Silent Majority Speaks
Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship
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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
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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: 2,001 US - 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.
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December
14, 2005 (959 days since Iraq war ended)
Death Toll: 2,150 US - 98UK - >>30,000?
Iraqi - 25 media
Britain
is bottom of the league for EU handouts
By
Benedict Brogan, Political Editor - Daily Mail, December 14, 2005
A
leaked Foreign Office briefing paper last night revealed the high
price Tony Blair is prepared to pay to secure a Brussels budget
deal. It exposes for the first time what will happen to Britain's
share of the EU cash that every country will receive if a deal
is agreed.
The
Prime Minister's proposals for European financing would push Britain
to the bottom of the pile for EU handouts - but leave us paying
in nearly 50% more overall. Under Mr Blair's proposal, Britain
will get just £523 per person, compared with £1,006
for every Frenchman, £2,580 for every Belgian, and a staggering
£14,965 for every citizen of Luxembourg.
Other
wealthy countries that will benefit disproportionately included
Ireland - £2,099 per person - and Italy, with £820
per head.
Overall,
Britain would drop from 20th place out of 25 members in the current
rankings, to 27th out of 27 by 2007 - when Bulgaria and Romania
will have joined the EU. Although what each Briton will receive
rises substantially compared to the current £80 per head,
other countries will see receipts rise by far more. France will
see its per capita receipts rise from £146 to £1,006..
The
memo, leaked to the Open Europe think-tank, appeared to confirm
the worst fears of those who believe Mr Blair is preparing to
give away something for nothing. It will reinforce fears that
the PM is willing to see Britain's overall contribution to the
EU climb massively in an attempt to salvage his credentials as
pro-European.
Mr
Blair is desperate to secure a deal on Friday to prevent his presidency
from ending in failure, and abandoned attempts to force through
root-and-branch reform of the bloated Common Agriculture Policy
in exchange for concessions on the rebate. He justified concessions
by claiming he wanted to bring Britain into line with other similar
sized economies in Europe, notably France and Italy.
But
on figures produced by the Foreign Office for its negotiators
in Brussels, France will continue to benefit disproportionately.
It will come top of the list in the cash handout list, with receipts
worth £60billion. As the current president of the EU, Mr
Blair is chairing the negotiations for the EU's next budget, which
will run from 2007 to 2013.
He
has proposed to limit the growth of the budget by cutting 10%
from the funds earmarked for new member states in eastern Europe.
As a sweetener, he has offered to give up the money the 10 new
states would pay towards the rebate on Britain's contribution
negotiated by Margaret Thatcher in 1984 - about £1billion
a year.
Neil
O'Brien, director of Open Europe, said: "This shows what
an amazingly bad deal Government has got for Britain. We'll be
paying more than ever and we'll be getting less than any other
country back. Under this deal France will get more than any other
country. But Jacques Chirac has made Tony Blair look like the
bad guy. Blair's been totally outmanoeuvred.
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