Gone with the wind: Where shall I go? What shall I do? Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

The now former Home Office Secretaty was expressly asked by the Prime Minister not to make a certain statement and she, ignoring the concerns of the Prime Minister, went ahead and made the statement.

Direct consequence? She is now out of a job. She left Rishi Sunak with no choice. She had to be sacked because she was underming the authority of the Prime Minister.

Now, as a backbencher, she can say whatever she pleases as long as she does not get herself in any other mess that could lead her to lose the party whip for bringing the Conservative Party into disrepute. After her dismissal she stated that in coming days she will have something to say. Well, it will depend on what she says and the way in which she says what she says. She is desperately to be controversial in order to raise her profile, but she is managing to raise her profile for the wrong reasons. Saying outrageous things that promote violence is not the right course of action. Ignoring the authority of the Prime Minister is not the right course of action. She aligned herself with those who are on a collision course with the Conservative Party.

The arrival of David Cameron in difficult times when it comes to geopolitical issues sends a clear signal. Rishi Sunak is now trying to surround himself with heavyweights and the former Prime Minister David Cameron might be invigorated after a necessary vacation after the battles that he himself had to fight to keep the Conservative Party together during the Brexit war. Let's see what David Cameron can put on the table to salvage a struggling Conservative Party.

It is an interesting time with David Cameron as Foreign Secretary and Boris Johnson as GB News presenter. What will Boris Johnson have to say about the new Cabinet?

  

GB News: Using financial wars and persecution to eliminate political opponents is a double edged sword

Using financial wars and persecution to eliminate political opponents is a double edged sword that can cut both ways.

Jo Cox

 OFCOM is a political tool used to silence political opponents.  There is  a very open wars been waged by the so called mass media establishment against GB News as GB News challenges their monopoly, a monopoly that has been used to manipulate, control and push forward a range of political agendas.

The BBC British Broadcasting Corporation has long ceased to be British and is now openly anti-British and promotes an agenda that erodes the foundations of British society weakening national cohesion.

But the BBC is not alone. Other operators like SKY NEWS push forward the same range of agendas telling their audiences that Britain is too weak to be an independent country and that therefore it should be run by the European Union. They also promote the agenda that Britain is too British, too white and that race is the foundation for social inequalities and that Britain is based on social inequality and slavery. Such corrosive set of messages has infiltrated the education system and the mass media. So what is the aim of attacks attacks against anybody who rebels? To purge the education system and the mass media of anybody who dares to oppose their agendas and this is turning into personal attacks against educators and journalists.

One should not forget one of the main reasons Jo Cox MP was killed. She was seen as an example of the kind of agendas being promoted by the BBC and the SKY News and this is why, one day, out of the blue, she was shot and stabbed in plain daylight. None other that one the main political editors of SKY News is heading the crusade to close down GB News, supported by a Conservative MP paid by the mass media establishment.

This cannot end up in a happy manner. There is far too much on the table and sooner than later it is going to turn extremely nasty.

Liz Truss - New British Prime Minister - the test begins now

 

Forget the rhetoric of the election campaign and focus on actions taken from the moment that Liz Truss MP is officially inaugurated as British Prime Minister.

After the meeting with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Liz Truss as third woman elected British Prime Minister, will be on her way to deal with some of the most difficult situations Britain has had to face and will have to act decisively to avoid all kinds of pitfalls.

On the national front, she will have to deal with the consequences of the energy crisis generated by positions adopted by Boris Johnson regarding the conflict in Eastern Europe.

She would also have to deal with entrenched positions involving Northern Ireland and the formulation of new British Bill of Human Rights to detach Britain from the European Court of Human Rights.

All issues are directly linked to British sovereignty that was severely limited to the point that, even when sorting out problems generated by illegal immigration, it it is still the case that foreign countries can tell Britain what to do about her own immigration policies.

Energy and everything linked to energy will be at the core of her premiership. The choice is between Net Zero and Self-Sufficiency. Do we want Britain to be prosperous and politically stable or do we want Britain subjected to a cycle of permanent crisis caused by unrealistic aims?

It is no mystery that the Parliamentary Conservative Party wanted Rishi Sunak at the helm, but the Membership of the Conservative Party supported Liz Truss. The margin between the two candidates was pretty close, but she had an absolute majority anyway.

The EU economy is falling apart and the Euro continues its descent compared to the US Dollar. The same is happening to the British Pound. So there is no safe haven anywhere. It is only September 2022. The arrival of the European winter will forcefully bring new realities into the big picture. The Russian Federation will not be willing to restore gas supplies until sanctions against the Russian Federation are dropped. What happens to the German economy will have a direct impact inside the EU and also in Britain. 

