Our New Manager

On a brighter note, Englands new manager has been confimed. If I'm honest he wasn't my first choice, that would have been an Englishman or Jose 'the chosen one' Mourinho but that wasn't to be this time and we have Fabio Capello. This man however is by no means second choice, his record speaks for itself, second to none. We have a top class manager who will take no sh#t from the overpaid ego's within the team but instead bring out the best in them while wearing an England shirt. Unlike when McLaren was appointed, I feel positive for Englands future.

The Football Association has today appointed Fabio Capello as England Manager.Capello will begin work in the post on Monday 7 January. He has signed a four-and-a-half year contract.

Capello has vast experience as a coach at the top level of the game. His 16-year managerial career has encompassed spells at AC Milan, Real Madrid, AS Roma and Juventus. In total, Capello has won nine League titles in Italy and Spain as well as lifting the European Cup with Milan in 1994.

Brian Barwick said: "I am delighted that Fabio Capello has agreed to become England Manager. When we set out to recruit the new manager, we said we were committed to appointing a world-class candidate. In Fabio Capello we have that man. "Fabio is a winner. His record over the last two decades speaks for itself. At every club he has managed, Fabio has won the League title and Trevor and I were left in no doubt of his passion and commitment to bring that success to the England team."

Capello’s backroom staff will consist of assistants Franco Baldini and Italo Galbiati, goalkeeping coach Franco Tancredi, and fitness coach Massimo Neri. He will also discuss with Sir Trevor Brooking how to integrate an English presence into the coaching set-up.

Full FA article at http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/12/Capello_announcement.htm

And for anyone who just might have missed it in the media. Our traitor goverment ignored their election promise to hold a referendum and they ignored the rights of the British public. Yes they went and signed the treaty. As one politcian put it ''With a stroke of a pen he has signed away a swathe of powers to the EU'' .............

GRINNING Gordon Brown sold Britain out to Europe last night by agreeing to a massive expansion of Brussels power.
Despite having promised the British people a referendum, the Prime Minister put his signature to a new EU treaty without seeking the consent of the public.

Last night his actions ignited a chorus of condemnation, with critics saying his Mr Bean-style sideshow was a humiliation for Britain, while his dumping of the referendum promise was a cynical betrayal.

The new treaty removes Britain’s right to control its destiny in dozens of policy areas and gives Brussels the right to continue pressing the European courts to award it power over matters left in the hands of national parliaments. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said Mr Brown had left Britain in the worst of all possible worlds. “With a stroke of a pen he has signed away a swathe of powers to the EU, but his sulky rudeness to our European partners means that he has actually managed to lose influence in Brussels. This latest blunder is another sign that Gordon Brown is struggling to cope as Prime Minister.”

The EU constitution on which Labour had promised a referendum was thrown out by French and Dutch voters in public votes in 2005.

It also emerged yesterday that the treaty will give thousands of illegal migrants new rights to overturn decisions taken by the UK’s Immigration and Asylum Tribunal – handing the final say on whether they can stay in Britain to unaccountable EU judges.

Full Story at http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/28432

EU ceremony beckons !

Gordon Brown will today fly into Lisbon for a whistle-stop signing of the controversial European Union Treaty amid growing calls for a referendum.

The signing of the Treaty, which replaces the EU Constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005, will pave the way for its ratification by MPs in a House of Commons vote next year. But Mr Brown will still come under pressure to hold a popular vote on the Treaty as opinion poll after poll suggests referendum demands have the support of a large majority of UK voters.

Mr Brown has sparked charges of cowardice because he will not be photographed singing the Treaty's dotted line with other EU leaders.

Like the shelved Constitution the new Treaty creates a permanent EU President, a “Foreign Minister” known as a High Representative for foreign affairs, scraps 55 national vetoes and a new legal authority for the EU, allowing it to sign international treaties.
Labour members of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee told Mr Miliband they faced a “dilemma” explaining to voters why no referendum would be held, given that Labour promised them a vote on the constitution in its 2005 manifesto.

Full Story at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HKDDNTZOKDP5JQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2007/12/13/neu313.xml

It's a Joke !!

An Englishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman walk into their local pharmacies to collect their medication. The Englishman takes his bag of tablets, hands over £6.85 to the pharmacist and walks out. The Scotsman takes his medication, pays £5 and walks out.
The Welshman takes his pills and pays nothing.

The problem with this joke, which I'm sure you'll have spotted, is that it's not funny, especially if you're the Englishman.
It's actually not a joke at all; it's just a statement of fact concerning the current differences in prescription charges in the UK. Of course, if I were the Welshman, or indeed the Scot, I might be able to raise a chuckle at the expense of my English brethren, especially as it is their taxes that are helping to fund my cut-price or free medications.

Full article at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml;jsessionid=M1I53QRNW3KCVQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/health/2007/12/10/hmax110.xml

Christmas spirit 'under threat from PC brigade'

Christmas is in danger of being swept aside by a tide of political correctness, leading political figures have warned.

