Friday, 10 December 2010
A Quiet Revolution
Yesterday evening I was on the 'frontline' of the end of the failed
fabian experiment in Westminster. The dregs of the student protests were
still being kettled, Police had helicopters up, tube stations closed
and vans full of back up, yet they still managed to drive a couple of
VIP's into the middle of this maelstrom of heightened emotions.
This morning Boris and Stephenson of the Met were having a discussion
on Radio 4 about yesterday, was it just me or was Stephenson making a
lot of threats about how 'tooled up' his men were. Was he seriously
advocating that the Met start shooting protestors ?
I saw bizarre sights such as 'anarchists' demanding more state subsidy for education. How does that work then ?
Labour created a massive expansion of the State that was built on
nothing more than a bubble, to have 50% of the young 'doing a degree'
was only going to devalue standards and to damage the marketability of
having a degree. There is nothing left that the hard pressed taxpayer
can contribute to a 'bust' state. What we saw on the streets was nothing
more that demanding money with menaces, and Labour were at the front of
this egging it on, as usual bearing no responsibility for their
actions.
Meanwhile at the National Liberal Club a quiet revolution was occuring organised by the Cobden Centre. Libertarians, Members of the Adam Smith Institute
and other representatives of Classical Liberal organisations met for an
informal social event to make contacts, talk and make futue plans. The
talk was was of honest money, Mises and Hayek and of course the failing
Euro experiment.
The keynote speech was by Conservative MP Steve Baker, one of the few 'good guys'.
The Toast was to Cobden's vision of 'Peace and Free Trade'
Fabianism has failed, the Labour party derided Cobden the result is an impoverished nation and war.
For one battered Liberal (not the fake 'Liberal' Democrats) the long
march is now on its second faltering step.
I hope that you will join us
in rebuilding 'Liberal' Britain.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Press Release - Andrew Withers new Party Leader
The Libertarian Party annual AGM and Conference is taking place today in London. The following press release was issued at 12.00 today.
Notes for editors
1) The Libertarian Party was founded on November 21st 2007 and officially launched on January 1st 2008. The party’s website can be found at:
http://www.lpuk.org
2) Further details of the party’s policies can be found in our manifesto:
http://www.lpuk.org/pages/manifesto.php
3) The Libertarian Party UK is a minarchist party utilising political philosophy based on support for individual liberty.
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism
Press Enquiries can be sent to media@lpuk.org or by telephone +44 845 299 7650
Acceptance of Party Leader of the Libertarian Party by Andrew Withers
I would like to thank the Party for the confidence that it has shown in me in electing me unopposed. It is with regret that I cannot take up the post until we have resolved the the extraordinary decision by the Secretary of State Dr Vince Cable on the 12th November 2010 that he objects to me being Party Leader, Treasurer or Tea-boy in the Libertarian Party.
In his eyes I am unfit to do so without supervision from his department. Mr Cable was given until 4pm yesterday via his solicitors Osborne Clarke, to withdraw his extraordinary objection from the Bristol District Registry, as he has no powers in Law over the Libertarian Party according to both his own Counsel and Counsel that has volunteered its time on behalf of the Party. I have to tell you no such undertaking has been received, to use a phrase.
All that was received was a letter that informed me yesterday, it was up to me to withdraw this from the Court, being a very simple person I did not understand the logic of this. I was instructed by a District Judge to include all of the organisations here,in America, in South Africa, in France that I am an executive member of. This includes charitable, political, blogs etc etc. Vince Cable's boys just objected to the lot without fear or favour on the 12th November.
Liam Fox MP, my local MP asked to be kept informed of all developments following his attempts to get Mandelson and now Vince Cable to drop this sorry saga after nearly five years. Incredibly my friends, the District Judge ordered a telephone conference to be heard on Dec 3rd to settle the issues at dispute. Vince's boys so far have objected to the telephone conference call, and refused to comply with another Court Order. As a party that believes in the supremacy of the rule of law, it is only right and proper that we await the directions of the Court on December 3rd, and that Vince Cable explains to the Court the reasons why on grounds of national security, public safety or in the interests of democracy he can overturn the will of members of the Libertarian Party and Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
I will remain Leader Designate.
Why are we here, a very small band of Libertarians formed into a party that will never in my lifetime seize office under this benighted system called Parliamentary Democracy.
We are here because we are right in philosophy. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down because Stalinism and Communism had had its day and people wanted freedom, the banking crash built on a mountain of public debt has brought an end to bureaucratic socialism and public and private debt as a way of life.
Now is the age of Liberty, but it is going to be a long fight because vested interest from the three statist parties wish the merry go round to continue. Labour only just lost the election under a corrupt voting system, Con Demery is not going to last, and unless things change dramatically the Social Democrats are going to leave the crumpled warm bed of David Cameron into the soiled sheets of Labour, breaking promises as they go.
I am a Constitutionalist, I believe that none of us count because we have no recognition in Law as individuals because we have no Constitution. We are the neo serfs. The exchequer is broke, we are to be taxed out of recession, yet we are still fighting foreign wars and we are going to give Ireland £7Bn to save the eurozone ? Did anybody consult you ? Do you approve. Shut up- just give us the money.
How do they get away with this ? because the State has the monopoly of violence, we are all frightened of the State. Whereas the State should be frightened of us the voter.
De Menezes was a stain on our country, as was Iraq and Afghanistan. We have a Ministry of Defence not a Ministry of War ! Our troops are badly equipped, badly paid and neglected in old age and injury. The only legitimate function of the State is Defence of a free country. Politicians love being associated with the Military, it makes them look hard, the trouble is our civilian police force are playing more to the Force and less to the Civilian part of the equation. When did Dixon turn into Judge Dredd on our streets.
Libertarianism needs re-branding in the UK, the Stalinist left call us right wing, we are neither of the left or the right. David Nolan who tragically died last week put us on a different axis that of Liberty to Authoritarianism. We despise the big State who ever is running it in favour of minimal government that is local and accountable.
We have the obscenity of so called Anarchists taking part in violent demonstrations in favour of large state hand outs. These are not Anarchists, they are simple leftist thugs demanding by violence what they cannot achieve by the ballot box.
Yesterday Cameron issued his first D notice, these are issued in time of war. He is no longer an authoritarian virgin. The Libertarian Party must oppose both nationally and locally. We are small very small but perhaps history will show that we kept fanning the flames of classical Liberalism in a seventy year long downpour of bureaucratic socialism.
Ends
Notes for editors
1) The Libertarian Party was founded on November 21st 2007 and officially launched on January 1st 2008. The party’s website can be found at:
http://www.lpuk.org
2) Further details of the party’s policies can be found in our manifesto:
http://www.lpuk.org/pages/manifesto.php
3) The Libertarian Party UK is a minarchist party utilising political philosophy based on support for individual liberty.
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism
Press Enquiries can be sent to media@lpuk.org or by telephone +44 845 299 7650
Friday, 5 November 2010
Gregg Beaman To Stand In Oldham East For Libertarian Party
Following the welcome news that Phil Woolas now ex MP has been gound guilty of electoral wrong doing
Gregg Beaman has announced his decision to run for the Libertarian Party in Oldham East.
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Did You Vote For 'Change' ? Political Crimes Still Get You the 'Sack'
Via Cranmer and Tom Paine this morning the inevitable story that Katherine Birbalsingh has been forced from her post for thought crime of actually doubting that the Fabian destruction of education is 'good' for children.
The Tories promised you change, but the dangerous politicised public servants and their weak bosses are still in post, fulminating against the inconvenience of the ballot box. There has been no change and they are being paid by you the tax payer.
As one of the few countries in the world that does not have a Constitution, Katherine is not afforded the right of free speech under the Constitution, and she could scamper off to Court to not only claim constructive dismissal and declare the action of the school unconstitutional.
Unless Cameron acts this morning to end this farce every teacher had better keep their political opinions to themselves.
Brown gone, Cameron arrives- The State still rules and the State is red in hue and claw.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Libertarians Like People
This from party member Dick Puddlecote, which proves that citizen's action works.
We are an independent lot down here in North Somerset, this junction is three miles from my house, Portishead also regularly wins the best flower display.Just getting rid of these lights has made a huge difference to traffic flows because people can be trusted not to slam into each other.