The prospect of a conflict of major proportions has already been mentioned by the European Commission. An economically unstable European Union can bring back the ghosts of the 1930s. Words like recession, rationing and blackouts are mentioned with increasing frequency.

This is not an easy time for Britain and Liz Truss knows it full well. As a member of Boris Johnson's Cabinet she had to support policies that went against her declared way of thinking and this is clearly understandable. The challenge is to adopt policies that many in her own party will oppose. Loyalty seems to be one of the main qualities that better describes the new British Prime Minister. She campaigned for Remain, but helped Boris Johnson to implement Brexit. She was not in favour of tax rises, but she did support tax rises out of duty. She occupied key positions within the Cabinet and is seen as the longest serving MP in the Cabinet. She is known as very hardworking and committed to the task in hand. You might disagree with many of her stances, but we must recognize her dedication.

She is definitely not a good debater. Her political opponents criticize her debating skills. Having said that, what really matters is her capacity to make hard decisions and stick to the course.

We look forward to knowing who will in the next Conservative Cabinet. 

  

Could George Galloway win in Batley and Spen?

 

July 2021 - Batley and Spen By Election

Could George Galloway win in Batley and Spen?

The present Labour Candidate Kim Leadbeater, sister of Jo Cox, joined the Labour Party with few days to spare, to be able to stand as Labour Candidate in a seat that has been Labour since 1997.

Having said that, Batley and Spen is a very special Labour Party seat. In Batley and Spen, 60 per cent of voters voted for Brexit and about 30% of the population is of Asian descent and mostly Muslim.

With Jeremy Corbyn ousted from the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn's associates stated that should the Labour Party lose the election in Batley and Spen then it would Keir Starmer turn to leave his post as Labour Party Leader. 

It has been reported that the official Labour Party is concerned about the arrival of George Galloway in Batley and Spen and should be worried for several reasons. Apart from the fact the 60% of voters supported Brexit and 30% of the population is of Asian descent and most Muslim is enough to be worried. George Galloway's arrival could be used to oust Keir Starmer as Leader.

The gap between Labour and Conservatives has been getting smaller and smaller in favour of the Conservative Party. If George Galloway takes away just enough votes away from Labour to breach that gap, this would open the door to the Conservative Party. And what if George Galloway actually wins in Batley and Spen? He would return to the House of Commons and be there until the next General Election and there will at least the temptation for several Labour Party MPs to join him thus hurting the official Labour Party very badly.

Kim Leadbeater has already complained about 'external forces taking part in the Batley and Spen by-election. It is a by-election. Voters know that this would not change the present compositioin of the House of Commons and that at the end of the day the Conservative Party would still be in power. After what happened in Hartlepool and what happened in Chesham and Amersham where votes for the Labour Party were counted as hundreds behind the Green Party, voters might decide to give Keir Starmer a bloody nose. For supporters of Jeremy Corbyn, Keir Starmer - more than Boris Johnson - is the real Enemy Number One. 

The official Labour Party has used Kim Leadbeater to play the emotional card since she is the sister of Jo Cox, but in doing so Labour Party rules were bent to allow Kim Leadbeater to stand as she has not been a Labour Party member long enough to stand as a candidate for Member of Parliament. 

For those supporting Keir Starmer, this is about the survival of his leadership. For those supporting Jeremy Corbyn this is about getting rid of Keir Starmer and George Galloway despite being outside the Labour Party is a Labour Party man. For all the aforementioned, Batley and Spen could be a very interesting by-election to watch.

Candidates standing for election in July 2021

• Paul Bickerdike, Christian Peoples Alliance
• Mike Davies, Alliance for Green Socialism
• Jayda Fransen, Independent
• George Galloway, Workers Party
• Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrats
• Therese Hirst, English Democrats
• Howling Laud Hope, Official Monster Raving Loony Party
• Susan Laird, Heritage Party
• Kim Leadbeater, Labour Party
• Ollie Purser, Social Democratic Party
• Corey Robinson, Yorkshire Party
• Andrew Smith, Rejoin EU
• Ryan Stephenson, Conservative Party
• Jack Thomson, UK Independence Party
• Jonathan Tilt, Freedom Alliance
• Anne Marie Waters, The For Britain Movement

Note: Jayda Fransen will be standing as Independent because the so called British Freedom Party has never been registered as a political party in the United Kingdom.

 

Dominic Cummings: Whistleblower or Spiteful man seeking revenge no matter what?

