Tony Benn says we are a "Police State"

Who would have thought Tony Benn would have this to say when a Labour Government was in Power

"It is a total breach of what accords the privileges of parliament and therefore, the electors. His computers have been searched, his e-mail has been frozen."

He said that it was tantamount to a Contempt of Parliament. "Once police can interfere in parliament, then we're into a police state."

Could I have said it better.

Well perhaps then David Davis can. he said

"For five years I have avoided using the phrase 'police state'. But the sort of things going on here is what you expect in a police state, a banana state. This is the most extraordinary event of my parliamentary career."

Nick Clegg gets in on the act as well.

Mr. Clegg called the arrest of Damian Green "a mayday warning for British democracy."

"We have one of the most unaccountable, secretive forms of government anywhere in the modern world.

"Now we have an opposition frontbench spokesman raided by anti-terror police. It's the kind of thing you'd expect in a tinpot dictatorship."

He said that he had consulted with Lord Carlisle who told him that he had "no idea why anti-terror powers could have been used in the first place."

"We need a parliament that can hold the government into account. Our parliament is neutered."

So that's just about all the main parties covered.

Now we await the "Spliffer" or Snot Gobbleer to tell us why this all in the greater good. Oh they have here is the story according to the Daily Mash.

THE Prime Minister last night began the elimination of his enemies as he pledged to cleanse Britain of the virus of dissent.

Crowds cheered and threw rotten fruit at Conservative MP Damian Green as he was dragged from his bed in the early hours by the Prime Minister's anti-treason officers.

The traitor Green was questioned for nine hours before confessing. His whereabouts are now unknown though Downing Street said he was in a place where he could do no more harm.

More arrests are expected today as Mr Brown makes an example of all those who would seek to destroy our faith in his wisdom and kindness.

According to Downing Street the Prime Minister questioned Green personally and was able to secure the names of more than 20 co-conspirators after the application of electrodes and a small wet sponge.

A spokesman said: "Listen well, treacherous scum. We know where you live. Do not try to hide from us. You will simply prolong your inevitable journey into the realms of pain."

He added: "All of those who have at any time questioned the Prime Minister's actions and judgement must surrender immediately.

"We can then begin the joyful process of re-ordering your thoughts and returning you to full productivity."

The people have welcomed the purge with many leaving bouquets and gifts outside Downing Street. Meanwhile primary school children in Reading have made a collage depicting the Prime Minister cuddling a baby horse

Politics Home

A curious statement from Gordon Brown

Hat Tip to Guido for the piccie

I don't often read Conservative Home , it's a bit right wing for a Tory like me, but this article is just exactly what I am thinking about the Damian Green affair.

According to Sky, the word from Downing Street is this:

"This is a matter for the police...The Prime Minister had no prior knowledge of the arrest of Mr Green and was only informed after the event."

Two classic Brownisms here. First, the washing of one's hands of any involvement in a controversy if it seems that negative publicity might result, by saying it is in the hands of an outside quango/ agency/ the courts/ investigation/ report/ independent adjudicator/ study, etc (delete as appropriate). In this case, it is the police.

The second is this - there is a denial of involvement, but the denial relates only to a specific part of the chain of events, in this case, the actual arrest of Damian Green. There is no denial that the PM knew of the investigation or knew that a senior Conservative was allegedly involved. Important questions like whether the PM or other senior ministers gave a go ahead for action are not covered in the statement.

For the sake of our democracy, I would love to be proven wrong, and be shown that the PM genuinely knew nothing about the police action against Damian Green.

Let me give you just one recent example of how Brown's careful use of language can give rise to a misleading impression. At PMQs, the day after Barack Obama was elected, most MPs were given the impression that the PM had telephoned Obama and congratulated him. I spoke with a top newspaper political correspondent who was certain this was the case. This is what Brown actually said:

"Before I list my engagements, I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in sending our sincere congratulations to Senator Barack Obama on winning the presidency of the United States and writing a new chapter in history in doing so. The bonds that unite the United States and the UK are vital to our prosperity and security and I know from talking to Senator Obama that he will be a true friend of Britain. The Government look forward to working with the new Administration as we both help people fairly through the downturn. I also want to pay tribute to Senator McCain, who has shown the characteristic dignity that has marked a lifetime of service to his country."

