T A Griffin (TAG)

Inquire into Iraq Detainees

2011-05-17T06:02:00.000-07:00

The government has announced that it will not be investigating into what happened to detainees when they handed over to a third party:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2010/07/independent-inquiry-into-treatment-of-detainees/

This is a disgrace and a futile attempt to prevent justice being done...Cameron promised an Inquiry...what are the liberals going to do about preventing this massive cover up

Irrelevant

2011-05-04T00:03:00.001-07:00

One is not trashing the raid...bin Laden is acknowledged by most experts as having been an irrelevance for many years now...ask any of the soldiers involved in the original occupation of Afghanistan way back in 2001...the Afghans were pleased to see them...even the Taliban were soon playing football against 'the invaders'...bin Laden was allowed to escape...because there were bigger fish to catch...Iraq...and then we ran with our tails between our legs from Basra...so the military wanted to prove itself...so back to Afghanistan...as part of our redemption...and then...more British blood and treasure spent...and for what...to train the Afghan army to fight...but who will they fight when we have gone...as we soon will...leaving Quizling Karzai...but soon we will at least be able to return all the asylum seekers back to their homelands...only now there will be Libya...and Syria...and Iran

Cricket

2010-08-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

this comment gives me no pleasure at all but there are allegations in a Sunday newspaper about betting in cricket. If these allegations about bowling no balls then that to me would be the tip of the iceberg. In the first innings of the current test England were on the ropes, just like we were in the Battle of Britain, our backs against the wall, then miraculously England recovered, with a brilliant ninth wicket stand.

Then come these allegations, everything is tarnished, a dropped catch here, a dropped catch there, a misfield, all of a sudden nothing makes any sense. What people have to understand is that in the betting market you can 'buy' runs. For example, if somebody had bought England for £10 when they were 150-7 then England score 300 then the person who bought England would win £1,500, whereas if England had been all out for 200 then the person would owe £1,000 to the other side of the bet. Now this is big money, because we are not talking £10's here, we are talking serious money.

Now my concern is that yet again Pakistan figure in all this, a Pakistan which is meant to be striggling with terrorism, and don't mention the floods. So, there is something seriously going wrong.

There have been problems with betting previously in cricket, but it does not seem to go away, despite some major efforts, and it is sad when one of the greatest sports in the world is brought into disrepute, and it is sad, so very sad, that it would seem that all is not right.

Take an example, a team might well be involved in a match where the game is affected by rain, so the captains agree a run target, with easy bowling, and artificial targets, one team then 'wins' by declarations, and may take some of the honours, but is it fair on the other teams involved, and if betting is involved, or bonuses for success, then there is trouble.

It is no different in Grand Prix racing, we have seen, and heard, that teams may well have their favourite to win, and the second racer may be 'ordered' to allow the other driver to pass. Now this has happened, and again there are problems, because of betting.

These are sad days for those of us brought up on fair play, all illusions are shattered, it is a sign of the times, nobody would seem to be whiter than white. I have said before, and it still stands to this day, money makes pimps and whores of us all, a harsh comment I know, but we all follow orders at some time or another in our lives, and we have to ask, why?

Retail prices Index

2010-08-25T22:42:00.001-07:00

firstly, the government must not pass any legislation, or allow, any company to alter the terms of pensions so that pensions can be linked to the Conumer Prices Index rather than the Retial Prices Index. If they do I will be very angry, and at last other serious commentators have understood what I understood as soon as it was announced. This must be dropped as a proposal, and the change to policy must be announced at the party conferences of the government of national unity, otherwise there will not be very much unity at all.

As for government bonds, which are trading at a premium to their redemption price I don't think that many fully understand the problem. Yes the income is there, the governments will probably not default, but there is a catch. Where a bond is above par, when it is redeemed, then the investor will lose their capital. Consider a bond trading at £115 for every £100 of bond, with an interest rate of 8% on the bond, with a rewdemption date of 2015.

Now then my lucky punters, you buy the bond, a hundred pounds, but it costs a hundred and fifteen pounds. For five years you get eight pounds, less tax of course, and then in 2015, you get from the government a huindred pounds, so you have lost fifteen pounds of your capital, gone, all gone. Furthermore, you can't get any relief from Capital Gains Tax on your 'investment' because gilts are exempt from CGT.

So, yes you have some income, yes your bonds are 'guaranteed' but you try this one and I wonder how long you will stay out of jail, especially with Quantitaive easing, and the effect on inflation, so that even the hundred pounds in five years time is not worth the same as the hundred pounds of bond you bought in the first place.

You have to ask yourself why the government does not link Index Linked Gilts to the CPI, rather than the CPI, maybe because they could see the lawyers just waiting for their days in court.

The government must announce that the changes to allow pension funds to change from RPI to CPI must not go forward. They really must not.

Justice

2010-07-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

great interview with General Sir Mike Jackson (Retired) on the Today programme this morning. Surely his position, as well the other Chiefs of Staff, on taking orders to be part of the invasion of Iraq becomes more untenable with every passing disclosure. It is well known that I have a very close family member who is now under a High Court Injunction preventing his freedom of speech.

Now then it is becoming apparent that where he led others have followed in speaking without permission, as an example look at McChrystal and see what has happened to him, and now senior state officials are saying that the military must not give any interviews without permission, and referral of their answers before being printed. In other words censorship.

Now this is how wars are lost, when the truth is suppressed, because it is unpleasant, or is defeatist. Now Jackson must take responsibility for the events surrounding Baha Mousa because from his own words the law is precious, and certainly nobody should be above the law, and the chain of command goes right to the very top.

It is my strong belief that nobody can hide behind the claim that international law is vague on this or that. There was no justification for the war in Iraq, and especially the failure to protect the local population once the war was over.

Do I need to go on and on and on about what I consider to be the illegality of the Iraq situation, well yes I think I do, and one day there will be trials in the International Court, because without the rule of law we are all lost, there can be just wars, there can be but without the rule of law there will be anarchy, because might does not make right, even though some may hide behind their understanding of what they have done, they cannot hide behind I took legal advice and I was following orders. At least one person, on looking into the same laws as the senior officers came down to their view that the war was illegal, and were given an honourable discharge, whilst one would have expected him to be charged and jailed for refusing orders. Some people can live with their consciences, others will eventually wish that they had not followed orders.

There must be trials for the politicians and senior officers, without these trials justice will never be served. There must be justice.

The War

2010-07-02T22:48:00.000-07:00

I too am totally amazed at what the public are being sold as being the exit 'strategy'. I mean seriously we have been in Afghanistan since 2001, I mean seriously 2001, and every year it seems to get worse, not better. What concerns me most of all is that no allied troops can trust the soldiers they train, they dare not turn their backs to them when they go on armed patrols.

As for Panthers Claw, it was only after yours truly asked where were the Afghans during the campaign that they were sudeenly mentioned. As for the surge this is the exit strategy, go in kill some people, say we have victory, and now withdraw. We keep hearing of our losses, how many Afghan soldiers or police have died since our general election, how many Afghan civilians, they cannot all be Taliban, have been killed or injured since our general election.

I have still had no satisfactory reference by any of the media as to why there were so few deaths between when the general election was called and when it was held. I don't know Andrew, I get just so angry, and in the meantime Chilcot continues, and surely the media must be taking in all that has come out since Chilcot came back to his hearings, especially after he took his 'evidence' in America. Nobody is picking up the contradictions from evidence given by the likes of Blair, Blair, Straw, and Hoon. I thought that I could begin to wind down, but it seems it is actually getting worse, not better.

I really did hope that somehow my 'job' was done, only it seems not. The economy is a disaster, the environment is a disaster, the war in Iraq was and still is a disaster, the occupation of Afghanistan is totally unsustainable, and Pakistan is in civil war, with India waiting in the wings. The one good thing which can be said is that all the factions in the area of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India continue to live in peace and harmony in our country, and long may that tolerance continue.

McChrystal out of Afghanistan

2010-06-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

As we listen to the budget the news from 'the front' in Afghanistan is appalling. The whole way forward was based on the surge under the American General McChrystal. He only went and gave an interview to a magazine and the views he expressed in his interview have led to his recall to explain his comments.

The whole expedition is a massive error, this is and always was going to end in tears, and our soldiers have been killed and injured, and they have killed and injured for what? To keep terror off the streets of our country, or for the careers of the generals and the officers concerned.

It is time that not only were the generals recalled, it is time to bring the boys home. We left Iraq with our tails between our legs, and no amounts of parades, or church ceremonies will alter that. It is the same with Afghanistan, get out now, we can't afford it in so many ways.

The Arts

2010-06-21T02:50:00.001-07:00

People keep talking of cuts. In the meantime I live in Exeter, part of Devon and I pay my taxes to both the City and the County.

Now yesterday I attended a meeting of the Environment, Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee of Devon County Council. Now this committee were discussing the 'Arts Investment and Culture Projects' and in this there were proposals for various schemes which the County thought it good to fund.

Now individuals can look up these proposals for themselves but as a taster £400,000 goes to the Arts Investment Programme, £65,000 goes to Cultural & Heritage Outreach Activities, and another £65,000 goes to Other Cultural Projects.

This is probably being repeated around this once great country of ours, and it is time to stop. I have earned my money, I have paid my taxes, and I seriously resent any of my taxes, our money, going to a dance company, heritage outreach, or a cultural Olympiad which is just a taster of where money is going.

So the government should close down with immediate the Culture, Media, and Sport department. At his time we seriously cannot afford them, not funded by any taxpayer money at all. So, that is my first suggestion to the government, the Treasury, stop funding parts of our economy which serve no useful purpose at all. You want culture, media or sport, well you pay for it, and that includes the 'arts'.

