Brexit has revealed further the rottenness of the British political Establishment, but I am still truly shocked now to see the Government of the United Kingdom negotiating a major international treaty on the acknowledged, discussed and now published basis that it has every intention of breaking that treaty once it is in force. Officially published by the Attorney General, no less.
The Westminster Government’s contempt for international law was fully demonstrated just two weeks ago when it repudiated the International Court of Justice – an act which is the ultimate disavowal of the rule of international law – over the decolonisation of the Chagos Islands. So in one sense it is no shock that they are prepared to sign a treaty with no intention of honoring it.
But what is quite astonishing is that the discussions with the DUP and ERG on how to sign up to the backstop and then dishonour it, have been carried out fully in public, and with the potential other party to the treaty looking on.
I simply do not see how the EU can now sign the Withdrawal Agreement which was negotiated with May, when they have been given firm evidence that the UK intends to cheat on that Agreement.
I especially cannot understand the pusillanimous attitude of the government of Ireland to this development. The UK has published in advance that it is taking Ireland and the Irish people for fools and has no intention of keeping to the Irish backstop. The reaction of the Government of Ireland is to pretend not to notice. That is an astonishing dereliction of its duty to the people of Ireland, North and South.
The more so as Geoffrey Cox’s “advice” is an unsubtle hint to the DUP, should the backstop become effective, to restart the Loyalist violence with which they were for decades so closely associated, in order to provide the pretext for cancelling the backstop. In reading this, it is essential to remember that this legal advice was written, as a matter of definite fact, directly for the DUP audience to try and influence the DUP in the next “meaningful” vote. To signal to an organisation as steeped in blood as the DUP that the way out of the “Backstop” arrangement which they so hate, would be to demonstrate it is having a “socially destabilising effect in Northern Ireland”, clearly gives a very direct incentive to Loyalists to restart violence.
Anybody who knows anything about the history and politics of Northern Ireland must be aware that what I have just written is true. At the very best reading, Cox’s “advice” is grossly irresponsible and reckless.
It is also very poor legal advice. Unlike Geoffrey Cox, I have actually negotiated a number of international treaties, including most of the UK’s continental shelf boundary agreements, the Protocol on Deep Seabed Mining to UNCLOS and the Sierra Leone Peace Agreement. Cox’s interpretation of Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on Treaties is complete nonsense. To start with, Article 62 is designed not to facilitate but to prevent treaties being dishonoured under the excuse of “unforseen circumstances”. It reads:
Article 62
Fundamental change of circumstances
1. A fundamental change of circumstances which has occurred with regard to those existing at the
time of the conclusion of a treaty, and which was not foreseen by the parties, may not be invoked as a
ground for terminating or withdrawing from the treaty unless:
(a) the existence of those circumstances constituted an essential basis of the consent of the parties to
be bound by the treaty; and
21
(b) the effect of the change is radically to transform the extent of obligations still to be performed
under the treaty.
2. A fundamental change of circumstances may not be invoked as a ground for terminating or
withdrawing from a treaty:
(a) if the treaty establishes a boundary; or
(b) if the fundamental change is the result of a breach by the party invoking it either of an obligation
under the treaty or of any other international obligation owed to any other party to the treaty.
3. If, under the foregoing paragraphs, a party may invoke a fundamental change of circumstances
as a ground for terminating or withdrawing from a treaty it may also invoke the change as a ground for
suspending the operation of the treaty.
Very plainly indeed, neither 1 a) nor 1 b) apply to the situation Cox outlines. Just not working out the way you intended is not grounds to dishonor a treaty. Social discontent in Northern Ireland would not radically transform the obligations under the treaty nor is social content the essential basis of consent to the treaty.
The second, and frankly hilarious, point is that Cox’s advice is demonstrably nonsense. To permit the dishonoring of the treaty, a change in circumstance must not only be “fundamental” it must also be “unforeseen”. Yet in his legal advice Cox foresees and specifies the “unforeseen” event that might lead to cancellation!
I rest my case.
It is worth reminding you – as the MSM refuse to do – that the Tory Brexiteers oppose the Good Friday Agreement, and destroying it is to them a potential gain from Brexit rather than a disaster to be averted. Remember this by Michael Gove, asserting that the British military option would be better than the Good Friday Agreement?
Ulster’s future lies, ultimately, either as a Province of the United
Kingdom or a united Ireland. Attempts to fudge or finesse that
truth only create an ambiguity which those who profit by violence
will seek to exploit. Therefore, the best guarantee for stability is the
assertion by the Westminster Government that it will defend, with
all vigour, the right of the democratic majority in Northern Ireland
to remain in the United Kingdom. Ulster could then be governed
with an Assembly elected on the same basis as Wales, and an
administration constituted in the same way. Minority rights should
be protected by the same legal apparatus which exists across the
UK. The legislative framework which has guaranteed the rights and
freedoms of Roman Catholics and ethnic minorities in Liverpool
and London should apply equally in Belfast and Belleek…In such circumstances, resolute security action, the use of
existing antiterrorist legislation and the careful application of
intelligence could reduce the IRA to operating as it did in the fifties
and sixties. Combining such security measures with a political
determination not to allow Ulster’s constitutional status to be altered
by force of arms would rob the republicans of hope.
It can be done. But does any Government have the will?
