Dear Prime Minister. About My Pension

The following is a genuine letter (with the senders details removed) which was sent to the Prime Minister on the 15th May 2009. The contents will strike a cord with 1,000's of women, who have reached pensionable age and then discovered that because during their working life they had to take time out to care for members of their family, they are considered to be worth less than an unemployed school leaver:

The Right Honourable Gordon Brown
Dear Prime Minister,

I have worked for 40 years, 11 years full time and 29 years part time, paying full stamp for 11 years and then lower stamp for 29 years. I went part time to enable me to care for my parents who were both in bad health, and in order for me to do this I paid the lower stamp, and continued to work part time in more recent years to look after my sick husband.

Because of the strain of caring almost continually for these years I had to give up work at 6 months over 56.

When my husband retires in September this year I have learnt I will receive a pension of £57.05. This makes me one of the many women in this Country who have paid N.I. contributions some at the higher rate and some at the lower rate, paid taxes, cared for sick relatives, been hardworking and responsible human beings, to find our reward in our retirement is less than Job Seekers allowance. This can be paid to individuals who may have paid none or very few contributions, some who are still living with parents, with no expenses at all. In some cases, I understand, benefit can be paid to individuals who have never contributed. The rules seem a lot stricter for people in my situation, which seems very unfair. Where savings and Council tax are concerned the formula used to calculate entitlement to help, is ridiculous and outdated.

I know I am only one of hundreds and thousands of women who are in my position in this Country today, who are the forgotten, overlooked and undervalued members of society.

I am also very angry when I hear and read in the media about the alleged misuse of M.P.s expenses, and how I am expected to live on my income.

I look forward to receiving you comments.
Yours sincerely.

The Idle Man can do little more than point out that Pensioners are an increasing percentage of the electorate and if this. or any future Government continues to ignore them, then they do so at their peril.

Reply from the Prime Ministers Office
(Scanned and OCRed):

10 DOWNING STREET
LONDON MA2AA
www.number10.gov.uk

From the Direct Communications Unit

3 June 2009

Name and Address Removed


Dear xxxxxxxxxx.

The Prime Minister has asked me to thank you for your recent letter and to say that the views that you have expressed have been carefully noted.

Mr Brown would like to reply to you personally, but as you may know, he receives many thousands of letters each week and his many duties mean that he must ask Government Departments to reply on his behalf. He does appreciate the time that people take to write to him.

The Prime Minister has asked that I pass your letter to the Department for Work and Pensions so that they are aware of your views and may reply to the detailed points raised in your letter.

Yours Sincerely
MRS S.CAINE

Assuming there is a communication from the Department of Work and Pensions it will be posted here:

UK and Holland inching further Right

Which UK Party has the following as part of its core policy?
We will freeze immigration for five years, speed up deportation of
up to a million illegal immigrants by tripling the numbers engaged in
deportations, and have ‘no home no visa’ work permits to ease the
housing crisis.
No not the BNP, who now have two MEPs, but UKIP with 13 MEPs.

Staying with UKIP as they now have the second largest number of MEPs in the UK and intend to field a large number of candidates in the next General Election should we now consider them a Mainstream Party?

Moving over to Holland and the situation where the far-right PVV has won 4 European Parliament Seats and has Nine MPs in the Dutch Parliament.

For some years the Idle Man has considered Dutch Public opinion as an indicator of future trends in British Public opinion.

If the Dutch, who for all my adult life, have been one of the most tolerant of nations has moved this far to the right, then my guess is unless the Mainstream Parties in Britain address the reasons for the BNP and UKIP gains, then in five years time the Far Right may not just a cause for concern, but a major force in British Politics.

But I fear the three main parties, other than occasionally wringing their Hands about the rise of the BNP and promising to do something to address the reasons, will actually do little, or nothing.

In the European Parliament my guess is that two BNP MEPs will 'double team' with the four MEPs from the PVV (after all they have so much in common) but whether they and the PVV join the Independence/Democracy Group (of which UKIP is a member) or combine with other Far-Right MEPs (with whom they have less common ground) to form a new Group is going to be a situation to watch.

External Links to the Parties Mentioned in this Post
UKIP - United Kingdom Independence Party
See the UKIP Policies Section both summary and detail.
BNP - British National Party
PVV - Partij voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom) English Website

Other External Links
Independence/Democracy Group Web Site
Independence/Democracy Group - Wikipedia Entry

Nick Robinson BBC Political Editor Blog
Mark Mardell's Euroblog

Tonights European Election Results are in!

The results mean, unlike the Idle Man, most Labour MP's will have trouble sleeping. Not of course over the problems that face the country, but over their careers. The Disasters in Wales and the South West are just bigger blackspots in a nationwide picture of misery for the Labour Party (and I am sorry to say I cannot find even a smidgen of sympathy for their plight).

The Conservative Leadership will be pleased at their share of the vote. Plus MEP Daniel Hannan confirmed his celebrity status with his acceptance statement:

For the Lib Dems a slightly disappointing night, but at the end of it all one seat gained.
But for The Greens and UKIP a good night and for the pariahs of the far right the BNP, a night of joyous celebration having not just achieved one MEP, but two!

