Archive 28
UkTabloid
The People's News Portal
Sunday 1st August 2010
I remember an episode of Jerry Springer about a man who, sick of the unwanted sexual attentions of another man, took the rather drastic step of cutting off his own penis.
And I often think of that example when reading about the British state’s latest response to the problems of multiculturalism and Islamic integration. The “solution”, you see, always involves diluting or curtailing our own culture, religions and freedoms.
Perhaps self-castration is too crude an analogy, although considering the fertility rates of atheist countries, an apt one; a better one might be that Europe’s response to hardline Islam is rather like a man setting fire to his own house to get rid of an unwanted visitor.
I thought this once again while reading Christina Patterson in the Independent, who argued against religious schools on these grounds:
A properly civilised society would accept that while lovely little C of E schools were once an excellent place for children to learn about the religion that shaped their culture, art and laws, you can’t have them without having the madrassa run by the mad mullah next door, and therefore, sadly, you can’t have either, but have, instead, a system of compulsory state secular education, in which children learn to get on with people from all religious backgrounds and none, and are taught about all religions, but also that the culture of the country they’re living in was, for 2,000 years, largely based on one.
And so another bit of English freedom dies.
This is perhaps the first time I’ve read this argument openly and honestly suggested by someone from the Left-liberal, who says, in effect: yes, church schools are a good thing, but diversity means we must have state-enforced uniformity, and greater state control. Sorry about no one mentioning that when mass immigration was first discussed years ago.
Was this the plan all along, or is just sheer coincidence that the same people who get to enjoy the culinary delights of multiculturalism (but safely too wealthy to suffer the downsides) now get to run the huge state apparatus required to police diversity?
In the recently published A New Inquisition: religious persecution in Britain today, Jon Davies points out how, in response to a growing number of Islamic “charities” more interested in arms than alms, the 2006 Charities Act took away from Christian churches the presumption they were acting ‘charitably’, or for the public benefit.
They had always been regulated by Parliament, only very lightly, because everyone knew what they did and everyone knew such activities were beneficial to society, especially the poor. But because they couldn’t discriminate between religions, churches must now all satisfy the Charity Commission. As he wrote:
This means that all 13,000 Parochial Church Councils, many of the Finance Committees of the 43 Dioceses, the Archbishops’ Council, the Church Commissioners and the countless host of charitable organisations in whole or in part related to the Church must now satisfy Ms Susie Leather’s Charity Commission that they are of public benefit.
To carry this very substantial task forward, the Charity Commission established a Faith and Social Cohesion Unit, which saw as its first task an analysis of the organisational competence and financial probity of mosques and related Muslim charities.
I wonder how much the head of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit is earning?
Now if you think churches and their various activities are not acting “for the public benefit”, you might think this a good thing, but you’d certainly be in a minority. If, like the most of the population – atheists, agnostics, those who are indifferent, people who only go to church on Christmas Eve while drunk, church-attending believers – you saw the beliefs and conscience and social networks of the Christian churches as the cement that’s holding our society together, you might start to wonder if burning down the whole edifice is quite the right response.
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A care home near Ringwood could be forced to shut after a UK Border Agency dawn raid which led to 11 alleged illegal immigrants being detained and another four staff being arrested by police on suspicion of neglect.
Linford Park Nursing Home in the New Forest near Poulner has more than 100 beds but only 33 of the 36 registered service users were in residence when the UK Border Agency officers pounced early on Thursday.
Hampshire County Council, which is responsible for Adult Social Care, moved out some of the most vulnerable service users to alternative accommodation and, yesterday, was in discussion with families and other agencies about the relocation of the remaining elderly residents. In the meantime, emergency care staff were drafted in.
A Home Office spokesman said the UK Border Agency spokesman said 13 people were arrested. Two were dealt with immediately and released on bail while the others were detained.
“The 11 comprise of eight females from Ghana, Malawi and the Philippines and three males from Ghana and the Philippines,” said the spokesman.
Linford Park is owned by Northdown Estates Ltd, whose property director is Margaret Jordan, 61.
During the raid the standard of care given to one resident was questioned, which led to police arresting Mrs Jordan, 61, 78-year-old Matthew Joseph, both of London and a 62-year-old man from Christchurch on suspicion of neglect. They were later released on bail.
A 47-year-old man from Ringwood was arrested and questioned yesterday.
Hampshire county councillor Felicity Hindson described it as “an unprecedented situation”.
“We know that moving frail, vulnerable people can be very distressing for them. It is always a last resort for us but our overriding concern is for their care and protection at all times,” she said.
A Care Quality Commission spokesman said the organisation is reviewing the evidence with other agencies before deciding whether to take any enforcement proceedings.
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Britain’s population will be the biggest in Europe by 2050 because of record levels of immigrants.
Bombshell figures show numbers will rocket to 77million – overtaking both France and Germany. 100,000 new homes will need to be built each year.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of think-tank Migrationwatch said: “The last government was in denial, this government must act.”
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The Sussex sham wedding scandal is feared to be part of an international multi-million pound scam exploiting weaknesses in the Anglican Church to help thousands of illegal immigrants stay in the UK.
Rev Alex Brown, 61, was the first vicar to be convicted of conspiracy to breach immigration law through the scam.
He teamed up with crooked Nigerian pastor Michael Adelasoye, 51, and Ukranian illegal immigrant Vladymyr Buchak, 34, to set up an astonishing 360 sham weddings in just four years at St Peter and St Paul Church in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.
This was by far the biggest case of its kind ever uncovered by the UK Border Agency.
But there have been raids on at least a dozen suspicious church weddings across the UK with 23 arrests and 24 people jailed since October, 2009.
Many of the cases are thought to be connected.
Gareth Redmond, South East director of the UK Border Agency, said: “At the back of these there is something larger. There is the potential that this is a bigger organised crime gang. In something like this you are always going to get other players.
“A lot of money has been made. It is similar to the exploitation of people who pay a fortune to get to the UK in the back of a lorry.”
Church insiders admit the cases we hear about may represent only the tip of the iceberg – and nobody really knows just how big the problem is or how much it is costing taxpayers to keep the bogus brides and grooms in the UK.
There are no national figures available on arrests or convictions and couples marrying in the Church of England do not need to get the same certificate of approval as those wed by registrars and Anglican clergy are not legally obliged to report any suspicions.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch, said: “The position is no longer sustainable.
“We cannot exempt the Church of England from the requirement to get a certificate of approval, or the obligation to report suspicious marriages.
“The costs of letting this drift are astronomical in terms of the benefits these people are entitled to once they get married.”
It is feared vulnerable CofE vicars are being targeted by the gangsters because they are not governed by the same strict laws as civil registrars and possibly seen as a soft touch.
The gangs, who have been operating all over the UK, charge up to £15,000 to fix up dodgy marriages, usually between Africans and Eastern Europeans who often can not even speak the same language and go their separate ways immediately after the no-frills ceremony.
Adelasoye, a qualified immigration lawyer, found “suitable” Africans who were desperate to stay in the UK after outstaying their visas through his Ark of Hope church and legal service. Most were Nigerians living in the London area.
Buchak, who went under the false Estonian ID of Kaido Maesalu, recruited the stooge brides and grooms from Hastings’ tight knit Eastern European community, paying them £2,000 to £3,000 a time. Some wed several times.
They went through the rigmarole of getting married, dressing up and going through a genuine service so the African bride or groom could gain a wedding certificates to apply for a two-year spouse’s visa.
After a minimum of two years they can then apply for the ultimate goal, naturalisation, allowing them to work in this country, claim benefits and use the NHS for the rest of their lives.
The Chichester Diocese had raised concerns about the sudden flood of foreign nationals marrying at Rev Brown’s church in 2006 and eventually urged him to stop all weddings in 2008.
However those concerns were never reported to the immigration authorities and the vicar went on to marry another 160 fake couples in secret before the scam was busted.
The Home Office insists there is a rigorous vetting process before spousal visas are granted but the Lewes trial heard how gangsters coach the immigrants to help them pass interviews.
Catholic churches carry out a strict three-month screening process in which the couple must prove their devotion to each other and the church in intense sessions with the officiating priest.
However all that is often needed to get past the flimsy interview process with a lone CofE church vicar is proof of identity and documentation showing a link to the parish by residence or family.
The gangsters provide forged passports and utility bills to vouch for local residence and sometimes lend the fake couples wedding outfits, witnesses and rings for the ceremony.
Mr Redmond said immigration investigators were working closely with the Church to crack down on abuse across the UK.
He said: “Vicars have a responsibility to check the couples coming to them are genuine. We spoke to one vicar who turned someone away because they offered a Thames Water utility bill with a Hastings address as proof of evidence. Thames Water doesn’t supply address in Hastings so he knew it was a fake.
“If there is an abuse there should be the same kind of checks as you would expect from a registrar.
“We don’t expect a vicar to be an expert in fake passports, but if they are not sure, they can come and ask us. Perhaps there was not previously the culture of being as rigorous as registrars.”
Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings the Venerable Philip Jones denied the Church of England was a “soft target” and said he did not want a planned law change later in the year to make clergy legally responsible for checking the validity of foreign marriages.
He said: “I think that it is widely perceived that the fact that we don’t have to comply with the Certificate of Approval is a problem. But it is not a problem at all, because the clergy are aware and on the lookout for these cases. Alex Brown is a sad exception.
“What I didn’t know was that he was conducting marriages by banns as well as by common licence. I am at a loss as to why he did that.
“Personally I think that the checks that are operated by the clergy are adequate.
“I don’t think we are a soft touch at all, or that it is easier to conduct a sham marriage in a church.
“And there is absolutely no truth to the idea there is financial pressure on vicars to marry couples.”
Prosecutor David Walbank told the Lewes trial Brown had probably been targeted in the wake of a Home Office crackdown on immigration weddings by registrars.
The law was changed after the number of reported suspicious civil marriages peaked at 3,578 in 2004, although insiders said the real number was probably nearer 10,000.
In 2006, registrars reported just 282 suspect marriage applications.
But many fear the blind date wedding gangs have just shifted their operation to the Church of England, which was exempt from the law change.
The Ven Peter Townley, Archdeacon of Pontefract, West Yorks, helped police uncover a series of bogus marriages in his group of parishes which led to two Nigerians and three Eastern Europeans being jailed at Leeds Crown Court in December 2009.
He said: “It was farcical at times. The couples would say they were madly in love with each other, when they had never met and might not speak each others’ language.
“They would stand as far from each other as can be. It was a business deal.
“When the whole thing came to a head last year these girls hardly made any effort to doll themselves up. They just put on jeans and a veil.
“So we cottoned onto the fact that this outbreak of love between Nigerian men and Eastern European women was not all it seemed to be.
“They are not bad people but the ruthless gangmasters behind this are a different matter. We’ve got to be on the lookout. I’m sure there might be the odd one who might turn a blind eye but that is the exception, not the rule.”
One clergyman at the centre of another sham wedding ring in the Midlands said: “I can not say much at the moment because the police investigation is at a sensitive stage but I am led to believe it is part of an organised international ring. There are some Mr Bigs making an awful lot of money out of this.
“Unfortunately, in a minority of cases, it might well be the case that some vicars are so desperate for the wedding income, they are prepared to turn a blind eye even when they do suspect.”
CofE weddings have fallen by up to 40 per cent in the past decade thanks largely to competition from stately homes and other picturesque civil venues, blowing a huge hole in ailing church finances.
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The High Court has referred an asylum appeals case to Europe’s highest court that will test the legality of transferring asylum seekers between EU member states which have different standards of protection for refugees.
In a ruling that may have far-reaching consequences, Ms Justice Maureen Clark said yesterday she would make a preliminary reference to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in an appeal by five asylum seekers against a transfer order to Greece made by the Minister for Justice. The asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iran and Algeria were issued with transfer orders under the Dublin II regulation – an EU law that stipulates asylum applications should be decided in the EU state where a person first arrives.
The asylum seekers do not dispute that they entered the EU through Greece. However, they allege their human rights would be infringed if they were returned to Greece as it does not operate a fair or humane asylum system.
There are up to 40 appeals pending in the High Court against transfer orders to Greece made under the Dublin II regulation.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said yesterday it will take no action in these cases until a decision or ruling is made by the ECJ and the Irish courts.
The decision to refer the case to the ECJ means the appeal could set a legal precedent, which would affect potentially thousands of transfers to Greece across the EU.
The UNHCR, Amnesty International and the AIRE (Advice on Individual rights in Europe, a London-based NGO), were appointed amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the High Court case. All three organisations are critical of the Greek asylum system.
Sophie Magennis, head of the UNHCR Ireland office, said the agency was aware of divergent practice across the EU in relation to the transfer of asylum seekers to Greece and it would be helpful to have clarity on the issue.
The critical legal point, which is expected to be at the centre of the ECJ deliberations, relates to the discretion that each EU member state has to determine whether to send an asylum seeker back under the Dublin II regulation. The UNHCR argues EU states must consider if a person’s rights would be breached if they were sent back to a state that does not have a functioning asylum system.
However, the Government and several other EU states – who are likely to join the ECJ case – would argue the discretion not to issue transfer orders should be severely limited. The British Court of Appeal has also referred a similar case to the ECJ.
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It Is one of the most well established traits of our political system. British prime ministers usually come to power focused on a domestic agenda but they soon grow preoccupied with foreign affairs.
This has been so since democracy first arrived in the mid-19th century, affecting almost every occupant of Number 10 from Benjamin Disraeli to Gordon Brown.
Tony Blair was a classic example. His remarkable landslide of 1997, the biggest in our political history, was largely inspired by Labour’s pledge to reform public services, yet the priority given to that cause was abandoned as Blair became obsessed with his role as a global statesman. Today his premiership is chiefly recalled for the catastrophe of Iraq.
The prime ministerial eagerness to take control of foreign policy is driven by a number of factors. One is sheer vanity. High-profile summits and international trips feed politicians’ innate sense of self-importance, especially when they can boast that they are acting in the longterm interests of humanity.
That was certainly the motivation behind Gordon Brown’s self-serving drivel about “saving the world” during the global financial crisis and his egomaniacal crusade against African poverty.
National leaders, of course, often cannot help being embroiled in foreign affairs because of world events. Clement Attlee was a figure without a shred of conceit yet he was forced to spend much of his time on such issues as the Cold War, conflict in Korea and independence for India. But there is no doubt that prime ministers also welcome the respite that foreign jaunts provide from the treadmill of domestic problems, as in 1979 when Jim Callaghan escaped to a world summit in the West Indies during the Winter of Discontent.
His apparent complacency towards the economic crisis helped to sound the death knell of his premiership. David Cameron seems to have caught the foreign affairs bug early. Just two months into office he is now in the middle of a major global odyssey that has already encompassed the USA, Turkey and India. In typical prime ministerial fashion, he seems to be relishing this tour.
With his natural charm and self-assurance he is at ease on the diplomatic circuit. There is none of Gordon Brown’s gaucheness or John Major’s prickly insecurity or Tony Blair’s grinning anxiety to please. When Cameron was in the White House last week he appears to have won over President Obama, despite the US leader’s instinctive hostility towards Britain, a legacy reported to stem from his grandfather’s experience in fighting British colonial rule in Kenya in the Fifties.
Cameron’s reluctance to assert British pride, a dramatic contrast to the bullish stance of his Tory predecessor Margaret Thatcher, has been causing deep concern in some quarters but his defenders claim that he is just being a pragmatic realist.
There was anger, for example, when he said in Washington that Britain was the “junior partner” of the USA in 1940 but, as he revealed on the BBC yesterday, that was just a slip of the tongue. He meant to say the Forties, which is no more than the truth. Similarly, his opening words on his arrival in India had a rather creepy, Uriah Heep quality, particularly when he spoke of his “spirit of humility” and his admiration for how “the Indian tiger has been uncaged”.
Yet Cameron could point out that Britain’s economic interests will be served by a strong relationship with India, whose fast-growing consumer market will be worth more than £350 billion by 2014. Other aspects of Cameron’s performance on tour have been far less defensible. Not only has he displayed a worrying naivety to the hard realities of global politics but he also seems to have succumbed to the fashionable Leftist agenda on foreign policy.
It is as if the Liberal Democrats, not the Conservatives, are dictating our strategy. Out has gone the traditional patriotic defence of our interests. In has come a handwringing desire and enthusiasm for cowardice and collusion. That was reflected in Cameron’s dangerous demand that Turkey be admitted to the European Union, which would bring untold problems for our welfare and immigration systems as well as deepening the debt crisis within the EU.
And Cameron’s attack on Pakistan for failing to do enough to tackle Muslim extremism within its borders hardly carried much weight given the Government’s own supine attitude towards Islamic militants living in Britain.
Even worse was Cameron’s stridency in lambasting Israel over Gaza, the Palestinian strip of land which he melodramatically described as “a prison camp”. This is the sort of glib, simplistic language beloved of anti-Israeli activists and it is a travesty of the truth. Freedom of movement from Gaza is restricted because it is ruled by the extremist terror group Hamas, whose very existence is predicated on destruction of the state of Israel.
Instead of looking after the welfare of the people of Gaza, Hamas has used the territory to conduct an unceasing anti-Semitic war, firing no fewer than 5,000 rockets into Israel over the past three years. Cameron should be providing support to the west’s strongest ally in the Middle East rather than giving succour to extremists.
The tone of too many of Cameron’s utterances has been wrong. Apologetic and appeasing, he gives the impression that his job is to manage our national decline. This is the spirit of Edward Heath, not Thatcher and Churchill.
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A man and a woman from Romania have each been jailed for 30 months for forcing six children to beg in London.
The man, 36, and woman, 33, pleaded guilty to child neglect at Reading Crown Court. The man also admitted four counts of fraud and money-laundering.
The children were forced to beg on the streets for up to 12 hours a day, not sent to school and had no access to doctors. Some had cigarette burn marks.
The pair trafficked the children to the UK, Metropolitan (Met) Police said.
The couple, who worked for a gang based in Romania, were arrested in the house they shared with the children in Berkshire, in October 2009 following months of surveillance as part of Operation Golf.
The surveillance on the pair began after the Met identified that one of about 1,000 children trafficked by a gang in the south-eastern town of Tanderei, Romania, was living in the UK with the couple.
'Children physically abused'
The Met said the Romanian gang involved in this case thought each child could earn about £100,000 a year by begging or stealing.
The woman would escort the children and directed their operations in various locations, including Southall, Westminster and Wembley, and Luton.
Ch Insp Colin Carswell, from Operation Golf, said: "This was a case of prolonged and premeditated abuse.
"They (the children) were told they could not get school places while in reality the adults concerned had not enrolled them, they were denied access to healthcare and, once removed from the couple, several of the children were found to have scars consistent with cigarette or cigar burns.
"Another of the children needed seven tooth extractions.
"We believe that this man and woman were in league with a Romanian organised criminal network in order to exploit and abuse these children, that this gang facilitated movement of them throughout Europe and that the profits generated by the children were significant with a proportion finding its way back to Romania to help fund lavish lifestyles for the gangsters."
The man admitted to one count of child neglect relating to failing to educate the children, four counts of fraud, including benefit fraud, and one count of money laundering.
He was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 months. A second charge of child neglect relating to begging will lie on file.
The woman admitted to one count of child neglect for failing to educate the children and another count of child neglect relating to exploiting them for begging. She was also ordered to serve a minimum of 15 months.
Three further charges relating to trafficking seven children into the UK will lie on file.
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A rumor is circulating to the effect that Muslims in Dudley are now rioting in protest over the release of Leon and Snowy.
I don’t have any confirmation of this intriguing report, but another news story seems to support the contention that Dudley’s “youths” have indeed been rioting over the release of EDL members Leon McCreery and John Shaw who have had charges dropped against them from last May for occupying the roof of the existing building on the site of the proposed mosque in Dudley.
VIOLENT disorder broke out in Dudley last night as cars were attacked with baseball bats and reports of gunshots being fired.
The incident happened on the forecourt of the car wash in Stafford Street at around 7pm.
Police were called after witnesses saw a group of men smash cars parked outside premises, just off Wolverhampton Street.
Officers arrested a 37 year-old man at the scene, on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. He continues to help police with inquiries this morning.
A second witness later reported that gunshots had been heard in the vicinity around the time of the disorder.
At this stage, it is not thought that anyone was injured during the incident.
Detective sergeant Glenn Marriott from the Sandwell and Dudley team of Force Criminal Investigation Department said: “We are treating this incident very seriously, as it appears that those involved in the disorder were obviously in some kind of dispute and had access to weapons.
“We are continuing to conduct specialist searches at the scene today, and will be interviewing the man arrested at the scene.
“Stafford Street and Wolverhampton Street are busy thoroughfares and I would urge anyone who was passing the area at all from around 7pm last night to come forward and pass on any information you may have to the investigating officers.”
Roads in the area are open as normal this morning, however the affected business premises remains closed.
Sergeant Chris Fox from Dudley police station said: “Incidents such as this cause concern for local people and we will be carrying out patrols in the area to reassure residents and traders over coming days.
“Thankfully, this kind of disorder is unusual and we will be speaking to people in the area as part of inquiries to try and identify those involved.”
Anyone with information to help the police investigation is urged to contact Team 9 of Force CID at Harborne police station on 0345 113 5000 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
From GofV:
Remember the Dudley Two?
Leon and Snowy are two English Defence League members who were arrested back in May for occupying the roof of the existing building on the site of the proposed mosque in Dudley. They were held in jail for several days and then charged with burglary and breach of the peace.
Now comes word that the charges have been dropped, and both men are free. However, one of them had his arm broken when he was beaten by the police — I suppose that’s just a little souvenir to remind him of his visit with Dudley’s friendly law enforcement community.
According to The Dudley News:
Charges Dropped for EDL Rooftop Protestors
TWO English Defence League members, who were arrested during a rooftop protest, have had all charges dropped against them.
Leon McCreery from Stockport and John Shaw from Knaresborough were arrested during the incident over the May Bank holiday, after being taken down from the roof of a disused factory in Hall Street by riot police.
The pair were bailed following an appearance at Dudley Magistrates Court, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has today announced it has dropped all charges against them because of “insufficient evidence”.
Gill Casey, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wolverhampton, said: “When considering whether a case should be prosecuted, the CPS applies the Code for Crown Prosecutors in two parts. The first is the evidential test where we have to be satisfied that there is enough admissible evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. If the evidence satisfies the first test, then we have to consider the second part the public interest test.
- - - - - - - - -
“In the case against John Shaw and Leon McCreery a preliminary evidential test called the threshold test was applied. This was permissible because they were considered a substantial bail risk if released from custody and not all of the evidence was available to the prosecutor at the time that the charging decision was sought by the police. Additionally it was considered to be in the public interest to commence a prosecution.
“I have now had an opportunity of carrying out a review of all the evidence and have applied both parts of the Code and I have made the decision to discontinue the prosecution on the basis that there is now insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.”
A rumor is circulating to the effect that Muslims in Dudley are now rioting in protest over the release of Leon and Snowy. I don’t have any confirmation of this intriguing report, but another news story seems to support the contention that Dudley’s “youths” have indeed been rioting.
More from theOPINIANATOR Here
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Pakistan's intelligence agency has cancelled planned talks with security experts in the UK in the wake of David Cameron's claim that elements within the country were promoting the export of terror, it has been confirmed.
It came as the diplomatic spat escalated in Pakistan as about a dozen protesters from the Islamist group Shababe Milli burned an effigy of Cameron in the city of Karachi.
The demonstrators chanted "Down with Cameron!" and "God is great!" outside the Karachi Press Club. "Cameron-the loose mouth," a placard read.
The cancelled trip is the most concrete indication so far of damage done to Anglo-Pakistani relations by Mr Cameron's comments, which sparked outrage in Islamabad when he made them during this week's trip to India.
It comes days ahead of a three-day visit to the UK by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, during which he is expected to stay with Mr Cameron at his country retreat Chequers.
A senior Pakistani intelligence official has reportedly confirmed that Lieutenant General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha had called off the trip.
Shadow foreign secretary David Miliband said: "Britain needs good relations with Pakistan, and Pakistan good relations with Britain. The cancellation of Pakistan's intelligence service counter-terrorism conference is clearly bad news.
"The Prime Minister's comments this week told only part of the story and that has enraged people in Pakistan. It is vital he shows that he understands the need not just for Pakistan to tackle terrorism but that he will support them in doing so and understand the losses they have suffered." Continued
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Playwright Bonnie Greer, who appeared on the BBC's Question Time to challenge BNP leader Nick Griffin, said: "My response would be to say that the overwhelming majority of paedophiles, murderers, war-mongers and football hooligans are white males and all we got in return was beans on toast and Top Gear." (Ed)
An article you likely won't find featured in the Western mainstream media exposes the rampant child molestation problem in Pakistan, particularly the Punjab region (see article below). Islam is the religion of 90% Punjab residents.
There is no doubt that many of these paedophiles are being imported into the UK, primarily England, due the government encouraged explosion in muslim immigration thus placing our children at higher risk of being molested and raped.
Below are some of the instances of muslim pedophila that I have written about. These are only the ones that make it into the mainstream media......noting that the much of the media are just as complicit, as the police, in keeping muslim crime out of public purview. When the media does decide to expose muslim "bad behaviours" they are often stymied.
Channel 4 wanted to air a television documentary that exposed the huge numbers of Pakistani muslim men involved in a pedophilia ring - police stopped the airing twice-due to fears it would "incite racial violence". The documentary was eventually televised. Soothing muslim sensitivities appears to be far more important, to the police, than warning about and likely preventing the rape of a child.
Interesting to note -- just like in Punjab, British children aged 11 to 15 are amongst the most likely to be molested/raped by muslim men.
Links below
So whilst our dhimmified British law enforcement continue to pretend the ever growing problem of muslim crime, in the UK, is an occasional "one off" we, who know better, must vigilantly protect our vulnerable children from those who seek to do them harm.
Article in full:
- Child Protection Bill was drafted in 2008, but has not been approved by parliament to date
- Child molestation cases silenced for lack of evidence and fear of social stigma
By Hina Akhtar
Lahore: Cases of Paedophilia have seen a dramatic increase in the country in a span of a few years, Daily Times has learnt.
Child molestation is no longer a secret or something that can only happen to “other people”. These sort of sex offenders may be people we meet every day. There are high chances of the victim knowing the offender. Paedophilia is not the problem of a certain area or income group. It is not likely poverty or illiteracy, which are problems of a certain class. Research from all over the world has shown that child molestation can occur in all socio-economic classes, even in educated families.
A Child Protection Bill was drafted in October 2008. Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said, on July 5, 2009, that the government was determined to make the bill a vital part of legislation and it would soon be approved by parliament. He said this while speaking at the launch of the Post Card Campaign organised in connection with the Campaign for Child Protection, held at the National Press Club (NPC). “I promise that I, not as a minister, but as your advocate and representative, will leave no stone unturned to defend and pass the bill from parliament,” the minister said.
It has been two years since the National Child Protection Bill was tabled before parliament. The proposed piece of legislation could have been a breakthrough for innocent girls and boys being molested and murdered across the country, but the lack of interest on part of the parliamentarians clearly shows that there is no chance of the bill getting approved. Likewise, the Punjab government has also continuously failed to implement pledges of stern action against criminals of child molestation, trying them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
According to the recent statistics given by SAHIL, a non-government organisation, Punjab is on the top of the list for child molestation with 62 percent of such cases, 154 in Lahore and the rest in other cities of Punjab.
In total, 68 percent girls and 32 percent boys have been the victims of paedophilia. The number increased by 9.4 percent as compared to 2008. Statistics show that around 81 percent of the cases were registered with the police. The study shows that 2,012 children were reportedly abused in 2009 and most of them were abused by acquaintances.
The report says that children from the 11 to 15 age-group are amongst the most vulnerable, followed by the age-group 6 to 10. Out of a total 2,012 victims, 6 percent of the children were murdered after being sexually assaulted. However, 0.5 percent cases were of those children who were murdered during an “attempt” of sexual assault.
According to the study, “it is difficult to collect actual data regarding child molestation as the abusers threaten children not to share such experiences, even with parents”.
Cases: Even in cases where the molesters are revealed, people are unable to bring them to the book without solid evidence. Due to lack of evidence and social stigma, parents of molested children often choose to stay silent, hence these incidents go ignored.
One of the worst cases of child molestation is the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in the village of Kharrianwala near Faisalabad. The incident was appreciably highlighted by the media, and there were huge protests leading to a massive blockade of the Faisalabad-Sheikhupura road. The coverage by the media, eventually compelled Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the case.
Examples of other child molestation cases in the year 2009 include the abduction, rape and murder of eight-year-old Mudassara in the New Anarkali police jurisdiction, the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl who was found dumped in a drain near the Gujjarpura police jurisdiction and the murder of 10-year-old Muzammil who was found near the Mayo Hospital on December 2, 2009. Up till now, in 2010, a 10-year-old boy, Jamshed was killed after being gang-raped on January 10. Other notorious and heinous incidents include the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl named Sana by two policemen in Karachi. The child’s body was recovered from a manhole and the culprits were sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court.
The legal officer of the Child Protection Bureau, Rana Mumtaz was not available to give any statement regarding this issue despite repeated attempts to contact him.
More from theOPINIANATOR Here
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Britain’s open border system was last night blamed for encouraging a Romanian gypsy gang to bring in almost 200 children to beg and steal up to £20million a year on our streets.
The modern-day Fagins face charges of child trafficking, money laundering, membership of an organised crime group and possession of illegal firearms.
The 26 crime barons were arrested in April when Romanian police aided by Scotland Yard officers raided 17 fortified “gypsy palaces” in the poverty-stricken town of Tanderai. They are believed to have trafficked at least 181 children aged between seven and 15 to Britain over the past three years, exposing how powerless border guards are to limit migrants.
Romanian police launched an investigation into the gang after Scotland Yard informed them about a crime wave that started almost as soon as Romania joined the European Union in 2007.
Critics of EU expansion warned that the latest case could be the tip of the iceberg, with unlimited immigration likely to trigger further cases.
Euro MP Nigel Farage, one of the most outspoken critics, said: “Yet again we see suffering that will only be properly addressed if we are in control of our borders.
“How many children need to be abused before we see the folly of not addressing the problem of unlimited EU immigration?”
