Yours truly will have the opportunity to grill the Minister for Skills David Lammy MP, Edwina Currie, Leanne Wood AM and the former Metropolitan Police Commander Brian Paddick.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Shameless Labour's Lies About English Devolution
The Labour party have some bloody nerve claiming that Sir Malcolm Rifkind's proposal for an English Grand Committee to prevent Scottish and Welsh MPs at Westminster voting on measures concerning only England would make Scottish and Welsh MPs second class members of Parliament and lead to the break up of the United Kingdom.
Firstly of all, English MPs are already second class members of the House because they can vote on measures specially concerning only Scotland and Wales because these powers have already been devolved to MSPs and AMs in Hollyrood and Cardiff Bay, yet Scottish MPs such as Gordon McStalin himself are presently allowed to vote on issues that solely concern England.
Finally and most importantly of all, if the Union does break-up, it will not be because David Cameron might adopt Rifkind's proposal if he won the next General Election because the dissolution horse has already bolted from the stable back in 1997. Who was responsible for that? Yes, McStalin, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Separatists. If these interests were so concerned about the future of the U.K. they should have given more careful consideration of their original proposals for Celtic devolution.
Far from causing the break-up of the U.K., the Rifkind plan is only a symptom of the botched job the left did with the original devolution process. The original devolution proposals were never about devolving power to the peoples of Scotland and Wales, they were about preventing future Conservative governments in Westminster from exercise executive and legislative power in Labour's Celtic heartlands, while also blunting the appeal of the equally left-wing separatists at the ballot box. Far from causing the break-up of the U.K., the Rifkind plan might actually save the Union by both addressing English grievances of Labour's Celtic overlordship while creating a truly federal United Kingdom in line with the devolution models of other Anglosphere nations in North America and the South-West Pacific.
Labels:
Elections,
History,
News,
The Witanagemot Club,
USA
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Daily Brute
Another day, another great libertarian blog burst onto the scene. Today's blog of choice is The Daily Brute by The Creator. Whether The Creator actually is God is debatable, but there can no doubt about his ability to expose socialists for the shameless shysters that they truly are with regular and vigorous doses of insults and common sense. Even the People's Retard Terry Kelly gets a thorough roasting with some satisfyingly rude remarks such as "Pig-shit ignorant" and "irredeemably thick".
The Daily Brute is a quality read and a worthy addition to any blogroll.
Friday, October 26, 2007
MP's Expenses 2006/7 [A Very Long & Boring Post]
The full list, from highest figure to lowest, of expenses and allowances claimed by MPs in the year 2006/7.
Malik, Shahid £185,421
Byrne, Liam £178,116
Ryan, Joan £173,691
Norris, Dan £172,733
Farron, Tim £172,327
Doran, Frank £171,836
MacNeil, Angus £169,971
Levitt, Tom £168,660
Salmond, Alex £166,814
Mundell, David £166,598
Joyce, Eric £164,180
Gwynne, Andrew £164,110
Devine, Jim £163,402
McDonagh, Siobhain £163,226
Hesford, Stephen £162,850
Johnson, Diana R £162,584
Milburn, Alan £160,888
Taylor, Matthew £160,831
Gardiner, Barry £160,464
Rogerson, Dan £160,440
George, Andrew £160,379
Flello, Robert £159,548
Sarwar, Mohammad £159,341
Taylor, Dari £159,178
Willis, Phil £159,147
Reed, Jamie £159,088
Bruce, Malcolm £158,580
Robertson, Angus £158,151
Grogan, John £158,013
Connarty, Michael £157,769
Donohoe, Brian H. £157,663