Whilst the rest of today will be interesting for those who follow the Westminster Soap Opera, but as for actually getting to grips with the problems that face the country and need to address the underlying reasons for the BNP success, another wasted day.

At close of play tonight the results were:

1. Conservatives 24 (+1)
2. UKIP 13 (+1)
3. Labour 11 (-5)
4. Lib Dems 10 (+1)
5. Green 2 (No Change)
6. BNP 2 (+2)
7. Plaid Cymru 1 (No Change)
   

Squirrel Nutkin and the WAGs

Hell hath no fury like a Woman Scorned: Well Gordon Brown has scorned three women recently and one about a year ago. Plus a number other Ladies, who feel disgruntled and marginalised since Gordon became PM.

The result the monthly Quiet Girls Night Dinners for Senior Members of the Sisterhood (a body of female Labour MPs more loyal to each other than their party and Blairites to a woman - Surely their loyalty should be to their Country, their Constituents, then their Party. Silly me, these are New Labour Politicians, self before all others) has metamorphosed into the WAGs (Women Against Gordon).
Membership of the WAGs is basically the same as the original Social Dinner Group, but with a single focussed agenda: revenge.

The fact this country is at War in Afghanistan, faces a Terrorist Threat - At time of writing this is deemed Severe and a terrorist attack is highly likely, coupled with a severe Economic Recession (leading to ever higher unemployment, exacerbating the already serious problems with the Health and Education Sectors, Business and Manufacturing), is irrelevant to this group of (sic) Honourable Ladies.

So who are the WAGs all of whom entered Politics as a Career (tsk, I mean of course Public Service - Where is that hollow laughter coming from)?
Well as they are on a bit of a recruiting drive at the moment. the list of shame that follows only covers the key members, three of whom are shown (in happier times) in the picture below:

Caroline Flint, Squirrel Nutkin & Jacqui Smith

• Caroline Flint: - Nice to Look at, but unpredictable emotional behaviour. Was a briefly gushing Gordon Groupie, until Gordon didn't give her what she wanted and immediately became the harpie from hell:
  
  
  
  Caroline Flint in Modelling Pose (at least in Modelling a hissy fit is accepted) .
• Hazel Blears: (aka Squirrel Nutkin): Resigned just before she was pushed.
  
  
  
• Jacqui Smith: Resigned before she was pushed. A relief to the Idle Man who felt she had been promoted way beyond her limited talent.
  
  
• One Apparent leading WAG not in the Group Photograph is Ruth Kelly (remember her):
  
  
• Other Current Members it appears include:
  Beverley Hughes, Patricia Hewitt, and Margaret Hodge
  

As this post is having a go at a Group of Labour Politicians, who are all Women, I think it is only fair to finish with quotes from women:

First Geraldine Smith MP writing in the Mail Online:
I’ve always been uncomfortable about women-only groups. I’m not a member of the so-called Women Against Gordon (WAGs) group as Caroline, Hazel Blears and some other Blairite MPs are. Nor would I want to be. I call it the ‘Blair Witch Project’ – not WAGs.

Jan Moir also writing in the Mail Online:
Tired of being girls interrupted, they want to be girls aloud - no matter what price the electorate must pay for their personal ambition.

What a sick joke. Especially when you consider that most of them are in office only because of Labour's notorious 'women only' candidate shortlists.

If their fate had been left to the process of natural political selection on a non-gender basis, they'd all still be teachers, sweet shop assistants, failing social workers or stay-at-home mums.

Judged on merit, all of them would merit not much more than a kick in the pants.

Instead, they are the highly-promoted beneficiaries of reverse sexism; Calamity Jane third-raters who have become drunk on the fleeting tot of power that this Government has poured them before it finally self-combusts.

None of these women is fit to iron Betty Boothroyd's tights. Or polish Barbara Castle's boots. Or even, if we must, sweep Margaret Thatcher's front steps. (Jacqui, dear, you hold the broom the other way up).

Unsurprisingly, Blears and gormless Jacqui Smith are at the core of the group, while other members include Beverley Hughes, Patricia Hewitt, Caroline Flint, Margaret Hodge and Tessa Jowell. Now that's what I call a party! Although not a political one, obviously.

Over quiet suppers in the privacy of their flipped homes, the WAGs meet to compare freebie soft furnishings and get out the taxpayer-subsidised fish knives to stab the Prime Minister in the back.They plot over pasta and cheap wine. Pesto sauce from a jar is dished up alongside over-heated, ready made Blairite grievances with a side order of sour grapes.

My heart almost cracks with the agony of it all.

Well thank you Geraldine and Jan, I guess you are both off certain peoples Christmas Card List!

Present For The BBC - Much Better Pay than being an MP

The base salary for an MP is nearly £65,000. Which is about twice what many of them are worth. But if based on the 'job description' is probably about £15,000 too low.
Now MP's salaries and expenses have been in the Media spotlight with the BBC in there with the best of them (and quite rightly so).