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said banning Nativity plays and replacing "Merry Christmas" signs with "Season's greetings" risked offending people from other faiths by patronising them.

He attacked the attitude of councils that refuse to celebrate Christmas as "nonsense" and expressed concern at the way traditions are being eroded in schools.
He said: "Christmas is something that we celebrate as a country and should be in schools. Of course Muslims want to celebrate Eid and Jews, Passover, but you don't build a stronger country by denying Christmas.
"This has never made any sense to me at all. And the idea that anyone ever could be offended by a Christmas card that says "Merry Christmas and happy new year" and we've got to send one saying "Season's greetings"; I think it's just insulting tosh.
"In fact, people - Muslims and Jews - are offended because it's treating them in a silly and politically correct way."

A survey found just one in 10 Christmas cards sold in Britain contained religious messages or imagery. A recent report claimed three out of four employers were not putting up Christmas decorations in the workplace for fear of offending staff.

Full story at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/10/nxmas110.xml

Fourth Plinth in Trafalger Square

The latest sculpture to occupy the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square has been unveiled.


Model for a Hotel 2007 takes the form of an architectural model of a 21 storey building.
Model for a Hotel 2007, created by leading German artist Thomas Schütte, takes over the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square from Marc Quinn's scultpure of Alison Lapper, taking up residency for the next 18 months. Given the prominent position of the plinth, outside the National Gallery and next to Nelson, the sculpture chosen was always going to be a talking point. The interesting thing about Schütte's piece is the brightly coloured intersecting red, yellow and blue glass used and the fact that it is a model for another - yet to be completed - structure. It's as if we're waiting for the go-ahead to construct the much larger final project. Schütte began his series of architectural models in 1980, some of which have been realised, and is regarded as a significant artist with a diverse range of work, from surreally distorted figurative sculpture, architectural models and ceramics to quirky watercolours. The original title for his plinth piece, 'Hotel for the Birds', was changed, perhaps seeing the potential for puns on those pesky pigeons.


The last scupture to occupy the fourth plinth had no place in Trafalger Square and now we get this.

Police in Scotland to get superior pay deal

Once again the traitors at Labour have shit on England.

Police in Scotland are to get a better pay deal than their colleagues south of the border for the first time, it emerged yesterday as a furious row broke out over the pay award for forces in England.

Mike Fuller, the Kent Chief Constable, told the Government that officers felt "cheated and aggrieved" by its announcement that it would not honour the full amount of a pay award recommended by an independent tribunal. The Police Federation also threatened to take the Home Office to court over what it called as the "scandalous and disgusting" decision by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary. Police in Scotland will receive the full rise of 2.5 per cent, Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's justice minister, said yesterday.
His decision will fuel complaints of a "better deal" for public services north of the border.

Full story at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/07/npolice107.xml

Disappointed but not suprised England never qualified for Euro 2008

Bye Bye McLaren the Clown


Thrown a lifeline by Israel at the weekend, England opted for suicide led by goalkeeper Scott Carson whose howler set us on the way to Euro 2008 elimination.
The buck though stops with the manager. He said he should be judged over the 12 games yet stubbornly refused to resign after last night’s fiasco.
He had to go. The nation had no confidence in him. McClaren has somehow taken the so-called golden generation backwards from the Sven Goran Eriksson era.

Constitution, EU Treaty = Labour Lies

What people are saying around Europe: ''it’s exactly the same as the original Constitution''

Germany
"The substance of the constitution is preserved. That is a fact."
(Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, Telegraph, 29 June 2007)

Ireland
"90 per cent of it is still there... these changes haven't made any dramatic change to the substance of what was agreed back in 2004."
(Bertie Ahern, Irish Taoiseach, Irish Independent, 24 June 2007)

Czech Republic
"Only cosmetic changes have been made and the basic document remains the same."
(Vaclav Klaus, Czech President, Guardian, 13 June 2007)

Spain
"A great part of the content of the European Constitution is captured in the new treaties."
(Jose Zapatero, Spanish PM, El Pais 23 June 2007)

Finland
"There’s nothing from the original institutional package that has been changed."
(Astrid Thors, Finnish Europe Minister, TV-Nytt, 23 June 2007)

Denmark
"The good thing is...that all the symbolic elements are gone, and that which really matters – the core – is left."
(Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Danish PM, Jyllands-Posten, 25 June 2007)

Austria
"The original Treaty for a Constitution was maintained in substance."
(Austrian government website, 25 June 2007)

Belgium
The new treaty "takes up the most important elements of the constitutional treaty project."
(Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian PM, Agence Europe, 24 June 2007)

Italy
"As for our conditions… I outlined four red lines with respect to the text of the Constitution: to keep a permanent president of the EU, to keep the single overseer for foreign policy and a common diplomatic service, to keep the extension of majority voting, to keep the single legal personality of the Union. All of this has stayed."
(Romano Prodi, Italian PM, La Repubblica, 24 June 2007)

