Shakespeare egregiously refers to England as an island (instead of part of an island). That aside, he nails it with "England doth tug and scamble", the Bastard in "King John". "This England never did, nor never shall, Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror, But when it first did help to wound itself."
The Tories (Irish rebels!) have inflicted a divisive EU Referendum on the UK. Mr. Cameron's explanation is that the UK is a democracy and there was a demand for it.
Whatever the outcome, it's harmful.
Friday, 3 June 2016
Thursday, 2 June 2016
For Immigration Control Look Elsewhere
In 1904 the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France was widely celebrated as being the end of centuries of hostilities. Britain's Foreign Office opposed it because it identified Germany as a potential adversary. But King Edward VII was pro-French and in favour. Hotels in France are named after him! When former Prime Minister Lord Salisbury was told of it he replied: "Brilliant. Now you've made a future war with Germany inevitable."
At the end of July 1914 there was a naval review at Kiel. When the Royal Navy ships sailed they flew a signal to their German hosts: "Friends today. Friends forever." Within a few days they were at war.
If the UK were to vote to leave the European Union on 23 June it would antagonise our neighbours. The main driving force for wanting to leave is immigration. The prospect of restrictions would spark a rush (as happened in 1962 with the Commonwealth Immigration Act), so will be counter-productive. Britain's immigration problems can be tackled in other ways: e.g., by returning people who have crossed the English Channel and North Sea illegally back to the Continent; by cutting out the power of lawyers; and by cutting down on chain migration: e.g., by signing my petition "Stop foreign men using marriage to live in the UK" at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129594
Many thanks to those who sign!
At the end of July 1914 there was a naval review at Kiel. When the Royal Navy ships sailed they flew a signal to their German hosts: "Friends today. Friends forever." Within a few days they were at war.
If the UK were to vote to leave the European Union on 23 June it would antagonise our neighbours. The main driving force for wanting to leave is immigration. The prospect of restrictions would spark a rush (as happened in 1962 with the Commonwealth Immigration Act), so will be counter-productive. Britain's immigration problems can be tackled in other ways: e.g., by returning people who have crossed the English Channel and North Sea illegally back to the Continent; by cutting out the power of lawyers; and by cutting down on chain migration: e.g., by signing my petition "Stop foreign men using marriage to live in the UK" at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129594
Many thanks to those who sign!
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
Theirs isn't the Glory ("Theirs is the Glory" is an old film about Arnhem)
"The Glorious First of June" was a sea battle between Britain and France in 1794.
There won't be a glorious 23 June 2016. Most people who will vote for Britain to leave the EU will do so because of immigration. Even if they win they will have nothing to celebrate. They will have rubbed our neighbours up the wrong way. Leaders of the Leave campaign say (BBC Radio 4 8 a.m) they will introduce an Australian-style points system. But Oz requires visas for everyone (Kiwis?). Co-operation with the French (and others) will not be improved by requiring them to have visas. Canada has a points system. I applied to live there in 1988. I was refused and told not to apply again. My brother is Canadian, but I didn't get any points for being a journalist, and I lost points for being over 44.
There won't be a glorious 23 June 2016. Most people who will vote for Britain to leave the EU will do so because of immigration. Even if they win they will have nothing to celebrate. They will have rubbed our neighbours up the wrong way. Leaders of the Leave campaign say (BBC Radio 4 8 a.m) they will introduce an Australian-style points system. But Oz requires visas for everyone (Kiwis?). Co-operation with the French (and others) will not be improved by requiring them to have visas. Canada has a points system. I applied to live there in 1988. I was refused and told not to apply again. My brother is Canadian, but I didn't get any points for being a journalist, and I lost points for being over 44.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Bigger Battles
3 sea battles can claim to be the greatest ever. (1) Ecnomus in 256 BC, for the number of ships: Rome 1 - Carthage 0. (2) Leyte in 1944, for firepower and expanse of ocean: USA 1 - Japan 0. (3) Jutland on 31 May 1916, for number and size of battleships: Germany beat Britain on penalties but fled the field.