Chinese Yuan

2010-06-21T02:35:00.000-07:00

I would like to hear more from the experts on the revaluation of the Chinese Yuan. There is to be a meeting of the G20 on 26/27 of June and it looks like the Chinese are trying to avoid legitimate criticism of their currency value.

The problem is that with our reliance on Chinese imports these will now have to rise, and we cannot replace their products with our own, because we can no longer manufacture them. Accordingly, the price of Chinese imports will rise substantially, with the effect on our Retail Prices Index. We are just so doomed.

Telegram boys

2009-04-24T04:33:00.001-07:00

it has really begun to sink in the the use by the government of the internet terminology to describe the current appalling financial state of the planet. For example we have the WWW, the World Wide Web. Well has nobody else seen the sumliminal link to the WWR, the World Wide Recession, or the WWD, the World Wide Depression. Am I the only one to notice this link. Is this the government proving how up to date it is, what with Gordon on Youtube, I am still recovering from the shock of watching somebody laugh, or smile, at totally inappropriate moments.

There is an old 'joke' about the singing telegram men from the thirties, they would go to sing the telegram to the recipient, only some messages were grossly inappropriate, but the recipient insisted, so the Telegram boy sang 'daddy daddy dum, daddy daddy dum, Kate and the kids are dead, Oy'.

Trouble is in the air

2009-04-23T03:22:00.001-07:00

now you know that it is possible to read some very old copies of Hansard via the internet, or the WWW not the WWD, which refers of course to the World Wide Depression, or WWR which is of course the World Wide Recession. All of this is nothing to do with WMD, which is why this was not a peace time budget. We are at war, in Iraq and Afghanistan, this budget was a war time budget and we just cannot afford these wars.

Now to my very simple point, I show below a copy of part of a debate which took place on the 14 August 1917 Vol. 26 cc383-408 with regard to Naval Pensions:-

§ 'The most important questions I wish to bring before the House this evening are in connection with pay and pensions. The matter of pensions is at the moment causing a great deal of irritation in the Fleet. I say that as it stands now there is a great injustice and a breach of contract between the Government and the men, and I intend to prove this. The contract between the Government and the men when they join the Service is in these terms, that after twenty-two years qualifying service they get pensions which are awarded for life. That is a definite and distinct contract which, if broken, concerns the honour of the State. Your Lordships will bear in mind that a pension is really only deferred pay. The men are paid less than what might be described as the market price, in order that a pension may be provided for them. If that were not the case, they would be paid more'.

Now need I say more. Remember that during the Great Depression the government tried to lower the pay of some members of the navy, namely the ratings. What happened was that there was the Invergordon Mutiny. Beware whichever government takes over because there was the collapse of the Soviet Union which evreybody seems to say that nobody saw it coming, well some of us did, just like some of us could see the latest economic crash.

Well there is trouble brewing, I can feel it in the air, everything is now on shifting sands, and what seems permanent will never stay that way. We are on the road to ruin, mark my words, there is trouble brewing.

Tax

2009-04-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

With the state of the banks and the terrible state the bankers have got us in to, please stop calling any holiday a bank holiday. It must be a public holiday, never again a bank holiday.

Please note that if we are to believe that Sir Fred Goodwin is in receipt of a pension of £700,000 or more then a quick calculation will mean that he will be paying an extra £70,000 in tax, but no national insurance. Now who on earth can complain at that.

Sri Lanka

2009-04-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

we all know that the conservatives are always being asked what would you do, and what will you do in the future, what with the parlous state of the economy.

Alistair Darling must be asked to respond to the question what will you, and the labour party MPs who are still in parliament after the next election, do when the Tories have to take the necessary action to resolve the issue of public pensions and pay. There must be control, because I can see a period of total anarchy.

I would suggest that everybody vote labour at the next general election so that they have to sort it out, but they are gutless, Darling showed that yesterday. As for Gordon Brown, the way he presented on Youtube, and the way he sat grinning inanely during the budget lead me to honestly believe that he is totally detached from reality. I am sorry to say this but could not the men in white coats please come and take him away, he is absolutely totally bonkers. Oh, and this is a dead parrot parliament, what the extended holidays they are giving themselves. Put us out of our misery, call an election, a vote of no confidence would not be wasted, come on Cameron, get them out.

We are now learning that the comments by the PM may well have jeopardised any case against the alleged Pakistani terrorists. Gordon is not only bonkers, he is dangerous to national security. I say allow intercept evidence to be allowed.

May I also beg the PM to take urgent action over what is happening in Sri Lanka, he always tells us how he cares for children, well it is the women and children in Sri Lanka are suffering, end the suffering Gordon, go to the UN and demand action. Or do we only involve ourselves when we have something to gain.

Demographic time bomb

2009-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

there is a major problem for the pension funds. An awful lot of people are coming up to retirement. Previously they could meet obligations on the cash coming in from existing employees and the fact that dividend payments were sufficient when received with their tax relief. Now , the number of employees is reducing, profits for firms in a period of deflation are reducing, and they no longer get their dividend income gross. So, they now have to actually start selling assets, namely shares, to raise the money to pay the pensions.

The demographic time bomb is now going nuclear, and there is nothing that anybody can do to save the situation.

As for the chancellors growth figures these are nonsense. What happens to people income when they retire, it plummets. There will be no recovery, the game is over. I would say abandon hope but somebody has beaten me to it. I see the shame of the IMF in the shadows.

Like what you normally does

2009-04-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

love the attempt by Brown to take the moral high ground with the proposals for MPs expenses. What planet is this man on.

The whole point would seem to be to give the MPs an allowance just for turning up and then being able to spend the money they receive without having to produce any receipts, except for the tax man of course. A per diem allowance is totally unaccpetable. Get a grip Gordon, enter the real world, and stop faffing around.

The solution is for you to call an election, there is no confidence in your premiership. Funny how you should make this bizarre announcement on Youtube, why not wait until tomorrow when a friendly MP could have asked you a loaded question and you could have made this announcement in parliament rather than run a commercial on Youtube, like what you normally does mate.

Pensions

2009-04-21T02:32:00.000-07:00

I think that there is a problem hidden from most people reaching retirement. Now many of us will have quite substantial employee pensions, deferred pay if you like. Now we will not pay any national insurance on this incme. When we reach sixty five, for men, we will receive our state pension, which we have paid for. Now this will I understand be paid gross, without deduction of tax. Now my point is that I already receive my pension as stated earlier and this is, because it is above the lower earnings limit, already taxed. Now surely I will have to go through the rigmoral of receiving my state pension gross and then making arrangements to pay the tax due on it. Many people will spend their state pension without realising that there is a tax obligation.

This is absolutely chaotic and proves to me yet again that the government has failed completely to understand the changes which have taken place in society since 1906 when the state pension first came about. It should not be about making the welthy even wealthier, it must be paid with UK tax deducted, and it must be means tested.

Our involvement in torture

2009-04-21T01:54:00.000-07:00

will anybody actually name any of the sources of these leaks from the Treasury in respect of what will be in the Brown, sorry Darling, budget, which is forammly to be announced tomorrow. This is now becoming absolutely ridiculous.

I am concerned because I seriously thought that there was to be an announcement with regard to what was going on in the Staffordshire hospitals.

Also, when can we expect an announcement from either party in repsect of the Americans and our invlovement in any form of 'torture'. did we actually hand over to the Americans or the Iraqis anybody who was subsequently 'tortured'. I do not think that we are completely innocent and the truth must come out.

Government of national unity

2009-04-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

I am listening to the Today programme and wonder what will be said in the budget which has not been explained already through Treasury spokespeople.

Housing for example. Now let me explain. Apparently the governmnet will announce funds to allow councils to purchase unaffordable houses so as to alleviate the housing shortage amongst those who need social housing.

Now consider that you bought a home on a housing estate where large numbers of houses are unsold. So the council buys those unsold houses and puts those in need of social housing in those houses.

So, the original purchaser now lives in their private house next to those entitled to social housing. What will that do to the value of the private expensive house. Yes, I think that this will drive down values even more. This is going to be a ruinous policy, social engineering at its worst. Abandon hope Anrew, a government of national unity. Party politics is just so yesterday.

King Brwon and the Queen

2009-04-20T23:01:00.001-07:00

I don't think that many people fully understand the precarious position the global economy now finds itself in. The worlds population is actually caught between those substantial number of people now finding themselves as 'old' and beginning to take retirement, and the majority who are 'young' and still need to work.

The old have differing needs and would love to see deflation, whereas firms will not produce goods because they still need to make profits, unless they are baled out by frightened governments who dread the spectre of revolution, because the young are unemployed and see what the old have got.

I think that we do desperately need and election, and that there must be a government of national unity. This political infighting must cease. As for MPs taking such extended holidays surely everybody knows that Brown detests having to actually answer any questions in the House. as for having to go to the Queen, then he absolutely hates it, well that's what I think anyway. We have seen pictures of King with the Queen, why not Brown.

State benefits

2009-04-18T02:15:00.000-07:00

this month I was sixty. I requested a pension forecast and what is truly shocking is that I have to wait another five years before I collect my state pension. In the meantime something which I have previously ignored suddenly hit me.

This is that a person who was born after me, namely 6 April 1950, a whole year after me, receives their pension next year. Now this is not fair, it is not equal, and I think that any fair minded person would agree that I have probably paid more in national insurance during my working life than many other people. Why does an individual get their pension four years before me, though born one year after? Because they are a woman. This is not good enough, the pension should be equalised in the forthcoming budget for all.

What I will say is that I am not even entitled to pension credit because my pension from a previous employer is too large. What was the point in saving. I also cannot get any unemployment benefit because my earnings, from my pension, are deemed to be too high. So, do i get anything from all my contributions to any state benefits, no.