Lithuania
Lithuania has "100 percent fulfilled the tasks set forth before the meeting, including the primary objective of preserving the substance of the Constitutional Treaty."
(Office of the President of Lithuania, official press release)

Luxemburg
"The substance has been preserved from Luxembourg’s point of view."
(Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxemburg PM, Agence Europe, 24 June)

Slovenia
With new treaty, the EU gets "content that is not essentially different from the constitutional treaty… All key institutional solutions remain… Some symbolic elements will be cleared up and some formulations toned down."
(Janez Jansa, Slovenian PM, 23 June 2007, Slovenian Government Communication Office)

The European Commission
"It’s essentially the same proposal as the old Constitution."
(Margot Wallstrom, EU Commissioner, Svenska Dagbladet, 26 June 2007)

The author of the EU Constitution
"This text is, in fact, a rerun of a great part of the substance of the Constitutional Treaty."
(Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Telegraph, 27 June 2007)

European Parliament
The European Parliament "welcomes the fact that the mandate safeguards the substance of the Constitutional treaty."
(European Parliament resolution, 10 July 2007)

Spot the odd one out….
The UK
"The constitutional treaty has been abandoned."
(David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, Hansard, 3 July 2007)

IWR campaigning across the country

I Want a Referendum campaigners have been across the country, launching local versions of the campaign to keep the pressure on MPs in their constituencies, and persuading people of the need for a referendum on the revived EU Constitution. Together with the giant inflatable ballot box - symbolising the wishes of the majority of voters who want to have a say on Europe's future - IWR has been to Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol and Exeter.
Over the coming weeks the campaign will be heading to many more cities across the UK.

For more information and to sign the petition ... http://www.iwantareferendum.com/

More Lies From Labour !!

Jacqui Smith has denied allegations of a cover-up over illegal immigrants working in sensitive security jobs in Whitehall.

The embattled Home Secretary, embarrassed by leaked emails revealing fears of negative media coverage, said she had acted to sort out the problem.
Forced to make a Commons statement, she rejected claims by Shadow Home Secretary David Davis that she was guilty of "blunder, panic and cover-up".
Her statement came after internal Home Office emails revealed that the Home Secretary first knew about 5,000 illegal immigrants working in Whitehall back in July.

Full story at http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91211-1292607,00.html

Huge majority believe immigration puts too much pressure on publice services

An interesting article from Migrationwatch

85% of the population think immigration is putting too much pressure on public services says a new poll out today.

According to a YouGov poll for Migrationwatch, 85% agreed with this statement, 58% strongly. Only 10% disagreed, 2% strongly. The highest numbers of those strongly agreeing came from the East of England (63%), the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and the West Midlands, all on 62%. It was felt most strongly in the 45+ age group who are of course more likely to use services such as Health, at 67%.

There was a similar response when asked if the Government should substantially reduce immigration levels to Britain. 81% think immigration levels to Britain should be cut substantially and a massive 57% agreed strongly with 24% tending to agree. Only 14% disagreed, 4% strongly. In London, where 30% of the population are immigrants, 70% agreed (41% strongly) that immigration levels should be cut substantially. The highest numbers of those strongly agreeing came from the West Midlands (65%) the North West (61%) and the East of England (60%).

When asked if they thought immigration had generally contributed positively to the UK economy 35% believed that it had (6% strongly) while 54%, (22% strongly) that it had not. When asked if immigration was the result of global trends rather than the actions of the Government 42% believed it was global trends (11% strongly) while 48% disagreed (23% strongly).

‘These figures show that now the scale of immigration and its consequences are now being better understood and people are deeply concerned at what is going on,’ said Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch. ‘This is heightened by the way in which the Government has clearly mishandled the whole issue, making tough sounding pronouncements that are then not followed up in practice. ‘The public have at last seen through the smoke and mirrors that has been government policy on this issue for a decade and are very angry that they have not been consulted about such a fundamental change taking place in our society,' he said.

Cutty Sark conservation under way

Work on conserving material from the fire-damaged Cutty Sark is under way in Kent, so the whole ship can eventually return to its dry dock in London.
Specialists working on the tea clipper have said their aim is conservation rather than restoration, because much of the original material remains. Half of the timbers had been removed for treatment before fire hit in May.
Technical manager Ian Bell said the aim was to conserve materials so they could withstand the weather for decades.
He said old planks were being reconstructed with "resins and with other consolidation materials, so they will be able to survive the weather over the next 50 years".
It is hoped the work will be completed before 2012, so the 138-year-old vessel can return to its dry dock in Greenwich, south east London, before the start of the Olympics.


Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7001013.stm or visit the official site at http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/

Some Cutty Sark facts ...

* The Cutty Sark is the most famous tea clipper built and the only one to survive.

* Most of her hull fabric had survived from the original construction.

* The ship was launched at Dumbarton on the River Clyde, Scotland, in 1869. The name comes from Robert Burns' poem, Tam O'Shanter; Tam meets a group of witches, most of whom are ugly, but for Nannie, who is young and beautiful and is described as wearing only a "cutty sark", or a short chemise or shirt.