Butler, Dawn £157,311
Carmichael, Alistair £157,184
Alexander, Danny £157,153
Balls, Ed £157,076
Woolas, Phil £157,062
Wright, Iain £156,975
Atkins, Charlotte £156,908
Gilroy, Linda £156,846
Clark, Katy £156,767
Moran, Margaret £156,652
Munn, Meg £156,462
Anderson, Janet £155,610
Kumar, Ashok £155,572
McCarthy, Kerry £155,487
Holmes, Paul £155,429
Hamilton, Fabian £155,346
Hodgson, Sharon £155,222
Irranca-Davies, Huw £155,115
Begg, Anne £154,230
Griffiths, Nigel £154,182
Bayley, Hugh £154,061
Rosindell, Andrew £153,901
Younger-Ross, Richard £153,888
Harris, Tom £153,862
Ellman, Louise £153,637
Campbell, Alan £153,621
McKenna, Rosemary £153,608
Brown, Russell £153,561
Rowen, Paul £153,338
Cummings, John £153,319
Blears, Hazel £153,225
Mountford, Kali £153,034
Roy, Frank £152,997
Spink, Bob £152,938
Smith, Jacqui £152,683
Wallace, Ben £152,251
Wood, Mike £151,941
McFall, John £151,852
Pritchard, Mark £151,724
Mulholland, Greg £151,647
Dodds, Nigel £151,412
Watson, Tom £151,388
Anderson, David £151,353
Moore, Michael 51,295
Sheridan, Jim £151,272
Banks, Gordon £151,260
Hughes, Beverley £151,130
Lamb, Norman £150,908
Borrow, David S £150,856
Austin, Ian £150,722
Cooper, Yvette £150,658
Healey, John £150,551
Smith, Angela C. £150,549
Meale, Alan £150,338
Donaldson, Jeffrey M. £150,215
Hall, Mike £150,170
Godsiff, Roger £150,059
Jones, Kevan £149,713
Turner, Neil £149,337
Heppell, John £149,302
Williams, Hywel £149,278
Cryer, Ann £149,195
Robertson, Laurence £149,188
Farrelly, Paul £149,167
Wilshire, David £149,153
McGovern, Jim £149,098
Bacon, Richard £148,985
Goldsworthy, Julia £148,978
Steen, Anthony 148,885
Simpson, Alan £148,850
Smith, Geraldine £148,849
Goodman, Helen £148,847
O'Brien, Stephen £148,831
Pope, Greg £148,800
Allen, Graham £148,741
Davidson, Ian £148,678
Mahmood, Khalid £148,666
McLoughlin, Patrick £148,662
Betts, Clive £148,545
Yeo, Tim £148,496
Sanders, Adrian £148,476
Burden, Richard £148,447
Ruane, Chris £148,336
Vaz, Keith £148,235
Jones, Helen £148,151
Sutcliffe, Gerry £148,111
Purnell, James £148,064
Davies, Philip £148,060
Harris, Evan £147,916
Brown, Nicholas £147,797
Rennie, Willie £147,685
Hunter, Mark £147,653
Riordan, Mrs Linda £147,613
Robertson, John £147,599
MacShane, Denis £147,572
Herbert, Mr Nick £147,449
Maclean, David £147,417
Smith, Sir Robert £147,388
Leech, John £147,342
Griffith, Nia £147,298
Barlow, Celia £147,187
Cousins, Jim £147,154
Wishart, Pete £147,142
Murphy, Jim £147,121
Letwin, Oliver £147,084
Etherington, Bill £146,915
Ward, Claire £146,809
Jones, Lynne £146,793
Baird, Vera £146,772
Laws, David £146,770
McGuire, Anne £146,705
Miller, Andrew £146,621
Wareing, Robert N. £146,319
Hodge, Margaret £146,301
Clelland, David £146,282
Henderson, Doug £146,269
Chapman, Ben £146,202
Osborne, George £146,158
Smith, Andrew £146,125
Paterson, Owen £146,105
Clegg, Nick £146,022
Murphy, Denis £146,020
Vis, Rudi £145,986
Kirkbride, Julie £145,957
Price, Adam £145,929
Moffatt, Laura £145,846
Burgon, Colin £145,819
McAvoy, Thomas £145,770
Harvey, Nick £145,767
McDonnell, Alasdair £145,728
Soulsby, Sir Peter £145,687
Plaskitt, James £145,657
Taylor, David £145,598
Ussher, Kitty £145,562
Hoyle, Lindsay £145,515
Simon, Sion £145,444
Seabeck, Alison £145,390
McCafferty, Chris £145,345
Mann, John £145,273
Hope, Phil £145,239
Lazarowicz, Mark £145,184
Dismore, Andrew £145,146
Crausby, David £145,034
Blackman, Liz £145,000
Merron, Gillian £144,914
Cawsey, Ian £144,913
Palmer, Nick £144,790
Mercer, Patrick £144,667
Francis, Hywel £144,597
Barrett, John £144,427
Cooper, Rosie £144,358
Keetch, Paul £144,341
Snelgrove, Anne £144,330
Goodwill, Robert £144,282
Streeter, Gary £144,275
Clarke, Tom £144,246
O'Hara, Edward £144,241
Waltho, Lynda £144,230
Stewart, Ian £144,222
Sheerman, Barry £144,181
Webb, Steve £144,175
Campbell, Ronnie £144,156
Heald, Oliver £144,115
Engel, Natascha £144,099
Mitchell, Andrew £143,965