Interestingly enough, after I published an article on Gove’s 58 page pamphlet attacking the Good Friday Agreement, the Tory think tank which published it, the Centre for Policy Studies, immediately took it down from the web. I have, however, copied it to my own website.
By chance, my next couple of speaking engagements are in Northern Ireland. This is not the subject I was intending to discuss, but I never know what I am going to say when I stand up anyway. Happy to answer questions on anything.
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No confident predictions from Anon1 about the ethnicity and colour of the rampaging murderous scum in NZ?
What a surprise!
Didn’t hear you (or the Western MSN or Left sites) about this at all: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/bombs-target-church-philippines-jolo-island-190127050818906.html
What a surprise!
Then there were the 32 Nigerian Christians killed last week after their church was torched by Muslim fanatics. Did you hear about that one? Me neither.
And the usual suspects don’t make a fuss either when Christian Copts get slaughtered by Islamists in Egypt.
did you ‘make a fuss’? And if you did, what does that prove?
Well yes, we’ve got Anon1 to blame for that, he used to zealously keep us up to date on these matters with his trusty ROP report, but he stopped.
As if you care about black Christians.
I care about all Christians who get slaughtered by Islamists whatever colour they happen to be. Don’t you?
Yes Charles I’m sure you do , however my comment is aimed at Anon1.
Of course I’m sure Putin and Maduro are Christians, so I take it you care deeply about them? You’re all heart Charles.
You’re slipping, Scottie, shouldn’t you have called them “Christian gentlemen”? But no, I certainly wouldn’t like to see either of them slaughtered, what on earth put that thought into your head?
Bostock, your ‘care’ is highly selective, and based on what perceived political capital you can make out of it here.
Come on, guys. Where are the conspiracies? Where is Paul Barbara, or RoS, or MJ, to tell us about the, official narratives, patsies and handlers? Please don’t tell me it’s only the reality of Islamic terrorism you seek to deny and spread disinformation about? This will give the whole game away!
Let’s leave that to Central Casting – they’re the experts.
You are chastising me for not having made incorrect predictions? Ok then.
Glenn, you’ve triggered 3 of the racist amigos of the CM site for the price of one. You lucky lad!
You need to work on sorting out the racism in the Labour Party before you go about accusing others of being racist, Dom.
Gav is expecting visitors.
‘10,000 troops from 13 countries arrive in the UK for major exercise
The UK will boost its defensive capabilities by hosting a major international military exercise for two weeks from 30 March 2019.
More than 10,000 military personnel, 35 warships, 5 submarines and 59 aircraft and helicopters from 13 countries will take part in Exercise Joint Warrior until 11 April.
The aim of Joint Warrior is to allow the UK’s Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and their allies to conduct joint operations involving different forces and units and against a range of current and future threats.
[..]
After an initial briefing weekend at HMNB Clyde, the exercise splits its participants into two opposing Task Forces starting in the Scottish Exercise Areas (water and airspace generally to the West of Scotland, particularly The Minches). As the exercise progresses elements of the Task Forces will progress south to conduct an amphibious exercise off the South West Coast of Wales.’
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/10000-troops-from-13-countries-arrive-in-the-uk-for-major-exercise
To quote the Gav:
“The UK military is a partner of choice for its major international allies and a resolute force for peace around the world.”
Another example of a cut-and-paste without personal comment or analysis?
Self-explanatory old chap. No further comment needed.
Five Eyes Rule OK.
Remember Murray’s rule about mindless cut-and-pastes, dear, as recalled to you only the other day 🙂
Paris brûle-t-il?
See Sputnik and RT!
réponse: non! It’s a few extreme right-wing casseurs, financed by the likes of Bannon, the friends of An*n1 and B*st*ck. The real gilets jaunes have all but disappeared, but the hard violence continues.
Hearty Sir Geoffrey Cocks now incentivizing Billy boys to start spilling fenian blood? Nice fresh disgrace to round off the week where a solitary Para gets charged for the Bloody Sunday massacre. Naturlich not a squeak of outrage about either from any of the tame scribes and broadcasters. London’s Political and Media Establishment now joyfully regressing into a colonial hive mind to complement their Victorian economic ideology. . . cocks.
Even Patrick Cockburn could not bring himself to mention the Ballymurphy madsacre of innocent civilians.
mind the step, this train is going backwards.
The young students “striking for climate” have been indoctrinated well by their left-wing teachers, chanting “One Two Three Four, Theresa May’s a fucking whore”, with the teachers apparently joining in. An appeal was put out for these young eco-warriors to get their wellies on and help out with some tree planting and beach cleans. None responded.
Obviously no references or links to back your bullshit up.
“The young students “striking for climate” have been indoctrinated well by their left-wing teachers, chanting “One Two Three Four, Theresa May’s a fucking whore”, with the teachers apparently joining in. ”
Well we do teach children to speak their minds, glad to see its working.
God-you know nothing. Left-w
I have noted an unusual absence of “false flag” conspiracy theories around here concerning the NZ terror attack. What might explain this anomaly? The only commenter bucking the trend is N_ (who blames the Jews regardless of who the perpetrators are).
I think I can help you with an explanation, Anon1.