 

For months on end, the Opposition targetted Dominic Cummings identifying him as the source of all evil in the British government. Mr. Cummings was pictured and depicted in the most negative manner, harassed by journalists and lots of ink was spread about him being the worst of the worst. They even laughed when he presumably was infected with Covid-19.

Months passed and one day Dominic Cummings was fired by the Conservative goverment. The Opposition celebrated. Finally, they had got their man and he was out of government. Such an evil influence he had been! Now, months later after he was fired, he has now been made the centre of attention because he is saying exactly what the Opposition wants him to say to attack the Conservative government.

But wait a minute! Mr. Cummings is saying that he knew that lives were being put at risk and chose to stay in government, keeping his mouth shut while thousands were dying? So here comes the fact. If what he says is true, then Mr Cummings is guilty as hell for being part of a lethal cover up and criminal charges should be raised against him for being an accomplice of serious crimes. He says that he knew that lives were being put in danger and chose to remain silent until when? Until he was fired. Only months after he was fired he calculated that it was then the time to talk and reveal all. This stinks as the cold blooded maneuvers of a political manipulator that knows which buttons to press to get things his way.

The Opposition has been a disgrace, failing to carry out proper opposition, focusing on scandals instead of promoting viable alternatives and now the Opposition - once again - is not offering the kind of choices that ordinary voters want to hear about. What is the reality of it all? Britain is coming out of Lockdown. The economy is starting to pick up speed and moving in the right direction. The country is once again open for business and business is what Britain is about. 

Do I trust the present Opposition? The previous Shadow Cabinet was a shambles with various examples of sheer incompetence and then came yet another reshuffle very much like a game of chairs. The grass roots of the Labour Party, elected representatives of the Labour Party, are publicly saying that they don't know what the Labour Party stands for, that they don't have a clue about what the Labour Party stands for. People were joking about the demotion of the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party that was given so many attributions as compensation for her demotion that she might have become a risk for the Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer.

Things are so bad, the Labour MPs who are still loyal to the previous Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn even with that the Labour Party does badly in the Batley and Spen by-election due to take place in July as a way to get rid of Keir Starmer. Is using what Mr Cummings is saying - regardless of it being true or false - a way to divert attention from the miserable state the Opposition is in?

The disconnect between the Labour Party and its supporters is plainly obvious. In Batley and Spen, a community with a vast presence of people of Pakistani and Indian descent (16.9% Pakistani and 15.9% Indian) where Labour has had a majority since 1997, 60% per cent of voters voted for Brexit. The London centric Labour Party seems to be ignoring the will of its supporters all along. They ignored the will of voters in Hartlepool and were routed by the Conservative Party. Wil they seek to ignore the will of voters once again in Batley and Spen? 

I understand why the Opposition is trying to find some alternative narrative to motivate voters to come out and vote for them. If Kim Leadbeater really want to win the seat in Batley and Spen she might be well advised to put some distance between herself and the Parliamentary Labour Party, between herself and the leadership of the Labour Party, and to choose to fight the election on purely local issues. Keir Starmer position on geopolitical issues might not carry the favour of people who are predominantly Muslim. Some die-hard Remain stances might not be very favourable either. 

 

Kim Leadbeater: In a first past the post election, we should think more about the qualities of the candidate than about the qualities of the leader of a political party

 

Whether Kim Leadbeater is or isn't the sister of Jo Cox that used to represent Batley and Spen - there will be a by-election next July - is for some people a relevant issue and some think that she was selected to stand because she is the sister of Jo Cox.

For me, personally, it is about the qualities of the candidate and it should not matter who is the Leader of the Labour Party. It is a first-past-the-post election. We should focus on the candidate and not on who is the Leader of the party.

By the same token, people in Manchester voted for Andy Burnham because Andy Burnham was the man standing, I am sure that many of those voting for Andy Burnham do not agree with the way Keir Starmer is leading the Labour Party, but they still voted for Andy Burnham because they like the way he runs Manchester as Mayor of Manchester. The same should apply to Batley and Spen.

Some Labour MPs have publicly said that if the Labour Party loses the by-election in a seat that they have held since 1997 (the year when Tony Blair came to power as Prime Minister), it will be curtains for Keir Starmer's leadership. For some, this is about the Labour Party. I think this is about the person that the people of Batley and Spen want to represent them in Westminster.

Trying to equate Hartlepool with Batley and Spen is wrong for various reasons. Firstly, the by-election in Hartlepool was called because the local Labour MP resigned because of an ongoing investigation into sexual abuses. The situation is Batley and Spen is radically different. The by-election in Batley and Spen was called because Tracy Brabin - the local Labour MP - was elected Mayor of West Yorkshire. 

