YesBut that was the second week of August

Poor old Gordon Brown, two days after becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, suicide bombers tried to blow up a London nightclub. The next day they tried to blow up Glasgow Airport. Then there came the rains, resulting in flooding and billions of pounds damage. Now we have a Foot & Mouth outbreak. As the “Son of the Manse” I bet he’s wondering

“Is this a Divine revelation? Was the blessed Tony truly the Chosen One, and I shouldn’t have got rid of him”.

Gordon had one days holiday before having to return to London to manage the Foot & Mouth emergency. If Tony was still PM, by now he would have been sunning himself on some private beach owned by a geriatric pop star.

This week its been noticeable how the days are getting shorter. Two weeks ago it was still light at 10:30, now its dark by 10pm, with sunset at 8:30. Even now I hope we will get an Indian Summer to compensate for the dismal one we’ve had.

India has been very much the theme of the week. With festivals throughout the country and programs on BBC television and radio to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the creation of Pakistan and Indian independence.

I have visited both India and Pakistan; a challenge - not places to go to relax. But I would really like to re-visit Pakistan, to judge for myself the degree of radicalism that exists. General Perez Musharraf, intones one message to the outside world “you must support me, if I’m deposed the Muslim fanatics will take over”. Is that the true situation? Is the West being conned to support a dictator, who opposes democracy? The image I have perceived this week is of a very conservative but not fundamentalist country.

YesBut that was the fourth week of July

With the flooding that occurred in England at the beginning of the week, Noah and his ark would have been a welcome visitor. This time the weather forecasters had it right; for a week in advance they predicted heavy rain, but the Government failed to react adequately, resulting in hundreds of thousands of people left without electricity and drinking water supplies - well done Gordon (I'm the Prime Minister now) Brown .

On Thursday, I wrote about blogging for pleasure, without pressure, and how bloggers can become obsessed by the number of daily hits on their blog. I must say I was supprised when I visited the Saatchi Gallery web site, which claimed to have had 48,800,468 hits in the previous 24 hours. I know the extensive BBC web sites have a massive number of hits everyday, but 48 million for an art gallery! Palls Yesbut’s Images into insignificance - quality rather than quantity say I.

At the beginning of the month I wrote about the start of the Tour De France in London. This was to be a “drug-free” Tour. The “sport had cleaned itself-up”. Well 16 days into the tour and the pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov was the first to withdraw after testing positive for blood doping. Whose fault is it that the Goose-that-lays-the-golden-egg (and believe me the Tour is a massive money spinner), is being killed? The riders, the team managers, the commercial sponsors or the race organiser? All. But ultimately the good name of the event is the responsibility of the organiser.

YesBut who’s in charge?

No there hasn’t been a problem in downloading the photo on the left. It is a framed photo of the person who is governing Great Britain.

Tony Blair, who still collects a salary for being Prime Minister, has stopped taking an active part in government - he is far too busy touring the world trying to burnish his image. If he tried sand-blasting it, it would still remain tarnished. As much as he wants to convey the impression that he is leaving a dynamic legacy, in reality the “Blair legacy” is Iraq.

Ah you might think, Gordon Brown has unofficially taken control - nope. The last couple of weeks, being rudderless the Government Ministers have dropped a couple of clangers. Gordon doesn’t want to be associated with these, so he is maintaining a very very low profile, so low nobody knows where he is - even Gordon himself isn‘t too sure.

What a state of affairs. We will remain leaderless for another month, and then we will get a Prime Minister who will be there by default. How is it possible, in a so called democracy, can we be lumbered with a Prime Minister who has not been voted into office by: parliament, his own party or the general public.

It would never have happened in the USA! If the President has to stand down during his (sorry Hilary - and perhaps her) term of office the Vice President takes over. At least at the election the President and Vice President stood as a team and the electorate know who would take over if anything happen to the President.

I was incorrect in stating it wouldn’t happen in the US. It has once - any idea when?

In 1973 the Vice President Spiro Agnew was forced to resign when he was accused of tax evasion and bribery. Richard Milhous Nixon the 37th President appointed Gerald Ford, the Republican Minority leader in the House of Representatives, as his Vice President. An interesting choice - poor old Gerald had difficulty in walking and whistling at the same time. Did Nixon think: “if it comes down to impeaching me and having Ford as President, or letting me serve out my term, they’ll choose the later?”.

On August 9th 1974, Nixon became the first President to resign. Gerald Ford became the 38th President and he chose Nelson Rockefeller to be his Vice President - the first and only time the president and vice-president held office to which neither were elected.

If we get through the next month without an active Prime Minister - it proves we don’t need one, and Brown should be told to stay in his little bolthole!

Click here to see YesBut’s Image of the day, and leave a suggested caption.

