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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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
28, 2005 (959 days since Iraq war ended)
Death Toll: 2,172 US - 98UK - >>30,000?
Iraqi - 25 media
Labour
confesses: We failed a generation of sickness claimants
By
Graeme Wilson, Political Correspondent - Daily Mail, January 3,
2005
Labour's
failure to reform sickness benefit has condemned generations to
a life on State handouts, the government will admit today. Work
and Pensions secretary John Hutton will concede that large areas
of the country are trapped in a downward spiral of welfare dependency.
He will publish figures which show that areas with the highest
number of incapacity benefit claimants are five times more likely
to suffer severe deprivation that the rest of the country.
Mr
Hutton's stark assessment of Labour's failings comes as Ministers
step up the battle to convince rebellious Labour MPs to support
plans to overhaul the incapacity benefit system. He will launch
his drive today by writing to MPs in the 100 constituencies with
the highest number of people on incapacity benefit, all but six
of which are held by Labour.
Mr
Hutton will admit: "Getting people onto incapacity benefit
- and predecessors, invalidity benefit and sickness benefit, was
seen as ways to mask soaring levels of unemployment. Our constituencies
have paid a heavy price for this policy failure over the years."
More
than 2.7million people currently claim incapacity benefit and
the system costs the taxpayer £12billion a year. Critics
argue it is far too easy for claimants to get the benefit by convincing
their doctor they have a bad back or are too depressed to work.
And there are concerns that generosity of incapacity benefit is
an incentive to fiddle the system.
Claimants
are initially paid £57.65 a week but that goes up to £68.20
after six months and £76.45 after a year. Those on Jobseekers
Allowance, in contrast, are paid a flat-rate £56.20 a week.
Tony
Blair had wanted to make far-reaching reforms to the system, including
imposing strict time limits on claiming the benefit, means-testing
claimants and replacing payments with vouchers. But Ministers
have been forced to drop No. 10's draconian proposals from the
Green Paper on welfare reform - which Mr Hutton will publish later
this month - to avert a backbench revolt. Mr Hutton is now battling
to persuade sceptical MPs to agree to his watered down reforms
by declaring there is a link between incapacity benefit and deprivation.
In
a bid to placate backbenchers, he will today promise genuine protection'
for people on incapacity benefit who cannot work and 'support'
for those who want to return to the workplace. In his letter he
will concede that Labour's failure has left a whole generation
in the grip of welfare dependency.
Mr
Hutton will tell MPs: "I do not believe we should accept
a system that perpetuates hardship and denies people opportunity
to better their lives by accessing the world of work. The vast
majority of people who start receiving incapacity benefit want
to go back into work but the system currently provides them with
little help in doing so. In households where nobody goes to work,
both money and self-esteem can be in short supply. This can mean
a lack of positive role models and result in generation after
generation getting stuck in the benefits trap."
The
Conservatives last night said people would be astounded that it
had taken Labour so long to recognise how sickness benefits have
fostered welfare dependency. Top ten of 100 constituencies which
will receive Mr Hutton's letter are:
1.
Glasgow East, with 11,300 claimants.
2.
Glasgow North, with 11,000 claimants.
3.
Liverpool Riverside, with 10,500 claimants.
4.
Manchester Central, with 10,000 claimants.
5.
Easington, County Durham, with 9,600 claimants.
6.
Glasgow Central, with 9,300 claimants.
7.
Liverpool Walton, with 9,000 claimants.
8.
Manchester Blackley, with 8,900 claimants.
9.
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, with 8,800 claimants.
10.
Regents Park and Kensington North, with 8,800 claimants.
Eight
of the above ten have Labour MPs.
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