YesBut style of Government.

Over the last couple of days, some odd ideas have immerged from the UK Government.

It is talking about introducing the requirement for sea anglers to obtain licences to fish. The reason given - to protect fish stocks. Have you ever heard such a load of claptrap? What is the total annual catch of all rod fishing in the UK, compared to that of one North Sea trawler? Most fishermen only manage to drown a few lugworms. How is the legislation going to be enforced? Will there be fishery officers patrolling the beaches and jetties to arrest kids who haven’t got a licence? Let’s be realistic.

As I type this blog the Government is sending out mixed messages over the trial of a very watered-down “Megan’s Law”. The Government is, or it might not be, floating the idea to trial in three areas, a pilot scheme giving the public the right to find out from the police whether there are paedophiles living in their area - but the paedophiles would not be identified. The objective being, parents would be more vigilant if they knew there was a paedophile living in their area. Experts are appalled by the proposal, as it would result in known paedophiles going into hiding - unsupervised by the police and probation service they would be more dangerous. And in any case parents should be vigilant, irrespective of whether there is a paedophile living in the area. Whether the scheme will be introduced is now in question, as in less than a day the Government is backtracking.

At the weekend the Royal Navy gave permission for the fifteen sailors and marines released by the Iranians to sell their stories to the press. Monday the Defence Secretary Des Browne banned all serving military personnel from selling their stories to the media.

Can you hear the creaks of a Government under stress starting to fall apart?

Rewarding our heroes.

So the 15 Royal Navy personnel captured by Iran, have been given permission to sell their stories to the press. Good for them, they deserve compensation for their horrendous ordeal- having to wear those ill fitting suits - anyone would crack under such pressure.

I wonder will Leading Seaman Faye Turney buy a new scarf with the £100,000 she is reported to be getting from selling her story to ITV1’s Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme and to a newspaper.

I wonder how much compensation the widows and children of service men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan get?

YesBut all at Sea

Sections of the British press have been highly critical of the 15 Royal Navy personnel. They have been accused of at worst cowardice and best weakness in signing statements admitting they were in Iran waters when they were arrested, and their subsequent toadying fawning attitude towards Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

I think you are not entitled to criticise these men and woman, unless you have yourself been subjected to psychological stress and manipulation. I admit given a choice as they were "If we admitted we had strayed, we would be on a plane back to the UK soon. If we didn't we faced up to seven years in prison". I would say “where do I sign”.

What I do condemn them for is their subsequent behaviour and particularly the news conference. They made them selves look like snivelling cowards - a couple of nights in a cell and they would confess to anything. They should have made a statement that they were pleased to be home, thank those who had worked for their release - end of story.

Clearly the Royal Navy has come out badly from the whole affair. Brought into question is whether the HMS Cornwall is the right vessel to patrol the Gulf? Particularly as its deep draft prevents it from going into shallow waters. How were the Iranian boats able to approach the Navy boats undetected? Why was there no air cover provided by the Lynx helicopter? What is not in question is the ill preparedness of the crew - you would think they were going out for a pleasant row on a boating lake on a sunny afternoon. They were as well prepared as Freddie Flintoff was in his pedalo.

One final question who is Chief Petty Officer Gavin Cavendish?