Bring back the poll tax

2009-04-17T09:43:00.001-07:00

I also believe that the next government should bring back the poll tax. Everybody should pay for the services in the area where they live. The same with people who own more than one house, they should pay poll tax twice, three times, four times etc...

I also think that all car tax should be removed, except for a small administrative charge to ensure that people have correct insurance and a relevant MOT. All taxes should be placed on the petrol, so that only the users pay the tax.

A flat rate tax, with no differentiation between income tax and national insurance, but all earnings below say £15,000 should be exempt.

Top secret Memos

2009-04-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

With regard to the Top secret memos relating to 'torture' please note that three of them are dated May 2005. Now then May 2005 was after the events took place. These are retrospective to the events which took place. accordingly, the CIA agents did not know that they were going to be able to plead that they had legal authorisation for their activities. It is like the Nazis in Germany murdering 6 million Jews and then in June 1945 German lawyers saying that the laws, which we have just changed, mean that the Nazi war criminals could not face prosecution because the lawyers have said it was alright.

Top secret memos

2009-04-17T05:11:00.000-07:00

have just started reading the actual Top Secret memos about the CIA Enhanced Interrogation Techniques. These memos would seem to be written after the events have actually taken place, especially the ones dated May 2005. These are retrospective memos to justify what has already been done. The CIA surely cannot avoid prosecution the action they took predates the memos accordingly they did not know that the advice they would receive would exonerate them from their activities, or if not actually exonerate them at least lead to an executive decision that they would not be prosecuted.

Tax allowances

2009-04-17T02:09:00.000-07:00

actually I do think that the tax relief for higher tax payers on their pension contributions must be reduced. We have seen how certain bankers retire early on massive pensions, and we the low paid have paid for it by giving a subsidy on their taxes.

We should increase the tax rate so that it covers income tax and national insurance, and the television licence fee, but we must also deal with all tax allownaces, I say get rid of them altogether. mind you it would put an awful lot of tax advisers out of business. As for Capital Gains Tax we might as well get rid of that as well as I consider that it is costing more to collect than is actually collected, by the time you work out the total cost of tax inspectors and accountants.

I would say in repsect of pensions that I have one from a former employer, why should the taxpayer have to subsidize my quality of life. Pensions are to support you in old age as deferred pay, not to let you live the high life as per some former bankers.

We are guilty

2009-04-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

we must not be distracted. The issue over torture and our involvement and collaboration with the Americans on this must be thoroughly investigated.

For example, who gave the orders for the British soldiers to detain people and then hand them over to another party. I want the Americans to show who was on the circulation list for these memos, did they send a copy or relay the contents to any British Minister, even the Prime Minister. Did any of the senior Britsih commanders have any knowledge whatsoever into what could happen to prisoners handed over by British soldiers.

We saw what happened to certain people in Iraq when British soldiers actually filmed being hit for allegedly looting or throwing stones at soldiers. I think that was the tip of the iceberg.

Jack Straw must order an investigation, I regard our part in the whole CIA operation as being participation in war crimes.

Shoot the messenger

2009-04-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

We in Britain all ought to be ashamed over the disclosures now coming out from America in respect of the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques employed by the CIA on prisoners captured in Iraq.

For example prisoners could be deprived of sleep for 180 hours. Prisoners could be slammed against a wall 30 times consecutively. Prisoners could be waterboarded six hours in a two hour stretch. If the prisoner got water in their throat and nose then 'an intervening physician would perform a tracheotomy.

Now the Attorney General Eric H.Holder Jr. said the Justice Department would not prosecute CIA employees, would appoint lawyers to fight legal challenges in the United States or overseas and would even pay judgments or penalties assessed against employees who followed the guidance they got from his department.

Now you might ask what has Britain and her courageous soldiers got to do with all this. Well we actually detained the prisoners which the Americans then 'tortured' with their Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, this is extra-ordinary rendition.

On the 26th February 2009 it is shown in Hansard that the new Minister of Defence John Hutton had to admit to parliament in the words 'I regret that it is now clear that inaccurate information on this particular issue (Records of Detention(Review Conclusions) has been given to the House by my department'.

The Records of Detention refers to the number of people detained by the British army in Iraq who were subsequently handed over to the Iraq and Americans for interrogation. If the Americans were doing these things to their prisoners one can only imagine what the Iraqis may have done'.

This is more important than all the latest shinanigins about arresting MPs, about expenses, about smear campaigns, this is shameful. We were part of this torture by any other name. Oh, all the above was to take place unless it caused severe pain, pain was alright, severe pain not.

I want a statement from the British Prime Minister that he regrets what the American memos disclose, they are our allies and there must be no cover up. No protection from prosecution. Nobody who knew about this should be allowed to be silent. I am sure that we knew what was being done in our name. There must be an urgent public inquiry into our invlovement in this process.

There has been enough inaccurate information coming from the Ministry of Defence, it is time to clean out the stables.

In the meantime there is an injunction taken out by the Ministry of Defence preventing him from speaking in public. The truth is out there, it will not be hidden, but somebody needs to be prosecuted, even the lawyers who gave their advice, they are the guilty ones, soldiers follow orders, sometimes like in Nazi germany they should have refused them.

I regard these actions authorised and acted upon as being war crimes. Who decides on prosecutions because if some people are now charged then we are all guilty.

War Crimes

2009-04-16T22:33:00.001-07:00

in respect of violence and politics when do people overstep the mark. Please find shown below a posting I have today put on to the Andrw Neil BBC blog. I think it makes interesting reading, others may agree or not agree as the case may be I think a lot more people will no longer attend all these false welcome home parades for the soldiers from Iraq. Not unless you agree with what they have been part of that is. Oh, I suppose that there are still some out in the universe who think that the ends justify the means and that soldiers must always follow orders, just like the soldiers in Nazi Germany. We have been part of this, violence in olitics, watch the videos from the G20 'riots' and tell me that these sort of things do not happen in Britain, Blair Peach, de Menezes, Tomlinson...the list grows. Oh, and damien Green was threatened with life in prison, and my son who first brought all the stuff about torture into the open now has an injunction against him preventing him from speaking in public. What a great country.

My posting; 'we all ought to be ashamed over the disclosures now coming out from America in respect of the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques employed by the CIA on prisoners captured in Iraq.

For example prisoners could be deprived of sleep for 180 hours. Prisoners could be slammed against a wall 30 times consecutively. Prisoners could be waterboarded six hours in a two hour stretch. If the prisoner got water in their throat and nose then 'an intervening physician would perform a tracheotomy.

Now the Attorney General Eric H.Holder Jr. said the Justice Department would not prosecute CIA employees, would appoint lawyers to fight legal challenges in the United States or overseas and would even pay judgments or penalties assessed against employees who followed the guidance they got from his department.

Now you might ask what has Britain and her courageous soldiers got to do with all this. Well we actually detained the prisoners which the Americans then 'tortured' with their Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, this is extra-ordinary rendition.

On the 26th February 2009 it is shown in Hansard that the new Minister of Defence John Hutton had to admit to parliament in the words 'I regret that it is now clear that inaccurate information on this particular issue (Records of Detention(Review Conclusions) has been given to the House bymy department'.

The Records of Detention refers to the number of people detained by the British army in Iraq who were subsequently handed over to the Iraq and Americans for interrogation. If the Americans were doing these things to their prisoners one can only imagine what the Iraqis may have done'.

This is more important than all the latest shinanigins about arresting MPs, about expoenses, about smear campaigns, this is shaeful. We were part of this torture by any other name. Oh, all the above was to take place unless it caused severe pain, pain was alright, severe pain not.

I want a statement from the Prime Minister that he regrets what the American memos disclose, they aree our allies and there must be no cover up. No protection from prosecution. Nobody who knew about this should be allowed to be silent. I am sure that we knew what was being done in our name. There must be an urgent public inquiry into our invlovement in this process.

There has been enough inaccurate information coming from the Ministry of Defence, it is time to clean the stables.

War Crimes

2009-04-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

we all ought to be ashamed over the disclosures now coming out from America in respect of the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques employed by the CIA on prisoners captured in Iraq.

For example prisoners could be deprived of sleep for 180 hours. Prisoners could be slammed against a wall 30 times consecutively. Prisoners could be waterboarded six hours in a two hour stretch. If the prisoner got water in their throat and nose then 'an intervening physician would perform a tracheotomy.

Now the Attorney General Eric H.Holder Jr. said the Justice Department would not prosecute CIA employees, would appoint lawyers to fight legal challenges in the United States or overseas and would even pay judgments or penalties assessed against employees who followed the guidance they got from his department.

Now you might ask what has Britain and her courageous soldiers got to do with all this. Well we actually detained the prisoners which the Americans then 'tortured' with their Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, this is extra-ordinary rendition.

On the 26th February 2009 it is shown in Hansard that the new Minister of Defence John Hutton had to admit to parliament in the words 'I regret that it is now clear that inaccurate information on this particular issue (Records of Detention(Review Conclusions) has been given to the House bymy department'.

The Records of Detention refers to the number of people detained by the British army in Iraq who were subsequently handed over to the Iraq and Americans for interrogation. If the Americans were doing these things to their prisoners one can only imagine what the Iraqis may have done.

This is more important than all the latest shinanigins about arresting MPs, about expoenses, about smear campaigns, this is shaeful. We were part of this torture by any other name. Oh, all the above was to take place unless it caused severe pain, pain was alright, severe pain not.

I want a statement from the Prime Minister that he regrets what the American memos disclose, they aree our allies and there must be no cover up. No protection from prosecution. Nobody who knew about this should be allowed to be silent. I am sure that we knew what was being done in our name. There must be an urgent public inquiry into our invlovement in this process.

