Category: Politics

I have at the age of 72 finally realised just what I dislike about the gutter press and why. Whilst talking to Aaron this morning I had a Eureka moment. It is not just that I disagree with what is written in the likes of the Telegraph, Mail, Express and latterly the i, but the really annoying thing is that they publish opinion on the front page (and elsewhere) purporting to be news. Often it is a minority opinion that is deemed to whip up the hatred of their readership.

An example was last weeks front page headline and article claiming that shutting the asylum hostel in Epping was a ‘victory for Mothers’. The facts do not in anyway support this – locking up the protestors outside the hotel would have a greater claim for protecting ‘mothers’ and their ‘children’.

I realise that all news has a bias whether by omission or emphasis, but respectable outlets try to maintain the true facts – comment and opinion should be clearly labelled as such as the Guardian does. The BBC sometimes goes too far in the pursuit of fairness – why Farage has appeared on QT more than anyone else is a mystery – as is the insertion of climate denial comments in debates on climate change. It does not mention that some people think the world is flat everytime they show a globe! However I realise that there is a difficult line to be drawn here. But there is no excuse for total bias to mascarade as fact.

So Sunday muse time. Well Israelis continue to kill Palestinian civilians (83% of deaths are civilian according to the Israeli Army). – so not a mistake or two! Russia continues to kill and abduct Ukrainian civilians. Trump postures about peaceful settlements in both cases – but merely looks stupid. Meanwhile he continues to increase the fascist state by sending the National Guard into Chicago (following Washington D.C.) whilst his Supreme Court drops charges against him.

Back home the press continues to to increase hatred against asylum seekers. Demonstrations outside asylum hotels have continued but generally been outnumbered by pro-migrant lobbies. Angela Raynor has bought a 3rd house which we should all be very angry about! And Union Jack flags are appearing on lamp posts across the land in a display of “patriotism” ? Fu**ing ridiculous – thhose who want to show a cheap image of their prejudice should buy their own flagpole rather than impose their views on the rest of us – it is the freedom of speech that they claim they want, whilst imposing their views on others. the same people support Farage who has said he will repeal a law designed to protect children and shield them from abuse online. Weird dangerous fu**ers!

On a more serious matter than knuckle draggers waving their tiny willies around – Antarctica is losing ice at a frightening rate – 2.5 trillion tonnes of ice lost in last 20 years. Sea level is rising, slowly but inexorably, coastal erosion is increasing. But hey-ho all is ok as Reform led councils are deleting any reference to climate change from all council documents. Farage again has said he will cancel any contracts related to Net-zero – what a wanker!

Council tax may be altered; and the papers will find pensioners who feel hard done by, because their properties have spiralled in value into the millions whilst their income has not changed. My heart bleeds! More to the point is why society has let the wealth of the rich multiply exponentially whilst workers are heaped with abuse for wanting a living wage. the median FTSE 100 CEO is now paid 122 times the median UK full time worker; the number of FTSE 100 companies paying their CEOs £10 million or more increased by 30%; In 2024-25, 84 % of FTSE 100 companies paid their CEO a Long Term Incentive Payment (LTIP) up from the 81% who did in 2023-24.

I am not jealous – I just have a sense of fairness. The gap between rich and poor has grown massively in my lifetime and it is not right! There is a limit to how much ones living expenses are – after that the rich invest in assets such as property which make them even richer – whilst the young (those born without golden spoons in their gobs and without daddies contacts), are left to struggle with survival.

Which brings me to my last point – why are people so fucking stupid to vote for Farage and his racist policies whilst simpering at the feet of the wealthy?????

Does a human life mean anything? I ask because behind the rhetoric of Farage, Jenrick and co. we see no acceptance that there is a responsibility (ensconced in International Law and acknowledged by the UK) that a person fleeing persecution in their own country should be offered a safe haven and sanctuary in another country. Personally I think this is one of the aspects that make me proud to be be British (even if ashamed of the knuckle draggers). But the question remains – should we offer sanctuary to these poor souls, or cast them aside to be tortured or left to rot? Farage states that he would organise 5 planes a day to send asylum seekers elsewhere – he does not specify, nor cares, where.

