Silent Majority Speaks
Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship
|
Spin,
not face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's
chosen method of communication. Ordinary people are dangerous. Ordinary
people might ask a question which throws a politician 'off message';
the Cabinet member might reveal himself or herself to be a human being
like us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she might
tell the truth.
Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September 16, 2004
Blair wants to leave his
mark on history - looks more like a stain to me.
Peter Thorndyke, Diss,
Norfolk - Daily Mail, May 23, 2005
I know I'm me - why do I
need an ID card?
"Sorry, officers, I
don't have an ID card. I never applied for one. It seemed a bit steep
at 300 quid. I do have my free passport, my driving licence and my
London freedom travel pass, each with my photograph. I have my NHS
medical card, with its lengthy number, given me at birth, my RAF
service book with my Armed Forces number, and a chit authorising me to
wear a few gongs -including a General Service Medal with Malaya bar,
for fighting communist terrorists on behalf of my country, or so they
told me.
"I've also got various credit
cards and store cards, all with my signature on the back, generally
good for buying the everyday requrements for life as well as the odd
luxury. If you decide to arrest me, I suppose I'll have to be
photographed and given another number, besides my PINs.
"I'm afraid I haven't got a
pension book; it was taken away."
"By thieves, sir?"
"No ... well, not exactly. By the
Government. By the way, may I see your warrant cards please, gentlemen?"
Oh dear, they've disappeared. E.
Harry Gumer, Romford, ESSEX - Daily Mail, June 1, 2005
NO means NO
When does NO mean MAYBE?
When it's not the answer the EU wants.
With the
courageous French NON resounding in their ears, shabby, undemocratic
self-interested leaders of Europe propose ignoring the part of their
precious constitution that requires ratification by all members and
continuing without one of the biggest founder members to prevent
derailing the gravy train.
As in Ireland,
they refuse to accept any NO votes, ignoring the will of the people,
and re-stage votes until they can engineer the 'correct' answer. Sadly,
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw dances to their tune like a puppet on a
string. With tactics such as these, how can anyone really believe the
EU has our interests at heart. Letter from Steve Penny, Kingsnorth, Kent - Daily
Mail, June1, 2005
Surely
the French result makes the £1million the EU recently spent on a
treaty signing ceremony seem a trifle premature and extravagant. Letter from Keith Wiseman, Bury, Lancs. - Daily Mail,
June1, 2005
|
May 31, 2005 (761 days since war
ended)
Death Toll: 1,657 US - 89 UK - >6,164?
Iraqi - >17,300 civilians - 25 media
June 17, 2005 (779 days since war
ended)
Death Toll: 1,716 US - 89 UK -
>6,164? Iraqi - >17,300? civilians - 25 media
June 26, 2005 (788 days since war
ended)
Death Toll: 1,737 US - 89 UK -
>6,164? Iraqi - >17,300? civilians - 25 media
July 6, 2005 (798 days since war
ended)
Death Toll: 1,751 US - 90 UK -
>6,164? Iraqi - >17,300? civilians - 25 media
August 24, 2005 (847 days since
war ended)
Death Toll: 1,869 US - 93 UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
September
29, 2005 (883 days since war ended)
Death Toll: 1,928 US - 96 UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
October
11, 2005 (895 days since war ended)
Death Toll: 1,956 US - 96UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
October
20, 2005 (904 days since war ended)
Death Toll: 1,986 US - 97UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
October
25, 2005 (909 days since war ended)
Death Toll: 2,001US - 97UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
Britain has
traditionally been one of the biggest net contributors to the EU
because we do not get as much money back from Brussels in farm and
regional subsidies as our rivals.
According to
Treasury figures, between 1995-2002, Britain's average contribution
taking the rebate into account, was £2.6billion, or £43.55
per head of population.
The French -
the biggest recipient of farm subsidies - contributed £1billion a
year or £16.08 per head of their population.
|
Blair
won't hit target on clearing asylum backlog
Frank
admission from civil servant in the dock on immigration crisis
By
James Slack - Home Affairs Editor - Daily Mail, October 27, 2005
Labour
has lost track of tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers and
fail to fulfill Tony Blair's pledge to improve the woeful removal
rate, officials admitted yesterday. The backlog of cases, estimated
at 283,000 in June, is still growing, MPs were told.
In
September last year, the Prime Minister pledged that, by this
December, there would be more failed asylum seekers removed each
month than there are new arrivals. But, in the last month there
have been 2,000 new claimants and only 1,300 deported.
Sir
John Gieve, the Home Office's top civil servant, said he would
not 'put his mortgage' on Mr Blair achieving the goal. MPs shook
their heads in disbelief as he went on to reveal ministers have
no goal to clear out all the failed applicants who are costing
taxpayers £311million a year in housing and benefits.
Asked
how long it might take to send them all home, he replied: "I,
er, cannot answer that. If all the people currently on our list
remained failed asylum seekers and do not get any other status,
it would take years."
One
of his staff, immigration and nationality directorate boss Jeremy
Oppenheimer, revealed that officials do not even know where three-quarters
of bogus refugees are living. He initially said: "We know
where nearly all failed asylum seekers are living." But,
under pressure from the Public Accounts Committee to give a percentage
of exactly how many, he said:"Probably 25%"
Labour
MP Ian Davidson rounded furiously on the officials during a stormy
two-hour session, saying there was 'systemic failure' in the removals
policy. In a bruising onslaught, Mr Davidson went on: "The
service you are providing seems to be up there with the Child
Support Agency and the Working Families Tax Credit."
The
committee, which is reviewing a National Audit Office report into
asylum removal, also reacted furiously to the revelation that
500 failed asylum seekers jailed for committing crimes in Britain
had since been set free. Some, officials admitted, have since
absconded. They were released because the Home Office was unable
to send them home to countries which are rated dangerous or where
they do not have an agreement with the foreign government.
Conservative
MP Richard Bacon attacked the Immigration Service for employing
as many 'pen-pushers' - there are 2000 policy officers, human
resources and finance staff - as officers working on removals.
Sir
John, who is quitting as Home Office Permanent Secretary to move
to the Bank of England, rejected the charge of 'systemic failure'.
He said the system had been in crisis two or three years ago,
but was now being turned around. If Mr Blair's target was missed,
it would be hit within a few months of the December deadline,
he added.
Sir
John disputed a finding by the National Audit Office that there
are 283,000 failed asylum seekers in the UK but admitted the total
was as high as 230,000 - and rising. The office's report said
the cost of trying to round up and deport unfounded claimants
was £311 million last year.
A
further £311 million was spent on benefits and living costs
paid, in the main, to 18,500 failed asylum seekers with families.
The £611 million total was part of a £1.89billion
budget.
If you have
suggestions for additional subjects, or material to include in the
pages linked to the subjects listed, please contact the webmaster.
|