There is a significant factor. In the EU Membership Referendum, 60 per cent of those who voted voted for Brexit. Therefore, some in the Labour Party should tone down their anti-Brexit rhetoric and at least try to respect the will of the voters of Batley and Spen.

Kim Leadbeater has spoken with wisdom. She has reminded the official Labour Party that far too many Labour MPs have no experience of the real world and that this contributes to their detachment from ordinary voters. 

Corona Virus: What comes after it?

Corona Virus: What comes after it?

We cannot listen to the news without the customary report about the economic consequences of the present Corona Virus crisis. 

Day in, day out, those who know about economics and those who play by ear, they all have something to say about impending doom.

What about if the present crisis changes the way we do things for the better? What if numbers and percentages are seen no more as rulers? What if we start looking at life and human beings as what they are: life and human beings.

There is no point in talking about the number of dead people including those who are dying in care homes if we are not willing to implement necessary changes to ensure that should a similar situation arise in the future we are better prepared to keep people alive.

What if we can work better and more efficiently without being crowded in cars and public transport? What if we save the time we spend travelling around having a more balanced lifestyle? We could produce more, have better lives, and have much a much better economy.

Comments made about how Beijing looked before the Corona Virus crisis and how Beijing looks now during the Corona Virus crisis, about how animals were returning to places taken over by humans beings, made me think. What about making the improvements generated by a tragedy a permanent feature of a new way of life?

Where there is danger, there is opportunity. The opportunity to do things much better.

Germany: Thuringen could set the tone of German politics

Germany: Thuringen could set the tone of German politics

Angela Merkel is now the Chancellor supported by a political party that doesn't have a leader after the leader she chose to succeed her (Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaeur) resigned saying that she doesn't have enough support in the CDU.

In Thuringen, the fraction of CDU chose to vote together with Alternative für Deutschland and now the CDU itself is in limbo having to choose between left and right.

After five elections - a Federal Election in which CDU/CSU and their then partners SPD suffered significant losses - and four state elections (Brandenburg, Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony in which Alternative für Deutschland and Grünen made important gains), have been followed by what happened in Thüringen that led to the resignation of the party leader.

Will CDU decide to side with Die Linke linked to the Communist Party of the former East Germany? Will CDU decide to side with Alternative für Deutschland? CDU has been caught between a rock and a hard place. If there was to be another Federal Election, what are the chances of a leaderless political party?  SPD has already announced that if Angela Merkel falls they will not enter into a new coalition.

And this happens when discussions about the new European Union budget are ongoing and the crisis generated by coronavirus in China could affect German trade with China and the future relationship with Britain is very much in doubt. Germany without stable governance is not a stable Germany and the more politically fragmented the more difficult it will be to take important decisions both at national and international level.

United Britain: the task ahead

United Britain: the task ahead

After Brexit, the task is to reinforce the unity of the United Kingdom by putting in place policies that show regions of the United Kingdom - apart from the Southeast - that they do matter.

The rise of the SNP didn't happen overnight. Firstly, the Conservatives lost Scotland in 1997. After that, Labour and Liberal Democrats lost Scotland. But then Scotland was not alone. North/South Divide is a reality and then we reach Northern Ireland that has been treated as the poor cousin.

London/Southeast centric United Kingdom cannot go on. Unless the new Conservative government manages to do something extraordinary to create opportunities for all,  

When Boris Johnson suggested the construciton of a bridge to unite Northern Ireland and the UK mainland, many jumped in to criticize the British Prime Minister.Well, soonafter Crime rejoined the Russian Federation, the Russian President Vladimir Putin embarked on the construction of a bridge to join Crime and the mainland of the Russian Federation. The construction of a bridge would send a direct message to every nation of the United Kingdom and to the world as a whole. 

Will the Conservative government have the sense and the stamina to carry out such a task without repeating the same mistakes that Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats made that led to the present status quo?

It is not an easy task with so many interests that want to break apart the United Kingdom. Some of those interests are linked to internal divisions. Others are foreign and rooted in the European Union that fears the rise of Britain as a serious competitor. The old historical divisions have not gone away. In the end, Germany is Germany and France is France and Germany and France happen to be the main drivers of the European Union. When the time comes, what is going to be on the negotiation table is not the interests of the EU but the interests of the main powers within the EU. And as long as this is the case the future of the EU itself will hang in the balance.

Britain is pulled by blocks and geopolitical realities and very often against British interests. Brexit should mean a truly independent Britain with its own set of foreing policies. The Conservative government will be judged because of its successes at national level and because of its actions in the international arena., 

Brexit: January 31st 2020 11pm London

Brexit: January 31st 2020 11pm London

Tonight is the night. After years or wranggling, a Referendum and two General Elections, Britain has come a long way. What next? Next is decision time about the future relationship with both the EU and the USA plus dramatic geopolitical stances. Massive repositioning is on the way. This is about Iran, China, and the Russian Federation. From now on, the old status quo is on the way out.