Had the perp been a leftie or a person of colour or a Muslim, the claim on here would have been either “it’s a false flag” or “he was set up to do it by….{add your favourite demon..}”
However, because the perp was a right wing nutter, white and not a Muslim, why it was obviously ‘im what really done it, innit eh.
The conspiraLoons are soooo transparent it’s almost touching.
Fellas, it’s beginning to show your repertoire is quite limited.
This isn’t even a strawman. It’s a mockery of a strawman.
Commenter creating the strawman, Don Quixote coming in to defeat it.
Don Quixote could at least leave the strawman standing for half an hour.
It’s self-defeatism squared. Maybe there’s joy in that.
BJ, the straw man is the stock in trade of the far right. It’s the only thing that allows them to still feel superior after events like Christchurch.
“I think I can help you with an explanation, Anon1.”
Oh that’s not very helpful at all, infact yours is a conspiraloon theory.
Fact, based on close observation of what’s usually served up on here.
Oh Charles if there’s one thing that we all know about you, it is your unrelenting close observation, its as if your livelihood depended on it.
Change of gravatar. New address? Different computer?
New location?
‘Had the perp been a leftie’
Many on the Libertarian right in Australia and NZ in fact are claiming he is a leftie.
He’s a racist and a terrorist. Remember, racism is found across the political spectrum and has never been the preserve of the Right or confined to extremes. In Australia and NZ racism is strong in the centre of the spectrum which makes it so difficult to eradicate.
Not at all Charles. The conspiracy could affect both sides i.e. manufactured Muslim terrorism and manufactured right wing terrorism. After all – “divide and rule” is the aim.
Charles Bostock
I find myself in agreement with you yet again Charles.
Whether it is terror attacks by radical Islamic groups or far right lunatics, they all have one thing in common – they are evil, and the vast majority of their victims are innocent, peace loving people.
“I have noted an unusual absence of “false flag” conspiracy theories around here concerning the NZ terror attack. ”
How perceptive of you, Chief Parker will be pleased, that you’re doing your job properly for a change.
Actually, there seem to be a few alternative theories doing the rounds – “it didn’t happen”; “no blood anywhere”; “alleged killer was a double”; “Mossad/CIA to blame; “several shooters” etc. Whether any of these might be true is up to readers to decide but the theories are certainly out there if you look.
I’m sure it happened but I’m wondering what became of the other suspects:
“Four suspects – three men and a woman – have been arrested and homemade bombs were also discovered strapped onto cars. The attack has been described by officials as ‘well planned’.”
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-christchurch-mosque-shooting-multiple-14138109
The consiracy theorists seem to be getting excited about Tarrant in North Korea.
I’m a conspiracy theorist and I’ve never heard of Tarrant in North Korea.
I’ve read it now, Tarrant in North Korea.
So, a group of people attacked the mosque,
they had military grade weapons,
one of them had travelled around a lot of suspicious countries.
It’s not much but you never know.
You are mixing up Tarrant fior Zev Baekan, the Israeli assassin who tried to assassinate NZ PM Helen Clark.
And remwmbw that Clartk was not saved by the NZ security services, They are notorious cans of worms,
She was saved by Baekan using the stolen passport of an invalid, and tried to get a doctor who knew him ti provide services, ruining the whole plot though Barkan was able to escape..
There were supposed to have been four perps but today there is only one perp.
One man to shoot up two places of worship at the same time.
This is a conspiracy in the making.
Do we really want EU to be run, at the top level, by people like Macron?
https://www.rt.com/news/453989-paris-yellow-vest-protests/
Jack
When the English demonstrated against the failed Thatcherite banking system outside the banks in London Brown;s government got the police to kettle thousands of demonstrators in their own shit in an underground entrance. After 3 months of continual demonstrations Macron has not yet descended to that disgusting, fascist, animal level of our right-wing elites.
So yes , I’m perfectly happy with Macron helping to run the EU, and I’m very unhappy with the Tories and Blairites running the UK
giyane
That is what worries me with people like you who defend the EU no matter what.
If violent suppression is part of the EU in suppressing freedom of speech, Brexit voters all over europe will soar.
Jack
When did I defend the EU
I defended France for permitting demonstrations while Britain suppressed them in a particularly disgusting way, making them shit in public or face arrest and a severe beating or tapering.
A blot on Brown ‘s record. Brown means Brown. May is a modal verb indicating uncertainty and Bliar means bloody liar.
giyane
Macron is not permitting demonstrations since he refuse to hear what the people are saying. He is acting like a dictator.
UK is of course far more democratic than France.
Laguerre
As usual I cannot comprehend your typings here. Please do not direct replies to me further on.
Ah, the illusions of Brexiters! they project onto the EU their own thoughts and wishes.
Re Christchurch.
” it’s says a lot about the current state of affairs when a white boy can egg a senator and be applauded as a hero while i, as a palestinian muslim woman, am being publicly vilified for confronting someone who has deeply hurt me and my community with her rhetoric ” – the rhetoriic came from Chelsea Clinton -That being rhetoric ( Lies ) about Ilhan Omar
https://dorseteye.com/irony-catches-up-with-chelsea-clinton/?fbclid=IwAR3XI-05FZrLSfY_AJnl_9N-SaDiNx5KyUhnPM9yowzH22xT3TsdQW8oY7U
Brian
It is impossible for a Muslim to attack any living soul without being instructed, misled, mentally stressed, provoked and incentivised by an Alt right, racist, usually governmental group.
