A strong City is not just in Britain's interests

The Author of this Article, Mark Jago is a semi-regular contributor to this Blog, however his insights on issues of the day, are to be increasing found in the comments section of articles published online by the better UK Newspapers.

The above headline is borrowed from an article written by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling on the 2nd December 2009 in the online Times paper laying out a case for the City of London to remain a prominent European financial center.   This is in response to City concerns about Gordon Browns agreeing to new European market oversight and the appointment of Michel Barnier as the new EU Single Market Commissioner to oversee regulatory reform.   It makes an interesting read into the thinking of a Government attempting to create an impression that is 180 degrees out of step with reality.
You can read the article here: A strong City is not just in Britain's interests

The Chancellor fails to mention that the Royal Bank of Scotland was allowed by his Government to leverage itself up to become the world’s largest bank with perhaps the largest exposure to toxic mortgage assets.  Also that Banks outside the UK and US were the victims of US and UK financial policies of exporting systemic risk which caused the freezing and failure of the world economy.  While he talks about having a safe market place, financial regulation and ensuring taxpayers and customers do not pay for bank failures.  We all know that he and his Government have created an environment where the opposite is true.  In terms of doing business in the UK companies, small business, investors and customers face a very high risk of loss due to the Government and financial industry.

With the advent of online electronic banking there is now little reason to use UK institutions. Companies and traders can trade stocks 24/7 on various exchanges around the world.  Large corporate funding is generally funded by multiple Banks and can be arranged in jurisdictions like Canada where there is better downside protection against systemic risk.  By any measure given the current UK economic and political situation the cost of doing business in the UK could turn out to be an unacceptable risk.  It remains to be seen if Europe is willing to take on the City once they have a full understanding of the risks involved.

My comment as published the Times is as follows:
 It's simply stunning to see that people are still attempting to rewrite history in order to carry on as before.   The world made the mistake in putting its trust in the large UK and the US financial centers.

It was debt issued through these financial centers classified by their regulators as AAA that turned out to be toxic.  This debt contained risky packaged mortgages that were sold in a similar way that resulted in the previous failure of the London insurance market.  Mortgage brokers were paid large fees to sell mortgages to people who had no hope of even being able to pay the interest on the loan.   The world made the mistake in putting its trust in the large UK and the US financial centers.

The US and UK Governments were instigators who dismantled financial oversight.  They miss-managed their economies and created the housing bubbles that caused the financial crisis and recession.  Both countries have massive Government borrowing requirements facilitated by funding through their financial centres.  In simple terms they have built a money machine that takes the wealth created by ordinary people around the world and concentrates it in the hands a few greedy advantaged individuals in London and New York.

Had there been a shred of honesty within the institutions of this land there should have been an admission of fault and help for the honest people and businesses that have been damaged by their actions.   As usual Government politicians have put their own interests ahead of those of the country and deflected responsibility by blaming others, stonewalling and whitewashing the facts.

The City would have you think that they are an indispensible part of the world economy. In fact they have brought about their own eventual demise.

The Extradite Gary McKinnon Saga Continues

My views on the Gary McKinnon Case and the Extradition Treaty were detailed on the 01st August 2009 in this post.
Extradite Gary McKinnon, no problem. But now let's fix the Extradition Treaty
Even the Home Secretary after reversing his decision to not to review the case (U-Turns being one of the few things British Ministers seem good at), has found that there are NO valid reasons to stop the extradition.

As a reminder on what this is all about:
Gary McKinnon hacked into 97 Computers belonging to:
United States Defense Department, US Navy, US Army, US Air Force, and NASA in the months after the Sept. 11 attacks. In the process of causing (by latest figures) $700,000USD of Damage, and stole 1,000 passwords from high-security computer networks.

He has admitted he did indeed commit these crimes, but only because he was looking for information on U.F.O.’s. Hmm, if this was indeed his only agenda, why did he leave the following message on one of the Pentagon computers he hacked:
“U.S. foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism. I will continue to disrupt at the highest possible level.”