* The ship's figurehead is a representation of this witch.

* Her maiden voyage was in February 1870. The Cutty Sark left London bound for Shanghai, via the Cape of Good Hope. Commanded by Captain George Moodie, she carried "large amounts of wine, spirits and beer. Her last cargo of tea was carried in 1877.

* From 1885 to 1895, she was used in the wool trade with Australia, bringing the new season's clip from Sydney to London, setting new speed records year after year.

* By 1895, she was losing money and was sold to the Portuguese as the "Ferreira", although her crews called her "Pequina Camisola" ('little shirt'). She was worked by her new owners between Oporto, Rio, and Lisbon until 1920, when she was sold again, this time becoming the "Maria do Amparo".

* In 1922 she underwent a refit in the Surrey Docks, London, and was driven to shelter from a storm in Falmouth harbour on her way home. A Captain Wilfred Dowman saw her there, and bought her from the Portuguese owners, returning her to British ownership again.

* After World War Two she again became surplus and was eventually towed to Greenwich and placed in a specially constructed dry dock in 1954.

* After much restoration work she was opened to the public in 1957. Since then more than 13 million people have visited her.





I've heard nothing about the lowlife(s) who started this fire being brought to justice but at least things are going in the right direction.

Minister snubs Spitfire heroes

DEFENCE Secretary Des Browne was under fire from RAF top guns last night — after missing a tribute to our Battle of Britain heroes.
He sparked outrage by snubbing a memorial service to the 1,441 fliers killed or injured in the nation’s finest hour in 1940.Furious war veterans claimed it was an insult to the brave pilots who defeated the Luftwaffe 67 years ago.
Mr Browne made a grovelling apology, and vowed a minister will be at ALL future services. Hundreds of Armed Forces personnel past and present packed Westminster Abbey for Sunday’s annual service.RAF, Army and Royal Navy top brass were there, along with a representative of the Prince of Wales.Four RAF Tornado fighter jets staged a fly-past at 1,000ft as a mark of respect.

Tony Hirons, of the Royal Air Force Association, said: “I cannot remember a service in recent years where a Government representative hasn’t been present. It’s an astonishing snub.”
Mr Howarth said: “I’m appalled. The service is one of the most important events in the military calendar. Des Browne’s absence was a very serious reflection on the priorities of Gordon Brown’s Government.”
Sir Winston Churchill hailed the Battle of Britain as our “finest hour”. The Spitfire and Hurricane pilots in RAF Fighter Command defeated Hitler’s airborne hordes on September 15, 1940, despite being outnumbered 4-1.
Of the 2,353 young RAF men and 574 overseas pilots, 1,441 were killed or wounded. Wartime leader Churchill said of it: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”


Full story at http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007430304,00.html

Embrace EU treaty, Jose Barroso tells Britain

All I can say to this is f##k eu !!

Britain has been urged by the most powerful official in Brussels to embrace the controversial EU reform treaty as "an opportunity, not a threat".
In a speech to the Liberal Democrat conference, Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, sought to stem mounting opposition from British voters to the treaty by insisting that it was "not the (EU) constitution" reborn.

Mr Barroso appearance at the conference comes just days after Sir Menzies Campbell sought to silence Eurosceptic opinion once and for all by calling for a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.And in conference question and answer session, the fervently pro-European leader appeared to dismiss anti-Brussels campaigners as misguided nostalgics.They were "dreaming of an England that never was and a Britain that can never be", said Sir Menzies.Those opposed to the EU, he declared, failed to understand the inter-dependence of the world today.
However, although he is now calling for a referendum on whether Britain should stay in or out of the EU, he is refusing to countenance a national vote just on the EU treaty.
David Laws, the party's children and schools spokesman, has dismissed campaigners for a vote on the treaty as a "lunatic fringe".

Full story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/18/nlibdem618.xml

Latest Immigration figues 'not credible'

A rececent press release from Migration Watch.

Figures out today from the Office of National Statistics regarding the numbers of East Europeans coming to the UK are ‘simply not credible’ says think-tank Migrationwatch.
They show, say the ONS, that in the period mid 2005 to mid 2006 there was a fall of 17,000 to 57,000, which amounts to only 1 in 5 of net foreign immigration of 281,000. In the same period approximately 210,000 East Europeans registered for work.

This total does not include the self-employed, nor dependants. ‘It is simply not credible that only 57,000 stayed on,’ said Migrationwatch chairman, Sir Andrew Green. ‘The explanation may lie in the fact that the passenger survey asks about intentions.

There is anecdotal and survey evidence to suggest that East Europeans often come on spec and decide to stay longer. ‘This once again highlights that the Government has no real grip of immigration or any meaningful idea of the true number coming to and leaving the UK which makes planning for these large population increases extremely difficult.’ He said the ONS press release was also misleading in suggesting that immigration contributes only 55% of population growth.