Blizzard, Bob £143,888
Robinson, Peter £143,856
Duddridge, James £143,809
Lewis, Ivan £143,719
Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey £143,498
Coffey, Ann £143,439
Naysmith, Doug £143,415
Cameron, David £143,385
David, Wayne £143,326
Singh, Marsha £143,295
Cox, Geoffrey £143,262
Browne, Jeremy £143,176
Clarke, Charles £143,137
Blunkett, David £143,111
Stuart, Graham £143,071
Primarolo, Dawn £143,034
Curtis-Thomas, Claire £143,016
Mole, Chris £143,003
Llwyd, Elfyn £142,999
Kemp, Fraser £142,899
Wright, Anthony £142,847
Campbell, Sir Menzies £142,810
Russell, Christine £142,785
Lilley, Peter £142,754
Barron, Kevin £142,703
Gidley, Sandra £142,643
Hosie, Stewart £142,628
Reed, Andy £142,544
Baker, Norman £142,504
Willetts, David £142,491
Todd, Mark £142,405
Kilfoyle, Peter £142,401
Touhig, Don £142,385
Heyes, David £142,365
Garnier, Edward £142,346
Fox, Liam £142,339
Baron, John £142,300
Battle, John £142,298
Mitchell, Austin £142,287
Penning, Mike £142,237
Hayes, John £142,163
Dhanda, Parmjit £142,118
Willott, Jenny £142,080
Hain, Peter £142,012
Grayling, Chris £141,997
Foster, Michael £141,990
McCartney, Ian £141,883
McGuinness, Martin £141,790
Duncan, Alan £141,771
Truswell, Paul £141,740
Newmark, Brooks £141,673
Lloyd, Tony £141,651
Trickett, Jon £141,647
Starkey, Phyllis £141,541
Moon, Madeleine £141,517
Foster, Don £141,447
Oaten, Mark £141,435
Swinson, Jo £141,392
Browning, Angela £141,381
Thornberry, Emily £141,358
Gillan, Cheryl £141,349
Ancram, Michael £141,297
Simpson, Keith £141,234
Atkinson, Peter £140,949
Mudie, George £140,930
Conway, Derek £140,916
Burt, Lorely £140,904
Bryant, Chris £140,863
Durkan, Mark £140,859
Swire, Hugo £140,786
Burt, Alistair £140,778
Davies, Quentin £140,733
Bone, Peter £140,705
Weir, Mike £140,681
Rammell, Bill £140,556
Chaytor, David £140,548
Jenkin, Bernard £140,494
Crabb, Stephen £140,462
Dorries, Nadine £140,383
Denham, John £140,375
Loughton, Tim £140,352
McCabe, Stephen £140,352
Gray, James £140,290
Cormack, Sir Patrick £140,245
Love, Andy £140,213
Hanson, David £140,206
Walley, Joan £140,133
Flynn, Paul £140,014
Wills, Michael £139,986
Lancaster, Mark £139,928
Wyatt, Derek £139,838
Keeble, Sally £139,735
Kawczynski, Daniel £139,693
Simmonds, Mark £139,664
Gibb, Nick £139,611
Hepburn, Stephen £139,587
McGrady, Eddie £139,459
Berry, Roger £139,412
Wilson, Sammy £139,371
Creagh, Mary £139,275
Tyrie, Andrew £139,270
Paice, James £139,191
McIsaac, Shona £139,169
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah £139,158
Eagle, Maria £139,067
Hoban, Mark £138,906
Huhne, Chris £138,831
Carswell, Douglas £138,805
Tapsell, Sir Peter £138,752
Humble, Joan £138,728
Arbuthnot, James £138,677
Hendry, Charles £138,655
Holloway, Adam £138,649
Challen, Colin £138,579
Shaw, Jonathan £138,441
Chope, Christopher £138,436
Kidney, David £138,399
Taylor, Ian £138,270
Foster, Michael Jabez £138,223
Harper, Mark £138,214
Williams, Mark £138,114
Caborn, Richard £138,014
Moss, Malcolm £137,983
Knight, Jim £137,970
Horwood, Martin £137,882
Illsley, Eric £137,791
Amess, David £137,781
Strang, Gavin £137,769
Michael, Alun £137,764
Gove, Michael £137,733
Bailey, Adrian £137,658
Selous, Andrew £137,655
Hewitt, Patricia £137,537
Wiggin, Bill £137,472
Kennedy, Jane £137,438
Hutton, John £137,381
Browne, Des £137,346
Miller, Maria £137,318
Gapes, Mike £137,220
Penrose, John £137,195
Williams, Stephen £137,109
Blunt, Crispin £137,071
Ruffley, David £136,963
Havard, Dai £136,866
Darling, Alistair £136,854
McFadden, Pat £136,834
Winterton, Rosie £136,803
Cohen, Harry £136,679
Hermon, Lady Sylvia £136,651
Jack, Michael £136,591
James, Sian C. £136,547
Vaizey, Edward £136,501
Paisley, Ian £136,498
Moffat, Anne £136,483
Morley, Elliot £136,478
Viggers, Peter £136,414
Clwyd, Ann £136,395
Wright, Jeremy £136,344
Hague, William £136,335
Russell, Bob £136,185
Beith, Alan £136,172
Keeley, Barbara £136,118