The menace of child gangs is so prevalent in London and other big cities that many coffee shops and fast-food restaurants have put up warning signs to alert customers.
Police have also issued posters advising the public to be alert to gangs of children distracting victims while others commit crimes.
In the latest drive against the gangs, codenamed Operation Golf, police uncovered enormous bundles of cash and an armoury of weapons including machine guns, hunting rifles, knives, pistols and gas bombs.
Officers also recovered hundreds of fake British passports used to help them transport vulnerable children from Romania to Britain.
As the men were charged in the Romanian town of Harghita yesterday, the prosecutor revealed that they had despatched at least 181 children to Britain over the past three years.
Court papers showed the gypsies preferred to use children with physical handicaps, believing they made more effective beggars.
Their impoverished parents had either been coerced into giving up their children or persuaded to part with them with a promise of getting a cut of their earnings. British police involved in Operation Golf estimate that the desperate children can make as much as £100,000 a year for their criminal masters by begging and stealing on British streets.
The modern-day Fagins in Romania are thought to earn up to £20million a year from the youngsters.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the think-tank MigrationWatch, said: “Roma criminals will not hesitate to expand their activities in Britain if we prove to be a soft touch. We must clamp down very firmly.”
Once in the UK, the children live under constant supervision, often in filthy, overcrowded conditions. They keep none of the money they make from begging, washing windscreens, pickpocketing and shoplifting.
Romanian child-trafficking campaigner Norbert Ceipek said: “Most of the families, and even the children, do not feel they are being victimised.
“What is happening to them is the only thing they’ve known. A child is appreciated if it earns money by stealing, while sending it to school is seen as a waste of time and money.”
According to social workers, once youngsters reach adolescence they are often forced into prostitution.
Mr Ceipek said: “Even the good thieves and pickpockets end up in prostitution past the age of 14, because they cease to be useful as they can then be arrested by police.
“They usually work as prostitutes up to 18, when they get married and have children who face the same fate and the circle goes on.”
Chief Insp Colin Carswell of Operation Golf said: “We are determined to rescue these children from a life of crime. Their trafficking and exploitation for criminality is a gross violation of their human rights.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “The Government is committed to tackling crime groups who profit from this human misery.
“Alongside a robust law enforcement response against traffickers, we are fully committed to identifying and protecting victims.”
Sunday Roundup
of the News this Week
Britain is destined to become the most heavily populated country in Europe, U.S. experts predicted yesterday. They said that in 40 years' time Germany will have lost its position as the European country with the highest number of people, which it has held since it was founded as a unified country 140 years ago.
A European Union directive which guarantees “refugees” the right to work if they manage to stay in any member state for 12 months has been used to force Britain to accept even failed asylum seekers as residents.
The leaders of a Romanian gipsy gang accused of sending almost 200 children to beg and steal on Britain's streets have been charged with series of crimes in their home country.
A Romanian rapist after fleeing his homeland to prey on British victims was jailed for at least 11 years today. Two women in their 20s feared they would die at the hands of Gheorghe Avadani, 32, after he held them prisoner, throttled them and tried to gouge out one of his victim's eyeballs.
To understand why our politicians are held in such contempt, look no further than the coming Bill on a referendum to change the voting system.
The value for money given by public services collapsed in Labour’s final years in power.
Muslim fundamentalists like the Islamic Forum of Europe may want to overthrow what they call “kufr (secular) law,” but they and their friends will happily use it to serve their ends.
How much humiliation can a man take? I ask because last night it became clear that yet a third attempt by Lutfur Rahman, the fundamentalist-linked councillor who is seeking to become Labour’s candidate for the powerful directly-elected mayoralty of Tower Hamlets, had been crushed.
The number of British children abducted by a parent and taken overseas has risen in the past year, Government figures have revealed.
A woman was arrested and hauled to court for swearing at a group of youths after a brick was thrown through her window.
A desperate patient texted photos of a deadly rash spreading across her body to her mother as she lay dying on a hospital bed while 'being ignored by NHS doctors'
Eleven people have been arrested in an immigration raid on a New Forest nursing home. Officers from the UK Border Agency swooped on Linford Park Nursing Home in Poulner, near Ringwood, at 6am yesterday after a tip-off.
Three former Labour MPs and a Tory peer will face trial over allegations they fiddled their expenses after losing a Court of Appeal ruling today.
Britain may be forced to sell one of its flagship new aircraft carriers to plug a huge hole in its defence budget.
Pauline Twydell used to delight in watching her two granddaughters play on the lawn outside her cottage home in a pretty Essex market town.
Compiled by old frauds. For a start, they left out of their dataset the most accurate climate record of all: The satellite data. You'll never guess why! Below is the DT report, with further comments at the foot of it
Britain's population growth is outpacing the rest of Europe, according to figures released yesterday. This country gained more people last year thanks to immigration and rising birth rates than anywhere in the continent.
Britain will see its population swell from today's 62.2 million to 77 million, an increase of 24 per cent.
Increasing numbers of Muslim brides are having taxpayer-funded ‘virginity repair’ operations before marriage.
Nearly 100,000 new homes must be built every year just to provide housing for immigrants, ministers disclosed yesterday.
Council house tenants living in properties that are bigger than they need are to be forced to move into smaller accommodation.
Channel 4 has been accused of under-representing white people because it is obsessed with ethnic minorities.
David Cameron was in Turkey yesterday endorsing Turkish membership of the EU, as blogger Laban Tall says, “doubtless driven by that grass-roots Tory pressure for a few million Turks to come to the UK”.
A Church of England vicar was found guilty yesterday of carrying out the biggest fake wedding scam Britain has ever seen.
Tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers were granted the right to work in the UK yesterday in a landmark court ruling.
You know government policy is in trouble when on the same day it is attacked by both a High Court judge and its own independent inspector.
Vince Cable stoked the Cabinet row over immigration today, suggesting the number of migrants coming to Britain from countries like India could increase, despite a Government pledge to bring in a strict cap.
Once again Michael Gove proves himself to be the best classical liberal in the Government by saying he would be interested in allowing atheist free schools.
We’ve posted previously about the Danish psychologist Nicolai Sennels and his work with Muslim criminals in Denmark’s juvenile justice system. After hearing the British Prime Minister’s speech in Turkey yesterday, he wrote an open letter to Mr. Cameron, which was posted at 180grader:
Baroness Warsi was hit in the face with an egg and called as "Cameron's Bitch", a court heard today.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has refused to prosecute anybody for the public violence and assault with a deadly weapon — captured on film and broadcast on satellite television — committed by members of a state-sponsored UAF mob against Nick Griffin at College Green in June last year.
Too many servicemen are dying in a conflict which is “not our war”, the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan said yesterday.
The French president has been accused of ethnic cleansing after ordering the expulsion of thousands of gipsies who are illegal immigrants.
It sounds like something straight out of George Orwell's nightmarish Nineteen Eighty-Four. In a move that harks back to the dark days of the KGB, the Russian security service has been given new powers to crack down on so-called 'thought crime'.
The total represents less than a one-in-10 of the schools that originally registered an interest in breaking free from local council control.
Fears that the Coalition will water down Tory commitments for an immigration cap have been raised after David Cameron was urged by Vince Cable to scrap the pledge in order to boost Britain’s economic attractiveness.
David Cameron today accused critics of Turkey’s membership of the EU of playing on fears of Islam - as he pledged to ‘pave the road from Ankara to Brussels’.
Armed police opened fire during an operation to arrest members of the controversial far-right English Defence League, who were feared to be masterminding an attack at a Bournemouth mosque.
An audit has discovered the U.S. Defense Department can't properly account for how it spent about 95 per cent of $9.1billion in Iraqi oil money earmarked for rebuilding the war-ravaged country.
The Coalition has worked a political miracle. We are now ruled by a Government that is even softer on crime than Labour was.
Visa controls for applicants from Pakistan who want to settle in the UK failed to protect the UK's border, a watchdog has said.
Jeremy Clarkson has joined the debate on whether burkas should be permitted in Britain in his own inimitable style.
The green man was still flashing when Victoria Johnson stepped on to the pedestrian crossing and was hit by a motorist. But although the trainee barrister never regained consciousness, driver Foysal Ali - who was travelling at 37mph in the 30mph zone - has escaped jail because Miss Johnson was on her phone at the time.
The whole point of Nationalism, is that the economic, socio-cultural, socio-economic, national religion, and institutions of the country, are completely protected from outside influences.
The Celtic arrow symbolises European unity, virility and power. It is also the symbol for the Celtic 'Brothers of the Arrow', a brotherhood of warriors from the various Celtic tribes and lands of Europe who would come together to fight their common foe when required, this being powerful enemies such as the Roman Empire.
Ministers announced that the UK Film Council, the HFEA fertility watchdog and funding body Sport England are among 20 or so organisations set for the chop.
Ministers are under pressure to tackle public sector pensions after estimates of taxpayer liability soared by 37.5 per cent to £793billion.
Another Green soul declares enough is enough. It’s a question of conscience. Physicist Dr. Denis Rancourt is a former professor and environmental science researcher at the University of Ottawa (as green as they come), and has officially bailed out of the man-made global warming movement.
Five allegedly independent investigations claim to have cleared U.S. and British climate scientists of chicanery in their global warming research.
Warmists may be winning the big grants, but they're not winning the argument Ever more risibly desperate become the efforts of the believers in global warming to hold the line for their religion, after the battering it was given last winter by all those scandals surrounding the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
From trampoline experts to walking advisers - hundreds of public sector non-jobs are advertised by councils every day, despite warnings that budgets may have to be slashed by as much as 40 per cent to tackle our huge deficit.
Thousands of desperate British cancer patients are denied drugs routinely offered in other countries, a damning official report is to reveal.
Convicted criminals may be able to get out of jail early by apologising to their victims and making amends for their offences under plans being considered by ministers.
Britain’s compensation culture has helped jailed criminals pocket £15million in five years, the Daily Express can reveal.
A woman stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend may have lived if a series of vital 999 calls had not been re-routed by mistake, a police watchdog said today.
Two teenage members of a 'happy slapping' gang who attacked and killed a 67-year-old man as he stood with his his young granddaughter were locked up today.
Ministers are ready to hand sweeping Big Brother powers to EU states so they can spy on British citizens. Foreign police will be able to travel to the UK and take part in the arrest of Britons.
(Independent Ireland) No. It will not do. Even as we see African states refusing to take action to restore something resembling civilisation in Zimbabwe, the begging bowl for Ethiopia is being passed around to us, yet again.
A leading campaigner for gypsies' rights today admitted her part in £3million benefits scam involving nearly 200 Romanians. Lavinia Olmazu, 30, and her 29-year-old boyfriend Alin Enachi masterminded the scam through which 172 Romanians claimed £2.9million.
Shamed GP Kenneth McNeil Bartley was blasted as ‘‘cavalier” and “arrogant” by the General Medical Council as he was struck off from the medical register.
A Labour donor helped by Harriet Harman after giving up to £5,000 towards her election campaign was yesterday accused of employing illegal immigrants.
A Home Office policy which allows the speedy deportation of foreign nationals refused permission to remain in the UK was ruled unlawful by the High Court today.
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) has been unable to account for more than £6 billion of equipment, the government's spending watchdog says.
William Hague was last night plunged into a row over new Foreign Office rules which ban white males from gaining work experience at his department.
How Harman helped Labour donor in visa trouble: Nigerian's wife lived unlawfully in UK for six years
Harriet Harman was last night facing damaging claims that she lobbied the Home Office on behalf of a Labour Party donor’s immigrant wife who is living in Britain unlawfully.
The mystery over the death of David Kelly took a further twist last night after a former KGB officer said he had evidence that the scientist did not commit suicide.
The US Government told Scottish officials that the Lockerbie bomber's release on compassionate grounds was "far preferable" to his transfer back to a Libyan jail, it was revealed.
North Korea warned of a ‘sacred war’ using its ‘nuclear deterrent’ as the U.S. and South Korea today began a series of joint military exercises.
NHS bosses have drawn up secret plans for sweeping cuts to services, with restrictions on the most basic treatments for the sick and injured.
More than 90 percent of researchers who have published studies favorable to the controversial diabetes drug Avandia had a financial stake in the issue, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic.
Life in a meat-packing factory might not appeal to everyone. But for Donna Dickinson, the offer of a job with Continental Fine Foods seemed a welcome opportunity.
An Islamic extremist who has described al-Qaeda as a "myth" and justified the killing of British troops in Iraq has been chosen as the main link between the Metropolitan Police and the Muslim community.
A Tory MP has been warned he could face legal action if he follows through on a threat to refuse to meet constituents wearing burkas.
(The Opinionator) Many of the British political elites are sinking to even lower levels of dhimmitude as they try to rationalize "empowering" muslim women to experience the "freedom" of wearing the burqa in the UK.
It came as news to me to learn last week that one of the key rights British women have is the right to choose what they wear every morning.
A council-run graveyard is selling Muslim burial plots £500 cheaper than those for non-Muslims, to the anger of local residents.
The Government has opened the way for official links with Muslim extremists after civil servants said radical groups could be a "safety valve" for those tempted by terrorism.
An embarrassing failure to prevent a banned criminal from entering Britain has led to major concerns over the country's border controls.
Black criminal gang violence is destroying many of Britain’s inner cities and the time has come for the establishment to stop pretending it is not happening and admit that their disastrous mass immigration policies are the primary cause of this disaster.
Asylum seekers seeking permission to stay in Britain are being offered free swimming pool or gym sessions while they wait, it emerged yesterday.
More than £220million is being stolen from taxpayers every year by feckless tenants in a growing housing benefits scandal, the Daily Express can reveal.
It wasn't exactly the dream wedding. And two days in a cell still dressed in your turquoise wedding dress would probably sap the radiance from any bride.
Could your life be worth more to your government than a few pence added to BP's share price?
A woman saved from deportation by a high-profile campaign has been jailed for ten months after killing a child while driving without a licence.
A Frail pensioner who was knocked over and left with crippling injuries by a hit and run driver has broken her silence in a bid to bring the offenders to justice.
A Massive fine landed on a company which rented out “rat-infested” properties in Liverpool lead to the resignation of a housing committee chief – in Bradford.
A Saudi man has been chained in a basement apartment for more than six years because his father believes he is possessed by an evil female genie.
Safi Qurashi was convicted in the United Arab Emirates of signing cheques worth more than £50m without sufficient funds and cancelling another cheque in the process of his property deals.
The economy bounced back with its strongest growth figures in four years yesterday - unleashing a political war of words over who should get the credit.
Bulger killer scum Jon Venables to get another new identity after he is jailed over child sex images
Jon Venables, one of the killers of James Bulger, will be given a new identity at a cost to the taxpayer of £250,000 when he is released from a two-year jail term for child pornography offences.
Saturday 31st July 2010
Britain is destined to become the most heavily populated country in Europe, U.S. experts predicted yesterday.
They said that in 40 years' time Germany will have lost its position as the European country with the highest number of people, which it has held since it was founded as a unified country 140 years ago.
While Britain's population will have climbed close to 80million, there will be just 71.5million Germans in 2050, a report said.
The estimates from the U.S. pressure group Population Reference Bureau follow the disclosure earlier this week that a third of all the population growth in Europe is now concentrated in Britain.
The figures supplied by the U.S. organisation say that Germany's population will have fallen by 11million by 2050, thanks to its falling birth rates and low levels of immigration.
But in Britain - where numbers will reach 70million in 2029 according to official projections - there will be 77million people by 2050, the report said.
In comparison, France, the next most populous European nation, will have seen numbers climb from the current 66.1million to just 70million.
Both France and Germany currently have far more people than the 62million estimated numbers in Britain.
But neither has the high immigration levels which mean numbers in this country are rising much faster than anywhere else on the continent.
Official estimates say that around two thirds of population growth in Britain is a result of high immigration.
The latest predictions of the effects of immigration and population growth came as David Cameron tried to put an end to Coalition differences by insisting there will be a cap on numbers coming into the country.
The arguments between ministers - with Business Secretary Vince Cable calling for a 'liberal' immigration policy - have come as a spate of new figures give fresh impetus to concerns over the impact of rising population.
European figures earlier this week showed that numbers in Britain swelled by 412,000 in 2009, almost a third of all population growth in the 27 EU countries.
Yesterday ministers disclosed a Whitehall analysis which showed 100,000 new homes will be required each year for the next 25 years simply to cope with the numbers of immigrants arriving in the country.
The Population Reference Bureau, which campaigns for the spread of contraception as a means of controlling population numbers around the world, published figures similar to those first calculated by the United Nations last year.
The UN accepted official British estimates that the population of this country will grow by 174,000 a year as a result of migration.
But in Germany migration will add only 110,000 a year to the population while birth rates are falling, and in France, migration will mean an extra 100,000 people each year.
Frank Field and Nicholas Soames, the backbench Labour and Tory MPs who head the Cross-Party Group on Balanced Migration, said in a statement that it was necessary to restrict immigration.
'If this is to be achieved, whilst retaining the flexibility that our economy needs, we must ensure that economic migration no longer confers an almost automatic right to settle here.'
See Also: (Yesterday's Tabloids Reports)
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A European Union directive which guarantees “refugees” the right to work if they manage to stay in any member state for 12 months has been used to force Britain to accept even failed asylum seekers as residents.
The outrageous situation arose after court cases were brought by two “asylum seekers,” one from Burma and another from Somalia.
The two scroungers had both been denied asylum in Britain (which means that their cases were so weak that not even the liberal establishment could see its way clear to agreeing to their demands) but had, like 92 percent of all “asylum seekers,” simply refused to leave Britain.
The two “asylum seekers” applied to the Supreme Court for protection under the EU regulation which overrules British law.
Deputy president of the court, Lord Kerr, ruled in favour of the “asylum seekers” even though they had clearly broken every law in the book by firstly making bogus applications and then staying on in contravention of asylum tribunal rulings.
The British National Party’s position on these matters is that asylum seekers have the right of refuge in the first safe country bordering the one they flee.
This does not give them the right to cross dozens of safe countries to reach soft touch Britain, as the first “safe” country which they enter is the only nation obligated to provide refuge.
A person fleeing Burma, for example, has the right of refuge in India or Thailand. In order to reach Britain, such a person has literally crossed thirty or more “safe” countries and is therefore no longer an “asylum seeker” but actually just an invader.
The BNP holds the position that there are no legal asylum seekers in Britain. All have broken international conventions and British immigration law and all must be returned forthwith, without compensation, to the first safe country bordering the one they fled and in which their journey to soft touch Britain started.
The latest ruling, enforced by the EU, means that at least 45,000 of these utterly bogus asylum seekers who have already been told to leave Britain, will now be able to stay and work.
It was previously announced that there is a backlog of 450,000 asylum claims which still have to be processed.
MigrationWatch chairman Sir Andrew Green was quoted in a newspaper as commenting that there has “been a succession of court decisions which take no account of the real world in which our Home Office has to operate.
“It is no service to genuine refugees to make the asylum system progressively more open to abuse.
Yet again EU directives have unintended and unwelcome consequences for Britain,” Sir Andrew said.
Given MigrationWatch’s correct assessment of the disastrous consequences of continued EU membership for Britain’s immigration policies and the Conservative Party’s fanatic support of the EU, observers are continually left puzzled why Sir Andrew supports that party.
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The leaders of a Romanian gipsy gang accused of sending almost 200 children to beg and steal on Britain's streets have been charged with series of crimes in their home country.
Dubbed 'modern day Fagins', the 26 men - all Roma gipsies - face a mixture of charges including trafficking children, money laundering, membership of an organised crime group and possession of illegal firearms.
The men were arrested in April this year when 300 armed Romanian police raided 17 heavily fortified 'gipsy palaces' in the dirt-poor town of Tanderai, a gang-heartland in the south of the country.
As well as enormous bundles of cash, police found a fearsome cache of weapons including AK47 machine guns, hunting rifles, knives, pistols, and gas bombs.
Officers also found luxury cars, jewellery plus hundreds of fake British passports and other false documentation used to help them transport children from Romania to Britain.
Today, as the men were officially charged in the Romanian town of Harghita, the prosecutor disclosed that they sent at least 181 children to Britain over the past three years.
Court papers show that the gangmasters showed particular preference for children with physical handicaps as they recruited children from all over Romania.
The children's parents were either coerced into giving up their children - or persuaded to do so with the promise of getting a cut of the childrens' future 'earnings', the court papers explain.
British police estimate that determined and desperate children can make as much as £100,000 a year for their criminal masters from begging on Britain's streets.
Once in the UK, the children were constantly under supervision by at least one gang member.
The children kept none of the money they earned from activities such as begging, washing windscreens, pickpocketting and shoplifting.
Romanian police started investigating the gipsy gang when they were informed by their British counterparts about a Roma gipsy 'crime wave' that started almost as soon as Romania joined the EU.
Romanian child-trafficking expert Norbert Ceipek said: 'The children don’t have any access to education and never get any real chance to fit into normal society.
'But most of the families, and even the children, do not feel they are being victimised.
'What is happening to them is the only thing they’ve known. The whole system of values is turned upside down: a child is appreciated and loved if it earns money by stealing, whereas sending it to school or integrating it into society is seen as a waste of time and money.'
The 26 men, including gang leaders Constantin Radu and Tase Dumitru will face trial in Romania later this year.
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A Romanian rapist after fleeing his homeland to prey on British victims was jailed for at least 11 years today.
Two women in their 20s feared they would die at the hands of Gheorghe Avadani, 32, after he held them prisoner, throttled them and tried to gouge out one of his victim's eyeballs.
The scarred and tattooed criminal was freed from a Romanian jail in mid 2007 after serving a three-year sentence for raping a teenager.
Avadani came to Britain in July 2008 and struck twice within a matter of months after preying on sex workers.
His second victim told jurors how Avadani attacked her in February last year.
'He tried to suffocate me,' she said.
'He put two fingers into my eyes and was trying to take out my eyeball.
'I pretended I was dead and that he'd killed me.'
Avadani denied any wrongdoing, claiming either that the sex was consensual or he was the victim of mistaken identity, but was convicted following a trial.
Judge Simon Davis handed him an indeterminate sentence for public protection, with a minimum of 11 years before he can be considered for parole.
He is likely to spend the rest of his life on licence and be deported after his release.
The judge said: 'In my view, you demonstrate a pattern of escalating gravity in your offending.
'I am of the opinion that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by you by the commission of further specified offences.
'You are a danger to women. You targeted vulnerable victims.
'There was an element of planning in that you were familiar with the two locations and were confident that suitable victims could be found there.
'There was more than one victim - there were multiple rapes.'
The first UK victim's ordeal came to light when she confided in a community nurse.
She later told a police officer how Avadani approached her on Green Street, Upton Park, east London in late September or early October 2008 and agreed to pay her '£30 for 10 minutes'.
When they got to his home in nearby Selsdon Road, his manner changed but when she asked to leave he stopped her.
The woman said she sobbed as he stripped her and she added: 'When I screamed he put his hand over my mouth and told me to shush.
'That's when he strangled me. I thought I was going to die. I couldn't breathe.
'I said: 'If I promise to do what you say, will you let me go?'
'He said: "Yes".'
She said she begged him to wear a condom but he ignored her.
Afterwards he held her 'really tight' until she fell asleep before ordering her to leave in the morning.
Then on February 21 last year, his next victim banged on the window of a friend's home, naked from the waist down.
She was taken to hospital and gave police an account she had been raped earlier that day.
The woman said she was walking home from Seven Sisters tube in north London when the Romanian grabbed her waist and offered her money for sex.
She took him to her nearby home but once there he ordered her to 'get on with the job' and she changed her mind.
He blocked her path to the door with a sofa and turned off the light.
Avadani ripped off her clothes, punched her about the head, and rammed her head into the wall and floor, and pushed his fingers into her eyes before raping her.
Afterwards he let her go to the toilet but she took the opportunity to escaped, semi-naked, through a window and raised the alarm.
The judge said the woman was 'alone, lonely and very, very vulnerable'.
A DNA sample taken from her matched Avadani and he was arrested a week later.
He claimed the pair had consensual sex but explained the strange positioning of the sofa near the door as her bid to keep him in her flat.
The Romanian, who has been self-harming since the age of 11, is 'not quite the ticket' according to his barrister Jenny Hart.
She said Avadani, who continues to deny any wrongdoing, had found his time in the UK 'sobering'.
Avadani denied four counts of vaginal rape, false imprisonment, two of assault by penetration and assault occasioning actual bodily harm but was convicted by a jury.
He further denied one count of oral rape and was cleared.
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To understand why our politicians are held in such contempt, look no further than the coming Bill on a referendum to change the voting system.
I forever blogging about the absurdity of holding a referendum on AV, which neither of the two coalition parties proposed at the last election, while not having a referendum on Europe, which all the parties were recently promising.
The only party which went into the last election offering a referendum on AV was Labour – which now says it will vote against the legislation. In other words, all three main parties are now proposing to do the opposite of what they pledged only three months ago.
To remind you, the Conservative manifesto declared: “We support the first-past-the-post system… because it gives voters the chance to kick out a government they are fed up with.” The Liberal Democrat manifesto proposed Single Transferable Vote, with Nick Clegg, for the avoidance of doubt, attacking AV during during the campaign as “a miserable little compromise”. (Incidentally, both parties also promised a far sharper reduction in the number of MPs than their Bill now offers). As for Labour, its manifesto unequivocally stated: “We will hold a referendum on introducing the Alternative Vote for elections to the House of Commons.”
Is it possible for our MPs to behave any more unedifyingly over the whole business? Yup: they could start accusing each other of hypocrisy.
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The value for money given by public services collapsed in Labour’s final years in power.
The more taxpayers’ money was thrown at the Health Service, schools, local government and social services, the less efficient they became, according to official figures yesterday.
The first estimates for how the public sector performed in 2008 showed that productivity in the the most costly public services went down as Gordon Brown pumped more money in.
During 2008, they showed, spending on public services went up by 2.8 per cent but output rose by only 1.9 per cent.
The figures mean there was a 0.9 per cent fall in value for money from public services.
The decline in efficiency was three times faster in 2008 than the average productivity drop during Labour’s years in power.
Calculations made by the Office for National Statistics showed that overall, the value for money given by the public sector dropped by 3.3 per cent between 1997 and 2008.
The decline in efficiency came as public spending almost doubled from £318 billion a year to £621 billion last year.
The dismal performance of the public sector compares with a clear record of growing efficiency in private business and industry.
Although ONS officials warned yesterday that strict comparisons are hard to make, their own analysis suggests that productivity in market-sector enterprises rose at more than 1 per cent year from 2001 to 2007.
Some independent estimates show that private-sector productivity went up by more than 25 per cent during Labour’s years in power.
The comparisons cast an alarming light on the scale of public sector spending, and in particular salaries.
Pay for public sector workers has for several years been rising much faster than for their counterparts in private industry.
In particular public sector managers have been paying themselves spiralling salaries, claiming this is justified by their record of achievement.
Hundreds of officials in the NHS, local councils and the education system now earn more than £200,000 a year and local government managers’ pay has, according to Whitehall estimates, been rising at double the rate of managers’ pay in the private sector.
Yesterday’s productivity assessment brought fresh condemnation from experts. Ruth Lea, economist for the Arbuthnot Banking Group, said: ‘We know that money was thrown at the public services after 2000 without the necessary reforms that should have taken place.
‘These figures are confirmation of what we have known for some time. There has been a lot of money very badly spent in the public sector. ‘It has been wasted and this must be laid at the feet of the Labour government. The challenge for the Coalition is to reverse the decline.’
ONS analyst Katherine Mills said: ‘The public sector is responsible for a fifth of UK output. Everyone is a potential user of public services and has a legitimate concern over how they are provided.’
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Muslim fundamentalists like the Islamic Forum of Europe may want to overthrow what they call “kufr (secular) law,” but they and their friends will happily use it to serve their ends.
There are strong indications tonight that Lutfur Rahman, the IFE-linked councillor who has been barred three times by the Labour Party from the shortlist for the powerful elected mayoralty of Tower Hamlets, is now taking Labour to the High Court in his fourth, and surely most desperate, attempt to prevail. The party has today written to members, delaying the ballot to choose its candidate for a week.
As I reported before, Lutfur’s solicitor, Makbool Javaid, has had close connections with the now-banned pro-terrorist group, al-Muhajiroun. The court move, which cannot be cheap, also raises interesting questions about who’s paying Lutfur’s legal bills.
As someone who is supposed to be a politician, Lutfur needs to think about the sheer political stupidity of what he’s doing. Even if the courts put him back on the shortlist – and party sources appear confident that their procedures will withstand legal challenge – what possible hope can he now have of winning the election as the candidate that even his party did not want? Unless, of course, he’s got some way of gathering votes that’s not available to his rivals.
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How much humiliation can a man take? I ask because last night it became clear that yet a third attempt by Lutfur Rahman, the fundamentalist-linked councillor who is seeking to become Labour’s candidate for the powerful directly-elected mayoralty of Tower Hamlets, had been crushed.
Lutfur’s powerful friends – of whom more later – have been angling to get him back on the mayoral shortlist after he was twice excluded by the party amid deep concerns about his links with the fundamentalist Islamic Forum of Europe.
Yesterday, Lutfur even held a press conference and issued a suspiciously expensive-looking glossy leaflet to announce the joyous news that he’d made it back on to the list. Oh no, he hadn’t. Labour spokesmen last night insisted that the shortlist remains as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be – Lutfur-free.
Lutfur’s and his allies’ absurd manoeuvrings have succeeded only in making him, and the Labour Party, look ridiculous. What next for the great man? Does he stand as an independent? Or does he stand in front of the Town Hall like Bonnie Prince Charlie and proclaim himself the true king of Tower Hamlets?
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The number of British children abducted by a parent and taken overseas has risen in the past year, Government figures have revealed.
Abductions to countries that have not signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction increased by 39%.
Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne said: "International parental child abduction, whether intentional or not, can cause huge distress to families."
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) child abduction section handled 146 cases of children taken to countries not covered by the treaty, compared with 105 the previous year.
Most of these were in Pakistan, India, Thailand, Ghana and Nigeria, which have not ratified the convention.
According to the FCO, the largest number of abductions are in summer when a parent takes a child on holiday, often to a country where they have relatives, and then refuses to bring them home.
