Bruges Group Blog

The Modern Method of Auction gives sellers the opportunity to sell their property for the best possible price, quickly and securely, and places the property before a wider audience of potential buyers. Sellers pay no estate agent fees and fixed timescales mean buyers must exchange and complete within 56 days. Benefits of selling using the Modern Me...

Kendall O'Donnell and I, as contributors representing The Bruges Group, had the opportunity to speak to the Honorable Christopher Pyne, a long-serving former Cabinet Minister in the Australian Government, holding portfolios ranging from Education to Defence. We spoke on matters ranging from the domestic, such as Australia's Covid policy and the nat...

People who enjoy sales and real estate may have thought about attempting a career as a Realtor in New York. But do you know some of the actual benefits of this field, and how it might improve the quality of your life? To learn why being a Realtor could be the best decision you make, read on. No Need For a DegreeLet's face it: Going to college isn't...

Most people will not have heard of Clarence Harry Willcock, an unsung hero of British democracy. A dry-cleaning manager, and a Liberal of the old school, he was the last person in Britain to be prosecuted for refusing to produce an identity card. He was prosecuted under the National Registration Act of 1939 and fined. However, he subsequently appealed against his conviction, and the case, which became a cause célèbre, influenced Winston Churchill’s decision to scrap ID cards.

In 1950 he was stopped by a policeman who demanded to see his ID. He refused, telling him simply, “I am against this sort of thing.”, an act of resistance which inspired a movement, as soon after, the British Housewives’ League took to Parliament to set fire to their ID cards.

Mr Willcock was prosecuted and the case reached the High Court in 1951, where he was given an absolute discharge for his refusal to show his ID. He would be the last person to be prosecuted under the National Registration Act. In the judgment, Lord Chief Justice Goddard said the 1939 Act was “never passed for the purposes for which it is now apparently being used” and that using the law in this way “tends to turn law-abiding subjects into lawbreakers as such action tends to make the people resentful of the acts of the police.”

I still have the card that was issued to me, containing only name, address, and date of birth, and largely intended for use in evacuations and rationing. Given the situation during the war it was certainly understandable that such a measure was necessary, but once victory had been achieved there was no excuse for continuing with the cards. Incidentally, as even allied prisoners in German POW camps were able to forge documents capable of fooling the Gestapo, it is certain that the simple cards we had could have been faked very easily.

What this proves is emergency measures tend to extend in duration and purpose, often to the disadvantage of citizens. in the wake of 9/11, Prime Minister Tony Blair told us we couldn’t possibly fight terrorism without them, but Boris Johnson vociferously opposed the idea, noting the inevitability of mission creep, saying in 2004 that if he was asked to show his ID, he would physically eat it.

Thankfully the campaign run by NO2ID was successful, and the idea was dropped, yet those who love the idea are still trying to have the cards adopted, the current Covid emergency giving them the perfect opportunity to introduce them via the back door, starting with vaccine passports, which we can be sure would soon be extended into other areas, such as eligibility for benefits, or even age related access to the local pub.

We fought the Second World War partly so that, unlike much of the world, our citizens would not be confronted with the demand “Papers”, while going about their lives. We can be sure that those with the “put that light out” mentality of Warden Hodges of Dad’s Army fame, would take a delight in harassing ordinary people, backed by the force of the law. Those very many people who do not possess smartphones, or a mastery of computer technology, would also find themselves in the position of being second class citizens, regarded with suspicion, and even sanctioned, for not showing the proofs demanded by petty officials.

If the authoritarian instincts of the bureaucrats are allowed to prevail we risk all those liberties for which so many died, as we can be sure that the presumption of innocence would be undermined. I recall an advertisement in support of credit cards from a few years back in which an attractive girl in a bikini walked down the street with only such a card on her person. I also expect to be able to walk down the road (thankfully not in a bikini!) with no documents should I so choose. One thing of which we can be sure is that respect for the police would be undermined, as the British would not take kindly to being forced to produce proof of their identity, while those workers charged with checking such proofs would be placed in an invidious position.

Boris must wake up, and reject all proposals which would lead to this slippery slope to an authoritarian regime in Britain. Modern technology would ensure that, once the principle of such items as vaccine passports were accepted, they would swiftly evolve into a national ID system. Mr Willcock’s fight against the paper ID cards would have been in vain, as Orwell’s Big Brother state’s use of IT would make them appear benign in comparison.

If you don't know what crypto or digital currency is and you've never heard the word Bitcoin being bandied about in a cocktail conversation then welcome to the new millennium, we are happy to have you! Yes, cryptocurrency has taken hold and the world economy has certainly taken notice. Consider that the leading crypto, Bitcoin, was born only a doze...