I would say that the exact same applies to all right-wing nutters like the NZ ones and the murderers of Jo Cox.
The only difference being that the former feel their faith is oppressed by the society we live in, and the latter feel that their natural right to choose belief in God is not sufficiently defended by the Muslims.
i would say that violence in both cases is the result of frustration with a total block by society on thinking about God. As such, it is society’s choice. It wanted to close down discussion of faith which is a natural free-flowing spring in the human breast.
Chelsea Clinton was just saying: how dare the Muslims open this door we have done everything in our power to close shut? And Ilhan Omar replies to the effect: how do you think you could close the natural spring of love for the Creator without seriously damaging the human species He has created solely for His worship
‘The Conflict of Our Time: US Imperialism vs the Rule of Law’:
https://blackagendareport.com/conflict-our-time-us-imperialism-vs-rule-law
A very straight-forward article about the main problem the world is faced with, the Yankee Empire.
Yet other old, sophisticated Nations blithely accept the US Diktats, to sanction or go to war, regardless of the fact it is totally illegal and breaks International obligations and treaties.
Paul
Interesting that both protestant reformers and Islamic reformers have changed protest against authority to protest against their own laws. In effect The US is as much of an off the rails, corrupt, violent version of themselves as Islamists are of Islam. Do we have to call the People of North America ‘ the US’ and their leaders ‘ US-ists ‘? And the people of Israel ‘ Israelis ‘ and their leaders the violent , racist, exclusivist term ‘Zionists’ . The islamists now form a completely separate sect from Islam, and they believe in fighting against other Muslims totally against the Qur’an. I suspect that both US and UK politicians are equally off the wave-band of their normal citizens.
https://off-guardian.org/2019/03/16/can-russia-and-china-survive-this-unharmonious-world/
You’re reminding me of that, above, which I read earlier today.
“Can Russia and China Survive this Unharmonious World?”
Maywood
Russia and China having undergone total cleansing of religious practise both have a fresh perspective on the twisted version of faith offerred by the Zionists, who lost the responsibilty of the worship of the One God because of their endless contumacy and neglect of what they had been instructed to practice and preach. That’s a good head start for survival. but it certainly doesn’t mean they are safe. Safety depends on rejection of all the distorted versions offerred by different sects, including the sects of Christianity and Islamism by which the zionists corrupted their faith. Worship of a prophet is not allowed and murder is not allowed in the Mosaic faith. So why did they put them in? for what benefit? and for when are they going to return to their original faith and undo the damage they have done to other faiths?
it’s early days to know if Russia and China can listen to the true message of Islam with the world’s zionists messing it up with all their power and might.
Come on, guys. Where are the conspiracies? Where is Paul Barbara, or RoS, or MJ, to tell us about the, official narratives, patsies and handlers? Please don’t tell me it’s only the reality of Islamic terrorism you seek to deny and spread disinformation about? This will give the whole game away!!
We’ll leave this one to you Anon1, afterall you have the links to GCHQ. What’s Jeremy Fleming saying about it?
Let me tell you how it is.
The latest atrocity was designed to act as a recruiting Sargent – to drive people to adopt polarized views. All of this is necessary if your intention is to foment a civil war – but a civil war that encompasses multiple countries simultaneously. The perpetrator himself stated this as one of his main goals.
…and so what do we have for entertainment here? – why multiple people expressing polarized views. In other words multiple people carrying out the wishes of some nut job in NZ. Ask why you are so keen to follow the marching orders of a psychotic lunatic, and more than that ask yourselves whether following the implied orders of such a person whether you too qualify as psychotic lunatics.
Loony
Lunatics. You’re the expert , mate.
This is a government created false flag … not sure which government .
Oh right Loony, now its as clear as mud.
‘Let me tell you how it is’.
Oh no, if ever there was an expression of vacuous certitude, that is it. Please don’t bother.
What a coincidence! Just days after Cox delivered his damning legal advice that scuppered MV2 for May, it emerges in the Telegraph that the AG didn’t pay thousands of pounds of rent. The timing isn’t connected at all.
Wassup! We can’t have the Torygraph dishing the dirt on the AG!
Attorney General apologises for failing to declare thousands of pounds in rent
Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, has apologised for failing to declare a rental income
16 MARCH 2019
Geoffrey Cox has been forced to apologise for failing to declare thousands of pounds of rent on his flat a few miles from Westminster which he vacated when he entered the Cabinet last year.
The Attorney General admitted to Commons authorities that he had not registered rent from tenants in the flat that he owns with his wife Jeanie for six months between August and January this year.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/16/attorney-general-apologises-failing-declare-thousands-pounds/
Wonder who did the digging? 😉
Like Oliver Twist, the DUPpers want some more.
BBC News – Brexit: DUP says issues remain over deal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47597093
How much was the last bung? £12m?
Last bung was £1Billion, Sharp Ears
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-dup-deal-billion-pound-bribe-magic-money-tree-criticism-latest-a7809416.html
Given the vast total sum of government expenditure, £1 billion seems a small price to pay for reinforcing the unity of out beloved United Kingdom. A mere drop in the ocean, a bagatelle!
Unity is not a condition that can be imposed from above. That’s dictatorship – May style.