This figure only includes new arrivals, ignoring the children that they will later have.
Other work by the ONS shows that immigrants and their descendants will account for about 83% of population growth (Population Trends number 118, page 11).

Finally, the net immigration figure of 189,000,remains consistent with the government’s estimate that, over the next 20 years, 1 in 3 new households will be a result of immigration. ‘It is clear from these figures that immigration is continuing unchecked and continues to break all previous records – despite the fact this is opposed by the vast majority of the public,’ he said.

FA stunned by Jack Warner World Cup attack

The head of the Football Association, Geoff Thompson, has written to the Fifa vice-president Jack Warner to ask him to explain his extraordinary attack on England's plans to host the 2018 World Cup.

In an interview for the BBC World Service to be broadcast on Saturday, Warner vowed to fight England's ambitions to stage the tournament and claimed the 1966 World Cup winners were an "irritant" who had never had any impact on international football.

Outspoken: Jack Warner will play a key role in the race for 2018
The outburst from Warner, who as president of the North American and Caribbean Confederation (CONCACAF) is one of the most powerful figures in the game, left senior FA figures "astonished" and "disappointed". The remarks come as England prepare to embark on a campaign to persuade Fifa to establish a new system of rotation for the competition which would see it played in Europe every 12 years.

In his interview with the BBC, Warner makes it clear he will do all he can to fight any bid from Europe to stage the World Cup in 2018. "If by chance, in 2018, the World Cup were to go to Europe, I'm quite sure, with the English luck as it is, they won't get it," said Warner, 64.
"It'll be Italy, Spain, or it might even be France. Nobody in Europe likes England. England - who invented the sport - has never had any impact on world football. England at no time has had the love and support of Europe. For Europe, England is an irritant. There are moves to give it to England. I must fight that."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=VEZEBRLBP3N0PQFIQMFCFFWAVCBQYIV0?xml=/sport/2007/08/10/sfnbon110.xml

An attack on the FA or the insane ramblings of a madman. FIFA is supposed to be neutral and this idiot should be stripped of his position.

A new low for Channel 4

Presumably as part of its continuing campaign to remain the most controversial television channel in Britain, Channel 4 last night broadcast an interview with a jihadi sympathiser who explicitly advocates the taking up of arms by British Muslims.

In the course of his appearance on the prime-time Dispatches programme, Abu Muhammed (who has been banned from entering Britain) justified the suicide bombings of July 7, 2005 on the grounds that "if somebody is committing aggression against you, you commit aggression towards him". He appears to believe that the murder of 52 civilians, many of whom were not British and some of whom were Muslim, somehow qualifies as an appropriate retaliation for those aspects of Anglo-American foreign policy that he sees as constituting aggression against Islam.

That an Islamic fundamentalist should utter something so logically and morally indefensible is scarcely surprising. That a major broadcasting organisation should present it as a contribution to meaningful debate would be shocking - if it were within the bounds of possibility to be shocked by anything done by Channel 4.

Even more disturbing than Mr Muhammed's apologia for terrorist acts within this country is his advice to British Muslims to arm themselves and "fight back" against the non-believers who attempt to come into their homes and invade their privacy - by which, we assume, he means the police and security services who investigate terrorist activity.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/07/ntv107.xml

EU Referendum

We demand that the Government stand by their manifesto commitment to hold a national referendum on the EU Reform Treaty.

Take 2 minutes to sign the online petition in the hope that our corrupt goverment might actually listen to the people who put them in power.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?grid=F18&petition=europe&view=PETITION&xml=/news/2007/06/25/view25a.xml

Gurkha veterans must be allowed to live in UK

Two thousand Gurkha veterans should be allowed to live in Britain because their heroic service demonstrates the "strongest ties" to this country, a tribunal heard today.

Retired Nepalese soldiers who left the Army before the rules changed 10 years ago are not automatically allowed to remain in Britain.Many were posted back to the Himalayan kingdom just before discharge and then refused the right to return.
Despite having some of the most distinguished careers in the Armed Forces, they were told their links with this country were not strong enough.Now, in a landmark case which could decide the rights of 2,000 Gurkha veterans, 44 are challenging Immigration Service policy.

David Enright, representing the men who between them have 700 years of service and 170 medals for valour, said it was hard to think of any group of people having a stronger link to Britain.He said: "War wounds, decorations won in battle, swearing allegiance to the Crown, serving for decades, fighting in battle and being injured, guarding the Queen, your father and grandfather serving the Queen, paying income tax to the Exchequer."These demonstrate the strongest ties to the UK. You could not find a stronger link and they should be considered in the particular circumstances of the Gurkhas who have rendered such sterling service for over 200 years."

Since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, Gurkhas are almost automatically entitled to live in Britain after completing at least four years of service - even if it was "just polishing boots in the barracks". But those who retired before that date have to rely on the discretion of the British entry clearance officer and the diplomatic service procedure. This states that only those who can demonstrate "strong ties" are allowed residency - and a distinguished Army career is not always sufficient. This was demonstrated when Tul Bahadur Pun, 84, a Victoria Cross winner from the Second World War, was initially refused residency. The decision was reversed after a public outcry.