Mr Browne said: "If a parent wishes to take their child to live in a new country, they will normally need either the permission of the other parent or British courts."
He said cases where British nationals return to the UK with their child following the breakdown of a relationship while the family is living abroad are also likely to be treated as abduction.
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A woman was arrested and hauled to court for swearing at a group of youths after a brick was thrown through her window.
After being cleared of all wrongdoing, Natalie Harrop criticised the police for failing to deal with the vandals.
She was arrested after disobeying a police officer's order to go back inside her house after confronting the group of youths who had earlier chased her boyfriend. She claimed she had been locked out.
Miss Harrop, of Farnworth, Greater Manchester, was charged with using language that could possibly have alarmed or distressed the youths.
The court heard Miss Harrop and her boyfriend Robert Berthan, 25, were at home when an object – most likely a brick – smashed an upstairs bedroom window in the early hours of June 12.
Mr Berthan left the house to confront six youths standing outside, but a patrolling police officer witnessed him being chased away by the group, who later returned to the street outside the property.
Kirsten Mercer, prosecuting, said: "Miss Harrop went outside to speak to the youths and the police. She was drinking a can of beer and shouted towards the youths. She swore at one of them.
"The police officer asked her to go inside the house. She remained outside and was therefore arrested."
Miss Harrop was charged with using abusive words within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.
She was cleared of any wrongdoing by magistrates at Bolton, Greater Manchester on Thursday but was warned not to offend in the following 12 months and threatened with a £100 fine.
After the hearing, Miss Harrop said: "I did what anyone would do in that situation. I was frustrated because my home had been attacked.
"The last few weeks have been difficult because of the court case. It’s all over, but why were these youths never arrested when police had the chance? We have no idea why anyone would want to attack our house."
Mr Berthan added: “We are very angry. These lads smash our window, chase me down the street and, even though the police are standing right next to them, they aren’t arrested. We know Natalie did nothing wrong and the courts agreed.”
Suzanne Gower, for the defence, claimed Miss Harrop was "victimised" by the group of youths and that she had been unable to follow the officer's orders to return inside her house.
She said: "Her home had been attacked and her boyfriend had gone out and was chased. He had the house keys so she could not go back inside."
The hearing took place the day after Theresa May, the Home Secretary, indicated a possible end for anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs), pledging to give members of the public and individual officers the power to address community problems.
She said: "'We need to make anti-social behaviour what it once was – unusual, abnormal and something to stand up to – instead of what it has become: frequent, normal and tolerated."
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Our 'Third World' NHS
A desperate patient texted photos of a deadly rash spreading across her body to her mother as she lay dying on a hospital bed while 'being ignored by NHS doctors'
Critically ill Jo Dowling, 25, sent more than 40 pictures and messages to her mother and best friend as her life ebbed away.
Doctors ignored the rash and refused to believe she had blood poisoning caused by the meningitis bug, taking her off antibiotics and giving her painkillers instead.
Hours earlier, the young woman had been diagnosed by her family GP with suspected meningococcal septicaemia after developing a purple skin rash and low blood pressure.
She was rushed to Milton Keynes Hospital where A&E doctors rejected the diagnosis believing instead her illness was a mild infection caused by her cystic fibrosis.
But doctors abandoned Miss Dowling on an observation ward and gave her headache tablets and fluids as they failed to spot the purple rash spread over her arms, hands and legs.
As the hours passed, terrified Miss Dowling took photos of her rash on her mobile phone and sent them to her mum and best friend describing her condition as 'getting worse'.
The meningitis bug left her in septic shock choking and coughing as fluid filled her lungs and she died four hours after her last text message - just 14 hours after arriving at hospital.
Her family yesterday accused the hospital of 'neglect' after an inquest at Milton Keynes Coroners' Court heard doctors failed to spot she was suffering 'blood poisoning shock'.
Coroner Tom Osborne criticised the hospital for a 'communication breakdown' that led to her death as tragically a simple dose of penicillin and antibiotics would have saved Miss Dowling's life.
The inquest heard there were only two doctors on duty to cover the entire hospital the night she died last November.
Her devastated mother Sue Christie, 48, of Milton Keynes, a distribution worker, said: 'Our doctor knew it was meningitis but when we got to hospital all the care seemed to stop.
They didn't seem to know what they were meant to do or what meningococcal septicaemia was.
'The hospital was saying it was just an infection. She had a lot of infections with cystic fibrosis but never a rash like this.
'I saw her picture messages and the rash was really bad. You couldn't miss them but the nurses did. I thought she was in hospital and with the best people.
'She wasn't given a chance and was left to die without being given any treatment.
'It is so sad as Jo had got through everything with her cystic fibrosis and was such a strong girl.'
Jo was given penicillin and admitted to hospital at 3.25pm on November 23 last year with a letter from her GP Dr Nessan Carson diagnosing meningococcal septicaemia.
Dr Carson listed symptoms as low blood pressure, a raised pulse and a purple rash that would not disappear when pressed with a glass.
The inquest heard locum consultant Dr Bakhtawar Shah Khattak sent Jo for a CT Scan and lumber puncture and results were sent to micro-biology to determine which type of antibiotics to use.
When the scans showed no traces of meningitis Dr Chris Akubuine, physician in general medicine, refused to continue treating Jo's symptoms with antibiotics.
Instead Dr Akubuine administered headache pills and fluids and left her in the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) for overnight observations, the inquest heard.
Trainee GP Vivake Roddah failed to keep a written observation record but told the inquest he did not see the purple rash on Miss Dowling's hands, arms and legs.
Five nurses also told the two day hearing they did not spot any rash on Jo's body.
As her condition worsened Miss Dowling swapped 42 text messages with friends and her mother describing her illness and symptoms.
Just two hours after doctors ruled out meningitis she texted a friend to say 'rash is getting worse'.
She took around ten photos of the purple rash on her legs, hands and arms and sent one to her mum complaining her condition was not improving.
Former director Maggie Southcote-Want, 48, revealed a series of shocking incidents at the hospital at an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal in May.
Ms Southcote-Want claimed bodies were routinely dumped on the floor of the mortuary fridge and photographs of a car crash victim uploaded to websites, prompting a police inquiry.
She also claimed a locum doctor wrongly analysed dozens of breast cancer biopsies, a leading consultant was suspended for surgical blunders and two employees were caught having sex in the pharmacy during working hours.
The hospital denied the claims.
The fact is Doctors do not listen to patients. On two occasions out of six or seven visits in my lifetime I proved doctors to be wrong (two with and regarding my wife) which because of misdiagnosis had led to septicemia and was a close call for her.
Different doctors give different conflicting answers most of the time I have found. Try seeing two different doctors next time you have complications or are unwell and if you are unsatisfied by their diagnosis. See how much their diagnosis / opinions differ.
When I once visited a surgery the doctor in question accessed his computer and GOOGLED the symptom, well' I could have done that myself and clearly he didn't have a clue. But what is scary is how many more doctors are out there that are doing the same thing here in the UK?
Nurses on the other hand I can't criticise, most are angels and go out of their way to help from my experience, unless of course you know different. (Ed)
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Eleven people have been arrested in an immigration raid on a New Forest nursing home.
Officers from the UK Border Agency swooped on Linford Park Nursing Home in Poulner, near Ringwood, at 6am yesterday after a tip-off.
Three members of staff were also arrested by public protection officers "regarding the standard of care provided to a resident".
Emergency care staff from a number of health agencies, including Social Services and Ambulance crew, have been brought in to run the home and to assist in moving 34 people to alternative accommodation.
A spokesman from the Care Quality Commission told the Daily Echo none of the original members of staff were working at the site today.
She added: "The safety and wellbeing of the residents is our number one priority.
"We have worked closely with Hampshire County Council to ensure residents are protected and well looked after.
"We will monitor the situation extremely closely over the next few days and will take any further action that may be required."
The home, in Linford Park Road, was rated adequate and given one star in its latest inspection by the Commission For Social Care.
On its website the business is described as being "designed by the needs of our residents" and a place where "dignity, privacy, comfort and personal choice are at the heart of our ethos".
Hampshire County Council's executive member for adult social care, Felicity Hindson, said: "The care and wellbeing of the frail residents at the home near Ringwood is paramount and we have been carrying out individual assessments during the day.
"We have had to move a number of the most vulnerable and frail elderly people to alternative care.
"These include some residents who are the responsibility of other agencies and we are working closely with those authorities and our colleagues in the health service.
A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: "The operation was intelligence-led and targeted immigration offenders working illegally at the home.
“Eleven people have been detained by the UK Border Agency.”
He added that the raid was supported by Hampshire County Council’s adult services department.
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Three former Labour MPs and a Tory peer will face trial over allegations they fiddled their expenses after losing a Court of Appeal ruling today.
Judges decided David Chaytor, Elliot Morley, Jim Devine and Lord Hanningfield should not be protected by parliamentary privilege.
The politicians had argued their actions should be included under a 300-year-old law preventing MPs and lords from prosecution over proceedings in parliament.
But the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge - sitting with Lord Neuberger and Sir Anthony May - agreed with High Court judge Mr Justice Saunders that this was incorrect.
The case is now set to go to the Supreme Court, leaving the taxpayer with an estimated bill for legal aid of £3million.
Mr Chaytor, Mr Morley, Mr Devine and Lord Hanningfield are accused of pocketing thousands of pounds in fraudulent expenses.
The four politicians have already entered not guilty pleas to charges of theft by false accounting, which carries a possible seven-year prison sentence.
Lord Judge said: 'It can confidently be stated that parliamentary privilege or immunity from criminal prosecution has never, ever attached to ordinary criminal activities by Members of Parliament.
'With the necessary exception in relation to the exercise of freedom of speech, it is difficult to envisage circumstances in which the performance of the core responsibilities of a Member of Parliament might require or permit him or her to commit crime, or in which the commission of crime could form part of the proceedings in the House for the purposes of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights.'
He added: 'Equally, we cannot discern from principle or authority that privilege or immunity in relation to such conduct may arise merely because the allegations are based on activities which have taken place 'within the walls' of Parliament.'
The judge said: 'The stark reality is that the defendants are alleged to have taken advantage of the allowances scheme designed to enable them to perform their important public duties as Members of Parliament to commit crimes of dishonesty to which parliamentary immunity or privilege does not, has never, and, we believe, never would attach.
'If the allegations are proved, and we emphasise, if they are proved, then those against whom they are proved will have committed ordinary crimes.
'Even stretching language to its limits, we are unable to envisage how dishonest claims by Members of Parliament for their expenses or allowances begin to involve the legislative or core functions of the relevant House, or the proper performance of their important public duties.
'In our judgment, no question of privilege arises, and the ordinary process of the criminal justice system should take its normal course, unaffected by any groundless anxiety that they might constitute an infringement of the principles of parliamentary privilege.'
He added: 'Properly understood, the privileges of Parliament are the privileges of the nation and the bedrock of our constitutional democracy.'
Each of the four defendants will face a separate criminal trial at Southwark Crown Court which could begin before the end of this year if their final appeal is rejected.
They have been granted legal aid and instructed top silks who argued that they shouldn't face prosecution, as submitting expenses forms was part of Parliamentary proceedings and therefore covered by privilege under the 321-year-old Bill of Rights.
Mr Morley, 57, a former agriculture minister, denies two charges relating to £30,428 of mortgage claims on a house which allegedly had no mortgage.
Mr Chaytor, 60, denies dishonestly claiming £18,350 in rent on properties which were owned either by him or his mother and dishonestly claiming £1,950 for IT services using false invoices.
Mr Devine, 57, denies two charges of dishonestly claiming a total of £8,745 for cleaning and stationery using false invoices.
Lord Hanningfield, 69, denies six charges relating to claims for overnight allowances in London when it is alleged he was at his home in Essex.
The police probe into alleged expenses abuses has already cost the taxpayer more than half a million since the scandal broke last May.
But the final bill is likely be significantly higher as detectives are still investigating a number of politicians.
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Britain may be forced to sell one of its flagship new aircraft carriers to plug a huge hole in its defence budget.
Talks are taking place at the Ministry of Defence about finding a buyer for one of the ships being built at a cost of £5.2 billion for the Royal Navy. The financial crisis at the MoD has deepened after Chancellor George Osborne rejected a bid by Defence Secretary Liam Fox to get the Treasury to pay for the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent, which will cost tens of billions.
Senior military insiders are not optimistic about forcing the Treasury to change its stance on funding the upgrade of the submarine-borne nuclear weapons system.
But they believe that Prime Minister David Cameron and other Cabinet ministers may be able to persuade the Chancellor to agree a more generous settlement for the MoD once they realise how devastating and politically unpalatable cuts to the military budget would be.
Having to sell one of the two new 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers — HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is due to come into service in 2016, or HMS Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018 — would be humiliating for the Navy, leaving the UK with only one carrier.
Britain has been building defence co-operation with France and has discussed timing maintenance so that at least one of the countries has an aircraft carrier operational at all times.
A sale to France is thought unlikely but selling to another ally is being discussed. India is understood to have expressed an interest. Simply scrapping one of the carriers is believed to be too expensive due to contractual arrangements.
This morning Lord West, the former head of the Navy who was made security minister under Labour, insisted that the Treasury should fund renewing Trident.
“Last time this was done it came from the Ministry of Defence budget and effectively it cost the Navy about 25 destroyers and frigates,” he told the BBC. “If that happened today, we would not have any destroyers and frigates left.”
He claimed that under the Labour government, the Treasury was due to pick up the bill to replace Trident, though this is disputed by other sources.If deep cuts have to be made, Lord West believes the RAF's Tornado fleet should be axed — which could save about £7 billion.
He accepted there was an argument to end the “continuous at sea” deployment of the Trident nuclear deterrent.
Senior Liberal Democrats believe that the MoD may have to downgrade the nuclear deterrent due to budget cuts which could also see the size of the Army reduced. They have argued that the number of Trident nuclear submarines could be cut from four to three.
Former Lib-Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: “It's self-evident that a decision to renew Trident on a like-for-like basis will have a serious impact on Britain's conventional capability.”
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Protecting the Scum!
Pauline Twydell used to delight in watching her two granddaughters play on the lawn outside her cottage home in a pretty Essex market town.
Indeed, so quiet was life here — most people know each other, as well as the names of each other’s children — that the 63-year-old wouldn’t think twice about leaving the toddlers in the garden while she popped inside to make a cup of tea.
That’s no longer the case. Having discovered details about the secret life of one of her new neighbours, she will no longer let the children out of her sight for a second.
'I wouldn’t let them play in the front garden now even if I was standing here with them,’ Mrs Twydell told me this week.
‘I couldn’t bear to think what might happen. It really gives me the shudders.’
The cause of her anxiety — and that of fellow local residents, who last night were holding a meeting in the community hall to discuss their fears — is living in a flat overlooking a children’s home and a toddlers’ nursery.
Incredibly, this is the location of a police ‘safe house’ for Leslie Blanchard, a paunchy, Porsche-driving former football coach.
An edifying man he is not. Arrested for downloading vile pornographic images of children, as well as attempting to arrange sex with a 12-year-old child, Blanchard was convicted last October for his ghastly crimes.
He pleaded guilty to possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children.
It transpired that the former kitchen-fitter from Chelmsford had been caught after telling an undercover policeman that ‘eight to ten-year-olds are best’.
Yet because he had already spent eight months behind bars awaiting trial, Blanchard was allowed to walk free. He was given just a three-year community order, and was supposed to be ‘managed’ by police and probation services.
Divorced with two grown-up children, Blanchard ran his own business in Essex, amassing enough money to buy his Porsche and a top-of-the-range Mercedes van for work.
Long before he was ‘outed’ in his new Essex town, where he arrived more than a month ago after having been driven out of his rented home in Colchester, local schoolgirls steered a wide berth.
‘He used to stick his tongue out of a corner of his mouth and smirk,’ said 14-year-old girl Chantelle, who walked past his flat every night on her way to her friend’s house. ‘He gave us all the creeps. We thought he was just a weirdo, but he’s much worse. It’s revolting.’
Blanchard is, of course, a gruesome character, but it is who he is connected to — via a disturbing internet paedophile network — that has caused much greater dismay, and reignited fundamental questions about the handling of one of the most infamous child murder cases in British criminal history.
Long before he was ‘outed’ in his new Essex town, where he arrived more than a month ago after having been driven out of his rented home in Colchester, local schoolgirls steered a wide berth.
‘He used to stick his tongue out of a corner of his mouth and smirk,’ said 14-year-old girl Chantelle, who walked past his flat every night on her way to her friend’s house.
‘He gave us all the creeps. We thought he was just a weirdo, but he’s much worse. It’s revolting.’
Blanchard is, of course, a gruesome character, but it is who he is connected to — via a disturbing internet paedophile network — that has caused much greater dismay, and reignited fundamental questions about the handling of one of the most infamous child murder cases in British criminal history.
For the 53-year-old’s partner in crime was none other than Jon Venables — now 27 and notorious, along with Robert Thompson, as the sadistic killer of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993.
It is another reason for the people who live in this Essex backwater to feel profound unease at Blanchard’s presence in their community.
After his ‘outing’ this week, the locals say the safety of their children must be put before any ‘rights’ granted to the sex offender.
As villagers revolted, leaflets were posted through letter boxes, warning that there is a ‘registered paedophile living here (who has) admitted arranging to commit sexual offences with a child, as well as a string of child porn charges’.
This week, groups of mothers demonstrated outside Blanchard’s home each night.
Children pelted his Porsche convertible with eggs and flour, while someone slashed the car roof with a knife. Police were called to give the paedophile 24-hour protection.
‘We want to protect our neighbourhood,’ said 16-year-old Paige Kenney, standing on a street corner with two other teenage girls. ‘He should be in jail, not roaming around near children here.’ Continued
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Compiled by old frauds. For a start, they left out of their dataset the most accurate climate record of all: The satellite data. You'll never guess why! Below is the DT report, with further comments at the foot of it
A new climate change report from the Met Office and its US equivalent has provided the "greatest evidence we have ever had" that the world is warming. It is the first time a report has brought together all the different ways of measuring changes in the climate
The report brings together the latest temperature readings from the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean
Usually scientists rely on the temperature over land, taken from weather stations around the world for the last 150 years, to show global warming.
But climate change sceptics questioned the evidence, especially in the wake of recent scandals like "climategate".
Now for the first time, a report has brought together all the different ways of measuring changes in the climate. The ten indicators of climate change include measurements of sea level rise taken from ships, the temperature of the upper atmosphere taken from weather balloons and field surveys of melting glaciers.
New technology also means it is possible to measure the temperature of the oceans, which absorb 90 per cent of the world's heat.
The State of the Climate report shows “unequivocally that the world is warming and has been for more than three decades”.
And despite the cold winter in Europe and north east America, this year is set to be the hottest on record.
The annual report was compiled by the Met Office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Both the NOAA and Nasa have stated that the first six months of this year were the hottest on record, while the Met Office believes it is the second hottest start to the year after 1998.
Dr Peter Stott, Head of Climate Monitoring and Attribution at the Met Office, said “variability” in different regions, such as the cold winter in Britain, does not mean the rest of the world is not warming.
And he said 'greenhouse gases are the glaringly obvious explanation' for 0.56C (1F) warming over the last 50 years.
“Despite the fact people say global warming has stopped, the new data, added onto existing data, gives us the greatest evidence we have ever had,” he said.
Sceptics claimed that emails stolen from the University of East Anglia show scientists were willing to manipulate the land surface temperatures to show global warming.
The scientists were cleared by an independent inquiry but the ‘climategate scandal’ as it became known cast a shadow over the case for man made global warming.
Dr Stott said the sceptics can no longer question the land surface temperature as other records also show global warming.
He pointed out that each indicator takes independent evidence from at least 3 different institutions in order to ensure the information is correct. Despite variations from year to year, each decade has been warmer than the last since the 1980s.
"Despite the variability caused by short term changes, the analysis conducted for this report illustrates why we are so confident the world is warming,” he said. “When we look at air temperature and other indicators of climate, we see highs and lows in the data from year to year because of natural variability. Understanding climate change requires looking at the longer-term record. When we follow decade-to-decade trends using different data sets and independent analyses from around the world, we see clear and unmistakable signs of a warming world.”
There are lots of problems with this report. First, none of these so-called indicators is globally accurate at the scale of interest, which is tenths of a degree. In fact no two agree in detail. Notice too that the satellite data is not shown, even though it is the best data we have, because it does not agree at all. What other contra indicators are missing?
Second, if it is warming a little we still do not have any reason to believe that humans have anything to do with it. These folks are confusing the political slogan that "warming" is a hoax, which merely expresses reasonable skepticism about human induced warming, with the narrow scientific claim that it is not warming, which nobody actually makes.
Note this howler from the MET page: "The report points out that people have spent thousands of years building society for one climate, and now a new one is being created one that is warmer and more extreme."
Thousands of years of constant temperatures? Nonsense. What happened to natural climate variability? Crawling out of the Little Ice Age, which no one wants to return, is rather a different story than this nonsense sentence.
These people just don't know how to be other than stupidly green. Fortunately it shows and no one is fooled. Those days are over.
And for an absolute encyclopedia of criticisms of the report, just read the "Comments" section at the foot of the DT report. The the public is not fooled. There is the occasional "trust the experts" bleat but the comments are overwhelmingly hostile
Climate change hysteria and “fixes” cause harm
One common justification for the "climate change" hysteria, is that even if the climate change believers turn out to be wrong; either that there is climate change, or that it is caused by human activities, there is little harm in taking the prescribed corrective measures. Bunk!
Little harm? The "solution" for "anthropogenic global climate change", demanded by the collectivists who falsely call themselves "environmentalists", destroys the ability of regular people to earn a living. It puts the world's very worst polluters, governments, in charge of telling everyone else how to live, and punishing those who disobey. It does worse than sending humanity back to the stone age, since at least back then they had fire with which to cook food, light the dark, and heat themselves. It sets up a new caste system, where the politically powerful, rich, and/or connected get to maintain a modern lifestyle, while "the little people" are expected to sacrifice most of the advances of the past several hundred years for "the common good", while still being expected to not be as "messy" as our forebears. It also terrifies some people much like the "nuclear annihilation" threat of an earlier generation did. That is an awful lot of harm.
Modern society is remarkably clean. Only government deals and favoritism (corporatism) keep the big polluters (BP) from taking full individual responsibility, and making full restitution, for their mistakes and misdeeds. The modern individual leaves less mess behind than the primitive individual did. It is just that there are an awful lot of us humans now, and we are being artificially forced, by government fear and inertia, to stay in our planetary cradle instead of being allowed to naturally spread out from Earth.
The best way to do what you can for the environment hasn't changed: Don't soil your own nest, and take full, individual, responsibility for the mess you do make when it harms the property or lives of others.
In the interest of full disclosure, I would be happy to live in a cave under primitive conditions. Or in a tipi or a dugout. No electricity or running water (or, as I used to tell my first ex-wife "we'd have electricity during thunderstorms, and running water when it rains....") The thought doesn't bother me at all. However, I know most people don't feel that way. Many people depend on modern advances for their very lives. I have no business taking their non-coercive choices from them. Neither does anyone else.
Friday 30th July 2010
Britain's population growth is outpacing the rest of Europe, according to figures released yesterday.
This country gained more people last year thanks to immigration and rising birth rates than anywhere in the continent.
The rise in population in Britain accounted for nearly a third of the 1.4million increase in the number of people living in all of the 2 EU countries, according to the analysis from Brussels.
It said the increase pushed the EU population above the half billion mark, with just over 501million European citizens at the beginning of this year.
The breakdown from the EU’s Eurostat arm showed how fast Britain’s population is rising compared to that of our neighbours and rivals and provoked fresh calls for the Government to curb numbers coming into the country.
There are rising fears that pressure on housing, transport, water, power and social services will become overwhelming if official projections that the number of people in the country will reach 70million by 2029 are realised.
The Eurostat analysis showed that Britain’s population rose by 412,000 in 2009, up 182,000 because there were more immigrants than emigrants, and up by 231,000 because of rising birth rates.
Much of the new baby boom is a result of immigration, and one in four children born last year was born to mothers who were themselves born abroad.
The British figures compare with an increase of 34 ,000 in France, mainly a result of high birthrates, and 295,000 in Italy, largely caused by high immigration.
Germany’s population fell by 203,000. The UK increase meant the population rise per head in Britain was the greatest of any of the major EU countries.
Numbers in Britain grew by 6. for every 1,000 people last year, compared with 5.4 for every 1,000 in France, 4.9 for every 1,000 in Italy, and 3.5 for every 1,000 in Spain.
In Germany there were 2.5 fewer people for every 1,000, and Poland’s population grew by fewer than one for every 1,000 people – a clear indication that millions of Poles who left to work abroad in the boom years of the 2000s have yet to return home.
Only small and minor countries – Belgium, Sweden, Slovenia and tiny Luxembourg – showed a faster rate of population growth for every 1,000 people than Britain.
Sir Andrew Green, of the Migrationwatch think tank, said: ‘This is further confirmation that the population of the UK is rising extremely fast, mainly due to immigration, which accounts for two thirds of the projected population growth of the next 25 years.
‘There are always arguments in favour of immigration. But the majority of people are clear that immigration needs to be brought down. The Government would do well to stick to the promises they have made to the electorate.’
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Britain will see its population swell from today's 62.2 million to 77 million, an increase of 24 per cent.
This will make it bigger than France, projected to be 70 million and Germany, which is predicted to have 71.5 million citizens.
The forecasts come form the Population Reference Bureau, a US body which supplies data to governments and institutions around the world.
The predictions suggest that Britain will see its population increase over the next 40 years at a far faster rate than nearly every other European country. The extra 15 million equates to the combined populations of Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool being added to the total national population over the next two generations.
Britain's population has started to climb sharply in recent years. Last year the Office for National Statistics indicated that mothers had more children than at any time since 1973.
Immigrant mothers accounted for more than half of the increase in births, but the fertility rate among British-born women also rose sharply.
The Population Reference Bureau predicts that France's population, in contrast, will increase at half the rate, adding 7 million to its 63 million. While Germany will actually see its population fall sharply from 81.6 million to 71.5 million because of a lack of immigration, and a far lower birth rate than that in Britain. It already has the second oldest population in the world after Japan, with one in five of all Germans over the age of 65.
Europe, in total, will see its population dip from 739 million to 720 million, because of its low birth rate.
The world's population will increase inexorably, swelling from 6.89 billion to 9.49 billion. India will be responsible for a significant part of this increase, becoming the largest country in the world by overtaking China.
The country, which hit 1 billion just a decade ago and now has a population of 1.19 billion, is expected to hit 1.75 billion, adding the equivalent of the entire population of the European Union in a mere 40 years.
China's population will increase, but relatively modestly, moving from 1.34 billion to 1.48 billion.
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Increasing numbers of Muslim brides are having taxpayer-funded ‘virginity repair’ operations before marriage.
There were 116 hymen replacement operations carried out on the NHS between 2005 and 2009. The total for 2009 was 30, up 25 per cent from 24 in 2005.
The health service figures echo a trend reported by private clinics, which are seeing a huge surge in demand for the procedure from Muslim women paying up to £4,000.
One Harley Street clinic said that demand for its half-hour procedure had tripled in recent months.
Doctors say patients are under pressure from future husbands or relatives who insist that they should be virgins on their wedding night. Continued
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Nearly 100,000 new homes must be built every year just to provide housing for immigrants, ministers disclosed yesterday.
Four out of every ten new houses or flats built to cope with the rising population will go to a migrant, they said.
Over a 25-year period, immigrants will require 2.5million extra homes unless the Government meets its pledges to bring about a major reduction in numbers arriving to live in Britain.
Communities Department spokesman Andrew Stunell said estimates of housing demand and the expected level of housing required by immigrants were prepared in March 2009, but only now revealed.
He said in a Commons written answer: ‘It is estimated that net international migration could account, on average, for 40 per cent of the net growth of households in England over the projection period from 2006 to 2031.’
The housing projections from the Communities Department say that at current birthrates and expected rates of immigration, 252,000 new homes a year will be needed each year until 2031.
Of these, 36,000 will be needed because there will be more people living alone and fewer couples and families, and 116,000 because of rising birthrates.
The remaining 100,000 will be needed to house migrants, based on 2006 population figures.
At present the Office for National Statistics estimates that net immigration will run at 180,000 a year for the foreseeable future.
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Hmn' come on, what's the REAL Reason?
Council house tenants living in properties that are bigger than they need are to be forced to move into smaller accommodation.
Ministers are preparing to launch a 'house swap' scheme which is likely to affect hundreds of thousands of people.
The move will form a central plank of the coalition's attempts to rein in public spending over the course of the Parliament.
According to official figures, a total of 234,000 households in the social tenant sector are overcrowded while 456,000 are under-occupied, meaning people have more than one extra spare room.
A further 1,159,000 households have more rooms than is standard for a family of their size.
The Work and Pensions department is now drawing up plans to slash housing benefit payments to those tenants who live in houses that are too big for them - meaning many will have to move into smaller properties.
If they could afford to pay the difference themselves to stay where they are it will raise questions about their eligibility for housing benefit in the first place.
The move is likely to prove controversial, since 'empty nest' couples who have lived in council houses for decades and seen their children vacate rooms when they leave home are among those who will be affected.
But Welfare Reform Minister Lord Freud told the Daily Mail: 'We cannot continue with this absurd situation where some of our poorest families have to live in overcrowded conditions while others are subsidised to live in big homes with plenty of spare room.
Lord Freud said the restrictions, which will come into effect from April 2013, will only apply to people of working age, sparing pensioners from the trauma of having to move from their homes.
The Government plans to work with local authorities to ensure that the housing stock is more 'sensibly utilised' and that entitlement to social housing reflects family size.
Specific detail is yet to be agreed, but the principle would be that working-age housing benefit claimants who are living in a property that is too large for their household size will have their benefit capped.
It is expected that overall weekly caps will be set at £250 for a one-bed property, £290 for a two-bed, £340 for a three-bed and £400 for a four-bed.
This means the highest amount people will be paid in housing benefit will be just over £20,000 a year, rather than the current highest level of £104,000. In total, 3.3million tenants- 70 per cent of housing benefit recipients- live in the social sector at an annual cost of more than £12billion.