Germany stood firm to protect its national interests linked to an pipeline that will bring oil and gas to Germany directly from the Russian Federation. The 5G revolution is very much part a key piece of geopolitical struggles. Every step of the way new issues will arise that will not lead to unity but to divisions. Old alliances are being tested to the limit.

The outome of the present struggles will define a new status quo in which there will be new political realities. Old allegiances will be no more. National interests will prevail. The creation of new defensive/offensive structures is already ongoing. The future of NATO is by no means guaranteed. Pesco is not just a new defensive/offensive project. It is much more than that. It is a geopolitical statement. Very much promoted by Germany and France, Pesco brings NATO into question.

And then, threre is the economics war. While USA applies sanctions against the Russian Federation, China and Iran, the tariffs and tax confrontations between USA and EU are the equivalent of sanctions. 

 

Brexit: Then and Now

Brexit: Then and Now

In ten days time, Britain will be on its way to be as it was before entering the Common Market. Will it be like it was before entering the Common Market?

So much has happened in more than 40 years. There has been a demographic revolution and London - its capital city - is completely unrecognizable. The Monarchy itself is unrecognizable. We have had Harry-exit. Diana's boy is now in Canada, without a Royal title. SNP seems to rule Scotland and is threatening to break up the United Kingdom. Let us remember another earthquake that happened in the United Kingdom in the 1920, the partition of Ireland and the creation of two separate entities - the Republic of Ireland in the south and the Province of Northern Ireland in the north. A hundred years later, we are witnessing events that have generated realities that we couldn't possibly have imagined thirty years ago.

But when it comes to surprising changes, Britain is not alone. The European Continent is on the move and significant political developments are taking place. 

Merkel, Medvedev, Schroeder

Germany is also unrecognizable. CDU/CSU is faltering and Alternative für Deutchland and Grünen are rising stars. In France, Emannuel Macron - the opportunity candidate that rose to power as to prevent National Front (Now National Rally) from winning the French Presidential Election is facing war as discontent rises. As the Socialists were on the way out, the French Centre Right faced the unthinkable and had to create a fantasy on the back of a massive propaganda effort.

Brexit is not the main issue, Europe is facing. Much more serious developments are on the way. Unfortunately, and perhaps in a premeditated manner, the mass media have their own agenda and they don't report about certain events to the point that when something dramatic happens it seems to have come from nowhere.

Politics: Pretending that conflict doesn't exist doesn't avoid conflict

Politics: Pretending that conflict doesn't exist doesn't avoid conflict

Some in the United Kingdom complain saying that one of the BBC flagship programmes - Question Time - has become too beligerant, that those taking part in it are not the happy chappies they used to be and that they are at each other's throats even after the cameras and microphones are switched off.

When issues matter people who care become beligerant. As Americans become beligerant when it comes to the right to bear arms. Do they become beligerant? Of course they do. Rights are fought for.

Isn't this something that marks the history of any nation across the world? The expression is: standing up for your rights. Did Britain award the colonies in America the right to vote, the decision power they were asking for because they were paying taxes to the British Crown without representation? Conflict is often unavoidable.

The upper lip, the time to endure without reacting, is on its way out. People become plainly open about their views. They say that in Britain people are learning to litigate, somehow following the example of the United States of America. Those accustomed to pretend that nothing is happening are alarmed when somebody stands up and airs his or her views openly. The time to bow is over.   

When Prince Harry Windsor says "I have had enough", the ground trembles. Those who strive to maintain the status quo are shocked. When reverence feels and sounds like subservience, the time for reverence is over and this happens over and over again and the fact that it happens is a healthy feature of social development.

But in Britain, at several levels, including Universitary education, many are not ready for plain talking. They are literally afraid of plain talking. British universities used to be a lighthouse of free thinking. Nowadays, they are bastions of political correctness and repression. The education system controlled by left-wing ideologues promotes a totalitarian approach. Having said that, when such approach goes not only against true democratic values but also against national interest there is no room for complaisancy. 

Now is the time for plain talking to cleanse Britain of negative structures and negative tendencies. The sooner we call apples apples and oranges oranges the better. Just across the pond, in the USA, the attempt by the Democrats to change the outcome of a Presidential Election will lead to a backlash as the attempt by a Remain Parliament led to a backlash in the United Kingdom and this is very much the consequence of democratic principles. When the Democrats as elected work against the electors, the electors rebel and get rid of the elected.

