Old Lessons to Remember

Cold War II would be a much better option than WW III.

A cold war brings stabilized tension, constant vigilance and constant caution - and with nuclear deterrence at its core - a permanent stand-off.

We face these new choices simply because the EU's little demagogues do not understand the innate fear of a Russian nation which was brought close to extinction by Napoleon and Hitler.

The old "spheres of influence" have been disregarded by the EU, Merkel and the woman the Russians call "that English woman", Baroness Ashton. A British Army subaltern doing War Studies would get it.

And let's not go near to even discussing Sturgeon's Stupidity on Trident.

United Nations is not fit for purpose

The United Nations Organisation is not fit  for purpose.

How is it that all of the independent sovereign nations of the world there gathered cannot act effectively against ISIL? 

ISIL, after all,  is an unrecognised self-proclaimed rogue “state” which stands condemned by all.

The UN, surely, if able to muster near unanimity, should have the necessary authority to act.

One bar to unanimous action may be the veto wielded by key states in the Security Council.  But do any of those support ISIL?  That is surely inconceivable.

Why no action? Perhaps some reform is needed in any event: should the General Assembly have the power, if wielded by a very high majority, say 80 or 90%, of all member nations, be able to overrule a minority view of just one veto wielding power, or to compel the Security Council to act?

Democracy Diminshed.

The Coalition Government has  diminished the political influence of MPs even further than had the Blair Government.

  

Today’s Parties want puppets and clones on their books.  Few MPs dare to act in keeping with the stance they professed when elected.   

Indeed, because of the Act passed by Blair’s government, the Parliamentary Parties, Elections and Referendum Act (PPERA), few candidates dared to put any view at variance with the Party Orders, lest they be forced to stand without Party endorsement, as Independent candidates, unable even to aspire to a description on the ballot paper.

PPERA was introduced because of the introduction of the system of Lists required for the proportional representation for elections to the Scottish Parliament, The Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies and the European Parliament.  

For the first time in British history, parties had to register with the state authorities in order to be eligible to field candidates for Parliament.  Prior to that, anyone or any group or party, could be or field candidates who were able to adopt a description, be it a Party Name, or something as simple as ”Independent  Communist”, to fight their corner to take a seat in Parliament.

But no more – since PPERA, only registered parties can have party names or descriptions and the candidates need the specific endorsement of a Nominating Officer, from the registered Party, in order to have the description on the ballot paper.

The exception, for a candidate not accepted to stand for a party, or not wishing to, is to stand as an "Independent”.  So what, you ask?

Well, in the past, a free spirit could distinguish his or her “independent”  status with some description – for example, “Independent Communist”,  "Independent For A Free NHS”, “Independent Conservative” etc.   The rule now is that the only default description is the single word “Independent”.  So two, or three, independent candidates on the same ballot paper cannot explain or describe themselves as in any way different from the others – are they to the left, right or centre?

A small, harmless shift, one night say. Especially if one is a bureaucratic party, determined to keep MPs in line -  lose the label, lose the seat.  Power has shifted, in this as in so much else, towards  the controllers at the centre – party bosses and bureaucrats.

  

That is not good for democracy. 

And the Coalition bent the constitution even further – gone now are the good old days when a Prime Minster had to command the confidence of a majority of individual MPs in the House of Commons. 

Losing an important vote meant being unable to govern as pledge; but the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in coalition sorted that –  they fixed the term of parliament so that they retain power even if they lose the support of MPs – and that has happened in this parliament. And adjust the margin by which dissent or dissatisfaction amongst MPs is needed before the cosy cartel can be challenged.

Are all our MPs now wimps? Why do they accept all of this?  To keep the job, regardless?

We must restore the convention we had when we were British, that is, that the Government must have the confidence of the House in order to govern, that MPs should not fear for their futures more than they do for the country, and that free spirits can stand as Independents but with some description,  so that the electorate can distinguish their intent.

EU Benefits Ruling

A "win" on one issue in an EU court is not a restoration of our sovereignty or a "victory" - hooting hurrah for this result is understandable but the next EU legal decision may equally go the "other" way.  They are deciding - we are ruled.

Reflection of Farage/Clegg Debate - and the EUs peacocks.

It seems that Nigel Farage and I are in step in our thinking on the Sevastopol issue - the EU has to be careful not to tread deeply into the Russian sphere of influence. At least Obama and the EU are now tacitly acknowledging that military options must be ruled out.
In his debate with Clegg, Farage is reported to have accused the EU of having blood on its hands over the Ukraine. Clegg on the other hand praised the bloc's influence in Eastern Europe; he is reported to have said "It was the British governments that pioneered the enlargement of the European Union so we'd have more peace, more democracy and more rule of law in our European neck of the woods."

Mr Farage responded by saying "we can all hang our heads in shame. We've given a false series of hopes to a group of people in the west of Ukraine; So 'geed' up were they that they actually toppled their own elected leader. That provoked Mr Putin and I think the European Union frankly does have blood on its hands in the Ukraine and I don't want a European army, navy, air force or a European foreign policy."