The Lawyers acting for the US in the Extradition Case have described Mr McKinnon as:
The most prolific and damaging computer hacker in the history of the United States military.
Well I would change the wording to:
The most prolific and damaging, non-state supported computer hacker in the history of the United States military, that has been caught so far.
But then these are only Lawyers and what do they know about Cyber-Espionage being carried out against all Western Countries Military and Industry.
But despite this caveat, the crimes committed mean Gary McKinnon was carrying out acts of Cyber-Terrorism against the USA.

But hold on, a Professor watching a Television Interview  being given by McKinnon after extradition proceedings had started, began to suspect that he was suffering from Asperger syndrome, and subsequently he was indeed diagnosed as a sufferer of this disorder in August 2008 (three years into the Extradition proceedings). Asperger Syndrome is viewed as being within the Autism Spectrum of Disorders and is the cause of much discussion amongst researchers and indeed sufferers whether it is a difference (i.e within the spectrum of normal behaviour), rather than a disability that must be treated or cured.

As covered in my earlier post, Gary McKinnon does seem to fit some of the Asperger Profile, but surely this should have been diagnosed in Childhood when the symptoms are more pronounced rather than in his early 40's. Also within Asperger, like any of the disorders within the Autism Spectrum, there are huge variations between individuals.
If Asperger's is a valid defence, then there is no reason why this would not be considered as valid in a US Court as in a UK one?
Alternatively now that it is known that in Gary McKinnon case Asperger's is so serious that his obsessive behaviour meant that he went out and attacked the systems of a British Ally, then why hasn't he been sectioned under the Mental Health Acts and currently in a secure facility and (as there is nor real treatment) confined there for the rest of his life?

A lot of People from the British Autism Society to a bunch of Cross-party MP's and 'Celebrities' have jumped on the Save Gary McKinnon bandwagon. At least in the case of the British Autism Society, I have some sympathy with their stance as for the rest, well..

The only Person for whom I have both sympathy and respect in this case is Gary McKinnon's Mother, Janis Sharp who has mounted one of the most impressive campaigns in support of her son that I have ever known. Having said that, I believe her campaign should fail and that Gary McKinnon's case be heard in an American Court on the eight counts of computer fraud, that the extradition request is connected with.

But this does NOT in any way change my views on the 2003 Extradition Treaty. It is one of a small number of issues where I agree with Shami Chakrabarti (I respect and admire the Lady, just don't often agree with her) that this Extradition Law is in need of urgent reform. I would go further, in the next parliament the Treaty should be revoked and whilst renegotiated replaced by Extradition on a case by case basis.
See:UK-US Extradition Treaty and Certain American Politicians Support for Terrorists Posted on 13th August 2006 .
After all one of the reasons it is so imbalanced is the concern that members of the IRA living in the US would not be given a fair trail if extradited to Britain and one of the concerns of the British Supporters of Gary Mckinnon is that he won't get a fair trial in the USA, I trust US Justice the same as I trust British Justice, I view both with considerable reservations, but they both attempt to give defendants a fair trial - My Objection to the NatWest Three being extradited, was their case clearly fell within British Jurisdiction and due the intense anger over Enron, there was a possibility of trial bias. But the reason that I support Gary McKinnon's Extradition is treaty, or not, this case falls within US Jurisdiction and there is NOT the same US Domestic angst.

Who Mourns Senator Kennedy? - Not I

Senator Edward Kennedy died on the 25 August 2009. I will not mourn him, but his death has reminded me to mourn for the British Soldiers and Civilians killed, or maimed in Northern Ireland during Senator Kennedy's 30 year support of Terrorism in the United Kingdom Province of Northern Ireland and his positive encouragement to Americans to give money to the 'cause', which misguidedly they did, to the tune of Hundreds of Millions of Dollars.