Field, Frank £136,092
Evans, Nigel £136,090
Flint, Caroline £136,005
Green, Damian £135,933
Meacher, Michael £135,806
Kennedy, Charles £135,769
O'Brien, Mike £135,754
Lansley, Andrew £135,706
Barker, Gregory £135,669
Brazier, Julian £135,629
Brady, Graham £135,612
Keen, Ann £135,599
Waterson, Nigel £135,541
Brown, Gordon £135,525
Fraser, Christopher £135,481
Djanogly, Jonathan £135,480
Tami, Mark £135,414
Benton, Joe £135,394
Smith, Angela E. £135,038
Keen, Alan £135,009
Murrison, Andrew £134,980
Blackman-Woods, Roberta £134,948
Gibson, Ian £134,876
Stuart, Gisela £134,870
Gildernew, Michelle £134,779
Robinson, Iris £134,592
Thurso, John £134,592
Walker, Charles £134,427
Liddell-Grainger, Ian £134,421
Short, Claire £134,408
Howarth, Gerald £134,336
Opik, Lembit £134,316
Gale, Roger £134,308
Laing, Eleanor £134,308
Johnson, Boris £134,306
Hemming, John £134,220
Pearson, Ian £134,202
Luff, Peter £134,071
Lepper, David £134,070
Heath, David £134,056
Soames, Nicholas £133,994
Clark, Paul £133,901
Davis, David £133,899
Tredinnick, David £133,743
Woodward, Shaun £133,729
Greenway, John £133,652
Reid, John £133,613
Morden, Jessica £133,592
Breed, Colin £133,501
Ottaway, Richard £133,430
Laxton, Bob £133,385
Hamilton, David £133,384
Bellingham, Henry £133,353
Byers, Stephen £133,341
Follett, Barbara £133,300
Binley, Brian £133,250
Clark, Greg £133,122
Stoate, Howard £133,062
Reid, Alan £133,049
Spelman, Caroline £132,855
Adams, Gerry £132,829
Prentice, Gordon £132,752
Walter, Robert £132,729
Williams, Roger £132,581
Brennan, Kevin £132,520
Austin, John £132,497
Whitehead, Alan £132,476
Southworth, Helen £132,427
Tipping, Paddy £132,209
Main, Anne £132,145
Morgan, Julie £132,127
Turner, Desmond £132,025
Mates, Michael £132,002
Murphy, Conor £131,921
Campbell, Gregory £131,436
Howells, Kim £131,412
Alexander, Douglas £131,383
McKechin, Ann £131,351
Martlew, Eric £131,242
Mactaggart, Fiona £131,162
Featherstone, Lynne £131,123
Bradshaw, Ben £131,118
Coaker, Vernon £131,091
Khan, Sadiq £131,047
Miliband, Edward £131,024
Hall, Patrick £130,916
Drew, David £130,782
MacKinlay, Andrew £130,645
Bell, Sir Stuart £130,395
Milton, Anne £130,354
Watkinson, Angela £130,266
MacDougall, John £130,150
Fisher, Mark £129,960
Cruddas, Jon £129,956
Goggins, Paul £129,774
Murphy, Paul £129,744
Ainger, Nick £129,677
Marshall, David £129,653
Doherty, Pat £129,556
Olner, Bill £129,504
Jones, Martyn £129,503
Lait, Jacqui £129,442
Lidington, David £129,442
Ladyman, Stephen £129,436
Turner, Andrew £129,404
Cash, William £129,400
Butterfill, Sir John £129,379
Burnham, Andy £129,289
Kaufman, Sir Gerald £129,166
Jackson, Glenda £129,111
Clappison, James £129,038
Syms, Robert £129,034
Slaughter, Andrew £128,907
Stunell, Andrew £128,663
Mackay, Andrew £128,599
Hancock, Mike £128,579
Ainsworth, Bob £128,564
Lewis, Julian £128,545
Corbyn, Jeremy £128,434
Prisk, Mark £128,376
Linton, Martin £128,363
Thomas, Gareth £128,172
Jones, David £127,979
Dobbin, Jim £127,927
Knight, Greg £127,867
Francois, Mark £127,843
Eagle, Angela £127,684
McCrea, William £127,604
Marris, Rob £127,583
Pickles, Eric £127,496
Dean, Janet £127,444
Cunningham, Tony £127,437
Mallaber, Judy £127,410
Marsden, Gordon £127,406
Cook, Frank £127,215
Howarth, George £127,073
Davey, Edward £126,983
Wright, Tony £126,875
Cairns, David £126,852
George, Bruce £126,769
Williams, Betty £126,564
Spring, Richard £126,522
Purchase, Ken £126,502
Leigh, Edward £126,494
Young, Sir George £126,458
Hunt, Jeremy £126,449
Burns, Simon £126,280
Miliband, David £126,115
Rooney, Terry £126,000
Dunwoody, Gwyneth £125,670
Salter, Martin £125,515
Brooke, Annette £125,392
Caton, Martin £125,182
Ellwood, Tobias £124,884
Buck, Karen £124,750
Prescott, John £124,696
Brake, Tom £124,384
Hendrick, Mark £124,285
Brown, Lyn £124,246
Beckett, Margaret £124,171
McDonnell, John £123,921
Hoon, Geoff £123,834
Stringer, Graham £123,829
