Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

A United Country Divided against itsself cannot stand strong

Published by calhoun on January 12th, 2012 - in Politics

June 16, 1858, Washington DC, USA: In a historically famous speech to the house of representatives of the United States, Senate candidate Abraham Lincoln issued a speech in which he declared: “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. These words echo quite seamlessly into the present situation in the United Kingdom.

For the first time in over three centuries, the United Kingdom is facing the possibility of another state succeeding from the British Empire. This time however, it is a founding nation. In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, and in turn the Kingdom of Scotland inherited the throne of England. In 2014, the people of Scotland are likely to vote on the possibility of declaring independence from England. Just like the Americans and our fore-bearers the people of Scotland face a fight to gain that independence from the very state it acquired.

Yesterday I read in the Metro some of the neumerous comments about David Cameron and his unity with Ed Miliband over preventing the succession of Scotland from the United Kingdom. Even going so far as to declare it may be unlawfull for a nation to act in a democratic way to decide its own future.

Let us remember that the Conservative party which David Cameron represents was given just 1 seat by the Scottish people. Given then that the people of Scotland clearly do not wish to be represented by the Conservative party and surely not David Cameron is it any wonder that the possibility of succession should rise. Britain has got involved in various wars over the last few decades to bring “democracy” to those countries. With support for Afghanistan and Iraq and more recently the democratic uprising in the Arab world. Why should be be afraid of democracy coming to home. Allow the people to decide what the people want. This is what the parliament is supposed to be there for.

Europe is a great place with many countries working together towards a common good, such as abolishing slavery and bringing justice to war criminals. Even so far as to try and make national governments responsible for the financial crisis that has hit the world so badly. This was incidentally why Britain vetoed since it would have to stand up and deal with the problem instead of hoping it would go away. I have no confidence in David Cameron nor his governments ability to operate a state where the vast majority of people are voting against him. With 83.256% of Scotland voting against the Conservative party, David Cameron really needs to think twice about interfering in affairs of Scotland.

Should independence happen, we expect Scotland would return to the Scandanavian economic area. This is the area which has the worlds top democratic states: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland. Each of these states has vastly a similar population to that of Scotland. The arguments that Scotland could not survive on its own? If Norway, with less people, and not a great deal higher GDP than the estimated Scottish GDP can become the 2011 worlds best democratic state, is it hard to believe that with our slightly higher population and a vastly liberal outlook on life that Scotland could achieve the same?

References
Metro, Wednesday, January 11, 2012
BBC Election 2010

Independancy or Financial Assurance That is the Question.

Published by calhoun on October 22nd, 2011 - in Politics

 

Scottish National Party ConfrenceScottish National Party Confrence 2011.

This weekend, in Inverness delegates and interested parties of the Scottish National Party has been converging to discuss such things as party conferences discuss.

Independence Referendum

Independence is a core value of the Scottish National Party, what is not yet clear is if it is truly a core value of the Scottish People. The people are generally divided on the subject which will undoubtedly give the party a big headache in years to come. It has been decided that the referendum will be towards the end of the current government session. How they plan to address the risk of a referendum being unpopular is to introduce an additional option in the referendum; more power to Scotland.

Devo Max – Full Financial Stability.

Under the proposals, Scotland would gain complete financial controls over Scotland. From Tax to Grants everything would be controlled from Edinburgh. This is likely to gain popularity amongst those that do not nessesarily wish to see the Great Britain break up. A referendum that offers three options for such an important issue is not such a bad thing. Remember the referendum on the voting system – that did not offer three although by rights it should have, and such a referendum would likely have had a different result set.

This should even satisfy those people in England that feel it is unjustified that Scotland should spend money to give free education to Scotland (we like to have intelligent people). Of course what they do not realise is that it means the funds that would ordinarily end up in English control would cease to be shipped down in bulk to England.

References:
BBC News | Holyrood

Reporters Justice: why education is important.

