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
1, 2005 (946 days since Iraq war ended)
Death Toll: 2,114 US - 98UK - >>6,164?
Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media
'Pensions
raid will return to haunt us' - writes Andrew
Alexander in the Daily Mail, December 2, 2005
Our
pensions system is in trouble. Not so long ago, we were pretty
cocky about it, especially the provisions for millions in company
schemes. Poor old Continental Europe had little to compare with
that which allowed employees to retire in remarkable comform.
These schemes, as the Turner Report reminds us, are in crisis,
producing huge black holes in company accounts, and being rapidly
abandoned. As to apportioning blame, the problem is that while
numbers affected is very large, the number who understand why
is very small.
Otherwise
the Government would be in very serious trouble. Prompted for
their view on this problem, most would say that it's something
to do with our not saving enough, or people living longer or maybe
companies not managing pension funds properly.
There
are elements of truth in all this, but the basic problem is not
some force of nature or the failure by ordinary citizens to look
to their future. The real culprit is Chancellor Gordon Brown,
who incurs sporadic criticism but nothing like as much as he deserves.
His decision to change tax relief rules in 1997 and thus take
£5billion a year out of pension funds income was the fatal
move which will haunt generations. It was initially masked by
a still rapidly rising stock market where company funds were largely
invested. But behind that lay the conclusion of actuaries who
measure soundness of pension funds. The tax change meant they
must revise the long-term return on shares.
For
those who like details, the revision was down from an expected
yearly 3.7% to 2.96%. This may not sound all that dramatic, but
over the 45 years or so working life of an employee, the difference
this made was vast. If you doubt it, get out some compound interest
tables and see for yourself.
Following
Brown's change, actuaries have been certifying that companies
which promised such alluring benefits as a retrement on two thirds
final salary had incurred huge long-term deficits of quite frightening
proportions. Hence the closure of thousands of funds to new entries,
hence the wholesale decision of companies to abandon pension funds
inprinciple.
The
change in the tax arrangements has been ascribed to Ed Balls,
Brown's normally sensible adviser and now an MP, though he does
not seem anxious to claim paternity. But in any case the decision
was the Chancellor's and he must not be allowed to forget it.
There
is something else we should never forget. The new proposals talk
of contributions to pensions coming frm employers, employees and
'the Government'. There is no such third source. Anything the
Government contributes comes from employers or employees - and
pensioners too, since they pay quite a bit of tax.
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