There has been enough inaccurate information coming from the Ministry of Defence, it is time to clean the stables.

Our Country

2009-04-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

Surely we should really keep an eye on Gordon Brown with his use of 'our country'. I would say that he is a Scottish MP, he is a Scot and he was speaking in Scotland. So, I would say that when he wants 'clean' government he is not talking about England. Another reason why there must be an Englsih parliament, and none of this regions stuff.

Gordon, I think does not like using the word England or Englsih, not without being venomous anyway, bit like the word sorry. well sorry Gordon Brown, as an Englishman I really don't like the Scots running my country. Not without an election anyway.

Shipman

2009-04-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

with regard to the nurse who has been struck off what I would say is I wonder if anybody would have reported Harold Shipman, the GP who murdered hundreds, on the basis that they would seem to have been in danger of losing their job if they had reported him. Sometimes there is just no protection for the whistle blower.

Sorry is the hardest word

2009-04-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

some people are noticing at last that yours is now the best blog with comments. Beats all those Johnny come Lately's.

May I ask your commenteers to refer to comment number #309 for example. Now why has it taken Gordon Brown so long to apologise. All he had to do was to say sorry, now it is too late.

As for the Damien Green affair, who exactly were these senior civil servants? Can it be said that some of Gordon Brown's advisers are civil servants. They are paid by the taxpayer, so can we have confirmation that anybody claiming that Damien Green was guilty of some crime was not an actual adviser to any of the government ministers involved.

I wonder if Gordon Brown is not now prowling around his room demanding that somebody should rid me of this Griffin fellow, everything he seems to say causes nothing but trouble for me and my crew. Thanks Andrew, you and your team of moderators are absolute stars.

Trust and government

2009-04-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

I have said before that I do not fundamentally trust this government. Quick is off the scene with a pension pot most people can only dream about. McBride is the tip of the iceberg. Why all this talk of car scrap schemes. Labour is buying votes, simple as that. It is Pork Barrel politics.

What has happened to McNulty, Hoon, Beckett, etc...I am also none the wiser what exactly Lord Mandelson is doing in this government. From all the announcements it would seem that he is the Prime Minister and not Gordon Brown.

Prescott

2009-04-16T01:27:00.000-07:00

exactly why is there going to be a budget on Wednesday. It would seem that the good Lord Mandelson is pre-empting what will be said. Will there be mention in the budget of this supposed car subsidy, not till all the money has been spent and these charlatons are in the Lords.

I want to know will Prescott for example be sent to the Lords when he eventually quits parliament. To fight for the working class of course. Lord and Lady Prescott, nice ring to it don't you think.

Brown out

2009-04-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

You are correct. June. This cannot go on much longer, simple really because Gordon Brown should have held an election as soon as he deposed Tony Blair. I said it then and I repeat it now Brown has no legitimacy, he is a fraud.

This is necessary for the sake of 'National Security'. I do wonder what Gordon says when he sees the Queen. I have seen more of King going to the Queen than Gordon going to see the Queen. Well Gordon, cancel the budget, we know the details already, go to the Queen, I have no confidence in you nor your government, tell her you are calling for a June election, you have scorched everything that was ever worth fighting for.

Just as some identified that all the family silver has been sold, well you and those like you have sold the soul of Britain. For what Gordon, I won't walk on the other side when I see what you have done, I'm fed up with walking on the side of the road, I'm crossing the road and I want change. An election, now.

Empty rhetoric

2009-04-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

saw the Prime Minister yesterday at a church service in Scotland for the oil rig workers wo died as a result of the helicopter crash off the British coast.

I have to say that it made me angry. It would be better if Gordon Brown actually went to the funerals of at least one of the British soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan and who he says words about at Prime Ministers Questions. You know the sacrifice for democracy, to bring freedom etc, we all should be proud. I am sorry but all these words are empty, just like his regrets over McBride, I regard Brown as totally disconnected. He is being very badly advised.

Until yesterday I never fully understood the real anger in Liverpool over the terrible events at Hillsborough. There must be a public inquiry, there must be justice for those who died. There must be justice for the soldiers killed and injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is no justice in this country, not for the working class anyway.

The politicians have destroyed my faith, they ought to be ashamed. It is time to end this most shameful parliament. It is exemplified by the empty rhetoric of Andy Burnham at Anfield yesterday. Shame on these people, shame on them all. They just don't get it.

Gordon Brown

2009-04-15T02:51:00.000-07:00

further to my earlier post the letter to Ms Dorries would seem to be from somebody whose address is Downing Street. Is this his main residence or is it his second home. Is he actually now back at Downing Street or is this his postal address. Actually where is Gordon Brown, surely we have been told that he is working 24 a day to save the economy, surely he is not on holiday somewhere, he is not in control.

Also does he carry around with him a whole load of blank letters with 10 Downing Street or were these specially sent to him by courier so that he could write them.

Finally, I bet that Nick Robinson is glad to be on holiday from his blog, he probably needed a rest after all that G20 stuff.

reading my Daily mail this morning I could not fail to notice the 'Private' letter hand written by Gordon Brown to MP Nadine Dorries.

Now one could hardly fail but ntice that it is headed 'Private'. Why, surely Gordon should have published himself, or even said it.

I am waiting for a public statement from the Prime Minister, this whole thing is just so tawdry. One thing I notice is that the copy I have seen in the paper is not dated. When did he actually write it and can we expect the postage to have been paid for by the taxpayer.

IMF World Bank

2009-04-14T01:53:00.000-07:00

What most concerns me is that apparently the taxpayer is to give the IMF and the World Bank even more money. With money comes influence and power. There must be more parliamentary debate before all this is allowed.

A bit like the war in Iraq, most of parliament voted in favour because of support for the military, not because it was right or wrong. Please parliament do not allow money to be diverted to the World bank and the IMF whilst everybody is being diverted on to other issues.

Andrew Neil

2009-04-14T01:29:00.000-07:00

I regard as what you said on the Today programme this morning as most imprtant. We are becoming two different states, those that know and are kept in the loop, and those that are meant to remain in ignorance, bit like a former king and a certain Mrs Simpson.

It is also like the situation now occuring with baby P, who died and where a report is circulated but only amongst a restricted number, who must not mention its contents.

Andrew as each day passes I become more depressed at what is happening. I wanted to stand as an Independent candidate in the upcoming local County Council elections. I now won't. I do not want to be tarred by the same brush as these less than honourable people. This is not good enough, why have our soldiers died, and injured. Let me tell me tell you. In the event of a soldier or their family receiving any compensation for death or injury then before they get their money they have to sign a confidentiality agreement to the effect that they will not talk to the press before being cleared by the MoD. Trust me, this country is the pits. In the meantime the trial of the American Master Sgt John Hatley continues in Germany.

Impeach the President

2009-04-13T04:23:00.001-07:00

in the meantime during this lovely journey I wonder if you would like to report on the trial now taking place in Germany of Master Sgt John Hatley who is charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and obstruction of justice. These alleged crimes having been committed in Iraq. I think that where an occupying force has committed such crimes then the government of that that perpetrator is guilty of war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity and are guilty of a war of aggression. Just note that Sgt 1st Class Joseph Mayo has already been sentenced to 35 years for similar crimes. Should there not be a move to impeach the last President, namely George Bush and he might go on trial with Tony Blair.

Sue me

2009-04-13T04:07:00.001-07:00

is this the case with McBride of the New World Order described by Gordon Brown after the, what must seem like a lifetime ago, G20 meeting in London.

For example, I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong in being Gay. Nothing at all. So is there anything defamatory or libelous in saying that you think that somebody is Gay. No, there cannot be. So let me say this, I think that Gordon Brown is Gay. Also I think that Tony Blair lied over the war in Iraq and that Jacqui Smith is nothing but a common thief over her expenses claim. Also that McBride has stolen time at the taxpayers expense putting together the e-mails. If I am sued then I will demand full access to all e-mails and correspondence and demand that I have free access to all Cabinet papers and notes made by officials.

McBridegate

2009-04-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

During all these political shinanigans it is interesting the court case now going on in Germany concerning the American Master Sgt John Hatley.

He is being prosecuted for premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and obstruction of justice.

Now Sgt 1st Class Joseph Mayo has already been sentenced to 35 years in prison for similar charges and Sgt Michael Leahy has also been sentenced to life for murder. my point these are our allies in the fight against terror. These soldiers fought with our guys, so I wonder what the celebrations for the returning soldiers will look like when it is realised what has been happening in Iraq.

I would also say that we are not completely innocent in the respect that some of our soldiers faced charges over the death of a completely innocent man, where an inquiry is now taking place. Also don't forget the images shown of our soldiers beating up 'looters'. Blair and Brown have blood on their hands, and yet a man who talked about the war in Iraq now has an injunction preventing him from speaking in public. Yet we have 'McBridegate'. Freedom of speech, isn't it wonderful.

The Bankers

2009-04-12T03:53:00.000-07:00

I think that the term blogger is not appropriate for people like me who comnet on your blog. So can I call myself a blogging commenteer. That does seem to be my new career in Great Depression II Britain.

By the way can we cancel all reference to bank holidays. With the disrepute into which bankers have fallen then the whole term 'bank holiday' is no longer appropriate. In newspeak Britain what would others suggest as an alternative. No more bank holidays, not after they have ripped us off in the way they have. Forexample go back to WWI, what was the first thing the government of the day did, they extended the August bank holiday. If it wasn't for the banks the Great War could never have gone on for as long as it did. They have blood on their hands, just like the politicians.

Do not lose hope

2009-04-12T01:56:00.001-07:00

Good Easter Sunday morning Andrew,

first may I thank you and the BBC for keeping these comments open during the Easter festivities. I don't go for these alternative bloggers type, not what I want from this medium at all.