Bagatelle indeed, as there are plenty of holes at the bottom of the slippy slope of your beloved union. A union on the verge of falling down one.
I have received a response from the EU regarding my complaint that the attempt to drag the sovereign people of Scotland out of the EU against the democratic will of the people of Scotland is unlawful:
“We are writing in reply to the complaint that you have addressed to the European Commission regarding the UK withdrawal from the EU, which has been forwarded to the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. Please accept our apologies for this belated reply.
Regarding the legality of the UK’s referendum, let me recall that according to Article 50 any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.
The assessment of the constitutional requirements is a matter for the Member State concerned. The decision by a Member State to organise a referendum, and the modalities and arrangements for that purpose, are a matter falling within the competence of that Member State too. The precise requirements for invoking the right to withdraw from the EU enshrined in Article 50 TEU under the United Kingdom constitution were litigated in the case of R (on the application of Miller and another) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union before the United Kingdom Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court decided that in order to invoke Article 50 TEU, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister required authorisation from the United Kingdom Parliament. In March 2017, the United Kingdom Parliament passed an act granting the Prime Minister the power to invoke Article 50 TEU.
As the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister thus invoked Article 50 TEU in accordance with the United Kingdom’s constitutional requirements, she complied with all the conditions for notifying the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the European Union. In other words, Article 50 TEU was invoked in compliance with EU law.
Regarding Scotland, we cannot comment on Member States’ internal political and constitutional issues.
On the specific points you raise in relation to Scotland, it is not for the Commission to comment on issues of the internal organisation related to the constitutional arrangements / internal political issues in EU Member States.
You also refer to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: such an argument was indirectly addressed by the UK Court of Appeal in its judgment in case Shindler v Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
The Court found that the EU Referendum Act 2015 did not fall within the scope of EU law given that EU law had recognised that the decision of a Member State to withdraw from the EU was an exercise of national sovereignty which was governed by its own constitutional arrangements. The UK Supreme Court later refused permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment.
As Commission Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier said many times, while we regret the UK’s decision to leave, we have to respect it.
Yours sincerely,
The Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations
with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU (AMW)
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium”
One wonders what was the cost to the European taxpayer of drawing up that answer to your question, given that you knew the answer full well in advance and that your question was purely vexatious. If you think your question was a serious one and not vexatious, I challenge you to reproduce it here.
Pot kettle black
Chas,
Surely the cost of answering letters, even if they might be classed as querulous, is factored into the cost of general office administration, why does that worry you? Does not the answer to the questions give you a clue as to what they were?
If they hadn’t had to answer Colin Alexander’s letter, how many civil servants could have been made redundant? If the answer is none, where is the cost saving? If there is no cost saving in not answering the letter, where is the cost in answering it?
Thanks for this analysis Craig, very insightful.
‘VIPS: Mueller’s Forensics-Free Findings’:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/51280.htm
Latest on ‘Russian Hacking’ BS. Our host gets a mention.
Thanks to the BBC and its programme on Radio 4 presented by Dr Mark Porter whom I once had the privelege to chauffeur. He presented a programme recently on Rio mineral and iron deficiency which was very informative. He also managed to hold the doctors ‘ ground against arch Tory privateer Jeremy hunt who is now chief spav in the Foreign office.
The Tories are detestable.
Well done BBC where credit is due.
Rio? Who he?
This article in the Guardian explains how Murdoch’s News Corp has influenced the growth of racism in Australia.
Linking to the attack in Christchurch NZ by an Australian now under arrest.
Australians are asking how did we get here? Well, Islamophobia is practically enshrined as public policy
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/17/australians-are-asking-how-did-we-get-here-well-islamophobia-is-practically-enshrined-as-public-policy
Dennis Potter, the playwright, named the cancer from which he died, ‘Rupert’.
Dennis Potter speaking to Melvyn Bragg here.
https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/sep/12/greatinterviews
I loved his work and miss him. Read how he described the blossom outside his window when he was dying of pancreatic cancer.
And Sky News Australia is also in trouble, Sky New Zealand have pulled it off the air for playing parts of the white supremacist shooting video on their channel, see: https://thinkprogress.org/new-zealand-pulls-murdochs-sky-news-australia-off-the-air-over-mosque-massacre-coverage-353cd22f86a7/
Apparently Sky New Zealand has amended its reason for the suspension claiming now that they do not want to compromise any ongoing legal process.
news from NZ where commentators are questioning 5EYES, as having doubled staff and resources recently, but are “always looking under the wrong rock”
the alleged aussie atrocity author even attracted so much attention as he practised in a Kiwi gun-club that members of that gun-club went directly to the police to report him. beforehand. according to Radio New Zealand National programme.
It’s not so much that “they look under the wrong rock” as that mass surveillance looks under every rock, and simple consideration of the numbers involved shows that can’t possibly work, because the actual data is inevitably buried under a flood of false positives:
https://www.badscience.net/2009/02/datamining-would-be-lovely-if-it-worked/
This is Bill Binney’s point about his targetted ThinThread program, versus the NSA’s mass surveillance Trailblazer.