As Chaiman of Clevedon Pride, we 'seized' control of the 'Town Square, three years organised public events for flowers, Christmas lights arranged to have the rubbish strewn municipal 'pond' filled in and planted out. Yesterday some of our 'chaps' were out watering and planting out spring bulbs.Hose pipe donated by local business as were the bulbs, manure by the local stables, not a diversity officer or Health & Safety Officer in sight. Not everything has to be done by Municipal Socialism
The Square is now a nice place to sit, walk, shop and a cafe culture has sprung up
We cooperate with 'local government' were neccessary, but largely just get on with it. Clevedon Pride is now a normal part of the local landscape, we do not have litter 'police' fining people, CP arranged litter to be picked up by volunteers, then amazingly the level of littering started dropping dramatically as it became unacceptable to litter.
Clevedon Pride is not a 'Libertarian' organisation it is just that its Chairman is (me), its not all about high flown political theory, it is about volunteerism, the time involved costs me a couple of hours a week and a few meetings a month.
Andrew Withers
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
2010 Libertarian Conference- 27th November 2010
This will be held at the Punch Tavern, 99 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1 DE on 27th November, as we rotate for the third year back to London, from York 2008 and Bristol 2009.
You will need to register and pay £10 to off set costs by Nov 1st to receive your voting card and agenda. I do not propose to take money on the day.
Please pay via our account at HSBC noting your membership number and LP2010 as the reference.
If you would like to make a donation over and above (Please) mark as Donation.
40-28-20 Sort Code Account Number 92635313
It is envisaged that Libertarians of the non member variety can be invited but cannot obviously vote, hence the voting card.
Postal votes are obtainable from 1984@lpuk.org for NCC positions.
Friday, 1 October 2010
The Polish Nightmare
In the grim league table of primal fears, there is one undoubted winner – losing your child. To do so in a foreign country when your language skills are not perfect, and you do not truly understand the ‘system’, nor the full extent of official powers, is the ultimate nightmare.
Young Alicja and her husband Aleksy* are living and working in the UK. They work hard; long hours, he at night and she during the day, and share the care of their young child.
Yesterday they returned home to find an official letter roughly shoved through their front door informing them that an anonymous neighbour had reported them to the authorities for ‘going out drinking at night and abandoning their child’ and telling them to contact the ‘North Somerset Safe Guarding Children Board’.
They were quite literally terrified and in tears. Neither of them drink or smoke, their child is never left with strangers – the shift system they work means that one of them is with their child at all times. They knew they had done nothing wrong – but would the authorities believe them, or believe the anonymous comments of one of its own English speaking citizens?
They come from Poland, a country which in recent times was communist run, where you could be denounced to the authorities without any right to defend yourself. They had heard the stories of English child protection teams snatching children and forcibly adopting them – ex-pat communities the world over are a source of horror stories concerning your host authority.
Not surprisingly, their first reaction was to hide their child with friends and then appeal for help from within their community.
It was their good fortune that the first person they contacted happened to be a friend and neighbour of Andrew Withers, Deputy Leader of the Libertarian Party. It was equally their good fortune that the Honorary Polish Consul in their area is also a member of the Libertarian Party. Accidentally knowing the right people saved them hours of frantic worry – I wonder how well they would have fared had they not been given the help of people who could field an array of titles at the bottom of their e-mails?
The first telephone call made elicited the astounding response – “Whoops! Sorry, wrong Polish couple”. It seems the stasi official who had pushed that letter through their letterbox had been looking for another Polish couple in the same road – “Yep, they sound Polish, that’ll do” – a breathtakingly slip shod and negligent attitude from a public servant charged with such draconian powers as removing your children!
Not surprisingly, it was demanded of this official that he return to see Alicja and Aleksy in person to both apologise and reassure them that their child was safe. This was agreed to – but true to form, the official didn’t arrive, they have heard nothing more.
Somewhere in Bristol is a young Polish couple who have been anonymously denounced to the authorities. Perhaps justifiably, perhaps not. They will be equally terrified when the letter finally goes through the right letter box.
We don’t know who they are. We don’t know whether they also have the ‘right contacts’ to deal with this.
Your child being taken from you by the authorities is not on a par with having your gas supply cut off, or a parcel delivered when you are out – a note pushed through your door is a cold and callous means of telling you that ‘they’ – the North Somerset Safe Guarding Children Board – have received an anonymous complaint. To do so when you are perfectly well aware that the recipient of your note is “one o’ they Polish” and possibly doesn’t speak good English is unforgiveable.
*Names changed for obvious reasons.
Anna Raccoon
Saturday, 25 September 2010
The Acid Bath
In 1940 two men slipped into Britain using forged immigration papers to escape the totalitarian regimes of the both Stalin and Hitler.
These were father and son, Samuel and Ralph (nee Adolphe) Miliband, Ralph was born in Brussels of Polish-Jewish émigré parents. Both his parents lived in the Jewish quarter of Warsaw, before his father, Samuel Miliband, joined the Red Army in the Polish–Soviet War.He is buried in Highgate Cemetery close to Karl Marx.
Ralph went on to become a darling of the New Left, a sociology academic. Having fled totalitarianism in the East arriving in a still relatively Liberal Britain, Miliband Senior set about propounding a Socialism to reproduce in Britain what he had fled from in 1940. Today one of his bland off spring (it really does not matter which) will complete the Miliband family's ingratitude to this country by presiding over a Labour party that has produced a Stasi state in the last thirteen years,wrecked the economy and produced an irresponsible dependent population. To cap it all launched the type of aggressive wars of occupation that Miliband senior fled from.
The Socialism that has influenced the Milliband clones is of a variety that is intellectual, high flown and theoretical. Its consequences of sink estates, poverty and wasted tattooed lives are of very little consequence to such 'East European' intellectualism. Intellectualism has only found root in Britain in the last sixty years of State Welfarism, because it allowed such ideologues to find financial support by finding 'employment' in ever growing State institutions and Quangos.
In Liberal Britain we once had learned academics who espoused the rigour of research in the arts and sciences, and embraced the liberal values of tolerance started in the age of Reason and Enlightenment.
Today will see the victory of Marxist Social Democratic Ideology over Tolerance and Reason, started when Liberal Britain gave refuge to another East European intellectual, Karl Marx.
This Labour Party election is almost North Korean in outlook, favoured sons of a political elite being anointed. That it is why it has been a boring and inconsequential 'election'. The real power lies with the Bob Crowe's of this world, the pay masters of the 'Nouveau' Left. They know that their overt hatchet faced class warrior rhetoric will not find favour with the people of this country, so they need the fresh faced Peter Pan's of politics (achievable by never having worked outside of the cloisters of Whitehall) to be the 'nice' facade of the brutalism of Bureaucratic Socialism.
What of the Conservatives and their erstwhile allies the Social Democrats ? Rather than fight on the grounds of individual Liberty, Cameronism has swung behind the 'Social Democratic Centre'. When Cameron was elected as Party Leader, the Conservatives were looking for somebody to ape Tony Blair, and they found him.
We now have a Prime Minister who would rather pander to a bloated State and Welfarism, than maintain our defence forces. Defence is the only valid reason for a State to exist. By Defence I mean the defence of our Home Islands not wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan. These entanglements should be ended immediately. Bring the troops home, re-equip properly, pay the armed forces a living wage, and ensure that unlike the Wars of Wellington, The Crimea, First and Second World Wars the Servicemen whose lives have been wrecked and that of their dependants are paid a Military pension, that far outstrips that of a dole to sustain the dull, lager drinking fraternity.
The Acid Bath I refer to in the title is a political system that has very little legitimacy, it is a system of interlocking Whitehall elites. The Acid does not allow the Greens, UKIP, the far Right,the far left, Liberals, Libertarians, Nationalists a say in any National debate because we are denied a voice.
I am currently standing as Leader of the Libertarian Party. A party I hope to persuade to adopt a change to the Libertarian & Constitutional Party, to fight for not only Libertarian Policies but for Constitutional Reform and to introduce a Swiss Style Constitution where the State is subordinate to the Canton (County), the Canton subordinate to the Individual.
Only by draining the bath of the Acid that kills all political debate other than the elitism of State Milibandism will this country start to have some pride and direction. The only alternative is the continued growth of State Corporatism, with attendant repression and loss of freedom.
© Andrew P Withers
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Somerset County Council Cannot Afford 'Tour Of Britain' Because Of Debts
Britain's premier cycle race, the Tour of Britain, could bypass Somerset in future years as the county council has said it may not renew its sponsorship.