My comment for today is that I there still seems to permeate the philosophy of Downing Street the notorious 'good day to bury bad news'. I am concwerned at the news manipulation and in the above comment we have the proof, the evidence if you like, of the sort of people who pretend to be our political masters/mistresses.

I have checked on the BBC to see when the last deaths of any of our soldiers were in Iraq and Afghanistan, well they were 15th March in Afghanistan and 12th February in Iraq. Now then we know how the PM reads out the names of any of the dead at PMQs, why this started I don't fully understand. But it does initially bring a sombre non confrontational feel to the House.

Now this may be a bit controversial but I do not want any of our brave courageous soldiers to die just so that the PM can divert attention from his failings. I do get the distinct impression that he does not mean what he says. I don't know how either Brown or Blair can actually sleep at night after what they have done.

Blair got us into the war, Brown paid for it, and now leads the country. Also I know from personal experience that any alternative view from the military is not allowed, and I mean allowed because this craven government has used contract law to take out an injunction preventing a former soldier from speaking in public, a basic human right.

In the meantime I hope others notice that there is no news of the inquiry into the war in Iraq, there will be a report to parliament on the 20th April with regard to a Staffordshire hospital, that we have the budget on the 22nd, so what about the four contractors and one IT consultant held in Iraq, news which was released just before the G20 meeting, what is happening, and we are not even to know who these people are, state secret?

Finally look at what is happening to the officers leaving our wonderful army, they are getting involved in private security firms organising the protection racket in Iraq once the army leaves. Dare the PM actually hold a proper national parade through the streets of London, commemorating their return after defeat in Iraq. As for Afghanistan/Pakistan this is another disaster, the old military maxim, do not reinforce defeat. Guess what they must have forgotten that one. A good day to bury bad news. That is this epitaph for this awful government, give us an election, please before we all lose hope.

What a Country

2009-04-11T01:36:00.000-07:00

I listened to the Conservative on the Today programme this morning. He was quite right in his analysis. Have these highly paid people nothing better to do with their taxpayer funded time.

I think that the government knew that this was going to break over the long Easter weekend. Apparently the arrests of the alleged terrorists were brought forward because of the Quick debacle. Let me hypothesise.

Government gets fed up with disclosures by a particular newspaper of within the rules expenses by government Ministers. They don't want the papers to be full over the weekend of disclosures so a distraction, arrest of terrorists, is organised. However, Tomlinson dies, police shown as brutal, pushing innocent man around and he subsequently dies. So, take the heat off, bring forward arrests on spurious grounds. If we get Quick to do something silly then we can get him to resign anyway, and he will go with massive pension. He should have gone earlier anyway over events in parliament.

Now we have these disclosures that e-mails have been sent by taxpayer funded adviser to the Prime Minister, also using taxpayer funded computers. Now what are they going to do, apparently these e-mails are pretty disgusting and if they are then surely the sender of these e-mails must be prosecuted.

I would expect a full formal statement from the Prime Minister confirming that he knew absolutely nothing about the e-mails or any smear campaign, all he has to do is to confirm no talks took place with his adviser and that he did not indicate in any way shape or form that he was in any way involved. History tells of us of cases where a leader has wished that something could be done, don't tell me but just do it, by any means. I hope that no such converstaion has taken place in Downing Street. We need to know because I smell rotting fish. The G20 meeting must seem so long ago.

I want a formal sacking over this, it is not good enough. Call an election. Who actually runs this once great country. I am a very very angry Mr Griffin. Is this the sort of democracy we want to bring to Afghanistan, is this why our soldiers have been sent to their fate, what a shameful government, the soldiers signed up to defend their Queen and Country, what an awful country this has become, and I am a subject not a citizen.

The Press

2009-04-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

I wonder what others have to say about the 'juvenile and inappropriate' e-mails apparently coming out from 10 Downing Street.

hy has this person not been sacked, just sacked, no resignation, no inquiry, if these stories are true, then I want blood. I believe that the taxpayer is funding these advisers and if this is true then it is shameful.

Some of us know the real power of the internet. I have for some time. I would say that I have some highly contentious comments moderated out because they may emabarrass the government, particularly over the war in Afghanistan and the failed occupation of Iraq. I would hope that all conributors are treated the same, this would appear not to be moderation, it would appear to be censorship.

Injunctions have been used to keep some people quiet. I am getting even more angry and disillusioned as time passes.

Arrests in London

2009-04-09T02:46:00.000-07:00

Please note that I have read your comment with interest. Please refer to Andrew's blog on the 6th April at 10:23 am. I made that comment and something happened soon after. Andrew Neil has taken over from Nick Robinson as the voice of the people. Andrew and his people are the tops.

I think that the arrests were meant to happen over the week-end to take the heat off the politicians, in particular Ministers, over their expenses. I wonder how many of these alleged terrorists will be actually charged.

Quick

2009-04-09T02:08:00.000-07:00

somehow it came into the public domain how much Sir Fred Goodwin would receive as his pension. Can we be told now how much Bob Quick will now receive as any pension. Why should he be able to resign, surely he should have been sacked, without compensation.

Was it a woman

2009-04-09T00:31:00.000-07:00

please note that with regard to the police man who allegedly assaulted Ian Tomlinson prior to his heart attack may I apologise without reservation. I keep referring to the police man. That is a sexist comment, it might well have been a police woman. Why was the police person wearing a mask, just like some of the alleged anarchist demonstrators. we do not know that it was a person in the police, they might just have been brought in from another service because of their 'skills' in riot control.

He's a gonner

2009-04-09T00:23:00.001-07:00

so it is now Yates of the Yard who is to head up the counter terrorism squad. Why has the Home Secretary not also resigned, her record is just as bad on other matters. She must go, it is not only this, it is her expenses, and it is about confidence in the whole system. It is about Ian Tomlinson, she is the Home Secretary, she should take responsibility for something. How very sad.

He's a gonner

2009-04-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

Interesting, Very Interesting

2009-04-09T00:12:00.000-07:00

with regard to the events yesterday and the various arrests resulting form the details pictured in documents carried by Bob Quick please note the following.

Five people were arrested in Plymouth between 27th March and 29th March under the Terrorism Act. This was just before the G20 meeting in London and various commentators linked their arrest to possible trouble at the demonstrations in London during the G20 meeting.

I thought your readers would like to know that all five have now been released without charge although some have been bailed to go to the police in hte future. I find these events interesting.

Parliament is a corpse

2009-04-08T23:01:00.001-07:00

so the police allegedly assault Ian Tomlinson, who subsequently dies of a heart attack. He must have had a post mortem which identified a cause of sudden death. We have seen him pushed to the ground, hit by at least one police truncheon, did none of these leave any bruises. Did the pathologist perform a proper autopsy or was he just working class, caught up in a melee, and an insignificant person. Sir Ian Blair earlier in the week has hinted that the police were not institutionally racist with the death of Stephen Lawrence, he more or less says that is how we treated all people like him, without colour prejudice, he was working class.

We now 'celebrate' the return of our heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan. Now I have not forgotten the footage, shot by the soldiers themselves, of young Iraqi boys being beaten by soldiers in the compound, and the shouts the laughter. Have some of these soldiers now joined the police where they do not understand their responsibilities. Have we opened Pandorras box, people have been beaten up by our soldiers in Iraq, people have died at the hands of our soldiers, one man pleaded guilty and has served a jail term, one man, that's all.

I wonder if this is the week when the wheels finally come off this government. It really is time for an election, I have no confidence in this parliament, it is time they went, all of them. Expenses is nothing to do with it now, it just sinks. This government is a corpse, a stinking rotting, illegitimate corpse, lacking any dignity.

These are shocking days

2009-04-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

interesting that the government has now had to go back to using 'D' notices to prevent pictures of the secret file being published. This is of course absolutely correct, even though disgraceful. The heat really is on the Home Secretary, and the Prime Mnister now. Why was Quick called to Downing Street, surely not a publicity shot to take the heat off the death of Ian Tomlinson.

It would appear to me that this is yet another diversion from shocking events. Ian Tomlinson dies, police implicated. Our Home Secretary is openly being called a thief by certain media outlets and does not go to the courts to prevent these comments.

Twelve men now arrested on anti-terrorism charges, I seriously look forward to the court cases if they ever get that far. High profile arrests, convictions? How long will these men be detained for under anti-terror laws.

A plot has been foiled, allegedly. There is more than one plot, Quick will pay the price, Jacquie Smith must sack him, no doubt, but if she sacks him then what about her own position. There is something rotten going on, I don't like the smell, there are rotting fish in the hold, and this is probably how the Greeks and Romans felt as their Empires collapsed. The final days, Gordon Brown is the head of a rotting corpse, time for an election. I bet the G20 seems like a lifetime ago. As we might say, 'where is that man when the going gets tough', I bet he is back in the bunker.

Tomlinson

2009-04-08T02:05:00.000-07:00

why is the police man who allegedly assaulted Mr Tomlinson wearing a face mask. There are what I would call agent provaceuters acting on both sides. Who was the police man, which police force did he operate in. Why no comment from the Home Secretary, an inquiry in process, this is an absolute disgrace. The first comments from the police are very misleading, just like Mr de Menezes.

We do not know the identity of the policeman who shot de Menezes with illegal dum-dum bullets. These are shameful days. Are we now waiting for the police to collude over a cover up story.