In last month's emergency Budget, Chancellor George Osborne also announced that instead of people on housing benefit being able to claim rent of up to half of the local average, they will instead be only able to claim up to one third.
And unemployed people who claim JobSeeker's Allowance for 12 months will also see their housing benefit cut by ten per cent.
Campaigners claim the draconian nature of the benefit reforms will put 750,000 people at risk of losing their homes in London and the South East.
But the Chancellor insists large cuts to the housing benefit bill - which doubled under Labour - are essential to help shield key public services from spending cuts.
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Channel 4 has been accused of under-representing white people because it is obsessed with ethnic minorities.
The broadcaster has come under fire from an MP who suggested a series of diversity schemes it has run discriminate against whites.
Conservative MP Philip Davies yesterday attacked the political correctness at the company saying it should employ people on merit.
The broadcaster's chairman, Lord Burns, and its chief executive, David Abraham, appeared before MPs sitting on the Culture, Media and Sport committee, to answer questions on Channel 4's recently-released annual report.
At the session Mr Davies said schemes like a recent bursary for African, Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani students, were effectively depriving white people of the same equal opportunities.
He asked why, given that Channel 4 already had 12 per cent of its staff from an ethnic minority background, as compared with eight per cent of the general public, it needed special programmes like these.
When Channel 4 explained the staffing figures as being down the fact it is based in the capital, Davies told bosses: 'You're not a London broadcaster, you are a national broadcaster.'
He told Channel 4 chiefs: 'It seems to me that among your figures the people who are under-represented at Channel 4 are white people not ethnic minorities.
'It seems a bit bizarre that an organisation that is over-reprensentative of ethnic minorities should be trying to do more of these things.'
He added: 'What about white people are you not interested in employing white people?'
But Channel 4's chief executive said the broadcaster was part of an industry seeking to redress a general level of under-representation.
The chairman admitted that low diversity levels were particularly pronounced in the more senior roles in the industry, adding that the broadcaster was in no way obsessed with the issue.
This came as Channel 4 bosses defended accusations over 'grotesque' sums paid to top executives.
Labour MP Jim Sheridan described some money paid to executives as 'quite breathtaking'.
Mr Sheridan also referred to the £785,000 total remuneration for 2009 received by director of television Kevin Lygo, who in April was appointed managing director of ITV Studios, and the £513,000 total paid to sales director Andy Barnes.
Mr Sheridan questioned why someone was worth the figures and added: "That's grotesque.'
Former Treasury permanent secretary Lord Burns defend the pay packets. He said: 'We are in very, very strong competition with ITV, with other commercial channels.'
The remuneration of recently-departed chief executive Andy Duncan, which stood at £1.48 million in 2009, including £514,000 in salary and fees and £731,000 in payments in lieu of notice was highlighted at the hearing.
Asked by committee chairman John Whittingdale why Mr Duncan was given the payments in lieu of notice, Lord Burns said: "He received his contractual entitlements and no more ...'
A Channel 4 spokesman said: 'Channel 4 is a broadcaster with a longstanding commitment to diversity and we aim to reflect the rich and diverse mix of cultures in Britain today both on screen and in our workforce. We embrace diversity in its broadest sense; including ethnic minority groups, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities and those from different social backgrounds.'
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David Cameron was in Turkey yesterday endorsing Turkish membership of the EU, as blogger Laban Tall says, “doubtless driven by that grass-roots Tory pressure for a few million Turks to come to the UK”.
Personally I’m quite happy for Turkey to have our EU place, if they really want it; or to be a fellow member of a new free trade area along EFTA lines, with restrictions on free movement until some point when its median income reach western European levels.
But until that happens membership of the EU is a non-starter, and everyone knows it.
And as well as being disingenuous about the EU, Cameron is also playing the disingenuous theologian. Rod Liddle points out that he criticises opponents of a Muslim country joining the EU by claiming:
“They see no difference between real Islam and the distorted version of the extremists. They think the values of Islam can never be compatible with the values of other religions, societies or cultures.”
Cameron is falling into exactly the same trap as his predecessors, by trying to play the theologian. Tony Blair called the Koran a “progressive” book, while Jacqui Smith called Islamic terrorism “anti-Islamic” activities, while the phrase “religion of peace” has been used so much by well-meaning politicians that it is now used, exclusively, in an ironic sense by cynics.
Who on earth is Cameron to say what is the real Islam? If a fresh-faced politician from the Islamic world told us that the fundamentalist Christians who funded settlements in the West Bank because they believed in some crazy end times were not “real Christians”, I’d be flattered that he recognised differences within a large and wide ranging religion, but I’d also think “Who are you to say?”
When politicians start claiming to have theological insight into Islam, it usually signals a ham-fisted, expensive and counter-productive attempt to deal with radical Islam. I pray not in this case. As Douglas Murray said last month, on the Government’s disastrous “Prevent” agenda: “Government can’t do many things very well… but the thing it definitely can’t do very well is theology, in particular a theology it knows very little about, or is only starting to learn about.”
The real problem, as no western politician will admit, is that Islam has no experience of secularism. I don’t mean secularism in the secondary sense used by the National Secular Society, which aims to drive religion out of all public life as it was in the Soviet Union – that’s Bolshevism, not secularism – but of a separation of church and state.
From Christ’s declaration to give unto Caesar, to St Augustine’s separation of the City of God and City of Man, to the 11th century Investiture Controversy, Christianity has long had that separation. Islam has no such history, which is why secular democracy has not flourished in the world of Islam.
This is what makes the achievements of Atatürk in setting up a secular state in Turkey so remarkable, and why he was one of the great figures of the 20th century, but his regime still depends on the army.
It is surely in Europe’s interest that Atatürk’s state survives the next few decades, and Turkey acquires western European levels of income; were to this happen, opposition to Turkish membership and free movement would recede. Until then, membership is unlikely. In the meantime Conservative politicians would do well to avoid theology lectures.
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A Church of England vicar was found guilty yesterday of carrying out the biggest fake wedding scam Britain has ever seen.
The Reverend Alex Brown abused his position to marry 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers.
Armed with a marriage certificate, the immigrants were then able to hoodwink the Home Office into giving them a visa to stay in Britain as a 'spouse', with access to education, healthcare and benefits.
At his Victorian parish church in the seaside town of St Leonards, East Sussex, Brown married up to eight couples a day between 2005 and 2009, a court heard.
Ninety couples were registered as living in one road and 52 in another. There were several brides and grooms from the same house, and one husband-to-be went under the name of 'Felix Spaceman'.
A bride changed into her borrowed wedding gown in the vestry before the ceremony, then stuffed it back into a plastic bag afterwards, while a groom produced a ring that was far too small for his wife's finger.
Nevertheless Brown, 61, protested his innocence, but he was convicted with a Nigerian immigration solicitor - whose clients paid up to £15,000 for a dodgy wedding - and a Ukrainian who supplied hard-up Eastern Europeans willing to marry for £3,000 cash.
Michael Adelasoye, 50, a qualified immigration lawyer, found Africans who were desperate to stay in the UK after outstaying their visas.
Vladymyr Buchak, 33, who lived illegally under a false Estonian name, recruited the stooge brides and grooms from Hastings's Eastern European community. Some wed several times.
Ten of the brides and grooms received police cautions, but the majority were never traced and are presumably still living here.
The three defendants denied conspiracy to breach immigration laws, but they were found guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court after a sevenweek trial.
Brown, who is openly gay, also became the only vicar in 800 years to be convicted of failing to read out the banns - asking the congregation if they knew of 'any just cause or impediment' why two people may not marry.
Judge Richard Hayward adjourned sentencing to September 6 but warned the three, who all live in St Leonards, he was considering jail. He told them: 'You have been convicted on very clear evidence of a serious offence.'
Adelasoye and Brown were released on conditional bail, and Buchak was remanded in custody.
The vicar walked from court without a word, but Adelasoye, who is a pastor of the Ark of Hope church in St Leonards, protested: 'I don't think it's a fair verdict. God looks after the righteous.'
Later, the Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings, the Venerable Philip Jones, said he was 'shocked and saddened' by Brown's betrayal.
He said: 'We are particularly sorry for those who have been deceived and hurt by his actions. The church and the community are faced with a betrayal of trust on the part of Father Brown, who was a very trusted figure.'
He promised that churches would be more vigilant to fraud in the future, and said the Church of St Peter and St Paul was unlikely to be used for worship again after Brown's tarnished tenure.
Brown's motivation remains unclear. Police believe the oncerespected priest threw away his career, his reputation and potentially his freedom to feather a nest for his retirement.
But although they found £5,000 in cash at his home, this was not nearly as much as they would have expected if Brown's sole desire was to make money, rather than to help immigrants.
The case, which police believe was part of an international multi-million pound scam, has once again exposed the lax regulations that have led to a booming racket in sham marriages over recent years. Numerous attempts to curb the thousands of fake unions every year have been stymied by EU and human rights laws.
A total of 529 suspect marriages were reported to the Home Office in the 11 months to December last year - a rise of 54 per cent on 2008 levels.
Detective Inspector Andy Cummins, of the UK Border Agency, said: 'This was the biggest operation of its kind we have come across, and the only one we know about where the vicar was entirely complicit.
'As we investigated, we were all shocked as the scale of it emerged. The nearer he got to his retirement date, the more weddings he was doing.'
Immigration minister Damian Green said: 'Britain is no longer a soft touch. We now have specialist teams of immigration and police officers working day in, day out, to tackle and prosecute people who commit this form of organised criminality.
'We are determined to create a hostile environment which makes it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK and put untold pressures on our public services.'
The human rights factor
Suspected sham marriages have increased by more than 50 per cent since the Law Lords ruled against tough Home Office marriage regulations on 'human rights' grounds.
And the Church of England is being targeted as a soft touch by immigration gangs because register offices have grown wise to their tricks.
Additionally, until recently, vicars were not legally required to make the same checks as registrars.
After the Daily Mail exposed the shocking extent of the bogus marriage racket in 2004, new rules were brought in to combat the menace.
Non-EU nationals were told they must apply for Home Office approval before being allowed to marry an EU citizen.
As a result, the rate plummeted from an estimated 3,578 fake weddings in 2004 to just 282 in 200 .
But churches were exempt from the new rules. And then, in 2008, Law Lords said these rules breached human rights and could deny genuine couples the chance to marry.
So now the rules have been scrapped for churches and register offices alike and last year, the number of illegal immigrants staging sham ceremonies to stay in the country was back up to 500, and rising.
Illegal immigrants have been finding it easier to hoodwink churches.
Often all that is needed to get past the flimsy interview process with a vicar is proof of identity and documentation showing a link to the parish. The gangsters simply supply forged documents.
In contrast, Roman Catholic churches carry out a strict screening process in which the couple must prove their devotion to each other and to the church.
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Oh bliss' this just gets better and better
Tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers were granted the right to work in the UK yesterday in a landmark court ruling.
It affects around 45,000 whose applications have already been rejected at least once, but who have not been deported.
Home Office officials argued that an EU directive - which gives asylum seekers the right to work after 12 months - should not apply to them because it would encourage applicants to abuse the system by making repeated claims.
But the Supreme Court ruled that failed asylum seekers whose cases have not been dealt with after 12 months must be given access to jobs.
And those that do get work but are here simply as economic migrants will no doubt be difficult to deport because they would be in employment and have made a life for themselves here. (Ed)
Many of those affected are part of Labour’s backlog of 450,000 asylum claims - which are still being processed.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the MigrationWatch think tank, said: ‘There has been a succession of court decisions which take no account of the real world in which our Home Office has to operate.
‘It is no service to genuine refugees to make the asylum system progressively more open to abuse. Yet again EU directives have unintended and unwelcome consequences for Britain.’
Reacting to the judgment, Tory ministers said they were considering restricting the asylum seekers to industries in which there was already a proven shortage of workers.
Immigration minister Damian Green said: ‘This judgment will only have a short- term effect. The long delays in the asylum system will be resolved by the summer of next year when all the older asylum cases are concluded.’
The case was brought by two asylum seekers. One, a Somali known as ‘ZO’, came to the UK in 2003. Her claim was rejected in 2004 and all appeals had failed by the end of that year.
But in 2005 she made a new claim for asylum and in 2007 she asked for the right to work. Delays mean her case is still being considered.
The second, from Burma, known as MM, first applied for asylum in 2004 and was refused by 2005.
Two months later he made a new claim which has also never been resolved.
In his ruling, deputy president of the court Lord Kerr wrote: ‘It would be, in my view, anomalous and untoward that an applicant who makes a subsequent application after his first application has been finally disposed of should be denied access to standards that are no more than the minimum to permit him to live with some measure of dignity.’
The ruling was welcomed by refugee charities. Jonathan Ellis, director of policy at the Refugee Council, said: ‘The vast majority of asylum seekers who come to the UK would rather support themselves through work than be forced to be homeless or to rely on Government support.’
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You know government policy is in trouble when on the same day it is attacked by both a High Court judge and its own independent inspector.
That is what happened yesterday to the Home Office over important aspects of their returns policy – with the High Court ruling the fast track deportation process ‘unlawful’ and the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency criticising the use of dawn raids and the treatment of families.
But it is just too easy for people who want a more sympathetic approach towards migrants to greet these developments as victories against those ‘nasty’ people in the Home Office.
Of course it is important to use campaigns and legal challenges to stop the inequities and injustices that scar our immigration system. But the cause of migrants’ rights is not going to be advanced just by frustrating the system. The system has to be changed.
There is no point – as often happens in reports by academic and NGOs – coming up with visions for a perfect immigration system that delivers absolutely everything else, but which misses out a crucial element: return. It’s a dirty word in some parts of the migration world but it needs to be confronted, so I will say it again: return.
Any alternative system lacks all credibility if it does not include better and faster ways of returning migrants who are judged, after a fair hearing, to have no right to remain in the UK.
Quite simply, the electorate demands that this happens – and the politicians and therefore the policy makers have to take that into account. They do not have the luxury of just ignoring mainstream opinion, as ‘No Borders’ groups and their ilk are happy to do.
Moreover, the ability to return people who have entered illegally, violated their visas or been refused asylum is not just popular, it is right. There need to be safeguards so that people can challenge decisions of course, but in the end rules are the rules – and they should be applied and supported. Although a campaigner for migrants rights myself I have always found it difficult to deal with some in the migration sector who seem to glory in seeing immigration rules widely ignored or flouted.
Fortunately there are some positive signs that the government and the migration sector are moving towards a more cooperative spirit around the sensitive issue of return – and related issues. The Still Human, Still Here coalition has been involved in long discussions with UKBA around the issue of asylum seeker destitution.
More recently, a group of NGOs involved in the Outcry Campaign have been working with officials to come up with compromise solutions to end the practice of detaining children while ensuring that the government retains instruments to effect or facilitate family return.
This is the way forward. The bitter battles over immigration of the last decade have been great for the lawyers, but done little in the long run to protect migrants or deliver a better immigration system. It is through discussion and negotiation that progress will really be made.
Tim Finch is Head of Migration, Equalities and Citizenship at ippr.
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- Cable leads rebellion against immigration cap
- He warns quota could hit the economic recovery
- Tory David Willetts also believed to be sceptical
- Cameron says ministers can debate level of cap
Vince Cable stoked the Cabinet row over immigration today, suggesting the number of migrants coming to Britain from countries like India could increase, despite a Government pledge to bring in a strict cap.
With Cabinet tensions on immigration threatening to overshadow David Cameron's trip to India, the Business Secretary tried to calm the political storm around his call Britain to introduce 'as liberal a policy as possible'.
But although he claimed he was signed up to the coalition deal on the immigration cap, the Liberal Democrat struggled to disguise his unhappiness with a policy he fears could harm business.
Privately he is said to have described the policy as 'crazy' at a time when Britain is trying to boost trade to revive its economy.
The Prime Minister this morning insisted it was still his ambition to reduce annual immigration to the 'tens of thousands', rather than the hundreds of thousands it hit in the Labour years.
But treading carefully, he said Mr Cable other ministers and even other countries were free to lobby for the cap to be set at a higher level than was originally planned.
'Everyone is free to make their arguments about how high the cap should be,' he told the BBC.
Cable, who is in India with Mr Cameron, is leading a growing rebellion against enforcing a draconian cap on numbers coming into the country, demanding as 'liberal a policy as possible'.
His call has revealed deep divisions within the Government, with even some senior Tories sympathetic to watering down the policy. They are understood to include universities minister David Willetts.
But the minister's position has sparked fury among Tory backbenchers, as well as a tense Cabinet stand-off with Home Secretary Theresa May.
The row came as it emerged that immigration and rising birth rates mean that Britain accounted for nearly a third of the growth in population across the whole of Europe last year, with 412,000 added to the UK total.
Downing Street has attempted to play down the tensions by insisting the Cabinet debate is only about the practicalities of how the cap is implemented.
A senior source said the cap was 'non-negotiable', adding: 'It isn't easy, but it will be resolved'.
But Mr Cable today indicated that he was still pressing for the overall goal of slashing the number of non-EU immigrants to be watered down.
He said it was impossible to give a 'concrete answer' to whether the cap would lead to fewer immigrants coming to Britain from countries like India, which are lobbying hard for it to be diluted.
Mr Cable said the plan was still at a 'consultative stage', adding: 'How it operates and the numbers will depend on where that consultation ends up.'
He said other Cabinet ministers had also 'expressed their views' on the subject.
A senior Government source said Mr Cable was not alone in opposing the cap. The source said 'large sections of Government' shared his view, including some Tory ministers.
The row leaves Cameron facing a divided Cabinet and a difficult summer when he returns to the UK. Continued
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Once again Michael Gove proves himself to be the best classical liberal in the Government by saying he would be interested in allowing atheist free schools.
These “free-thinking schools” – as Professor Richard Dawkins said when he suggested the idea last month, they wouldn’t indoctrinate children with atheism, just teach them to think for themselves – are in the finest tradition of liberal thought.
It could also be good news for the 20,000 or so church schools in England, since one of the main causes of resentment among parents is that often the only decent state secondary schools in their area are Catholic or Anglican, and they’re neither.
Of course it won’t end objections from those who believe that religion is inherently harmful, nor those who say no taxpayer’s money should go towards religious-run institutions (even though Catholics and Anglicans pay their taxes too, and get no more per child from the state). But at least it provides choice, and diversity of thought, which is what the Lib-Con Coalition should be about. Is there a classical liberal of the year award? I nominate Gove.
Also, it would be rather cool indeed for the kids to have Professor Dawkins as biology teacher – maybe he could get Hitch in to teach English.
Whether or not atheist groups are sufficiently motivated and socially organised to carry this through is another matter (not to mention the fact that followers of Prof Dawkins aren’t generally very keen on passing on their own Selfish Genes; they even had to get a couple of Baptist kids to appear in their adverts last year).
But if the New Atheists can set up a school free of religious indoctrination, can I set one up free of Marxist indoctrination, which in my experience is being far more successfully force-fed into young minds, and is a far greater menace to society?
Can I set a history syllabus that focuses primarily on English history and our island story, and is told with a heroic narrative that glories in British success? Can I not have a history course entirely devoted to trans-Atlantic slavery and Nazi Germany? Can I not mention Mary Seacole since, from a purely objective point of view, she’s not even in the top 10,000 list of significant British figures?
In geography can I leave out the module about human development that teaches an entirely Marxist view of the theory of racism? Or the continually driven-home idea that the Third World’s problems are due to free trade and the West, not political corruption?
In English can we leave out the trendy patois poetry until we have mastered the classics of English poetry and literature, and not teach children that all art should be valued equally because, in fact, some art is rubbish?
There’ll be no diversity lectures, no sinister “race equality awards”, no “sex and human relationships” – it is up to parents to teach children the rights and wrongs of sexuality, rather than the biology – and no earth-worship. Teachers won’t be expected to replace parents and priests as state-appointed role models, and so all sorts of drunks, weirdos and social deviants will be allowed to work there.
Children will not be taught to automatically “respect” other people or cultures, if they’re not worthy of it, only tolerate them, “self-esteem” will never be accepted as an excuse for poor behaviour either in school or in their future lives, and any teacher who uses the word “equality” will be fired immediately.
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We’ve posted previously about the Danish psychologist Nicolai Sennels and his work with Muslim criminals in Denmark’s juvenile justice system. After hearing the British Prime Minister’s speech in Turkey yesterday, he wrote an open letter to Mr. Cameron, which was posted at 180grader:
Dear Prime Minister David Cameron,
You say you want Turkey to be member of EU. I personally think that you just want the rest of Europe to have the same problems with Muslims as you do. But that is my personal guess — here are the hard facts:
99.8 percent of the more than 77 million Turks living in Turkey are Muslims. Please study the Quran and see what that means: It is a criminal book that forces people to do criminal things! From September 11th 2001 (do you remember…?) to July 28th 2010 there have been 15,373 confirmed murders motivated by the Quran and the inhuman example of the Muslims prophet as described in his life story in the Hadiths. Do you really think we need to open our European borders to 77 million followers of such an ideology?
Turkish immigrants in Denmark have a crime index of 184 (meaning that they are close to double as criminal as the average Danish citizen). Do you really think we need more of that on our continent?
Did you know that “Three out of four women in all of Turkey is in average victim to physical or psychological violence at least one time per month.”? Do you want such a view on women to take root in our societies?
And did you know that “70 percent of the Turkish citizens never read books, Konda public opinion researchers said, APA reports. The research centre conducted opinion poll among 6482 respondents and found out mood of national and religious discrimination, as well as isolation is still in a high level in the country. According to researches, despite that there are many Turks living in the European countries, 90 percent of Turkish citizens never travel to the foreign countries. 73 percent of respondents were against the purchasing of real estate by the foreigners. Most of them considered the neighbour countries as a threat for the territorial integrity of Turkey. The researchers found out interesting facts about the women’s role in the Turkish society. 70 percent of respondents think that the woman can work only by consent of her husband. 57 percent said considered appearance of women in the public places without headscarves as unacceptable.” Do you think such a culture belongs in Europe?
- - - - - - - - -
“Public opinion in EU countries generally opposes Turkish membership, though with varying degrees of intensity. The Eurobarometer September-October 2006 survey [77] shows that 59% of EU-27 citizens are against Turkey joining the EU, while only about 28% are in favour.” Do you know what representative democracy means?
Turks in Denmark are more criminal than Somalis, Iranians and Iraqis (all war stricken countries with a high amount of traumatized refugees). This statistic is made by the Danish State’s Bureau of Statistics and is correlated for economical and educational status. We Europeans are sick and tired of criminal foreigners being invited to our countries by the politicians that we — with our votes — trusted to take good care of our countries!
25-30 percent of all marriages in Turkey are intermarriages. This means that 25-30 percent of all Turks are the result of inbreeding. Surely you already know that inbreeding between cousins doubles the risk of mental and physical handicaps and that Western societies are already struggling hard with the economic consequences of handicapped immigrants. Besides the 100 percent increase in handicaps it also effects the intelligence of the offspring negatively — which surely our schools and institutions have noticed: “…studies in which the effects of inbreeding on cognitive performance have been examined revealed that offspring of first-cousin marriages had lower IQ scores than offspring of unrelated parents. …offspring of unrelated parents performed better than offspring of first-cousin marriages in intelligence and achievement tests administered at grades 4 and 6. The lowest level of performance and a higher variance were found for offspring of double-cousin marriages. The inbreeding depression found in this study is consistent and cannot be explained by the effects of socioeconomic status.” Do you think that this can partly explain why the Turkish population already living in Europe proved to be incapable of integrating to the necessary extent in our high tech knowledge societies?
Did you know that in several provinces in Turkey “13 percent of the parents and 9.9 percent of students had witnessed an honour killing. … The study also showed that 26.2 percent of the parents and 25.9 percent of the students said they support such killings”? Can you tell me: What honour is there in killing unarmed and helpless family members?
The majority of Turks elected a prime minister — Erdogan — who has been in jail for promoting violent Islamic messages in Turkey. Erdogan sent his daughters abroad to avoid the Turkish ban on head scarves in public schools and universities. Do you want a people that elect such a leader free access to our welfare societies?
I tell you one thing, David: You will never ever succeed in getting Turkey into Europe! Never.
Yours,
Nicolai Sennels
Psychologist and author of “Among Criminal Muslims. A psychologist’s experiences from the Copenhagen Municipality.”
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Baroness Warsi was hit in the face with an egg and called as "Cameron's Bitch", a court heard today.
Gavin Reid 23, ran away but was identified from photos and BBC TV footage and arrested two weeks later, the City of Westminster Magistrates Court was told.
The Baroness who is now chair of the Conservative Party and the first woman Muslim to sit in the Cabinet, was visiting local businesses in Luton when the incident took place.
At least three eggs were thrown as the TV film showed in court her pulling egg shell and yolk from her hair.
Protesters abused her in Urdu and English saying she was "Cameron's bitch", "Cameron's prostitute", "a supporter of murderers" and "an unislamic".
Reid of Luton, has pleaded not guilty to causing harassment or distress under the Public Order Act.
Opening the case Peter Ratcliff, prosecuting, said the Baroness was with a group of Tories in Luton when the incident took place last November.
"She was confronted by a group of apparently Muslim men. It was planned and deliberate and the group shouted abuse in Urdu and English," said Mr Ratcliff.
"Two or three eggs were thrown at the Baroness, one with force and at short distance broke on her face.
"The evidence overwhelmingly supports the suggestion it was Reid who threw at least one of the eggs.
"The crowd continued to shout abuse and demanded the introduction of Sharia law.
"The purpose was to humiliate and ridicule her and the intention was to cause harassment, alarm or distress."
The Baroness at that time was the Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action.
The Dewsbury-born former solicitor replaced Eric Pickles as chair of the Conservative Party after the General Election.
Now compare above article to below
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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has refused to prosecute anybody for the public violence and assault with a deadly weapon — captured on film and broadcast on satellite television — committed by members of a state-sponsored UAF mob against Nick Griffin at College Green in June last year.
The attack was in fact far more serious than just a few eggs being thrown, as the video evidence showed.
At least two clearly identifiable UAF supporters were filmed throwing darts, one of which struck a BNP security man, Stuart Freeman, in the chest. Despite the ample and crystal clear video and photographic evidence, the CPS has told the police that there is insufficient evidence to secure a prosecution.
“The Westminster Serious Crimes Unit have been very thorough in their investigation and amassed an overwhelming case,” Mr Griffin said. “It seems, however, in this case that the UAF, which is funded by the trade unions who are in turn funded by the Government, is apparently above the law.
“The video evidence shows members of the UAF crowd throwing darts at BNP people. If that does not constitute assault with a weapon, then nothing does,” Mr Griffin said.“To say that we are appalled at the CPS’s decision is an understatement. “All this does is convince us even further that justice in Britain is terminal, murdered by decades of political correctness imposed by successive Tory and Labour regimes.
“The CPS decision is in effect an invitation to anti-democratic thugs to commit acts of serious violence in public, safe in the knowledge that even if they are filmed in flagrante delicto, they will be protected by the CPS,” Mr Griffin said.
“The decision will prove to the public that the establishment is ganging up on the BNP and is even prepared to condone acts of violence. “We are convinced that this decision will backfire. Increasing numbers of the public have become aware of the insidious destruction of our nation and that the BNP offers the only solution to this madness.”
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Too many servicemen are dying in a conflict which is “not our war”, the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan said yesterday.
Sharon Leverett was speaking before the funeral of her son James, 20, at Sheffield Cathedral.
Trooper Leverett, from Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire, died earlier this month while serving with the Royal Dragoon Guards. His girlfriend Tiffany Lound, 18, who is expecting their first child in September, was also among hundreds of mourners at the service, which took place with full military honours.
Earlier Mrs Leverett, 37, said she did not feel qualified to make a fully informed judgment about the UK’s role in Afghanistan.
But she added: “We’re losing too many people out there. There’s too many families going through what I’m going through. I do think we shouldn’t be there. I do think this is not our war.”
She said her son joined the Army when he was 18 and knew he had made the right decision, despite not looking forward to going to Afghanistan.
He was “over the moon” when he found out he was going to be a father, she added.
Trooper Leverett was killed by a roadside bomb while on a vehicle patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.
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Here we go.. Branded Racist for protecting one's country
The French president has been accused of ethnic cleansing after ordering the expulsion of thousands of gipsies who are illegal immigrants.
Nicolas Sarkozy provoked fury by calling Roma camps 'sources of trafficking, exploitation of children and prostitution'.
And although his immigration minister, Brice Hortefeux, said the expulsion of 300 camps was 'to punish illegal behaviour', not to 'stigmatize any community', critics were appalled.
Malik Salemkour, of the French human rights league, said: 'This is nothing more than ethnic cleansing and the criminalisation of misery.'
Henri Braun, lawyer for the French Roma leaders, warned most gipsies had lived in France for generations and were 'as French as the president', the son of immigrants.
Others warned that Mr Sarkozy's language had chilling undertones of France's role in sending gipsies to concentration camps during Nazi occupation in the Second World War.
Left-wing daily L'Humanite said: 'We witnessed similar expulsions almost 70 years ago.'
France has two distinct groups of gipsies.
One includes several hundred thousand French citizens of Roma blood who have lived there for centuries.
Then there are more recent immigrants, who come, usually illegally, from countries such as Romania and Bulgaria.
Those in the more established communities say they are being unfairly lumped together with the new illegal immigrants.
Mr Sarkozy's crackdown came after violent clashes between police and gipsies two weeks ago. He held a meeting on Wednesday with ministers and police, but critics were angry that he did not include Roma leaders.
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Thought Crimes.. Pre-Crime 1984 Coming to Britain Soon!
It sounds like something straight out of George Orwell's nightmarish Nineteen Eighty-Four.
In a move that harks back to the dark days of the KGB, the Russian security service has been given new powers to crack down on so-called 'thought crime'.
The Federal Security Service, successor to the feared Soviet KGB, will now be able to summon and imprison people it believes are about to carry out a crime.
In a statement yesterday, the Kremlin said the security service, known as the FSB, would now be able to issue warnings to those 'whose acts create the conditions for the committing of a crime'.
Suspects can be held behind bars for up to 15 days or face fines.