During the troubles, it became a tradition for Fenian murderers to routinely feted on St Patrick’s Day by members of the US political establishment , and no American Politician welcomed them more warmly than Senator Edward Kennedy:



Whenever Margaret Thatcher visited Washington, Senator Kennedy could always be seen wearing a bright green tie, an unsubtle ''statement'' on his part of his support for Republicanism - something which the then Prime Minister was always aware of but chose to ignore (also a sign of how he retained a very 'juvenile outlook', even in late middle-age).

After 9/11 when even the Irish-American Romantics discovered what Terrorism really means and the mood in Northern Ireland Politics was changing, like any Political Animal, Senator Kennedy sniffed the wind and changed his Public Stance.

His public change of heart, positively supporting the peace process, even going so far as to publicly snub Jerry Adams, won him many plaudits, an even if in the unlikely event this change was real (and I doubt his views actually change one iota) it cannot expunge the previous 30 years.

Maybe Senator Kennedy was a good Servant to his Country on Domestic Issues, from here, he was a bigoted supporter of Terrorism.

As for his very public, Private Life: A man who if he had not been a Kennedy, would have likely faced extremely serious charges in connection with the death of Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969 in the 'Chappaquiddick Incident' (instead receiving a two month suspended sentence for leaving the scene), but even after this he continued to lead a lifestyle which would have shamed a juvenile-celebrity right through until the end of the 1980's.

The fact that an Honourary Knighthood was given to a man who had inherited his fathers loathing for Britain, supported Terrorism and was without doubt flawed in so many other ways, is a stain on my nations honour.

But he now faces the ultimate judgement, fortunately for him God is all forgiving. But it is going to be a very long time before I forgive his support of terrorism in my country.

Extradite Gary McKinnon, no problem. But now let's fix the Extradition Treaty

The Idle Man has followed the Gary McKinnon Hacker Case with some interest, but with little sympathy for Mr McKinnon. After all he is not being accused of some minor misdemeanour, but of hacking into the computer systems of the United States Army, Navy and Air Force, plus the United States Department of Defence and NASA, as well as sabotaging vital American military systems after the terror attacks of September 11 2001. In addition McKinnon is alleged to have caused Criminal Damage by his actions, which have been calculated to total $750,000 USD for remedial action and repair. Any Government would, based on these allegations go to any lengths for extradition and subsequent prosecution.

In the UK a large number of high profile people and much of the media are stating that the current extradition treaty should NOT apply in this case as it was designed to counter terrorism. From the viewpoint of any Government, the allegations against Gary McKinnon are effectively charges of Terrorism, although prefixed with cyber. But make no mistake Cyber Terrorism may not have the instant, spectacular media impact of a Bomb Attack but if it is successful, it can easily be just as dangerous to society.

Apparently Mr McKinnon has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome which even the medical profession cannot spell consistently and whilst McKinnon appears to in part fit the Asperger profile, in other areas it appears from the background to the case he does not (social interaction does not appear to have been impaired and he has even been part of the Hackers Panel at InfoSecurity Europe). What makes Asperger syndrome even more interesting is that there is now discussion as to whether this is a disability that must be treated, or a just a 'difference' that falls with the spectrum of normal Human behaviour. So using the Asperger defence always seemed more than a little disingenuous.

So as far as I am concerned the McKinnon Allegations do fall within the original purpose and spirit of the Extradition Treaty and whilst my view counts for nothing, it has been supported in Law up to and including the Law Lords and the European Court of Human Rights, which have rejected his appeal against extradition.

What I find ironic is that this fast-track Treaty has occupied the Legal Profession for three years! When for once it was actually being used for the purpose for which, at least the British thought it was designed. Of course because of the implicit imbalance to the treaty, if an American Hacker had done the same to the MoD, MI5, or SIS Systems, Britain would NOT under the treaty have able to extradite them.