The county hosts two stages of the cycle race each year in a five-year contract worth £775,000.
With the council being £350m in debt, councillor Christine Lawrence said it would be difficult to find the money to support it.
Does that mean we got the money back from Iceland then, and the £25m is not longer 'bad and doubtful' in the County balance sheet ?
South West Councils
•Cheltenham Borough Council: £11m
•Gloucester City Council: £2m
•Tewkesbury Borough Council: £1m
•Stroud District Council: £3m
•Cotswold District Council: £2m
•Gloucestershire County Council: has investments in Iceland, sum not yet confirmed
•Bristol City Council: £8m in Landsbanki
•North Somerset Council: approx £3m with Landsbanki
•Cornwall County Council: £5m in Landsbanki (from total investments of £360m)
•Dorset County Council: £28.1m in form of temporary loans to Landsbanki and Heritable
•Wiltshire County Council: £8m with Heritable
•North Wiltshire District Council: £4m (£3m with Landsbanki and £1m with Heritable)
•Exeter City Council: £5m in two banks (£3m in Landsbanki and £2m in Glitnir)
•Plymouth City Council: £13m in three institutions
•Somerset County Council: £25m in Landsbanki, Glitnir and Kaupthing
•Purbeck District Council: £2m (£1m in Glitnir and £1m with Landsbanki)
•Restormel Borough Council, Cornwall: £4m with Landsbanki
Or are we just supposed to forget about the £1Bn reckless public authorities lost in Iceland, now that ' the cuts' are here ?
Monday, 13 September 2010
Wiltshire Police Sgt Andrews Released on Unconditional Bail
What can you say ? It beggars belief. On what grounds ' she slipped over herself ' she deserved it 'cos she was giving me verbal' The camera always lies.
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Tax Blunder Rebellion
Never mind the politics of whether or not William Hague is gay (not in the slightest importance to me) this is serious stuff, and should make any sensible person question why they should not be a Libertarian. I reprint in full the following from the Anna Raccoon site in the hope people are going to start waking up.
Start
It’s been a while since there has been a story in the press that left me with my jaw so far down that it hurt. But today, I believe, we are firmly back in the deranged world of government gone completely insane:
HM Revenue and Customs could take direct control of every worker’s monthly pay cheque under plans to overhaul the error-prone income tax system.
Instead of employers deducting income tax then paying gross salaries to employees, the gross monthly payment would go to an HMRC-run tax “calculator”, which would then pass the net salary to the worker.
The reform would mean the end of traditional monthly payslips, because employers would no longer be able to tell workers how much tax they had paid each month.
The immediate thought that comes to mind is: what do we do when (and not if!) this all goes wrong? What happens when, as will inevitably happen, HMRC makes a balls up and takes your whole month’s salary? Who will you fight with? Without a payslip, how do you budget for the forthcoming month, especially if you are on highly variable wages? What about people with all sorts of different sources of income? How will this “help” them? What about people who have valid reasons for submitting an annual return to claw money back?
Inevitably, this kind of glorious “lateral thinking” is a result of the many failings of the people in HMRC. Why is the long-suffering taxpayer being exposed to this extraordinary risk? It’s not like the government exactly has a fantastic track record when it comes to grandiose computer systems.
I’m going to do something that I don’t generally do, because I’m not as erudite at campaigning as Anna: I’m going to ask you to spread the word about this as far as you can; I’m going to ask you to write to your useless MP and complain in the strongest possible terms about this insane idea; write to your local newspaper, tell all your friends and do everything you can think of to stop this insane idea from becoming reality.
Because although Anna is a wonderful campaigner, I don’t think there’s enough of her to go around to save each and every one of us!
UPDATE: I am generally loathe to update articles, especially if they have only just been published, but I feel that this information may be of great value to 1.4 million taxpayers:
The first batch of 45,000 letters demanding cash to be repaid will start to arrive on Tuesday – with the rest sent out over the next four months.
But accountants said recipients should act swiftly to use a little-known loophole which forces HM Revenue and Customs to abandon ‘out of the blue’ demands and effectively write off the money.
They also insisted many of those affected are entitled to argue that they or their employer have done nothing wrong and should not be penalised for someone else’s blunder.
Enough is enough. It is time to starve these incompetent thieves of our hard-earned money!
Monday, 6 September 2010
Not Dixon Of Dock Green In Wiltshire Then
It just goes on and on and on.
This police constable being an ex soldier appears to have completed his Police training at Abu Ghraib.
She is lucky to be alive after being thrown against the concrete floor, much as Ian Tomlinson was. I am sure that the Home Office could have rustled up another medical incompetent like Patel to say she died of a heavy nose bleed and it was natural causes.
According to the IPCC
In 2008/09 there were 92 deaths during or
following police contact, of which:
• 40 were the result of road traffic fatalities
• 3 were the result of fatal police shootings
• 15 were deaths in or following police custody
• 34 were other deaths following police contact
Like the military casualities we only get to hear about the deaths not the 'wounded' or maimed.
So next time you see a Police Car with 'Serving the Community' or some such slogan remember the above statistics.
Apparently the going tarrif for a assault carried like above is six months.
Pamela Somerville, 57, was left with blood gushing from a head wound after Sergeant Mark Andrews pulled her by the wrist across the floor of Melksham police station in Wiltshire and threw her into the custody suite. A camera cell showed Somerville lying briefly unconscious after her head hit the floor and then staggering to her feet, dripping blood.
The officer, a former soldier, 37, was convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm at Oxford magistrates court in July, and is due to be sentenced on Tuesday. He faces a formal disciplinary hearing next month and is currently suspended on full pay.
Another officer at the police station reported the incident to a supervisor.
Somerville had been found asleep in her car in July 2008 and denies refusing a breath test. Charges were later dropped, and the police have apologised
The Grauniad
Salute or Preparing a Karate Chop ?
Monday, 30 August 2010
Bonfire of Quangos will not light.
Vote for change said iDave.
Con-Dem are failing in the face of inertia from the resistance from the 'public sector'.
Most Quangos will not face dissolution for two years, which will be halfway through Con-Dem's term of office (if they do not fall apart)this is hardly radical shrinking of the State.
Large Corporations are now calling for their cosy relationship with the big banks to be maintained, wich the Banks not to be broken up.
Corporatism does not like competition and new entrants to the markets hence the resistance.
Over the next eighteen months we are going to see the steam run out any pretence of a radical agenda that either the Tories and Social Democrats had in shrinking the state.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Still Fighting 'them' on the beaches
The War goes on ! The war against Fascism (The marriage of the big State with big Corporations) we were told ended in 1945. Another skirmish has broken out, that the Libertarian Party is pleased to be part of-
All the links in the following article reproduced in full are to be found here on the Anna Raccoon site
70 years ago this week, Winston Churchill made his famous speech immortalising the words ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’ He did so to rally every man and woman in these Isles to support the war effort:
“because we have been nurtured in freedom and individual responsibility and are the products, not of totalitarian uniformity, but of tolerance and variety.”
Sheila Martin was a fragile babe in arms when her Mother heard those words. Too young to understand the menace behind the Messerschmitts and Heinkels screaming overhead and disturbing her slumber. She was the intended beneficiary of Churchill’s words, one of the generation of children that depended on the bravery of British men such as her Father, away in France fighting for the freedom, tolerance and variety that was Britain’s hallmark.
Today, Sheila is once more fragile; she is 70 years old and was widowed 30 years ago. She tells me she has survived five heart attacks; she suffers from asthma, angina and high blood pressure. She only smokes the occasional cigarette these days, partly for health reasons, partly because her minimal state pension doesn’t stretch to any more.
70 years after Churchill’s speech was made, she has retired from a lifetime of hard work.
She was part of that unsung army of hard working, clean living, decent individuals, who cheerfully got up every morning and trudged off to put in a decent days work for a paltry wage as a ‘Mrs Mop’, raised her family, nurtured her marriage, made ends meet, saved little, but asked little in return, save the freedom, and tolerance that her older relatives had fought to provide. She is not a politically aware lady, nor insolent, nor ambitious for financial rewards.
In common with other ‘Smokers’ who may not like the new laws prohibiting them from smoking where others may be offended by the practice, she respected the law of the land, and complied. She is no campaigner against such laws.