Regardless of who has the balance of power in the House of Representatives, ignoring the wishes of the American people the Democrats are digging up their own political graves. The Democrats are abusing power to try and change the outome of an election. The vote in the House of Representatives was in itself proof that the attempt to impeach President Trump is no more than a Democrat coup attempt. It was by no means a bypartisan vote.

Britain: Will Scotland declare independence unilaterally?

Britain: Will Scotland declare independence unilaterally?

The Brexit earthquake just happened but there are tremors in Scotland with QC stating that Scottish Parliament could call a Referendum without the authorization of the Westminster Parliament. 

Whether it is legal or illegal for Scotland to declare independence is irrelevant. What is relevant is the question of what could happen if Scotland were to unilaterally declare independence. In the years after the 2016 Referendum on EU Membership, the movement towards Scottish independence has been reinforced by a General Election in which SNP has reaffirmed its position as the party of Scotland going against what happened in other parts of the United Kingdom where the Conservative Party won in Labour Party heartlands.

The present crisis in the British Monarchy doesn't help. For many years, the Monarchy has been the glue that kept together the United Kingdom. A weaker Monarchy is a recipe for trouble. In geopolitical terms, Scotland is moving towards EU while the rest of Britain is in limbo. For the moment, at least some kind of balance has been in Northern Ireland with the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Trying to keep the United Kingdom in its present form by force could lead to civil war. But if the use of force is out of the question, how would people on both sides of the border react if the Scottish Parliament decides to call a Referendum or decides to declare independence unilaterally. In the 1920s, there was the partition of Ireland giving birth to the Republic of Ireland in the south of Ireland and the Province of Northern Ireland in the north of Ireland. A century later, could this be the time for Scotland?

 

In politics, the issue is to have candidates that can perform

In politics, the issue is to have candidates that can perform

A politician is a salesman that sells ideas and strive to meet up expectations. Voters look at the salesman. Is he a credible salesman? They listen to what that the salesman says and ponder about how likely the salesman is to deliver what he promises to deliver. They might like or dislike what is on offer. If they dislike what is on offer, they might go against it and if they like what is on offer they might even disregard their first impression about the salesman (or salewoman).

The Liberal Democrats had been all over the place and in the spate of a few years have had more leaders that there were General Elections. Correct me if I forget all the names. After Paddy Ashdown came Charles Kennedy, Sir Menzies Campbell, Vince Cable, Nick Clegg, Tim Farron, Sir Vince Cable, Jo Swinson, Baroness Sal Brighton, Sir Ed Davey, and Mark Pack? For the duration of one Parliament they were in power in coalition with the Conservatives under David Cameron.

The Liberal Democrats - with a few exceptions - defined themselves as pro-EU. After the 2016 Referendum, the made themselves one of the stumbling blocks in the quest for Brexit. They desperately pursued the possibility of a Second Referendum with the hope of keeping Britain in the European Union. When that failed to cristalize, they went for a General Election that they strongly believed would give them what they wanted but from the start the struggle to reach an agreement with other political forces to overcome party political differences. They divided the Remain Camp because they couldn't possibly reach an agreement with Jeremy Corbyn. The fact that several Labour MPs and several Conservative MPs decided to join them was not an incentive to reach such agreement. She went as a far as saying that she would go against Article 50 and de-facto keep Britain in the European Union despite the outcome of the 2016 Referendum on EU Membership. This last act signalled the beginning of the end for Jo Swinson's leadership. The British Electorate could possibly stomach the idea of a Second Referendum. They couldn't possibly support somebody that talked about getting rid of the Article 50 straight away.

The issue for Scottish voters - Jo Swinson was at the time a Scottish MP - was to decide between an SNP that openly stood for Remain and also for Scottish Independence and a Liberal Democrat MP that stood for Remain but against Scottish Independence. The political fate of Jo Swinson was sealed. She lost her seat and as a direct consequence of losing her seat she could not continue as Lib Dem leader.

Voters didn't like the saleswoman, didn't believe that the saleswoman could deliver what she was offering and many even didn't like what she was offering. In the process, every single Labour MP and every single Conservative MP that defected to Lib Dems lost their seats. Even the possibility of a hang Parliament eluded them. 

The agony for both Lib Dems and Labour is self-evident. For Labour, as some Labour representatives have publicly stated, the aim is to restore public faith. The party is a divided as before. It is difficult to find a unity candidate. London set itself apart from the rest of the Labour movement when Labour voters outside London decided that the only possible choice was to support the Conservative Party.