Published by calhoun on August 27th, 2011 - in News, Politics

Reporting on Justice lacks in the education to truely reflect upon the Justice

Scales of JusticeThe national press reporting on matters of justice can be misleading.

Fundemental national press should be reporting on what is happening. They should be reporting in such a way that the truth comes out. Instead however many papers are failing to do some basic research into the context of what they have reported.

UK Riots: Looter who pinched too scoops of ice-cream jailed for 16 months. – The Telegraph.

The Telegraph have reported this such that it comes across to the general population that some young kid who happened to be in the scene of riots in the UK helped himself to icecream and got sent to prison for over a year.

Anderson Fernandes, 21, wandered into Patisserie Valerie on Deansgate, Manchester, after finding the door open.” when you read it like that it sure does seem like the judge was extremely harsh in sentancing of this ice cream eating guy.

Charges

What really was the case however? That is what the press has been vague on reporting so lets get this some real context. Lets have a look at the conviction in more detail.

  • Plead Guilty: Admission to Burgalary.
  • Reported Guilty: Posession of Drugs.
  • Plead Guilty: Handeling Stolen Goods.
  • Reported Guilty: Posession of Offensive Wepoans.
  • Found Guilty of Violent Disorder (2009).
  • Guilty of breaching Community Order for above sentance.
  • Guilty of Common Assult (2010).
  • Guilty of Assult S47 (actual bodily harm) (2010).
  • Breached Community Order for above.

So when the news reports that he got sentanced to over a year in prison for stealing ice cream, an alternative way of writing it could be: The defendant who caused actual bodily harm to which he was sentanced to a community order to which he failed to do, in relation to a common assult to which he failed to complete a community order, having failed to complete a community order for violent disorder went on to handel stolen goods, drugs and steal, was sentanced to a prison sentance for failing to be brought to justice for his previous crimes.

Were you one of those people that screemed oh my god thats such a harsh sentance he shouldnt be in prison for just stealing an ice cream? What are you thinking now?

References:

The Sun | The Telegraph | The Judiciary

Shut down social networking to help looters: David Cameron.

Published by calhoun on August 14th, 2011 - in News, Politics

David Cameron vows never to use intelligence again.

“Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster. “- Sun Tzu

Cyber SecurityDavid Cameron has suggested that police need to have the power to shut down vital lines of communication such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The power should be used only in the event of a major incident. Naturally he is being vague as to what constitutes a major incident.

These plans are very disturbing, the amount of information which can be gathered through these channels is extensive. For a prime minister to suggest cutting off communications and vital intelligence gathering channels is worrying.

The path he sees before us is a worrying one. It starts with limitation of communication and free speech and ends in 1984.

Social Networking Is actively used for Crime Prevention

What the prime minister needs to realize is that whilst it may be used for organizing criminal activity, it is also a channel that should be used by the intelligence services to protect the civilian population. (more…)

Manchester Riots: Shop A Looter

Published by calhoun on August 13th, 2011 - in News, Politics

Manchester Riots : Shop A Looter – The Clean up of the City.

Manchester RiotsManchester Riots have caused problems for business and people in general. The behaviour of the looters have been completely unacceptable and without any meaning full purpose. They have been seeking things that they want but do not want to pay for it.

Early reports indicated that in Manchester city center in the region of 200 looters were causing trouble on Tuesday. Early on Wednesday whilst we were settling down for a meeting with a client, sky news was revealing that in the region of 113 people from that had already been arrested.

Greater Manchester Police have launched a name and shame type campaign. It is called Shop A Looter. (more…)

America UK Relationship: Why must we be like America?

Published by calhoun on August 13th, 2011 - in News, Politics

That ‘Special Relationship’ is back this time backed by David Cameron.

David Cameron British Prime MinisterPoliticians always refer to the United Kingdom’s alliance with the United States, which the population mostly views as a master and slave relationship is back on the tables.

Having a look at the track record of the United States do we really want to be emulating their ways?