At the time, it sounded to most people that the "talking" he referred to was very recent - indeed, that is what is implied by using the present continuous tense, rather than saying "when I talked with Obama". In reality, Brown didn't speak with Obama for some time after, and was upstaged by Nicolas Sarkozy, much to our PM's chagrin.

The point is merely this - it is too early to tell what Brown knew or didn't, but experience shows one needs to study his words very carefully indeed before reaching any conclusions.

Fraser Nelson in the Spectator writes

Part of me hopes there is more to Green’s arrest than this. I don’t want to think I live in a country where anyone, far less opposition politicians, can get banged up for scrutinising the government in this way. And what will the public think tomorrow morning: “naughty Mr Green” or “what kind of police state is this?” No wonder No10 is stressing that Gordon Brown had “no prior knowledge” of what looks like calamitously heavy-handed policing. This could end up being a disaster for him.

Couldn't agree more.


CentreRight: A curious statement from Gordon Brown about the Damian Green affair

Terror in Mumbai

The killing of at least 125 people in India and the wounding of over 300 more, must rank as one of the worst organised terrorist acts since 9/11 outside of Iraq.

This type of horror is just difficult to understand from the rural depths of Aberdeenshire.

And alongside this is the news of the death of 2 more Royal Marines in Afghanistan.

It brings to mind the comparison of the minor problems we are having with the current Financial Crisis and if we can afford to splurge out at Christmas.

My thoughts are with with all the victims of these atrocities and their families.

Bombay (Mumbai) attacks: India points the finger at Pakistan

MP Arrested for doing his Job Shock

Apparently the Tory MP Damian Green has been arrested for doing his job by revealing details that might be embarrassing to the current Zanu-Labour government.

Our Glorious Leader apparently knows nothing about it and his hench-woman "Spliffer" Smith also denied any prior knowledge. However Boris Johnson has admitted knowledge of the event and had apparently advised police against this action.

According to the Daily Mail

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green was accused of an obscure offence of conspiring with 'misconduct in public office' after a Whitehall official was also held.

Counter-terrorism police are understood to have descended on his home in Kent without warning and arrested him over claims that he leaked confidential Government documents.

Many questions remain over this and it will be interesting to see how it plays in the media over the next couple of days.

Interesting to note that senior Conservatives (code for DC) described the move as "Stalinesque" an oblique reference surely to the fact that this has all the signs of the snot-gobbler at work. Surely not he is too busy working out how to cover-up his screwing up of the PBR on Monday.

Apparently the details revealed were as follows:

The information Mr Green is accused of leaking includes a Home Office memo revealing that an illegal immigrant had been working in the House of Commons as a cleaner.

Another leaked document suggested a cover-up by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith of a massive Government blunder.

It suggested the Home Secretary was warned that thousands of illegal immigrants had been cleared to work in sensitive Whitehall security jobs but accepted advice from her officials for a news blackout on the affair.

Another story showed Labour whips had drawn up a secret list of MPs likely to oppose plans to introduce 42-day detention without charge, and a leaked letter from Miss Smith to the Prime Minister revealed she had warned the recession would lead to a surge in crime.

All of these appear to be more than in the Public Interest.

Terror police seize Tory MP Damian Green over 'immigration leaks to the media' | Mail Online

Revolting Lib Dems in Aberdeeenshire?

According to the Press and Journal the Lib Dems are Revolting in Aberdeenshire

AN OUTSPOKEN councillor who resigned from Aberdeenshire’s Liberal Democrat group claims others may soon follow her lead.

Debra Storr said as many as six could quit the council’s ruling group.

If that were to happen the party would lose its majority of three, with the SNP becoming the largest party.

This is all resulting from the fallout from the Donald Trump affair and the associated votes.

The SNP had this to say

The council’s SNP group leader, Joanna Strathdee, said she was worried the Lib Dem group might lose its focus.

She said: “I hope that the leadership do not get too preoccupied with their own internal Liberal politics and continue to focus on delivering quality services to the council taxpayers of Aberdeenshire.”