To say that the Labour Party has a mountain to climb would be a historic understatement. As long as whoever replaces Jeremy Corbyn is seen as a representative of the Jeremy Corbyn lobby, the Labour Party will struggle to recover.

Now, all eyes look towards the 2020 May Elections and in particular towards the London Mayoral Election in which an opponent of Jeremy Corbyn - Sadiq Khan - is likely to win a second mandate. Given the absence of candidates visibly able to unseat Sadiq Khan, the London Mayoral Election could serve to unite a very divided Labour Party.

Do you see Sadiq Khan as potential Labour Party leader? Nobody mentions Andy Burnham - present Mayor of Greater Manchester. Former Member of Parliament and former Cabinet Minister and a likeable individual far detached from Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and one of the centre-left politicians born in Liverpool - a northerner. If the Labour Party has any hope of bringing back traditional labour voters into the fold, choosing a man from Liverpool with proven political record would not be a bad choice. Sadiq Kahn would appeal to London. Andy Burham would appeal to the country as a whole. 

Whoever is chosen now as leader could end up being the leader of a party forever in opposition but if the struggle ends up being a war between London and the rest of the country the Labour Party will have to decide between being a political party for London or being a political party for Britain. 

 

Sadiq Khan: London Mayoral Election 2020

Sadiq Khan: London Mayoral Election 2020

Despite what happened in the rest of the country and in the Labour Party in particular, I don't think there is a natural challenger that could unseat Sadiq Khan as London Mayor. 

Whoever aspires to defeat Sadiq Khan will have to have enough political weight to have any chance of winning against a London Mayor that built his own political profile regardless of the troubles of the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Regardless of his stances on Brexit and his statements on foreign affairs i.e. his war of words with President Donald Trump, I reckon Sadiq Khan could even benefit from his stances and statements because London is a completely different cup of tea when compared to the rest of the United Kingdom.
Who are the other contenders? Well, Shaun Bailey will be standing as Conservative Party Mayoral Candidate. The Liberal Democrats have Siobhan Benita who previously stood in 2012 as Independent. Siän Berry will stand for the Green Party. Sue Black will stand for the Women's Equality Party, Rosalind Readhead would be standing as Independent, and Rory Stewart, former Conservative MP would be standing as Independent Candidate.

Despite the fact that opinion polls indicate that Sadiq Kahn went from 62% down to 44%  (December 2018 until November 2019), none of the contenders seem to have the charisma and the experience Sadiq Khan has. So unless there is a last minute change with a bigger hat being thrown into the ring I reckon the Sadiq Khan's mandate will be extended for another four years. 

Greens and Labour will be fighting for predominance in the London Assembly. As it was stated in a husting in London before the 2019 General Election, the Green Party is a serious challenger and would do well on the London Wide List. The credibility of the Lib Dems was seriusly damaged with the loss of many MPs - including those who defected from the Labour Party and the Conservative Party and their leader Jo Swinson but they could do well enough to get Siobhan Benita elected as London Assembly Member if they play their cards right.

With regards to UKIP and Brexit Party and other political contenders, they were routed or not even stood in December 2019. Therefore, I believe that they wouldn't stand a chance. They would lose not just the election but also all their deposits.

European Union: Poland's troubles are just the beginning.

European Union: Poland troubles are just the beginning

Recent internal elections in SPD in Germany have led to new problems for Angela Merkel. The new leadership of SPD is demanding further concessions that Angela Merkel has dimmed unacceptable and this could mean the end of the ruling coalition. The German Chancellor who is no longer the leader of her own poilitcal party -CDU - knows that additional financial burdens that come on top of having to supply additional monies for the European Union will have a political cost that she cannot afford. 

SPD is making more financial demands, regardless of the fact that SPD lost the 2017 Federal Elections and has lost in every single state election that came afterwards -= Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saxony and Hesse in which Alternative für Deutschland and Grünen made huge advances. Alternative für Deutschland is the official German Opposition in the Bundestag and commands support in every single one of the sixteen regional parliaments in Germany.

It has been reported that it could take up to a year to approve the European Union budget and German taxpayers are in no mood to increase financial contributions via higher taxes or increased borrowing. If the German coalition falls, Angela Merkel could become the Chancellor in a minority government or even fall from power to be replaced by the present leader of CDU.

This comes as more and more CDU politicians are choosing to work together with Alternative für Deutschland despite threats issued by Angela Merkel herself to deter CDU membrers from effectively joining Alternative für Deutschland at local level. Let's remember that Germany is the driving force within the European Union and that her main partner - France - is facing times of great political uncertainty.

