Richard's Views

A tanker with no one at the helm
Gordon Brown's desire to go on spending OUR money, despite all the warnings and the dire economic situation, is nothing short of utter madness. It's also arrogant and shows a complete disregard for the poor, hard working taxpayer. And by cancelling the Comprehensive Spending Review CSR)until after the next election, Mr Brown and Labour add to their negligence by taking us all for fools. No one is fooled for one minute, Mr Brown, however hard you try to hide the vast debt our country is amassing. It is a pitiful sight watching a government try to cling on to power for power's sake. You may think, Mr Brown, that the Labour tanker is not for turning. But I can tell you there are submerged rocks ahead and they will tear the bottom out of your vessel and send you to the deep where Labour belongs.
Monday, June 29, 2009

Davis on grammars
What an excellent article in today's Mail on Sunday by David Davis MP on grammar schools. I agree with his call to bring back grammar schools, totally. They were and are still a wonderful springboard for those from less well off backgrounds to fly academically and flourish in adulthood. The real world is a competitive place and becoming more so. We need to encourage and nurture our brightest and our best, both at secondary and tertiary level. And, as Mr Davis suggests, entry could be attempted at 11, 12 and 13, to ensure that the less academic have more than one stab at getting into a grammar. We are not all the same and never will be. So, let's get back on the grammar school bandwagon and celebrate the opportunities it brings to those who would otherwise not have it.
Sunday, June 28, 2009

A life outside politics
I think it is important for MPs to have outside interests and jobs. So many of our political elite are career politicians, with little experience of life and independence of mind. There's no doubt in my mind that Mr Brown's tactics in introducing this new 'transparency' is to embarrass Conservative MPs on the whole. It's a shabby act of spite which will sadly put off many high calibre candidates from entering politics. Of course, I understand the argument that those with second jobs could well be influenced to lobby to the advantage of say their company. But so long as these appointments are made public and the MPs themselves declare an interest, I see no reason why keeping in touch with the wider world outside the corridors of power cannot continue. And how this so-called reform came from MPs tucking into the expenses' trough, I have no idea. The two are not related at all, hence my suspicion that this is just another Labour gimmick.
Sunday, June 28, 2009

A sad ending
I, like millions of others, have sung and danced to Michael Jackson's thrilling music. And, like many brilliant people, he had his flaws, but so often stardom destroys those in places in its headlights. The fact he's died prematurely and before he could once again excite us all on stage is very sad. He will, however, be remembered for the right reason: his wonderful music and talent.
Saturday, June 27, 2009

House of Lords
In my view the House of Lords should never have been touched. It's hard to defend its hereditary principle, but it's worked for hundreds of years, curbing extremes from both sides of the House. And if something works well, don't try and fix it. In true Labour style, Mr Brown and his cohorts have set about reforming the House of Lords in a vindictive and ham-fisted way. There's no coherent policy or thought process, just a view of 'let's get rid of these toffs at any price'. And now Mr Brown is thinking of culling the bishops. They, too, have their role, representing as they do our island's faith. It's hard to believe how an expenses' scandal, caused by a bunch of politicians with their noses in the trough, has led to the sabotage of our revered constitution. It's a cynical ruse which this government has used to appalling effect over the past 12 years to get its way. Shame on Brown and shame on Labour.
Thursday, June 25, 2009

Labour investment v Tory cuts
Gordon Brown's up to his unusual disingenuous tricks of trying to paint the Tories as a Party of cuts, while Labour will invest. The fact is that whichever Party wins the next election, cuts - especially in the public sector - are inevitable. Even the Governor of the Bank of England thinks so, and Mervyn King should know. Borrowing is to rise to an extra £700 billion over the next five years. This is a staggering amount which pushes our national debt to £1.3 trillion. According to the Daily Telegraph, paying the interest on this will cost more than funding both education and defence. All Mr Brown is doing is storing up a huge problem for our children. Labour has always believed that money resolves all problems, and it doesn't. This is where the socialist dogma fails a nation and will continue to do so for as long as it is pursued.
Thursday, June 25, 2009

