Labour policies finally revealed
Posted on
March 18, 2013 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
-
About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
-
Recent Posts
- 05-26
- 05-21
- 05-20
- 05-19
- 05-17
- 05-16
- 05-15
- 05-14
- 05-11
- 05-09
- 05-08
- 05-07
- 05-04
- 05-04
- 05-02
- 04-28
- 04-27
- 04-23
- 04-22
- 04-21
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
Nuts!
Look! There’s Johann Lamont!
… and not a red one among them!
You find me a red squirrel in North-East Somerset and I’ll take pictures of it. I’m not shlepping to Brownsea Island in this weather…
Once again, I apologise as I change the conversation. I return to Argentina and the new pope. In one sense, David Cameron probably is saying ‘nuts’ or ‘effin squirrels’ as quoted by Cynical Highlander, but I see the Argentinian president, kitchner is now lobbying the new pope over the Falklands. I must admit, I thought it would be a couple of years yet before she did that. Looks like the Malvinas is more important than helping the poor….
Red… I think grey is more appropriate as Labour don’t know what colour they want to be ….
JLT – I think it was Stalin who asked “how many divisions does the Pope have” and I suspect that about sums up Kerchner’s chances of achieving her colonial ambitions with the help of the Pope.
Colonial ambitions. Whose? I wish all these jingoistic wankers would just leave it alone. Ever since this guy got elected all I hear is idiots banging on about the Falklands
I don’t believe that 1200 people’s right to self determination is of any more than superficial interest to the British State any more than that of the residents of Diego Garcia’s was. The only reason London gives a toss about the Falklands is the fact that they will be needing another cash cow to milk dry soon.
It would be, perhaps, interesting if the UK were to conduct a similar opinion poll amongst the ex-residents of Diego Garcia. I see there is no groundswell of opinion within Westmister to conduct such a referendum.
For those that do not know, here is an extract from Wiki:
“Between 1968 and 1973, the Chagossians, then numbering about 2,000 people, were expelled by the British government to Mauritius and Seychelles to allow the United States to establish a military base on the island. Today, the exiled Chagossians are still trying to return, claiming that the forced expulsion and dispossession was illegal (see Depopulation of Diego Garcia).“
It is what the British State does.
Somewhat allegorically, and by an Englishman to boot! And a hero of mine.
“They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.”
Sorry, this is not going to segue very well, but there is a simple question here. I will include the answer for simplicity.
Who gets a considerate hearing from Westminster and an anti-invasion? (Something, even now, I agree with. And I hated Maggie Thatcher more than you can know.)
And who gets fucked?
World Cup Qualifier:
Falklands Islands 10: Diego Garcia 0.
It is not really a World Cup Qualifier, it is, actually more important than that. Contra Bill Shankly.
And is is what these bastards do. They show you one card, and they hide the other. Masters of pointing you in one direction.
The Falklands are in the news, the ex-citizens of Diego Garcia are not.
It is almost a story ripe for Joseph Heller.
Be under no illusion that we will be treated to the friendly end of the stick. I would assume that we are more likely to end up in the slums, as the people of Diego Garcia already are.
It also calls to our responsibilities what settlement we let these bastards have over the Crown Colonies. Are we to give them up as a negotiating chip at an auction?
I think we are better than that. I think we care as much for the folk in the Falklands as we do those that are no longer in Diego Garcia. I think the latter case reverberates very strongly with the Highland Clearances. In our case it was sheep, in theirs B52’s.
We should not play these colonies as a given to the rUK.
Indeed, we should right some wrongs.
Rev Stu,
Sorry about all the links!
Fact: Rev Stu reports there are no red squirrels in North-East Somerset.
Opinion: There are no red Labour policies in England or Scotland, but I accept my assertion is a grey area.
Please infur otherwise as you wish.
@dave smith
Actually, the pope has a bit of form there, though he seems to prefer the fascists. Plus ça change…
link to globalresearch.ca
Marian says:
JLT – I think it was Stalin who asked “how many divisions does the Pope have” and I suspect that about sums up Kerchner’s chances of achieving her colonial ambitions with the help of the Pope.
————-
Stalin was right in what he said. The only problem with that statement is that Russia was a Superpower, while Britain currently is not. Plus the statement is also out of date. For one thing, Soviet Russia and global Bolshevism are literally dead in the water. Everyone knows it is a truly failed ideology (forget China…only God knows what they are up to as they try to balance and juggle Communism, Capitalism and Imperialism). Meanwhile, for all its troubles, the Papacy remains as strong as ever.
Technically, from a ‘nationalist’ point of view, this is actually quite fascinating, as we get to sit on the fence and watch Westminster argue with Buenos Aires. Lets not beat about the bush, the two nations are shouting ‘Nationalism’, when in reality, we all know that it is horse manure. This is about mineral rights in Antarctica. It’s got hee-haw to do with ‘We’re British’ or ‘the Malvinas are Argentine’. This is about greed …plain and simple.
