Eileen Kersey writing out of Yorkshire, England

Independence hopes hit the Orkney Islands

3/1/2017

Opinion; Hands up who wants to try for independence next?

Nationalism is on the increase.

The politics of the right appears to be rising again.

France are due an election and it could be Marine Le Penn and her Nationalist party that win big.

Take Donald Trump's meteoric rise to power. Rallies with Trump vowing to make America great again had a chilling ring from the past.

Take the SNP's rise to power in Scotland, a political party with a nationalistic name, the Scottish National Party.

There is a lot of talk about unity but there is little evidence that it will happen any time soon.

Political parties such as the Conservative and Labour Party in the UK are divided on the EU and more. The Labour Party still has deep divisions relating to its elected leader. Those in the party who do not support Mr Corbyn seem incapable of respecting the election result.

Unelected Tory PM Theresa May talked a lot about unity in her New Year message but she fails to walk the walk.

Now take news re the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

A majority in the UK voted to leave the EU but a majority in Scotland voted remain. The BRexit vote could trigger a second Scottish Independence referendum but either way the Orkney Islands want to cut ties with mainland Scotland and the rest of the UK.

According to a report in the Telegraph;

More than half of Orkney's councillors have forced through a motion demanding an investigation into “greater autonomy or self-determination” amid the vote to leave the European Union and a possible second independence referendum.

Many residents have hoped for greater autonomy from the Scottish Government in the past, and were promised more powers in the event of Scottish independence.

Do Orkney islanders want their island to be a member of the European Union or just a stand alone country?

That report in the Telegraph continues;

Orkney has traditionally been extremely hostile to Scottish independence and preferred Westminster government to that from Holyrood. They were part of Norway, not Scotland, until the late 15th century.

However, a 2013 poll found only eight per cent backed leaving Scotland in the event of independence. The islanders overwhelmingly backed remaining in the UK and the European Union at both referendums in 2014 and 2016.

A motion passed by 13 of Orkney Islands Council's 21 members has demanded the chief executive compile a report considering "whether the people of Orkney could exercise self-determination if faced with further national or international constitutional changes, or indeed to decide if more autonomy might be beneficial for the wellbeing of Orkney."

Me I wonder what they are putitng in the water these days!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/02/orkney-explore-independence-scotland-uk-following-brexit/
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/749187/Marine-Le-Pen-France-independence-Brexit-Trump-Francois-Hollande-presidential-election

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Tory government's "have cake and eat it" Brexit strategy

29/11/2016

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Image credit Daily Mirror

Op-ed: When oh when will MPs and their teams learn that they are under the eyes of the media 24/7?

This week a Tory aide carrying a document learned the hard way that sensitive papers should be kept out of sight. The document was quickly photographed and became the latest big bad BRexit news story.

"“What is the model? Have cake and eat it,” the document states hopefully" reports the Daily Mirror.

It makes you almost wonder if the gaffe was in fact a deliberate outing. If it was not it was certainly stupid.

So Theresa May and her BRexit team has gone from no plan to have cake and eat it plan?

Not so long ago she claimed she was determined not to reveal the UK's plan and negotiation strategy ahead of talks but now European negotiators must be enjoying fits of hysterical laughter at our expense.

This latest fiasco or storm in a teacup highlights the shambolic state of the Tory Party as it leads the country toward the triggering of Article 50 and the country's exit from the European Union.

Greg Clark, the often smug sounding and looking Tory Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, looked rather uncomfortable answering questions on cake-and-eat-it-gate on Tuesday morning news channels.

He may have tried laughing off the whole affair but it is not difficult imagining a very different scene behind closed doors.

The woman in the image is an advisor to Mark Field a man who the Daily Mail describes as an influential pro-Remain Conservative MP who represents the City of London.

The team overseeing BRexit is a mixed bag singing from various song sheets. They appear out of tune with each other too.

They can now add incompetence to their CVs.

Image credit Daily Mail

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Paul Nuttall new UKIP leader eyes Labour voters and vows to put GREAT back in Britain

28/11/2016

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Nuttall and Farage

Paul Nuttall has been elected leader of Ukip by an overwhelming margin and said he will set the party’s sights on winning over disenchanted Labour voters.

Promising an end to the infighting and chaos that has blighted the party over recent months, the MEP and former deputy leader said his ambition was “to replace the Labour party and make Ukip the patriotic voice of working people”.

Opinion: Western politics is on the brink; the brink of a right-wing takeover if recent elections can be assumed to show an ongoing trend.

Here in the UK Ukip is trying to reinvent itself and Monday announced its new leader of the party.