My fellow Americans: Three days from now, after half a century in the service of our country, I shall lay down the responsibilities of office as, in traditional and solemn ceremony, the authority of the Presidency is vested in my successor. This evening I come to you with a message of leave-taking and farewell, and to share a few final thoughts wit...

National elections are never far away in the United States, and while even the most disinterested of foreign observers is aware that Presidents are elected on a quadrennial basis, fewer may grasp the significance of the 'Midterms' - in which, every two years, one third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives must submit to the verdict...

 It is sad that of all the members of the House of Lords, only two had the guts to make a stance against the enforced anti-bullying and sexual harassment training course which has been inflicted on all Peers. For the powers that be in the House of Lords, to insist all our Peers take part in this training, is presuming that all 800 or so member...

Xi Jinping's acceleration of the shift towards an increasingly jingoistic Chinese foreign policy reflects a strengthening of Xi's position in China. Throughout the past 12 months, Chinese foreign policy has changed course in an aggressive manner. China spread propaganda about Australian soldiers committing war crimes in the Middle East and lashed o...

IntroductionThe world of online poker can be extremely daunting, especially if you're a first-time player. When the Internet is saturated with thousands upon thousands of online poker sites, with millions of players all around the world trying to get in on the action, where do you begin? Online poker rooms are akin to the Internet's Real Madrids, B...

Kendall O'Donnell and I had the opportunity to speak to Jim Gilmore, former US Ambassador to the OSCE, Governor of Virginia, and Chairman of the Republican National Committee, among other roles. We spoke on matters international, regional, and domestic, on topics stretching from President Biden's foreign policy, European security and the EU's role ...

In 1988 the Victoria and Albert Museum in London described itself as: "An ace caff, with quite a nice museum attached." Today we seemed to have reached the point where the NHS would describe itself as “a great Health Service, with quite a nice country attached”.

Although there was some reason for the early panic about overwhelming health care this concern has now been extended by some of the more vociferous scientific advisors to a warning that a winter flu epidemic could overwhelm the NHS, so consequently we must all continue to live under strict regulations. Of course this begs the question of whether the NHS exists to protect our health, or whether the country exists to protect the NHS.

Unfortunately, rather as is the case with Remainers worshipping at the shrine of Brussels, many people treat the NHS as some sort secular religion, which must not be criticised, and whose demands for more and more resources must be met, whatever the cost.

The reality is somewhat different.

I yield to no one in my respect and admiration for the front line workers in the NHS, nor in my gratitude to them. However, as I, and others, including many doctors and nurses, have pointed out, the effectiveness of the NHS has been undermined by asinine changes made in the past few decades.

The ever expanding NHS bureaucracy, with its ridiculous number of so called managers, has absorbed a vast number of resources, which should have been utilised to improve front line services, without in any way helping patients. These pen pushers are absurdly overpaid, and overstaffed, resulting in the creation of pointless levels of administration. One nurse of my acquaintance tells me that she once had one level of management above her, which has become seven, the vast majority of whom do nothing but pass paper up and down to each other.

Another front line worker told me that, while they were constantly being told that money was short, Human Resources opened a suite of offices, which they could use for their endless, and fruitless meetings.

In my years as chairman of our office union, I encountered this non profession of HR, which converted personnel departments, who existed to assist staff, into an arm of management which rode roughshod over them, at the same time justifying their own existence by producing countless absurd policies which actually subverted the efficiency of the organisations involved.

The malignant effect of all this has been thrown into sharp relief by the fact that retired medical professionals had their applications to help out with vaccinations refused on the bureaucratic grounds that they may not have attended nonsensical courses on diversity, or even fire training. Bureaucrats put their preposterous concerns ahead of effective action. Many of these schemes arose because of the bureaucratic regulations emanating from Brussels, so are now no longer relevant.

In addition, in the past, nursing was a vocation, recruiting from a wide spectrum of society, yet now we are told that one must be a graduate to be employed. This is as ridiculous as is the need for policeman to have degrees. Fifty years ago a large number of professions were staffed by those who learnt through apprenticeships, and on the job training, yet now those who do not attend university are regarded as unfit for the very same jobs. When I was last in hospital in 1955 they were run efficiently by the matron and the ward sisters, but now they groan under the weight of useless jumped up clerks, while willing and capable nurses are lost due to unreasonable demands that they attend university.