YesBut not a good week to be British

Three events occurred last week which brought no credit to the British Establishment:

In interviews at the beginning of the week Gordon Brown was overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the forthcoming election for leadership of the Labour Party. He stated the election would give the opportunity for the party to discuss policies. In the meantime his henchmen were applying pressure on Labour Members of Parliament to ensure John McDonnell, who wanted to stand against Brown, didn’t have sufficient number of MPs to nominate him. The result Gordon “I’m a control freak” Brown was elected unopposed.

So when Brown takes over from Blair, nothing will change - more spin, “watch their lips say one thing, while their actions do something else”.

The British Ministry of Defence is either accident prone or inept. In the second fiasco in five weeks it has done a 180 degree turn and decided Prince Harry should not serve with his troop in Iraq.

The consequences:

• The Iraqi rebels can quite rightly claim victory that they prevented Harry from being deployed.
• The parents of British soldiers sent to Iraq, question whether their children are considered expendable?
• It puts the lie to Blair’s claims that the British are in control in Basra.
• What if any use will Prince William & Harry be in the army, if they cannot be placed in any danger?

Is the Ministry going to employ a school road crossing warden wherever William and Harry are posted to ensure they cross the road safely?
What should have been done?

• A risk assessment should have been done before they joined the army.
• If Prince Harry was to be deployed, it should have been done with no publicity.

The other debacle was The Ministry of Defence’s handling of the fifteen naval personnel captured by Iraq.


My bog of 20 April took as its subject the squalid attempt by members of the British Parliament to exempt themselves from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Fortunately on that occasion opponents by the use of filibustering foiled the attempt.

When it comes to looking after their own interests MPs don’t give up. On Friday, the Bill was again debated in the House of Commons. To their eternal shame it was approved by a majority of 71 votes. It now goes to the House of Lords for consideration. Hopefully they will have more integrity.

And we return to where we started Gordon “two face” Brown has made a pledge to “bring more open Government”. Supporting the revision of the act to make Members of Parliament exempt from the Freedom of Information Act - a good start Gordon.

YesBut even if all that wasn’t enough, going shopping is like negotiating an obstacle course, click here to see.

YesBut I blog on in hope

I was nearly on the point of deciding to put this blog on ice, switch off my radio and TV and go on silent retreat in a Trappist monastery for seven weeks. Anything to get away from seeing Gordon Brown trying to convince the British populace he is going to be a touchy feely empathetic Prime Minister. Of course he’ll never achieve it, he looks too sinister.

Tragically as a child he lost an eye in a rugby football accident. Also he has the habit of pushing out his jaw as if he is trying to dislodge a piece of gristle stuck between his teeth after eating a small baby. Using the good Scottish word he is “dour”. He literally is and looks to be the child of the manse - someone who is suffering, having sat through too many hell and damnation sermons. He is a suit and tie man, not for him casual wear.

In the mean time the lying slimy toerag Blair is going to spend the next seven weeks flying around the world. He will be trying to improve the image of the “Blair Legacy”. He wants to be seen as a bringer of peace and understanding. The only thing his trips will achieve is to increase global warming. Even if in the next seven weeks he manages to walk on water and change water into wine; he and Bush will always be remembered for being responsible for one the biggest foreigner policy blunders of all time, and being the architect of suffering, death and destruction in Iraq.

Click here to see even the London sky feels depressed about the thought of the next seven weeks.

YesBut blog on blog on with hope in your heart and you’ll never blog alone.

YesBut anyone but Brown

When John Smith suddenly died in May 1994, Gordon Brown wanted to succeed him as leader of the Labour Party. But his good friend Tony Blair persuaded him that the Labour Party would have more chance of beating the Conservative Party if Blair became the leader. Brown claims a deal was struck, which in return for Brown's support Blair would resign as Prime Minister during a Labour Governments (one rumour says first while another rumour says second) term of office. Ever since the Labour Party won the 1997 General Election Gordon Brown has been brooding and seething wanting Blair to resign and allow himself to fulfil his destiny of becoming Prime Minister.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of Labours victory on 1st May, Blair is finally on the point of resigning. At last Brown could drop his sullen look and start to relax. But will at the last minute, the prize he has been waiting for be snatched from his grasp?

For the truth is Brown is not a winner. More importantly Labour Members of Parliament know he is not a winner- and to hold on to their own jobs at the next General Election, they need a Leader who can defeat David Cameron and the Conservative Party.

For months the Blairite faction of the Labour Party has been looking for an ABG (anyone but Gordon) candidate. But there isn’t an obvious strong candidate. So they were having to content themselves with Brown taking over from Blair during the summer. But, and there are lots of buts in this story, questions are now being asked over Browns competency as Chancellor of the Exchequer – is he responsible for the shortfall in funds in pension schemes? did he sell off half of the UK Gold Reserves cheaply? The image of the sound prudent “Iron Chancellor” is starting to crumble. And Labour Party MPs are starting to panic.

Is the young David Miliband, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs the answer to their prays? Each night Labour MPs pray "please God anyone but Gordon".