Now the obstacles to Gary McKinnon being extradited, there will be a jury trial under the American Justice System. So Gary McKinnon will have his 'day in court'(although I suspect this will actually be weeks in Court). There are four possible outcomes:

1. He will be found guilty of all charges and if this is the case a very long sentence is appropriate.
2. He will be found guilty of some of the charges and if is the case the sentence should appropriate to those he is found guilty of.
3. His Lawyers will successfully use the Asperger defence, but hopefully this will still mean he will be institutionalised for a period for assessment to ensure he is not going to repeat his actions.
4. He is found not guilty of all charges - Extremely Unlikely!
   

Whilst I have every sympathy with McKinnon's Mother attempts to stop her son being extradited (and indeed have much more sympathy for her tireless efforts than I have for her Son), I find it embarrassing and distasteful that 40 British Members of Parliament have, after the Legal Processes have been exhausted have jumped on the McKinnon bandwagon by writing to the US President. Their protest is NOT about whether after a Trial he is found guilty and the punishment is too harsh, but the fact that he should NOT stand trial at all. If these allegations are true and this man attacked an ally and compromised their national security then it is only right that the USA should have the right to try him for these Crimes. True he is being extradited under a flawed and imbalanced treaty, but these MPs efforts would be better served by NOT using the case for self-serving publicity, but working hard to get the provisions of the Treaty fixed, so that there is no imbalance and it limited to the purposes that the British Government believed it would be applied! In the case of McKinnon, the treaty (flawed though it is) has been correctly applied.

The Idle Man, is as so often the case, is apparently out of step with Media and Political Opinion (what the general public thinks, matters not one jot - After all the e-Petition to the Prime Minister to stop the extradition, only managed to obtain 876 Signatures before it closed, not exactly an outpouring of support). So be it, but I consider what Gary McKinnon is alleged to have done, constitutes extremely serious crimes against an ally of this country and he should stand trial for those crimes in the country against which he launched his attacks, But that does not in any way alter my view that the current extradition treaty should be suspended until the provisions of the treaty between UK and USA apply equally to both Countries. This should not stop the Gary McKinnon Extradition because the Legal Processes were finally taken to the European Court of Human Rights and the extradition was upheld (quite rightly).

In the interests of Balance here are three of External Websites that show support for Gary McKinnon's attempts to avoid Extradition and Trial in the USA:
Free Gary McKinnon - or at least give him a fair trial in the United Kingdom - Blog
Daily Mail Articles in Support of Gary McKinnon
London TV Net

About that Extradition Treaty:
Posts in this Blog:
UK-US Extradition Treaty and Certain American Politicians Support for Terrorists - 13th August 2003
The NatWest Three - 29th November 2007

External Sites:
Extradition Act of 2003 - The UK Statute Law Database
The Extradition Act 2003 - Wikipedia Entry
StateWatch News Online – Special Report on the ‘New US_UK Extradition Treaty - 2003
MPs Impotently Huffing and Puffing in Parliament - Hansard via They Work for You - 15th July 2009

News Update:
Alan Johnson: I can’t stop extradition - Times Online 2nd August 2009:
In this article the Home Secretary states he cannot stop the extradition as he would be breaking the Law. However once again Gary McKinnon is described as young (he is 43, which means he should be described as of middle age), Vulnerable (so vulnerable he can sit on the InfoSecurity Hackers panel and give a number of media interviews) and Misguided (He certainly is, he got so overconfident whilst hacking into US Defence Computers and those of NASA that he misguidedly got careless and therefore got caught).

I would rather the Home Secretary concentrated on making his Department 'fit for purpose' and ensuring that illegals are deported, dangerous prisoners stay in jail and sorting out the totally mismanaged National ID Card Scheme, than writing articles for the Sunday Times.

Fundamental Political change is critically needed in the UK

An Article by: Mark Jago - Published with his permission
The Opinions Expressed are those of the Author.

