British democracy has lost its meaning. The political and economic system has come to serve the interests of a tiny elite, vastly wealthier than the run of the population, operating through corporate control. The state itself exists to serve the interests of these corporations, guided by a political class largely devoid of ideological belief and preoccupied with building their own careers and securing their own finances.
A bloated state sector is abused and mikled by a new class of massively overpaid public secotr managers in every area of public provision – university, school and hospital administration, all executive branches of local government, housing associations and other arms length bodies. All provide high six figure salaries to those at the top of a bloated bureaucratic establishment. The “left”, insofar as it exists, represents only these state sector vested interests.
These people decide where the cuts fall, and they will not fall where they should – on them. They will fall largely on the services ordinary people need.
Meanwhile we are not all in this together. The Vodafone saga only lifts the lid for the merest peek at the way the corporate sector avoids paying its share, hiding behind Luxembourg or Cayman tax loopholes and conflicts between international jurisdictions – with which our well provided politicians are very happy. The often excellent Sunny Hundal provides a calm analysis of the Vodafone case here:
Let me tell you something else about Vodafone. Vodafone took over Ghana Telecom three years ago. They paid an astonishingly low price for it – 1.2 billion dollars, which is less than the value of just the real estate GT owned. The value of the business was much higher than that, and there was a substantively higher opening bid from France Telecom.
The extraordinary thing was the enormous pressure which the British government put on Ghana to sell this valuable asset to Vodafone so cheaply. High Commissioner Nick Westcott and Deputy High Commissioner Menna Rawlings were both actively involved, with FCO minister Lord Malloch Brown pressurising President Kuffour directly, with all the weight of DFID’s substantial annual subvention to Ghana behind him.
What is the point of DFID giving taxpayer money to Ghana if we are costing the country money through participating in the commercial rape of its national assets?
And why exactly was it a major British interest that Vodafone – whose Board meets in Germany and which pays its meagre taxes in Luxembourg – should get Ghana Telecom, as opposed to France Telecom or another company? Was privatisation at this time the best thing for Ghana at all?
This Vodafone episode offers another little glimpse into the way that corporations like Vodafone twist politicians like Mark Malloch Brown around their little fingers. It mioght be interesting to look at his consultancies and commercial interests now he is out of office.
BAE is of course the example of this par excellence. Massive corruption and paying of bribes in Saudi Arabia, Tanzania end elsewhere, but prosecution was halted by Tony Blair “In the National Interest”. BAE of course was funnelling money straight into New Labour bagmen’s pockets, as well as offering positions to senior civil servants through the revolving door. Doubtless they are now doing the same for the Tories – perhaps even some Lib Dems.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2009/01/jack_straws_cor.html
It is therefore unsurprising the BAE were able to write themselves contracts for aircraft carriers which were impossible to cancel and that their New Labour acolytes were prepared to sign such contracts. It is, nonetheless, disgusting. Just as it is disgusting that there is no attempt whatever by the coaliton to query or remedy the situation. There is no contract in the UK which cannot be cancelled by primary legislation.
Meanwhile, bankers’ bonus season is upon us again and these facilitators of trade and manufacture are again set to award themselves tens of billions of pounds to swell the already huge bank accounts of a select few, whose lifestyle and continued employment is being subsidised by every single person in the UK with 8% of their income. This was because the system which rewards those bankers so vastly is fundamentally unsound and largely unnecessary. Money unlinked to trade or manufacture cannot create infinite value; that should have been known since the South Sea Bubble.
Yet even this most extreme example of government being used to serve the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of everyone else, has not been enough to stir any substantial response from a stupoured, x-factored population, dreaming only of easy routes to personal riches, which they have a chance in a million of achieving.
Conventional politics appears to have become irretrievably part pf the malaise rather than offering any hope for a cure. But political activity outwith the mainstream is stifled by a bought media.
I see no hope.
“..ever shifting, ever nebulous “war on terror” Annie Machon –
On failure of 911 Inquiry:
“So why do I still think this is relevant and important?”
“Well, look how 9/11 has been used by our governments. It is the justification for the unending war on terror; for the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in which at least hundreds of thousands of innocent people have died, and in which toxic weapons such as depleted uranium have been used; and for the wholesale erosion of our civil liberties and traditional freedoms. If we can expose the official version of 9/11 as a lie, then the basis for all these terrible acts disappears.”
