What comes out to me from the “Black Spider letter” correspondence of Prince Charles published today is how utterly obsequious Tony Blair and New Labour ministers were to him. No sign whatsoever of radicalism from the former “People’s Party” as they fell over to ingratiate themselves with the heir to the throne. I rather enjoyed Charles quite sharp tone to Blair.
I am fundamentally opposed to the existence of the monarchy. It will hopefully be replaced by a better system, but no human system is perfect. Given that we have a monarchy at present, you will perhaps be surprised to learn that I do not see anything wrong in Charles’ letters, which put forward views which are much what we would have expected him to hold. Of course there is interaction between the monarchy and government, and of course we should get rid of this hereditary element. But Charles’ lobbying is hugely less damaging and pernicious than the corporate lobbying I witnessed throughout my Whitehall career. At least Charles is not lobbying them for corporate advantage and giving large political donations at the same time.
While in my view he did nothing wrong in writing the letters, he and government are both very wrong in arguing they should be private. It is when it is secret that such attempts to wield influence between two branches of government – and monarchy is a branch of government – can be most simply perverted to ill ends. That such publication will not occur again because government has legislated to keep it secret, is an example of the privileged arrogance that prevents this from being a genuine democracy.
Altogether not that big a story and it gives Rusbridger and the Guardian the chance to pose as radical. I find the fact that what is published is so anodyne and unobjectionable rather suspicious – what has not been published? Rusbridger is of course the editor who complied enthusiastically with a GCHQ instruction to smash the Snowden hard drives. The existence of other copies does not justify this any more than it justifies book-burning.
By coincidence, a very worthwhile article by Michael Gillard that had been excised from the net has recently been republished, setting out how Rusbridger in 2002 conspired with Andy Hayman of the Met to bury an investigation into police corruption, including the burglary of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. By a further coincidence I was having a pint with Laurie Flynn in Sandy Bell’s four days ago.
Hayman went on to be the promoter of the stream of lies about the murder of Jean Charles De Menezes and the publicist of numerous fake terrorist plots, before having to resign in a scandal involving nubile police officers at public expense in tropical islands.
Rusbridger and his extraordinary wig go on and on as a pretend opposition outlet, their reputation much dented by recent hysterical unionist output which exceeds the Daily Express. But Rusbridger’s continued usefulness to the establishment is not in doubt. The pose of publishing the most harmless of Prince Charles’ letters does little to help a threadbare disguise.
Another Tzipi. Her parents came from Georgia. She was born in Rehovot which is twinned with Manchester.
She had one of the smallest weddings ever known in Israhell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzipi_Hotovely
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehovot
Yes Ba’al. He has spoken twice… so far. He suggests you are Zeus and speak from the mountaintops. Whereas he speaks from out of….
‘9:27 am
“Taking umbrage on a play on words is not the way to suppress discussion, JS-D. Not here.”
________________________
Ba’al Zevul, despite living on Mount Olympus (known there as Zeus) is evidently not above making mistakes or even attempting a deliberate misrepresentation/smear.
I see JSD’s question as a genuine attempt to find what Really meant by his neologism “neocohen” and in no way an attempt to “suppress discussion”.’
TY, Mary.
No comment. The readership may decide for itself.
The Verkhovna Rada parliament in Kiev has really lost it in trying to get cash to pay off its mounting debts. Don’t laugh! With all its gold reserves gone it has copied Greece’s request for compensation from Germany (WWII) by demanding that Mongolia pay reparations for attacks from the Khan dynasty in the 13th century.
Not surprisingly Mongolia has responded by saying to give them a list of the names of those who were affected and they will settle. You must read this if only for a cracking photo of a little Mongolian girl and her camel who seem to understand what is happening in Kiev.
http://redpilltimes.com/ukraine-government-is-kookoo-crazy-verkhovna-rada-calls-for-sanctions-against-mongolia-for-khan-genocide-in-13th-century/
Though, looking at JS-D’s post,
I believe these postings contain obviously anti-Semitic material which is not appropriate to debate on this forum. Neoconservative is not synonymous with Jewish, and vice versa.
Please would you consider removing these postings and placing the poster in pre-moderation.
a case might be made for disagreeing with the oracle.
This is an example of what female rape victims have to endure to obtain justice. I am glad this woman persevered. Note she used the Human Rights Act which the Cons wish to abolish.
Hampshire police pay £20k to rape victim after failings
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/district/winchester/12966578.Police_pay___20k_to_rape_victim_after_failings/
The Neanderthals in Hampshire police should feel ashamed of themselves.
