War in Iraq

a former soldier in the SAS went public this week in the media over the issue of British involvement in torture. Now, as regular readers will know I have been a long time critic of what I regard as the killing of innocents, the capture and torture of people in Iraq and generally the lack of care over prisoners in Iraq. I thought that the readers of the Echo really ought to know what a Ministry of Defence spokesman said about my son's comments.The spokesman is quoted as saying "The UK government never uses torture for any purpose, including obtaining information, neither would we instigate actions by others to do so. We would not transfer an individual to any country if we believed there was a risk of mistreatment".Accordingly, I have no choice but to apologise most profusely for all of my earlier comments. I am surprised that my son was not charged with refusing orders and I think we should all be told why he was given an honourable discharge and why his discharge papers contain the comment that Ben has " the courage of his convictions". All of the media reports about prisoners being beaten, and in at least one case, a prisoner dying whilst under the protection of British troops are to be seen as fabrications. There were no pictures taken by British soldiers of looters being kicked, punched beaten with sticks.What must be accepted is that British soldiers were not lied to over the illegal war. That we have not retreated from Basra and that everything is great. Our soldiers have not died in vain and we can all hold our heads up high with pride over actions in Iraq over the last five years.Finally, our own MP Ben Bradshaw should be commended for not commenting about the war and ignoring all my comments about our involvement in Iraq. Well done Ben, you are the hero of the day and bring honour to the City of Exeter.

War in Iraq

I do have a certain problem which I wonder if our MP and also Minister for the South West could help me with.You all know that I have for a long time thought the the war and subsequent occupation of Iraq was illegal. We have participated in the torture of the people of Iraq, even, and it is a big even, if we do not personally torture people I think you will find that we captured them and then handed them over to somebody else to do the dirty work for us. They have been flown through British territory as well.Now, we went into Iraq Ben to bring them democracy, a very laudable thing to do, and to overthrow a dictator. Mission accomplished in that he was overthrown and then executed.Now, what I would ask our MP to tell us is what exactly are we doing to protect Iraq from invasion, namely, by the Turkish army. Turkey, under the guise of protection from terrorism has invaded northern Iraq. Now, on the basis that we seem to think that this does not deserve strict denouncementy of Turkey, can he tell us why not. Westcountry soldiers are killing and being killed, so Ben Bradshaw, what exactly is the point of all these deaths. Are we in Iraq and Adghanistand to defend them or are we, as I think just a load of cannon fodder. I think that Gordon Brown and the politicians do not care about what happens to anybody as long as they keep getting their snouts in the trough.

Referendum in Exeter

we now know that local council elections will be held in May 2008. This is fantastic and very democratic.May I humbly suggest that this is the perfect time for democracy to prove itself in Exeter. Let us include two questions on the ballot papers which will settle certain issues once and for all.Do you want an extended Unitary Exeter. This is being looked at by the Boundaries Committee and hard evidence can be submitted to the members as to whether or not Exeter really wants this to go forward. A true democrat would have no problems wih this question being asked. Both Exeter City Council and Devon County Council are spending so much on this issue it really does need sorting.Secondly, do you want an elected mayor for Exeter. Another issue which has not been satisfactorily resolved. Get it out of the way once and for all.Surely, this is the perfect time to resolve both these issues, not through opinion polls but the ballot box. Are there any democrats out there who share my views or have most people just given up.

Ben Bradshaw Expenses

I was watching the Politics Show today, Wednesday 20 February and who should be on the programme but our own MP Ben Bradshaw saying that he wanted to see more transparency with regard to MPs salaries and expenses, and I could not agree more.Now, having listened to what he said I was wondering if he would like to set an example by either publishing all details of his expenses on his web site, or, better still, giving the details to the Echo so that they can publish the full details.Now, from what I gather all MPs are saying the same, they should be open and transparent. However, none of them ever actually do anything. So, Ben, give a lead. Publish all your finacial details, I would if I was an MP so just do it! After all Ben it is my taxes which are currently keeping you well remunerated.

Devon Partnership Trust

may I thank your correspondent Peter Leggatt of Devon Partnership Trust for his letter Much-needed role performed by Staff Echo Letters February 19. However, he fails to understand the dilemma which the Partnership now faces.I fully agree with him when he says 'we are doing all we can to ensure that we have sufficient resources in place to provide excellent services and meet the mental health needs of the county' but surely the resource to which he refers, namely Devon County Council Staff, should never be working for the Partnership, part of our National Health Service, and yet paid for by the Council Tax payer. They must be paid for by the Partnership. We know the financial problems faced by the Partnership, they were well documented by the Echo last year, yet my council taxes must never be used within the Health services.I have long held the view that there should be integration of Social Services and the National Health Service, but on the basis that Social Services Staff transfer directly to the NHS and are funded by the NHS, not the Council Tax payer.

GP working hours

further to various contributions over GPs and the hours they work may I point out something which I regard as fundamental to the debate. I would love to be somebody like a GP who helps people. Only trouble is there are so many people who are beyond help. They are in the process of dying.Now, if I was a GP then I could not cope. I would hate to treat people who will soon be dead. There is absolutely nothing to do but watch them slowly die. I think that GPs, and other health professionals, deserve all the time off they can get. Money cannot compensate for what they have to do. So, there are groups of people who do things not for the money but because they care. It is not that I do not care, it is just that I could not do what some professions have to do, every day, day in , day out. Is it any wonder that many people in the caring profession enjoy the odd tipple. My life and quality of life has been saved by poeple, not only GPs,whole teams of people and I do not want them to work excessive hours. Not in my name anyway.