Yet when it comes to the contracts for its Radio and TV Presenters, it suddenly goes very coy. Siting confidentiality agreements with presenters over pay!
This is the BBC fearless investigator of those whom it deems have their noses in the trough and are riding a gravy train?
Apparently so, but then who but the BBC would pay:

• That aging Juvenile Jonathan Ross £6 Million a year for the past three years and is rumoured to be renewing the contract for another three years at £3 Million a year!
• The miniature man Graham Norton has been paid nearly £2.5 Million a year for the past three years and looks like renewing for less (but almost certainly many times what he is worth i.e. the Minimum Wage plus 10%)
  

But this is the BBC where the 'talentless' are routinely overpaid and allowed to over exercise their egos! Surely there are some decent Chat Show Hosts out there?

Moving on: Jeremy Paxman who is very good at what he does. gets £800,000 for Newsnight and plus more for doing University Challenge, pushing his annual earnings over £1 Million. Yes Jeremy is good, but that good!

Meanwhile, Terry Wogan is reputedly being paid £800,000 a year for his radio show! Whilst Chris Moyles get £630,000. These inflated salaries mean that Production costs for most breakfast and drivetime shows on BBC radio were "much higher" than those on commercial radio stations and the average Presenter Salary was twice that paid by Commercial Radio.

I think the BBC is one of the greatest British Institutions, but some of these salaries are beyond belief and trying to hide information from bodies such as the National Audit Office and House of Commons public accounts select committee is an indication of not only they have something to conceal, but know that they will face the same sort of public outcry that they have helped to stir up against MPs expenses.

The BBC's reaction is typical of the Media's fear of being investigated for the very abuses they publicize in others. Whilst one almost expects this of the Newspapers, the fact that this is the BBC once again shows how low standards have fallen.

However as light relief, here are Stephen Fry's comments on Journalists during an interview with Michael Crick:

“Although, of course, anybody can talk about snouts in troughs, and go on about it, for journalists to do so is almost beyond belief, beyond belief. I know lots of journalists; I know more journalists than I know politicians.And I’ve never met a more venal and disgusting crowd of people when it comes to expenses and allowances."

It is probably the first time I have laughed whilst watching a Newsnight Interview. Whilst I disagree with Stephen over much of what followed in the interview, it is worth watching for his opening comments:

Michael Crick inteviews Stephen Fry on MPs Expenses

The MPs Expenses scandal is a Symptom

I has not previously posted on the scandal of MP's Expenses, because:

• The Daily and Sunday Telegraph were doing such a good job of covering this and the rest of the Mainstream media rushed in with a feeding frenzy to cover any angles that the Telegraph had not dealt with. Thus making any post from me irrelevent.
  
• I was not surprised that some MPs were feeding off the expenses gravy train to an embarrassing, scandalous, and probably illegal extent. The scale of some of the claims and the number of MPs involved playing the system for all it is worth did give me pause, but quite honestly I see this entire scandal as purely a symptom of the collapse of standards in public life.
• In the Article MPs' expenses: Full list of MPs investigated by the Telegraph, there were a few MPs' claims that caused a wry, ironic smile: How Sinn Fein MPs' claimed £500,000 for second homes, the five MPs, who represent the political wing of the IRA, have not even taken up their Parliamentary seats and yet they have rented three London properties from the same family at rates well above the market norm. The Hazel Blears property swap trick, which Gordon Brown has deemed totally unacceptable, I found particularly ironic after my post:
  Agreeing and Disagreeing with Hazel Blears. The case of Alex Salmond who's claims for food allowance even when parliament is not sitting (not that he often attends even when parliament is sitting, because he his playing at being a pseudo prime minister in the Scottish part of the United Kingdom). This claim for Food might be expected of John Prescott and of course he did claim the maximum food allowance, but then even when Deputy PM, he was more interested in his perks than actually doing anything useful.
• One name that (so far) does NOT appear of the Telegraph list of investigated MPs' is George Galloway! This is a surprising omission as he was deemed to be the Worst MP in a Telegraph Article on the 4th April 2009. His value rating which is total expenses claimed (for the year 2007/2008) divided by a calculation of an MPs work rate (attendance, voting record, speeches in debate and number of written questions) is £21,201. This is well over three times the 2nd Worst MP Claire Short with a value rating of £6,546 and almost 70 times worse than the best value MP Philip Hollobone (Conservative, Kettering) with a value rating of £376.

But as I stated earlier this scandal is, I believe just a symptom of the collapse of standards in Public Life, where duty, integrity and public service have lost their meaning to far too many of those we elect to represent us. Where the subtle and sometimes less than subtle corruption of whose elected to office is built into the system (second jobs, free trips and dinners where favours are requested and too often granted, an expenses system designed to be abused, etc) . This coupled with the politicising of some Senior Civil Servants under New Labour, has resulted in the Mother of all Parliaments, being more comparable with Nigerian Political Practices of the recent past than a symbol of how Democracy should work.

The complaint that our Politicians have lost touch with the people who elected them is valid. Unfortunately many of them don't actually see this as a problem as they only have to even consider us at election time and these days they will spin their record and that of their party as best they can, then pray that we re-elect them so they can get their noses back in the trough. After all being an MP is their job, their career, we the electorate are an inconvenience that can be ignored most of the time whilst they get on with being a Politician.