But as the excellent “A good American” explained, Thin Thread was fatally flawed because it existed, it worked and it was cheap. Trailblazer was necessary to create a multimillionaire out of NSA chief Michael Hayden. The true function of the MIC is to further enrich the 1%. If thousands of proles have to die in New York, Manchester or Christchurch because the intelligence machine is purposely ineffective then so be it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Good_American
correcting my facts: the culture and attitude of the entire gun-club itself was reported to police around one year before the atrocity.
it was the club that the alleged shooter visited several days per week
cops “laughed-off” the claims of an unhealthy racist bigoted militaristic environment, according to these decent australian journalists:-
https://thewest.com.au/news/7-news-perth/christchurch-mosque-shootings-gun-enthusiasts-were-concerned-at-unhealthy-atmosphere-at-club-where-accused-killer-brenton-tarrant-trained-ng-b881138598z
Is it too difficult to the likes of Bostock, Anon1 and Antonym to understand that everyone in this blog is against terrorism whether instituted by Islamists, white supremacists or states? The problem for them is that every time we condemn the later two we also have to condemn the Islamists. The scale of terror and murder however by states has always far exceeded that of the other two groups and most of us are focused on those. The terror by the other two groups is neither as institutionalised (although the relationship between the Islamists and western agencies covertly supporting them can arguably be described as such) nor condoned unlike the violence by states that those above support.
They’re not interested in the atrocity, or the victims, except as a cheap excuse to troll people on this blog. Pretty pathetic stuff, but they obviously get a kick out of it. How sad is that?
The photo of Jacinda Ardern shown on the front of the Sunday Telegraph on here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-47599614
shows a gentle and kind woman. I can’t remember seeing any similar of Theresa May consoling people in Manchester, Westminster and the like.
I saw this. A prescient piece predating the Christchurch attack by a few days. Alan Gibbons is a chilldren’s author.
‘The politics of prejudice: of speaking and misspeaking
Curious thing, language.
Take misspoke.
This is what Amber Rudd did when she called Diane Abbott ‘coloured.’
It is what Angela Smith did when she said BAME people were a ‘funny tinge.’
It is what Karen Bradley did when she justified military killings of Irish people.
It is what Andrea Leadsom did when she intimated that British Muslims are ‘foreign.’
It is what Rod Liddle did when he said there should be more Islamophobia.
I suppose Boris Johnson was misspeaking when he said black people were ‘picaninnies’ with ‘watermelon smiles’ and had low IQs.
Misspeaking is quite innocent, you see. Oops, there I go again, misspeaking, colonial and Jim Crow racism dripping from my lips, antiquated Bless Thy Neighbour ‘
/..
http://alangibbons.net/2019/03/the-politics-of-prejudice-of-speaking-and-misspeaking/
Theresa May looks like a viper ready to strike. as everyone should expect. Just ask the surviving al-Hillis, Williamsses et al.
Liam Fox, Sky News, now. Sick bags in front of you…_
Followed by Jeremy Corbyn soon, (Sky News)…_
Can anybody of an ability link to ‘Sophy Ridge’ broadcast? Thanks.
Liam Fox seems to realise that May has her chess pieces as she needs. He is manouvering his chess pieces to continue his squalid career, and keep one foot in the door as the next tory leader. His “not appropriate to threaten resignation” comment made that clear to me. He is a pragmatic Mayista. The Tories will “get a new leader in time”
Jeremy Corbyn got a very lengthy slot, way longer than Fox. “Not supporting TM deal”……”credible choice referendum” that is opened up to reflect “those who voted leave” and “those who voted remain”
Finished on questions of the trial of ‘Soldier F’, comments on the butchery in New Zealand, and Tom Watson…_
“Finished on questions of the trial of ‘Soldier F’, ”
Ah yes Frank Kitson’s (A lovely man still on the go) personnel hit squad 1 Para doing what it did best. Not forgetting the (MRF) Military Reaction Force, which targeted Catholics.
Of course Mr Kitson cut his teeth in Kenya, (the Mau Mau slaughter, for which he recieved The British Military Cross, for gallant and distingushed service.) and developed techniques that even now see’s important people knock on his door, and ask how to “deal” with them.
Jeremy Corbyn could force confidence vote if Brexit deal rejected again
Liam Fox warns over pulling vote in face of further defeat
Esther McVey says she will now back ‘bad deal’
Theresa May urges MPs to vote as ‘democrats and patriots’ and back her deal
https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-corbyn-seeks-cross-party-brexit-compromise-11668175EU demands clear plan in return for Brexit delay
AFAIK Sky doesn’t have a replay facility. Sometimes they put up part of a video.
Sam Coates of Murdoch’s mothership has put up this link to Corbyn on Ridge:
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesTimes/status/1107222962862768128?
s/be
Jeremy Corbyn could force confidence vote if Brexit deal rejected again
Liam Fox warns over pulling vote in face of further defeat
Esther McVey says she will now back ‘bad deal’
Theresa May urges MPs to vote as ‘democrats and patriots’ and back her deal
EU demands clear plan in return for Brexit delay
https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-corbyn-seeks-cross-party-brexit-compromise-11668175
Corbyn’s tactics and strategy over Brexit have been utterly awful, and haven’t achieved a thing. he is still trying to face two ways at once. What a shambles. As Jess Phillips said, him and May are like George and Mildred.
Ref Jess Phillips! She’s awful but she is being promoted, even by the Tory MP, Boles. Miliband E and Freedland. Says it all..