North Korea is reducing the number of defectors with barbed wire and increased surveillance.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/north-korea-escapes-slashed-under-kim-jong-un/ar-BBk6v84?ocid=mailsignoutmd
All the more reason to make every effort to undermine the regime. I recommend Jang Jin-Sung’s autobiography “Dear Leader” (ISBN 1846044219).
I take a different view about the use of language to you Baal.
Sure I was an arse to pick Mary up on Pygmie. I still think my point valid, there was a thoughtless association draw between victims of empire and lack of morality, but I probably wouldn’t have mentioned it except I was desperate to crow bar that otherwise ignored pygmie video in. Maybe I shouldn’t have anyway. Sorry if it pissed you off Mary.
But “neocohen” is another thing. It is a clear slur intended to suggest Jews are the neocon driving force. It is the normal racist conspiracy drivel that pops up here way too often.
‘All the more reason to make every effort to undermine the regime. I recommend Jang Jin-Sung’s autobiography “Dear Leader”’
Is that the biography of Margaret Thatcher?
Oops my bad. I missed the word ‘auto’ so it could not be Maggie’s biography for after all the witch is dead.
@Mary Is that the biography of Margaret Thatcher?
Actually I’ve never read her two-volume autobiography “The Downing Street Years” and its prequel “The Path to Power”. Maybe I should, some day!
However I thought the film “Iron Lady” starring Meryl Streep was a great film, superb acting on Streep’s part.
From Medialens
Obama responds to the flattening of whole Gaza neighbourhoods by Israel
Posted by The Editors on May 22, 2015, 10:56 am
‘It warms the heart to hear of the Pentagon’s “compensation deal” with Israel in exchange for the agreement with Iran.
‘The deal consists of 8,000 smart bombs, 14,500 smart bomb guidance systems, 50 bunker busters, 4,100 “small” bombs (only 110 kilograms of explosives) and 3,000 Hellfire missiles for the Apache helicopters. The overall cost is $1.8 billion. This does not include separate deals for another 3,000 bomb guidance kits and enlarging the F-35 stealth bomber fleet.’
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.657634 (paywall)
and the link within
Washington, Jerusalem discussing massive compensation for Iranian nuclear deal
Although Israel continues to publicly oppose the emerging agreement, unofficial contacts have begun. U.S. likely to provide Israel with more F-35 combat aircraft, missile defense systems…..
Amos Harel
20.05.15
The United States and Israel have begun preliminary, unofficial contacts regarding special American military aid for Israel due to developments in the Middle East.
Mary
22 May, 2015 – 9:32 am
“Israel’s new deputy foreign minister: ‘This land is ours. All of it is ours’ Tzipi Hotovely…”
…………………………………………………………….
An anagram of:
Hot Oily Vet Zip
But “neocohen” is another thing. It is a clear slur intended to suggest Jews are the neocon driving force. It is the normal racist conspiracy drivel that pops up here way too often.
I’m actually conflicted, Phil. Certainly ‘neocohen’ (further research indicates) is less an amusing neologism than a standard epithet used, with intent, on antisemitic (ss = Jew-hating) sites.
OTOH I had the piss ripped out of my own name, which isn’t ‘Cohen’, at school, and frankly I don’t think legislating against name-based mockery would have prevented that. Is ‘neocohen’ so much more sinister than a schoolboy pisstake? Aren’t ‘Really’s’ posts pretty well at that level – at least until challenged, when he can actually support his perception. On which –
I find it worrying that the terminology is deemed so unacceptable by some that they call for sanctions on the user. But they can’t and don’t deny that that yes, the US Israel lobby, which exists to promote a foreign regime in multiple breach of international law, is largely run and funded by Jewish people. It also embodies the largest collection of influential neocons on the planet. There would be a category error if we said “all Jews are neocons”. But that’s not the allegation. ‘Neocohen’ as a portmanteau word can validly mean ‘neocons who are Jewish’ without even hinting that “all Jews are neocons”.
I call hypersensitivity, I call the attempted suppression of all criticism of a particular country, a particular religion, a particular culture (depending on which day of the week you are defining Jewishness): criticism which is nodded by, rightly, when it refers to Islam, Scientology or even the Church of England.
…or, in Protestantethicese, ‘sticks and stones…’
Baal
I don’t call for any banning and I don’t suppress criticism of Israel.
Israel is just another facet of empire. Just another murderous nation state. Nothing more. When you elevate it to be the problem itself you misunderstand the world.
I don’t call for any banning
Check back. I’ve already reposted it once.
and I don’t suppress criticism of Israel.
I didn’t say you did/had.