So the question remains – I would love to stop the small boats endangering peoples lives, and also accept that many have no legitimate claim for asylum. What the government needs to do, and should have done immediately on getting power, was to set up paths for legitimate asylum seekers to be accepted into the UK – empowered immediately to work and set up be independent and potentially a benefit to our society. How many people are fleeing from situations that were generated, or inflamed by UK governments interference in the past? (Libya, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, for starters!).

So back to the question – should we give a shit or just turn our back on fellow human beings? Or should we stop pandering to the obnoxious wankers promoted by the media to feed their bank balances abroad, and sort out a sensible solution?

Like most other things, there is a lots of bullshit talked about exam results. I read a report that said kids do better in London due to; better teachers; more choice of schools. However as N.I. outperforms all English areas this must be bollox. The tories will love to see that Wales does worse than England with a Labour government. However, whilst I cannot explain N.I. I believe the crucial factor in England is motivation related to post education opportunities. The correlation with wealth is obvious. Whilst avoiding a future dominated by basic wage job prospects might be a motivation for some, especially those with parents able to mitigate lack of motivation.

Places like Cornwall may seem idyllic, but the reality of the job market is bleak for a school leaver with average/good results. Thus the motivation in school is bleak too, older siblings are struggling and sending a message. What I do not know is how to break the cycle.

I also had a discussion with Aaron this morning regarding the exams. He was all in favour of the standardisation enabled by the exam system. Parents would send their children to successful schools was his argument. I must say that he was taking bollox! The choice for most parents in even semi-rural areas is zero. Secondly he believes in a standardised curriculum – why should kids in Cornwall or Sunderland be fed a curriculum developed for the Home Counties and London. I believe that schools and certainly Local Authority areas should be allowed to develop their own curriculums related to local areas. Yes of course there should be a standardisation – but one with a silk glove, not an iron fist. But it is also my belief that education is used to promote nationalism and patriotism – both of which are swear words in my house!

It is also interesting that areas that voted Brexit (and perhaps “taking back control” or maybe just racist?) are those that have lost due to the dominance of London and the South-East! They voted like little children given the opportunity to eat ice cream until they they threw up and realised that the Government would not replace EU funding!

Once a hippie, always a hippie? Today I have decided to write about how a little more love would be brilliant. Instead of testosterone fuelled bigots dominating the headlines can we have more compassion and reconciliation? OK I know this is pie in the sky and no, I am not high on drugs. regarding asylum seekers can we have positive comments about the contributions they have made since their arrival? Can Trump and Putin stop swinging their little pricks around like infants. How about …. sorry … I cannot keep this up!

So the High Court has ordered the hotel in Epping to move its asylum seekers to? Not their problem! Mean while the shit rag of the Express claims this to be a victory for “the Mums” – unless that means they are deporting all the violent thugs outside the hotel I cannot see how ‘mums’ benefit? And there are things about the asylum seekers that I do not understand? The gangs ferrying them across the channel demand payment – so where do these peoples money come from? Surely there are safer ways – like hiring a yacht to call in at some Cornish, or better, northern port (less likely to be detected; or hire a plane to drop them off at one of our many less used airfields? Why have Labour Government not set up desks in embassies abroad to process, and allow in legitamate asylum seekers – then illegal attempts could be returned to France or country of origin – no profits for the gangs, no more deaths in the channel.

41 of the 60 arrested for the ‘Stop the Boats’ protest in Bristol had previously been reported for domestic abuse allegations.

Bolton grooming gang leader sentenced to 15 years – but no riots because the gang members were all white.

Robert Jenrick pictured with former chief of terror group Combat 18.

Reform UK’s Andrea Jenkyns, thinks employees should have fewer rights.

Rupert Lowe says helping sick kids is a “terrible decision”.

Reform UK’s Joseph Boam, sacked as Deputy Leader of Leicestershire County Council. Couldn’t do the job, didn’t do the job, never had the skills to do the job, never put in the effort.