Paul Nuttall, 39, a veteran Ukip politician was elected party leader by a majority of 60% of those eligible to vote.

Nigel Farage announced he was stepping down from politics in June following his successful and divisive BRexit campaign but his retirement was short-lived.

The party elected Diane James as leader but she appeared a reluctant winner.

She ultimately stepped down weeks later before she had even been officially ensconced as leader. She has since quit Ukip vowing to stay as an MEP but as an independent.

Farage was back as interim leader but flitting about spending some time in the USA supporting Presidential hopeful Donald Trump, appearing at one of this rallies and it was claimed coaching him.

As Farage is still an elected MEP riding the EU gravy train you have to assume he took some time to work in the European Parliament too.

Elected new party leader Monday Nuttall talked about putting the GREAT back in Britain, taking a leaf out of Trump's campaign script, and Ukip being the party of working people but that is all it was - talk.

Ukip should be dead in the water post BRexit but as the British government posture and procrastinate Ukip are tapping into BRexit uncertainties.

The big political winner in the UK will be the right-wing of politics.

Ukip is a right-wing political party looking at how to win votes. It is now using similar rhetoric to Trump who conned ordinary working people in the USA into believing he was somehow a man of the people.

It was a great con but still has to play out.

If Ukip were to have electoral success in the UK it would be right-wing success and it could be at the expense of the Labour Party.

BRexit continues to divide communities and even families and it will until it is allowed to run its course.

With news of another legal challenge on the cards, this time to allow the UK to stay in the single market, it is we the people who will be worst hit.

We live in ordinary communities and if or is that when the proverbial hits the fan expect a covering.

BBC

The Guardian report says;

Currently Ukip only has political clout in the EU parliament.

Talk of a second referendum and delayed BRexit add to political chaos in the UK with the Tory Party the big winner

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Theresa May and her ministers clueless over BRexit

29/9/2016

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Theresa May and Philip Hammond, aka Cruella and Mr Burns, laugh in Jeremy Corbyn's face - more distraction tactics - Image Getty Photos

The UK will be a standard-bearer for free trade when it leaves the European Union, Liam Fox says.

The International Trade Secretary said Brexit was a "golden opportunity" and that it was "100% wrong" to say the vote was a sign of Britain looking inwards.

The UK is unable to negotiate trade deals independently while in the EU.

Mr Fox will be negotiating new arrangements with other countries after Brexit and has already had some talks.

Opinion: On June 23, 2016, a majority of voters in the UK decided it was time we left the European Union.

The win may have been tight in relative terms but BRexit was the winner.

You can argue that the loser is the country and we the people but unelected Prime Minister Theresa May continues to repeat her phrase "BRexit means BRexit."

But that phrase, or is it her mantra, is meaningless in real terms.

Elected former Prime Minister David Cameron lead the country toward BRexit but when the going got tough he vamoosed.

Cameron resigned due to the BRexit vote and left Downing Street with his tail between his legs; his legacy is the man that took the country out of EU but had no Plan B.

Cameron promised the country a renegotiation of Britain's EU membership agreement and then a vote on whether the country should remain a member county of the European Union.

Out of touch with most of the electorate away from London he arrogantly took the people for granted.

The referendum was a politically selfish idea aimed at shoring up Tory votes in the General Election 2015.

You may wonder why Cameron did not simply ignore this manifesto promise, as he did with other promises so many times before, but the answer lies within the Tory government; the Tories were always split on Europe. They are still divided on the EU.

So Cameron had to stick to this particular referendum pledge.

The ridiculous post BRexit attacks on Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn were simply distraction tactics. They drew the heat from the shambolic Tory Party and shame on those Labour MPs who helped them along by staging what was ultimately a pointless and selfish coup.

If you are unhappy that the country is leaving the EU blame David Cameron and his government.

Jeremy Corbyn won a party leadership challenge and was re-elected Labour Party leader Saturday in spite of attempts to water down the number of people voting.

Mrs May was shuffled into the roles of party leader and Prime Minister.

She was not elected to either role.

Three months on from BRexit two senior Tories have very different views and one calls May's government "clueless."

Thursday BBC News is reporting:

But the Telegraph is running a damning piece on Theresa May's government including plans for BRexit or rather the lack of plans;

Theresa May is running a "government with no policies", a former Conservative Chancellor has said in the first major attack on the new Prime Minister.

Ken Clarke, the MP for Rushcliffe, claimed "nobody" in the government has a plan to get Britain out of the EU.

In an interview with the New Statesman, Mr Clarke also revealed he would vote against Brexit in the House of Commons.

Clarke is a veteran Tory Europhile while Fox remains a Eurosceptic.