The lead case in the latest class action is Cpl Gyanendra Rai, a Falklands hero who suffered terrible injuries at Bluff Cove. Immigration officials fear the 51-year-old will try to stay here if he is granted a visitor's visa for specialised NHS treatment. The ex-machine gunner and father of five is in constant pain after his back was hit by shrapnel. Rai, who served 14 years in the Armed Forces, required a skin graft from another soldier. He was awarded the South Atlantic Medal after being injured in June 1982. Another Gurkha in the case is L/Cpl Birendra Man Shrestha, 44, who served in the 1991 Gulf war and was decorated three times for bravery.

After the hearing in central London, which was adjourned, Mr Enright said: "I represent 44 men who between them have 700 years of Army service for this country, have won 170 medals and have fought in four wars. "They are being told that you don't belong here. It is ludicrous. We hope that the Government will allow our war heroes home to where they belong." Gurkhas undergo one of the most rigorous selection processes in any modern army. Not only do recruits need good academic qualifications but they must complete the doko, which requires them to run five kilometres up the foothills of the Himalayas while carrying 35kg of rocks on their back. Only those fit enough to do so are deemed eligible for the Army.
The Ministry of Defence hires about 230 Nepalese soldiers a year to serve as Gurkhas and at present there are about 3,500 serving with the Army, some of whom are on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During the two world wars, the Gurkhas suffered 43,000 casualties and won 26 Victoria Crosses, more than any other regiment. Even if they win residency in this country, older Gurkha veterans will find it difficult to live here. They are only paid a quarter of the normal Army pension, around £1,584 a year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/02/ngurkas102.xmld

Ex-EastEnders star Mike Reid dies

A great bloke, one of our finest comedians and actors sadly passed away this week.

Former EastEnders actor Mike Reid has died at the age of 67 after suffering a suspected heart attack, his agent said.

He added: "He would see the funny side of any situation, no matter how black it was. Even now I'm sure he's laughing."

Frank Carson, a close friend who met Reid around 30 years ago, told BBC News 24 the news was "absolutely devastating".
"We have just lost our friend Bernard Manning a fortnight ago. I just can't realise... this is devastating news," he said.
Another fellow comedian, Mike McCabe, said Reid had been "a jack-the-lad, very funny with a great cockney way of putting things together".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6921549.stm

R.I.P Mike Reid Diamond Geeza

New UK human rights laws needed to counter new threat

The terrorist suspects arrested this week will be able to remain in Britain indefinitely and at public expense whether or not they are found guilty. That is the conclusion of a report issued today by think-tank Migrationwatch which also recommends that we pull out of the ECHR and write our own human rights law appropriate to the new age of terrorism.

The report points out that Britain's continued adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is an attraction for terrorists to operate in and from Britain, secure in the knowledge that, even if convicted, they cannot be deported after serving their sentences.
Article 3 of the Convention prohibits torture or inhumane treatment in member countries. It has been extended by case law to prohibit deportation to countries where there is a risk of such treatment. It is no longer possible, therefore, to balance the risk to the deportee against the risk that he might pose to British society.

The ECHR also inhibits action against foreign citizens suspected of terrorism. Indefinite detention was struck down by the Law Lords in 2004. The replacement measures, Control Orders, have been so weakened by the courts that seven suspects have already absconded. The report therefore recommends that Britain should withdraw from the ECHR giving 6 months notice, as is her right. At the same time, there should be a public announcement that, from the date of withdrawal, any foreign citizen arrested and subsequently convicted of a terrorist offence will be deported to his own country on completion of his sentence with a right of appeal that could only be exercised after departure.

Suspicion of terrorist offences would not be sufficient to justify deportation but the new terrorist threat requires that provision be made for lengthy periods of detention in the interests of public safety. Thus, the ECHR and the 1998 Human Rights Act (which is based on it) should be replaced by a revised Act which, while preserving intact human rights generally, excludes convicted terrorists and provides for the long term detention of terror suspects. Some have claimed that withdrawal from the ECHR would require withdrawal from the EU but the report makes it clear that this is false.

http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/

EU is an Empire

Britain was told yesterday that it was part of a new European empire — by the Brussels bureaucrat who would be emperor. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, said that all 27 EU members should be proud of their unique union. “At least we in the Commission are proud of it.”
Conservatives and eurosceptics said that they would use Mr Barroso’s comments to press Gordon Brown for a referendum on the treaty replacing the failed EU constitution — a vote the Prime Minister is refusing to call.

Read more at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2056576.ece

Thousands attend Orange parades

Happy 12th July to our friends across the water.

Tens of thousands of Orangemen and supporters are attending Northern Ireland's Twelfth of July parades.

Full story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6292198.stm

Blades Ponder Fresh Appeal

An article taken from Sky News

Sheffield United may launch an appeal in the High Court after failing in their last bid to get reinstated to the Premier League.