The landslide victory of the Conservative Party led by Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom must have come as a bucket of cold water not just for Germany but for others within the ruling elites of the European Union who are now threatening to refuse to approve the Withdrawal Agreement that they themselves negotiated with the Conservative Government. The mere possibility of a No Deal outcome is what Germany's CDU fears most. They know that Germany will have to face pressures coming not just from the USA that doesn't want EU unfair trade practices but also from an invigorated United Kingdom. Germany sees its position as net expoeter threatened and this means less votes if the German economy falters.

If Poland were to leave the European Union soon to be followed by others, one wonders what could be worse: the political and psychological implications of mone countries leaving the European Union or the financial consequences. Just a few weeks ago, President Macron blocked the accession of Albania and North Macedonia arguing that it would no be advisable to incorporate new countries without implementing urgent reforms before such accession is even contemplated. Adding more countries that will be net receivers of EU funding is a recipe for disaster at a time when the main funders of the European Union are facing troubles of their own.

   

Labour: Choosing Corbyn ally as replacement Leader changes nothing

Labour: Choosing Corbyn ally as replacement Leader changes nothing

The name on the cards to replace Jeremy Corbyn is Rebecca Long Bailey, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn. If she is effectively the new Leader, little will have changed and it would show that the Labour clique is not willing to accept the outcome of a disastrous General Election. A change of names while maintaining the 'Movement' will certainly condemn the Labour Party to political oblivion.

The failures of the Labour Party leadership were all too visible. While Jeremy Corbyn kept talking about negotiating a new deal and putting it to the vote together with the option to remain was contrasted with the views of the remaining members of the shadow cabinet that clearly said that they would negotiate a new deal but would campaign for remain. To put it mildly, they explicitly said that they would campaign against their own deal.

For thousands upon thousands of Labour Party voters and supporters, the attitudes of Jeremy Corbyn and its shadow cabinet were too much to swallow and they decided to support other political parties and most importantly the Conservative Party to get Brexit done.

But the Labour Party couldn't persuade voters to accept a manifesto based on sheer demagogy and political bribes. The Labour Party couldn't either get rid of the anti-Semitism scandal, scandal made worse by the fact that most of those who came up with expressions of anti-Semitism were Muslim Labour Party members that dominate the Labour Party in many areas across the United Kingdom. The two things go together: anti-Israel attitudes and hatred against Jews in the United Kingdom.

Choosing a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, tainted by all the aforementioned, is an own goal. But lets not put the car before the horses. While Rebecca Long Bailey is being talked about about a serious contender there are other names on the cards. 

Brexit: JC launches attack on JC

Brexit: JC launches attack on JC

Just that is can be understood, JC stands for Jewish Chronicle and also stands for Jeremy Corbyn. 

The Jewish Chronicle has criticized the attitudes of Jeremy Corbyn and of those in charge of the Labour Party not once but several times but the publication of an article entitled "To all our fellolw British citizens" is a new record in the trouble history of the Labour Party with regards to Jewish communities.

The possiblity of Jeremy Corbyn becoming British Prime Minister has surely raised the alarm and especially when Britain is one of the five members of the Security Council. Since the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn depends on the support of Muslim organisations in the United Kingdom that are hostile to Israel and to Jewish communities in general, the expectations is that a government led by Jeremy Corbyn influenced by Islamists will use all its might to target Israel and also Jewish peoples in the United Kingdom.

Brexit: Labour Party - Tom Watson

Brexit: Labour Party - Tom Watson

The disintegration of the Labour Party in favour of a more extreme version of the Labour Party is all too apparent with the resignation of the Deputy Leader Tom Watson and statements made by former Labour MPs asking voters to suport the Conservative Party to prevent an unfit Jeremy Corbyn from generating a disaster.

In 2010, Britain was on its knees with massive indebtedness generated by the Labour government. Now, Labour is promised that it will borrow hundreds of billions of Pound if it becomes government. When we see companies going down under the burden of debt, you can imagine what could happen if a Labour government were to engage in uncontrolled borrowing.

As it very often happens, Tom Watson explained that he wanted to spend more time with his family and sought to minimize the danage his resignation will cause to the Labour Party. The fact remains that many Labour politicians no longer want to be associated with the present Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn has promised that he will abolish private ownership of the utilities and eliminate private education in the UK. The prospect is that party aparatchiks will be running public companies bought with borrowed monies. In the end, we would end up with paradoxical labour strikes against Labour Party managers of public services. Ideologically driven individuals with no sense of reality can seriously undermine Britain. When you ask how they will pay for what they borrow and they are unable to come up with a rational explanation they say that you are unfair.

Brexit: The man that never met the IRA

Brexit: The man that never met the IRA