I hate to say that I told you so, if you read my article posted here on the 5th of January about how the Governments inept credit crises policies are inflicting social and economic damage. You will begin to understand why day by day their fiddling is the root cause of the continuing economic implosion. Exposing the fundamental flaws of a supposedly benign benevolent state and laying bare a corrupt political culture that has led the country to the edge of a cataclysmic economic and social collapse.

Such is the entrenchment of the states misguided policies, culture and philosophises that UK society over decades has become indoctrinated, compliant and resigned to accept a miserable existence that is the lot of the majority of UK citizens. It's not until you move away and live outside the UK do you begin to understand how its society has been deceived by a system that rewards only a select few.

There are simple questions that in an ethical society have simple answers. Basically we hold people to account for their actions and expect a certain level of responsibility in the way we conduct our daily lives. If you apply these questions to the government it's clear that the government is giving money to thieves who have been systematically stealing it aided and abetted by its own dismantling of ethical safeguards. Unlike professional engineers, architects and doctors, politicians are not held accountable for the damage inflicted by their selfish, short sighted and inept political decisions. The government continues to metaphorically hold their citizens hands in the fire giving them little or no opportunity to exercises their democratic rights to oppose its undemocratic rule.

Democracy is a form of government in which state-power is held by the majority of citizens within a country. For this to be affective all members of the society (citizens) should have equal access to power and all members (citizens) must be able to enjoy universally recognized freedoms and liberties.

By any moral standards the UK is a non democratic centralistic dictatorship where there is no charter of freedoms and rights afforded equally to all members of society. In a democratic society politicians get replaced when they don't perform up to expectations. In a democratic society governments regularly get dissolved and new elections held when they fail to live up their democratic mandate.

The behaviour of the current government can only be classified as disgusting and by any measure it fails measurably to act in the best interests of its citizens. There is a litany of indicators that classify it amongst the most oppressive regimes in the world.

The classic indicators of dictatorships are as follows:

• A regime that is obsessed with its own security, feels the need to prioritize military expenditures over the economic well being of the country. It's a bully that justifies its interference into other countries affairs and dictates policy which it has no intention of following itself. Two examples are the invasion of Iraq and the continued investments in nuclear submarine weapons. A nuclear deterrent is not a viable option in a country that where a large portion of the population are former citizens of 140 countries. In a country that is increasing reliant on potential antagonist countries for its energy, its economic well being and for food imports.
• A regime that feels threatened by its own citizens and attempts to micro manage every aspect of their daily lives. Implements laws that restrict citizen's rights and freedoms, uses excessive surveillance to keep track on them and encourages government bodies to snoop on them and to harass them. Curtails the freedom of their citizens to voice objections and uses excessive policing tactics to manage and unlawfully detain protesters. The policing of the G20 protests is a good example of this where violence with initially instigated by the police, individual police identity numbers were hidden and protesters were greatly outnumbered by the police and unlawfully detained.
• It's a regime that institutes a confusing array of laws which it then selectively enforces to create a dual class society with an un-equal recourse to justice for the majority. Typically the victim is punished and the perpetrators are sheltered from prosecution and or punishment. Malpractice in the police force, health service, government departments and banking investment services are examples of this. Look at the news media any day and incompetence and malpractice has become common to the point that public has become "tuned out" to the abuses. An example this week is the trial of three legal immigrant's that made millions by forging immigration papers and qualifications that the home office didn't bother to check rubber stamping hundreds maybe thousands of legal immigrant's entry into the UK.
• Typically dictator regimes are grossly incompetent and have an incestuous relationship with various levels financial and government institutions. The people in charge are usually poorly qualified and too busy looking after their selfish needs to manage proper oversight of the areas under their control. These people can be identified easily by the way that they reward themselves with bonuses, perks and large guaranteed pensions. While they at the same time ensure that legitimate business and workers pay the consequences for the regimes incompetence with the loss of their business, jobs, homes and pensions. For those who remain solvent is the cost of living and running a business is constantly increased with additional taxes to make up for the short fall of government funds. The announced autumn increase in Petrol tax is one is just one example of this.
• Particularly sleazy dictator regimes portray themselves as democracies. These can be identified by the way their version of democracy is managed.
  