Even some of those who express concern about the need reengage the public in politics have, by their behaviour done this cause serious harm, yes Hazel Blears (nicknames 'Chipmunk' and my favourite from Ian Hislop, 'Squirrel Nutkin') I mean you!

However there are MPs' with integrity and a belief they are in Parliament to make a positive difference, Notably:
Douglas Carswell who was elected in 2005 and shortly afterwards was moved to comment openly of his "revulsion" at the system and how, frankly, he was embarrassed to be an MP - His Blog is now on my must read list!

Blog Links:
BBC Nick Robinson's News Blog
BBC Stephanomics - Stephanie Flanders

Douglas' Blog (Douglas Carswell MP)
his website is here:
Douglas Carswell MP for Harwich and Clacton
Iain Dale's Diary (Tory)
Labour List (Obviously Labour)
(Note - former editor: Derek Draper who resigned due the emails smear scandal)
Guido Fawkes Blog
(Apparently Hazel Blears least favourite political blog
Now on the Idle Man's must read list)

Something worth Reading:
(and I still mean to blog on this):
Revitalizing Politics: Have We Lost the Plot?.
a paper by:
Gerry Stoker, Colin Hay and Andy Williamson.

cc All Emails to Jacqui Smith Day - Not A Good Idea

An internet group is urging internet users to send a copy of all emails they send and receive on the 15th June to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary in protest against the government's plans to monitor internet communications (emails, VoIP calls, texts, internet usage etc). Actually the email address is Home Office Address for comments regarding the Policy Consultation Document and not Jacqui Smith Directly.

Firstly I see the policy, which is in the Consultation Phase, as an extension of existing powers covering 'traditional means of communication'. Probably because I have spent much of my professional life in an industry where Terrorism has been the 'Elephant in the Room', not discussed, but always there, I understand the need for extending current legislation to encompass the internet and am in many ways concerned that this has not been dealt with earlier.
However I can understand that for many people this is an issue, and their concerns have both an emotive and intellectual basis and accept my viewpoint is a pragmatic one because of my background.

Secondly the Consultation Document covers the alternatives methods of achieving what is required, whilst at least giving some consideration to privacy concerns. Despite what some Online Articles and Blogs have indicated, HMG is NOT considering a Central Mega-Database (although the consultation document indicates that this would have been a good solution but not a viable one for non-technical reasons - Note: from the Governments Record on actually implementing major IT projects I see this as non-option anyway). So the alternatives revolve around the collection and storage of the required information by: ISPs, Social Networking Sites and VoIP providers.

Moving on from Policy to Emailing the Home Office. Emailing a Government Department regarding a particular issue, or policy statement is the right of every citizen. Encouraging what is effectively email spamming of a department, is at the very least juvenile and distasteful.

I am not a fan of Jacqui Smith as Home Secretary and really don't believe she should be in that job, nor indeed a Minister of the Crown in any capacity.
Unfortunately the flood of pointless emails will be directed at those trying to put together the comments concerning the Consultation Document and I suspect the effect will be to harden Jacqui Smith's resolve that the policy is necessary and urgent.

Thus the Idle Man finds himself in the awkward position of agreeing with Jacqui Smith that legislation is needed and the consultation document makes sense.

Links:
Protecting the Public in a Changing Communications Environment
If having read the above you want to comment then:
Email the Home Office (But do it before 15th June, as any valid considered comment will be lost in the spam),

In the interests of balance here are some links to sites which have a very different viewpoint to mine:
Henry Potter's Blog - Guardian
NO2ID

Finally of course, you may wish to be Juvenile and Distasteful:
cc all your emails to Jacqui Smith day

The 1939 London-Cape Town Records have been finally Broken

When Alex Henshaw set the record back in 1939 in in a single engined and especially modified Percival Mew Gull Racing Aircraft G AEXF: He flew London - Cape Town - London round trip in Four days, 10 hours and 16 minutes.

No one then could have predicted it would be 70 years before that record would be broken.

Today the 11th May 2009 Charles 'Chalkie' Stobbart completed the same trip in a Home-build Osprey GP4 aircraft in Three Days 15 Hours and 17 Minutes
See the Henshaw Challenge Web Site

A tremendous achievement, but one the Mainstream Media in the UK has ignored, instead considering the breakup of a reality show couple more important.

Whilst Alex Henshaw flew from Gravesend Airport to Cape Town and then back to Gravesend, Chalkie Stobbart departed Cape Town and arrived at Southend and then Back to Cape Town.

Obviously Chalkie benefited from the technical advances in Navigation Technology, but this should take nothing away from a shining example of human endeavour and endurance.

To Chalkie Stobbart:
Well done sir!

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

30th Anniversary of Margaret Thatcher Becoming Prime Minister

On the 4th May 1979 Mrs Margaret Thatcher became the first Woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The next 11 Years saw her Government change Britain and the landscape of British Politics. It is now nearly 19 Years since she was ousted as Prime Minister and yet her legacy still influences both daily and political life.