Critics blasted the decision by the Russian parliament, claiming the law could be used to detain opposition activists and journalists.
'It's a step towards a police state,' said Vladimir Ulas, a member of the Communist Party.
'It's effectively a ban on any real opposition activity.'
Independent political analyst Yulia Latynina added: 'In the case of a drunken FSB officer shooting at you - and there have been many such cases - you might end up getting jailed for 15 days for merely trying to escape.'
The law was submitted in April after subway bombings in Moscow killed 40 people, and was said to be a response to the attacks.
Kremlin loyalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the nationalist Liberal Democratic party, praised the law.
He said: 'This is not a repressive law. We're only talking about preventive measures.’
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who initiated the bill, angrily retorted to criticism. He said earlier this month that 'each country has the right to perfect its legislation'.
The legislation continues a trend under former President Vladimir Putin, blamed by the opposition and the West for rolling back Russia's democratic reforms of the 1990s. The former KGB officer and FSB head allowed the security services to regain power and influence at the expense of Russia's democratic institutions.
Putin is now prime minister, and many see his intolerance of dissent as influencing Medvedev, his hand-picked successor.
The bill has raised doubts about Medvedev's commitment to promoting full-fledged democracy and freedom of expression. Medvedev often has spoken of instituting judicial and police reforms, and has taken a less hard line on many issues than Putin.
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The total represents less than a one-in-10 of the schools that originally registered an interest in breaking free from local council control.
Labour and teaching unions seized on the figures which they said proved that Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, overstated the case for academies.
It follows controversy over the Coalition’s new Academies Bill which gives primaries and secondaries new powers to convert into academies, giving them more freedom over budgets, staff pay, the curriculum and the academic year.
It was one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the Government and led to accusations that ministers rushed the reforms through using a timetable usually reserved for emergency laws such as anti-terror powers.
Mr Gove defended the move, saying he was “unapologetically in a hurry” to introduce new measures to boost education standards, claiming academies outperform other schools.
But Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “One has to question why the Secretary of State felt the need to exaggerate and mislead the public in this way."
Under plans, schools currently ranked “outstanding” by Ofsted could be converted into academies as early as September.
She added: "We are far short of Michael Gove's much vaunted claims, and indeed just a fraction of those listed today will be 'outstanding' schools eligible for fast-tracking." Continued
Wednesday 28th July 2010
Fears that the Coalition will water down Tory commitments for an immigration cap have been raised after David Cameron was urged by Vince Cable to scrap the pledge in order to boost Britain’s economic attractiveness.
The row threatened to overshadow the Prime Minister’s trip to India accompanied by a large trade delegation to try and foster closer links with the economic powerhouse.
Mr Cable, the Business Secretary, who is travelling with Mr Cameron warned that the trade mission would be futile unless the Government scrapped the new cap on immigration.
The Confederation of Indian Business and some British financial leaders have expressed concern that the Government’s proposed annual limit on immigration from outside the European Union would prevent entrepreneurs from coming to this country.
While the cap was a flagship Conservative policy during the general election, it was opposed by the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Cable briefed Hindu Business Line that he would fight to see the cap scrapped altogether, saying that he wanted the most “liberal an immigration policy as it’s possible to have”.
He said: “It’s no great secret that in my department and me personally, we want to see an open economy, and as liberal an immigration policy as it’s possible to have.
“We are arguing, within Government, about how we create the most flexible regime we can possibly have, but in a way that reassures the British public.”
In an interview, Mr Cable added: “Certainly in terms of work permits for management and technical staff who are needed in the UK we want the system to operate flexibly.
“I want to reassure the Indians that we are going to deal with this liberally.”
That apparent attempt to water down the Tory-led plans for a cap will upset many Conservatives. The immigration issue was among the key topics MPs encountered during the election and the Tory policy undoubtedly helped Mr Cameron in his campaign.
Mr Cable has said that he is “gloomy” about the job he is having to do in the Coalition and Lib Dem MPs are anxious that the party’s poll ratings have slumped alarmingly since they went into alliance with the Conservatives.
Supporters are demanding that more Lib Dem policies are adopted by the Coalition as a price of their continued support.
But any sign that he is being swayed by his Lib Dem Cabinet colleague Mr Cable, will be seized on by already disgruntled Tory backbenchers.
Mr Cameron’s aides confirmed that the Prime Minister would discuss the matter when he meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, during talks which will also see him set out plans to take the relationship between the two countries to the “next level,” and allow Britain to tap into India’s dynamic, fast-growing economy.
He will discuss how the new cap could be introduced in a way which would not harm trade.
The Government has already introduced a temporary limit of 24,100 until April 2011, with ministers saying they want the eventual, permanent annual figure to be in the tens rather than the hundreds of thousands.
A Downing Street spokesman said that Mr Cable was not disputing that there would be a cap on immigration.
He added that the Business Secretary and Mr Cameron would both be discussing with the Indian government how the limit could be introduced without damaging enterprise.
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David Cameron today accused critics of Turkey’s membership of the EU of playing on fears of Islam - as he pledged to ‘pave the road from Ankara to Brussels’.
In a speech in the Turkish capital the Prime Minister promised to ‘fight’ to help the Islamic state achieve its 50-year goal of EU membership.
He said that, by embracing the moderate Muslim nation, the EU can improve relations with the rest of the Islamic world.
And he hit out at those who ‘wilfully misunderstand Islam’ in order to oppose Turkey’s membership.
He said: ‘They see no difference between real Islam and the distorted version of the extremists.
They think the values of Islam can never be compatible with the values of other religions, societies or cultures.
‘All these arguments are just plain wrong. I want us to be at the forefront of an international effort to defeat them.’
Mr Cameron’s words put him at odds with France, Germany and Tory Right-wingers who believe Turkey may be incompatible with the EU.
EU countries are in a position to use their veto to block a move for Turkish accession. But they are now coming under pressure from the U.S. as well as Britain.
The Prime Minister hit out at ‘protectionists’ who see Turkey as an ‘economic threat’.
And he criticised those who see the world as a ‘clash of civilisations’ in which Turkey must choose sides.
Turkey has been trying to join the EU for more than half a century and formally applied in 1987.
Negotiations on entry began in 2005, but have stalled because of resistance from France and Germany, which are pressing for a lesser ‘privileged partnership’ deal.
Critics in Britain have warned that Turkey’s entry will provoke an influx of immigrants flocking to the UK.
Mr Cameron pledged to become the country’s ‘strongest possible advocate’.
He said: ‘I’m here to make the case for Turkey’s membership of the EU. And fight for it.’
Many are sceptical about the capacity of the EU to absorb a nation of 72million, two-thirds of under the age of 35, and with a GDP per head of less than half the European average.
Population projections suggest Turkey would overtake Germany to become the biggest state in Europe by 2020.
Many are also concerned about the prospect of an Islamic state joining the mainly Christian EU.
But Mr Cameron pointed to Turkey’s support for Western efforts in Afghanistan and its moderating influence in the Middle East.
He highlighted economic forecasts suggesting Turkey is set to become one of the world’s biggest economies.
Mr Cameron also plans to kickstart a special relationship with India with a visit to the country later this week.
Five members of the Cabinet, two ministers of state and more than 50 FTSE chief executives will begin a mission to drum up trade and diplomatic relations with the nation.
Mr Cameron will be joined by Chancellor George Osborne, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Mr Osborne said: ‘India matters, its economy is growing at three times the speed of ours.
'That’s why this week David Cameron will lead the strongest British delegation to visit India in modern times.’
One of the first deals of the trip is expected to be a £500million deal for BAE Systems to supply Hawk jets to India.
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Harassment? Wrongful arrests? Seems EDL are being harassed much the same way as the British National party usually are just before an election or some event
Armed police opened fire during an operation to arrest members of the controversial far-right English Defence League, who were feared to be masterminding an attack at a Bournemouth mosque.
Marksmen shot the tyres out on a van belonging to John Broomfield, who describes himself as Dorset EDL head, as he drove alone through Corfe Castle.
He and six others were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause an explosion at a Bournemouth mosque.
All seven, including at least six EDL members, have since been released without charge.
Armed officers pounced from an unmarked car close to the Norden roundabout as 27-year-old Mr Broomfield, from Swanage, drove home from work around 5pm.
They used special rapid tyre deflation rounds, fired from a shotgun, to disable his vehicle.
Officers, including specialised forensic experts, then swooped on his Bell Street home, removing clothes, computer equipment, mobile phones and passports.
The suspects were held at Poole police station and a police station in Southampton, following last Thursday’s arrests.
The English Defence League is a contentious group that has been leading “anti-Muslim extremism” demonstrations around England since 2009.
Thousands of people have attended its protests – many of which have involved racist and Islamophobic chanting.
However, organisers insist it is not a racist organisation.
A number of violent clashes have also taken place at EDL demonstrations since the group first emerged in Luton last year.
In a statement to the Daily Echo, Mr Broomfield said: “While travelling home from work I was stopped and arrested by armed police. I was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause an explosion at a Bournemouth mosque.
“Five other members of the EDL were also arrested and held for 24 hours for questioning while searches of their homes took place.
Then all of us were released without charge.
“There has been no conspiracy.
“There has never been any conspiracy. The EDL is not a terrorist organisation.”
A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Dorset Police can confirm that as part of an investigation surrounding threats to a Bournemouth mosque a total of seven people were arrested for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
“Following an investigation police can now confirm these people have been released without charge.
“We can also confirm that one of the people arrested was detained safely by armed officers in the Corfe Castle area.
“We’ve been working very closely with the Muslim community since last Thursday and our local safer neighbourhood teams have been providing advice and reassurance throughout.
“At this stage there is no indication whatsoever that any of the mosques in Dorset are under threat of attack.”
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An audit has discovered the U.S. Defense Department can't properly account for how it spent about 95 per cent of $9.1billion in Iraqi oil money earmarked for rebuilding the war-ravaged country.
The U.S. Special Investigator for Iraq Reconstruction report released today said there was shoddy record keeping and a lack of oversight of the $8.7billion. The Pentagon cannot account at all for $2.6billion spent between 2004 and 2007.
The audit cited a number of factors that contributed to the inability to account for most of the money withdrawn by the Pentagon from the Development Fund for Iraq. It said most of the Defense Department organisations that received DFI money failed to set up Treasury Department accounts, as required.
In addition, it said no Defense Department organisation was designated as the main body to oversee how the funds were accounted for or spent. 'The breakdown in controls left the funds vulnerable to inappropriate uses and undetected loss,' the report said.
The audit found that the U.S. continues to hold about $34.3million of the money even though it was required to return it to the Iraqi government. It did not indicate that investigators believed there were any instances of fraud involved in the spending of these funds.
The money comes from the Development Fund for Iraq, set up in 2004 by the U.N. Security Council and comprised of oil revenues, Iraqi assets frozen before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and funds from the Saddam Hussein-era oil-for-food program.
With the establishment of the Coalition Provisional Authority, which ran Iraq shortly after the start of the U.S. invasion in 2003 until mid-2004, about $20billion was placed into the account. The funds are separate from the $53billion allocated by U.S. Congress for rebuilding Iraq.
The report comes at a critical time for Iraq. Despite security gains made since 2008, bombings remain near a daily occurrence that compound the frustrations and fears of Iraqis increasingly weary of the current political crisis — one many say reflects how the country's politicians are more interested in their own interests than those of the nation.
Politicians have hit an impasse since inconclusive parliamentary elections were held March 7, unable to form a new government as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, appears determined to stay in office. The Iraqi government had agreed to allow the U.S. continued access to the funds after the CPA was dissolved in 2004, but it revoked that authority in December 2007.
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The Coalition has worked a political miracle. We are now ruled by a Government that is even softer on crime than Labour was.
Tory-Liberal Democrat Ministers seem to have forgotten that one of their first duties is to protect British society.
Instead they have swallowed wholesale the fashionable, left-wing ideology of the anti-punishment brigade, which, in the name of supposed compassion, wants to allow criminals to roam free.
The adoption of this approach has been led by the new Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, a man who cannot see a Conservative principle without trying to trash it.
Clarke has tried to give an intellectual gloss to his disastrously indulgent policy by claiming that the rise in the jail population since 1993 has had no link to the recent, significant falls in crime.
There is an absurd lack of logic behind this claim. Prison is bound to have a major impact on crime levels, since offenders who are locked up can no longer menace the public. It is true that short sentences are ineffective in deterring criminals.
But that is an argument for longer jail terms rather than the abandonment of custody. Indeed all evidence shows that the heavier the sentence, the lower the likelihood of reoffending on release.
Only 6.5 per cent of those who serve 10 years or more are convicted of another crime, compared to nearly 70 per cent of those receiving “community” sentences.
Just as depressing as Clarke is the minister for prisons, Crispin Blunt, the Tory MP for Reigate. It might have been thought that Blunt, as a former Army officer, would favour a tough approach towards criminality, but not a bit of it. He is fast becoming the high priest of the softly-softly movement.
Only last week he proposed lifting the ban on convicts holding parties in prison.
The ban was imposed in 2008 after two female killers donned devil costumes to attend a fancy dress party in Holloway jail but Blunt decided it was a “daft” ruling. Thankfully David Cameron thwarted his idiotic attempt to overturn it.
Shortly before he became an MP, Blunt boasted that an ass could stand as Tory candidate in Reigate and get elected.
His conduct as Prisons Minister appears to prove that assertion correct. Undaunted by the party fiasco, Blunt is now trying to impose a new fad on our system of law and order. This is the trendy concept of “restorative justice”, which has been eagerly taken up by Left-wingers because it is seen as representing an alternative to the alleged harshness of prison.
Under this scheme, offenders can receive lighter punishments if they meet the victims of their crimes and express remorse for their actions.
The idea of “restorative justice” has been adopted in many countries across the world, not least because it reduces prison bills.
Here in Britain it is frequently used in dealing with young offenders and with bullies in schools, but Crispin Blunt now seeks to have it more widely applied. “I want to get it into our system at every stage,” he says.
Anyone who truly believes in guarding the vulnerable and upholding our civilisation will shudder. For this new dogma is the utter negation of justice. It represents the final surrender to criminality, reflecting all the worst features of the mentality of political correctness which has such a vice-like grip on the ruling class.
In its emphasis on the background of the offender, Restorative Justice highlights the classic Marxist belief that social disadvantage is the driving force behind all crimes.
By this insidious process, explanation for an offender’s actions can quickly descend into justification. Similarly, we can see the malign influence of the Freudian psychoanalytic doctrine, where every problem can be resolved simply by talking about it. In effect, justice is being replaced by form of longwinded therapy. Also on display is the increasing feminisation of the institutions that are meant to protect us.
Across the probation services, the courts and the police, traditional masculine authority has given way to a hand-wringing abhorrence of punishment and a desire for resolution by dialogue.
Far from being compassionate, this approach could hardly be more cruel since it puts an unfair burden on the victims of crime to set out how they feel. Not only could this cause them deep distress, especially if they have suffered trauma as a result of the incident, but it also places an undue emphasis on their self-confidence or willingness to emote.
Those who are shy, nervous or just stoical will be at a serious disadvantage. Moreover, the desire to appeal to offenders’ consciences is misplaced. Most of them are criminals precisely because they lack empathy. Restorative justice is the very opposite of what our legal system is supposed to achieve. The courts are meant to take justice out of the realm of the personal and emotional, precisely because such sentimentality leads to arbitrary decision-making.
Blunt’s lunatic scheme is the latest in a conveyor-belt of gimmicks from the anti-prison lobby. We are constantly told, for instance, that drug rehabilitation schemes are the way to deal with addicted criminals, yet such programmes are hopelessly ineffectual.
In any given year, out of more than 200,000 attending, just 3.7 per cent of users emerge drug free. Restorative justice will prove just as useless. It is just another piece of morally bankrupt nonsense designed to keep criminals out of the place where they really belong: behind bars.
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Visa controls for applicants from Pakistan who want to settle in the UK failed to protect the UK's border, a watchdog has said.
The UK Border Agency's independent chief inspector found that in the worst cases visas that should have been refused were granted, with a "significant number" of cases not being decided correctly.
John Vine said the investigation into the handling of Pakistan settlement applications found "serious organisational failings" in the UK visa section and "a lack of rigorous scrutiny being applied to those who wished to settle in the UK".
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) "failed to fully meet both key strategic objectives of protecting the UK border and making fast and fair decisions", he said. "In the worst cases, I found that visas that should have been refused were granted and visas that should have been granted were refused."
Pakistan is the third largest source of applications to enter the UK, the report said. The applications initially allow individuals to stay and work in the UK for two years, with the option to apply to stay permanently at the end of that period.
Inspectors looked at a sample of 100 cases and found that, of the 49 granted entry clearance, there were six cases between November last year and January this year alone where visas were granted when they should have been refused.
In one such case, the employment reference letter contained spelling mistakes and conflicting information while bank statements showed large, unexplained cash deposits. Details of all six cases have been passed to enforcement officers and added to the UK Border Agency watch-list.
Describing it as the poorest performance in a UKBA business area to date, Mr Vine said steps should be taken to ensure settlement decisions are subject to effective scrutiny, to improve standards and the overall performance of the department. In its current state, it was "neither efficient nor effective", the report said.
It criticised the visa section's inconsistent decision-making, saying: "In some cases we found it almost impossible to determine why visas had been issued, when others had been refused on identical or very similar evidence." The report comes after the visa inspection procedures were moved from Pakistan in late 2008 to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and to the UK visa section in Croydon.
Immigration minister Damian Green said he was "very concerned" by the report's findings but added that the UKBA had "quite rightly already taken action".
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Jeremy Clarkson has joined the debate on whether burkas should be permitted in Britain in his own inimitable style.
The outspoken presenter provoked a flurry of complaints after telling viewers of Top Gear on Sunday night that he had seen a Muslim woman wearing saucy underwear beneath her gown.
Clarkson had been discussing the best way to stop drivers being distracted by female pedestrians, along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May.
More than six million viewers had tuned in to watch the show, which featured guest appearances from Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
In front of the studio audience, he said: 'This is an important bit of news, I really want to bring this up. People imagine that the most dangerous time of the year to drive is November or perhaps February - dark nights, fog, ice.
'But we were talking about this the other day and we think the most dangerous time to drive a car is round about now. Sunny skies, light breezes, girls wearing short skirts, because the thing is, you can't not look. You can't physically not look.'
Hammond interjected, saying: 'You can physically not use your mobile phone and it's easy not to drive home when you've had 18 pints of lager. But when you're driving along and a girl walks past, you have to look. Actually, do you not think that here, there is actually a case for the burka? Because then the problem would go away.'
Clarkson then replied: 'No, no, no. Honestly, the burka doesn't work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up it came, red g-string and stockings. I promise that happened. The taxi driver will back me up on that.'
Despite disbelief from his co-stars, Clarkson again insisted the incident took place.
By yesterday morning, seven viewers had already contacted the BBC to complain, while singer Lily Allen labelled the comment 'distasteful' on her Twitter site.
Another viewer wrote: 'Clarkson is too old for mini skirt jokes - burka story obscene - horrid.'
The debate has intensified across Europe after both France and Belgium announced they are introducing bans on veils earlier this month, prompting accusations of discrimination against Muslims.
Spain is considering it and similar calls have emerged in Britain, although these have been ruled out by the Coalition government.
The ban in France will include women wearing niqabs, veils covering the head and mouth while leaving the eyes exposed and the head-to-toe burkas, which also cover the eyes with a mesh mask.
Immigration Minister Damian Green, resisted demands from Tory MP Philip Hollobone to ban the burka, which critics claim is a symbol of the oppression of women.
Mr Green said a ban would be 'rather un-British' and run contrary to the conventions of a 'tolerant and mutually respectful society'. This is despite a YouGov survey which found that 67 per cent of voters wanted the wearing of full-face veils to be outlawed.
Clarkson, 50, is no stranger to controversy. In 2008, he famously mocked lorry drivers by saying they cared only about fuel prices and killing prostitutes - a reference to Suffolk Strangler Steven Wright and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe.
His comments drew more than 300 complaints.
Last year he was condemned by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Scottish politicians after he made disparaging remarks about Gordon Brown, calling him a 'one-eyed Scottish idiot'.
The Muslim Women's Network UK last night criticised Top Gear after they joked about using the burka as a way of preventing drivers being distracted by female pedestrians.
Faeeza Vaid, co-ordinator at the organisation, said: 'The debate surrounding the burka is a serious issue which shouldn't be publicly joked about. Rather than joking about it, we should be having serious dialogue.'
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The green man was still flashing when Victoria Johnson stepped on to the pedestrian crossing and was hit by a motorist.
But although the trainee barrister never regained consciousness, driver Foysal Ali - who was travelling at 37mph in the 30mph zone - has escaped jail because Miss Johnson was on her phone at the time.
Police had told the court that a smashed handset found at the scene was not hers. However, a witness said Miss Johnson, 23, was chatting on her mobile as she crossed the road.
And when Judge Alan Pardoe sentenced Ali, who was convicted of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving after an eight-day trial, he suggested the victim's phone use meant she was partly at fault.
Yesterday, he allowed Ali, who has a series of convictions, to walk free after suspending his 12-month jail sentence for two years. He ordered him to carry out 250 hours' community service, and disqualified him from driving for a year.
The judge told Ali: 'Victoria Johnson stepped into the carriageway without looking to her left. If she had, the evidence was that she would seen you very clearly.
'There's evidence from a bystander that at the time of entering the carriageway, she was speaking on her mobile phone.'
Prosecutor Paul Raudnitz told the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in East London, that the killer driver had a 'history of dishonesty', with previous convictions including shoplifting, deception and theft.
The accident took place in January last year when Miss Johnson, a graduate of Nottingham University - where Ali, by coincidence, was studying for an MA in social work - was on her way home to Bow, East London.
As she went to cross the road outside Mile End Underground station, Ali, 25, was approaching at speed in his Ford Ka.
Mr Raudnitz told the court: 'Miss Johnson crossed the north side of the highway, came to the pedestrian island in the middle and then made to cross the highway.
'She had started to cross that part of the road after the green man to pedestrians had begun to flash. Mr Ali hit her while the lights to motorists were still flashing amber.
'He was unable to warn Miss Johnson of his presence as his horn did not work.'
When Miss Johnson's life-support machine at the Royal London Hospital was switched off, her organs helped save the lives of eight critically ill patients - including a one-year- old girl who had liver failure.
Ali, of Forest Gate, in East London, said Miss Johnson 'just came out from nowhere'. He added: 'Sometimes I'd sit for hours in front of Mile End station to see if I could have done anything differently.
'I think about her every single day. I see her face all the time.'
Miss Johnson's father David, 55, of Stradbroke, Suffolk, said it was of some comfort to the family that her organs had helped save lives.
Mr Johnson said: 'It was something as a family we had talked about.
'She was a registered donor and eight people benefited.'
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The whole point of Nationalism, is that the economic, socio-cultural, socio-economic, national religion, and institutions of the country, are completely protected from outside influences.
In addition of course, any nation governs itself, from within, and by only those with its best interest at heart. Our enemies have a plethora of English and Latin words to choose from, with which to attack us, and ensure that the cattle (public) all head towards the stunning shed, ready for their long, slow racial and cultural execution.
Geert Wilders has now proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that, as excellent Green Arrow writer, supporter, and technical advisor, ANJIM-SAMA, rightly pointed out: Geert Wilders, What Are You Up To? in his current article, and in articles by myself, both agree he is no friend of the British people. Along with others on the world stage, he continues to justify his political existence by bemoaning simply only one of the tools in the toolbox of our ancient, wealthy, and dangerous enemy. According to one media source quoted:
Geert Wilders International Freedom Alliance, would try to occupy the space between the Conservatives and the BNP, which he said was "racist" and "not my party". Wilders is often described as far-right but frequently stands up for gay and women's rights.
It is also an unfortunate case of ''jumping the gun'' that, recently our own Chairman, stated that Mr Wilders should be given an award for recognition of his fight to keep Europe free from Islamification. Millions could now be fooled into jumping ship, and being played like fools as he extends his philosophy, which by the way, this Author knows by active experience, was promulgated by this party as long ago as nearly a decade. If our chairman was astute enough to see this problem that long ago, then why has it only been relatively recently that, other supposed ''Nationalists'' have used this option now?
Our collective enemies, use our own ancient languages to berate us, deride us. To this end, we are so-called proponents of ''Fortress Britain''. Exactly, just like Fortress China, Fortress India, Pakistan and Israel. Obviously, after the recent World Cup, in which the internationalist media could not wait to show African independence, and prowess, and self-government, we did not hear any of the name calling about African nations becoming a Fortress did we?
So, if Mr Wilders is to become ''accepted'', and it looks as though he is, are we now being potentially accepted? Of course not, otherwise our Chairman would have been gracefully accepted by the Monarchy and establishment at the Palace.
Ultimately, we must strengthen our commitment politically to British Nationalism, and because our enemy is embedded within, and also attacks us frequently from the outside, we must strengthen our commitment to genuine Nationalist groups around the world. It is not only the political aspects of our fight we must strengthen. Our cultural ties, and heritage, languages, and ancient rights and freedoms must also be solidly protected.
Never mind pathetic, child-like name calling, smears, and brush-off's such as us wanting a ''Fortress Britain'', of course we want that. But, we also want a ''Fortress Nationalism''. That way, we'll protect ALL friendly and open Nationalists in their fight to free their collective nations from the shackles of subtle Marxist politicising. The proposed United Nationalist Nations (UNN), has already ensnared those who would spoil it immediately, and those institutions who have already found ''legal problems'' with it.
The UNN, http://theunn010.wordpress.com/about/ will most certainly use the Founder's knowledge and experience in underhanded enemy tactics, to it's own advantage well before it's numbers swell to one hundred. And so my friends, let us continue here, and with our current Chairman, and connect with the groups who do give a damn, and not a Global establishment ''safety valve'', who resembles a typical Civic Nationalist at best, and an agent of internationalism at worst.
Politically, Mr Griffin has done us all far more good by becoming leader in ''Nationalist Fortress Europe'', of groups such as the Front National of France and Belgium, Jobbik of Hungary, and others in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Ukraine. Mr Wilders of course, has said he will not join such a group, thus making himself an automatic enemy of all true Nationalists. This is our land, but Europe is our continent. Around the world are our brothers and sisters, and each of their respective nations of old are still here, just. Let's ensure the collective lands of our fathers are protected, and let's stop pretending we have friends who are simply enjoying a one way, and rather lucrative benefit.
As this Author stated recently in another article, there are no groups called ''Friends Of Britain'', as there are Friends Of Israel. There are no major names, or well known people openly supporting our movements here, or in Europe. The only ones openly supporting our Chairman, this party, and Nationalism in general, are the ones mentioned above. It is I'm afraid, a simple case of Fortress Nationalism.
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The Celtic arrow symbolises European unity, virility and power.
It is also the symbol for the Celtic 'Brothers of the Arrow', a brotherhood of warriors from the various Celtic tribes and lands of Europe who would come together to fight their common foe when required, this being powerful enemies such as the Roman Empire.
By adopting the sign of the Celtic Arrow we are stating that it is a symbol of our comradeship and unity of purpose and opposition to the European Union.
In ancient times, it was in the heat of battle that men from various backgrounds bonded together as brothers.
In those times of war, men depended on their inner strength to be successful as a warrior and also relied on their unity as comrades in arms to be successful in battle.
By adopting the Celtic Arrow as our political symbol we are declaring that each European nation is united in defence of our common blood, heritage, culture and lands.
It is the symbol of true European brotherhood as opposed to the corrupt political institution of the European Union.
A few facts on where we stand ;
A) Who are we ?
We are 21st Century Nationalists who are both Nationalists and European Nationalists.
B) What is European Nationalism ?
European Nationalism is a political movement that seeks to protect the indigenous cultures, heritage and indigenous peoples of Europe.
C) Aren't British Nationalism and European Nationalism opposed to each other ?
No.
As a British Nationalist or a German Nationalist or a French Nationalist we all work within our own countries for the benefit of our own people, but we also understand that in order to defend European civilisation from globalism we must work together for the benefit of all our people and for Europe itself.
D) Do you support a European Army and political integration ?
No.
A Free Europe depends on Free Nations, and a European Army would undermine our national freedoms.
Political integration is a usurpation of our national democracies and national sovereignty.
We stand for European co-operation not European integration.
E) Who can join the ENA ?
Anyone who agrees with our principles.
F) Will the ENA stand in local and general elections in the UK or elsewhere in Europe ?
No.
The ENA is simply a European Nationalist organisation.
We have no interest in splitting the Nationalist vote in local and general elections or competing against Nationalist parties in such elections.
As we are a European Nationalist Party we will not be taking votes from Nationalist parties in the European Elections either, as all the Nationalist politicians such as the BNP and UKIP stand for immediate withdrawal from the EU and are Euro-sceptics.
We do not support withdrawing from the EU, rather we stand for taking over the EU from the inside and then using its vast amount of power and wealth for the promotion of our European Nationalist principles and objectives.
We will also not stand against Nationalist or Patriotic parties in European Elections such as the BNP and UKIP who already have elected representatives.
In those areas with established BNP and UKIP elected representatives we will not put forward any candidates so as to ensure those people can gain the entire Nationalist and European Nationalist vote for themselves and ensure their re-election.
We will stand only in areas with elected Labour Party MEP's, Conservative Party MEP's, Green Party MEP's and Liberal Democrat MEP's.
As the ENA is a European Nationalist party which is not anti-Europe, but only anti-European Union, and is not Euro-sceptic, as we wish to stay inside the EU and use the power and wealth of the EU to promote our European Nationalist principles, we are appealing to a completely different political demographic to the Nationalist parties such as the BNP and UKIP.
Therefore there will be no competition between the ENA and parties like UKIP and the BNP in European Elections.
We wish the BNP and UKIP all the best in their local, general and European elections and hope to see them prosper and grow as Nationalist parties.
G) Will the ENA accept party memberships ?
Yes.
H) What is the difference between the European Nationalist Alliance and the Alliance of European Nationalist Movements ?
The AENM is a body composed of elected MEP's within the European Union and other anti-EU parties who do not have MEP's but who are also anti-EU and support withdrawal from the EU.
It intends to create a European political party that operates within the institution of the European Parliament, and it does not intend to create a Pan-European political party that operates across the entire European Union.