With the riots of the last week, can you imagine how scary it would be if on every corner there was a “god given right to own a gun”?

Police have arrested literally hundreds of people how many could they have arrested if they were all armed? How deadly would the conflicts be?

We seriously need to take a step back and consider is the relationship with the United States government really what we want?

American to Take Control of the Police (more…)

UK Riots: Iran wants to send Human Rights convoy to Monitor

Published by calhoun on August 13th, 2011 - in News, Politics

United NationsAnti Western Government uses UK Riots for political propaganda.

The Iranian president has made a statement that is clearly a political propaganda move. He has accused the United Nations, and Human Rights organisations of being silent over the Riots that we have seen in the UK over the last week.

This coming from a man who has little or no respect for either the United Nations, or Human Rights is clearly outrageous.

He went so far as to suggest that an Iranian Human Rights delegation be sent to the United Kingdom to ‘monitor’ the situation. Clearly this is an unacceptable consideration. Until the Iranian government learns to accept the democratic ways, and respect that Human Rights are  of paramount priority over politics, they should be sanctioned away for the good of the human race.

People in the UK need to be patient as the justice system copes with the huge influx of criminals. The courts will have to separate out those who were caught in the middle of the troubles from those that were active. Justice will come in time and those responsible for the atrocious activities. (more…)

British government united: War Declared.

Published by calhoun on July 13th, 2011 - in News, Politics

Lib Dems, Tories and Labour unite in government. British government has declared war.
UK Goverment

Recently I mentioned that Rupert Murdoch was a somewhat hated person. It seems that that much has been confirmed. In a very rare occasion, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats and even Labour have came to an agreement.

The unification of the three parties in a vote in the House of Commons against him could be a symbol that change is starting to come to parliament. Then again, Ed Miliband was quoted as saying “There are times when the house of Commons has got to rise to the occasion and speak for the public“.  If this comes as a new revelation to him then that is very worrying, what does he think the house of commons should be doing during the rest of the week?

It is equally worrying that the unification of the parties in question took a personal attack in the form of the phone hacking before it got any weight. Gordon Brown being the latest victim, does this mean he still has some weight in parliament (of the political kind of weight that is).

MPs Inquiry (more…)

Human Rights Vetos Procrastination

Published by calhoun on July 10th, 2011 - in News, Politics

Human Rights must come first: European Courts rule UK has violated Human Rights in Iraq

European Union FlagTreatment of Iraq Citizens Not acceptable.

Human Rights has been violated by the British [and American] forces whilst in Iraq. The conclusion was not particularly hard to reach for the European Court of Human Rights I am sure. Many people have already been critical over US and UK actions in Iraq particularly the treatment of the locals.

House of Lords Overturned

Four years ago, the undemocratically elected house of lords of the United Kingdom ruled there was no breach. It will doubtless come as a rather disappointing ruling then that the European Court of Human Rights with supremacy over the House of Lords, and now the Supreme Court of Britain has ruled against them. It will come however as  a relief for minority groups worldwide. Governments will do what they want, but justice still will rule above even the Governments. (more…)

News of the World Heavy hand flies in for cover up.

Published by calhoun on July 9th, 2011 - in News, Politics

News of the World to be dealt with by Rupert Murdoch Personally

Rupert Murdock of News of the WorldNews of the World is soon going to be a thing of the past at least as far as publishing of the news paper is concerned. Tomorrow will be the last ever copy of the news of the world to be distributed. The story however is far from over. Indeed revelations today that News International’s most senior and most hated man is flying directly to London today to deal with the aftermath of the Hacking Claims.

Crime Scene

The news of the world offices are to be declared by the police investigation as a crime scene. This could be a problem for the corporate chairman. British Law allows for prosecution of directors for the actions taken by staff. If it  is deemed by the police investigation that criminal charges should be brought forward against News of the World, then Rupert Murdock himself may be subject to charges.

Protecting the Brand (more…)

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