Jess Phillips Emerges as Establishment Pick to Replace Corbyn
https://off-guardian.org/2019/03/15/jess-phillips-emerges-as-establishment-pick-to-replace-corbyn/
I knew you would say that. How predictable.
And avoiding the point. As long as you can make some redundant links to hide behind, eh?
Ian
Corbyn has a concise, clear plan to entirely remove racism from the discussion of leaving the EU. He ignores May’s populist Trumpist, white supremacist ALT Right nappy badly needing a change.
He envisages a Norway plus relationship with the EU that retains free movement of people and goods. He also doesn’t makes slurs about May’s disgusting racism because he sees it as both un-English and beneath contempt for a senior politician.
i think he’s brilliant, but not everyone’s cup of tea after Farage and others have wafted the scent of Nazi genocide across the nostrils of people like you.
The Off Guardian link is not redundant. It is spot on and is dated on Friday 15th March. Just because you don’t like the content.
“Jeremy Corbyn could force confidence vote if Brexit deal rejected again”……and?…face… bothered. Showboating if he does.
I see no point, all parties are divided on brexit, what kind of an election would that be! How would they treat the issue of brexit in their manifestos? Not likely to happen.
Don’t know what labour CLP’s are like nationally, mine is not of one mind.
May has shouted ‘check’ after moving her piece, let’s see if it is ‘checkmate’ after another vote…_
The first link shown s/be
SUTR-Scotland unfit for purpose in failing to stand up against Israel front groups
http://johnhilley.blogspot.com/2019/03/sutr-scotland-unfit-for-purpose-in.html
From what I can see from these photos SE, the COFIS) and the (GFI) made up a small part of the march.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-47597456
But yes any friends of Israel group really needs to seriously take a look at itself. Supporting an oppressive apartheid state, at a stand up to racism march, won’t endear your cause to anyone.
Diane Abbott needs to have a word with the Glasgow branch. She is the Stand Up to Racism president.
http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/about/
Perhaps a trap Sharp Ears, set for Dianne Abbot.
If she speaks out on this she and SUTR will be branded anti-Semitic.
@ Sharp Ears March 17, 2019 at 09:45
‘Scots Jewish group demands ban on pro-Israel campaigners at anti-racism protest’:
https://theferret.scot/jewish-group-ban-pro-israeli-anti-racism/
The regular J*ws know AS is baloney.
The presenter of a programme on BBC Radio 4 declared a few moments ago that since the EU referendum people in Scotland “have voted overwhelmingly for the SNP”. What a lie!
The truth is that in the 2017 British general election the SNP lost 21 out of its 54 seats and its voteshare fell by 13.1% to 36.9%.
The figures show hat a vote for Remain was for most people not anything similar to a vote for the SNP.
It seems likely that the same interests are backing Leave as are backing the SNP. Rumour has it they are tucking into borsch and cheeseburgers with their bagels.
“The presenter of a programme on BBC Radio 4 declared a few moments ago”
Radio 4, my you must have a very robust constitution to swallow that bilge.
Esther McVey is today being put forward as a contender for Tory leader. She is a declared admirer of William Lever, the “Lord Leverhulme” who murdered a million people in the Congo and owned the Isles of Lewis and Harris in Scotland. She comes from a family of gangsters who operate in the demolition sector in northwest England.
Anybody looking for a “Chappaquiddick” will consider Praia da Luz, Portugal, 2007.
Esther McVey resigned from “Madeleine’s Fund” after money was used to pay the legal funds of two named criminal suspects, one of whom was her close friend. After losing her Wirral West seat in 2015, she got the chairmanship of the British Transport Police Authority – never mind her organised crime connections. (She probably gets on well with Tessa Jowell.) Then in 2017 she got parachuted into George Osborne’s safe seat in Tatton. In 2018 she resigned from the board of the Samaritans after allegations of sheer brass neck given that as Tory minister for the disabled she had driven a lot of disabled people to suicide.
Tessa Jowell has been dead for nine months
That about Jowell aside, the rest is correct. McVey is a motormouth too.
She has received very many large donations, particularly in 2015. Dunstone – Carphone Warehouse. Bamford – JCB. Lord Harris -Carpetright. Lady Beryl Steinberg – widow of multi millionaire betting tycoon. He launched the NI Friends of Israel.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=24882
I’ve been avoiding mentioning Esther McVey after seeing her sliding in mud towards Mrs May.
female wrestling is a new sport and what might look to the Guardian like our Esther reaching out to our Theresa, might turn out to be a move to hold her down in the brown tidal slime for long enough for May to expire. Frankly I couldn’t care less who does what in this media salivated moment of Tory female orgasm, None of it makes any sense to me. Does it to you?
Those poor people from the Congo, Henry Morton Stanley, colluded with King Leopold II of Belgium, which saw them suffer immensely.
Stanley’s plundering of Congo basin as a buccaneer for King Leopold II, is mostly forgotten, however his search for Dr David Livingstone, and the source of the Nile, are to the fore.
Rose tinted imperialism one might say.
The People voted 52 to 48 per cent to leave the European Union,
74 per cent of M.P.s voted to remain.
It would seem Parliament is not going to let the people have their wish to be free of the E.U.
This will not end well.
