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.

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.

Sevastopol

The EU has forgotten (or more likely, its unelected bureaucrats are ignorant of) the fact that Russia will hold her need for her Black Sea naval base - and the access that gives her - as vital to her interests - it is within what used to be recognised as the Russian (USSR) sphere of influence.

 

Stupid of the EU and unbelievably naive of Obama to not realise that.

 

A nation does not easily forget 25 million war dead nor which near neighbour was influential in that.

 

Putting it diplomatically.

 

 

Edinburgh Agreement on a Scottish Referendum:

UKIP stands four square behind the unity of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We also firmly believe in the right of the British everywhere to be the final arbiters over their own lives.

That is why we support and would introduce binding (Swiss-style) referenda on vital issues.

That is why we believe it is as much the right of the Scottish nation to determine whether or not Scotland remains an integral part of the United Kingdom, as it is the right of the British people to determine if the UK should remain in the EU.

Our view on those two crucial issues is well known but we will repeat them and fight for them until we achieve what we believe the British people want – the continued integrity of the UK, and full British sovereignty.

So we support the Better Together campaign – we dismiss the SNP 's "wee pretendy Independence" ideas – and we want a referendum to take the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland OUT of the EU to achieve full British sovereignty and true UK Independence.

Vote NO to stop any British break up – and campaign for true British sovereignty thereafter.

English Parliament et al

It is my view that the Scottish Parliament, and the Welsh Assembly, should be made up of those Members of Parliament sitting respectively for Scotland and Wales.

English MPs sitting as such would conducted English business but it may well be that there is a need for an England Act, to formalise English MPs sitting as such, with power to elect a First Minister and to create an English Executive. That English Parliament then would have powers similar to Scotland.

There would, of course, be a need for Acts of Parliament to remove MSPs and Assembly Members, to be replaced by MPs, and possibly also to amend and enhance the Welsh Assembly's powers and status to that of a Welsh Parliament, fully equivalent to the Scottish and English Parliaments.

MPs would continue to serve as they do now at Westminster, working together for the UK, and with their feet on the ground within the devolved Parliaments.

What the Press missed about Scottish Regiments

I issued a press release following the astonishing Tory confirmation that they would not revive the Black Watch to local press - as far as I know, the view I submitted remains unpublished. The releases are appended:

From: mikescotthayward@msn.com
To: xxx@dcthomson.co.uk; yyyyy@dcthomson.co.uk; courier@dcthomson.co.uk; edcitizen@fifetoday.co.uk
Subject: UKIP HAS THE ANSWERS FOR SCOTTISH REGIMENTS
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:39:04 +0000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: mikescotthayward@msn.com
To: edherald@fifetoday.co.uk
Subject: UKIP WILL BRING BACK THE BLACK WATCH
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:06:35 +0000


PRESS RELEASE

"I was astonished to see Liam Fox confirm that the Tories will not revive the Black Watch and other traditional regiments. It is entirely feasible, despite a statement when he ran for the party leadership, by Cameron, that it is not."

UKIP's North East Fife Parliamentary candidate, Mike Scott-Hayward, was speaking after the revelation that the Tories have abandoned the traditional regiments. "That stance by Cameron contributed to my leaving the Tories - and I commend the UKIP defence policy which includes commitments to increase the Army to at least 125,000 personnel (trained requirement) in order to enable it to cope with its existing deployment and roles.

"We will restore many traditional regiments, such as the Black Watch and Staffords, subsumed as battalions of EU-inspired ‘super-regional’ regiments of the Royal Welsh, Royal Mercian and Royal Regiment of Scotland, in order to serve in EU battlegroups.

"By stopping wasting our money on bolstering the undemocratic European Union, we will save millions daily- to use in Britain's interests. We will be able to stop trying to buy defence on the cheap. UKIP will spend an extra 1% GDP year on defence – an increase of 40% on current budgets. This means we can restore the Navy to its 2001 strength, with 3 new aircraft carriers (one extra), assault ships, 30 destroyers and frigates, 12 Fleet Submarines, 25 coastal vessels and 50 Merlin helicopters, with around 7,000 extra personnel to 42,000 (2003–41,550). UKIP would guarantee the futures of Plymouth and Portsmouth. I would fight for the re-establishment of Rosyth.

"The strength of the British Army lies in its regimental system - with strong local roots - none of which is understood in the European Union, nor, sadly, apparently by Cameronian Tories."


Mike Scott-Hayward
UKIP Parliamentary Candidate
07917365197
Sawmill House
Kemback Bridge