Each of the parties within the AENM are anti-EU and stand for withdrawal from the EU.
In the event of any of them winning power in a national election, those parties would unilaterally withdraw from the EU.
The AENM is in the perverse position that the more successful its constituent members are in their respective national elections, the weaker the AENM as a political bloc becomes within the EU.
If all the political parties in the AENM were to win power in their own countries they would all have to withdraw from the EU itself, and thereby weaken the position of the remaining Nationalist parties left inside the EU.
If all the political parties in the AENM were also to win power in their own countries and withdrew from the EU, then there would be no political parties left in the EU to articulate and promote European Nationalist interests.
Therefore a separate European Nationalist organisation, the ENA, is required in order to operate alongside the AENM in order to allow Nationalists and European Nationalists in those states that have withdrawn from the EU to cast their votes for a political party that represents European Nationalist principles.
The ENA will stay within the EU as a political bloc and act solely in the interests of European Nationalism, as opposed to the AENM which is comprised of political parties that have to represent the interests of their own internal party political constituencies and also in the national interest of their own respective nation states if they were elected into power.
The ENA acts solely for the principles of the ENA and European Nationalism itself.
This is why the ENA can work alongside the AENM on issues of mutual concern but will remain an independent European Nationalist movement inside the EU.
The ENA is a movement solely for the promotion of European Nationalist principles and hence must promote and act without pressure or coercion from Nationalist party leaders who have an internal Nationalist constituency within their own parties they must listen too and also, as elected leaders of a nation state, their own national interests to promote as well.
Continued - Please Read in Full
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Ministers announced that the UK Film Council, the HFEA fertility watchdog and funding body Sport England are among 20 or so organisations set for the chop.
But the controversial drugs rationing watchdog NICE will have its remit expanded - and an entirely new quango, called HealthWatch England, will be created to stick up for NHS patients.
The number of quangos - also known as arm's-length bodies - is being reduced across government to cut costs, and yesterday was the turn of the departments for culture and health.
But many of the quangos on the hitlist will continue to operate in conjunction with other organisations. The General Social Care Council, which regulates social workers, will be merged into another body, while the Gambling Commission will become part of the National Lottery Commission.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: 'Many of these bodies were set up a considerable length of time ago, and times and demands have changed.'
The Health Protection Agency, whose role it is to protect the public against superbugs and flu, and the National Patient Safety Agency, which collects information on hospital incidents, are among those being abolished.
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Ministers are under pressure to tackle public sector pensions after estimates of taxpayer liability soared by 37.5 per cent to £793billion.
Accounts filed in the past few days show the funding gap for teachers, doctors, civil servants and other state workers is now £29,000 for every household in the country.
Unofficial estimates put the hole at over £1trillion. Government accounts show more than two million people will draw on under-funded pension pots by the year’s end.
It will fuel complaints by private sector workers, who face a huge tax bill.
Pensions expert Neil Record said: “The previous government under estimated how much future generations of taxpayers would need to pay to meet costs.”
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Another Green soul declares enough is enough. It’s a question of conscience.
Physicist Dr. Denis Rancourt is a former professor and environmental science researcher at the University of Ottawa (as green as they come), and has officially bailed out of the man-made global warming movement. He runs a radio show, and speaks with many activists and NGO’s around the world. He claims that the “activists in the developing world, who need to directly defend their own neighborhoods, they understand that this global warming thing is an invention.”
Climate Depot has released a video of Dr. Rancourt: Man-made global warming is nothing more than a “corrupt social phenomenon.” “It is as much psychological and social phenomenon as anything else” .
“I argue that by far the most destructive force on the planet is power-driven financiers and profit-driven corporations and their cartels backed by military might; and that the global warming myth is a red herring that contributes to hiding this truth. In my opinion, activists who, using any justification, feed the global warming myth have effectively been co-opted, or at best neutralized,” Rancourt said.
“Global warming is strictly an imaginary problem of the First World middleclass,” he stated.
Rancourt is scathing of universities (and rightly so):
“They are all virtually all service intellectuals. They will not truly critique, in a way that could threaten the power interests that keep them in their jobs. The tenure track is just a process to make docile and obedient intellectuals that will then train other intellectuals,” Rancourt said.
“You have this army of university scientists and they have to pretend like they are doing important research without ever criticizing the powerful interests in a real way. So what do they look for, they look for elusive sanitized things like acid rain, global warming,” he added. This entire process “helps to neutralize any kind of dissent,” according to Rancourt.
“When you do find something bad, you quickly learn and are told you better toe the line on this — your career depends on it,” Rancourt said.
Rancourts article is here Some Big Lies of Science – June 2010
Climate Depot has choice excerpts and a list of other greens who have jumped ship.
In August 2009, the science of global warming was so tenuous that even activists at green festivals were expressing doubts over man-made climate fears. “One college professor, confided to me in private conversation that, ‘I’m not sure climate change is real,’” according to a report from the New York Green Festival.
The left-wing blog Huffington Post surprised many by featuring an article on January 3, 2009, by Harold Ambler, demanding an apology from Gore for promoting unfounded global warming fears.
UK atmospheric scientist Richard Courtney, a left-of-political center socialist, is another dissenter of man-made climate fears. Courtney, a UN IPCC expert reviewer and a UK-based climate and atmospheric science consultant, is a self-described socialist who also happens to reject man-made climate fears. Courtney declared in 2008 that there is “no correlation between the anthropogenic emissions of GHG (greenhouse gases) and global temperature.”
Alexander Cockburn, a maverick journalist who leans left on most topics, lambasted the alleged global-warming consensus on the political Web site CounterPunch.org, arguing that there’s no evidence yet that humans are causing the rise in global temperature. After publicly speaking to reject man-made warming fears, Cockburn wrote on February 22, 2008 “I have been treated as if I have committed intellectual blasphemy.”
Former Greenpeace member and Finnish scientist Dr. Jarl R. Ahlbeck, a lecturer of environmental technology and a chemical engineer at Abo Akademi University in Finland who has authored 200 scientific publications..
Life-long liberal Democrat Dr. Martin Hertzberg, a retired Navy meteorologist with a PhD in physical chemistry, also declared his dissent of warming fears in 2008….
Botanist Dr. David Bellamy, a famed UK environmental campaigner, former lecturer at Durham University, and host of a popular UK TV series on wildlife, converted from believer to a skeptic about global warming.
h/t David, Marc, and Darren
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Five allegedly independent investigations claim to have cleared U.S. and British climate scientists of chicanery in their global warming research.
It's more likely the investigations will be among the final nails in the coffin for the global warming alarmist movement. That's a position shared not only among respected skeptics in the scientific community, but increasingly in the mainstream press and even by some global warming believers.
Sure, government funding for climate change research probably will continue for a while. And propagandists will continue to crank out new studies claiming we're cooking the planet to death. They will hold more international confabs and issue more dire proclamations, but to less and less avail.
Most likely, this was the tipping point. Global warming zealots have lost. It's only a matter of time until they realize it and move on to a new contrived catastrophe, where doubtless they'll be warmly received by a compliant press and amply rewarded with more tax-subsidized grants. It seems there are insatiable appetites and never-ending tax dollars for the proper causes.
The Climategate scandal erupted last fall when thousands of e-mails were leaked suggesting scientists manipulated data, conspired to silence critics and schemed to deny access to their research by those who challenged their findings.
It was a body blow to the assertion that the earth is dangerously overheating, people are to blame and governments must act drastically to fix it. Investigations launched at Pennsylvania State University and at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit now have concluded there was no serious scientific malpractice.
The problem is, these investigations appear to have been about as independent and thorough as a congressional investigation into legislative pork.
People recognize self-interested exoneration. Despite proclamations of innocence, the verdicts didn't accomplish what the climate catastrophe community most desired – a welcoming of the prodigals back into society's good graces.
In part, this is because the relationship of investigators to those they investigated was eyebrow raising, casting doubt on their conclusions. From the beginning, neither global warming skeptics nor true believers expected investigators to find anything amiss. As many have noted, the institutions paid for and/or commissioned the investigations of themselves by cadres of friendly faces. A pervasive sense of glossing over also exists because many of the most obvious questions weren't even asked, or asked of the right people.
And there's the justifiable lingering perception that even if the books weren't cooked, climate scientists behaved as if they were above scrutiny.
Newsweek reported that even though the probe "cleared the researchers of most allegations, the lingering controversy could further undermine the IPCC longstanding push for massive CO2 reduction targets as the only viable option to deal with global warming."
Environmental columnist Damian Carrington, at the British Guardian.co.uk pronounced, "the public's trust in that science has been scorched," despite his personal belief in dangerous global warming. A technology columnist at the Montreal Gazette opined, "The bigger conclusion, for scientists and bureaucrats, is that secrecy can be wrong - and dreadfully damaging."
When even global warming believers scoff at the findings, it's obviously a whitewash. Clive Crook, who believes global warming threatens the planet and advocates a carbon tax to mitigate its effects, wrote in the Atlantic that the Penn State investigation was so hard to swallow, it "would be difficult to parody." Three of four allegations were dismissed out of hand, and not even investigated, Crook wrote.
MIT's Richard Lindzen found that fact "thoroughly amazing." He was about the only global warming skeptic interviewed in all the inquiries. "I mean these issues are explicitly stated in the e-mails. I'm wondering what's going on?"
Although an investigative panel had been directly tasked to examine the hacked e-mail exchanges for evidence of manipulation or suppression of data, investigators didn't review the vast majority of the emails.
Professor Michael Mann, the target of the investigation at Penn State, was applauded by investigators for having won awards, which in their circular reasoning led them to conclude therefore, "his research could not have been outside of respected practices..." In short, he's accomplished, so he can't have done anything wrong.
University of East Anglia's investigators didn't bother to ask the Climate Research Unit's Director Phil Jones whether he actually deleted any e-mails to avoid Freedom of Information requests, as he said he had in one of the leaked messages. Is it unreasonable to expect an investigator to ask questions such as, "Did you do it?"
In fact, one of the East Anglia investigations apparently permitted Jones to choose which of his papers they could review as a "fair sample" of his work. "Is it any wonder the verdicts keep coming up 'not guilty'?" asked Anthony Watts, a climate skeptic who's also skeptical of the investigations' integrity.
A Wall Street Journal editorial called the written summary of the East Anglia investigation, "a 160-page evasion of the real issues." Former University of Virginia professor of environmental studies Patrick J. Michaels of the CATO Institute wryly noted, "It's impossible to find anything wrong if you really aren't looking."
In the popular international science magazine New Scientist, commentators predicted an increasing loss of faith in global warming science. New Scientist accused the final East Anglia probe of failing to answer basic questions: "How can we know whether CRU researchers were properly exercising their judgment?" That failure makes "it harder to accept (the investigation's) conclusion that the 'rigour and honesty' of the scientists concerned 'are not in doubt'."
The Great Britain-based science publication editorialized: "[W]hat happened to intellectual candour – especially in conceding the shortcomings of these inquiries and discussing the way that science is done? Without candour, public trust in climate science cannot be restored, nor should it be."
If providing professional cover for the global warming researchers was the goal, the probes may have succeeded. If reestablishing public faith in global warming theory was the goal, they probably didn't. The carefully guided inquiries did, however, cumulatively affect the climate-change crowd's credibility among people who saw conspiracies in last fall's Climategate disclosures.
As University of Southern California professor of media and politics Tom Hallihan told the San Francisco Chronicle, "The more you refute them, the more evidence those people see that the conspiracy is very pervasive."
The global warming movement seems oblivious to the lesson. The International Panel for Climate Change, the U.N.'s global warming advocacy arm, has sent out a letter advising climate researchers to "keep a distance from the media." That was just two days before the final kid-gloves East Anglia investigation at least conceded that it found "a consistent pattern of failing to display the proper degree of openness."
Another consistent pattern at Penn State and in the U.K. was to limit the inquiries by excluding almost all critical or skeptical sources.
"The committee again excluded from consideration any document or point of view that might incriminate Mann's conduct," observed Steve Milloy of JunkScience.com.
Similarly, at East Anglia, "the committee relied almost entirely on the testimony of those implicated in the scandal or those who have a vested interest in defending the establishment view of global warming," commented Myron Ebell, Competitive Enterprise Institute's director of energy and global warming policy.
A March Gallup poll showed 48 percent of Americans believe the seriousness of climate change is usually exaggerated, an increase from 41 percent in 2009. Public support of global warming zealotry clearly is waning. It can be expected to lose more ground in the aftermath of these whitewashed findings.
There's still another shoe to drop. Virginia authorities are investigating whether Mann of Penn State used fraudulently manipulated data to win government funding. Investigators won't set out to protect reputations or to justify funding. It's a criminal probe.
Claims of academic freedom won't stop the cop at the door. All that will matter is whether books were cooked to line pockets with taxpayer money.
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Warmists may be winning the big grants, but they're not winning the argument
Ever more risibly desperate become the efforts of the believers in global warming to hold the line for their religion, after the battering it was given last winter by all those scandals surrounding the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
One familiar technique they use is to attribute to global warming almost any unusual weather event anywhere in the world.
Last week, for instance, it was reported that Russia has recently been experiencing its hottest temperatures and longest drought for 130 years.
The head of the Russian branch of WWF, the environmental pressure group, was inevitably quick to cite this as evidence of climate change, claiming that in future "such climate abnormalities will only become more frequent".
He didn't explain what might have caused the similar hot weather 130 years ago.
Meanwhile, notably little attention has been paid to the disastrous chill which has been sweeping South America thanks to an inrush of air from the Antarctic, killing hundreds in the continent's coldest winter for years.
In America, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been trumpeting that, according to its much-quoted worldwide temperature data, the first six months of this year were the hottest ever recorded.
But expert analysis on Watts Up With That, the US science blog, shows that NOAA's claimed warming appears to be strangely concentrated in those parts of the world where it has fewest weather stations. In Greenland, for instance, two of the hottest spots, showing a startling five-degree rise in temperatures, have no weather stations at all.
A second technique the warmists have used lately to keep their spirits up has been to repeat incessantly that the official inquiries into the "Climategate" scandal have cleared the top IPCC scientists involved of any wrongdoing, and that their science has been "vindicated".
But, as has been pointed out by critics like Steve McIntyre of Climate Audit, this is hardly surprising, since the inquiries were careful not to interview any experts, such as himself, who could have explained just why the emails leaked from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) were so horribly damaging.
The perfunctory report of the Science Appraisal Panel, chaired by Lord Oxburgh, examined only 11 papers produced by the CRU, none of them remotely connected to what the fuss was all about.
Last week Andrew Montford, author of The Hockey Stick Illusion: Climategate and the Corruption of Science, revealed on his blog (Bishop Hill – bishophill.squarespace.com) that the choice of these papers was approved for the inquiry by Sir Brian Hoskins, of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College, and by Phil Jones, the CRU's former director – an appraisal of whose work was meant to be the purpose of the inquiry.
A third technique, most familiar of all, has been to fall back on the dog-eared claim that leading sceptics only question warmist orthodoxy because they have been funded by "Big Oil" and the "fossil fuel industry". Particularly bizarre was a story last week covering the front page and an inside page of one newspaper, headed "Oil giant gives £1 million to fund climate sceptics".
The essence of this tale was that Exxon Mobil, the oil giant that is the world's third biggest company, last year gave "almost £1 million" to four US think-tanks. These had gone on to dismiss the Climategate inquiries as "whitewashes".
It was hardly necessary to be given money by Exxon to see what was dubious about those inquiries. Not one of the knowledgeable sceptics who have torn them apart has received a cent from Big Oil.
But what made this particularly laughable was that the penny-packets given to think-tanks that have been largely irrelevant to the debate are utterly dwarfed by the colossal sums poured into the army of groups and organisations on the other side of the argument.
Even the big oil companies have long been putting their real money into projects dedicated to showing how they are in favour of a "low-carbon economy".
In 2002 Exxon gave $100 million to Stanford University to fund research into energy sources needed to fight global warming. BP, which rebranded itself in 2004 as "Beyond Petroleum", gave $500 million to fund similar research.
The Grantham Institute provides another example. It was set up at the LSE and Imperial College with £24 million from Jeremy Grantham, an investment fund billionaire, to advise governments and firms on how to promote and invest in ways to "fight climate change", now one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative businesses in the world.
Compare the funding received by a handful of think-tanks to the hundreds of billions of dollars lavished on those who speak for the other side by governments, foundations, multinational corporations, even Big Oil, and the warmists are winning hands down. But only financially: they are not winning the argument.
Tuesday 27th July 2010
From trampoline experts to walking advisers - hundreds of public sector non-jobs are advertised by councils every day, despite warnings that budgets may have to be slashed by as much as 40 per cent to tackle our huge deficit.
The out-of-control hiring spree that continues shows the enormity of the challenge the coalition Government faces in its attempts to rein in Britain’s growing debt.
When Labour came to power in 1997, state spending accounted for 40 per cent of Britain’s economy.
Thirteen years later, they left a country in which that figure had risen to 52 per cent and the bloated public sector increased by almost another one million employees.
That army of new workers has fuelled the rise of the notorious non-job: hugely generous public sector wage packets for an often incomprehensible work description.
Alarmingly for David Cameron, the hiring spree is not only a feature of Labour-run councils, but exists in Conservative-controlled local authorities as well.
Nationwide, non-jobs being advertised include an artist-in-residence in an area that is already one of Britain’s cultural hotspots; a ‘weekend explainer’, whose job description specifically stipulates that the chosen candidate must be available for birthday parties; and a dance co-ordinator responsible for expanding the local authority’s ‘dance infrastructure’.
So, today, we’re launching ‘non-jobswatch’ to highlight this profligate waste of your money.
We’ll be returning to the subject from time to time, so send in any examples you find in your area to nonjobs@dailymail.co.uk
'Organising recreational walks’ is something most people do without assistance, but Islington Council has turned it into a permanent position.
The successful applicant will ‘be key in ensuring this scheme continues to thrive by developing new walks, working with partners and supporting and recruiting a team of volunteer walk leaders’.
Happily for the unenergetic, the prospective walking co-ordinator can fulfil their responsibilities from their desk.
Islington is Labour-controlled and council tax most recently averaged £1,184 annually.
Carbon Partnership Officer
Calderdale Council
£15,828 - £18,391
A green non-job, the new worker will ‘enthuse partners to develop their own action plans which collectively will drive down our carbon footprint’.
Prospective candidates ‘are likely to be educated to degree level but equally important is your ability to work collaboratively and confidently with partners, other stakeholders,
Council Officers and the public’.
Calderdale Council is jointly controlled by Labour and the Liberal Democrats and the
average annual council tax bill for the local authority is £1,041.
Climate Change Officer
British Embassy, Thailand
£1,350 a month
Not content with creating non-jobs within Britain, the public service is doing so abroad as well.
Our man in Bangkok will soon be provided with his own climate change officer, whose chief responsibility will be ‘developing a strategy to support a low-carbon, high-growth
economy in Thailand’.
Community Engagement Apprentice
Lewisham Council
£14,350
Adding yet another layer of bureaucracy, the new community engagement staffer will ensure that ‘local people come together to discuss how to improve their area’.
To do this, the advertisement says the new apprentice should, among other things, ‘find out what is happening in the area and meet new people’.
Lewisham Council is controlled by Labour and council tax averages £1,054 a year
Trampoline Coach
Medway Council
£14,143 - £15,917
Sought for their skill at trampoline instruction, this new youth officer nonetheless faces demanding requirements.
The council specifies ‘global and environmental issues’ among its preferred skills.
Conservative-run Medway Council levies an annual average council tax of £1,065.
Artist in Residence
Southwark Council
£10,000 plus
Rent free Studio
Billed as ‘a unique opportunity for an artist who wishes to develop or extend their practice’, the post will run for a year-and-a-half.
Yet Southwark can hardly be considered a local authority area starved of culture - boasting the Tate Modern, the Hayward Gallery at the South Bank Centre and innumerable institutions of the arts.
The council is run by Labour and average council tax is £977.
Weekend Explainer
Bracknell Forest Council
£8.81 an hour
Although the duties of the newly created ‘weekend explainer’ for Bracknell Forest Council remain in need of some definition, one responsibility will be ‘presenting our science shows to the public’.
The advert also stipulates that the successful applicant ought also to be available for birthday parties.
The council is Conservative-run and local council tax averages £1,292 a year.
Bikeability Instructor
Gloucestershire County Council
£13,589
Learning to ride was once something that happened on Saturday afternoons in the local park, but Gloucestershire Council has hired a full-time staffer to impart the necessary ‘skills and confidence’.
The council is Conservative-run and yearly council tax averages £1,272.
Skate Supervisors
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
£7.18 per hour
Roller-skating falls under no one’s definition of frontline public services, but Welwyn Hatfield Council is hiring nonetheless.
The ideal applicant will be ‘an experienced roller-skater’ required ‘to lead and supervise roller-skating activities’.
Council tax is high, at an annual average of £1,433 and the council is controlled by
the Conservatives.
Information and Needs Analyst
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
£40,506 - £43,152
Local councils already gather vast amounts of information on taxpayers, with next year’s census due to make another enormous trawl.
The new information analyst in Tower Hamlets will not be short of raw data.
The local council is controlled by Labour, and the council tax each year averages £1,004.
Group Equality and Diversity Manager
Sustainable Housing Association in Torbay has somehow found spare cash for a full-time political correctness enforcer.
The Association has the honesty to admit in the job description: ‘Such roles are quite rare in housing - so you’ll be a real pioneer in the sector.’
Access to Nature Officer
Charnwood Borough Council
£17,161 - £19,126
The Great Outdoors are free, but Charnwood Borough Council is advertising for the
person best placed to increase ‘the community’s sense of ownership of, involvement in, and enjoyment of local natural places and green spaces’.
Responsibilities include engaging asylum seekers as part of the outdoors activities, among other people from ‘priority neighbourhoods’.
Charnwood Borough Council is run by the Conservatives and annual council tax
averages £1,181.
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Thousands of desperate British cancer patients are denied drugs routinely offered in other countries, a damning official report is to reveal.
The state-of-the-art medicines have been proven to extend the lives of people suffering from a range of cancers.
But in the UK, patients are forced to wait while in other EU nations and elsewhere around the world the treatments are available without a quibble.
The report, commissioned by the Department of Health, will this week show the full extent of the problem.
It is likely to reveal that we fall behind on key areas of treatment for cancer as well as a handful of other conditions, but fare better when it comes to dealing with heart disease and other illnesses.
The study, called International Variations On Drug Usage, will put pressure on the Government to speed up plans for a £200million cancer fund that would allow patients to get access to new drugs not currently approved for NHS use.
But it will trigger fury among charities, who for years have warned these delays are costing lives but whose concerns have been ignored. Last night, leading cancer specialist Karol Sikora from Cancer Partners UK said: “It is high time we had a review of access to new drugs. However, I doubt that the £200million cancer fund would make us as good as the best countries in the report. We would need around £billion to achieve that.”
He added: “It is not just in cancer drugs that we lag behind. Patients in the UK have poorer access to Alzheimer’s drugs, Multiple Sclerosis drugs and Rheumatoid Arthritis drugs too. It all needs to be looked at.”
Campaigners blame the body that rations NHS drugs – the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence or NICE – for much of the delay faced by patients.
On grounds of cost, it has blocked a number of medicines that can extend the lives of those battling more unusual forms of cancer.
In recent years, NICE has rejected or only partially endorsed 15 drugs for rarer cancers. It has blocked a quarter of the cancer drugs made available since 2008 and restricted others despite Government promises for more treatments.
These include the bowel cancer drug Avastin, and Nexavar, the only treatment offering any chance of survival for patients with advanced liver cancer. NICE agrees the drugs can alleviate symptoms but says the NHS cannot afford them.
Nexavar is already offered in every other major country in the EU and has been offered in France ever since it first came out in 2006.
The outcry against negative decisions has led to a review by NICE into a controversial decision to block one new bone marrow drug called Azacitidine.
Mike Hobday, head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said that the current system of getting new drugs into the NHS was not working.
“It is widely recognised as failing people with rarer cancers who have been scandalously less likely to see the drugs their clinicians recommend approved by NICE,” he said.
“The new Cancer Drugs Fund isn’t due to come into effect until April, so Macmillan has been calling on NICE to be much more flexible in its approach so people with rarer cancers are not repeatedly being denied treatments that could extend their lives.” In February, a report suggested that NHS cancer patients have 40 per cent less spent on their cancer treatment than in other European countries.
The study by the Policy Exchange think tank found that if improvements in England matched those in the best EU countries, it would save more than 70,000 lives within a decade.
Figures from the drug industry also show the UK is bottom of an international league table when it comes to spending on medicines. Last month, experts warned a delay in setting up the cancer drugs fund could cost up to 16,000 lives.
Figures from pressure group the Rarer Cancers Forum show thousands of patients will die during the wait before it is set up next April. One of the groups suffering most are 400 liver cancer patients denied Nexavar to shrink their tumours and give them the chance of potentially life-saving surgery.
Ian Beaumont, of Bowel Cancer UK, said that for some patients even a few months delay “means the difference between life and death.”
Research shows patients are 20 per cent more likely on average to be given the breast cancer drug Herceptin in Europe than in the UK and 50 per cent more likely if they live in France or Spain.
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Convicted criminals may be able to get out of jail early by apologising to their victims and making amends for their offences under plans being considered by ministers.
Violent thugs, muggers and burglars would be allowed to earn cash to pay compensation to their victims under the “restorative justice” scheme.
But the proposals last night raised fresh concerns that the coalition government is going soft on offenders.
Prisons minister Crispin Blunt is examining the restorative justice plan, the Ministry of Justice confirmed yesterday. The news comes just a week after the Tory MP was humiliatingly slapped down by Downing Street for attempting to scrap a ban on comedy workshops and fancy dress parties for inmates in prison.
Mr Blunt said: “I’m a maximalist when it comes to restorative justice – I want to get it into our system at every stage.
“It makes common sense. If you have a system that is remote, so the victim doesn’t really engage, then they become frustrated by the lack of involvement.” Mr Blunt also supports “community payback”, where money earned by offenders is diverted to their victims.
He said: “With community payback there is a value of the labour that is being done and that value should be cashed and should be going back to the victim.”
But Tory traditionalists who are already angered by Justice SDHp Secretary Kenneth Clarke’s drive to reduce the inmate numbers are concerned. Tory MP Douglas Carswell said: “Restorative justice is certainly a fad that excited those that work for the criminal justice system and I am not sure it is necessarily a bad thing.
“But it should be no substitute for justice. Some people tend to think that rehabilitation should take primacy over punishment. I don’t think most people agree with that.” Mr Blunt is being advised by charities, Victim Support and the Restorative Justice Consortium. The latter argues that making criminals come face-to-face with the consequences of their wrongdoing could cut reconviction rates by more than a quarter and save £185million within two years.
A spokesman for the charity said: “Victims of crime benefit from restorative justice by being given the chance to tell offenders the real impact of their crime, to get answers to their questions as well as being more likely to receive an apology.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The Government is committed to intelligent sentencing which ensures appropriate punishment, rehabilitation and the protection of the public. We are considering the role restorative justice can play as part of our review of sentencing policy.”
The ministry has also drawn up plans to take thousands of prisoners who are mentally ill or addicted to drugs out of prison and place them in secure treatment centres.
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Britain’s compensation culture has helped jailed criminals pocket £15million in five years, the Daily Express can reveal.
Prisoners are scooping almost £10,000 a day without even going to court.
Taxpayers are picking up the bill for an average of 1,100 cases a year – nearly double the 670 made five years ago.
Convicts have made 5,688 claims, often with legal aid, against the Prison Service since 2004 over breaches of human rights, injuries suffered from slips and falls and for improper care while addicted to drugs.
Official figures show the Prison Service paid out £15,311,631 in out-of-court settlements since 2005. The figure dwarfs payouts from court cases – £137,577.
Yesterday, Fiona McEvoy, of campaign group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Convicted criminals are running rings around the Home Office, as many have clearly learned that this is an easy way to make a quick buck. Not scrutinising claims properly is only going to encourage these prisoners.” Steve Gillan, of the Prison Officers’ Association, said: “It is an absolute disgrace. Why are the Treasury solicitors not robustly defending cases?”
The Ministry of Justice said: “If the claims had proceeded to court they would have resulted in considerably more expense to the public purse. Each case was settled for £3,807.10 excluding costs.”
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A woman stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend may have lived if a series of vital 999 calls had not been re-routed by mistake, a police watchdog said today.
A fatal combination of technical and human error was highlighted by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
It meant that vital police assistance which might have averted a tragedy arrived 22 minutes after the initial emergency call was made by victim Joanna Michael.
Emergency call handlers with Gwent Police and South Wales Police are both now facing disciplinary action.
Mother-of-two Ms Michael, 25, was murdered at her home in Cardiff in a 'frenzied attack' in the early hours of August 5 last year.
Cyron Williams, 20, was jailed for life, with a 20-year minimum recommendation, after admitting the brutal killing.
Traumatised family members heard how police compared the scene to a 'horror movie' when Williams was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court in March.
John Rees, the barrister defending Williams, claimed at the time that a police 999 call mix-up had led to the killing.
The IPCC investigation did not go so far as to say that that was the case. But it did conclude that prompt action after the 999 call 'may' have led to a different outcome.
'The IPCC cannot say that an earlier response would have saved Joanna's life.
'For all we know if the police had attended Joanna's house at 2.35am Williams may have just waited until the officers had left before resuming his murderous intentions,' the report states.
What we can say for certain is that more could and should have been done for Joanna, who was denied the opportunity for a prompt response which may have led to a different outcome.'
A drunken Williams forced his way into Ms Michael's home in St Mellons, Cardiff, and found her in bed with another man.
A heated argument began and the man in question agreed to leave and allow Williams and Ms Michael to speak together.
Williams then gave the man a lift home, calmly crossing Cardiff in his car and dropping him off.
When he returned, the argument resumed, during which Ms Michael made her first 999 call to the police, at 2.29am.
That call, from her mobile phone, was mis-routed by the mobile phone mast to Gwent Police, the IPCC report revealed.
'The Gwent Police call handler graded the call as requiring an immediate response but took insufficient details,' it added.