Libya's Col. Gaddafi had an arrangement with Italy to take back people who entered Italy illegally. Now Italy gives them permits and transports them North in the hope they will go to another country. The USA's strict immigration laws were relaxed in 1965. Britain, an island, used to return illegals to France but, since 1991, now doesn't.
Legal battles have replaced sea battles to determine who lives where.
Libya's Col. Gaddafi had an arrangement with Italy to take back people who entered Italy illegally. Now Italy gives them permits and transports them North in the hope they will go to another country. The USA's strict immigration laws were relaxed in 1965. Britain, an island, used to return illegals to France but, since 1991, now doesn't.
Legal battles have replaced sea battles to determine who lives where.
Monday, 23 May 2016
23 May 1917
Patricia Hewitt, when General Secretary of the forerunner of "Liberty" and long before becoming Equality Minister, wrote in her book "The Abuse of Power" she was sure her campaign against the Tories' 1979 policy of stopping foreign men using marriage to live in the UK would succeed - just as women's struggle for the vote succeeded. She was right, and says it was her "most satisfying achievement".
The novelist Mary Ward (Australian, like Hewitt) thought the vote would bring women into competition with men and result in the collapse of the Empire. I would like to thank the women who have signed my petition "Stop foreign men using marriage to live in the UK" at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129594
255 British servicemen died in the Falklands Conflict (and a similar number subsequently committed suicide). It is a scandal that while that was taking place, 12 May 1982, the European Commission of Human Rights determined in favour of 3 (foreign) women whose husbands were not allowed to live in the UK.
Wars within wars - the occupation/control of territory - is a feature of Britain's decline over the past 100 years.
The novelist Mary Ward (Australian, like Hewitt) thought the vote would bring women into competition with men and result in the collapse of the Empire. I would like to thank the women who have signed my petition "Stop foreign men using marriage to live in the UK" at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129594
255 British servicemen died in the Falklands Conflict (and a similar number subsequently committed suicide). It is a scandal that while that was taking place, 12 May 1982, the European Commission of Human Rights determined in favour of 3 (foreign) women whose husbands were not allowed to live in the UK.
Wars within wars - the occupation/control of territory - is a feature of Britain's decline over the past 100 years.
Saturday, 14 May 2016
New Petition needs Signatures!
My new petition "Stop foreign men using marriage to live in the UK" can be found at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129594. I'd be very grateful to anyone (British or resident in the UK) who signs!
A recent petition about women having to wear high heels at work got 100,000 signatures in a few days, and will be debated in Parliament. That shows how bizarre British priorities are. I'm sure foreigners will agree that allowing thousands of men a year to live and work (by law on equal terms with the natives) in one's country is far more serious. Yet this is my 5th epetition on this subject and the most signatures I have had so far is 280. (Thanks to all who have signed!)
A recent petition about women having to wear high heels at work got 100,000 signatures in a few days, and will be debated in Parliament. That shows how bizarre British priorities are. I'm sure foreigners will agree that allowing thousands of men a year to live and work (by law on equal terms with the natives) in one's country is far more serious. Yet this is my 5th epetition on this subject and the most signatures I have had so far is 280. (Thanks to all who have signed!)
Friday, 13 May 2016
No Laughing Matter
In 1959 I set out for Asia age 21. But there was nowhere I was allowed to live & work. I returned to the UK in 1962 just as the Commonwealth Immigration act was coming into force. There was a rush of young men to beat the Act. It was obvious that Commonwealth men would now find someone to marry to live in the UK. Conscription had just ended. That was good for young British men. It was also good for young foreign and Commonwealth men; they would come to the UK to avoid conscription in their own countries. I used to want children. But not since then. So it is easy to imagine my feelings when politicians say 3,000 children living in France should be allowed to live in the UK "to get the future they deserve". The UK gets the future it deserves! The people who have organised for these children to get to France must be laughing.....
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