Osborne, Sandra £123,731
Ainsworth, Peter £123,351
Bercow, John £123,269
Villiers, Theresa £123,222
Hood, Jimmy £123,173
Wilson, Rob £123,129
Hughes, Simon £123,125
Goodman, Paul £123,069
Prosser, Gwyn £122,903
Owen, Albert £122,864
Straw, Jack £122,520
Maude, Francis £122,334
Cable, Vincent £122,242
McNulty, Tony £121,984
Fabricant, Michael £121,973
Heathcoat-Amory, David £121,924
Pugh, John £121,915
Wright, David £121,886
Malins, Humfrey £121,706
McIntosh, Anne £121,686
Jenkins, Brian £121,471
Baldry, Tony £121,398
Twigg, Derek £121,381
Kelly, Ruth £121,206
Lucas, Ian £120,976
Hogg, Douglas £120,909
Lord, Sir Michael £120,814
Armstrong, Hilary £120,740
Gauke, David £120,700
Jackson, Stewart £120,589
Simpson, David £120,557
Howard, Michael £120,204
Scott, Lee £119,889
Marshall-Andrews, Robert £119,830
Grieve, Dominic £119,809
Beresford, Sir Paul £119,690
Burrowes, David £119,640
Heal, Sylvia £119,274
Efford, Clive £119,063
Pound, Stephen £118,952
Dowd, Jim £118,829
Wicks, Malcolm £118,700
Hammond, Stephen £118,501
Smith, John £118,496
Ruddock, Joan £118,425
Burstow, Paul £118,118
Hammond, Philip £118,089
Kramer, Susan £117,837
Field, Mark £117,780
Curry, David £117,752
Whittingdale, John £117,741
Harman, Harriet £117,452
Shapps, Grant £116,968
Winterton, Ann £116,786
Fallon, Michael £116,635
Dunne, Philip £116,480
Teather, Sarah £116,312
Jowell, Tessa £116,149
Vara, Shailesh £115,905
Lammy, David £115,836
Maples, John £115,520
Mullin, Chris £115,356
Abbott, Diane £115,032
Prentice, Bridget£114,997
Timms, Stephen £114,928
Clarke, Kenneth £114,806
Horam, John £114,285
Boswell, Tim£113,917
Watts, Dave £113,887
Key, Robert £113,643
Robertson, Hugh £113,597
Davies, David T. C. £113,376
Hillier, Meg £113,170
May, Theresa £113,048
Raynsford, Nick £113,020
Gummer, John £112,870
Cunningham, Jim £112,615
Haselhurst, Sir Alan £112,401
Pelling, Andrew £112,215
Rifkind, Sir Malcolm £112,122
Widdecombe, Ann £111,242
Johnson, Alan £111,021
Spicer, Sir Michael £110,930
Dobson, Frank £110,439
Fitzpatrick, Jim £110,307
Hopkins, Kelvin £110,264
Hill, Keith £109,817
Spellar, John £109,013
Hoey, Kate £108,805
Galloway, George £107,610
Gerrard, Neil £106,986
Iddon, Brian £106,819
Robathan, Andrew £106,613
Benn, Hilary £105,987
Redwood, John £105,928
Shepherd, Richard £105,293
Hurd, Nick 105,176
Bottomley, Peter £104,785
Ingram, Adam £104,667
Duncan Smith, Iain £104,339
Ennis, Jeff £104,243
Winnick, David £103,639
Clapham, Michael £102,510
Robinson, Geoffrey £102,457
Benyon, Richard £102,445
Taylor, Richard £102,225
Neill, Bob £102,155
Hands, Greg £101,383
Greening, Justine £101,345
Dorrell, Stephen £100,543
Brokenshire, James £100,210
Evennett, David £99,337
Howarth, David £98,709
Blair, Tony £97,084
Winterton, Sir Nicholas £95,949
Davies, Dai £94,940
Afriyie, Adam £94,884
Stanley, Sir John £94,856
Randall, John £93,238
Williams, Alan £92,986
Swayne, Desmond £91,737
Martin, Michael J. £82,286
Skinner, Dennis £67,891
Hollobone, Philip £44,551
How on earth were those IRA terrorist cunts Adams and McGuinness able to claim almost £275,000 between themselves when they refuse to pledge alliegence to the Queen and thus barred from sitting in the House of Commons chamber and rarely travel outside of Ulster on Parliamentary business? Those two make Tony Blair and George Galloway look like paragons of thrift and vitue in comparisson!
Labels:
David Top Cat Davies,
Gormless George Galloway,
Ireland,
News,
Terrorism
I Am Saddam Hussein
Not exactly something to be proud of, but maybe you will do better than Right For Scotland and myself have at the What Famous Leader Are You? test?!?
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Will America Declare War On Terry Kelly?
AMERICANS ON ALERT OVER KELLY RANT
Oct 22 2007
A CONTROVERSIAL councillor has sparked a Transatlantic tiff after branding American President George W Bush a “draft-dodging coward.”