The best blogger in town

2009-04-06T04:04:00.001-07:00

nice that parliament is now on holiday until the 20th April, for which we have to thank the Easter break. What I think is interesting is that the immediate inquiry into the terrible, shocking events at Staffordshire hospital is due to report, on the 20th April, so that will be lost in all the 'news' about parliament returning. Then on the 22nd April is the budget, so again Staffs will be lost in the buzz of the that. So the politicians wonder why we have become so cynical. it will soon be time for Gordon Brown to announce the details of the inquiry into Iraq, that will need to be argued as to what the inquiry will actually look in to, and it must be held in public, it really must, there must be no cover up in Downing Street.

In the meantime decisions are being made about extra troops in Afghanistan and few seem to either want to know or care that our soldiers in Basra are now under the control of the Americans. We must not reinforce our defeat in Afghanistan, where no shots were meant to be fired according to John Reid. These are sad days indeed. So much waste, so much hubris, just pathetic.

Ambassadors

2009-04-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Do I care! I don't care if this God foresaken government knows how I feel. I feel sad and sick, read this then you moderators, I think that the current crop of politicians are a disgrace, a plague on all their houses.

This country is wose than any Banana Republic, we should know better. I remember a scene from that great war film 'The Cruel Sea'. It is where Jack Hawkins is on the bridge a bit the worse for wear after a terrible event. He just stands on the bridge a utters the tired words 'its the war' well for some of us it is much worse, its now the people, the people who are our servants thinking that they are the rulers, well I think that they are in for a shock.

For example Jackie Stewart tells us in a newspaper over the week-end that we should not be so hard on Sir Fred Goodwin, how much has Stewart received from RBS for being an ambassador, same with Murray, same with Zra Phillips, come on let's have a full list of all those mocvers and shakers who relied on largess from the banks as 'ambassadors'.

The Gay Gordons

2009-04-06T02:24:00.000-07:00

I think the most upsetting aspect of all the problems is as follows.

Geoff Hoon was the Minister for Defence, or War as Britain is not defending we are attacking under spurious pretences, namely weapons of mass destruction. Now the MoD has found the time to take out an injunction to prevent a soldier from speaking in public, they have found the time for that. They have found the time to allow a certain General to write a book, a memoir, of the war. Yet this Minister will not be seen at the bringing home of any of the dead, nor to be photographed at any of the funerals. Yet, this man finds the time to arrange his finances, within the rules, to make himself and his family wealthy by taking advantage of 'the rules'. I feel sick, and so sad.

The same with our public finances, the Minister has a mortgage with Northern Rock, his children have savings with the Dunfermline Building Society and now we found out more about 'the rules' which enable the MPs to take advantage to make themselves rich at the expense of the taxpayer.

The same with a Home Secretary who, well I won't go into the gruesome details, but she is responsible for our security.

Now we have a Prime Minister, who won't say much because he is much too important and is 'saving the world' and organising meetings to worry or concern himself with the diabolical state of this banana republic. Please don't disturb him, leave it to a committee or an inquiry.

Do you know Andrew, I almost feel physically sick about what I read almost every day. How much longer can this go on for.

We have had an inquiry, an inquiry which I regard as being flawed, but no inquest, into the sad death of Dr David Kelly. Now we have conflicting details concerning the sad death of Ian Tomlinson, 47, who had a heart attack during the 'riots' over the G20 meeting. I demand an urgent statement from the Home Secretary concerning this matter. Or is she too busy claiming her expenses.

Andrew, my late father who served in the RN during the war and is buried off Plymouth Sound, well I don't know, why, was it at all worth it serving the then King and Country for this. Is this it, shame on them, shame on them all I say.

Hutton

2009-04-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

have been listening to John Hutton about if we don't fight (kill) al-qaeda in Afghanistan then we need to be afraid because if we don't fight (kill) them in that country then we can expect to fight them on the streets of Briton. Well that is how I have interpreted his comment. As for the use of Predators by American forces exactly what allows this sort of action. Mind you we and the Americans didn't do very much to stop the Turkish army invading certain areas of Iraq.

What is also interesting is that the Turks seem to be against the newly proposed head of NATO because he is Danish and the Danes allow a radio company critical of Turkey, and supporting the Kurds, to operate. So much for the New World Order.

Now I might be wrong and if some out there think that I am then please tell me. I think that it is disgraceful because parliament must decide on this important issue rather than leave the decisions to a government whilst government is on holiday. They always seem to be on holiday these days, probably having to check their expenses. I wonder if any more will come out over the week-end. What about Mandelson and his £2000 a week on flowers for example.

Andrew Neil - Freedom of Speech

2009-04-03T05:29:00.000-07:00

I notice that your colleague Nick has gone on holiday and no comments are allowed on to his blog. Silenced, that's what 'they' think we are. Well you give us an outlet so thank you very much. You are a star.

In the meantime I sense a conspiracy by the BBC, don't let them speak, well there is you.

My comment is with reference to Afghanistan, I want no decision made whilst parliament is on holiday. As reported on the Radio 4 news at 1pm there is the problem of womens rights in Afghanistan. This whole process is a disaster. people must understand that most of the perpatrators behind 9/11 actually were born and educated in Saudi Arabia, they are the problem, only we need so much money from them. This is noted in all the official photographs with regard to the prominence given to both the Saudi and Chinese representatives at the G20.

We should not be in Afghanistan, it will lead to more trouble with Pakistan, and nothing will be achieved. Thank you for being a outlet for freedom of speech.

Pregnant

2009-04-03T03:14:00.000-07:00

come on when are you going to be the first commentator that Mrs Obama is pregnant.

Zoellick and Chad Cameroon

2009-04-03T01:17:00.001-07:00

may I suggest that your readers look up the person who is the head of the World bank, a Robert Bruce Zoellick. People can make their own judgements as to they really do want a new world order. If people think that there is a problem with Dafur then look up the problems of the Chad Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project which supplies China with much needed oil. Where did the funding for the pipeline come from, surely not the World bank.

IMF

2009-04-03T01:10:00.000-07:00

open for business at last then are we.

I think that more attention should be paid to the interview which Lord Mandelson gave to Channel 4 News last night. In particular in respect of the questions relating to the IMF. Who exactly is voted to the IMF, who are these people. I thought it interesting when pressed by Mr Snow to answer questions about whether or not our country will have to go to the IMF. The response was based on the fact that according to his Lordship that there will be less shame attached to having to go to the IMF.

Did or did not our country have to go to the IMF and the shame that that brought, well don't worry. When we have to go again there will not be so much shame. It would appear to me that when we had to go to the IMF in the seventies what we were doing was to attempt to save the jobs of workers and we paid the price. Well when we have to go to the IMF in the future we will be able to plead the moral high ground in that we spent the money to save the jobs of our workers. Notice the amount of money which will soon be announced as going to the various car companies who are building cars which nobody needs, or wants.

This is just the beginning

2009-04-02T23:08:00.001-07:00

Bob Zoellick the sweet talking President of the World Bank (bad reputation in the 3rd world from as early as the 80's) is a member of the Trilateral commission, Council on Foreign Relations and is a member of the Bilderberg Group.

Remember the revelations that the 3rd world has been the victim of a heist via interest rates on World Bank loans made to it.

Zoellick stated, “If leaders are serious about creating new global responsibilities or governance, let them start by modernising multilateralism to empower the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank Group to monitor national policies.”

In other words, give global institutions the power to regulate national policy as part of the creation of global government.

Zoellick, former Executive Vice President of Fannie Mae and advisor to Goldman Sachs, is a top elitist who was intimately involved in the Enron scandal and the 2000 presidential election debacle. He was also a signatory to the Project For A New American century (PNAC) document that called for invading Iraq as part of implementing a brutal world empire in 1998. He was later a foreign policy advisor to George W. Bush.

As to be expected, Zoellick is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission. He also attended the annual invitation-only conferences of the Bilderberg Group in 1991, 2003, 2006 and 2007.

1) Gordon Brown once again announces ~"We can now see the appearance of a 'New World Order'" again, now at G20

"
Brown will hold talks with Hu Jintao, China's president, following discussions with Barack Obama, amid signs that developing countries see the G20 summit as a chance to impose a new world order and end the era of Anglo-European dominance."

Patrick Wintour, political editor The Guardian, Wednesday 1 April 2009

2) Lord Mandelson (The Good Lord Redeemer as he shall hereon be known) appeared on C4 TV news tonight. Last night it was Robert Zoellick.
So what? Both men are leading members of the Bilderberg Group of Globalist Policy Makers.

Mandelson (not quite word for word quote): "We are used to seeing individual nations determining their own policies, whereas now we shall see those powers devolved to an international body ..."

John Snow: "But to who, who will have these powers?"

Mandelson: ...... silence ......

John Snow: "But who will have these powers?"

Mandleson: ... completely deflects attention & avoids answering ...

Why avoid answering? Because it's the Bilderberg Group and their Stooges and Stoolies The Bankers who run Gordon Brown's Darling 'New World Order'.

Remember just a couple years ago when Bilderberg was just a conspiracy theory, and then the media started catching up on it.
You know what the current theory is? That previously non-globalised & capitalist nations once having been bled dry, their economies inflated and imploded by design, then the unproductive 'eaters' (consumers) must be got rid of & not by a metaphysical take on that pejorative suggestion.

I wonder if this conspiracy theory will be proved right.

And I bet you're laughing at this post already! You'll look back in 3 years and remember the warnings. It may come in like a storm.

—————————————————-————
"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle"
— George Orwell.

The new world order

2009-04-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

I have said before and I will say it again. The governments have not taken over the banks the bankers have taken over the governments.

My evidence! The abandonment, particularly 'Mark to Market' in the US.

Let me explain. You have a piece of paper which represents your investment in a company, you paid $100 for it. It is quoted on some bizarre exchange and others are also willing to pay $100 for their share. You are therefore able to value it in your portfolio at $100. However, over a short period of time information comes out and your investment is actually worth a big zero. There is no market in the share because nobody is willing to pay any money for it. So you have to value your asset at zero.