Thus it was that she found herself standing at a bus stop, waiting for the bus which would take her home, and taking the opportunity to smoke a cigarette in the open air – there was no bus shelter. She could no longer smoke a cigarette on the top deck of the bus. She had not been able to smoke a cigarette with the cup of tea she shared with her daughter in town. Now she must stand in the road to enjoy the ‘freedom, tolerance and variety’ of the British Isles.
She only smoked half the cigarette; as the time drew close for the bus to arrive, she ‘nibbed’ the cigarette, letting the lit end fall to the ground, and thriftily stowing the other half of the cigarette in her handbag for a later occasion. It was her last cigarette until pension day.
Two of Sandwell’s famed ‘enforcement wardens’ approached her – a man and a woman. They told her that they were issuing a ‘Fixed Penalty Fine’ of £75 under Section 87 (1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as amended by Section 18 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. This mouthful of gobblygook was lost on Sheila; she had no idea what she had done wrong and put the piece of paper in her pocket.
Once home, friends and neighbours clustered round to read this piece of officialdom. Sheila still had the ‘end’ of the cigarette, with its precious inch or so of un-smoked tobacco in her handbag, so how could she be accused of littering the street – it had to be the cigarette ash they were talking about?
I have spoken to Sandwell Council, they tell me that they do not issue fixed penalty notices for cigarette ‘ash’ – I am sure they don’t. I am equally sure that Mrs Martin is telling the truth when she tells me that the half cigarette with its ‘butt’ was still safely in her handbag when she returned home. So we are left with the quandary of whether the ‘lit’ end of a cigarette, which will become cigarette ‘ash’ within seconds, constitutes parliament’s intention when they defined litter as including:
In section 98 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (definitions), after subsection (5) insert—
“(5A)“Litter” includes—
(a) the discarded ends of cigarettes, cigars and like products, and
(b) discarded chewing-gum and the discarded remains of other products designed for chewing.”
If a court holds that it does, then every smoker is liable for a £75 fine every time they smoke a cigarette in the street. I do not believe that to be parliament’s intention.
On Friday, the threatening ‘Final Demand’ from Sandwell Council, warning her that she now faces a £2,500 fine plus costs (and possible imprisonment if she does not pay that) expired. The next opportunity for Mrs Martin to contest this matter will come in ‘some months time’ – the council cannot tell me when her case will arrive at the top of their back log of cases to appear in the Magistrates court.
Sheila Martin is frightened, intimidated, and feels helpless in the face of this prosecution. She is in delicate health, aggravated by stress, and I have asked the council to reconsider their decision to press ahead with what may well be an interesting test case defining a cigarette end, but which will be at the expense of a frail and elderly person. They have referred me to their ‘revised Enforcement Policy’ – which makes for terrifying reading, a fine example of the totalitarian government Sheila’s Father fought so bravely to prevent. (available HERE)
Nick Hogan, who I was instrumental in rescuing from prison after similar council action, has joined with me, the Libertarian Party and the Sunday Mercury, to ensure that Sheila suffers as little as possible from the council’s intransience.
We have already arranged for some very high powered legal representation for her, to put her mind at rest, and I have promised her that she will go to prison ‘over my dead body’ – she is obviously unable to pay this fine, or incremental increases of it, and I have personally guaranteed her that somehow I will make sure that she doesn’t have to pay it herself, nor go to prison.
There is no need for money at present, all the legal beagles so far involved are kindly donating their time and expertise free of charge – although if there are any other lawyers out there who would like to join the team, this is one broth that will not be spoiled by too many cooks. My e-mail address is on the contact section of this blog.
70 years ago we were prepared to ‘fight them on the beaches’ – how appropriate that today we prepare to f’ight them on the Sandwell……’
Friday, 13 August 2010
CCTV- Just Turn It Off If You Cannot Afford To Run It
Malmesbury in Wiltshire wants 'volunteers' to man their CCTV cameras at the local prison.
Anybody who 'volunteers' for this sort of activity should be immediately banned from going anywhere near CCTV.
Just turn it off.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Monday, 9 August 2010
Not A Good Weekend For Confidence In The Police
A retired Policeman who stood guard over the body of Dr David Kelly has now admitted that there was very little blood that would justify Kelly dying in this manner thus confirming the statements of the two paramedics who attended on scene, and fuelling further controversy and confirming the view of a group of Doctors that he could not have possibly died in this manner.
Coe also now admits that there was a 'third man' on scene in contravention of his earlier evidence to the largely discredited Hutton enquiry, and he is still refusing to name this man.
Lastly that he was instructed to search Kelly's house for sensitive documents relating to Iraq.
Whatever you weigh this up, and don't forget that Hutton delivered the BBC up to the Blair Government, there is an almighty stench still hanging over this whole affair.
It appears that obsfucation and not telling the truth and the whole truth is now endemic within the Police and security services.
Two policemen have been suspended following this attack on a retired businessman who they accused of fleeing from the scene of a 'stop' ( Note the speedo bottom right, he stays within the speed limit at all times, until he stops voluntarily , but this does not stop the 'road rage' incident and criminal damage that ensued.
Was there a reason for this TV cop response, possibly this episode concerning Mr Whatley a few years earlier may provide a salient clue.
On current form as with Jean Charles De Menezes, Balir Peach and Ian Tomlinson it will be the fault of the victim, rather than the assailants dressed up as law officers.
ACPO the private limited company that runs the Police in this country as so to avoid the intrusions of the Freedom Of Information Act have threatened to resign if elected Police Commissioners are brought in. The Libertarian Party has long had this as policy, and ACPO should be closed down in the public interest as a private limited company.
The Police have been itching to crack heads eversince February 2009 with the outrageous statement referring to a 'summer of rage' by Super Hartshorn.
This is not policing by consent under the Peelian Principles. The Police are in serious danger of turning themselves into a paramilitary force at the hands of repressive government. In the case of Kelly searching for sensitive 'Iraq' documents is the job of SIS not the civilian police.
Some 'hard cases' in the force seem to take some pleasure in assaulting members of the forces who have been involved in action in Afghanistan in an almost tribal proving manhood test.
A relative of mine who served in the Highland Light Infantry in World War Two said that when the Police assaulted one of their number prior to D Day, they took a covered truck and two bren guns, and shot up shop windows in the high street of a south coast town scattering the police on duty. What did they care, as far as they were concerned ninety per cent of them were going to killed in the next month when the invasion started. Lets hope that we don't get to that level of retaliation, fortunately the Army has a bit more control over its members than do some Police Forces.
The fact that Mr Whatley's solicitor has released the sickening assault to the media, shows the level of confidence that he has in getting the two policemen concerned sacked and convicted, that he feels in neccessary to appeal to the public.
The Police should remember the 4th Peelian Principle
The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.
The last Labour Government tore up the rule book, the Libertarian Party wants Peel back.
Coe also now admits that there was a 'third man' on scene in contravention of his earlier evidence to the largely discredited Hutton enquiry, and he is still refusing to name this man.
Lastly that he was instructed to search Kelly's house for sensitive documents relating to Iraq.
Whatever you weigh this up, and don't forget that Hutton delivered the BBC up to the Blair Government, there is an almighty stench still hanging over this whole affair.
It appears that obsfucation and not telling the truth and the whole truth is now endemic within the Police and security services.
Two policemen have been suspended following this attack on a retired businessman who they accused of fleeing from the scene of a 'stop' ( Note the speedo bottom right, he stays within the speed limit at all times, until he stops voluntarily , but this does not stop the 'road rage' incident and criminal damage that ensued.
Was there a reason for this TV cop response, possibly this episode concerning Mr Whatley a few years earlier may provide a salient clue.
On current form as with Jean Charles De Menezes, Balir Peach and Ian Tomlinson it will be the fault of the victim, rather than the assailants dressed up as law officers.
ACPO the private limited company that runs the Police in this country as so to avoid the intrusions of the Freedom Of Information Act have threatened to resign if elected Police Commissioners are brought in. The Libertarian Party has long had this as policy, and ACPO should be closed down in the public interest as a private limited company.
The Police have been itching to crack heads eversince February 2009 with the outrageous statement referring to a 'summer of rage' by Super Hartshorn.
This is not policing by consent under the Peelian Principles. The Police are in serious danger of turning themselves into a paramilitary force at the hands of repressive government. In the case of Kelly searching for sensitive 'Iraq' documents is the job of SIS not the civilian police.
Some 'hard cases' in the force seem to take some pleasure in assaulting members of the forces who have been involved in action in Afghanistan in an almost tribal proving manhood test.