Love her, or loath her (and some manage to do both) she stands out as one of the greatest British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century, at least in the view of the Idle Man. Whilst it is still to early to make an objective judgement of her place in history, there has already been some reassessment of her time as Prime Minister and I suspect she will keep Political Historians occupied for decades to come.

In October of this year Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven will celebrate her 84th Birthday, I for one hope she enjoys it and has many more to come, but her shadow will still be cast over British Politics even if even if she see her 100th Birthday. Not bad for a Grocers Daughter from Lincolnshire!


For those interested in the Thatcher Years then the Margaret Thatcher Foundation
Website is an essential resource. It certainly has kept the Idle Man fascinated for hours.

Other Sites:
Margaret Thatcher - Wikipedia Entry
Downing Street > Prime Ministers In History > Margaret Thatcher

Bishop of Rochester resigns to become defender of persecuted Christians

Not unfortunately my Headline, but from an article in the Telegraph on the 29th March 2009.

As one of the Lords Spiritual Dr Michael James Nazir-Ali has only come to the Idle Man's attention once before when he controversially, but almost certainly accurately warned that parts of the country had been turned into 'no-go' areas for non-muslims. Which inevitably led to him and his family receiving death threats (See BBC: Bishop warns of 'Islamic areas' 6th January 2008 and from the Times: Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, faces death threats 2nd February 2008)!

Having done a small amount of research, I find myself being extremely impressed by his Lordship, both as a man and as a cleric. Whilst my opinion counts for nothing, it is apparent that within the church he is held in high esteem, even by those who do not always agree with him. In the secular world he has also won the respect of those who have worked with him, or have had other more social contact.

In fact he is just the sort of Senior Cleric the Church needs more of (not just the Church of England either).

However his decision to resign his Bishopric to devote the rest of his career to working in communities where Christians are in a minority, is something I applaud. In too many Countries are persecuted because of their faith and they have long needed a champion of Dr Michael Nazir-Ali calibre.

But it is not only overseas that needs his undoubted talents as converts to Christianity from other faiths (Muslim, Hindu, etc) find themselves, not only ostracized by their former community, but often in danger of being killed, or at least violently attacked.

This country has a long tradition of religious tolerance and whilst I see the urgent need for Dr Michael Nazir-Ali having to pay attention to the problems in the UK, I find it tragic that over the last 30 Years large section of immigrant 'New British Citizens' have not understood that an individuals path to God is their own affair and changing that path is NOT a cause for persecution, much less violence!

For more on and articles by Dr Michael Nazir-Ali see:

• Biography of Nazir-Ali from the Diocese of Rochester
• Extremism flourished as UK lost Christianity (Telegraph 7 January 2008)
• Profile: Michael Nazir-Ali (BBC News 6 January 2008)
• Bishop warns of 'Islamic areas' (BBC 6 January 2008)
• Blair 'nutter' fear angers bishop (BBC 25 November 2007)
• Bishop against 'IVF for lesbians' (BBC 14 September 2007)
• Bishop warns of extremist dangers (BBC 31 December 2006)
• Bishop calls for veil legislation (BBC 24 December 2006)

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.

Agreeing and Disagreeing with Hazel Blears

The Rt Hon Hazel Blears Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has for a variety of reasons started to move from the fuzzy edges of the Idle Man's Political Radar to being further into focus.

So I started to do a smidgen of research on the Lady and came across a BBC Headline: Blears attacks political bloggers. Oh Sigh! - Hazel Blears having a swipe at the nasty little bloggers.

Fortunately I did take the time to actually read the BBC Article, as this led me to a speech she gave to the Hansard Society in November 2008, snappily entitled Tackling Political Disengagement (in PDF Format) - This I suggest is worth reading, and not just to ensure this nasty little blogger isn't taking elements out of context.

Whilst as previously stated the speech is worth reading in its own right, this post is concerned with:
The Mainstream Media, Political Bloggers and Political People:

The Mainstream Media
The following is an extract from the speech:
Famously, Tony Blair called the media a ‘feral beast’ in one of his last speeches as Prime Minister.
But behind the eye-catching phrase was a serious and helpful analysis of a 24-hour broadcast media and shrinking and increasingly competitive newspaper market which demands more ‘impact’ from its reporting – not the reporting of facts to enable citizens to make sense of the world, but the translation of every political discussion into a row, every difficulty a crisis, every rocky patch for the Prime Minister the ‘worst week ever.’

The changing structure of the media is what drives this desire for ‘impact’ and the retreat from dispassionate reporting. And I would single out the rise of the commentariat as especially noteworthy.

It is within living memory that journalists’ names started to appear in newspapers; before then, no name was attached to articles. And in recent years commentary has taken over from investigation or news reporting, to the point where commentators are viewed by some as every bit as important as elected politicians, with views as valid as Cabinet Ministers. And if you can wield influence and even power, without ever standing for office or being held to account by an electorate, it further undermines our democracy.