  Typically a cosy relationship between two parties, perks and pensions tend to be similar for the opposition, less hassle and more time to enjoy life. The opposition is weak and ineffective and offers little alternatives to voters.
  
  The opportunity to vote and who to vote for is kept to a minimum. A vote once every five years for a small number of representatives in proportion to the population for party pre-screened preselected candidates that will follow party lines with little effective democratic choice exercised.
  
  Power is tightly held by a very few powerful people. The Prime Minister being selected by the ruling party and positions of power are given out at his discretion in a way that consolidates his own power base.
  
  Elected cabinet members are outnumbered by powerful non elected civil servants and other non elected members such those that the government have selected to be members of House of Lords.
  
  It is in affect an exclusive club that rewards its members well for keeping the status quo going. Increasingly, powerful politicians are selected to cabinet by Prime Ministers having them made members of the House of Lords and circumventing the need to call a by-election and a voter mandate.
  
  In Parliament question time is a choreographed event designed to give an impression of democracy that in effect does not exist. Creating a democratically elected House of Lords is example of a government policy talked about and never implemented.
  

Recent events in the United States of America with the election of a new President prove that democracy however biased in favour of a rich and powerful corporate élite can be won back by grass roots citizen activists. President Barack Obama and his team are working very quickly to put right the excessive abuses of the previous republican administration. Unlike the UK, elections in the USA are held every two years and power is overwhelmingly held by democratically elected officials with power being shared by the members of the House of Representatives, the Congress and the President. Powerful positions held by non elected officials have to be confirmed with public hearings in the House of Representatives and Congress. These posts are normally only held for the period that the President remains in power, the President not being allowed to serve more than two four year terms. The President recently "opened the door" to holding members of the previous administration legally responsible for the abuses perpetrated by their administration.

The current UK government and previous US administration were co instigators of deregulation with the removal safeguards that were implemented to curb the fraudulent excesses post to the nineteen thirties US financial collapse and depression. The UK and USA governments used their dominance in the world financial markets to gain benefit from fraudulent financial manipulation of the markets and to make easy money available to create a housing bubble in their countries. Those policies sparked the global financial crisis and economic meltdown. The UK financial markets were active participants in creating the commodities bubble by buying commodities, taking them out of the consumer markets ensuring that prices went up and then selling into an inflated market. The dumping of these investments contributed to the collapse of the oil markets and North Sea energy industry*

As expected the government has now resorted to having the Bank of England print money to keep the economy afloat. My previous blog reported that the UK due to reckless government policies will suffer a deeper recession for longer than other most other world economies. Also that inflation would be the nail in the coffin that seals the fate of the UK. These things are coming to pass with the upturn in China trade and the bottoming and signs of a turnaround in the US economy.

The government will quickly find that the US is no longer interested in a special relationship with the UK. The world is no longer interested in paying for the UK's free lunch, the party is over. It will be interesting to see if the British public is willing to accept the UK becoming an African like failed state, or take to the streets in protest like the citizens of other European states are expected to do this summer?

The Idle Man Notes:
I hope this article generates a range of comments, it is both provocative as well as thought provoking.

