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
|
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.
|
|
Tony
Blair should know that respect comes by example - from the
top. If a country's leader has no respect for the rule of
international law and no respect for the truth, how can
he expect anyone to have respect. Letter
from P.J.Atkinson, Ashford, Kent - Daily Mail, January 12,
2006
The
Chancellor's single greatest act of vandalism in almost
nine years in office has been his wanton destruction of
Britain's private retirement industry. By slapping a massive
tax on pension funds, now worth
£7.3billion a year, he has helped to turn
the best private retirement industry in Europe into a basket-case
in perpetual crisis. Together with the adoption of European
accounting rules - which make it much riskier to operate
a company pension scheme - hundreds of firms have shut their
final salary plans to new employees and slashed benefits
to existing staff. From
Allister Heath: "I've seen the future and its grey"
in THE SPECTATOR - April 15, 2006
Nine
years ago the British people were sold a fantasy of clean
and competent government of principle and honesty. Its shiny
wrappings stripped away, the product now reveals its true
nature: Personal greed, arrogance, incompetence, shamelessness,
rash warmongering and an inability to accept - as is clear
to almost everyone else - that it is time to go. Editorial
- The Mail on Sunday, May 28, 2006
|
May
15, 2009 (1445 days since war ended)
Death
Toll: 3401 US - 148 UK - >1,000,000? civilians - 25 media
This
site has had 
visitors
Tory
pledge to limit votes by Scots MPs
By
James Cameron - Deputy Political Editor -Daily Mail, May 15, 2007
David
Cameron plans to block Scottish MPs from voting on legislation
that applies only to England if the Tories win power. The Conservative
leader will promise the constitutional changes in the run-up to
the next election, the Daily Mail can reveal.
If
his plans were realised, Gordon Brown and others representing
constituencies north of the border would be denied a say on legislation
covering areas such as English schools and hospitals. Senior Tories
believe the policy announcement will embarrass the Chancellor,
expected to become prime minister next month, by focusing attention
on the growing influence of Scottish MPs.
Polls
suggest English voters are increasingly concerned that devolution
of power means Scottish MPs are able to vote on issues that affect
only England. English MPs are unable to vote on the same issues
in Scotland. The constitutional dilemma is known as the 'West
Lothian question'.
Mr
Cameron's solution has been secretly drawn up by the former Scottish
Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind. It is being called the 'East Lothian
answer', as Sir Malcolm lives there.
The
solution would not involve a separate English Parliament, which
critics fear could lead to the break-up of the UK. Instead, there
would be a 'grand committee' of all English MPs. This committee
would be convened at Westminster whenever Parliament is considering
legislation deemed by the Speaker of the Commons to apply only
to English constituencies.
Similar
conventions already define the relationship between the House
of Lords and the Commons, with peers having agreed not to reverse
decisions of MPs in certain circumstances.
The
revival of the Northern Ireland assembly means that Ulster MPs
would also be excluded from the committee. So would Welsh MPs
if, as expected, Wales gets a proper law-making body which is
able to pass primary legislation.
Labour
has repeatedly dismissed calls for 'English votes for English
laws' on the grounds that it will create two classes of MPs, with
Scottish MPs relegated on many issues. The Tories will argue that
their proposal ensures all MPs remain equal. They would retain
the same formal and legal powers when the Commons meets as a whole.
A
source close to the plans said: "The practical consequence
will be that England enjoys a measure of devolution comparable
to that of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It's completely
unfair for the English to become the only people in the UK who
don't have a final say on new laws affecting only their part of
the Union."
It
now takes only a small number of English MPs to rebel for Labour's
'tartan army' of Scottish MPs to become crucial. The party's majority
in England was slashed from 117 to 43 in last year's General Election.
This means that if only 22 Labour MPs in England oppose a Government
measure, the votes of traditionally loyal Scottish members become
critical.
Labour
has already relied on Scottish votes to pass contentious legislation
which only applies in England, including two votes on foundation
hospitals and two on university tuition fees. On tuition fees,
Scots MPs who backed Government legislation were accused of hypocrisy
as the Scottish parliament, established in 1998, had ruled them
out there.
The
West Lothian question was first posed by Labour MP Tam Dalyell,
in the 1970s. H warned that the creation of a Scottish parliament
would create a serious constitutional anomaly.
The
Tories' focus on the issue will be unwelcome to the Chancellor,
who at the weekend, denied that being a Scot was a 'problem' for
his campaign to become prime minister. He said: "I am very
proud of my Scottishness. I am proud also that I am a citizen
of Britain."
Allies
of Mr Brown point out that John Major relied on the votes of Ulster
Unionist MPs after losing his Commons majority.
If you have suggestions
for additional subjects, or material to include in the pages linked
to the subjects listed, please contact the webmaster.