Bravo Annie – we love you
Vronsky, you’ll know about the Willie McRae story, I’m sure.
‘If we can expose the official version of 9/11 as a lie, then the basis for all these terrible acts disappears.’
I’m sorry, it’s a laudable sentiment but a bit naive.
After nine years the lie of 9/11 has become the truth and will not change.
Even if it were exposed it wouldn’t stop the ‘terrible acts’. They would just find another pretext for their wars.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_MacRae
For Larry to be so desperate to smear Roderick Russell, there must be something very important that Roderick was privy to in his job with Grosvenor International. As group controller he was in a powerful position.
Larry, kindly refrain from printing such lies and nonsense about my husband.
Dear Mrs Russell,
Please be assured that I – and I suspect many others who frequent this blog – have nothing but admiration for your and your husband’s immense courage and fortitude over many years in facing such dreadful forces. In short, we are not fooled for one moment. It is entirely logical that those same forces would attempt consistently to constrict anyone who dares to confront them with the simple truth.
With sincere regards,
Suhayl Saadi
Glasgow, Scotland
And for angrysoba to get so narked about me trying to keep my bottom clean using omni-sprayed-on public toilets, (my daughter tells me this can also occur in ladies toilets if everyone else decides not to sit down on the dirty toilet seat), .. shows that he knows that only Islam has the answers.
There is hope, if you follow the rules sent down by our Creator, and very little hope if the whole world decides metaphorically to wee on the seat!
“Vronsky, you’ll know about the Willie McRae story, I’m sure.”
Of course. In my hill walking days, on my way north I’d usually stop and add a stone to the roadside cairn. The views south from the A87 are wonderful, especially in winter.
I’m afraid I can’t add anything to what you already know on Willie McRae – within the SNP I’ve rarely heard the matter mentioned. The documents released by Northern Constabulary in 1985 are here: tinyurl.com/37hesyf
A ‘proper’ cairn has been erected at another site nearby, regrettably by Siol na Gaidheal, a rather shady organisation which I seem to remember was founded by an ex-member of Special Forces. That’s suspicious too…
*avoid triggering alerts
“*avoid triggering alerts”
That’s got you puzzled! It’s because at first I included a sentence mentioning that September date which must not be mentioned, but spelled it in Roman numerals.
@ All,
Wikileaks speaking truth to power – and – some interesting commentary:-
http://www.zcommunications.org/war-logs-now-and-in-the-future-by-michael-schwartz
“Terrorism is the main tool of Jihadists, claiming to defeat the West and its culture.
“There is no way to negotiate with Jihadists, but to defeat them. This is the case with the Iranian Shia Revolutionary regime, as well as the Sunni Wahabbi ‘Al Qaeda’, or the Sunni Moslem Brotherhood Hamas.”
“These regimes and organizations should be defeated politically, economically, militarily and more important ideologically.”
“It should be a decisive victory, although it is not going to be a swift one. Western democracies have no choice but to win this 3rd World War.”
Moshe Yaalon
There is no other pretext – these words are the raison d’etre, but reason is disguise. Yaalon is the commander of deception – the infiltration unit or ‘Team C’ – the dark side, working in the shadows to manipulate what I call the’living dead’ – the ‘anti-Muslims’ – reality distorted from unnatural soperifics, perversion and debauchery; they are the actors of Islamic terrorism. They are the quintessential ‘patsies’ – who do and die.
Yaalon reports to the CPD with a ‘blueprint’ an individual plan, never tribal, totalitarian, that must be followed implicitly without the knowledge of its constructs which are never ever mentioned. The threat is advanced by ‘Team B’ while ‘Team A’ struggle to unravel the details using the media tools, always after the event.
This where the fight is focused – it is deadly, unnerving and now they will confront me; only your support, your knowing will help save me – the tide has turned today.
I am not sure why everyone is getting so upset about Larry calling Roderick nuts. When has Larry not intimated it to be his considered judgement that we’re all nuts. And who knows, maybe we are. But articulately nuts.
Come to think of it, Larry’s almost certainly totally nuts too, why else does he keep coming back: obsessive compulsive abusive disorder, I should think. Hey, Larry, welcome aboard.