Details of the call were passed on to South Wales Police (SWP) within two minutes.
'On the basis of the poor information provided, the SWP call handler graded the call as requiring a "priority" response - which has a target response within 60 minutes - rather than an "immediate" response - which is attendance as soon as possible.'
The report states that at 2.43am Ms Michael made a second 999 call which was mis-routed once again to Gwent Police.
In the second call she was heard screaming and told the emergency operator that she was in St Mellons before the line went dead.
Details of that call were immediately passed on to SWP and it was re-graded as an 'immediate response' incident by 2.46am.
At the same time a member of the public called 999 to report a domestic dispute at the same location in which children were heard screaming.
That call was also mis-routed to Gwent Police.
Three minutes later another member of the public called 999 to report that somebody had been stabbed at Ms Michael's address. That call was also mis-routed to Gwent Police.
Two minutes later, and five minutes after the call was upgraded to 'immediate response', SWP officers arrived on the scene to find Ms Michael murdered.
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Two teenage members of a 'happy slapping' gang who attacked and killed a 67-year-old man as he stood with his his young granddaughter were locked up today.
But Leon Elcock, 16, and 15-year-old Hamza Lyzai could walk free within months after they were sentenced to four-and-a-half years and three-and-a-half years respectively over the death of retired careworker, Ekram Haque.
The teenage thugs admitted attacking Mr Haque as he stood outside a south London mosque with his three-year-old grand-daughter, Marian.
The 67-year-old cracked his head after being struck to the ground, suffering irreparable brain damage, and died a week after the assault last August.
Elcock and Lyzai, both from Tooting, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and also admitted their parts in other assaults in which, the court heard, they had 'targeted people for fun'.
The pair had already carried out a number of attacks on elderly Asians, and Elcock was even on bail at the time of the killing for an assault just five days before.
Each will only have to serve half before being released on licence. They spent nearly a year on remand.
Old Bailey judge Martin Stephens told Mr Haque's killers: 'As a result of your so-called bit of fun he was deprived of a full and contented life and his family of a devoted, inspiring and beloved father and grandfather.'
He lifted restrictions on naming the pair as a warning to others 'who may be tempted to indulge in such appalling behaviour'.
A third youth, aged 15, who cannot be named, was locked up for six months after admitting, with Elcock, to actual bodily harm against an Asian couple in their 70s.
Elcock was on bail for the assault on the elderly couple at the time he took part in the killing of Mr Haque.
He and the 15-year-old had attacked Jasumati Patel, 72, and her husband, Jushbhai Patel, 78, on August 26.
'When they asked you and others perfectly reasonably to leave their garden wall, you pushed them into their house where you punched and kicked them,' the judge told the pair.
He told Elcock that although he was caught and bailed: 'That did not deter you.'
All three defendants also admitted actual bodily harm against retired Atta-ul Hassan Mir and Imdad Bukari as they chatted outside the mosque just before the attack on Mr Haque on August 31 - with Mr Mir being knocked unconscious.
Police later recovered six video clips of 'happy slapping' incidents in which youths would shout out 'Lane Gang Productions' and showed youths running off jeering and laughing.
One showed a bus driver being slapped over the head while others showed people being attacked as they were sleeping or riding bicycles.
The judge told the three defendants it was 'what you saw as fun' and that they were 'disgraceful incidents'.
They had 'committed a series of of very serious cowardly and deeply unpleasant assaults offences against elderly and vulnerable men and women'.
'The attacks were entirely gratuitous and done without thought for your victims,' the judge said.
It was a 'concerted, planned attack' which led to Mr Haque's death, he added.
'The blow or blows launched on this gentleman led directly to his death. He fell to the ground, cracked his head, and suffered irreparable brain damage.'
Footage of the incident was captured on CCTV.
Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said: 'These were unwarranted, cowardly attacks. They targeted people for fun.'
Mr Haque's son Arfan, 35, said outside court: 'I thought justice has not been served today. I have been really let down.
'The CPS really need to buck up their ideas because people are getting away with murder. My father died. It's a disgrace.'
He had earlier told the court in a statement: 'It is tragic that he died in the way he did because he was a very peaceful man.'
He said his daughter had been traumatised by what happened because she had a special relationship with her grandfather.
Paying tribute to his father, he said: 'My father was a very loving individual. He gave his time to anybody and everybody. He enjoyed living in that part of London, close to the mosque and his friends.'
He added: 'He taught me the principles of being a good person and without his wisdom and guidance my life may well have turned out very different.'
Turning to his father's attackers, Mr Haque continued: 'I hope the boys who did this to my father realise the gravity of what they have done and the profound effect their actions have caused to my family and my father's friends.
'I hope they reflect on their actions when they serve their sentence and repent and become better individuals. This is what my father would have wanted.'
Both killers will be released on licence after serving half their sentences, minus nearly the year they have already been in custody, while the 15-year-old has effectively completed his sentence already.
Judge Martin Stephens QC told the Old Bailey his powers of sentence in relation to the assaults were 'very limited' because of the defendants' ages.
Passing sentence, Judge Stephens said: 'On two days in August 2009 the three of you committed a series of very serious, cowardly and deeply unpleasant offences against elderly and vulnerable men and women.
The attacks were entirely gratuitous and done without any thought for your victims.
'Some of the attacks you carried out on earlier occasions, although not as same seriousness as on this indictment, were filmed by you as part of what you saw as fun.'
Describing the attack on Mr Haque, Judge Stephens added: 'He fell to the ground and cracked his head and suffered irreparable brain damage.'
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You were lied to yet again, welcome to a police state New World Order
Ministers are ready to hand sweeping Big Brother powers to EU states so they can spy on British citizens.
Foreign police will be able to travel to the UK and take part in the arrest of Britons.
They will be able to place you under surveillance, bug phone conversations, monitor bank accounts and demand fingerprints, DNA or blood samples.
Anyone who refuses to comply with a formal request for co-operation by a foreign-based force is likely to be arrested by UK officers. Continued Below
The move will spark a damaging row with backbench Tory MPs opposed to giving such draconian powers to Brussels.
The Tories were opposed to the directive in opposition, saying it showed a ‘relish for surveillance and disdain for civil liberties’.
But ministers have made a dramatic U-turn since joining the pro-EU Lib Dems in government, and the wide-ranging powers are due to be approved later this week.
According to the campaign group Fair Trials International, under the new rules it would be possible, for example, for Spanish police investigating a murder in a nightclub to demand the ID of every British citizen who flew to the country in the month the offence took place.
They could also force the UK to search its DNA database – which contains nearly one million innocent people – and send samples belonging to anybody who was in Spain at the time.
This could leave an entirely innocent person facing an agonising battle to establish his or her innocence.
Tory MP Dominic Raab, who has campaigned against the power grab, said: ‘This sweeping directive would put serious operational strains on hard-pressed UK police forces.
‘There are scant safeguards to protect the personal information of law-abiding British citizens. These serious issues should be properly debated in Parliament before the UK decides to opt in.’
The new powers are known as the European Investigation Order (EIO), which is intended as a partner to the highly controversial European Arrest Warrant (EAW).
One of the major concerns about the EAW, to which Britain is signed up, is that it has been used to investigate the most minor misdemeanours, such as the ‘theft of a dessert’ in a Polish restaurant.
Now member states want to make it easier to gather evidence on another’s soil. The proposal requires an ‘opt in’, which means Britain could sit back and play no part in the new regime.
But Whitehall insiders say ministers have been persuaded it has many benefits. In particular, police say they will gain from the fact that the arrangements will be reciprocal, making it easier for them to track suspects overseas.
However the powers in the directive are available to prosecutors only. Britons under suspicion will not have any right to demand information from overseas police which could prove their innocence.
The new powers are known as the European Investigation Order (EIO), which is intended as a partner to the highly controversial European Arrest Warrant (EAW).
One of the major concerns about the EAW, to which Britain is signed up, is that it has been used to investigate the most minor misdemeanours, such as the ‘theft of a dessert’ in a Polish restaurant.
Now member states want to make it easier to gather evidence on another’s soil. The proposal requires an ‘opt in’, which means Britain could sit back and play no part in the new regime.
But Whitehall insiders say ministers have been persuaded it has many benefits. In particular, police say they will gain from the fact that the arrangements will be reciprocal, making it easier for them to track suspects overseas.
However the powers in the directive are available to prosecutors only. Britons under suspicion will not have any right to demand information from overseas police which could prove their innocence.
The countries demanding the new powers include ex-Eastern Bloc states Bulgaria, Estonia and Slovenia, as well as Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg and Austria.
Other nations, including Denmark, are believed to be ready to say no.
Fair Trials International has been leading demands for Britain to stay out of the EIO.
The group fears miscarriages of justice and civil liberties abuses and is also concerned about UK police being obliged to investigate matters which are not even crimes here, such as the Portuguese offence of criminal defamation.
Whitehall officials say UK police would be allowed to refuse these requests. It is the first time the coalition has had to consider a controversial EU directive.
The fact that ministers are actively opting in will cause great concern on the Tory benches. MPs point out that since the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, justice and Home Office matters are among the few areas over which we retain control of our own affairs.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The Government is considering whether or not we should opt in to the European Investigation Order.
‘As we pledged in the coalition document, the Government will approach legislation in the area of criminal justice on a case-by-case basis, with a view to maximising our country’s security, protecting civil liberties and preserving the integrity of our criminal justice system.’
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(Independent Ireland)
No. It will not do. Even as we see African states refusing to take action to restore something resembling civilisation in Zimbabwe, the begging bowl for Ethiopia is being passed around to us, yet again.
It is nearly 25 years since Ethiopia's (and Bob Geldof's) famous Feed The World campaign, and in that time Ethiopia's population has grown from 33.5 million to 78 million today.
So why on earth should I do anything to encourage further catastrophic demographic growth in that country? Where is the logic? There is none. To be sure, there are two things saying that logic doesn't count.
One is my conscience, and the other is the picture, yet again, of another wide-eyed child, yet again, gazing, yet again, at the camera, which yet again, captures the tragedy of . . .
Sorry. My conscience has toured this territory on foot and financially.
Unlike most of you, I have been to Ethiopia; like most of you, I have stumped up the loot to charities to stop starvation there.
The wide-eyed boy-child we saved, 20 years or so ago, is now a priapic, Kalashnikov-bearing hearty, siring children whenever the whim takes him.
There is, no doubt a good argument why we should prolong this predatory and dysfunctional economic, social and sexual system; but I do not know what it is. There is, on the other hand, every reason not to write a column like this.
It will win no friends, and will provoke the self-righteous wrath of, well, the self-righteous, letter-writing wrathful, a species which never fails to contaminate almost every debate in Irish life with its sneers and its moral superiority. It will also probably enrage some of the finest men in Irish life, like John O'Shea, of Goal; and the Finucane brothers, men whom I admire enormously. So be it.
But, please, please, you self-righteously wrathful, spare me mention of our own Famine, with this or that lazy analogy. There is no comparison. Within 20 years of the Famine, the Irish population was down by 30pc. Over the equivalent period, thanks to western food, the Mercedes 10-wheel truck and the Lockheed Hercules, Ethiopia's has more than doubled.
Alas, that wretched country is not alone in its madness. Somewhere, over the rainbow, lies Somalia, another fine land of violent, Kalashnikov-toting, khat-chewing, girl-circumcising, permanently tumescent layabouts.
Indeed, we now have almost an entire continent of sexually hyperactive indigents, with tens of millions of people who only survive because of help from the outside world.
This dependency has not stimulated political prudence or commonsense. Indeed, voodoo idiocy seems to be in the ascendant, with the next president of South Africa being a firm believer in the efficacy of a little tap water on the post-coital penis as a sure preventative against infection. Needless to say, poverty, hunger and societal meltdown have not prevented idiotic wars involving Tigre, Uganda, Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea etcetera.
Broad brush-strokes, to be sure. But broad brush-strokes are often the way that history paints its gaudier, if more decisive, chapters. Japan, China, Russia, Korea, Poland, Germany, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the 20th century have endured worse broad brush-strokes than almost any part of Africa.
They are now -- one way or another -- virtually all giving aid to or investing in Africa, whereas Africa, with its vast savannahs and its lush pastures, is giving almost nothing to anyone, apart from AIDS.
Meanwhile, Africa's peoples are outstripping their resources, and causing catastrophic ecological degradation. By 2050, the population of Ethiopia will be 177 million: The equivalent of France, Germany and Benelux today, but located on the parched and increasingly protein-free wastelands of the Great Rift Valley.
So, how much sense does it make for us actively to increase the adult population of what is already a vastly over-populated, environmentally devastated and economically dependent country?
How much morality is there in saving an Ethiopian child from starvation today, for it to survive to a life of brutal circumcision, poverty, hunger, violence and sexual abuse, resulting in another half-dozen such wide-eyed children, with comparably jolly little lives ahead of them? Of course, it might make you feel better, which is a prime reason for so much charity. But that is not good enough.
For self-serving generosity has been one of the curses of Africa. It has sustained political systems which would otherwise have collapsed.
It prolonged the Eritrean-Ethiopian war by nearly a decade. It is inspiring Bill Gates' programme to rid the continent of malaria, when, in the almost complete absence of personal self-discipline, that disease is one of the most efficacious forms of population-control now operating.
If his programme is successful, tens of millions of children who would otherwise have died in infancy will survive to adulthood, he boasts. Oh good: then what? I know. Let them all come here. Yes, that's an idea.
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Gordon the madman has broken cover and is now advocating an "African Century" where presumably we plough yet more money into the basket case of humanity called Africa.
You would think that by now the lessons learned from Africa would be apparent. In case they aren't, allow me to outline a few of the "issues" with Africa.
They are a tribal people. Lines on a map mean nothing to them, democracy means nothing to them. What the chief says, the tribe do. If that means slaughtering the neighbouring tribe, so be it.
Wealth is to be plundered. if your tribe is better than the rest, then you need to show it with Learjets, diamond encrusted AK47's and 300 wives.
Work is for idiots and women. Your job, as an African man is to fuck as many women as possible and sit under a tree all day whilst they do the menial work.
The White man is the source of all wealth. Grab as much of it as you can via email scams, corruption, "aid" or simple theft. It is your duty. It will bring you many women and a diamond encrusted Learjet
Africans do not consume. This is because most Africans are perfectly happy sitting under a tree all day. Not for them a plasma TV or an iPad, a mortgage or a summer holiday. the only need for money is to buy diamond encrusted AK47's to impress the women. So you can fuck more of them.
Africa is the most resource rich continent on the planet, yet no one cares. Sitting under a tree is more important than playing golf or human rights.
Yes, people starve in Africa because their favourite tree is not near a water hole. That does not mean however that Oxfam drill for water nearer the tree. It means find another tree nearer water.
Gordon is upset that less than 1% of Africa has access to broadband. A quick look at my junkmail folder tells me this is a GOOD thing. If you give Africans broadband, they will sit under a tree on the Internet. They have as much use for Internet as an Eskimo has for a steam iron.
In summary. Africa is good for nothing because Africans are good for nothing in our twisted view of human "perfection". It is our "guilt" complex that send billions in aid to be swallowed up by greedy tribal chiefs. Democracy, consumerism, peace, entrepreneurship, rights and harmony mean absolutely fuck all to an African. It is not OUR problem that Africans think this way. Ironically, it isn't even their problem. They simply couldn't care less. Just keep sending the money, eh, you evil white man?
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A leading campaigner for gypsies' rights today admitted her part in £3million benefits scam involving nearly 200 Romanians.
Lavinia Olmazu, 30, and her 29-year-old boyfriend Alin Enachi masterminded the scam through which 172 Romanians claimed £2.9million.
Olmazu, an academic, was working as an 'inclusivity outreach worker' with Roma gypsies for both Haringey and Waltham Forest councils in north London.
Enachi, a part-time interpreter and motorbike mechanic, helped immigrants - mainly from Romania - get National Insurance numbers with bogus documents such as bank statements and letters of recommendation purporting that they were working.
Scores then used fraudulently obtained NI numbers to claim child benefit, working tax credit and child tax credit.
Olmazu, 30, an educational therapist with two degrees, has a 10-year-old son. She has dedicated her life to studying Roma gypsies and has addressed the United Nations on their rights.
Today at Southwark Crown Court, Olmazu admitted a charge of conspiracy to defraud. A further charge of fraud by misrepresentation was left on file.
Enachi admitted the same charge at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to two years and eight months on July 16. The judge today lifted a contempt order banning details of his plea and sentence.
The couple 'facilitated the obtaining' of National Insurance numbers under the umbrella of a charity called Roma Concern.
Enachi acted as an interpreter for 356 National Insurance applicants between March 2008 and July 2009, with 172 of those people going on to make claims for tax credit, child tax credits and child benefits.
Under rules introduced when Romania joined the EU in 2006, Romanian migrants cannot get a National Insurance number - which is the key to obtaining benefits - unless they can prove they have paid employment lined up.
Investigators first made arrests in the case last August after an internal probe was launched by the Department of Work and Pensions following an 'unusually high' volume of applications by Roma applicants for National Insurance numbers at the Jobcentre Plus office in Tooting, south London.
That investigation showed that Enachi had acted as an interpreter on the majority of those applications, the court heard.
Analysis of computer files at his home showed templates for bank documents and letters of recommendation that were linked to a number of 'fraudulent' applications, the court heard.
Olmazu and Enachi, who moved to Britain in 2007 and live in Woodford Green, Essex, were said to be living here legally.
Six other jobless Roma gypsies were also arrested in the scam and have been dealt with. They are: Paula Mihai, 27, Laventica Vasile, 26, and brothers Stelian Dumitru, 25, Daniel Dumitru, 20, Christian Dumitru, 28, and 22-year-old Ardelean Dumitru. They live in council properties in Tottenham, north London.
At their first appearance at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court, District Judge Nicholas Evans said the six had 'no right to be here'.
Outlining the case at the earlier hearing, Matthew McCabe, prosecuting, said: 'This case concerns an organised conspiracy essentially to obtain benefits.
'The two defendants Enachi and Olmazu, under the umbrella of a supposedly charitable organisation Roma Concern facilitated the obtaining of national insurance numbers.
'The offences came to light as a result of an internal DWP investigation which indicated there was an unusually high volume of applications at the Tooting Office involving Roma applicants.
'The interpreter who attended the majority of the applications was Mr Enachi.
'It transpired that between March 2008 and July 2009 some 356 claims had been made when he was involved as interpreter. In 172 cases it was clear that the applicants went on to make claims for working tax credit, child tax credit and child benefits.
'That is the basis for the conspiracy charge.' Anachi had also used a stolen identity for his work as an interpreter, the prosecutor said.
After he was arrested, searches of his home in Woodford Green, Essex, uncovered a number of memory sticks and laptops that were examined.
Mr McCabe said: 'Templates were found on the computer which had been used and could be linked to a number of fraudulent applications.'
He said they included bank documents purportedly showing that the person was working, letters of recommendation and tenancy agreements.
Olmazu was later arrested after she was linked to the conspiracy by way of fraudulent invoices used in the national insurance applications, he said.
The court heard Stelian Dumitru had obtained £27,000 in benefits, Christian Dumitru and his partner Paula Mihai had got £36,000 in handouts and Daniel Dumitru received £12,515 in handouts.
Mr McCabe said: 'This is a planned and deliberate fraud and it is over a significant period of time. The overall value of the benefits, though not relating to just these defendants, is £2.9 million.'
Olmazu was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in September.
The Charity Commission has no record of Roma Concern, but Olmazu and Enachi are listed at Companies House as directors of a company with the same name.
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Shamed GP Kenneth McNeil Bartley was blasted as ‘‘cavalier” and “arrogant” by the General Medical Council as he was struck off from the medical register.
The doctor, from St James Road, Edgbaston, siphoned off thousands of pounds from his staff’s pensions and claimed extra NHS cash for dead patients.
Over six years, the 61-year-old doctor at Broadway Health Centre and then Five Ways Health Centre, both in Ladywood, took deductions from three workers’ salaries but did not pay them into the NHS Pension Scheme or fill out relevant paperwork.
The GMC also heard how Bartley invoiced North Birmingham Primary Care Trust (PCT) for treating seven dead patients, a further six who were not even registered with him and 19 others who were not receiving the specialised care he claimed in March 2007.
The GP, who is also a director for Heart of England Care Homes, a charity based in Great Barr, and Jamaica National Overseas money transfer services, will have his name erased from the medical register making it difficult for him to ever practise as a doctor again.
Elizabeth Dudley-Jones, Counsel for the GMC, said: “Several employees repeatedly raised concerns regarding their pension contributions over a considerable period of time.
“The panel did not find it credible that Bartley was unaware of the ongoing concerns with regard to his non-payment of pension contributions or that the failure was due to poor administration. Bartley failed in his responsibilities and breached the trust of his employees, taking advantage of them in a manner that has serious consequences for their future financial security.
“A failure to recognise the importance for his employees of the ‘small amounts’ of money he had wrongfully withheld displayed an arrogance of attitude towards his role as an employer. He demonstrated a cavalier disregard for his employees’ rights.
“Bartley sent an irresponsible and misleading invoice to his PCT, which the panel considered a result of his poor attitude and slipshod approach towards administration. The panel was concerned that, in so doing, Bartley demonstrated a cavalier attitude towards the spending of public money.”
A GMC panel found Bartley had been misleading, dishonest and irresponsible.
He continued his actions despite being repeatedly reminded of his obligations by the NHS Pension Scheme, the NHS West Midlands Counter Fraud and Security Management Service, NHS Business Services Authority and his PCT.
On the dead patients, the GMC ruled that the doctor based his claim on a Heart of England Care list provided to him, which had not been updated.
Bartley’s solicitor claimed all pension contributions were now paid and up to date but James Grimshaw, senior finance officer for the NHS Pension Scheme, gave evidence that this was not correct as Bartley had still made no payment for some shortfalls in pension contributions.
Some of his staff, including medical secretaries, have missed out on four years of pension contributions and said they “felt cheated and angry” at Bartley.
A spokeswoman for NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management said: “Lawyers concluded there was insufficient evidence for a criminal conviction so there will be no criminal case.
“But we instigated the case with the GMC and this result means he can’t operate, so the job has been done.”
Bartley could not be contacted for comment.
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A Labour donor helped by Harriet Harman after giving up to £5,000 towards her election campaign was yesterday accused of employing illegal immigrants.
Businessman Monday Osaseri asked the Leader of the opposition to check on the progress of his Zimbabwean wife's application to stay in Britain days after making the donation.
Miss Harman subsequently lobbied the Home office on behalf of Sandra Osaseri, 33, who has been living in Britain unlawfully for the past eight years.
Yesterday Nigerian-born Mr Osaseri, 54, also faced claims of hiring illegal workers at his shop at Peckham, South London.
One ex-employee, a 23-year-old asylum-seeker from Zimbabwe, told the Daily Mail she had worked at the Millennium off-licence for two months without any checks.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: 'As an asylum-seeker I am not meant to work in the UK, but he never asked to check any of my details or paperwork. both the other staff who I worked with were Nigerians who were not legally allowed to work in this country.
'He was a very demanding boss. He would call at all hours and expect me to do a shift at a moment's notice.
I often worked 16 hours a day for six days in a row for £200 a week, cash in hand.' She said that Mr Osaseri's wife also worked at the shop supervising staff.
Another local said Mrs Osaseri had regularly been seen working over the past eight years, initially on the till before taking on a more senior role.
If payment were received for this work, it would be illegal given Mrs Osaseri's immigration status.
She married Mr Osaseri in April 2003 - at least six months after her visa ran out - and in 2004 the Home office served her with notice of her 'liability to detention and summary removal' from the UK. She has been fighting the decision ever since.
In March this year, father-of-three Mr Osaseri attended a fundraising rally for Miss Harman's Camberwell and Peckham party, at which he bought items at auction estimated to be worth between £1,000 and £5,000.
Less than two weeks later, Mr Osaseri emailed Miss Harman at her Commons address, asking to speak to her ' regarding my wife's immigration matter'. on June 7 an email was sent, under Miss Harman's name, to the Home office asking for an update on the case.
The UK border Agency replied: 'The application has been allocated to the appropriate casework unit.'
Last night when confronted at his five-bedroom home in Lewisham, South-East London, about the allegation of illegal workers, Mr osaseri said: 'Get the hell out of my house.'
He earlier denied claims of any impropriety involving Miss Harman, whom he referred to as 'Harry'.
He said: 'Harry's job is to work for the ordinary people of this country. Neither she or I have done anything wrong.'
A spokesman for Miss Harman declined to comment on the allegation of illegal workers but said of the donation: 'Mr Osaseri was legally entitled to make a donation which was all above board.
'The routine case enquiry about his wife was completely separate. There was absolutely no wrongdoing.'
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A Home Office policy which allows the speedy deportation of foreign nationals refused permission to remain in the UK was ruled unlawful by the High Court today.
A judge ruled that the policy meant people were being given 'little or no notice' of removal and deprived of access to justice.
The decision was a victory for Medical Justice, which provides independent medical and legal advice to detainees in immigration removal centres.
Mr Justice Silber, sitting at the High Court in London, gave the Home Office permission to appeal against his decision, saying the case raised issues of general public importance, including the constitutional right of access to justice.
There is a general Home Office practice of giving those facing deportation 72 hours notice of removal directions.
Today's legal challenge was triggered by an 'exceptions policy', introduced by the Government in March 2007 and widened in January this year.
The policy creates categories in which an individual can be given little or no notice.
The categories include vulnerable people who are at risk of suicide or self-harm, and also children who arrived in the UK unaccompanied and may abscond because they cannot be detained.
Dinah Rose QC, appearing for Medical Justice, said UK Border Agency officers had used the policy to swoop late at night and escort people to flights leaving only a few hours later.
Distressed individuals were deprived of the chance to speak to a lawyer and, if so advised, launch last-ditch challenges against removal.
Home Office lawyers argued at a hearing at London's High Court last month that the exceptions policy was 'sufficiently flexible' to ensure there were no human rights breaches.
They said detainees were given as much notice as possible and safeguards had been put in place.
But today Mr Justice Silber rejected the Home Office case.
He said the new policy failed to ensure that those who received reduced periods of notice were able to obtain legal advice before they were removed.
The judge declared: 'The policy is unlawful and must be quashed.
'Medical Justice was represented in court by the Public Law Project (PLP), a charity which acts on behalf of poor and vulnerable members of the public who lack resources to go to court.
Diane Astin, who worked on today's case for PLP, said later: 'This is a tremendous judgment.
'The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said it had in place safeguards which guaranteed access to justice.
'The judge looked at the evidence and said that, in practice, there was no access to justice because of time constraints.'
Ms Astin said today's ruling was of great legal significance because the judge also spelt out clearly what constituted access to justice.
She said: 'It is very easy to bandy around the term 'access to justice' but this judgment considers what is necessary to ensure that some of the most vulnerable people have 'access to justice' - and found that those subject to the UKBA exceptions policy did not.'
A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are disappointed with the court's judgment and we will be appealing.
'The policy of making limited exceptions in special circumstances to 72-hour notification of immigration removal has been an important element of our management of removals.
'The Government remains committed to removing individuals with no right to be in the UK as quickly as possible.'
Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, welcomed today's ruling.
She said: 'Too many people who are refused asylum here and end up facing removal have been let down by the asylum process, and have serious grounds for appeal if given the chance.
'Many of these people have fled conflict and war, are extremely vulnerable, and deserve protection.'
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The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) has been unable to account for more than £6 billion of equipment, the government's spending watchdog says.
The National Audit Office (NAO), the Whitehall's spending watchdog, refused on Monday to sign off the MoD's accounts for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
The head of the NAO, Amyas Morse, said that the MoD is grappling with "systematic and deep-rooted" problems within its asset management system.
He said that efforts to track down the lost equipment shed light on more difficulties; hence the problems have turned out to be more extensive than what was previously thought.
The NAO found that the MoD was unable to account for the whereabouts of £5.5 billion of spares and other stocks, £752 million in military equipment including firearms and 5,961 Bowman radios worth £184 million.
"Despite action by the department to improve its asset management and accounting, the issues I have identified are systemic and deep-rooted," Morse said.
The revelation of billions of pounds of lost military equipment comes amid suggestions that the UK's military budget was "unaffordable" and the country can not protect itself against possible threats.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox has warned that the extent of Britain's national debt meant the country would no longer be able to protect itself from all possible threats.
"We don't have the money as a country to protect ourselves against every potential future threat," Fox told the Daily Telegraph.
Monday 26th July 2010
William Hague was last night plunged into a row over new Foreign Office rules which ban white males from gaining work experience at his department.
The Foreign Secretary was challenged to explain why his official work placement schemes specifically ban white, middle-class males from applying for the £367-a-week positions.
Under the tightly-drawn rules, only women, people from ethnic minorities and the disabled are entitled to apply for a chance to work at one of the great offices of state.
The placements give students a head start in the battle to win coveted jobs in the diplomatic service and possibly rise through the ranks to become an ambassador.Only one category of non-minority male applicants stand a chance – those whose families are poor enough to entitle them to qualify for a full student maintenance grant.
The bizarre ‘middle-class male’ ban came to light after Tory MP Dominic Raab was contacted by an irate constituent who tried to obtain work experience at the department.
Esher MP Mr Raab, an international lawyer who worked at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for six years, said last night: ‘I am raising this issue on behalf of a disappointed constituent barred from even applying for Foreign Office work experience because he did not fit the social quota criteria.
‘We surely need to scale back the unfair political correctness of the last Government.
But we will not end discrimination in our society by introducing it through the back door, which is what positive discrimination like this does.’
Mr Raab has now written to Mr Hague asking him to intervene and review the work placement rules.
The Foreign Office, which employs 20,000 staff in the UK and around the world, operates three work placement schemes:
- A summer development programme open to ‘talented individuals’ from black or ethnic minority backgrounds;
- A summer placement scheme for ‘talented students’ with a registered disability; and
- A university placement scheme open to female students, students from an ethnic minority background and students who come from a household with an income of £25,000 or lower.
Westminster sources last night said the programmes came about after Robin Cook, the former Labour Foreign Secretary, arrived at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s headquarters in Whitehall and was horrified to see so many former public schoolboys working there.
Last night, the FCO insisted the schemes were legal and were designed to appeal to students who might not normally consider a career in the FCO.