This new episode will be annoying the hell out of the Tories and David Cameron. Just when he thought the referendum there was done and dusted, up pops an Argentine Pope 48 hours later …Hollywood itself, could not have written that better!
For Cameron and co, the problem is not Argentina; it is South America. Should the Argentine Pope give a nod, or should the South American nations believe they have papal backing, you could end up with the whole of South America doing a trade boycott with the UK. What that means for the EU is another matter, but all the South Americans have to do is avoid buying British goods. The EU is in dire straights and the last thing they need is a trade war with another continent. I would not be surprised if the EU ask David Cameron to try and talk with Kirchner.
I don’t think this problem is going away anytime soon. The question might be not be ‘how many divisions does the Pope have’, it might be ‘how long can Britain resist against such pressure from South America and the EU.’
To be honest, I quite fancy Kirchner’s chances to get something out of this.
The British are not in a position to do anything other than talk. They have done the military bit, it has not solved the problem. They can’t do it again. South American economies are growing fast and it may be the case that 1200 Falklanders are sacrificed for the sake of money. Westminster has a history of that so it would not surprise me. They might start a propaganda campaign akin to Labour policiies volte face ‘ Dos piernas bien, cuatro piernas mal’
frankieboy,
To what extent do you think that going to war is the ‘get out of jail’ card for a failing administration? We have – at least – two potential conflicts out there. The Falklands and Iran. I somewhat expect one or t’other to bubble up between now and autumn 2014. I think Unionists know this and are corrupt enough to invoke it.
Just saying.
I visited Beunos Aires last year, the Malvinas campaign veterans were camped outside the presidential palace protesting for their pensions. I found the natives urbane and friendly and the city an elegant and cultural one, not quite as good as Paris though. When asked where I came from I replied “Escocia” and the response in english was “Welcome”
Later in Rio de Janairo I found hostility. The British are not liked.
Time to go it for ourselves.
An additional anecdote from yesterday…. I belatedly applied for my state pension by telephone, went very smoothly but at the end there were two voluntary questions from the State, one on ethnicity and one regarding my attitude to citizenship, did I consider myself Scottish or British.
I responded that at home I was Scottish and overseas I was British since that is what it said on my passport (not quite true).
“Render unto Caesar….”
The State is very interested in Scottishness indeed. I would like to see my file
How did you manage to get a squirrel to sit on your leg etc? They usually run away when I come near them.
Tufty says: “Do as I say, not as I do!. Now hand over the nuts or yell get a doin!”
@ Doug Daniel
I don’t mean to be unkind, but the so-called lower animals have sensory abilities that we are only beginning to research and understand. I wouldn’t take it personally.
Rev. Stu of Assisi
@JLT
The church insitutionally aligns itself with money and secular power, although some individuals within it have exhibited great courage in the face of brutal regimes, notably and recently in South America. This new pope has a very murky history in that regard (link in previous post). He reminds me of Gibbon’s remark:
“so intimate is the connection between the throne and the altar, that the banner of the church has very seldom been seen on the side of the people””
Falklands islands vs Diego garcia….saddest thing I saw today was at the Scottish FA Website to register for tickets. It duly asks for your details…sure enough, you cant pick Scotland as your Country! Come on!
It is indeed a very interesting point as to which country can prove the Falklands to be their possession by right, but I doubt very much whether the Pope would be wiling to officially support either claim except under concerns over natural justice.
That said however, if the entire South American continent were to mobilise a protest action against Britian’s 7,000 mile distant claim over the offshore Malvinas, that’s an entirely different economic pressure source and who’s to say it’s something that could not be triggered by recent events?
A squirrel in a bunnet?
Plank Sniffers for Life!
Cameron – no offence taken, I already know dogs have a tendency to bark when I’m around and babies start crying. Maybe they no something I don’t…?
I don’t get the analogy. Squirrels usually have the foresight to stash some of their resources when they are plentiful to see them through leaner times. Some of that regenerates to sustain future generations of squirrels. This arrangement seemed to work pretty well till someone decided it would be a good idea to create a sectarian division between them.
Doug Daniel says:
“How did you manage to get a squirrel to sit on your leg etc?”
That’s easy Doug. Take over their habitat, run it down, help yourself to their natural resources till there’s not enough left to sustain them, and they’ll quite happily sit on your knee waiting for handouts believing they’re too wee, too weak, and too stupid to look after themselves.
This close to satire!
@ Vronsky – Yes I read thro’ your globalresearch post describing neoliberal policies visited upon Argentina, and the closeness of the new Pope, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to the military junta. Compare that to the dutifully delivered news on him by the BBC, our beacon of enlightenment.
And please Vronsky in due respect to the many non-politicising Christian churches,religions, and philanthopic organisations, full title please, The Roman Catholic Church so we clearly know and understand the Organisation under discussion.
Most definately a labour squirrel (Iain) by name and Grey in colour.
The Pope is no longer Argentinian