@ Alfred; @ all who have an issue with Larry,
Only “articulately nuts” ?” what about wannabe funny nuts as well?
Larry decides this day he will play doctor, actually psychiatrist ( look up on this thread and at what time precisely he decided).
His first patient was Roderick.
“Come in Roderick”, says Larry. Just lay down on that couch.
Roderick complies. ” So what is the complaint Rod?”
Roderick says, “Well doctor Larry, I find that I have this recurring dream, and have been having it for weeks.”
” So what do you dream Roderick?”
” Every time in the dream, I find myself at the bottom of the sea, and I dream that I have the shivers ?” can you tell me what’s wrong?”
“Easy” says Larry.
” So what is it?” asks Roderick.
” You are a nervous wreck”
Ha… ha… . ( sick!) … .yuck!
Final one. How do you confuse Larry? Let him into a round room, tell him he is not welcome ?” then as punishment ?” tell him to go stand in the corner.
Final one …final one…promise…promise.
Just to prove that Larry is a good psychiatrist and is sensible and logical.
Roderick and Larry left the doctor’s office together, and happened to be going in the same direction. As they walked, Roderick saw a dog licking his nuts and said to Larry, ” I wish I could do that.”
Larry promptly replied, ” I suggest you don’t – the dog will bite you.”
Oh yuck …puke…strike out..delete, outrageous…ban him ….not me!
Bwahahaha-ah
I write reams of this shit every day,
I’m not the only one either!
Sitting in the courtyard with Uncle Sam
Where the heat comin’ from Brotherman Brotherman
You’re just feeling some of the magic
But you’re feelin’ it
@ Larry,
” I write reams of this shit every day”
I don’t believe you for a minute lawyer man – and wannabe psychiatrist.
Just post the ream that you wrote today – since you did say:-
” I write reams of this shit every day”
Post today’s ream – or else we may begin to believe to think you are a liar Larry – but, you can redeem ( re-ream – ha…ha..) yourself. So – we all wait.
“Where the heat comin’ from…”
and ” I write reams of this shit every day”
So – post the shit Larry – go on do it… or we all will think that you are a liar – a wannabe psychiatrist – a potential humourist. Come on Larry – do it – POST!
@ Larry,
Actually – I take it all back. Don’t be bothered to re-post – I just saw all the shit you posted above today…and yesterday….and the day before …and the day before that…and …sorry …ran out of ink..and it’s my bedtime.
“The “left”, insofar as it exists, represents only these state sector vested interests.”
Craig Craig, you are smarter than that. Ignore the false dichotomy: the left do. Nobody – I mean nobody – on the left thinks that silly pay scales for senior boorocats is fair. Seriously dude, I can only presume that you are having a bad day, or are feeling ill: the left loathe the private-sector pay rates that a very few can garner in the public sector. This is Daily Heil stuff.
Two good articles from the Herald Scotland.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been accused of a “catalogue of blunders” after admitting there have been 16 crashes involving British nuclear-powered submarines since 1988.
More than half of the accidents were in seas around Scotland. According to critics, the repeated errors that caused the accidents suggest that the MoD has failed to learn from past mistakes. A serious incident in the future could cause radioactivity to leak and put public health at risk, they warn.
The Royal Navy’s newest nuclear submarine, HMS Astute, is being repaired at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde after it ran aground for 10 hours near the Skye Bridge on October 22. It emerged last week that one of the boat’s fins was damaged in a collision with a tug trying to rescue it.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport-environment/revealed-mod-admits-to-16-nuclear-submarine-crashes-1.1066455
and
Here’s one to ponder. When is a war criminal not a war criminal? The answer: when you’re an Israeli. This appears to be the premise the British Government would like us to sign up to, if Downing Street’s latest willingness to dance to Jerusalem’s tune is anything to go by.