A relative of mine who served in the Highland Light Infantry in World War Two said that when the Police assaulted one of their number prior to D Day, they took a covered truck and two bren guns, and shot up shop windows in the high street of a south coast town scattering the police on duty. What did they care, as far as they were concerned ninety per cent of them were going to killed in the next month when the invasion started. Lets hope that we don't get to that level of retaliation, fortunately the Army has a bit more control over its members than do some Police Forces.
The fact that Mr Whatley's solicitor has released the sickening assault to the media, shows the level of confidence that he has in getting the two policemen concerned sacked and convicted, that he feels in neccessary to appeal to the public.
The Police should remember the 4th Peelian Principle
The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.
The last Labour Government tore up the rule book, the Libertarian Party wants Peel back.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Note From The Treasurer
I would like to thank everybody, Member and supporters who so generously made a donation to the Party in July, however made. We do not get the support of major companies or unions and are totally reliant on your generosity.
There is so much more that the Libertarian Party can and must do. Tim Carpenter and Andrew Withers have been on mainstream TV and Radio in the last few weeks, so we are slowly prizing the door open.
We are painfully aware that we are in a difficult economic period, which is why I am trying to build a war chest for next May slowly and surely. Therefore every pound we collect in is so valuable.
Please keep the donations coming in of whatever size. Whilst I am speaking to some serious donors it is your £5, £10 , £20 plus that keeps us going.
Direct bank transfer to:
sort code 40-28-20
account 92635313
Please put your surname and if you have one a membership number as a reference.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Friday, 9 July 2010
Fund Raising
Thanks to all of you who responded for the recent call for funds Members and supporters alike. Please keep it coming in.
Our account number is 92635313 Sort Code 40-28-20
Our immediate target is £2000. We are looking to open a permanent office to handle donations and all the other administration and membership applications.
Times are hard but every £5 , £10 and £20 is income in the right direction.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Proposal To Neuter Mebyon Kernow
Con Dem have decided that the the one area of these Isles that could legitimately secede from these Isles as a Libertarian, Low Tax self governing Duchy along the lines of the States of Jersey and Guernsey, and the Isle of Man should be further merged into Devwall by having cross border constituencies.
The South West and Kernow Libertarian Party has always advocated that Kernow should regain its independent Duchy Status are start fixing its own tax rates rather than be part of system that reduces it to beggary and continually lobbying for subsidies.
Labour, Con-Dem its all the same, its about the power of the State not the people it reckons to represent.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
The Target For This Month
We need to start raising funds for the local Elections in 2011, I would like to appeal to all members and supporters to donate what you can this month.
Our account number is 92635313 Sort Code 40-28-20
Our immediate target is £2000. We are looking to open a permanent office to handle donations and all the other administration and membership applications.
Times are hard but every £5 and £10 is income in the right direction.
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Friday, 28 May 2010
Monday, 24 May 2010
George Kubiak- Honorary Consul
South-West Libertarian Party Member George Kubiak was installed yesterday evening as Honorary Consul of the Polish Republic for Bristol by the Polish Ambassador Barbara Tuge-Erecinska
The event was also attended by the Lord and Lady Mayoress of Bristol.
Monday, 17 May 2010
This Is Libertarianism- Peter Tatchell
An interesting case regarding a Christian whose homophobia led to criminal charges: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... y-sin.html
The case was dropped today after gay rights activist Peter Tatchell, a friend of mine and a left-wing libertarian I respect, offered to testify for the defence. Here is his press release ...
CPS drop case against street preacher
Charges withdrawn after Tatchell offers to testify for defence
Home Secretary urged to issue new guidelines to police and CPS
Arrest for anti-gay views is unjustified and heavy-handed
Freedom of speech must be defended, even for homophobes
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped all charges against homophobic Christian street preacher, Dale McAlpine, shortly after gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell offered to testify in defence of his right to free speech.
Mr McAlpine, 42, was arrested in a street in Workington on 20 April, after condemning homosexuality as a sin. He was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.
"Although I disagree with Dale McAlpine and support protests against his homophobic views, he should not have been arrested and charged. Criminalisation is a step too far.
"Despite my opposition to his opinions, I defend his right to freedom of expression.
"Soon after I offered to appear as a defence witness and to argue in court for Mr McAlpine's acquittal, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case. The sudden withdrawal of charges may have been mere coincidence but perhaps not.
"Mr McAlpine should have never been prosecuted in the first place. While the arresting officer may have acted with well-meaning intentions, he was over-zealous and interpreted the law in a harsh, authoritarian manner.
"Although clearly homophobic, Mr McAlpine did not express his opinion in a way that was aggressive, threatening or intimidating.
"I am surprised and shocked that the CPS allowed the case to proceed at all. The Public Order Act is meant to protect people from harm. Dale McAlpine's views are misguided and offensive but I see no evidence that they caused harm to anyone.
"I urge the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to issue new guidelines, making it clear that the police should not arrest people for expressing prejudiced views in a non-threatening and non-aggressive manner. Prosecutions should only proceed in extreme circumstances. The police should concentrate on tackling serious, harmful crimes, such as racist, homophobic and sexist violence.
"Causing offence to others is not a legitimate basis for putting a person on trial.
"Nearly everyone holds opinions that someone else might find offensive. If offending others is accepted as a basis for prosecution, most of the population of the UK would end up in court.
"Freedom of speech means accepting the right of other people to say things that we may find disagreeable and even offensive. Unless people make untrue libellous comments or incite violence, they should not be criminalised for expressing their opinions," said Mr Tatchell.
From The Libertarian Party Forum
The case was dropped today after gay rights activist Peter Tatchell, a friend of mine and a left-wing libertarian I respect, offered to testify for the defence. Here is his press release ...
CPS drop case against street preacher
Charges withdrawn after Tatchell offers to testify for defence
Home Secretary urged to issue new guidelines to police and CPS
Arrest for anti-gay views is unjustified and heavy-handed
Freedom of speech must be defended, even for homophobes
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped all charges against homophobic Christian street preacher, Dale McAlpine, shortly after gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell offered to testify in defence of his right to free speech.
Mr McAlpine, 42, was arrested in a street in Workington on 20 April, after condemning homosexuality as a sin. He was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.
"Although I disagree with Dale McAlpine and support protests against his homophobic views, he should not have been arrested and charged. Criminalisation is a step too far.
"Despite my opposition to his opinions, I defend his right to freedom of expression.
"Soon after I offered to appear as a defence witness and to argue in court for Mr McAlpine's acquittal, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case. The sudden withdrawal of charges may have been mere coincidence but perhaps not.
"Mr McAlpine should have never been prosecuted in the first place. While the arresting officer may have acted with well-meaning intentions, he was over-zealous and interpreted the law in a harsh, authoritarian manner.
"Although clearly homophobic, Mr McAlpine did not express his opinion in a way that was aggressive, threatening or intimidating.
"I am surprised and shocked that the CPS allowed the case to proceed at all. The Public Order Act is meant to protect people from harm. Dale McAlpine's views are misguided and offensive but I see no evidence that they caused harm to anyone.
"I urge the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to issue new guidelines, making it clear that the police should not arrest people for expressing prejudiced views in a non-threatening and non-aggressive manner. Prosecutions should only proceed in extreme circumstances. The police should concentrate on tackling serious, harmful crimes, such as racist, homophobic and sexist violence.
"Causing offence to others is not a legitimate basis for putting a person on trial.
"Nearly everyone holds opinions that someone else might find offensive. If offending others is accepted as a basis for prosecution, most of the population of the UK would end up in court.
"Freedom of speech means accepting the right of other people to say things that we may find disagreeable and even offensive. Unless people make untrue libellous comments or incite violence, they should not be criminalised for expressing their opinions," said Mr Tatchell.
From The Libertarian Party Forum
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Day Of Days !
Knives Out For Cameron
Brown is to slope off in four months, the Tories are a little more humane with a swift dispatch at the price of failure to deliver total victory.
Cameron with his policy free vacuous big Society, Green/Blue BS and I will match Labour spending pound for pound, has proved that the Tory Tony Blair has only got days in which to survive if the Rainbow Alliance of Failure and the Big State tries to form a Government.
Who is next for the Tory Tumbrill of Leadership, Davis or Boris ?
The Botched Federal Kingdom Of Britain
The Constitutional crisis that we are currently enjoying can be laid firmly at the feet of the New Labour administration.