But the government comes along and says we will pay one person $100 for their piece of paper. There are millions of investors and the government will only buy one piece of paper, nobody else will touch it with a barge pole. However, because the government has said that they may buy everybodies piece of paper at $100 at some time in the future because they have abandoned 'Mark to market' everybody can value their piece of paper at $100. Trust me we are all so ruined. Over the short term the stock markets around the world will rise, but the new world order will take advantage of any rise to dump their investments. Then kiss it all goodbye, this so like 1928/29 I could have written a book. Be afraid, very afarid. Kiss goodbye to your jobs, kiss goodbye to everything, batten down the hatches and save yourself. The four horsemen really are on the horizon, but they have the best of intentions, just like the pygmies who now call themselves the world leaders who came to the G20 meeting.

Conspiracy

2009-04-02T12:30:00.001-07:00

so just tried to post comment onto Chancellor of the World. Guess what, can't do it. More for us conspiracy theorists. The BBC has lost the plot. Would I trust the IMF, not on your nelly. Be afraid, very afraid.

Geldorf

2009-04-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

I am listening the Radio 4 news. who is being interviewed, not Bob Geldorf, please save us. He is actually trying to sound if he knows what he is talking about. He is just so rude about Sarkozy, this from an Irishman whose economy is actually shot to pieces. It is nonsense. Wait until next year and then the excrement will really hit the fan, just like it eventually did in 1928 when all the money was gone. by 1929 there was absolutely nothing left and we know what happened next.

Blog on Nick Robinson

2009-04-02T05:33:00.001-07:00

176. At 10:03am on 02 Apr 2009, T A Griffin (TAG) wrote:
Nick,

I have to say that I have never seen the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, looking so gay. Not in the modern way in which gay is used but the old fashioned way, keep it up Gordon gay suits you, it is what we need in these difficult times.

Blog on Nick Robinson

2009-04-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

Monkey Wrench Gang

2009-04-02T03:37:00.000-07:00

people seem surprised that so few demonstrators have turned up at the G20 meeting. may I suggest that they read the Monkey Wrench Gang. The thought behind this is that the police are told that thousands will turn up at a demo, they tool up, get prepared, then about 200 people turn up, have a laugh and then go home. Who looks really over reactive, really stupid, the self important politicians and the state police who are there to protect deocracy. Please it is just so easy. It is called ridicule, it works, they hate it.

A gay PM

2009-04-02T02:04:00.001-07:00

I have to say that I have never seen the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, looking so gay. Not in the modern way in which gay is used but the old fashioned way, keep it up Gordon gay suits you, it is what we need in these difficult times.

Use of image

2009-04-02T02:00:00.001-07:00

who actually decides on the photos printed by the various BBC web sites. Take for example the photo now on the BBC relating to the Obama meeting Brown at the conference with the globe in the background and a shining light over the President's shoulder. It shines on a the Globe and the country it shines over, why Great Britain. They must all have studied the history of art.

Union flag a Swastika

2009-04-02T01:53:00.001-07:00

I know that this may seem outside the box but I hope that others noticed the way the flags were draped behind the podium during the President Obama Gordon Brown press conference where you asked your question. I am reminded of a Nazi rally where the flag is everything, the problem is that the Union flag does not hang well and actually could easily be mistaken for a Swastika. Look carefully and you will see what I mean.

The king is in the altogether

2009-04-02T00:47:00.001-07:00

Well said. Could this actually be the moment when Gordon and his advisers actually begin to understand the real problem. We are bust, and the world knows we are bust. The PM (although it was a king in those days) has no clothes, he is in the altogether as per the refrain from a famous tune when I was younger.

The day of reckoning cannot be far off. The budget which is one of the latest in modern day history, will bring nothing. Poor Alistair Darling must stand-up to a failed PM. I am not willing for my children and grandchildren to be saddled with debts to maintain an unsustainable life style for me. In the meantime incomes are rapidly falling because the immediate post war birth bulge is now retiring, now that will be a real fall in income.

Praise for Brown

2009-04-02T00:31:00.001-07:00

let us introduce more liquidity says the unelected Lord Mandelson on the Today programme, this is diffreent from Quantitative Easing.

I have a problem. When I used to run my own consultancy business I made profit and I kept back some of that profit to pay my taxes the following year. I deducted Income Tax and National Insurance and put it into a separate account so that I did not spend that which was due to the Inland Revenue. Accordingly I was completely up to date with the Inland Revenue.

Now my problem is that some companies have not been doing this and accordingly they have an outstanding liability with the Inland Revenue. This government has apparently told these companies that they will not be chased for the money which they owe, because the banks will not lend to people purely to meet an obligation for which they should have set aside some money. No bank should participate in what I regard as chicanery. I hope that the Inland Revenue returns to performing the purpose for which they are paid, collecting taxes which have been legally authorised by parliament. The debt will have to be paid eventually. Another part of the scorched earth policy of a government which shames democracy. Note the change to the Business Rate change which receives no real publicity.

Finally thought that the PM at PMQs let the cat out of the bag with his Gold sales policy. He said more or less that it was a good decision because he had authorised the purchase of Euroes and that the Euro had increased in value. No, what has happened is that the pound has fallen, and if I was a holiday maker going to a Euro zone country I would rejoice that the Euro has risen by so much against the once dominant pound, you know that I would not, but praise for the PM would seem to be a requirement not to get a comment removed.

This is embarrassing

2009-04-02T00:17:00.001-07:00

do you know who I blame. The policeman on the door of No.10

My reasoning is that President Obama, a directly elected leader, when stepping up to the door of No 10 can be seen offering his hand to the policeman and the two of them shaking hands. Now that shows to me a common touch, that the President seems instinctively to know that the day that that policeman shook the hand of the President will live in the memory and be looked at with pride in future years and by future generations. The day I shook the hand of the President of the United States.

As for the Prime Minister, who nobody has voted for in England and who by some coup now runs this country, well the poor policeman continued to hold out his hand, as a matter of respect because it was the same hand which had proferred and accepted the hand of the leader of the free world, well Gordon disdainfully withdrew his hand. It says it all about the PM, it really does.

Tony Blair was elected, whether we like it or not, to serve a full term, but that was going to be it. I consider that Gordon Brown lacks any legitimacy and it shames this country when he represents us. Please give us an election. This is actually embarrassing.

Rhetoric

2009-04-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

what I thought interesting was the fact that you were given the first question. The friendliness which you would appear to show to the PM definitely would seem to have pay back.

I am getting quite angry when the politicians continue to blame nobody but we are all responsible. Well sorry, I am not at all responsible. I want to know which tutor of President Obama gave him this sort of twaddle, it is very difficult because if this is what students were taiught then there is truly no hope, it is was I would call rhetoric.

U S Grant

2009-04-01T03:14:00.000-07:00

so we want the political commentators to be able to say without contradiction that 'as I was saying' or 'as I have been reliably informed' 'when I asked the President' etc...That is why I think that the blogs have been effectively closed to the general public. You guys are just so knowing but may I humbly supply the following quote from U S Grant in 1874-75
'it is easy to conceive that the debtor and speculative classes may think it of value to them to make so called money abundant until they can throw a portion of their burdens upon others'
Now I got that quote from the FRUS pp.[III] - XXVII.ff
My point. Nothing actually changes and nothing will change, there always has been a Global economy and there always will. It just depends on your definition of Global.

Expenses and Pensions

2009-04-01T02:03:00.001-07:00

in all the furore about MPs expenses may I point out that at least they do not receive any pension as a result of their allowances. If however, the MPs were to have an increase in their salaries then those salaries would give them additional pensions.

Furthermore, I really do think that somebody ought to ask the question when did the MPs Pension Fund transfer the assets out of Equitable Life. I think you will find that this took place just days before the Law Lords judgement which I think detroyed Equitable Life.

Brown and morals

2009-03-31T03:56:00.001-07:00

Gordon Brown talking in st Pauls about morals and the bankers. Maybe he could be reminded of his involvement in the war and subsequent occupation of Iraq. Of course as the paymaster for the war he has no moral resoponsibilty for the deaths, none whatsover!

Kant and Brown

2009-03-31T03:45:00.000-07:00

just listened to the PM from St Pauls. As a former bank official I will never take lessons in morals and morality from a PM and former Chancellor who paid for the war against Iraq, where hundreds of thousands have died. Gordon Brown quotes Adam Smith about the invisible hand and free markets, well I say there is the the not so invisible hand, there is the hand which has blood on it. And if Brown is going to start being a philosopher then he ought to give credit where it is due, namely Kant.

MPs tax returns

2009-03-31T02:45:00.000-07:00

is this not a classic case of a distraction story. Today the BBC is carrying reports of our soldiers now officially coming under the command of the Americans.

What I would expect is for Tony Blair, remember him, should make a comment about the sacrifice of all those who have died. I would also expect Gordon Brown to formally acknowledge what I regard as the fact that this has actually been a disaster, for which he was the paymaster, and that never again will it happen.

Maybe Miss Smith would like to explain to the parents and relatives of the various military personnel who have lost their lives fighting for democracy what they have actually suffered for. So that MPs can have access to the sort of expenses denied to the mass of the population.

Finally, I wonder if the MPs actually have to declare the expenses for which they have claimed to the Inland Revenue on their tax returns. I cannot understand how a sink and a plug is a justifiable expense, because I consider that it is a benefit in kind, and therefore subject to tax. Either that or do MPs not pay taxes the same as us. Cannot wait until they have to declare their Capital Gains Tax liabilities on their main/second homes. I don't only want to see their expenses, I also want to see their tax returns.