Foreign Secretary William Hague had barely set foot in the unholy land this week on his first official visit when the Israelis were springing the mother of all diplomatic ambushes. British officials were said to be “irritated” that Israel had suddenly decided to suspend “strategic dialogue” with Britain over defence and security issues in protest at attempts to use British law to prosecute visiting Israeli officials for war crimes.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/guest-commentary/it-is-criminal-how-britain-grovels-to-israeli-bullying-1.1066162
When Willie McRae set out to commit suicide, here’s what he took with him (from police receipts at the link above):
Smaller Black attache case containing
1 full bottle of Glenmorangie Whisky
Various loose papers
3 shirts
2 pillow cases
1 pair pyjamas
2 pairs of socks
7 handkerchiefs
2 pairs pants
1 black tie
1 Cardigan
Blue case containing various cuff links and tie pins.
1 Razor.
Black leather pen case.
1 Brown Leather Brief Case containing Various business documents.
Yes. Interesting that within the SNP, people aren’t keen to talk about it. Even though Winnie Ewing tried to get to the bottom of it and was stonewalled by the authorities, including by people within the authorities in the legal sector whom she knew and had trained with, etc. etc.
The whole thing really stinks.
Silkwood in Scotland?
In relation to the troll, I would suggest that from now on message needs to be simply to quote Craig’s original post stating that that specific troll-team is banned from this site. No interaction, no response to provocation, no provocation, no summoning, no conversation. Complete stonewalling.
Yes, we can do it too.
Here is Craig’s original post on the matter:
“I find myself obliged to ban Larry from St Louis from commenting on this blog.” Craig Murray, July 8th 2010
Copy and paste it, together with the attribution and date, whenever and wherever the troll team appears. No further elaboration is necessary. They will attempt to provoke and will continue to attack esp. Roderick Russell. In my view, it would be best that be dealt with in exactly the same way.
Now that many of the various troll teams operating here have been exposed – though I’m sure there are other, more subtle ones who continue to earn some money on the side through a number of psy-op and cyberinterference techniques – it’s time definitively to dispense with the one who has been active on this thread in recent days.
Now, back to ‘democracy and corruption’. I would agree with ‘peacewisher’ (on another thread) who made the excellent point that such manifestations themselves represent an attack on free speech and democracy.
Interesting background on Kazakhstan dictator from Sunday Mail
I forgot to give you the link – here is ‘Team B’-
http://tinyurl.com/team-b-cpd
This extract from the Guardian today about the illegal rave in London is very interesting indeed particularly the quote on politicians and young people by Duncan Dick, deputy editor of Mixmag, who said, “They pulled the ladder up behind them. These guys went to university for free. You’d think when they got into power they might also stop criminalising people for going to raves as they did when they were younger. It’s collective amnesia, total hypocrisy.”
He predicts that as the coalition’s policies bite deeper a fresh counter-culture of like-minded people who share hedonistic experiences, but also a distrust of the state, could be fostered. “It’s got the potential to be militant. Thatcher’s saying was that there is ‘no such thing as society’, but if you’ve gone to an illegal rave organised on Facebook and there’s 400 people, there’s your community. If those people start getting involved in politics you have a community ready to become militant.”
Maybe it’s the older generation ‘who had it all’ who should be taking on the state. They have the time and money.
Hey Larry from St. Louise,
Isn’t Monsanto based in your parts, Nuff said, game over….thanks for tuning in…
Zionists do believe that they can defeat their Creator ideologically. They amass criminal wealth through the financial systems which impresses many and distresses the public they stole it from even more. But they forgot to read the message from their own books, i.e. the ones given to Moses and Jesus , or from the revised and illustrated edition, the Qur’an, that this criminal wealth will earn them disgrace in this life and the hereafter.
The only question is why so many of the political class are so ignorant of the Divine message that they are deceived by the Zionist spin. Take my own M.P. Liam Byrne. His pockets are bulging with shares and consultancies which he earned from taking up Blair’s Zionist cause. Little men are bought up and big leaders are blackmailed.
But the Qur’an says that if they brought the whole world and as much again, to redeem themselves on the day of judgement, it will not be accepted from them. Or the Gospels, ‘What profit is it that a man should gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?’ Signing for the massacring of Muslims in Iraq, Philistine and Afghanistan etc. is a right, good, direct route to Hell. Why are they incapable of understanding?
And more to the point, why do the Asian Muslims vote for them?
I have to make my quota today, so sorry for this.
Suhayl, I sincerely hope that you never treated one patient back when you had some claim to being a medical doctor. Clearly you’re incompetent.