An independent arbitration panel ruled this week that the FA Premier League was correct in its decision to fine West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair rather than dock points, which would have seen The Hammers relegated in place of The Blades.

But Sheffield United may now appeal that the arbitration panel made an error in law when considering a previous judgement.

The club had an appeal to set up a new disciplinary commission dismissed on Tuesday, and could now take recourse in the High Court.

The Premier League has claimed the appeal process has already started, but a Sheffield United spokesman insists the club is just gauging the situation at this stage.

A Premier League spokesman said: "The Premier League has just been advised by our legal team that Sheffield United have launched an appeal in the High Court under Section 69(2)(b) of the Arbitration Act 1996 against the award of our arbitration panel yesterday under Section S of our Rules.

"Our legal team inform us that this is a very narrow window of appeal where Sheffield United are claiming that the arbitration panel under Sir Philip Otton made an error in law by failing to send back the original decision to the independent disciplinary commission for reconsideration.

"It is a matter of record that the Premier League has acted at all times in accordance with our rule book and procedures, as such we expect this matter to be expedited as quickly as possible and, again, we will not be altering any plans for next season."

A Sheffield United spokesman has since countered: "We have applied to find out if we can lodge an appeal through the civil courts. This involves speaking to a judge and is a technical process.

"We may lodge an appeal as a result but we may not. We are still going through the process."

Migration Watch Press Release

Government were warned over security weaknesses of visa system
July 3, 2007

It emerged today that the Government were warned two years ago that the system of visa checks was inadequate for countries where there were particular concerns over terrorism.

Think-tank Migrationwatch issued a warning on 23 August, 2005 that pressure on our visa sections could compromise security. The report said that large numbers of people from countries of concern were, in effect, being waved through the system because of pressure on immigration officers overseas to meet targets.

Commenting today, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch, said: ‘People are rightly concerned that our border controls have been allowed to crumble and they question why it is so easy for people to get into this country with only the most cursory of checks. The latest terrorist incidents should be a wake up call for the new government. It is not just a question of medical staff, the issue of all visas in countries which have a track record as a source of terrorism should now be subject to a root and branch review. Only those applicants interviewed by a UK based immigration officer should be permitted to enter Britain. The government has powers to take specific measures of this kind where necessary for immigration purposes. It should use them. The whole system needs tightening up in view of the risks we now face.’

"but what have the english ever done for us, eh?..."

for anglophobes everywhere...

Did you hear about the bigot who hates all things English? He makes a good living in the Concreting business, because almost everything in the City depends on this industry. It's just a pity that reinforced concrete was invented by W.B. Wilkinson in Newcastle, England.

Our bigot's home uses electric power generated by steam turbines, which were invented by Sir Charles Parsons. Many of his home appliances use electric motors, which were invented by Londoner Michael Faraday. These range from vacuum cleaners, the invention of Englishman Hubert Booth, to sewing machines, invented by Englishman Charles Weisenhall back in 1755.

However, not all of his appliances run on electric motors. There's his Microwave Oven, based on the Magnetron invented by Sir John Randall and Dr H A H Boot at Birmingham University. His modern Central Heating unit, designed by Englishman A H Barker, and even his TV set, the brainchild of Englishman Shelford Bidwell. Even the television's production depended on the invention of the cathode-ray tube by London physicist Sir William Crookes.

All of these things reminded our bigot too much of England, so he turned on his radio for news from another country more to his liking. It didn't help much though, because he remembered that satellite radio transmitters are powered by fuel cells invented by the English chemist Francis T Bacon.

He thought of expressing his frustration by writing an angry letter. But it wouldn't go anywhere without the postal system, created in London by Sir Rowland Hill. That is, unless he chose to send his letter by e-mail on a computer - the brainchild of Englishman Sir Charles Babbage.

Our bigot then briefly considered getting away from it all - flying off to some remote place with nothing to remind him of English genius. But then he recalled that modern jet aircraft engines were designed by English test pilot Sir Frank Whittle.

He then decided to do some home chores, so he thought about washing the dishes - but his kitchen sink is made of stainless steel, invented by Englishman Sir Harry Brearly. To make matters worse, he noticed that his favourite and most useful kitchen utensils were made of plastic, the brainchild of Birmingham professor Alexander Parkes.

So, desperate to avoid the brilliance of the English, he headed out doors - passing on the way his modern WC, designed by Londoner Alexander Cummings. Once outside, he noticed that the lawn was a bit overgrown because he couldn't bring himself to use the lawn mower, originally designed by Edwin Budding of Gloucestershire.

Our bigot, now completely distracted by anger, turned around and walked straight into one of his prized rose bushes, badly scratching his arms and hands. Briefly, he was glad that his Tetanus shots were up to date - until he remembered that immunisation was discovered by Dr Edward Jenner, another Gloucestershire man.

