian and Iranian forces. He sounds like he’s on the UK government’s side to me.
Later it says that the Manchester bomber Salman Abedi attended a demonstration against “a secular Libyan general who was fighting against Islamist militia”, which sounds like the West’s official enemy too, at a guess.
Looks like we’re in luck; the terrorists are on our side.
I only managed 32 seconds of Tommy Robinson: Didsbury Mosque is truly dangerous on YouTube. He seemed so angry I couldn’t listen to him. Maybe I’ll try again after a night’s sleep.
Again!
I’m not imagining it, am I? This isn’t the first time a terrorist has seemed more like our side than the other.
– “I don’t know what effect these men will have on the enemy, but by God, they terrify me.”
Look, I’m not getting my knickers in a twist here am I? These people the imam Mustafa Graf was praying for would have been some of the people, or at least allied to, the 70,000 people Cameron hoped to help overthrow Assad, right? The side the Western alliance has been giving assistance to.
And the imam prays for these fighters victory, much as our clergy sometimes pray for our troops victory.
Is it not, therefore, entirely hypocritical of the UK state to encourage and support those in Syria, but to condemn their brothers and sisters at the UK mosque as radicalised for supporting them? And if those in the UK attempt to go to Syria, don’t they get stopped at the border? Isn’t that also contrary and hypocritical, and effectively a form of torment?
Do they still get prevented from leaving the UK?
Some did; they were arrested by UK border authorities for attempting to travel to Syria and there join organisations deemed terrorist, but the cases against them were dropped when their defence pointed out that the British government was supporting those same groups. The government dropped the cases because which groups they were supporting was secret:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06s0qy9
You could even suspect that the BBC didn’t mention it fourteen months ago because the British government still thought there might be a chance of winning back then. Or have I got the dates wrong?