My prediction:

• Gordon Brown will become leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister.
• Due to the British “First past the Post” voting system and the anomalies in the way constituency boundaries are drawn up, the Conservative Party require far more than Labour of the popular vote to win a majority of seats. Consequently Labour will win the largest number of seats at the next General Election, but they might not get an overall majority. The Conservative Party will then win following General Election.
  
  

Happy New Year

2007 has the potential of being a significant year in history.

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see, during the year the UK will get a new Prime Minister. Tony Blair will probably resign between May and July. And unless a totally unforeseen event occurs Gordon Brown will take over. Although he is seen as the natural successor, he has a number of challenges that might find him wanting.

Brown will have to establish himself as the Leader of New Labour. The Blairits are not going to welcome him with open arms. And to date he has shown himself to be not a team player. His normal, nay his only tactic is bullying, and if that fails sulking. Unless he can become a leader, his tenure will be short lived.

He will also have to establish a connection with the Electorate. Opinion polls indicate the British public see Brown as a dour grumpy Scotsman. Like Ted Heath before him, he is incapable of creating a sense of warmth and understanding. He might be able to win the minds of the electorate but fail to win their hearts.

All eyes will be on the Gordon Brown / David Cameron duel. It is there for Brown to win and Cameron to loose. By that I mean David Cameron has the advantage, as long as he doesn’t do anything stupid, he will be seen to be a charismatic leader, in contrast to Brown's coldness.

The Government will have two objectives to pass laws: to extending to 90 days the period the police can detain a suspect without charging them; and the compulsory carrying of Identification Cards. To achieve the latter, will require a shift in public opinion. This will be achieved by the explotation of fear. Muslims will continue to be demonised as a group to be feared. There will be high profile anti-terrorist exercises, possibly involving the closing or disruption of airports. And they will say:

“If we have ID cards, we would be so much safer, and there wouldn’t be these disruptions”.

If by the end of the year, opinion polls show a consistent swing towards the Conservative Party, New Labour might panic and call an early election - its better to win with a much reduced majority, than wait and loose power.

2007 will be seen as the key year for the Middle East. Either as the year a start was made to establish peace between Israel and its neighbours, or tragically as the year of missed opportunities when the region fell into a deeper state of chaos and aggression. The Civil War in Iraq will get bloodier with no sense of hope. Unfortunately Bush neither has the intellect nor the leadership qualities to influence events. The challenge for him will be either to find a way of withdrawing US troops, or diverting US public attention from the US troops death toll. To divert attention, US could increase the pressure on Iran.

Unfortunately in the USA efforts will not be directed at getting Bush to take leadership, rather politicians will be positioning themselves in preparation to the 2008 Presidential Elections.

In Europe, Russia will continue to flex its “power” muscles. It will use the threat of cutting off gas supplies to blackmail other Countries either to comply with its will or to turn a blind eye to its continued abuse of human rights.

In Asia, China and India will continue, at an accelerated rate, to expand their industrial and technical might. Tension will also increase between the two countries as the competition for energy resources intensifies.

On the sporting front. There will be two World Cups competitions. In September & October the Rugby World Cup will be held in France, which will be won by New Zealand, with Australia or South Africa as the loosing finalists. The ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in the West Indies in March / April. While Australia is the undisputed Champions of the 5 day Test Match game; it is not so dominant in the one day format. Chance plays its part in influencing the results of one day matches, so predicting the ultimate winner of the Cup is not easy. One thing is certain; England will not participate in the final.

Final prediction, it will be a long hot summer.
It will rain in London on Saturday 21st July and Sunday 12th August.

Prime Minister's Question Time

Wednesday morning and I feel a grump coming on.

People get Monday morning feeling, I get Wednesday lunchtime feeling.

I must have a strong stomach, because I can eat my lunch and watch Prime Minister’s Question Time at the same time.

Do you watch Prime Minister’s Question time?

I do not know which is worse, Tony Blair or the toadies who sit behind him. Have you heard the questions they ask? “Would the Prime Minister agree that he is a wonderful inspirational leader, that New Labour is the best thing since sliced bread that the government is the best government ever, while those members opposite (scoff) are devoid of any ideas?” And the answer, “(stand gloat, yes I am wonderful), I agree with everything my Friend has said, since 1997 we have ….,….,……, and yes the party opposite is a shower”. Cheers, howls.

Blair never answers opposition questions. Irrespective of the question, his answer is too real out a list of all New Labour’s “achievements”, then to ask a question of the Opposition Leader. Why doesn’t the Speaker pull him up and tell him its PM Question time, not Opposition Leader Question time.

Then there’s the front row, with the exception of Gordon Brown (who looks as if he is pressing his buttocks together to suppress a fart), they are all nodding in unison like dogs on the back shelf of an old Morris Minor car. Perhaps you notice John Reid because of his nodding bald head. Without implying anything untoward, but would you buy a second hand car from this man? And the previous Home Secretaries, from what I have heard of his tapes, David Blunkett was and still is emotionally damaged.

Enough, enough!!!