The commentariat operates without scrutiny or redress. They cannot be held to account for their views, even when they perform the most athletic and acrobatic of flip-flops in the space of a few weeks. I can understand when commentators disagree with each other; it’s when they disagree with themselves we should worry.

There will always be a role for political commentary, providing perspective, illumination and explanation. But editors need to do more to disentangle it from news reporting, and to allow elected politicians the same kind of space and prominence for comment as people who have never stood for office.
I to some extent agree with Hazel Blears' about lack of separation between reporting and opinion, not just in Political reporting, but across the entire spectrum of news items.
As for the specifics of Political reporting three factors come to mind:

• The public tend to trust the commentators more than the politicians on whom they report/comment.
• Politicians like their Celebrity (sic) Counterparts have embraced the Media in a ways that is sometimes sickening to watch. But unlike those celebrities who fall foul of the Media, their publicists aren't in the same league as Max Clifford!
• The decline in Respect - 30 Years ago you might not respect the holder of public office, but you did respect the office they held. Today (and once again I blame the politician themselves for this), this is no longer the case. So a politician regardless of the office held, is as much fair game as a drug abusing pop star and has as many come-backs!

Political Bloggers
The following is an extract from the speech:
This brings me to the role of political bloggers. Perhaps because of the nature of the technology, there is a tendency for political blogs to have a ‘Samizdat’ style. The most popular blogs are right-wing, ranging from the considered Tory views of Iain Dale, to the vicious nihilism of Guido Fawkes.

Perhaps this is simply anti-establishment. Blogs have only existed under a Labour Government. Perhaps if there was a Tory Government, all the leading blogs would be left-of-centre?

There are some informative and entertaining political blogs, including those written by elected councillors. But mostly, political blogs are written by people with a disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy.

Unless and until political blogging ‘adds value’ to our political culture, by allowing new and disparate voices, ideas and legitimate protest and challenge, and until the mainstream media reports politics in a calmer, more responsible manner, it will continue to fuel a culture of cynicism and despair.

I am strangely proud that she says most political blogs are Samizdat Style (the clandestine copying and distribution of government-suppressed literature or other media), as it shows free speech is alive and well. Unfortunately this blog is not able to make this claim - Sigh!

I haven't done enough research to say whether I agree with the statement there are more right-wing blogs than left wing ones, but I would say that whatever party was in power, would attract criticism from the blogger community. Some of which would be anti-establishment, rather than simply against a specific policy. As for the blogs mentioned by name: Iain Dale's Diary and the obviously disliked Guido Fawkes (the name tends to indicate the viewpoint) well, have a read and make up your own minds.

As for entertaining blogs written by local Councillors, well from the small sample I have bothered to read, they fall into three categories: Self-serving, Concentrating so much on the minutiae they are Anally retentive, or worst of all Self-Serving and Anally retentive!

But moving on to the major criticism:
political blogs are written by people with a disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy.
Hmm. The Political Blogs I read are:

• Written by people who are extremely worried about protecting democracy, but I agree in many blogs there is a general disdain for Politicians (which as for those of you who have read the Political Postings in this blog, know I share).
• I don't think bloggers have to unearth scandals, it is more a case of picking which of the many there are, to write about.
• Conspiracies: Yes, some see conspiracy everywhere, including those apparently being hatched by the Government, but many more actually complain about what they see as incompetance in Government, both by Politicians and Officials.
• Perceived Hypocrisy: A lot of it is not perceived, it is Hypocrisy!
• I am a cynic, but it has taken this Government to push me to near despair. I am sorry Hazel, but that wasn't achieved by the Mainstream Media, or Bloggers but by the behaviour and political ineptness of the Government, MPs - mainly Labour, but not exclusively, the rise of Spin, the politicising of some Senior Civil Servants and a decline in Standards of Public Life.
  

Political People
Again extract from the speech:
Secondly, let me look at the people in politics. Politicians must not live on ‘Planet Politics’ and behave in ways which are alien and strange to the electorate.
This happens partly because there is a trend towards politics being seen as a career move rather than call to public service. Increasingly we have seen a ‘transmission belt’ from university activist, MPs’ researcher, think-tank staffer, Special Adviser, to Member of Parliament, and ultimately to the front bench.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with any of those jobs, but it is deeply unhealthy for our political class to be drawn from narrowing social base and range of experience.
We need people from a range of backgrounds – business, the armed forces, scientists, teachers, the NHS, shopworkers – to make good laws.
And we need more MPs in Parliament from a wider pool of backgrounds: people who know what it is to worry about the rent collector’s knock, or the fear of lay-off, so that the decisions we take reflect the realities people face. In short, we need more Dennis Skinners, more David Davises, more David Blunketts in the front line of politics. Or if you prefer, more MPs who read the Mirror or Sun, and fewer who write for the Guardian or Telegraph.
The political parties, and the trade unions, need to actively recruit, mentor and support working class people into political life, and offer ways into the hermetically-sealed world of politics for people who have never been an MP’s researcher or worked for a think-tank. Just as we have programmes to encourage women and people from ethnic minorities, so we need an ‘Emily’s List’ style programme for people attracted from across the world of work. This would provide practical support for people wanting to get involved, who do not have the unfair advantages of the political elites.
Other than not wanting MPs who read the Sun amd Mirror as their view on the world and being extremely distrustful of Trade Union Activism, I find myself agreeing with Hazel Blears on most of what she said! After all in this blog I posted: Mainly a Rant on 'Careerist Politicians'

There are other parts of the speech which are worthy of consideration and are thought provoking, but they might add value to the 'political culture' and obviously this is not what a blog is supposed to do.