So keen were they to placate the Welsh and Scottish Labour Parties to maintain their dominant role against the rising Nationalist tide, that they botched devolution by not giving it to England. Even Northern Ireland got in on the act.
They should not have worried, because these ‘sham’ Nationalists, do not actually believe in economic Nationalism, just saying what they want to do with other people’s money be it English Gold or EU Gold, and wanting a ‘fairer’ redistribution of National wealth (subsidies) from Whitehall.
Lets be clear about this for the last thirteen years the Labour Party has been kept in power by a gaggle of Welsh and Scottish MP’s and Ministers. The Darien Government. They brought with them the twisted politics of patronage and corruption now seen in Glasgow
Last Thursday’s election clearly showed that England under first past the post went Tory and that the Tories barely had a showing in Scotland, and only a glimmer in Wales.
Cameron set his face against the political reality of the United Kingdom in post devolution Britain. The reality was that we had a Federal Kingdom already, but HE wanted to be the Prime Minister of Great Britain, something akin to wanting the role of viceroy of India in 1950.
The issue of proportional representation is only part of the argument; the only place that we have FPTP is in the Whitehall elections, because it structurally favoured Labour. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland have PR, only England is hamstrung by FPTP, to allow Scottish and Welsh MP’s to have a greater say in the running of the country.
My position is quite simple, I am a passionate believer in PR, and there is no moral case against. For too long we have had a rigged system that disenfranchises seventy percent of the electorate and ossifies political debate.
I am also a passionate believer in structures that work. The 1688 structure as amended by the Act of Union has broken down.
Clegg, Mandelson and Cameron are trying to put together a botched repair to a discredited system.
We have a Federal system – fact. Acknowledge the political reality.
We need a new political settlement, with an English Parliament based on PR, with an elected 100 man Senate to run Defence and Foreign affairs as a ‘Council of the Isles’ Everything else can be devolved to the ‘National Parliaments’ and assemblies.
The Tories, Labour and the Social Democrats whoring themselves around are not acting in the ‘National Interest’ they are jockeying for party advantage, and in whose Nation are they acting for.
The Tories have very little interest in letting power slip through their fingers by endorsing PR on Principle and the Rainbow Alliance of losers would be abhorrent to the Electorate.
Yet again the politicians do not get it attempting a stitch up and ignoring the people of this country who hold the Sovereignty in their hands.
I say to Cameron, endorse PR coupled to an English Parliament for the next Election, and campaign for a New Settlement of the Country, that ensures the
Liberty of the Individual in a written Constitution- If you don’t the Tories will get rid of you in a trice for failing to deliver total victory.
So keen were they to placate the Welsh and Scottish Labour Parties to maintain their dominant role against the rising Nationalist tide, that they botched devolution by not giving it to England. Even Northern Ireland got in on the act.
They should not have worried, because these ‘sham’ Nationalists, do not actually believe in economic Nationalism, just saying what they want to do with other people’s money be it English Gold or EU Gold, and wanting a ‘fairer’ redistribution of National wealth (subsidies) from Whitehall.
Lets be clear about this for the last thirteen years the Labour Party has been kept in power by a gaggle of Welsh and Scottish MP’s and Ministers. The Darien Government. They brought with them the twisted politics of patronage and corruption now seen in Glasgow
Last Thursday’s election clearly showed that England under first past the post went Tory and that the Tories barely had a showing in Scotland, and only a glimmer in Wales.
Cameron set his face against the political reality of the United Kingdom in post devolution Britain. The reality was that we had a Federal Kingdom already, but HE wanted to be the Prime Minister of Great Britain, something akin to wanting the role of viceroy of India in 1950.
The issue of proportional representation is only part of the argument; the only place that we have FPTP is in the Whitehall elections, because it structurally favoured Labour. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland have PR, only England is hamstrung by FPTP, to allow Scottish and Welsh MP’s to have a greater say in the running of the country.
My position is quite simple, I am a passionate believer in PR, and there is no moral case against. For too long we have had a rigged system that disenfranchises seventy percent of the electorate and ossifies political debate.
I am also a passionate believer in structures that work. The 1688 structure as amended by the Act of Union has broken down.
Clegg, Mandelson and Cameron are trying to put together a botched repair to a discredited system.
We have a Federal system – fact. Acknowledge the political reality.
We need a new political settlement, with an English Parliament based on PR, with an elected 100 man Senate to run Defence and Foreign affairs as a ‘Council of the Isles’ Everything else can be devolved to the ‘National Parliaments’ and assemblies.
The Tories, Labour and the Social Democrats whoring themselves around are not acting in the ‘National Interest’ they are jockeying for party advantage, and in whose Nation are they acting for.
The Tories have very little interest in letting power slip through their fingers by endorsing PR on Principle and the Rainbow Alliance of losers would be abhorrent to the Electorate.
Yet again the politicians do not get it attempting a stitch up and ignoring the people of this country who hold the Sovereignty in their hands.
I say to Cameron, endorse PR coupled to an English Parliament for the next Election, and campaign for a New Settlement of the Country, that ensures the
Liberty of the Individual in a written Constitution- If you don’t the Tories will get rid of you in a trice for failing to deliver total victory.
Sunday, 9 May 2010
The Celtic Alliance Begging Bowl
“Cornwall has been under-funded for many, many years. We receive less money for our schools, hospitals and public services than elsewhere in the UK.
“A key part of our campaign will be for a Commission to investigate the full extent of this Government under-funding of Cornwall, just as the recent Holtham Commission (organised by the Welsh Assembly) found that Wales is under-funded by £300 million a year.
“Now must be the time to demand that Cornwall receives its fair share of expenditure, which will help us cope with the difficult economic times that lie ahead.
“We will be pressing all political parties to support this call for a Commission. It is also our hope that the main London parties will agree to abide by the findings of such a review and guarantee Cornish communities their fair share of future spending.”
Mebyon Kernow
Last week saw the unedifying sight of the Celtic 'Nationalists' basically campaigning for protection from the inevitable cuts, and seeking guarantees of further subsidies from Westminster.
Please explain to me how this is economic nationalism.
Wales and Scotland are hopelessly wedded to socialism despite having its own Parliaments and assemblies, but Kernow has no excuse for emulating this line.
Why is the independent Duchy of Kernow, not seeking to emulate the Isle of Man, and the States of Jersey and Guernsey. Constitutionally Cornwall has only been part of England since the 1880's. There is nothing to stop Kernow deciding its own affairs, setting its own tax rates personal and coporate to encourage money, jobs and business to invest there.
Is it not a degrading spectacle to prefer to campaign on getting handouts from the EU and Whitehall
“A key part of our campaign will be for a Commission to investigate the full extent of this Government under-funding of Cornwall, just as the recent Holtham Commission (organised by the Welsh Assembly) found that Wales is under-funded by £300 million a year.
“Now must be the time to demand that Cornwall receives its fair share of expenditure, which will help us cope with the difficult economic times that lie ahead.
“We will be pressing all political parties to support this call for a Commission. It is also our hope that the main London parties will agree to abide by the findings of such a review and guarantee Cornish communities their fair share of future spending.”
Mebyon Kernow
Last week saw the unedifying sight of the Celtic 'Nationalists' basically campaigning for protection from the inevitable cuts, and seeking guarantees of further subsidies from Westminster.
Please explain to me how this is economic nationalism.
Wales and Scotland are hopelessly wedded to socialism despite having its own Parliaments and assemblies, but Kernow has no excuse for emulating this line.
Why is the independent Duchy of Kernow, not seeking to emulate the Isle of Man, and the States of Jersey and Guernsey. Constitutionally Cornwall has only been part of England since the 1880's. There is nothing to stop Kernow deciding its own affairs, setting its own tax rates personal and coporate to encourage money, jobs and business to invest there.
Is it not a degrading spectacle to prefer to campaign on getting handouts from the EU and Whitehall
Friday, 7 May 2010
The Imperceptible Squeak From Beneath The Floor Boards
This picture sums up why the Libertarian Party stood in Devizes yesterday. A BBC interviewer asking sensible questions about what is Libertarianism, and a Libertarian answering.
The imperceptible squeak in a seat where noblesse oblige rules the local Tory Party (I have not seen characters like this since watching the last ever episode of ‘To The Manor Born’) allowed 141 voters to vote for something that they have never heard of before Nic Coome stood, let alone had the opportunity to vote for.