Other Articles by Mark Jago on this blog:


05th January 2009:
Banks Risk Scottish North Sea Oil industry and Britain's Energy Future
This is referenced twice in the above

10th February 2009:
Banks Continued Failure to Provide Loans makes a UK Depression Inevitable

30th March 2009:
An intelligent World is no longer fooled by G20 Summit Theatre

An intelligent World is no longer fooled by G20 Summit Theatre

Another thought provoking article by Mark Jago - Republished here with permission:

Most people are already aware of five point plan that is the substance of the Thursday event, as it has been made available to the media prior to the G20 summit. What remains is choreographed theatre that political leaders feel obliged to participate in as a PR exercise for consumption by their respective home audiences. For an increasingly isolated Gordon Brown it's likely one of his last opportunities to strut on the world stage in a vain attempt to cast him as a savoir rather than a central contributor to the financial crisis.

The governments of United States and the United Kingdom have yet to formally admit that it was their political leadership that was complicit in allowing state run institutions to be active partners with rogue financial institutions in the perpetration systemic fraud that created the credit crisis and global recession. It will be interesting to hear what the individual G20 leaders have to say beyond the confines of the carefully scripted summit media statements.

President Obama and his team in the just over sixty days since he became president has done a stunning job in putting in place measures to turn the US economy around. While it’s is too early to expect not to have additional economic bad news, for the US spring is bringing with it signs of a bottom and turn around with new hope of an economic recovery towards the end of this year. Corrective measures to “market to market” accounting and modifications to the stock market up-tick rule and government money to help home owners, tax cuts and funding for public infrastructure projects all helping to create renewed economic growth. Government regulators and the corporate managements have been brought before congress to account for their actions and there will be people that will eventually be held responsible and go to jail.

As Gordon Brown prepares to chair the G20 summit hoping to gain additional stimulus package funding, the outlook of the UK stands in stark contrast to that of the US. Changes in the US have been ongoing over the past 16 months, with the lowering of US interest rates, improvements in exports, home foreclosure measures and tax rebate cheque stimulus. The election of a new president has brought about the replacement of the previous governments powerful Washington State Department heads and a new approach to US policy.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown who presided over the unfettered excesses of the UK's financial service industry, sold the UK gold reserves at fire sale prices, and treated essential industries like the North Sea energy and tax payers as his personal piggy bank in order to pay for his profligate political agenda. Facing catastrophe has pumped billions of pounds into failed banking system and taken a 16 billion pound hit with an in effective 1 percent cut of the VAT tax. In recent weeks it's become apparent that tax payers will be paying billions of pounds to replace public sector pension money losses which will presumably include the cost of the now disgraced RBS chairman's pension. A man who it is reported that the Prime Minister used to invite to his weekend parties along with the others of the UK Banking fraternity. In addition to having to pay back over many decades the money borrowed to bail out the banks and for the stimulus package.

The Prime Minister will tell G20 leaders that a clampdown is necessary to curb tax havens by individuals and companies, is obviously desperate to raise money from any source that he can find. His Energy Minister Mike O'Brien last week said that the Government was looking at securing funds from the European Investment Banks and admitted that the North Sea is unlikely to meet production targets for 2010. This after the Government sat idly by and failed to act to prevent RBS from pulling a line of credit from major North Sea driller Oilexco. For which Canadian management and shareholders paid last week the ultimate price for putting their trust in a partnership with the UK Government and its Banks. O'Brian also said that he is waiting to hear back from the EIB and North Sea Energy Companies that may be experiencing difficulties. Could it be that these mostly foreign companies think that better odds can be had by teaming up with the mafia?

The Prime Minister who has continued to insist that the UK is "better placed" than others to weather the crisis was told last week by the Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King that the Country had reached its limit on money it can borrow to spend its way out of the crisis. Former labour Lord Owen the put UK situation in to accurate prospective saying that "There is an air of breathtaking unreality in Westminster and Whitehall that reminds me of 1975," he wrote. "Hard choices need to be taken now, not postponed until after an election in 2010."

Many people would like to hear what is said behind closed doors at Thursdays G20 meeting. Could it be that the UK's next "special relationship" will be with the IMF? The world is quickly losing patience with this feckless selfish government.