I think that the way ahead now surely lies in the EU and the USA recognising Crimea as part of Russia, with Russia withdrawing troops from the Ukrainian border and all parties, the USA, the EU's member states, Ukraine and Russia agreeing on Ukrainian neutrality, recognised and guaranteed by all.

Otherwise, we are set for a Black Sea Freeze, if not a wider Cold War II.

Does your councillor or MSP care?

What do you think?

http://joshrjones.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/white-throated-needletail.html

There is no sanity in the SNP or Coalition Governement wind energy policies.  If you voted for one of them - think again.

FORMER LIBERAL DEMOCRAT TO BE UKIPSCOTLAND ENERGY SPOKESMAN

RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPERT AND FORMER LIBERAL DEMOCRAT TO BE UKIPSCOTLAND ENERGY SPOKESMAN

Michael Haseler, a renowned renewable energy sector researcher and leading commentator on the futility of wind power, is to be UKIP Scotland’s Energy Spokesman.

Announcing the appointment, UKIPScotland Chairman, Mike Scott-Hayward said “Mike Haseler is a well known and respected commentator on energy matters and is a core contributor to the Climate Change debate.

“His brief for UKIPScotland will be to cover all Energy issues affecting Scotland – energy security which requires nuclear power and cannot rely on wind; the realities of the adverse impacts of EU directives and consequent distorting subsidies which leads both to desecration of our landscape and to increasing fuel poverty; and achieving the best balanced and efficient use of resources.”

Australian born Mike’s family moved back to Britain and settled in Cheltenham where he attended the local Grammar School. He went to University in St Andrews and took a degree in Physics & Electronic with a module in Philosophy. He then joined Timex where he worked in Research, Development & Test on the Sinclair Flat Screen and Sinclair Spectrum.

He took an MBA at Strathclyde and then worked in a textile Mill as a quality and engineering manager.

After marrying he moved to Watford with his wife where he stood for the council as a Liberal Democrat.

Following the birth of their first child, Mike and his wife moved back to Scotland where he worked as a systems analyst.

Mr Haseler joined the Scottish Parliamentary Renewable Energy Group. As part of a SMART award, he carried out research into the renewable energy sector and became concerned at the lack of economic benefit from existing policy. He started campaigning to secure more jobs from wind energy and that led to him joining the Green party who chose him to stand at the 2003 Scottish election.

His career led him to start producing and installing weather monitoring equipment for wind farm site assessments.

Mr Scott-Hayward explained: “It was whilst doing this that he discovered the real horror of wind energy on local people and birdlife and he chose to leave the wind sector since when he has been a campaigner against wind and in favour of energy policies based on real science, not global warming alarmism. He formed the Scottish Climate and Energy Forum.

“As time progressed he came to recognise the value and sense of UKIP’s policy, and I am therefore delighted today to be able to announce that he will take the lead for us in Scotland on Energy.”

Mr Haseler, accepting the appointment, said “I have three children and I really care about the kind of world they will inherit. I left the Lib Dems as I saw the damage being done to UK industry by the EU.

“Now, seeing how the Scottish Government's zealous implementation of the EU diktat has caused these bird mincers to spring up everywhere, I am sure we have to leave the EU.

“I look forward to working with UKIP because it is the only party that wants to leave the EU and is rapidly growing in both Scotland and the UK.

"I know UKIP is the only party to base its energy policy on real science. This science tells us that the small rise we expect from CO2 will not be a significant problem and may even be beneficial.

"There is absolutely no need to destroy our historic landscape like this. Almost every other country, except the EU superstate, has realised this "global warming" non-science is part of an anti-CO2, anti-industry, anti-modern life obsession by extremists in society. They would lead us to economic suicide.

"We must exit the EU before we suffer the fate of Greece, Spain and all the other countries that have been brought to the edge of economic ruin by the failed European Union”

ENDS

BRITAIN MUST LEAVE THE EU TO SAVE HERSELF

Renowned economist and former Treasury Panel “wise man” who advised the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1992 to 1997, Professor Tim Congdon, is on a speaking tour in Scotland next week.

Professor Congdon is UKIP’s Finance Spokesman. An economist and businessman, he is a strong advocate of sound money and free markets. For over 30 years, he has participated in public policy debates and in the UK’s public policy debates and is often regarded as the UK’s leading “monetarist” economist and as one of its most influential economic commentators.

The talks are open to the public. Mike Scott-Hayward, the Chairman of UKIPScotland said, “All are welcome. Tim’s talk will explain why Britain must leave the EU. In clear terms, he will show how membership of the EU destroys British jobs and makes us poorer."

The tour takes place at four venues: in Links Hotel 4 Alvanley Terrace, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, EH9 1DU on Wednesday 8^th May at 7.15 pm; on Thursday 9th May at 11 am at The Royal George Hotel, Tay Street, Perth; then at 2.30 pm on Thursday 9^th May at The Braes, 14-18 Perth Road, Dundee; and finally on Thursday 9th May, at 7.00pm at The Salmon Inn, Bank Street in Galashiels.

Venue details and free booking can be found on http://www.ukip.org/scotland/articles/1442-professor-tim-congdons-mini-tour