All of the candidates bar one made the time to come over and chat. Why is it that the Labour Party has decided that it has to act with such aloof self righteous anger in a rural seat that they had no more chance of winning than the Libertarian Party had. Their Agent at one point was getting quite abusive and redfaced to the tellers , because they were not collating the voting papers ‘properly’
Why UKIP has gained the reputation of being the only Libertarian Party I have no idea, they too were ‘angry’ very angry about Europe, yes there were very angry about that, but frankly that is as far as they had any policies or opinions on anything else.
The Green Candidate was a card, and failed to make the final line up, as somebody said to me, I think he has a glass of dandelion & burdock on the go, I could not help but laugh out loud.
Claire Perry is a ‘nice’ enough career politician, but sadly her acceptance speech was very very very thin. She thanked the Police, her party, her husband, her children and then promised to spend the taxpayers wisely !
Claire came across as a Cameroon member of the Hockey upper sixth team.
Has politics advanced in Wiltshire since the 1930’s ? yes slightly by 141 votes.
Junab Ali (Labour) - 4,711
Pat Bryant (UKIP) - 2,076
Nic Coome (Libertarian) - 141
Mark Fletcher (Green Party) - 813
Fiona Hornby (Liberal Democrat) - 12,514
Martin Houlden (Independent) - 566
Claire Perry (Conservative) - 25,519
Thursday, 6 May 2010
I Have Not Voted Twice Today
This is the most depressing election that I have been involved in thirty five years of 'voting'. I flew back from a businesss meeting in Lisbon yesterday pondering for two hours what I should do with my valuable cross. Not voting is an anathema, as I have too much respect for those who have fought and died for this right in centuries past.
But the the choices on offer to me are simply not choices, nor am I lucky enough to vote in Devizes or Sutton & Cheam for a real Libertarian candidate.
Brown and Labour have brought the country to its knees with the spectacular spend and waste binge of the last thirteen years, introduced aStasi State with a million more public servants watching us, fining us and taking away our Liberties, whilst proclaiming they were protecting us.
The fact thatMandelson is still at the centre of Government just sickens me. What else does he need to do to prove he is morally and financially unfit to run his almost global super ministry.
Cameron and Osborne are flim flam men of the very worst kind. He is seriously proposing to seek the premiership with 35% of the popular vote, and if necessary pay the Ulster Unionists £200m to get him anointed. That is not change, that is the same old corrupt way of doing things. Cameron's personal antipathy to proportional representation shows that he cares not a jot
about having a Mandate or the figleaf of legitimacy.
In 1951 3.2% of the population voted for a non Conservative/Labour Candidate, in 2005 the figure was 32.7%. What does that tell us about how out of sync FTP is with the voting intentions.
Clegg and the Lib Dems, have a laudable commitment to PR, but a despicable commitment to being run by Brussels, which is the very opposite of what a Libertarian wants, a small local accountable Government.
The also rans have all paid their £500 deposit, yet do not enjoy equal access to State subsidies and State Broadcasters, because politics is no longer a battle of ideas, it is a Presidential beauty contest.
Tom Paine has best summed it up for me today.
...even those on the (Labour) client payroll must know in their hearts that this can’t
go on. I feel sorry for some who will vote Labour today out of fear for
their non-jobs or the future of the lame “services” on which they
depend. Apart from the underclass (probably less than a million
individuals) they are not willing parasites. They simply have no
experience of providing for themselves. More to the point, given the
economic destruction wrought by Labour and the lack of any clear,
honest solution from the Tories, they understandably have no confidence
that any likely government will ever leave them enough of their own
earnings to do so.
Of course I am disappointed in anyone who
votes for fairyland politics today, but I accept they are not
deliberately destroying our country. They are clinging to its wreckage,
with no idea what else to do. Most (if they are honest) know in their
hearts that they are stealing from their children and grandchildren.
They are familiar with the concept because it’s just what their parents
and their grandparents did to them with their unfunded Welfare State.
It was only during Blair’s time in number 10, after all, that we
finished paying America back the money our grandparents borrowed to
fund their great “vision” in 1946. Their “stamps”didn’t pay it all. We did.
None of this is Gordon Brown’s fault. Blair concealed his motives well, but
Brown has been openly, honestly intent on reducing us to the living
standards and civic culture of the former East Germany. He sincerely
believes in “equality” and seriously thinks that we will be poorer but
happier in social solidarity under firm government. Under his
leadership, Labour has once again been an honest party of losers, for
losers. It has openly promoted loserdom as a lifestyle. No, the fault
for today’s impending fiasco lies entirely with HM Opposition for
failing to sell reality to the deluded and/or terrified voters.
My wife says Cameron had no choice. The voters are hypocrites; complaining
that no-one tells them the truth, but punishing anyone who tries to do
so. She thinks Cameron will imitate Blair in substance as well as
style; pretending to be ideologically close to the outgoing government
but then introducing by stealth every aspect of his true agenda. I am
not convinced, which in a way is a compliment to Cameron. I don’t think
he is that warped.
It has come to something, has it not, when our only hope is that David Cameron is despicable liar? Just like Blair.
I have two votes in this election, one a postal vote entrusted to me by a Libertarian Party member currently living in Hong Kong- having discussed the candidates, she came to the conclusion that only writing 'None of the above' would do.
I have voted this morning, using the simple expedient of attaching a sticker that says the following.
THIS HARD FOUGHT FOR VOTE IS MEANINGLESS IN A CORRUPT
FIRST PAST THE POST SYSTEM.
THIS ELECTION IS A THEREFORE A SHAM AND HAS NO LEGITIMACY TO
APPOINT THE NEXT GOVERNMENT
I do this with a heavy heart.
My eldest son who at twenty four has never voted before because he feels alienated from the political system, actually set off to vote Conservative. At the door to Church Hall was a Conservative canvasser who quite aggressively demanded his roll number, which he quite rightly refused to give. An argument ensued, at which point Cameron lost another vote to the 'None of the Aboves'. The Tories have not changed, they are just as small town authoritarian as they have ever been.
There should never be another election run under the First Past The Post System, any goverment that says it has a popular mandate, is flying in the face of the facts and starts from day one lying. The Monarchy is equally in jeopardy constitutionally if this is forced upon us.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Who cares who wins?
I suppose I've left it a little late to comment on the general election. Wading through the sea of garbage spouted by the main three contenders would be a full time job and I already have one that pays, which I happen to rather like. I do, for once, have better things to do.
First off, I apologise for the lack of vigor and care you might have expected. The fact is I am so bored of repeating the same observations I can barely bring myself to write this. I have given up any hope of salvation.
That being said, I have a point to make. Most of you will be well aware you are being spoon fed utter shit. That kinda goes without saying. But one thing that screams at me is that not one of the leaders has the guts to tell you the truth about the economy.
We have debts spanning into hundreds of billions and the best David Cameron can muster is £6bn worth of cuts. Meanwhile we have Gordon Brown who thinks the government IS the economy and Nick Clegg who uses the spectre of the feeble Tory cuts as a reason to vote for him. £6bn? Try £60bn. For starters. It IS that bad.
Anyone would think we were not on the brink of fiscal Armageddon. The Euro is yet again on the brink of collapse, there is a real danger of a double dip recession and we have not even begun to feel the effects of the recession we're in.
I am reminded of the Arnhem "paper bag" strategy where the dead and wounded were propped up at machine gun posts to give the impression the British were still in situ as they stealthily evacuated in the night. This perfectly encapsulates what is happening with British politics. We have the appearance of they are still engaged in politics but behind the decoy, there is simply nothing of substance.
We have one party who would keep VAT as it is, one who might budge it up a percentage point and one who might budge it down one. Where is the party saying scrap it altogether? But that would mean admitting that they are legally bound by the EU to keep it at a 15% minimum. As ever we are being expected to swallow minor policy adjustments as choice at the ballot box and nobody will tell you that Brussels is now the government.
Of the few powers that remain with Westminster, will any of them sweep away the taxes that are crippling the economy? Will any of them really reform the public sector? Will any of them really reduce the payroll vote and welfare? Will anyone scrap the tax hikes on beer? Will anyone drop the taxes on petrol? Will any of them finally admit they were wrong on climate change? Take a guess.
I was bored enough to watch the final debate on the economy. The EU barely factored into it. The biggest drag on our economy is cost of hiring. It is why jobs are leaving our shores. And that is down to EU regulation. Will any of them address this or even admit it's a problem? Nope. That's too much like real politics.