A spokeswoman said: ‘This includes students from an ethnic minority background and those with a disability, as well as students who are in receipt of a full maintenance grant.’
The spokeswoman added: ‘People from these backgrounds are currently under-represented in the FCO.
'We believe that by having a more diverse and multicultural workforce the FCO is better able to represent British interests around the world.’
There was ‘absolutely no discrimination’ in the department’s normal job recruitment process, she insisted.
But in a later statement, the FCO said the work experience schemes would now ‘be placed under review’.
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How Harman helped Labour donor in visa trouble: Nigerian's wife lived unlawfully in UK for six years
Harriet Harman was last night facing damaging claims that she lobbied the Home Office on behalf of a Labour Party donor’s immigrant wife who is living in Britain unlawfully.
The Leader of the Opposition was forced to deny furiously any impropriety over the wife of Monday Osaseri, a Nigerian-born businessman who donated money at a pre-Election fundraiser in Ms Harman’s Peckham constituency.
Just days later, in April, he emailed her Commons office to request a meeting to discuss his wife, who has been in the country unlawfully for more than six years.
Within weeks, Ms Harman had emailed the Home Office to ask about the progress of her application for leave to stay in the UK.
Last night, sources close to Ms Harman denied any connection between the donation and her request, insisting that the issues were dealt with by separate offices and in accordance with strict rules.
But critics said high-profile MPs should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, particularly over such a politically sensitive issue as immigration.
Mr Osaseri, 54, met his third wife, 33-year-old Zimbabwean Sandra Alam, during a trip to her country ten years ago.
She visited him in the UK in 2001 on a six-month visa and her passport bears a ‘leave to remain visa’ with an expiry date of October 31, 2002, with the ‘2’ looking as if it has been changed from a ‘1’. Sandra then married him in April 2003.
In 2004, the Home Office told her that she had remained in the UK unlawfully, and served her with notice of her ‘liability to detention and summary removal’ from the country. She has been fighting the decision ever since.
Mr Osaseri gives his address as an off-licence he owns on Asylum Road, within Ms Harman’s South London constituency.
But he is actually registered on the Electoral Roll at his five-bedroom home in the Lewisham East seat of Labour MP Heidi Alexander.
In March, Mr Osaseri attended a fundraising rally for Ms Harman’s Camberwell and Peckham party, which was notable for Lord Mandelson dancing enthusiastically with the Oduduwa Nigerian ‘talking drummers’ band –- and boasting that his return to the Cabinet had stopped Gordon Brown from ‘disappearing over a cliff’.
Mr Osaseri, a landlord and businessman, bought a number of items at auction; fellow guests recall him buying bottles of House of Commons wine signed by Tony
Blair and Gordon Brown, pictures and other political memorabilia, which Ms Harman’s office estimates to have been worth between £1,000 and £5,000.
On March 31, Mr Osaseri was sent an email by Mark Williams, the vice-chair of Ms Harman’s local party, to thank him for coming to the fundraiser, and pointing out that ‘all donations over £1,000 need to be declared to the Electoral Commission’.
To comply with the rules, he was asked to prove he was on the Electoral Register, which he did by providing his Lewisham address. His donation was then banked.
On April 12, Mr Osaseri emailed Ms Harman at her Commons address, asking to speak to her ‘regarding my wife’s immigration matter’.
Ms Harman’s office then called Mr Osaseri to ask him about his wife’s case, and on June 7 an email was sent, under Ms Harman’s name, to the Home Office asking for an update on his wife’s application to remain in the UK.
Later that month, Ms Harman received a letter from the UK Border Agency, thanking her for her email on behalf of Mr Osaseri’s wife, adding: ‘You may wish to note [that she is] recorded as residing at a different address from the one given in your email.
‘The application has been allocated to the appropriate casework unit for consideration.’
Mr Osaseri has three children aged from five to eight, all of whom were born in the UK and have British passports.
Mr Osaseri was born in Nigeria and has lived in Britain since 1979 and has dual UK and Nigerian nationality.
He told The Mail on Sunday that when his wife first came to Britain, she applied to join a computer studies course at South East London College in Brockley.
The college sent her passport to the Home Office to apply for a student visa, but when the passport was returned, the expiry date on the endorsement was unclear.
He said it had appeared like that when the passport arrived and neither he nor she had ever tampered with it.
However, whatever the actual date, the Home Office served her with her notice in 2004.
‘They basically said my wife had overstayed,’ he said. ‘Her situation means she can’t work or take the kids abroad for holidays. She can’t even take them to Disneyland.’
He admitted buying items at the pre-Election fundraiser, saying: ‘I went because I support the Labour Party and I like the idea of a society where everybody has an opportunity to progress, which is I think their policy. Harriet Harman is always very helpful.
‘The only time I raised the immigration issue was when the Election was on and I asked to see Harriet Harman.
'Her secretary phoned back. I made an appointment to go to her surgery. Her office said they would get back to me.
'Someone, a secretary, phoned to ask for basic information like my wife’s passport details. Then I received the letter [from the Home Office to Ms Harman].’
Mr Osaseri has been regularly spotted at local Labour events, and posed for a picture with Neil Kinnock at a fundraising dinner for the Peckham Labour Party hosted by Ms Harman last October.
During the dinner, Lord Kinnock hailed Ms Harman as ‘La Pasionaria of Peckham’, an allusion to a heroine of the Spanish Civil War.
Mr Osaseri added: ‘My only quarrel is with the Home Office. The impression they gave is that my wife can be deported at any time.’
Apart from the off-licence in Ms Harman’s constituency, he also owns 25 rental properties across South London.
‘I admire Harriet Harman,’ he said. ‘When I first came here I had a problem with the Home Office. She helped me after the Citizens Advice Bureau referred me to her.’
Ms Harman refused to comment last night, but a source close to her said the MP vehemently denied any impropriety.
‘Mr Osaseri’s donation was carefully checked,’ said the source. ‘Her party office made sure he was on the Electoral Register, which he is, albeit outside her constituency. That made it lawful for her to accept the donation.
‘Entirely separately, Mr Osaseri then contacted Ms Harman’s Commons office in relation to his wife, during which he made no reference to his donation. This was dealt with as a routine matter.
‘The Home Office was asked by Ms Harman’s staff for an update on the progress of the application. No representations were made on his behalf. There was absolutely no connection between the request and the donation.’
Ms Harman has been dubbed the ‘MP for Lagos’ because her constituency has the highest number of Nigerians of any seat in the country, obliging her to be attentive to their political needs
Immigration has proved to be a political minefield for senior Labour figures.
Lord Mandelson was forced to resign from the Cabinet for the second time after being accused of pulling strings to help secure a passport for one of the billionaire Hinduja brothers, an allegation he has always denied.
And former Home Secretary David Blunkett was accused of fast-tracking a visa for the Filipina nanny of a former lover. He denied it but was forced to resign because of the row.
Last night, Sir Andrew Green, chairman of pressure group Migration Watch, said: ‘This illustrates how an applicant can seek to lobby an MP into supporting a claim which, in this case, looks distinctly dubious.’
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The mystery over the death of David Kelly took a further twist last night after a former KGB officer said he had evidence that the scientist did not commit suicide.
Boris Karpichkov, who worked as a Russian spy for 15 years before fleeing to Britain, has sent a dossier to Attorney General Dominic Grieve in which he claims to relay information from an ‘MI5 agent’ that Dr Kelly had been ‘exterminated’.
His move comes amid increasing calls from within the Coalition Government for a full, independent investigation into Dr Kelly’s death.
Mr Grieve has indicated that he is ‘concerned’ by the growing scepticism among experts about the official version of events.
Dr Kelly was found dead in woods near his Oxfordshire home in July 2003, after the Government exposed him as the source of a BBC report questioning Tony Blair’s case for war in Iraq.
There was no full coroner’s inquest – instead, Lord Hutton chaired a public inquiry which concluded Dr Kelly died from loss of blood after slashing his left wrist with a blunt garden pruning knife.
A number of doctors have since come forward to say that the incision could not have caused his death.
Mr Karpichkov, who sought political asylum in the UK in 1998 and now has British nationality, says he met the ‘agent’, Peter Everett, on dozens of occasions while carrying out work for Mr Everett’s company Group Global Intelligence Services, which hiredex-MI5 operatives for corporate detective work and infiltration.
In the document sent to Mr Grieve, Mr Karpichkov says that during one of their meetings, two days after
Dr Kelly’s body was found, Mr Everett told him that Dr Kelly had been ‘exterminated’ for his ‘reckless behaviour’.
Mr Karpichkov, who says that Mr Everett indicated that he was an ‘active field operative’ for MI5, writes: ‘He told me that it was extremely uncomfortable, inconsistent and unusual for Dr Kelly to slash his arm in the way he did. He would have lost some blood, but it would not have been fatal.
‘He also claimed that it was not a coincidence that Special Branch officers were the ones who first appeared on the scene – they moved Dr Kelly’s body to another location, changed the original position of his corpse and took away incriminating evidence.
‘He added that the scene where Dr Kelly’s body was found was carefully arranged and completely “washed out”, including the destruction of all fingerprints. When I asked who was behind his death, he [Mr Everett] answered indirectly, saying the “competing firm”, which I took to mean MI6.’
Last night, Mr Everett – who is believed to be in his late 50s and whose former company was registered to his home address in Dulwich, South-East London – admitted meeting Mr Karpichkov on a number of occasions, and recalled discussing the manner of Dr Kelly’s death.
He said: ‘We had a general conversation about the David Kelly case, in which I said that it was very unusual for him to have slashed his wrist in that way.
'That is all I said. I do not have any particular inside knowledge on it.’
Asked whether he was a current, or former, MI5 operative, he said: ‘I am not commenting on that.’
Asked if he had carried out work on behalf of the agency, he said: ‘I have spent a number of years working in the world of intelligence.’
Associates indicated that his work on behalf of security agencies was indirect, rather than as a paid operative.
Mr Karpichkov’s testimony reflects the continuing debate in the intelligence community and associated agencies over Dr Kelly’s death.
He fled to Britain from Latvia with his wife and two sons after being accused of stealing £310,000 from a failed bank, although he claims that he was framed by the Russian mafia.
According to Latvian newspaper reports, he was recruited by the regional KGB in 1981, trained at the Secret Services School and served as a special forces operative during the war in Afghanistan.
After the Cold War, he was assigned to undercover work in Latvia.
Mr Everett’s former company, Group Global Intelligence Services, which was dissolved in 2006, normally operated in the shadows.
But in 2004, it was accused of placing six members of its staff at Manchester United’s Annual General Meeting as ‘plants’ to ask embarrassing questions about manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s transfer dealings.
At the time, Sir Alex’s business rival John Magnier was known to be hiring private eyes to investigate the United manager.
When confronted by journalists, Mr Everett said: ‘I was nothing to do with that side of the alleged operation.’
Ministers increasingly believe that the continuing speculation about Dr Kelly’s death – fanned by the fact that he emailed a friend on the morning he died to warn that there were ‘many dark actors playing games’ – will not end until a proper inquest is held.
Earlier this month, one of Dr Kelly’s close female colleagues, Mai Pedersen, wrote to Mr Grieve reiterating what she had first revealed in an interview in The Mail on Sunday in August 2008, saying that Dr Kelly had been too weak to cut his own wrist – because a hand and arm injury meant he even had trouble ‘cutting his own steak’, and he would have to have been a ‘contortionist’ to have killed himself.
She demanded a ‘formal, independent and complete’ review of the case.
Her claims are backed by 13 specialist doctors, who have compiled a dossier rejecting the Hutton conclusion on the grounds that the cut to the ulnar artery could not have caused death.
In addition, it was recently disclosed that Dr Kelly’s death certificate was not properly completed.
It was not signed by a doctor or coroner and does not state a place of death, leaving open the possibility he died somewhere other than where his body was found.
Furthermore, the pruning knife has been revealed to have had no fingerprints on it.
Campaigners are aggrieved by a mysterious decision to classify all evidence relating to the post-mortem for 70 years.
But they are encouraged by the fact that one of their most vocal supporters, Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, who has written a book questioning the Hutton verdict, is now a member of the Coalition as a Transport Minister.
A spokeswoman for Dominic Grieve said last night: ‘Mr Grieve expressed concerns about this issue when in opposition and has, since taking office as Attorney General, been exploring with ministerial colleagues any actions that may be taken.
‘No decisions have been made.’
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The US Government told Scottish officials that the Lockerbie bomber's release on compassionate grounds was "far preferable" to his transfer back to a Libyan jail, it was revealed.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said on Sunday that while America "didn't want" Abdelbaset al-Megrahi to be released, they would rather see him freed on account of his terminal cancer, than under the prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libya.
Megrahi is the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing in which 270 people were killed.
He was released in August last year after doctors said he was dying of prostate cancer and had three months to live - prompting fury in the US.
Last week, President Barack Obama told a White House press conference that the US had been "surprised, disappointed and angry" about Megrahi being released.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Mr Salmond said: "I think a fair description of the American Government's position is that they didn't want al-Megrahi to be released.
"However, if he was to be released, they thought it was far preferable for compassionate release as opposed to the prisoner transfer agreement."
He also said this opposition was probably because the so-called "deal in the desert", signed by ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, which paved the way for the prisoner transfer agreement, was signed at the same time as an oil deal with Libya.
But the American Ambassador to the UK Louis Susman said the US had "strongly objected" to any type of release. He said the US was examining whether its correspondence over the issue could be released but refused to be drawn on the reported memo.
"What you saw in the (Sunday) Times was supposedly a leaked memo or letter which did not state the facts of the letter and we don't comment on correspondence between two governments until both governments agree to release it," he told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend.
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North Korea warned of a ‘sacred war’ using its ‘nuclear deterrent’ as the U.S. and South Korea today began a series of joint military exercises.
The two allies said the manoevres were intended to send a strong signal to the North that aggression in the region will not be tolerated.
It follows accusations that the reclusive communist state sank a a South Korean warship in March, killing 46 sailors.
U.S. naval vessels began the drills by setting off from South Korean ports where they had called last week in a show of force timed with a high-level meeting between the two allies.
The manoevres, code-named ‘Invincible Spirit,’ are to run until Wednesday with about 8,000 U.S. and South Korean troops, 20 ships and submarines and 200 aircraft.
Among the vessels is the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which can carry 5,000 sailors and 70 aircraft.
‘We are showing our resolve,’ said Captain David Lausman, the carrier's commanding officer.
The exercises are the first in a series of manoevres to be conducted in the East Sea off South Korea's east coast and in the Yellow Sea closer to China's shores in international waters.
The exercises also are the first to employ the F-22 stealth fighter - which can evade North Korean air defenses - in South Korea.
Pyongyang has routinely been shrill in voicing its anger in the past over the allies’ exercises, which it claims are a rehearsal for an invasion
On this occasion, the regime threatened to retaliate with ‘sacred war.’
‘Our military and people will squarely respond to the nuclear war preparation by the American imperialists and the South Korean puppet regime with our powerful nuclear deterrent,’ the North's government-run Minju Joson newspaper said in a commentary Sunday headlined ‘We also have nuclear weapons.’
Still, the North's latest rhetoric carries extra weight following the sinking of the Cheonan. Continued
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NHS bosses have drawn up secret plans for sweeping cuts to services, with restrictions on the most basic treatments for the sick and injured.
Some of the most common operations — including hip replacements and cataract surgery — will be rationed as part of attempts to save billions of pounds, despite government promises that front-line services would be protected.
Patients’ groups have described the measures as “astonishingly brutal”.
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has uncovered widespread cuts planned across the NHS, many of which have already been agreed by senior health service officials. They include:
- Restrictions on some of the most basic and common operations, including hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and orthodontic procedures.
- Plans to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from budgets for the terminally ill, with dying cancer patients to be told to manage their own symptoms if their condition worsens at evenings or weekends.
- The closure of nursing homes for the elderly.
- A reduction in acute hospital beds, including those for the mentally ill, with targets to discourage GPs from sending patients to hospitals and reduce the number of people using accident and emergency departments.
- Tighter rationing of NHS funding for IVF treatment, and for surgery for obesity.
- Thousands of job losses at NHS hospitals, including 500 staff to go at a trust where cancer patients recently suffered delays in diagnosis and treatment because of staff shortages.
- Cost-cutting programmes in paediatric and maternity services, care of the elderly and services that provide respite breaks to long-term carers.
The Sunday Telegraph found the details of hundreds of cuts buried in obscure appendices to lengthy policy and strategy documents published by trusts. In most cases, local communities appear to be unaware of the plans.
Dr Peter Carter, the head of the Royal College of Nursing, said he was “incredibly worried” about the disclosures.
He urged Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, to “get a grip” on the reality of what was going on in the NHS.
The Government has promised to protect the overall budget of the NHS, which will continue to receive above-inflation increases, but said the service must make “efficiency savings” of up to £20 billion by 2014, which would be diverted back to the front line.
Mr Lansley said last month: “This protection for the NHS is protection for patients – to ensure that the sick do not pay for the debt crisis.”
Dr Carter said: “Andrew Lansley keeps saying that the Government will protect the front line from cuts – but the reality appears to be quite the opposite. We are seeing trusts making job cuts even when they have already admitted to being short staffed.
‘‘The statements he makes may be well intentioned – but we would implore him to get a grip on the reality, because these kinds of cuts are incredibly worrying.”
Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said the cuts were “astonishingly brutal” and expressed particular concern at moves to ration operations such as hip and knee operations.
“These are not unusual procedures, this is a really blatant attempt to save money by leaving people in pain,” she said.
“Looking at these kinds of cuts, which trusts have drawn up in such secrecy, it particularly worries me how far they disadvantage the elderly and the vulnerable.
‘‘We cannot return to the days of people waiting in pain for years for a hip operation or having to pay for operations privately.”
She added that it was “incredibly cruel” to draw up savings plans based on denying care to the dying.
On Thursday, the board of Sutton and Merton primary care trust (PCT) in London agreed more than £50 million of savings in two years. The plan included more than £400,000 to be saved by “reducing length of stay” in hospital for the terminally ill.
As well as sending more patients home to die, the paper said the savings would be made by admitting fewer terminally ill cancer patients to hospital because they were struggling to cope with symptoms such as pain. Instead, more patients would be given advice on “self management” of their condition.
Bill Gillespie, the trust’s chief executive, said patients would stay at home, or be discharged from hospital only if that was their choice, and would be given support in their homes.
This week, Hertfordshire PCT plans to discuss attempts to reduce spending by rationing more than 50 common procedures, including hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and orthodontic treatment.
Doctors across the county have already been told that their patients can have the operations only if they are given “prior approval” by the PCT, with each authorisation made on a “case by case” basis.
Elsewhere, new restrictions have been introduced to limit funding of IVF.
While many infertile couples living in Yorkshire had previously been allowed two cycles of treatment — still short of national guidance to fund three cycles — all the primary care trusts in the county are now restricting treatment to one cycle per couple.
A “turnaround” plan drawn up by Peterborough PCT intends to make almost £100 million of savings by 2013.
Its cuts include closing nursing and residential homes and services for the mentally ill, sending 500 fewer patients to hospital each month, and cutting £17 million from acute and accident and emergency services.
Two weeks ago, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals trust agreed plans to save £55 million in two years, with £20 million coming from about 500 job losses.
Yet, a month before the decision was taken, senior managers at a board meeting described how staff shortages were already causing delays for patients being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.
Mr Lansley said any trusts that interpreted the Government’s demands for efficiency savings as budget or service cuts were wrong to do so, and were “living in the past”.
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More than 90 percent of researchers who have published studies favorable to the controversial diabetes drug Avandia had a financial stake in the issue, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic is one of the few research organizations in the United States that does not accept corporate funding.
Sales of GlaxoSmithKline’s bestselling drug Avandia plunged in 2007, after evidence emerged linking the drug to an increased risk of heart attack and death. These reports sparked a debate over the drug’s safety that continues to this day.
In an analysis of more than 200 studies, articles, editorials and letters published in scientific journals since 2007, Mayo Clinic researchers have concluded that financial conflict of interest continues to play a major role in that debate.
Fully 87 percent of all authors who expressed positive views about Avandia had financial ties to GlaxoSmithKline, while another 7 percent had ties to other pharmaceutical companies involved with diabetes. Among authors with financial conflicts of interest, only 30 percent “expressed unfavorable views” of the drug.
In contrast, authors who were critical of Avandia were “largely free of identifiable conflicts of interest,” the researchers said.
The conflicts of interest cut both ways. Of 29 authors who recommended the drug Actos as a safer alternative to Avandia, 25 had ties to that drug’s maker, Eli Lilly.
In order to identify conflicts of interest, the Mayo Clinic researchers searched through multiple published works by each given author, as well as conducting investigations on the Internet.
This research uncovered that while 47 percent of all authors surveyed had a financial stake in the diabetes drug debate, 23 percent failed to disclose these links. Most of these authors merely remained silent about their conflicts of interest, while three actually lied and said they had none. Full article
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The Government has drawn up plans to introduce a new FBI-style police force to tackle the rising threat of organised crime gangs and beef up border security.
Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to unveil details of the National Crime Agency (NCA) tomorrow.
The NCA will replace the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), which Labour launched in a blaze of publicity in 2006. Soca has been criticised for failing to recover the proceeds of organised crime.
Damning figures last year revealing that it clawed back only £78 million over its first three years, despite the agency costing the public £1.2 billion.
Soca employed a chairman, a director-general, ten directors and 30 deputy directors.
Under the plans, the NCA will be tasked with pursuing serious criminals, including people-traffickers and drug-smugglers.
The proposals are set out in a restricted document obtained by this newspaper entitled Policing In The 21st Century.
They are expected to be announced in Parliament by Ms May tomorrow as part of a Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.
The document states: ‘Today’s organised criminals are nimble, entrepreneurial and no respecters of local, regional or national boundaries.
‘We will create a powerful new body of operational crime-fighters in the shape of a National Crime Agency, which will harness and exploit the intelligence, analytical and enforcement capabilities of the current law enforcement agencies.’
The NCA is expected to assimilate the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and work closely with the UK Border Agency and HM Revenue & Customs. It will also take control of some specialist Metropolitan Police units, which have yet to be specified.
The document reveals that a Chief Constable, selected from one of the current police forces, will head the new team, and will report directly to the Home Secretary.
A source said: ‘The new force has been approved and has been designed specifically to become Britain’s very own FBI.
‘The overview used is to closely follow the American model, which is deemed to have worked well and can be mirrored by our own British team.’
The source also claimed that, for the first time, police officers working for the NCA will be referred to as agents.
Some observers say the powers of the NCA chief could well overshadow those enjoyed by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘It is our policy not to comment on leaked documents. We are due to announce to Parliament on Monday our plans to reform the police service.
‘The Government wants to ensure all aspects of policing are run effectively to tackle crime. This includes serious and organised crime, through strong links between local policing and work done beyond individual forces.’
The Home Secretary is also due to announce the introduction of so-called crime commissioners, who will be elected members of the public.
The leaked report says: ‘A single commissioner will be directly elected at the level of each force in England and Wales with the exception of the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.
‘They will represent and engage with the public, set local policing priorities, agree a local strategic plan, hold the Chief Constable to account, set the force budget and appoint the Chief Constable.’
Under the Government’s proposals, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) could be stripped of many of its responsibilities for overseeing counter-terrorism strategy, with these being handed to the NCA.
The move comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed how ACPO had amassed millions of pounds while being run as a private company.
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Life in a meat-packing factory might not appeal to everyone. But for Donna Dickinson, the offer of a job with Continental Fine Foods seemed a welcome opportunity.
After all, employment is hard to come by in Leigh, a town on the edge of Manchester once famous for mills, but now famous for nothing in particular. Jobs are especially difficult to find for those, like Donna, who left school aged 16.
In taking the post of ‘quality assurance technician’, she would find herself working for one of the biggest and most successful suppliers to British supermarkets, providing corned beef, Parma ham and other cooked meats to Sainsbury’s, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons.
It is well-respected, too. The Cranswick Food Group, Continental’s parent company, has won industry awards, and in January it announced plans to collaborate on a new line with Jamie Oliver.
Last year its pre-tax profits rose by 26 per cent to £43.8 million. Yet today, 20 months on, Donna has a rather more troubling view of the work she once embraced so enthusiastically.
For Donna found that she was one of only five British workers among 120 on the factory floor – the great majority came from Eastern Europe. It is a situation which, as The Mail on Sunday has previously reported, is common in the meat-processing industry.
And while there is legitimate concern about the effect this has on British employment prospects, there are also serious implications for the well being of the foreign workers, as well as for the handful of Britons who work alongside them. Continued Below
Donna’s experience will alarm the millions who think nothing of visiting the delicatessen at their local supermarket.
So alien was her mother tongue at Continental that Donna’s induction session at
the company was held in Polish and she says she was asked to sit it out because she could not understand what was being said.
She believes she came across breaches of health-and-safety rules at the plant and that her bosses seemed indifferent to the well being of staff – never more so than when work was ordered to continue even though a woman collapsed to the ground and died.
It is only a few months since the Equalities and Human Rights Commission found that some firms are turning to migrant workers because they are easier to exploit and less likely to complain than their native counterparts.
Foreign labour accounts for a third of the permanent workforce in the meat and poultry business and for 70 per cent of agency workers.
Certainly, the effect on Donna, 35, has been considerable.
She became introverted and lost two stone in weight.
She says it is only since handing in her notice last month that she has finally been able to regain the confidence to talk about the conditions she suffered at the plant.
‘I am disgusted by the way we were treated,’ she says.
‘The managers’ behaviour amounted to bullying, in my view. It is incredible that, as an English person, I wasn’t able to make myself understood in my own country. Communication in an environment like that is essential and I had no option but to resign.
‘With a recession on and with so many people looking for work, I find it hard to believe that there weren’t Britons who would gladly have accepted a job there.
‘I think my former employers prefer hiring foreigners because they are easier to bully and will be grateful for the opportunity to work in Britain. I still speak to some people who work there, and they say it is still going on.’
Today, sitting down in her modern semi-detached home in Leigh, Donna is determined and upbeat.
She has just started a new job as a food inspector and is engaged to project manager Steve Lee, 33, with whom she has an eight-month-old son, Owen.
Donna left school at 16 with good GCSE results, then spent the rest of her teenage years and her 20s working in local factories, where she says she was known as diligent and enthusiastic.
In October 2008, a recruitment agency offered her a job at Continental’s sparse factory on an industrial estate in Stretford, Greater Manchester.
At £18,000 a year, the pay was modest and the hours were long, with alternating shifts of 6.30am to 3pm and 3pm to 11pm. But Donna felt it was a real opportunity.
Her duties included helping prevent contamination of the food and ensuring that temperature checks on the meat were recorded.
Her first reaction was surprise at how few people spoke English. Only four senior managers and five workers on the factory floor were British.
Of the rest, the greatest number came from Eastern Europe. The factory’s five other quality assurance technicians were Polish, Moroccan and Nigerian.
‘Of course, the other factories I had worked in hired foreign employees but none to anywhere near this extent,’ she says. ‘It seemed that most of them had just stepped off the plane from their home country.
'It was so difficult to make myself understood. As I drove home along the M60 after my first day, I wondered what I’d let myself in for.’
Four weeks later, when Donna was finally due to have a formal induction, her fears intensified.
‘The induction was done in Polish by a Polish line manager and I couldn’t understand a word,’ she says. ‘The health-and-safety manager, who was present, told me I would be better off leaving and coming back when there was an English induction. But there never was.
'I was the last English person to be successfully employed by the factory. Two British people did start after me, but they both left after a day.
‘Everyone seemed mistrustful of me because I was English.
'At first they were hostile, not looking me in the eye and pretending they couldn’t understand my instructions. I later heard that some of the production workers thought I had been sent to spy on them.’
The routine never varied. Every day she would clock in, putting on her regulation blue overalls, blue hair-net and steel-capped boots.
Workers were entitled to one half-hour break every shift and they would often be reprimanded if they returned just two minutes late.
- Human Rights Commission found that firms are turning to migrant workers because they are easier to exploit and less likely to complain than their native counterparts. This is why most native Brits don't take these jobs! (Ed)
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An Islamic extremist who has described al-Qaeda as a "myth" and justified the killing of British troops in Iraq has been chosen as the main link between the Metropolitan Police and the Muslim community.
Scotland Yard will now face pressure to renounce Azad Ali, the new chair of the Muslim Safety Forum, which is recognised by the Met under a formal written agreement as "the principal body in relation to Muslim community safety and security".
The deal says that the Met will "use the MSF as a consultation body to help formulate policy or practice". Mr Ali was the founding chair of the MSF in 2006, but left that job in 2008 and resigned entirely from the group last year after publicity over his extremist comments. Last week, he was quietly reappointed as its chairman.
Mr Ali is a senior official of the fundamentalist Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE), which works, in its own words, to create an Islamic state under sharia law in Europe. The IFE and the MSF share the same offices.
He has previously praised a key mentor of Osama bin Laden. Earlier this year, he was filmed by an undercover reporter from Channel 4's Dispatches stating: "Democracy, if it means not implementing the sharia, of course nobody agrees with that."
When the documentary was aired, Mr Ali attacked the reporter on the IFE's official radio station, saying: "We've got a picture of you and a lot more than you thought we had. We've tracked you down to different places. And if people are gonna turn what I've just said into a threat, that's their fault, innit?"
Mr Ali's comments about terrorism were made on his official blog on the IFE website. Earlier this year, he lost a libel action against a newspaper which reported them. The judge, Mr Justice Eady, said that Mr Ali "was indeed taking the position that the killing of American and British troops in Iraq would be justified", describing his claim as "bound to fail" and having an "absence of reality".
Patrick Mercer, a Conservative MP and counterterrorism expert, said: "It beats me why the police should want to take the advice of this man. They should have nothing to do with him. I know for a fact that there are just as knowledgeable members of the Muslim community who do not share his subversive views."
See Also:
Mayor Boris Johnson has given at least £30,000 of taxpayers' money to an organisation co-controlled by an Islamist "extremist" Azad Ali praises a spiritual leader of al Qaeda on his blog, denies the Mumbai attacks were "terrorism" and quotes, apparently approvingly, a statement advocating the killing of British troops in Iraq.