Bus passes

2009-03-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

I notice that I now get a new message about being pre moderated because I am a new member. Exactly how long does one have had to be a member before one is no longer new. i think I am not new, in fact I am vintage. By the way I am sixty next week and notice the changes which have been slipped through with regard to my bus pass. Why do I feel some sort of conspiracy. I think Gordon is the best PM this country has ever had. The government is the best there ever was, and there is not to be a repeat of the Great Depression, and this is a free country where everybody is happy.

Smith is toast

2009-03-30T04:00:00.001-07:00

it is not this which is going to do for Miss Smith. If there is any serious civil unrest during the G20 then she is finished. If it is any way shown that she has been too busy with this fiasco to concentrate on any civil unrest on the streets of London demonstrating against G20 then she is toast.

There are too many people who know too much for Gordon to sack anybody. The PM is a disgrace.

Miss Smith and the G20

2009-03-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

I just don't get it. No update since 9:55 and it is now 11:50. The lawyers must be poring over loads of stuff.

What I will say in respect of Miss Smith is that it is not these expenses which are going to do for her. If anything goes pear shaped during the G20 meeting in England this week-end, then she should resign. Not this, this we can just laugh at but if there is civil unrest during the next two or three days, then she must go. She must not spend time on these problems, she must concentrate on the maintenance of civil order.

I hope Gordon Brown finds the time to do PMQs on Wednesday!

Is this how it ends

2009-03-30T02:01:00.001-07:00

whilst everybody seems to be referring to the unfortunate Miss Smith may I point out that the British army has today handed over Basra to the American Forces. So ends a wonderful period in our history.These are indeed sad days, is this how it all ends.

Dunfermline

2009-03-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

I seriously hope that you are enjoying your world tour. It must be great to be away from the white heat of parliament.

I hope that the Prime Minister is not going to be too busy meeting all the world leaders for him not to attend the final PMQs before the Easter recess which starts on the 2nd April. He won't be able to report the results of the G20 meeting until after the recess on the 20th April which is around the time that we are going to have the budget.

The breaking news today concerns the Dunfermline Building Society. What is interesting is looking at the parliamentary timetable for next week because guess what is down to be discussed, in parliament, is 'Future of Dunfermline Building Society, put down by Willie Rennie. Now isn't that amazing, that something has to be done in the last week-end before it is discussed in the House.

Now the Northern Rock was saved. Why not the Dunfermline? I wonder if the chancellor would like to confirm yet again that he actually had a mortgage with, yes the Northern Rock! Funny that.

Argentinians and torture

2009-03-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

I find this fascinating. No doubt Gordon can now return to the UK saying how brilliant he is because he has not given way on the Falklands. He has defeated a cunning plot by the Argentians, they were probably never going to mention it anyway. What he may ask them is to let the Argentinians explain how to get over the problem of people disappearing and then being tortured. I gather that the Junta was very good at that. Can't wait for the result of the inquiry which will be heard, somewhen, somewhere, there's a time and a place.

Iraq torture

2009-03-26T08:36:00.001-07:00

at last. I am so pleased but we need answers and soon. It is wonderful what 7 signatures on a petition can achieve. Mind you shameful that the PM is out of the country when this is announced. There must be a formal statement to the House of Commons.

Tony McNulty

2009-03-26T03:11:00.001-07:00

I am very pleased to hear that Tony McNulty is to be investigated over allegations about his expenses claim. I consider that if Gordon Brown is serious then he must demand that McNulty stands down whilst this investigation is to go on. As Minister for Employment then surely his position is untenable because of the adverts still appearing about investigations into dole cheats.

Not directly responsible but surely it is unacceptable that women are beig followed to ensure that they are not cohabitating whilst receiving benefits.

Iraq torture

2009-03-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

What has happened to my Copy and Paste

Iraq inquiry

2009-03-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

with regard to the statement by Milliband relating to the inquiry into Iraq when exactly was the last time that our so called combat troops in Basra actually got involved in any actual combat. From what I understand we have thousands of troops there but because of local agreements and our ignominious defeat from the Palace they have actually withdrawn completely from the 'action'.

Accordingly, we have been doing nothing but preparing to retreat completely leaving a few hundred advisers. Funny that there will be another Stop the War protest which the government will say is a waste of time because there will be an inquiry. Only trouble is that it will not be in public and not during this pathetic parliament.

Brazil

2009-03-25T11:04:00.001-07:00

are you with Gordon Brown or are you with Lord Mandelson on some beach in Brazil. According to William Hague in parliament today somebody is on a beach in Brazil wearing Speedo's, whatever they are. I hope that Lord Mandelson is not seeing the family of Mr de Menezes to explain how their son managed to get shot on a tube line in london. Either that or I hope that he is not taking the opportunity to visit the parents of his partner to ask for his hand in Civil Partnership. We need to know.

Quality of Life

2009-03-25T03:30:00.001-07:00

what I find so disgraceful that I am going to be held responsible for saddling my children and grandchildren with a massive pile of debt because Gordon Brown and his ilk want to maintain an unsustainable standard of living. It is no longer about standards of living, it is all about quality of life, and for many it over, all so very over.

Why moderated

2009-03-24T08:01:00.001-07:00

why has number 64 been referred to the moderators. Could it be national security, or the fact that I anticipated yet again that Gordon Brown would decline to attend PMQs, again

Timed at 15:00 show us the receipts

2009-03-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

I think that there is a simple solution for Mr McNulty. Show us the receipts for the money you have paid to your parents for putting you up and using their rooms as your office. Furthermore, let us see the tax returns for your parents where they have declared their income from you. Funny somehow I don't think that you will, probably because there are none.

#33 Brown away again

2009-03-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

no doubt David Cameron will also decline to attend PMQs now that the great leader is not attending. We will have to put up with his stand-in as well. Maybe, just maybe Cameron can see through this fiasco and say enough of this shambles. I think that he should go ahead with his own questioning of whoever it is that takes the part of the lost leader. How many times has he (Gordon, I will not walk on the other side) Brown actually done PMQs since he took over as a result of what I regard of his coup.

I think that this charade of PMQs should be exposed, come on Cameron come to ask your questions, don't you sink below the parapit like Brown, the same for Nick Clegg, show up Brown for what he is, gutless. Ah well, at least he won't have to read out the names of the dead this week

#64 Threat to freedom of speech

2009-03-24T02:00:00.001-07:00

may I draw readers attention to the fact that David Milliband has refused to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into what the UK knew about the case of Binyah Mohamed, wo alleges British complicity in his torture.

May I also refer readers that in evidence given to two high Court judges, namely Lord Justice Thomas and Mr justice lloyd Jones allegations have been made that Mr Mohamed should sign an agreement with his American captors to the effect that 'he had never been tortured; promised never to speak to the media; promised never to sue the United States, or any US ally, including Britain; and pleaded guilty to terror charges'. Now we know that Mr Mohamed refused to sign such an agreement.

This is disgraceful behaviour by both the British and American authorities. Yet so little publicity on the day that Miss Smith makes her disgusting, to me, about how she sees the anti terrorist laws being amended. Apparently, she wants people to stop people like me having my say because I may rouse somebody to anger and action. I need to be moderated apparently. Well that's how I read her anyway. In the meantime the government wants some inquests to be held without a jury. This is getting serious, and I can only hope that the House of Lords does its proper job.

I have personal knowledge where the sort of agreement which the Americans wanted Mr Mohamed to sign are having to be signed by special forces before they are allowed to become special forces officers. These confidentiality agreements are then used to silence 'whistle blowers'. Furthermore, an investigation needs to be held into confidentiality agreements which recipients of compensation for the loss of a loved one, or injury, in Iraq or Afghanistan. Speak out and you will lose you compensation!

These are shameful days. I can only hope that Gordon Brown does not yet again flee PMQs on the basis that he is Europe or America attempting to solve the global economic crisis. Free speech is seriously under threat, the threat must be resisted.

Brown is gutless

2009-03-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

I think that the worst aspect of this is that the wonderful Gordon, I will not walk on the other side, Brown has now asked for an inquiry. Accordingly, we can now expect any response to be I feel it inappropriate to comment until the inquiry which I have requested has reported.

Smith and McNulty would resign if they weren't so engorged with power. This is disgusting. Every time that Brown even dares to say he feels the pain of those who have lost sons in wasteful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan literally makes me feel nauseous. There must not be an inquiry as requested by Brown, the ministers, both of them, must be sacked, only the man who sends soldiers to their deaths lacks any real guts. That is the problem with Brown, he is actually, despite his rhetoric, gutless and spineless, but worst of all so terribly weak.

No allowances

2009-03-23T04:02:00.001-07:00

what people have to understand is that it is the current taxpaying public who should be paying the taxes not my children and grandchildren.

What has to understood is that it is the whole world wide economy which is total disarray. I find it totally unaccepetable that this current government is trying to save the economy by indebting the future generations. If anything I would like taxes to be split as follows;

0-20,000 no taxes whatsoever
20,000-100,000 40%
100,000> 60%

However, I would like Natonal Insurance to be merged with Income Tax,and for Capital Gains tax to be abolished, and the restoration of the Poll Tax, so that everybody pays for services, not just the householders. All profits to be taxed as income and no tax allowances at all, totally none.

As for McNulty and the rest, shame on them.

G20 and Nick Robinson

2009-03-23T02:17:00.000-07:00

with reference to #418 what exactly are you meant to be doing. Have you been silenced, or are you on a pre-Easter restorative break. I mean it won't be long until parliament breaks for? The long Easter break! also can you start a blog to prepare us for the G20 meeting. I mean there are people who comment here who may actually give the governmnets something to actually say, rather than we must avoid protectionism!