There is a lot of talking the talk at this time but little walking the walk.

Some in the political bubble want a second referendum but that just shows how out of touch with the electorate they are.

For some yes immigration was THE big issue but not for all BRexiteers.

The cost of EU membership, the additional layer of bureaucracy, the feeling that we were being controlled and ruled by the EU and more all contributed to a BRexit win.

Do we really need a second referendum or do we need a general election?

Until Theresa May calls and wins a general election she will struggle to unite the Tory Party and the country in or out of the European Union.

Check out:
New Statesman
Telegraph
BBC
INews

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Jeremy Corbyn makes his case for Britain staying in EU

2/6/2016

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[Note the above footage is from one month ago today's footage will be added at the end of the report once it is available online]

Opinion: Thursday Jeremy Corbyn was speaking in London as part of Labour's campaign to stay in the EU.

For voters who have only watched carefully selected negative news clips of Mr Corbyn speaking I hope they tuned in today.

Jeremy showed why more and more people support him and why the right-wing of all political parties including Labour opt to undermine him.

He has consistently refused to share an in or out EU referendum platform with David Cameron and rightly so.

Sadiq Khan and David Cameron stood side by side earlier this week with a desperate Cameron giving the camera a thumbs up and stressing Sadiq is the son of a bus driver but it was cringeworthily.

Similar images of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, former lib dem leader paddy Ashdown and Cameron were equally sickening.

David Cameron will shamelessly use any person to further his aims but then drop them like a hot potato once he has fulfilled his aims.

Those saying Khan was right to campaign cross party forget that he is sitting pretty post the London Mayor election while for Mr Corbyn and his supporters it is still all to play for.

Tonight Cameron is appearing on mainstream TV to make his case for the UK staying in the EU but it is a different case to Mr Corbyn's.

The Tory BRemain and BRexit campaigns are based on fear, greed and maintaining the status quo. Fat-cats will be supported either way unless we secure a change of government.

So Thursday Mr Corbyn laid out his vision of a reformed EU:

one that does not allow the people of a country like Greece to bleed to death
one that only allows TTIP if certain conditions are met because as Mr Corbyn said if the current deal is not good enough for France it is not good enough for the UK
a country that with a Labour government in charge renationalises our rail systems
an EU that is greatly reformed

and more.

BBC News key points are:

Leader Jeremy Corbyn is making a speech on Labour's case for staying in the EU
The GMB union's leader warns Remain could lose if Labour voters do not get more engaged
Vote Leave say young people will find it harder to get on the housing ladder if UK stays in EU
The UK's EU referendum takes place on 23 June
Midnight on 7 June is the final registration deadline for both UK and overseas voters

While the Telegraph key points included:

Corbyn: TTIP could create 'irreversible' privatisation in NHS
Corbyn blames press for Labour voters not knowing party's EU stance
Corbyn attacks George Osborne over 'histrionic' Brexit warnings

If you are thinking that the Labour party has not made its case for remaining in the UK clear think again.

Corbyn has spoken with people across the EU such as Francois Hollande, France, and Alexis Tsipras, Greece, before stating his well-thought out opinion.

It is not a self-serving opinion but it does in part rely on a change of UK government.

Doubts about how much reform the EU will accept remain but it must change or die.

The gravy train must be derailed.

Labour's better in the EU campaign has been ongoing for months but the msm prefer to concentrate on David Cameron and Boris Johnson and their sidekicks.

Blame them if you rely on getting your news from those sources.

But there is a wealth of information out there easily found with little effort.

This morning's post speech question and answer session was still underway when mainstream TV news channels BBC24 and Sky News cut to their political analysts.

First question went to a Sky News reporter and second to the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg who added a touch of pantomime. To be fair it was not Laura's fault but the reaction of the audience who hissed as her name was mentioned but quietened at Corbyn's request.

The Tory mouthpiece Guido Fawkes opted for "the crowd booed and hissed" but it was a steady hiss.

Once those two questions were answered coverage ended.

[All leading players are now in overdrive with reports that the campaign for the UK to leave the EU is gaining ground]

BBC coverage
Live: EU referendum: Jeremy Corbyn smiles as Labour supporters boo BBC's Laura Kuenssberg

Thursday afternoon Labour members received the following email from team Corbyn and the Labour in campaign:

Today I spoke about why we established the Labour IN campaign. We have a distinct agenda — a vision to make Britain better and fairer for everyone, by engaging with our neighbours in Europe. I wanted to share this message with you, and I hope you'll vote to Remain on 23 June.

One of the most important things I spoke about this morning was simply this — your rights at work.