Agriculture, fishing, trade, employment, VAT, air traffic control, radio frequencies, weights and measures, employment, energy, environment, airline safety, electronics, waste disposal, swimming pool gradients, immigration, human rights, some aspects of monetary policy, banking regulation, food labelling, exports, health and safety, vehicle production, emissions trading etc etc etc is for the most part regulated by the EU. Westminster no longer has a say. So what does it matter which stuffed shirt lives in Downing Street?
The only things left are the NHS, education and welfare to give the illusion that we are still in control. None of which is presently sustainable with declining government revenues. Our economic fate cannot be turned around without radical changes in policy, but in areas which are no longer under Westminster influence.
Unless a party categorically says they will take us out of the EU, there is no reason to believe they understand the problems (or economics for that matter) and thus have even less of a chance of fixing them.
They say they are going to do things they are not allowed to do by the EU. That leaves one of two possibilities. Either they are lying or they simply do not know what they are talking about. Neither is particularly reassuring.
In conclusion, all I will say is that unless your candidate is unambiguous in their commitment to taking Britain out of the EU, yours is a wasted vote and a wasted opportunity. If you vote for the big three you deserve what you get, you are part of the problem and I really have to ask... How gullible are you?
First off, I apologise for the lack of vigor and care you might have expected. The fact is I am so bored of repeating the same observations I can barely bring myself to write this. I have given up any hope of salvation.
That being said, I have a point to make. Most of you will be well aware you are being spoon fed utter shit. That kinda goes without saying. But one thing that screams at me is that not one of the leaders has the guts to tell you the truth about the economy.
We have debts spanning into hundreds of billions and the best David Cameron can muster is £6bn worth of cuts. Meanwhile we have Gordon Brown who thinks the government IS the economy and Nick Clegg who uses the spectre of the feeble Tory cuts as a reason to vote for him. £6bn? Try £60bn. For starters. It IS that bad.
Anyone would think we were not on the brink of fiscal Armageddon. The Euro is yet again on the brink of collapse, there is a real danger of a double dip recession and we have not even begun to feel the effects of the recession we're in.
I am reminded of the Arnhem "paper bag" strategy where the dead and wounded were propped up at machine gun posts to give the impression the British were still in situ as they stealthily evacuated in the night. This perfectly encapsulates what is happening with British politics. We have the appearance of they are still engaged in politics but behind the decoy, there is simply nothing of substance.
We have one party who would keep VAT as it is, one who might budge it up a percentage point and one who might budge it down one. Where is the party saying scrap it altogether? But that would mean admitting that they are legally bound by the EU to keep it at a 15% minimum. As ever we are being expected to swallow minor policy adjustments as choice at the ballot box and nobody will tell you that Brussels is now the government.
Of the few powers that remain with Westminster, will any of them sweep away the taxes that are crippling the economy? Will any of them really reform the public sector? Will any of them really reduce the payroll vote and welfare? Will anyone scrap the tax hikes on beer? Will anyone drop the taxes on petrol? Will any of them finally admit they were wrong on climate change? Take a guess.
I was bored enough to watch the final debate on the economy. The EU barely factored into it. The biggest drag on our economy is cost of hiring. It is why jobs are leaving our shores. And that is down to EU regulation. Will any of them address this or even admit it's a problem? Nope. That's too much like real politics.
Agriculture, fishing, trade, employment, VAT, air traffic control, radio frequencies, weights and measures, employment, energy, environment, airline safety, electronics, waste disposal, swimming pool gradients, immigration, human rights, some aspects of monetary policy, banking regulation, food labelling, exports, health and safety, vehicle production, emissions trading etc etc etc is for the most part regulated by the EU. Westminster no longer has a say. So what does it matter which stuffed shirt lives in Downing Street?
The only things left are the NHS, education and welfare to give the illusion that we are still in control. None of which is presently sustainable with declining government revenues. Our economic fate cannot be turned around without radical changes in policy, but in areas which are no longer under Westminster influence.
Unless a party categorically says they will take us out of the EU, there is no reason to believe they understand the problems (or economics for that matter) and thus have even less of a chance of fixing them.
They say they are going to do things they are not allowed to do by the EU. That leaves one of two possibilities. Either they are lying or they simply do not know what they are talking about. Neither is particularly reassuring.
In conclusion, all I will say is that unless your candidate is unambiguous in their commitment to taking Britain out of the EU, yours is a wasted vote and a wasted opportunity. If you vote for the big three you deserve what you get, you are part of the problem and I really have to ask... How gullible are you?
Monday, 3 May 2010
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Its Tough Out There On The Stump In Pewsey
I have been out delivering leaflets in Pewsey today in support of Libertarian candidate Nic Coome standing in Devizes, with other members of the SW Libertarians.
Some of the locals are quite belligerent in their political views as seen above, not for them a little leaflet in the downstairs window !
There was a logical explanation of course, I just could not image this 'being allowed' in metropolitan areas, the 'righteous' would be fainting in the streets and wanting prosecutions.
According to a few locals we spoke to the productions are always worth a visit.
Friday, 30 April 2010
But I'M The Labour Candidate The Law Does Not Apply To Me
I had a run in with Kerry McCarthy when she was advocating giving Somali asylum seekers the vote in her constituency 'just like Obama did'. A quick check with the Electoral Commission confirmed that she was getting pretty close to electoral fraud last year.
So this year the former solicitor decided to cross the Legal line altogether
She is either-
A) Very Stupid
B) Deliberately breaking the Criminal Law to protect 'her job'
C) Does not believe that the Law applies to her, just the little people
Whether you pick A,B or C or all three, she is not fit to represent Bristol in Parliament.
Will she be prosecuted to the full extent of the Law- on past form under our Stasi State very unlikely, after May 7th lets see how much 'change' we get, or will it be business as usual for the political elite.
According to section 66A of the Representation of the People Act, publishing the details of a count can lead to a fine or a prison sentence of up to six months.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Libertarian Party Manifesto 2010
We have seen much of the big three party's manifesto pledges. To this end I submit for review the Libertarian Party manifesto. Please note that you can compare this manifesto by carrying out a search for your party's name along with the terms manifesto and the year.
If the views presented are more to your liking perhaps you should contact the party, donate, become involved or a combination of all of the three!
In a country where we are individuals having choice is important. We should be aware of the decisions our representatives are making, the impact they have not just on our lives but that of all people and ensure our voices are being heard.
Libertarian+Manifesto
EDIT: For those of you that require this document in another format please email
sutton @lpuk.org
If the views presented are more to your liking perhaps you should contact the party, donate, become involved or a combination of all of the three!
In a country where we are individuals having choice is important. We should be aware of the decisions our representatives are making, the impact they have not just on our lives but that of all people and ensure our voices are being heard.
Libertarian+Manifesto
EDIT: For those of you that require this document in another format please email
sutton @lpuk.org
Thursday, 15 April 2010
When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth
Apologies for the late comment on yesterday's Daily Politics show with this delectable washed up hack Mr Andrew Neil (61). Pictured here with yet another young lovely not the one that had previously been photographed with wearing a baseball hat that Private Eye repeatedly reprinted.
Anyway, the disgust that this hack produced yesterday has led to a glut of membership applications and donations to our tiny and irrelevant party in the last twenty four hours.
Neill and the BBC do not understand the meaning of 'Public Service Broadcasting' for which the BBC has a charter and the ability to enforce a TV tax to pay for itself. Neill felt that it was not his task to question Mounsey on his party's policies, but to play the man himself, attacking his blog. The wee balding scotsman is not fond of anybody who has any association with public schools, so Mounsey was never going to be off to a good start.
This morning Chris has deleted his blog, and has made a personal decision to tone down the visceral anger that has been his trademark.
Unlike the rest of the BBC, professional politicians and Neil himself sucking off the teat of the public purse, the members of the Libertarian Party are committed amateurs. We cannot afford to have our real jobs and lives threatened by those who feel threatened by having been caught fleecing the public purse in 'Rotten Parliament' and in the BBC.
Neill appears in another show were he sits around chuckling with the hypocrite Diane Abbott and the ever bizarre Portillo. If these three are what the BBC thinks represents politics no wonder forty per cent of the population don't vote, and the rest are utterly disillusioned with what is on offer, including the sterile 'Leaders' debate tonight.
Dinosaurs ruled the earth once, they do not do so now as they were unable to adapt to a new reality.
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