In private
I don't know Earl Spencer and I've never met him. Nor do I know his second wife, Caroline. But the couple have just been informed by the courts that their divorce hearing must be held in public, despite their pleas to the contrary. Our family courts are a mess and divorce is a classic example of why. How can divorce - a deeply unpleasant and hurtful experience - between two people be of interest to the public? I can't think of one reason. Quite apart from the horror and cost of legal proceedings, there are the children to think about - something the family division bangs on about the whole time. All a high profile divorce, such as the Spencers', does is tear a family apart even more. A public hearing is nothing more than a humiliation of those involved, placing their dirty laundry on the line for all to see. It's time for a change, in the name of common sense, respect and decency.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Belching cows
Now, please take me seriously as I reveal the latest concern in the world today. Yes, it is indeed belching cows. And what's more there's a scientist out there studying a cow's genes to see if a new cow can be bred which does not belch so much! The gas from the back end of these poor animals is already being studied and now it seems the front end too. The boffins say cows contribute to greenhouse gases. I say they are one of nature's wonders, which we should not tinker with. They've farted and belched their way for hundreds of years, giving us meat, milk, clothing and companionship. Can we please leave them alone and deal with more urgent matters.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Thank God for small mercies
In Italy if you allegedly bed starlets and prostitutes young enough to be your daughter, your Party wins seats in regional elections. At least there is no chance of Gordon Brown resorting to that to keep power. He'll try anything else and continues to, spouting out the same old line he's saved the world with his economic competence. Luckily, the record's stuck, and no one's listening.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Empty coffers on retirement
We all like to save for a rainy day, or in this case our retirement. But there's a pension crisis, especially in the private sector, which Gordon Brown and Labour have already raided to fund their various splurges. Meanwhile, those in the public sector enjoy their totally unaffordable gold-plated pensions, which the country can't afford, or should I say the taxpayer. Labour has never lived in the real world and these warnings of a pension melt down come as no surprise. Add to this the credit crunch and the near zero interest rates and you can understand why so many people are worried about their future security.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Rule Britannia
We used to rule the waves, of that there is no doubt. And our senior Service, the Royal Navy, prevented us from starving during World War II and has protected our island and our overseas' interests for generations. Now due to cuts, government bungling and hopelessly inefficient procurement procedures, we are left launching our latest warship which can't even fire its main defensive anti-aircraft missile, the Sea Viper. Already late and over budget - just for a change - the Type 45 destroyer will not be fully operational for another two years! According to the Daily Telegraph the ships will also be missing 'key communications equipment'. And due to cut backs, the Royal Navy is only getting six of these vessels, rather than the original 12. So, all in all, this is yet another cock up of serious proportions. The armed services are struggling enough already without having to deal with incompetent politicians, who can't even update our small and undersized fleet without making a mess of things. We must do better, if elected.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Common sense
What next! We can't take photographs of our children at school during events like sports day. I really do wonder where we are heading as a country. But, a saviour is at hand in the shape of the deputy Information Commissioner. The who, you ask? It does sound Big Brotherish, doesn't it. Anyway, he's said pictures can be taken and education authorities around the land will be told so. This is not dissimilar to news pictures of school playgrounds, where all you see are feet. Can't common sense rule the land, please!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Blair in the frame
Any inquiry into the Iraq war must be held in public. I've already stated this and I believe it was the nation wants. And the fact we are now hearing reports that Mr Blair wants it to be held behind closed doors does nothing but increase demands for a public inquiry. The nation believes we were lied to by Mr Blair. There were never any weapons of mass destruction, but Mr Blair was a political opportunist and he saw himself astride the world stage as a war leader, probably in the mould of Baroness Thatcher. But Mr Blair is no Mrs T. And I believe a public inquiry, with evidence being given on oath, will strip away all spin and reveal to us all why we really went to war against Iraq.
Monday, June 22, 2009

Freedom of the press
Seldom in my lifetime has the significance of a free press been so underlined than with this whole debacle over the publication of MPs' expenses. Without the Daily Telegraph's intervention, we would never have learnt of the extent of this scandal. What is extraordinary though is that now we know about it the Commons publishes its version, but with much of it blacked out! This just doesn't make sense and worse it shows really just how out of touch the parliamentary machine is with the real world. Thank God for a free press and this whole mess should remind us just how important it is in a democracy.
Friday, June 19, 2009

Neutering MPs
A worrying article in today's Daily Telegraph glared out from page 22. Written by Benedict Brogan, he explains how Gordon Brown is trying to emasculate MPs in the House of Commons. First, MPs will have to reveal far more details about their outside interests, including how much they earn and how long they work and, second, Mr Brown's planning to introduce a code of conduct similar to the dreaded Standards Board which haunts our local politicians. I find it incredible that Mr Brown has used this expenses' scandal to tinker yet again with our constitution. It will do nothing to attract more people into politics and will at worst prevent MPs from having the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience we need in the House of Commons. And a code of conduct is unnecessary and counter productive. The nastier elements in politics will see it as a useful tool to neuter MPs, quite apart from the waste of time and money involved as each 'breach' is investigated. I and many others despair.
Thursday, June 18, 2009