In her speech Hazel Blears mentions a paper by:
Gerry Stoker, Colin Hay and Andy Williamson: - Revitalizing Politics: Have We Lost the Plot?.
This is worth reading and if I can rise above my deep pool of Political Cynicism, Apathy and Despair, I may even write a post about it!

Finally a well respected, well balanced Political Blog that even Hazel Belars would have to admit adds to our political culture:
BBC - Nick Robinson's Newslog

The Idle Man,
P.S. Note to Tom Bradby at ITN - Why haven't you got a Blog, or has ITN said you can't?

Taliban - Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul FIG

Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul FIG (Former Inmate Guantanamo) and now using the nom de guerre Mullah Abdullah Zakir, has been identified as the Taliban's Chief of Operations in Southern Afghanistan. His stated mission is to step up Taliban Operations to Counter the US Surge.

Whilst the Idle Man has long suspected that being a FIG would become a 'badge of honour', like JBB (Jailed By the British) was in the 1950's and 1960's and that a proportion of the former Guantanamo detainees would join/rejoin either Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban after their release (see below).

But the surfacing of Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul was a surprise, because he wasn't released, but transferred into the custody of the Afghan Governemnt in December 2007 (along with 12 others). Why the Afghan Government released him is a mystery, but a decision that will be paid for by the lives of Afghan and Coalition Service Personnel.

As for other FIGs resurfacing as Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban Terrorists this is a quote from an Associated Press Article:
The officials, who spoke anonymously because they are not authorized to release the information, said Rasoul has joined a growing faction of former Guantanamo prisoners who have rejoined militant groups and taken action against U.S. interests. Pentagon officials have said that as many as 60 former detainees have resurfaced on foreign battlefields.
So it appears the Idle Man's suspicions are confirmed. Another occasion when being correct gives no pleasure at all.

Also see: Afghan Taliban Leader Was At Gitmo

Attack in Sri Lankan Cricket Team -Six Police Die in the line of Duty

There has been a lot of criticism over the measures taken by Pakistan to secure the safety of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team.

Well six Policemen Died in the Line of Duty as part of that security failure!

Ambushed and Outgunned the Police did not really stand much chance, but their deaths along with the quick actions of the Driver of the Team Coach saved the Cricketers lives.

Already their deaths and those of the two civilians also killed are footnotes in todays stories in the media. But the Idle Man hopes that the Lahore Police Force buried their dead with Honour and Ceremony due to those who died in the line of duty and will help their families through this time of their grief and into the future.

Moving on to the overall security arrangements, well much better qualified people than I, have stated these were less than adequate, and therefore must have been privy to these arrangements prior to the attack. If this is so, did they raise these concerns before the attack?

Sorry I am being ironic, the people commenting of the security arrangements in the media wouldn't have been briefed and as usual are being wise after the event.

The primary failure as in all highly successful terrorist attacks is in Intelligence. If you don't have prior knowledge of at least the general plan then you cannot quantify the action needed to either arrest those planning to take part, or provide the correct security needed to thwart the attack if it occurs.

That does not mean there were not failures in security on the ground. Mention has been made that the Team Coach took the same route each day. The small scale map of the area I have seen, seems to indicate that the Liberty Roundabout, scene of the attack was going to be part of any route to the ground. Commonsense dictates that if this is a 'choke point' on the route it is where security needs to be at its highest. But the level of security like any insurance is based on risk assessment, which brings us back to the failure in Intelligence.

Every successful Terrorist attack is a failure in Intelligence and Security. But to paraphrase an IRA Terrorist 'you can stop us 9 times out 10, but we only need that one success'.

I am extremely pleased that the casualties to the Sri Lankan Sportsmen and the Officials were limited to minor wounds and also laud the efforts of the Coach Driver to save himself and his passengers.

But my sympathies lie with the families of the two civilians and six policemen who died and the Men and Women of the Lahore police force who lost six colleagues, but today have to carry on policing the city.

External Links:
BBC - How the attack on cricketers happened

40th Anniversary of Concorde's First Flight:

Today the 2nd March 2009 is the 40th Anniversary of Concorde's First Flight on the 2nd March 1968 and the Fleet was withdrawn from service 34 Years later on the 24th October 2003.

The following YouTube movie (one of the many of Concorde) makes a fitting tribute to this great aircraft:

Concorde: First Flight

Mobile Phones on Aircraft: Ryanair Rollout Voice/SMS/Email Services

The news that budget airline Ryanair has started to rollout an in-flight mobile phone voice service should come as no surprise, after all back in 2006 the company announced it would be introducing the service 'soon' . Ryanair is constantly looking at ways to generate additional in-flight revenue and has worked extremely hard to fully understand the services that will sell to its passenger demographic.