Israel is just another facet of empire. Just another murderous nation state.
which claims to operate by slightly less-murderous and slightly more inclusive Western norms, and can validly be held to account by those standards.
When you elevate it to be the problem itself
I don’t. But it is integral to the problem.
you misunderstand the world.
Who doesn’t?
you misunderstand the world.
Nothing more. When you elevate it to be the problem itself you misunderstand the world.
Baal
“Check back. I’ve already reposted it once.”
Sorry, not sure what you’re referring to. Did I call for someone to be banned?
I don’t think I disagree with anything you say in your last comment with the caveat I may be misunderstanding some of it.
We will have time to revisit necohenism as soon as a mass zio cacophony starts urging war on Iran after June, when we can confidently expect Wendy Sherman to trip the Iranians at the last minute. JS-D be nominated by the forum to list the names of the loudest voices in the massed ranks of the sayans baying for blood like what happened during the Iraq WMD saga.
Baal
“I don’t. But it is integral to the problem.”
I didn’t mean you personally. I was talking more that the collective accumulated focus on Israel peppered with Jewish banking conspiracy theory and religious based name calling all contribute towards a misrepresentation of how the world works.
Did I call for someone to be banned?
No, someone else, to whom I was replying, asked the mods to put ‘Really’ on pre-mod for using the word. ‘Really’ is either a Stormfront escapee or a Mossad one – it’s hard to tell – but it struck me as a poor excuse to remove him/her.
I see ‘Really’ has changed its name…subtle it isn’t.
I note that Phil has got Baal Zevul on the run, judging by the latter’s insistence to have the last word…..
Baal would have done better not to send his last “response” though, because it shows he is essentially with the loonies. Whereas any normal person would say that “really” is a Stormfront escapee (after all, there are thousands like him on the internet), Baal Zevul of course has to add “or a Mossad one”.
Got to get Israel in somehow, eh?
Govt borrowing is down. Oh good the National debt is now only £1.49 trillion. 🙂
Lump of lard aka Eric Pickles is to be knighted. He will join an order of chivalry that includes the notorious Savile, aince removed, and Cyril Smith. Whatever has Pickles done for the good of the country for the past five years? Apart from upping Islamophobia and adding to the anti-semitism hype – funds for guarding synagogues and extra for the CST etc
‘Pickles is a figure who doesn’t shun controversy. In The Observer, Will Hutton appraised his role with regard to local government as follows: “Local government minister Eric Pickles has colluded cheerfully with George Osborne to knock local government back to being no more than rat catchers and managers of street lighting. Indeed, they scarcely give them the funds to carry out these activities.”[24]’
‘ Eric Pickles hoisting the Essex flag above the Department for Communities and Local Government in 2010.
Pickles is a self-proclaimed flag enthusiast,[39] and has taken a personal interest in ensuring that English county flags are regularly flown from the Department for Communities and Local Government.[40][41] He has urged people to fly the St George Cross of England more widely for St. George’s Day and encouraged public bodies to adopt a commonsense approach to flying the flag.[42] On 14 May 2011, at the Flag Institute spring meeting, Pickles announced a consultation aimed at “Making it easier for people to celebrate an identity or an organisation that means something to them”.[43]’
‘Second home
On 26 March 2009, Pickles appeared on the political debate programme Question Time in Newcastle upon Tyne. While discussing the controversy over Tony McNulty (who had recently admitted claiming expenses on a second home, occupied by his parents, only 8 miles away from his primary residence), Pickles admitted he claimed a second home allowance because he lived 37 miles from Westminster and needed to leave his constituency house in Brentwood at 5.30 am to get to Westminster for 9.30 am,[44][45] given that he tended to get home at midnight or 1 am, although the standard time for commuters from this region is usually ninety minutes.[46] He went on to say that it was “no fun” commuting into London from where he lived. In response to Pickles’s comments that he “had to be there [the House of Commons] on time”, Question Time host David Dimbleby, replied “Like a job, in other words?” prompting amusement amongst the audience. There were also remarks from the audience about nurses and firemen etc. having to commute across London and get to their jobs on time and having to do without a second home.
Pickles was asked to pay back £300 following the MP’s expenses scandal, which he had claimed for cleaning.[47]’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Pickles
Meanwhile, realising that Netanyahu’s intricate dance around the proposition that not a single donum will belong to persons not wearing a kippah come, oooh, 2030, Obama gets a bit critical.
Cue howls of outrage. Still, as tomorrow he is addressing the tide of antisemitism threatening to engulf Europe in a *rising tide* of crematorium new-build and magnesium cyanide plant, he maybe thinks he’s just for once got the moral high ground.