“The people” sent those MPs to Westminster AFTER the referendum. They could have all voted for UKIP if they’d wanted.
They sent them to Westminster on manifestos which committed to leaving the EU.
Exactly! On the basis of a deal approved by parliament or in the absence of such, by leaving with no deal.
Sure but if they didn’t like it in 2017 that a candidate had voted Remain in the 2016 referendum they didn’t have to vote for that candidate. They could have made sure they voted for some other candidate who was not only standing on an “honour the referendum result” platform but who also had the Union Jack tattoo to show they’d voted Leave in the referendum.
The Labour party’s manifesto said:
“We will scrap the Conservatives’ Brexit White Paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the Single Market and the Customs Union – which are essential for maintaining industries, jobs and businesses in Britain. ”
and also
“We will reject ‘no deal’ as a viable option and, if needs be, negotiate transitional arrangements to avoid a ‘cliff-edge’ for the UK economy.”
i.e, it will reject May’s deal and ‘no deal’ [=WTO terms]
Personally, I wish the Labour party would go further and negotiate to remain in the customs union (for goods and services) ans remain in the single market but leave the commission, council and EU parliament.
But that’s madness.
You elect to stay in a Rules based entity, however you give up your ability to shape these Rules!
If Brexiteers are so concerned about the will of the people, why are they so terrified about letting them clarify their wishes, now they have a slightly better idea of what the EU is, and what we stand to lose?
Well glen-nl, I would welcome yet another referendum.
I feel sure the people will show their M.P.’s that they have not made a mistake, it will be the anti-democratic M.P.’s who have made a mistake
and even more than before the people will demonstrate that they really wish to leave the European Union, completely.
It’s not so much terror as disgust. A second referendum will have their three worst options on the ballot paper, no deal, May’s deal, no deal and remain. Almost guaranteed to get a remain result. Funny that.
If that’s the will of the people, who are we to complain?
The most searched for terms on referendum day was “What is the EU?” and “what is Brexit” – AFTER the polls had closed, which tells quite a lot of how informed the electorate actually was.
But if someone wants to pretend that a slim majority out of a badly under-informed and misinformed electorate, told bare-faced lies by politicians and far right groups, following decades of propaganda by the majority of the press, represents a good democratic process which simply has to be respected, then one is entitled to question that person’s honesty.
Michael it sounds as though you feel very passionate about leaving. So I’ll take it for granted you march up the hill with the Grand Old Duke of UKIP Nigel Farage yesterday?
michael norton
indeed it will not end well. Because if the 48 % are forced to accept the completely unacceptable deal agreed by May, they will vote in a different party to chuck it out . You are not taking into consideration all those young people who were indifferrent to politics until a bunch of racists like May chose to hijack brexit to a racist agenda.
In the event of a general election after next week’s repeated vote fails , the percentage voting for a soft brexit will be much much higher than during the referendum, leaving you nasties to blub into your spotty hankies you have been let down by democracy.
Leavers are now sure we want Cliff Edge Brexit, the most extreme Brexit possible, the more the E.U. Elite and the Remainer M.P.’s try and trick us, the greater the desire to finesh with them
utterly.
Local constituences are already getting primed to deselect Remainer M.P.’s.
the extreme sport of keyboard exercise just widens your backside. not just yours personally obviously…. mine too. We’ll just have to wait and see
Is anyone here in e-mail contact with MediaLens? If so, please ask them to check their spam folder for my e-mail sent on 7 March, or if they’d rather not reply, to please just acknowledge receipt.
Clark
Try another email, usually solve issues like that.
I’m a tad confused. Last week Sadiq Khan didn’t have enough police officers to prevent knife crime, due to evil Tory cuts. This week he’s putting police officers outside every mosque to protect Muslims from the scourge of white supremacist terror. What gives?
I think you will find that Ms Dick deals with the deployment of the Metropolitan police. Maybe she and Khan liaise.
You are right. You are confused, as well as pathetically trying to foment hate and division, your raison d’être here.
Obviously it’s a matter of priorities.
A fair point Anon1, I wonder has anybody who lives in London passed a mosque yet, that has a police officer posted outside it?
I’ve read in Scotland, that Police Scotland are stepping up patrols outside mosques, but not posting officers at every mosque in Scotland.
A happy St Patrick’s Day.
Where is he now? There are still snakes that need casting out in this country.
Its thought that there were no snakes in Ireland since the last Ice Age, and that St Patrick was referring to Druids and Pagans, who sometimes worshipped snake gods.
However on the upside all Polar bears on Earth originated in Ireland.
To all those who celebrate St Patricks day have a good one.?
Apparently, the rats are readying to leave the sinking ship.
‘UK bankers on standby as City readies no-deal contingency plans
JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs poised to move staff to EU offices by 29 March
Sun 17 Mar 2019
Hundreds of UK bankers at JP Morgan and dozens from Goldman Sachs are on standby for relocation to EU offices by 29 March, regardless of Parliament’s vote to delay Brexit.
The exodus is likely to be replicated across the Square Mile as investment banks, almost all of which are foreign-owned, put in place emergency measures to cope with a period of uncertainty that could stretch through to summer, depending on the outcome of votes in parliament this week.’
/..
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/17/uk-bankers-on-standby-as-city-readies-no-deal-contingency-plans