Terry Kelly, who is also a leading aid to Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander, has sparked outrage by posting a blistering rant against President Bush on his own website.
The Paisley North West councillor has dubbed the American a “dishonourable, pathetic excuse of a President” and claims he used “his family’s wealth and connections” to avoid serving in the US Armed Forces during the Vietnam War.
It is understood staff at the American Consulate General in Edinburgh have been alerted to the comments and are now considering their response.
Paisley man Dave McCartney is among those who have condemned Mr Kelly’s remarks.
He said: “At a time when relations with President Bush have cooled with Prime Minister Brown, is it too much to ask for Mr Kelly to keep his opinions to himself? After all, he is a senior Labour councillor now.
“I think that comments like ‘draft- dodging coward’ will not assist in helping to thaw Labour and Republican relations.
“I feel personally that our relations with America are of the highest priority.”
Writing in his controversial web-log, Mr Kelly highlights Mr Bush’s recent comments on the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
The Labour man comments: “His insult to Americans this time was not Iraq or illegal torture or even the highest number in the world of people in jail, no this was an insult to savour as he spoke about America’s failures in Vietnam.
“Some 50,000 American lives lost and he chose to use the Vietnam war to bolster his stance on Iraq.
“So, why is this so bad? Well, many of you will be well ahead of me now. Yes, that’s right, the President of the USA, George W Bush, is a draft-dodging coward.”
Mr Kelly goes on to say: “The Republican right attacked Clinton for missing Vietnam and elected Bush, conveniently avoiding a slight difference between them which is that Clinton opposed the war. The coward Bush was happy to support it with the proviso that someone else would do the fighting.
“He was all for fighting those pesky commies, as long as he didn’t get shot at. I truly despair at what this great nation has become.
“This dreadful President Bush makes Nixon look cuddly. He’s a coward, a liar and a crook.”
This is not the first time Mr Kelly’s web-log has courted controversy.
On a previous occasion, he described the Mormon Church as “the Moron Church.”
Yesterday, Mr Kelly insisted he stands by his comments about President Bush.
He added: “If the person who reported me to the American Consulate would like to get in touch, I will gladly have a debate with him about the matter.”
A spokesman for Ms Alexander said the Labour leader did not agree with Mr Kelly’s views.
He added: “Terry Kelly is a hard- working local councillor. The homepage of his website makes it abundantly clear that the views expressed in his blogs are his own.”
Source: icRenfrewshire
Dubya VS Terry
Whoever wins, we lose!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Happy Birthday "Bob"
No, "Bob" is not that cretin Peter Mandelson, but an old acquaintance from university who I had a bad falling out with over the company they kept at the time. I won't write anymore about that because it's not fair to talk about "Bob Dole" behind their back without their prior consent. Regardless of the past (and although I was right about the pitfalls I warned "Bob" to avoid), I still regret both the falling out and my own stridency, which though well-meaning was a violation of Bob's right to make their own decisions, whether they be good or bad. All I can do about that is apologise.
If you read this "Bob", happy birthday kid and I hope you enjoy the image below, it should right up your street.
Monday, October 22, 2007
China unveils likely successors to top posts
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party unveiled a new leadership line-up on Monday, including two men positioned to eventually succeed President Hu Jintao and government head Premier Wen Jiabao.
Xi Jinping, who has been chief of Shanghai, and Li Keqiang, who has headed the northeast province of Liaoning, were lifted into the new nine-member Politburo Standing Committee -- the innermost ring of power in this top-down state.
While Xi, 54, and Li, 52, have not been openly designated to replace Hu and Wen five years hence, their age and status leave no doubt they are favoured to reach the apex of power with Xi the frontrunner for now to take Hu's top job.
They will inherit a nation of about 1.4 billion people, including restive peasants and a maturing middle class, an increasingly open and market-driven economy likely be the world's third largest and a one-party state that claims loyalty to Marx while it embraces capitalism.
"Comrades Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang are two quite young comrades," was all carefully spoken Hu said of them when presenting them before hundreds of reporters and flashing cameras.
Their rise marked Hu's growing grip on power as he shed the residual influence of his predecessor, Jiang Zemin. But the next five years will test Hu's power to secure an untroubled succession in an era when no leader commands absolute loyalty.
"Hu's power has emerged greatly consolidated," said Li Datong, a former editor at a Party paper. "He has his own line-up now; Jiang's out of the picture."
The nine men in dark suits emerged after a tightly controlled vote by the 204-member Party Central Committee, installed at the end of the Party's five-yearly Congress on Sunday.
Xi filed into the chamber at the Great Hall of the People directly ahead of Li, but there was no definitive sign of which man was favoured for which top job.
"Xi came out ranked first, so that suggests that he has a bigger chance of becoming Party general secretary, but there are a lot of factors that can change in five years," said Zhang Zuhua, a former official.
Hu was widely believed to favour Li, who worked under him in the Communist Youth League, and Xi's rise might reflect officials' reluctance to allow the Party boss to hand-pick his successor.