Whilst Independent councillor John Cox said

it was disappointing to see the Lib Dems in apparent disarray, but he was in no doubt where the fault lay.

He said: “We have two or three councillors who have shown no respect for their colleagues, who have shown no respect for the north-east community, and seem to be throwing the toys out the pram at the moment.”

Rebellion ‘stirring’ in Liberal Democrats - Press & Journal

Honouring 'The Fallen'

If you haven't seen this then I recommend you watch it. It's available on BBC IPlayer and is being re-shown at other times on the various BBC channels.

Three hundred British troops have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in seven years - a death toll film-maker Morgan Matthews set out to honour in a three-hour programme. What drove him to make such a harrowing documentary?

For a year Morgan Matthews has been on a mission to reconnect the British public with the human cost among British forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was 12 months ago that he started work on an ambitious TV programme to chronicle all those who have died for Queen and country in these ongoing wars.

Matthews recalls well how the project crystallised in his head. He had been "flicking through a newspaper" and noticed "on about the fourth or fifth page... a report of the latest British service personnel to be killed, with a small thumbnail picture and a couple of paragraphs".

If you do watch it then be prepared, it is at times not easy viewing, and at times just plain distressing, but in my humble opinion, it is worth making every politician watch this before they blandly say we have done our best. It is also just plain humbling to watch the bravery of those left behind. After you have watched this programme then maybe, like the film maker, you will be able to say

"When I hear news, as I did this morning, of two people who have died, I think of them as people. And I think about the families behind them."

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Honouring 'The Fallen'

Calling International Rescue

Yesterday via his sidekick Alistair Darling, Gordon Brown delivered the final Budget for Nu-Labour. In true form Gordon is lumbering under the impression he is an economic genius when, in fact, he is the man that has dug us into the biggest hole Britain has ever been in, wants to more than double the depth of the hole and left us with little hope of being rescued.

Gone yesterday were all the hopes of Tony and his cronies and back came the 70's style socialist budget that will once again destroy this country of ours. All the work that the Tories did in the eighties and early nineties has been and will be destroyed on the back of Labour's profligacy and ineptitude.

Our debt for the country will double in less than three years to one Trillion pounds on the most favourable of forecasts. This is the biggest gamble in the history of the nation taken by a man who supposedly based his thinking on Prudence.

No wonder George Osborne described the plans as

"a huge unexploded tax bombshell timed to go off under a future economic recovery".

Osborne then went on to describe the position of our country as follows

"He's giving £20bn in giveaways and taking back £40bn in higher taxes, including the major rise in National Insurance, a tax on the jobs and incomes of middle Britain," he said.

"It is confirmation of the time old truth that all Labour chancellors run out of money and all Labour governments bring this country to the verge of bankruptcy.

"Stability has gone out of the window, prudence is dead, Labour has done it again."

"That means the chancellor is borrowing more on the nation's credit card than all previous governments put together."

Not only is he taking on all this debt in the forlorn hope it can pull him out of the biggest hole this country has ever been in, but he is doing it without the proper due process of Government.

Has he forgotten that he is not a one-man band, Yesterday was not a Pre-Budget Report but a full blown Budget. Potentially it was the budget that will lumber this country with it's biggest ever deficit and Gordon wants to pass it off as a minor issue barely worth 90 minutes of discussion in Parliament. This is truly a disgrace and must be remedied.

Nobody is saying that no action is required but whatever action that is taken should be subject to proper and full scrutiny by both House's, Some of the changes may even be illegal unless presented to Parliament as Iain Dale asks here.

John Redwood will also be asking the questions about where the discussion and debate are and records his thoughts here.

In summary this nation is currently in a very deep hole, covered in the proverbial, Gordon is trying to make the hole even deeper, deeper than has ever been seen, and covering us in a truly unbelievable amount of the proverbial, and he has no ropes long enough to extract us from the hole and no ideas on how we will survive in the murky depths of the hole and no idea of the true depths the hole will eventually plumb.

It looks like we will again be calling in International Rescue, in the form of the IMF, to extract us from the hole at a later date and to burden yet another generation with the results of Socialism.