Halal/Kosher Meat

In this country we have Animal Welfare laws, to protect unnecessary harm to animals. Can somebody, anybody, please explain why, in this civilized country, we have passed laws which permit the killing of animals by methods which I regard as inhumane, namely for Halal and Kosher meat. We have apparently banned fox hunting, yet we still allow what I would refer to as barbaric practices.

The truth is out there

as some people know I have a Batchelor of Science degree from the Open University and am this year going for my Honours by studying Philosophy. Why do I tell you this. It is because as part of the course I am reading Nigel Warburton on Arguments for Freedom and if you will allow me I will quote him with reference to the Orwell novel Nineteen Eighty-Four "The central character, Winston Smith, lives in a future totalitarian society in which almost all his actions are observed and controlled. Access to truth is extremely difficult; the state has a complicated system which is constantly rewriting history in terms favourable to it". Now I could not have put it any better.We are coming up to the fifth anniversary of, what I and many others would say is, the illegal war against Iraq and our subsequent continued occupation of that Country. What Tony Blair did in our name was shameful but members of Parliament are just as complicit. Gordon Brown, who has never stood for any election as our Prime Minister still supports our occupation, which is not a surprise as he, disgustingly, paid for it using our taxes. He should still hold an immediate election not only because of the situation in Iraq but also because of his breaking of the labour party manifesto in respect of the Treaty of Lisbon, that is the European Constitution. No matter what Brown, Bradshaw, or anybody else says they cannot make me change what I actually believe. For Nineteen Eighty-Four read 2008, the truth is out there.

The truth is out there

as some people know I have a Batchelor of Science degree from the Open University and am this year going for my Honours by studying Philosophy. Why do I tell you this. It is because as part of the course I am reading Nigel Warburton on Arguments for Freedom and if you will allow me I will quote him with reference to the Orwell novel Nineteen Eighty-Four "The central character, Winston Smith, lives in a future totalitarian society in which almost all his actions are observed and controlled. Access to truth is extremely difficult; the state has a complicated system which is constantly rewriting history in terms favourable to it". Now I could not have put it any better.We are coming up to the fifth anniversary of, what I and many others would say is, the illegal war against Iraq and our subsequent continued occupation of that Country. What Tony Blair did in our name was shameful but members of Parliament are just as complicit. Gordon Brown, who has never stood for any election as our Prime Minister still supports our occupation, which is not a surprise as he, disgustingly, paid for it using our taxes. He should still hold an immediate election not only because of the situation in Iraq but also because of his breaking of the labour party manifesto in respect of the Treaty of Lisbon, that is the European Constitution. No matter what Brown, Bradshaw, or anybody else says they cannot make me change what I actually believe. For Nineteen Eighty-Four read 2008, the truth is out there.

Devon Partnership Trust

I did not fail to notice that the Devon Partnership Trust, who look after the mental health of people in Devon, apparently employs 100 staff from the County Council, Echo Mental Health Plans Given a Guarded Welcome. Now I think that we are entitled to know who pays for these people. If they are still employed by DCC do they pay them. If they work for the Partnership Trust and are paid by the same then have their salaries been taken off the DCC payroll. After all 100 staff is an awful lot of salary! Exactly who are these staff paid by, who are they answerable to and where is the reduction in our Council tax or is this some sort of dodge by the County Council to achieve so called efficiency savings. Just a little snippet in the Echo results in some very important questions requiring answers.

Dire

who exactly does Ben Bradshaw think he is. Here in Exeter we are fortunate enough to have two, not one but two, Walk-in-Centres and yet he demands that GPs work more hours. In the meantime please do not forget the appalling situation over Dr Harold Shipman, the biggest mass murderer in the history of Britain. What this government should have the guts to come out and say is that they will not accept any single GP practices. Close them and compensate the doctor if he is not in a position to join another practice.Exactly why should GPs work any more hours than they already do. Surely people can organise their lives so that they can take advantage of the existing facilities.Meanwhile the Echo reports the increased detection of certain sexually transmitted diseases. That is only because of the new GUM clinic in the Walk-in-Centre which took so long to establish. Now maybe we may have some action over hepatitis C where the incidence of infection is far higher than the authorities care to admit.

Expenses

surely it is not beynd the wit of MPs and other public servants to put all of their income and expenditure onto the internet so that we can all see and compare their effectiveness. For those who believe this is an intrusion then may I say to all of those who may be affected thatI pay my taxes and I have a right to see how it is being spent.If you were to go to the Devon Records Office you could look up for yourself the Devon County County Finance Committee Report of 20 October 1949.In this report we are told that the Chief Committee Clerk Grade IV has a salary at 1st October 1949 of £480 p.a. and he is actually named as being a Mr.D.A. Thorne. Now if we could have that sort of openness in those days then why not now?I demand to see how much all the staff of MPs are paid, using my taxes, and we ought to be able to know at least the salary bands of all publc and civil servants and how many are the actual bands.Come on Ben Bradshaw, get the ball rolling and give us the details of your employees and expenses, or what have you got to hide. By the way I receive a pension of just over £12,000