It obviously views an early adoption of in-flight voice mobile service as potentially a very profitable revenue stream (early pricing being: £1.50-£3 per minute, text messages at 40p a go and e-mails from £1-£2) and as a bonus using the wide spread reporting of the new service as free advertising.

For the initial phase 20 Aircraft have been equipped for the service, with the remainder of the fleet being refitted over the next 18 Months. The service provider is OnAir and for the ground segment , they have arrangements with 50 mobile phone operators throughout Europe to route call once it leaves the OnAir Network. Currently only one UK Network is signed up, this being O2, but talks with the rest of the major UK Networks are in progress.

Those of you who have followed by previous posts on this subject know that whilst I find the technology fascinating, I am more than a little concerned over the adverse impact on passengers who use the flight part of their journey as 'quiet time' whether for reviewing work, or just relaxing.

Well the introduction of the service is likely to make Ryanair flights louder and more boisterous.
However, Michael O'Leary, the company's chief executive, has little sympathy for passengers trying to catch up on sleep or hoping for a little peace and quiet on their trip:

"I have no patience with the approach that says people don't want to use their mobile phones in-flight," he told The Guardian. "You don't take a flight to contemplate your life in silence. Our services are not cathedral-like sanctuaries. Anyone who looks like sleeping, we wake them up to sell them things."

"We will be encouraging our passengers to make as many calls as possible because that will lower our costs and boost our revenues."

Which really sums up the Ryanair philosophy. With the current economic situation companies are going to further increase the use of Budget Airlines for Business Travel, as most of Ryanair Flights are short haul, Business travellers used to traditional airline service may become irritated, but no more. However for routes that are deemed Medium Haul, being sat next to a 'Mobileholic' could lead to the first instance of Anti-Mobile Rage on an Aircraft - We shall see!

Meanwhile the Idle Man will follow the Ryanair rollout with interest.

Previous Posts on this Subject:

Mobile Phones on Aircraft - Like the Technology - Hate the Consequences 22nd October 2007

Mobile Phones On Aircraft - Update 8th November 2007

Mobile Phones On Aircraft - US Congress to vote on in-flight mobile ban 01st August 2008 (This never went to a full vote and therefore the proposed law was abandoned)

External Links:
Guardian - Ryanair starts in-flight mobile phone service

Telegraph - Ryanair launches mobile phone service

BBC - Ryanair allows mobile phone use

Lost Before It Started - A Defence of the Realm Series

One of the Blogs the Idle Man considers a must read is:
Defence of the Realm

Whilst I don't always agree with the authors opinions, I do find the articles interesting and thought provoking. Currently there is a series running on this blog entitled: Lost Before it Started, which is highly critical of the senior echelons of the British Army, the MOD and their Political Masters.

Whilst the main theme is the Authors view that the British Army Mission in Iraq was more than a failure it was a defeat and the implications for ongoing operation in Afghanistan. He backs this up with an analysis of the Politics, both internal Army as well as Government and how in part the problems stem back to the Blair vision of European defence integration.Of special interest is how these policy failures have been exacerbated by systemic (and therefore fatal to the troops on the ground) flaws in equipment procurement (something the idle Man has believed was the case for over 30 years). The author plans seven articles in this series and I suggest they must be read in order as follows:

Lost before it started - Part 1
Focuses on the Blair vision of European defence integration and its effects on UK Defence Strategy and in particular the Army and the perceived procurement requirements.

Lost before it started – Part 2
Looks at the effects of the 2003 Defence Whitepaper and how this lead the senior echelons of the Army to focus on implications of this strategy change (without seriously challenging them), rather than the immediate needs of the Army in Iraq. Leading to the setting of long term procurement projects, whilst to a large extent ignoring major shortfalls in current equipment,

Lost before it started - Part 3
A new Chief of the General Staff take over – General Sir Richard Dannatt. But the madness goes on.

Lost before it started – Part 4
This compares the Army as envisioned under the 2003 Whitepaper (the so called fantasy army) as might have been, and finds it still casts a long shadow over the operational capabilities of the Army.

Lost before it started – Part 5
The Army's response to criticisms, and its broader response to its own failures, reflecting on the nature of the problems which affect the Army high command..

Lost before it started – Part 6
The vexed question of under-resourcing. Throughout the Iraqi campaign, the mantras of "underfunding" and "over-stretch" were frequently in the media and came easily from the lips of opposition politicians. More "boots on the ground" and more money were the answers to all ills. However, as always, there are more to these issues than meets the eye.

Lost before it started – Part 7
In this final part, the Author on whether the British Arny, despite the handicaps, could have succeeded. Reviewing what actually did happen after the British had retreated to their final base at Basra airport, we believe they could.

Moving the US Air 'Hudson River' A320 to a Hangar

This picture series of 11 Photographs forms a follow-up to the post on the 26th January 2009:
Recovery of US Air Airbus A320 from the Hudson River

This post covers the transport of the Aircraft Fuselage through the streets of Red Hook New York State during its transfer to a Hangar for detailed examination:






















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