But both men would be acceptable to Hu, said the ex-editor Li, and state media have stressed that Hu expects the new leadership to work together and avoid damaging rivalry.
"To fulfil the Party's mission in power it must have a staunchly unified collective leadership," says an editorial to appear in the People's Daily that Xinhua news agency released late on Monday. It urges the country to unite around Hu.
Hu stays as Party boss, as well as President and head of the Central Military Commission, for five more years, while Wen will continuing managing the government and its ministries.
The Standing Committee retained parliament chief Wu Bangguo and two leaders installed under the previous Party chief, Jiang Zemin -- Li Changchun, who has been propaganda boss, and Jia Qinglin, head of the advisory council attached to the parliament.
The line-up also includes He Guoqiang, set to take control of Party organisation and fighting corruption, and Zhou Yongkang, whose background in policing puts him in line to replace Luo Gan, the previous domestic security boss.
The three members of the outgoing Standing Committee who stepped down included Vice-President Zeng Qinghong, a powerful figure installed by Jiang. Both He Guoqiang and Zhou have past work ties to Zeng, who appears to have promoted their rise.
The death of Vice-Premier Huang Ju in June left a fourth vacancy.
BALANCING INTERESTS
Analysts said the mixture of recruits -- some personally close to Hu, others not -- reflected his bid to balance regions and interests and also limits his power to dictate outcomes.
Li Keqiang worked under Hu in the 1980s, before postings in Henan, a poor and unruly rural province in central China, and Liaoning, a rustbelt province striving to attract investment and emerge as a modern manufacturing base.
Before taking over as party boss of Shanghai earlier this year, Xi Jinping steered two of the country's fastest-growing provinces, Fujian and Zhejiang -- attractive credentials in a government where economic modernisation dominates priorities.
"We must certainly grasp development as the top task of this Party in governing and reviving the country," Hu said.
But the retention of Jia, a protege of Jiang's, was a reminder that the new leadership was not Hu's to choose at will. Jia has long been dogged by claims he let corruption run rampant in coastal Fujian province in the 1990s.
At 67, Jia was young enough to escape an informal retirement rule forcing out leaders born before 1940 -- a demand that apparently claimed Zeng.
Xi Jinping, who has been chief of Shanghai, and Li Keqiang, who has headed the northeast province of Liaoning, were lifted into the new nine-member Politburo Standing Committee -- the innermost ring of power in this top-down state.
While Xi, 54, and Li, 52, have not been openly designated to replace Hu and Wen five years hence, their age and status leave no doubt they are favoured to reach the apex of power with Xi the frontrunner for now to take Hu's top job.
They will inherit a nation of about 1.4 billion people, including restive peasants and a maturing middle class, an increasingly open and market-driven economy likely be the world's third largest and a one-party state that claims loyalty to Marx while it embraces capitalism.
"Comrades Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang are two quite young comrades," was all carefully spoken Hu said of them when presenting them before hundreds of reporters and flashing cameras.
Their rise marked Hu's growing grip on power as he shed the residual influence of his predecessor, Jiang Zemin. But the next five years will test Hu's power to secure an untroubled succession in an era when no leader commands absolute loyalty.
"Hu's power has emerged greatly consolidated," said Li Datong, a former editor at a Party paper. "He has his own line-up now; Jiang's out of the picture."
The nine men in dark suits emerged after a tightly controlled vote by the 204-member Party Central Committee, installed at the end of the Party's five-yearly Congress on Sunday.
Xi filed into the chamber at the Great Hall of the People directly ahead of Li, but there was no definitive sign of which man was favoured for which top job.
"Xi came out ranked first, so that suggests that he has a bigger chance of becoming Party general secretary, but there are a lot of factors that can change in five years," said Zhang Zuhua, a former official.
Hu was widely believed to favour Li, who worked under him in the Communist Youth League, and Xi's rise might reflect officials' reluctance to allow the Party boss to hand-pick his successor.
But both men would be acceptable to Hu, said the ex-editor Li, and state media have stressed that Hu expects the new leadership to work together and avoid damaging rivalry.
"To fulfil the Party's mission in power it must have a staunchly unified collective leadership," says an editorial to appear in the People's Daily that Xinhua news agency released late on Monday. It urges the country to unite around Hu.
Hu stays as Party boss, as well as President and head of the Central Military Commission, for five more years, while Wen will continuing managing the government and its ministries.
The Standing Committee retained parliament chief Wu Bangguo and two leaders installed under the previous Party chief, Jiang Zemin -- Li Changchun, who has been propaganda boss, and Jia Qinglin, head of the advisory council attached to the parliament.
The line-up also includes He Guoqiang, set to take control of Party organisation and fighting corruption, and Zhou Yongkang, whose background in policing puts him in line to replace Luo Gan, the previous domestic security boss.
The three members of the outgoing Standing Committee who stepped down included Vice-President Zeng Qinghong, a powerful figure installed by Jiang. Both He Guoqiang and Zhou have past work ties to Zeng, who appears to have promoted their rise.