The Israeli ambassador to the UN took a brick from under the table and answered why it was necessary to “kill thousands of women and children”: “It’s because of the stone. They throw these stones at us every day. What would you do?”.

A labour government willing to take on the too wealthy! As my mate Andy pointed out yesterday – Abranovich could flee to Russia but could not take his assets like Chelsea FC. with him. Council tax is blatantly unfair – when considering the accumulation of wealth by the rich. I do not fully understand the outline proposals to replace council tax and stamp duty – I am sure that this will be fully documented by GB NEWS AND THE MAIL AND TELEGRAPH. That will be when we know that the ideas are sound! When VAT was proposed for private schools the the papers were full of indignation and gammon faced wankers. But surprise, surprise – they all found the money. The same will happen here. Swaithes of London are owned by foreign nationals – make them pay. Huge areas of the UK are owned by a small number of the very rich – and the rest of us are banned by the laws of trespass from accessing our own country. Lets divert attention from a few thousand migrants and welfare recipients and onto those who are disproportionately wealthy.

Exam results are coming out – but what of the future? The social contract with the young has been broken. By that I mean – work hard at school and get good results, then go to Uni or College and get good qualifications; then get a relevant job and progress to purchasing a property; then a family with quality leisure time. What we have now is millionaires creaming off fat salaries whilst students scramble for the pickings at the internship table, or debate whether it is worth the effort to get a minimum wage job.

Exam boards will inflate passes to keep the fees coming in, as will universities and colleges. 55 years ago I got my A level results D,E,U. and was able to get a job at a bank in the City no problem. Bored with that I changed tack to trainee solicitor – no problem. Not suited to that I ran away to `cornwall and beach jobs, and then got to do Teacher Training with a grant, not a debt.

And the incentive for todays youth is – a hefty debt, lack of job opportunities – low wages, never ending debt due to high rents, lack of real opportunities. My advice to my grandchildren would be ….. actually I am not sure? Travel would be a definite. Then learn a skill, arts and crafts will always be needed, computing possibly. Do a shit job so they know what to avoid! (and save the money for travel). Hospitality jobs can be fun, but are generally poorly paid. As my friend Andy said this morning we need to tax the assets of the rich. Bring back grants for training and apprenticeships. Labour said they would introduce public speaking confidence into the curriculum – about time too!

With google it has become imperiative to increasing stuents ability to process and analyse and become discerning when viewing the internet. Learning facts has not become obsolete with Google, just not so necessary. Exam boards should note this difference.

This brings me on to – well society. In the past a society had a shared experience – whether was, or just common knowledge and events. This is no longer true. Do we need to build a common experience for all. I am not sure – common experience would breed nationalism – usually bad.

basically we need a vision of the future which is positive and hopeful for all our children.

In Britain we have become used to a large amount of freedom. Despite attempts by the last government to curtail our freedom and expanded by this government – we still have rights. The Guardian today states clearly that International Human Rights Law does NOT proscribe banners that state that an organisation should not be banned. Only the incitement to violence, hatred or discrimination should be illegal. Kent Police were filmed stating that holding a poster saying free Gaza was supporting a terrorist group and potentially could result in a 14 year prison sentence – is this Mr.Plod at his thickest or a directive from above?

This all appears to be a pro-Jewish/Israel campaign. Unfortunately it will create anti-semetism and provide fuel for right wing knuckle draggers who will claim discrimination if peaceful protestors are not locked up like their fascist brethren.

Freedoms can be lost without vigilance – When did the UK become such an intolerant nation. Organisations such as Greenpeace were respected, if not liked or supported. The marginally more intelligent than the knuckle draggers, did not see an opportunity to promote hatred and discourse in our society. Did they actually look at the facts and silently agree with the Greenpeace Activists? Only until a complete c**t like Farage comes along to an orgy of self-agrandment. Did he look at Hitler and Stalin and think to himself that he could tap into peoples fears, prejudices and resentments and be as popular as them?

Am I pathetic for not joining demonstrations? I think I must be – I feel guilty.