Three Elections - Interesting Results

Due to other matters and being diverted by another issue, the Idle Man is behind the curve on posting about three important elections, so:

Glenrothes
Whilst back in July I saw the SNP victory in the Glasgow East By-Election as a much needed 'shock' to the current Government
(I enjoyed the Glasgow East By-Election), this time around as one who believes in the United Kingdom, the last thing I wanted was an SNP Victory. The pundits predicted it would be a close run thing between Labour and the SNP and therefore it was a relief when Labour won comfortably.

I found Alan Cochrane's Article in todays (8th Nov 08) Online Edition of the Daily Telegraph particularly Interesting:
Glenrothes by-election: Scotland independence question sank Alex Salmond's SNP as it sums up my views so much better than I can express them!

US Presidential Election
The lead up to this election retained by interest much longer than usual, but with 14 Days to go, I just got totally turned off by the amount of increasingly repetitive coverage being given by the British Media.

However as an Interested observer I was not so much impressed by the fact that Barack Obama won, but the scale of the victory.
Regardless of what happens Barack Obama as the first mixed-race Afro-American President elect has already earned a footnote in History. As President he is going to face serious challenges both at home and abroad, but is also burdened by expectations from his supporters which are so great, that no president could meet more than a proprotion of them. It is therefore vital that he and vice-president elect Joe Biden, build a strong team to support the new presidency that can work their way through the minefield of challenges facing them and with the support of a Democratic controlled Congress pushes through the agenda he has set.
I hope history will assess him as one of the great American Presidents, but only time will tell!

New Zealand General Election
In Britain the lead up to the New Zealand elections have been
over shadowed by Glenrothes and the US Presidential elections, the result marks a shift in New Zealand from Centre Left, to Centre Right, with the National Party winning 45.5% of the vote, to the previously incumbent Labour Party polling 33.8%.

Because of proportional representation system, to form a Government, John Key leader of the National Party is going to have to gain the support of several minor parties and the at least tacit support of the Maori Party. As the Maori Party views on some matters is highly divergent from those of the National Party, this could get interesting.

Helen Clark who has been New Zealand Prime Minister for 9 years, accepted responsibility for her parties loss of the election and will stand down as Labour Party Leader.

The Idle Man see this change as being as much about the electorate being jaded (Third-Term-Itus) about the Labour Government as a vote for National Party Policies.
As an observer, I have had mixed (in some cases extremely negative) views about Helen Clark's policies, but despite this believe she has been an important and overall one of New Zealand's best Prime Ministers.

Mobile Phones On Aircraft - US Congress to vote on in-flight mobile ban

As those of you who follow the rambling path this blog takes, I have a problem with using Mobile Phones in-flight.

I first looked at this subject back in October 2007 with a piece entitled:
Mobile Phones on Aircraft - Like the Technology - Hate the Consequences

This was followed by an update Mobile Phones On Aircraft - Update In November 2007.
This was an Article 'lifted; from the excellent ABTN Site.

Now another excellent site The Register has published today news that US Lawmakers are going to vote on the pithily entitled HANG UP (Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace) Act, which has passed the committee stage.

Now this act is NOT based on safety concerns (the current FAA rules are based on safety fears for which there is NO real justification), but on these calls being an Annoying Nuisance (Which they certainly will be).

Whilst I am always suspicious about the motives of some US Legislators (see Sniping at Airbus – A game all the US Establishment can play, from June 2005 which has a slight connection with this subject and UK-US Extradition Treaty and Certain American Politicians Support for Terrorists; from August 2006, which doesn't), on this occasion I am on the side of those who drafted this act and hope it makes it into to US Law.
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This will of course upset those who ae addicted to Mobile Calls and Texting, but this law will at least mean the experience of flying to, from and across the USA will not become any worse and for that every frequent business traveller will be immensely grateful.

Newer Post on this subject:
Mobile Phones on Aircraft: Ryanair Rollout Voice/SMS/Email Services
24th February 2009