This was all too much - All of this contact with English brilliance just about gave the poor chap a heart attack. It's just as well that he had previously been fitted with a cardiac pacemaker, the invention of English surgeon W H Walshe.

Feeling very run-down, emotionally depressed and really quite ill, our bigot decided that he'd better go to the doctors for a check-up. After a breif consultation, the doctor announced that he needed an urgent blood transfusion to save his life. Fortunately, this was quickly arranged and our bigot survived - thanks mostly to James Blundell, who pioneered blood transfusions at Guy's Hospital, London.

"...but apart from ALL that... What, EXACTLY, have the English ever done for us, eh?"

Falklands 25

Thursday 14 June 2007 marks the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands following the invasion by Argentina on 2nd April 1982. Nearly 1,000 people lost their lives during the conflict and many others made huge personal sacrifices.


Since then, the Falkland Islands have flourished, both economically and socially, and are still a dependent territory of Britain, and will remain so for as long as the Islanders wish.

The events are commemorating the achievements of all those involved in the conflict 25 years ago. There will be ceremonies and a veterans march amongst other events.

The South Atlantic Medal Association 1982 (SAMA 82) are hosting the Veteran’s re-union that will follow the ceremonies on Horse Guards Parade. Support from sponsors and through merchandising will contribute to the re-union and allow other funds to be raised for SAMA 82. The organisation is currently fundraising for the 25th Anniversary Pilgrimage that will enable South Atlantic Veterans to re-visit the Falkland Islands. The 2007 pilgrimage will take place in November and will include around 200 Veterans of the confli

Sunday 17th June 2007
National Commemorative Event
Commencing: 14:30 PM
Place: Horse Guards Parade, London
OFFICIAL EVENT - This will be a high impact visual event on Horse Guards Parade involving a live link up with the Falkland Islands. Central to the event will be the personal recollections of veterans and Islanders as they tell their stories in their own words. This event includes a march past and flypast, and will be shown live on BBC Television.

FOR MORE INFORMATION WHY NOT VISIT - http://www.falklands25.com/

Immigration

'This would only make a bad situation worse'
Commentary

By Andrew Green
Chairman of Migration Watch UK
The Daily Telegraph, London, 08 May, 2007
Welcome to Great Britain - the softest touch in the world. That is the message sent out by yesterday's demonstration in Trafalgar Square. It may have been well intentioned - but it was also deeply misguided.

The immigration lobby, together with some church leaders are proposing that illegal immigrants who have been here for four or more years should be admitted to a " two year pathway" to full legal rights. This would entitle them to access to the welfare state and citizenship eventually. They could also bring over their families.

This is an amnesty in all but name.

There are somewhere between 500,000 and a million illegal immigrants here. Some arrived on the back of a truck, some overstayed their visas. Others are failed asylum seekers the Government has failed to remove. Many are being exploited by their employers. The Chinese cockle pickers drowned in Morecambe Bay are the most obvious example.

This hidden labour force holds down wages for all unskilled workers and enables unscrupulous employers to undercut honest ones. It also damages the reputation of legal immigrants.

An amnesty will be pointless if those who are legalised are simply replaced. Some 70 per cent of illegal immigrants are brought here by people-smugglers who will be the first to spot a new market.

Others will be tempted to overstay on visitor or student visas to work at less than the minimum wage but for more than they could earn at home.

Even now migrants are lining up in Sangatte for an opportunity to get to Britain. The prospect of an amnesty will attract even more. Italy and Spain have each granted five or six amnesties in the last 20 years and almost every time have faced even more applications.

An amnesty would be expensive for the tax payer. The immigration lobby is claiming a net gain to the Exchequer of between £500 million to £1 billion. This takes no account of the extra cost of adding 500,000 people to the welfare state.

More immediate is the effect on housing. Once granted Leave to Remain, these migrants will become entitled to social housing. As single people they would join a waiting list. If their families arrived they would move up the priority list.

There is already a sense of unfairness among the indigenous working class. They feel that they have paid into the system for many years while new arrivals immediately claim benefits. Indeed, 76 per cent of the public oppose an amnesty. The Government ignores such strong feelings at its peril.

So what is the alternative? First, we must restore control of our borders, including checking people in and out by name. This is now planned but it will be years before it is in place.

Second, we need to bear down on employers of illegal workers. The Government has spoken of heavy fines, the use of the Proceeds of Crime Act and prison sentences for company directors.

However, in the last five years there has been only a handful of successful prosecutions. Even now there are only about a dozen officials devoted to this task.

The third step is to permit illegal immigrants to leave Britain without risk of arrest. Some have been imprisoned after being arrested for an immigration offence on their way out.

A departure amnesty would make sense, especially combined with tighter regulation of the job market and restricting access to our education, health and welfare state.

The prospect of an amnesty will only retain the illegals we have and attract more. It will shift the exploitation to another group of victims and will perpetuate the undercutting of honest employers and workers. In reality, it is foolishness. It would make a bad situation worse.

Sir Andrew Green is a former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Syria.

© Copyright of Sir Andrew Green