It’s taken about forty years to get to the point where a US President can actually state the bleeding obvious:
“there has been a very concerted effort on the part of some political forces to equate being pro-Israel, and hence being supportive of the Jewish people, with a rubber stamp on a particular set of policies coming out of the Israeli government,” Obama said.
“So if you are questioning settlement policy, that indicates you’re anti-Israeli, or that indicates you’re anti-Jewish. If you express compassion or empathy towards Palestinian youth, who are dealing with checkpoints or restrictions on their ability to travel, then you are suspect in terms of your support of Israel,” he continued.
“But what I did say is that, when going into an election, Prime Minister Netanyahu said a Palestinian state would not happen under his watch, or there [was] discussion in which it appeared that Arab-Israeli citizens were somehow portrayed as an invading force that might vote, and that this should be guarded against. This is contrary to the very language of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which explicitly states that all people regardless of race or religion are full participants in the democracy. When something like that happens, that has foreign-policy consequences, and precisely because we’re so close to Israel, for us to simply stand there and say nothing would have meant that this office, the Oval Office, lost credibility when it came to speaking out on these issues.”
for ‘realising that’ please read ‘correctly interpreting’, above.
And the unimpeachable link:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Obama-rejects-rubber-stamp-of-Israel-policies-403788
The Ministry of Truth,aka the BBC doing all it can to keep the SNP from appearing on Question Time,even though the SNP are the third largest political party at Westminster.
http://www.thenational.scot/politics/does-question-time-have-a-problem-with-the-snp.3257
@Fedup – “Don’t fall for the dog and pony show! This is a sales promotion to make Charles more cuddly and less eccentric.”
Damn right!
The royal family are in it for the money. Don’t underestimate their clout. It doesn’t come out in these stupid letters at all.
It used to be admitted that the ‘queen’ was the richest woman in the world. Then all of a sudden she was downgraded to ‘poorer than Paul McCartney’ and not a single hack remembered what had previously been said.
The royals’ known financial links go to places such as Thailand, Dubai, Saudi – and they soon chummed up with ‘Russian’ mafia figures such as Boris Berezovsky and Mikhail Khodorkorvsky. Barclay brothers. Southwest England utility companies.
Etc.
They’ve also been chums with the Rothschilds for years.
All of this is on the record.
No investigative journalist is going to look deeper if he knows what’s good for him.
Meanwhile, in Whitehall there is the Privy Council Secretariat, about which the most that’s usually said is that it coordinates between departments of state.
Well that’s funny, because that’s supposed to be the job of the Cabinet Office. To do it, of course, you need reliable information about what you’re coordinating.
Don’t underestimate the amount of influence they wield – and as I said, it’s all about money. What else would it be about?
The ‘black spider’ letters (sure it’s not the black sun?), formerly known as ‘green ink’ letters – this smacks so much of not even a limited hangout but a way to portray the putative future monarch as a bit of a harmless nutter. Do for fuck’s sake remember that the role of the media is to determine what questions should be asked, what are suitable topics of discussion.
The ‘queen’s consent’ and ‘prince’s consent’ (don’t confuse with ‘royal assent’) may have dropped out of that list of topics.
The ‘queen’ and ‘prince’ get a veto on government bills that might affect their financial interests before they’re even submitted to parliament.
Anyone who didn’t know that should learn a lesson about the media and the politico commentariat whether academic or media. Yes, wake up and smell the coffee – it’s all a fucking racket.
Nothing gets in the major media about the senior members of the royal family without the senior members’ of the royal family’s say-so. Oh, did you think I was talking about Saudi?
“Israel’s new deputy foreign minister: ‘This land is ours. All of it is ours’ Tzipi Hotovely…”
___________________
Yes Dougie Scrogie a rare slip of the mask and an insight into the minds of those in the Knesset,and Room 101.
In a ironic fashion Netanyahu’s Lukid party are displaying Falangistic traits,such is their swing to the right that even General Franco would be taken aback.
I wonder what Arthur Balfour,would make of his declaration now,with so much blood still being spilt.
Is it any wonder then that,Caroline Lewis wrote the novel,Clara in Blunderland (based on Alice in Wonderland) to mock Balfour.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/gazas-economy-on-verge-of-collapse-jobless-rate-highest-in-world-israel
It’s a fiscal crisis! There’s me thinking it was an unlimited clusterfuck of a humanitarian and political disaster owing absolutely nothing to trade and manufacturing being repeatedly and intentionally destroyed by a World Bank-backed power. Make that two powers, come to think of it.