It is generally agreed that culling of sick or surplus animals is a necessary act, in which case the culling of MPs can likewise be logically justified on the basis that they too are sick and surplus to requirements. Nothing illustrates this more than two news items today, one involving David Cameron and the other, Chris Huhne.
David Cameron: Fifteen days ago we were informed that The Prime Minister’s office secretly commissioned its own legal advice on the Agency Workers Directive, which concluded that the impact of the new laws could be moderated. Today we find that contrary to what Downing Street intimated, the legislation will be implemented as originally intended, even though lawyers have stated that the original Directive has been 'gold-plated'. So yet another 'U' turn - unfortunately time does not permit the listing of the others........
It would appear that the comments of The Boiling Frog, to which I linked in this post were most definitely 'right on the money' - take a bow, TBF.
Chris Huhne: In his short speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference he made various assertions - and those on climate change and the environment I leave to fellow bloggers who are far more qualified than I to pass comment. Suffice it to say that his facts on energy bills did not seem to ring true, something confirmed by FactCheck who tweeted that they too smelt a rat and were in the process of checking*. I wish to comment on the tail-end of that speech in which, like Cameron, he exhibited that air of disingenuousness of which politicians are so adept.
Huhne stated that the EU is the key to our prosperity and that the eurozone takes half our exports, which seem to be odd and incorrect facts especially when one bears in mind that the euro, the chosen currency of the EU, is about to implode and also when doubts exist about the true level of exports. He also appears to have forgotten basic geography when he declares that the UK is part of Europe. Europe is a continent bordered by seas, oceans and the continent of Asia and one of those seas/oceans separates the UK from the continent of Europe. Stating "that is why we must always work with our partners in Europe – and more widely – to secure our objectives, nowhere more clearly than on environmental issues" belies the fact that we have no alternative but to work with our partners in Europe. Berating those who insist that only they have the answers one has to ask whether he has looked in a mirror lately? From Alex Singleton: "You may recall that this is a politician who sat on the Green Fiscal Commission, which demanded higher energy prices. Now, in front of the Lib Dem conference, he is criticising energy companies for not cutting them". Finally, in respect of wrecking common purpose, is that not the aim of all clear-thinking people?
That Cameron and Huhne, to name just two out of 600+, are sick; are liars; and are not therefore to be trusted, means they are surplus to requirements - and in this age of austerity, one in which savings have to be made, can happily be culled.
*Update: FactCheck have now reported and it shows the rat has ratted!
*Update: FactCheck have now reported and it shows the rat has ratted!
9 comments:
I seem to remember Huhne demanding an investigation into why Tory MEPs had voted against his green measures. Such an arrogant, tyrannical act was in itself a reason for severe punishment, but when you add all his other crimes...
Re the eurozone taking half our exports. There was an interesting question on this subject raised in the Lords on 18 July this year by Lord Pearson of Rannoch (UKIP). I posted the following elsewhere at the time:
Whenever the EU membership question arises, the fast, off-pat answer from every single Europhile refers to the huge amounts of trade we have with Europe and how this would be damaged if we ceased to be a member.
Lord Pearson of Rannoch (UKIP) has raised a rather interesting question in the Lords:
"To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the United Kingdom Balance of Payments for 2010 to be published; and whether it will reflect exports and imports of goods and services which pass through Rotterdam and Antwerp."
The written reply supplied by the Office for National Statistics is this:
"[ ... ]
The convention for recording exports and imports of goods and services (e.g. on HMRC customs declarations) is that the partner country recorded is the country the goods or services first enter after leaving their country of origin. Therefore, exports or imports that pass through Rotterdam and Antwerp would be recorded as exports to or imports from Netherlands and Belgium respectively."
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2011-07-18a.229.9
So, this seems to mean that exports and imports to and from the UK, simply being transhipped through European ports, even though they may be shipped onwards to anywhere in the world, or have arrived from anywhere in the world, are classed by the ONS as "European" trade.
k: Somehow missed that little gem....
HT: *Ahem* had you followed the link "doubts exist" you would have seen that I linked to that......
Yes, apologies for that, I only found your link after I posted. I follow so many blogs that sometimes I get lost, but maybe not so lost as the Huhne. (Also, and this is *not* a complaint for I greatly admire what you and other bloggers do, but your links do not stand out very well, though perhaps this could be my fault? I use Firefox 6.0.2 and my eyesight is most definitely not as good as it used to be.)
Mind you, I can still spot a chancer like Huhne, or my own MP Michael Moore, who recently said in Parliament about the £50 cut in the Winter Fuel Allowance:
"The hon. Gentleman is right to focus attention on some of the most
vulnerable people in society, both in Glasgow and elsewhere in
Scotland. I would point out to him that the winter fuel allowance will
return to its previous level, as planned by the previous Government,
[...] "
So all is well with the world because they are only doing what Labour was going to do, so we are all in it together.
As I said in my letter to him, we are definitely all in it together, for although the PM's father-in-law is skimming some £6,000 per week off the backs of some of the poorest in society, he too will loose £50 in winter fuel allowance payments. Fair warms my cockles to know that Sir Reg Sheffield is suffering just like the rest of us.
HT: Okay may have to change the colour of links then - however if eyesight not that good, try hit Ctrl (and hold down) and +. Each time you hit those two keys the page magnifies once. Likewise Ctrl and - will decrease once......
Thanks for the tip about magnifying, though I think my problem is more identifying links which are of a very similar colour as the original post text. It's like trying to read them green labels about how good and green a product is while they print their message in a slightly darker shade of green than the original green background! (I keep magnifying glasses in the kitchen cupboard, on the bedside cabinet and beside my old armchair.) But please! Don't go changing things on my account! As me Mum & Dad (& Terry Wogan) always said: "Mustn't grumble!"
A sincere thank you for all of your blog posts - I may not have said much but people like yourself, Richard North and many others do manage to instill some faith, and more importantly hope, to some lesser mortals who need and look for leadership.
Thank you,
Henry.
HT: No thank you for your kind comment - have changed link colour, see what you think on the latest.
WfW: Hope this works; I'm useless at this technology. Link below to Guardian piece about Huhne from 22 July:
http://gu.com/p/3vmmq
k: link worked! I recall that but it seems to have died a death?
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