The death of Vice-Premier Huang Ju in June left a fourth vacancy.
BALANCING INTERESTS
Analysts said the mixture of recruits -- some personally close to Hu, others not -- reflected his bid to balance regions and interests and also limits his power to dictate outcomes.
Li Keqiang worked under Hu in the 1980s, before postings in Henan, a poor and unruly rural province in central China, and Liaoning, a rustbelt province striving to attract investment and emerge as a modern manufacturing base.
Before taking over as party boss of Shanghai earlier this year, Xi Jinping steered two of the country's fastest-growing provinces, Fujian and Zhejiang -- attractive credentials in a government where economic modernisation dominates priorities.
"We must certainly grasp development as the top task of this Party in governing and reviving the country," Hu said.
But the retention of Jia, a protege of Jiang's, was a reminder that the new leadership was not Hu's to choose at will. Jia has long been dogged by claims he let corruption run rampant in coastal Fujian province in the 1990s.
At 67, Jia was young enough to escape an informal retirement rule forcing out leaders born before 1940 -- a demand that apparently claimed Zeng.
Congratulations To South Africa & Kimi Raikkonen
Both the South African rugby union squad and Raikkonen thoroughly deserve their respective world championships, which were earned through hard work and ability. Well done men!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Quote of the Day 20.10.2007: Why America Won The Cold War
"Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose." - Ronald Reagan
Many of Reagan's critics accused this late great hero of being simple. To be fair to these left-wing scumbags, they were right (for once) - Reagan was a simple man with a very simple plan....
....and it worked!!!
Iran's atomic negotiator resigns
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, Iran's main contact with the West over Tehran's atomic programme, has resigned, the government said on Saturday.
His shock decision exposed a rift over tactics with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who accepted his resignation and has taken a hard-line approach in Iran's long-running stand-off with the West, analysts said.
A government spokesman said there would be no change in nuclear policy. Saeed Jalili, deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, was expected to replace Larijani, the official IRNA news agency said.
"Larijani has resigned due to personal reasons, but this does not mean changes in policies and programmes," said government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham.
The West fears Tehran wants to build atomic bombs and has imposed two sets of sanctions through the United Nations. Tehran insists it wants only to produce electricity.
Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator since 2005, had been set to meet EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Rome on Tuesday for more discussions about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The European Union said the talks would go ahead. "We have just spoken to the Iranians. Solana is keeping to his plan to travel to Rome on Tuesday and will meet whatever senior negotiator the Iranians send," an EU spokeswoman said.
EU diplomats said the Iranian negotiator would be Jalili but it was unclear whether he had yet been formally appointed.
European officials say Larijani has long had difficulty in getting the Iranian establishment to support his negotiating strategy.
Iranian analysts have said Larijani had differences with Ahmadinejad over tactics although both oppose halting the nuclear programme in the face of increasing Western concern and threats of more sanctions.
One analyst said Larijani's departure and the appointment of Jalili, viewed as close to the president, suggested the growing ascendancy of hard-line voices opposed to a more pragmatic line, which he said Larijani backed.
Major powers have agreed to delay new sanctions until November. They want to see if Iran's deal with U.N. inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about Tehran's intentions yields results and to await a report by Solana.
Washington has refused to rule out the use of force if diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute.
Russia supports "direct dialogue" with Tehran and President Vladimir Putin said this week he saw no evidence Iran's programme had military aims.
NO OBSTACLE
Elham, quoted by ISNA, said he did not rule out Larijani attending Tuesday's talks in Rome.
"Despite Larijani's resignation, there will be no change in the council's programme and the new secretary will meet Javier Solana," he said. "There is no obstacle for Mr Larijani's presence in the talks."
The final say in Iran in all matters of state, including nuclear policy, lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Analysts say he tends to look for a consensus among several different political camps to reach decisions.
"This (Larijani's resignation) will show that the hard-line position, the defiant position of Iran will continue and there will not be much chance of any change in the Iranian position," said one Iranian analyst who declined to be named.
Larijani may have felt he nothing more to offer in talks with Solana, the analyst said. "The president left no more room for Larijani to manoeuvre and negotiate."
Ahmadinejad, whose rhetoric about the nuclear issue has angered Western governments, has said Iran's nuclear file is closed, though Iran is ready to answer outstanding questions from the IAEA about its programme.
The United Nations has demanded Iran suspend uranium enrichment, a process which can be used to make fuel for power plants or, if Iran wanted, material for warheads.
Iran has repeatedly refused to comply. It has turned a cold shoulder to other mooted proposals such as a "timeout" where Iran would stop expanding its enrichment work in return for the West halting moves to impose more sanctions.
"The IAEA is working with a group of technical counterparts in Iran," a spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Saturday, declining to be named or to comment any further.
Note To George W. Bush: Attack Iran before it gets the bomb and uses it to nuke Israel!
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