Through the social chapter and other directives, Europe has delivered us:
Over 26 million workers in Britain benefit from being entitled to 28 days of paid leave and a limit to how many hours they can be forced to work;
Over eight million part-time workers (over six million of whom are women) have equal rights with full-time colleagues;
Over one million temporary workers have the same rights as permanent workers;
340,000 women every year have guaranteed rights to take maternity leave.
We can't rely on the Tory Government to defend workplace rights. Leave supporters have stated they want to water down workers' rights and rip up protections against discrimination, exploitation and injustice. The next Labour government will work with our allies to strengthen workers' rights, and stop migrant workers being exploited and local workers being undercut.

We are overwhelmingly for remain, because we believe the European Union has brought investment, jobs and protection for workers, consumers and the environment.

But also because our membership offers a crucial route to meeting the challenges we face in the 21st century, on climate change, on restraining the power of global corporations and ensuring they pay fair taxes, on tackling cyber-crime and terrorism, on ensuring trade is fair with protections for workers and consumers and in addressing refugee movements.

Britain will be stronger if we co-operate with our neighbours in facing those challenges together.

Please show your support for Labour IN for Britain. Together we can share a strong Labour message of a better, fairer Britain, as part of a better, fairer Europe:

Let your friends know you're part of the #InCrowd with me

Thank you for being such an important part of this campaign.

Jeremy Corbyn
Leader of the Labour Party

PS — We're proud that our campaigns are funded by thousands of small donations from people like you. So many of you have already donated to Labour IN for Britain because you're passionate about staying in Europe. Thank you

If you're able to contribute, we'd be grateful for your support.

Donate

The above clip is from RT as BBC on youtube simply offers footage of Laura Kuennsberg's post speech question. The RT clip is brief and will be replaced when lengthier footage is located.

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Palace press complaint following Sun Queen Brexit claim

9/3/2016

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Another toxic cover from the Sun

Op-ed: As UK European Union referendum squabbles escalate one thing is for sure-the Labour party were wise when they opted not to share a BRemain Tory campaign platform.

The Queen has now been dragged into the fray and the palace has responded by launching a formal complaint to the press watchdog.

The campaigns are popularly called BRemain, the UK stays as an EU member country, and BRexit, Britain votes to leave and does.

Labour has its own main Labour In campaign but there are some splinter groups campaigning for an out vote.

The Tory party is split pure and simple, in disarray over the EU referendum and which is best for the UK, in or out, and tempers are fraying.

But first blood was John Longworth who was suspended from his role as director general of the BCC, British Chamber of Commerce, for appearing to favour the BRexit campaign. The BCC has vowed to stay independent and not offer views promoting either camp. Longworth voiced his opinion that the UK might be better outside of the EU and was quickly suspended; by early this week he was gone, after resigning.

Tuesday Bank of England boss, Canadian Mark Carney, appeared to weigh into the campaign and although he offered his opinion of the UK post referendum whatever the result he seemed to be promoting the BRemain campaigns.

This led to an angry response from at least one senior BRexit veteran politician Nigel Lawson. Yes that Tory chap who is the father of chef Nigella Lawson.

However Wednesday Queen Elizabeth II has been drawn into the fight.

The Queen unlike a handful of other royals tries to stay out of British politics. Whether that is only on the surface or truly is not clear but according to BBC News today "The Sun quotes anonymous sources, one of whom claims to have witnessed a "bust-up" between the Queen and pro-EU former Deputy PM Nick Clegg in 2011. It says the Queen told Mr Clegg the EU was "heading in the wrong direction"."

The palace is reportedly furious and has lodged a complaint to the press watchdog. Nick Clegg calls the story nonsense and the palace insists the Queen is "politically neutral" over the EU.

It may be a case of 'what goes on in the palace stays in the palace' but either way it is old news and not relevant to the upcoming EU referendum.

Many British people have changed their minds on the EU more than once.

What if anything was said in 2011 may not be valid in 2016.

But it is a particularly low blow by a person or persons and aimed at swinging a democratic vote.

BBC News carries more information pertaining to the Sun report which may or may not support the idea that Queen backs BRexit.

But as it is from the SUN it may be all spin and lies.

Those people working to ensure a free, fair and democratic EU referendum need to get their rules and regulations sorted out and that's for sure.

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Independence hopes hit the Orkney Islands

Tory government's "have cake and eat it" Brexit strategy

Paul Nuttall new UKIP leader eyes Labour voters and vows to put GREAT back in Britain

Theresa May and her ministers clueless over BRexit

Jeremy Corbyn makes his case for Britain staying in EU

Palace press complaint following Sun Queen Brexit claim

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