We are all aware of the failures in basic hygiene in hospitals, which have led to the deaths, or serious illness of many people. One friend of mine went through six years of active service in the war without a scratch, but died a couple of years ago, when he caught MRSA in a ward, although he was otherwise recovering well. The manner in which fundamental tasks, such as cleaning wards, has been outsourced, has replaced those who were direct employees, taking a pride in their work, with frequently exploited casual staff, who are expected to do the minimum necessary for their employer to justify their fees.

I have personal experience of health care in Switzerland, which was exemplary, while I know from friends that the French system is also very efficient, and easy to access. No one wants the American system, where one’s treatment is based almost solely on one’s ability to pay. but the aforementioned systems are available on a sensible insurance basis, without excluding the poorest citizens.

To even venture the opinion that something is rotten in this particular State of Denmark is to invite opprobrium, but we cannot go on pouring more and more money into something that is not able to deliver. It is time that the whole NHS was reformed to meet the requirements of the 21st Century. However, given that the Left regard the organisation as a sacred cow, and that the Conservatives lack the courage to take action, no doubt it will continue just as before.

When you first started to consider investing in rental property, you may have wondered whether you should aim for vacation, short-term, or long-term rentals. According to Airbnb's latest statistics, the website has over 5.6 million active listings with over 150 million people booking vacations through the site. Since the start of the website, over ...

 With more scandal and sleaze gushing out of Westminster than the Sussexes press office, one could be pardoned for glossing over the government's latest flirtation with the supercilious head of nanny statism. Last week, the Department of Health confirmed plans are going ahead to restrict paid junk food advertising, in order to curb childhood o...

In Exodus Moses describes himself as a “Stranger in a Strange Land”, and, after nearly three quarters of a century living in England, I sometimes feel that way, as the country I was born into recedes into the past, and an ugly reality takes its place.

I am well aware that of the existence of many social problems in the England of the 1940s, and that the economic situation was dire, the struggle with the Axis powers having virtually bankrupted the country. Nevertheless, although we had the most left wing government in our history, it was led by men who were true democratic socialists. Among others of his colleagues the Prime Minister Clement Attlee had fought for the country, while his cabinet included patriots such as Ernest Bevin, who stood up for the working class, unlike the modern Labour Party, which represents a coalition of minorities, and social democrats, not workers. The national broadcaster was still basking in the glory it won during the war, and was unafraid to speak for Britain, a complete contrast to the modern BBC, most of whose commentators support anyone rather than their own nation. The recent advent of GB news, which seeks to put forward the views of ordinary people, not, as the BBC does, those of the metropolitan elite, is the target of a left wing pressure group “Stop Funding Hate”, which is attempting to undermine its finances by pressurising companies into withdrawing advertising. Some have done so, and I for one will never buy their products again, as I prefer to deal with those who believe in free speech, and thought, not censorship.

In the 1950s working class children, such as my wife and myself benefited from the schools system, which, via the grammar schools, provided a ladder to a decent education, and career. The universities were centres of excellence, unlike today, when even an inability to formulate grammatical sentences seems to be no bar to a degree, the latter obtained at a massive cost to youngsters who have been deceived into believing that they are receiving value for money. The education system is dominated by the Left and every day we see the evidence of cancel culture being applied at all levels. When I was a lad the churches were a centre of life for many, Sunday schools being well attended, while voluntary organisations such as the Boy’s Brigade, the Cadets, and of course the Scouts and Guides, gave young people both pleasure and the moral compass so sadly lacking now.

One issue which has been addressed over the years is of course greater equality for women, yet all the justifiable gains they made are now at risk. Thanks to the lunacy of so called sexual self identification women now face defeat across the whole sporting arena, as such men are being allowed to compete against them, when their previous physical development ensures that they will inevitably win. They are expected to tolerate the closure of toilets specifically designated for female use, and the absurd situation is arising whereby abusive men could gain access to women’s refuges merely by announcing that they have self identified as women. In addition feminine icons such as Germaine Greer and J K Rowling are subject to constant vilification for asserting that one cannot change sex merely by claiming that one has done so.

Of course the aberration of over forty years of membership of the undemocratic European union has damaged our democracy, as is obvious from the fact that, following the 2016 referendum, the establishment, backed by those who refuse to recognize that the losers of a democratic vote should accept the result, prevented the will of the people being implemented for five years. After winning the war the vast majority of the British people in the 1940s would never have believed that, within thirty years, the independence of their country would have been compromised by the politicians voluntarily handing the governance of the county over to unelected bureaucrats in a foreign country. The continuing refusal by Remainers to accept the verdict is disgusting, but now seems a normal reaction by so many.

The rise of self righteous protest groups, who claim the right to disrupt civic life regardless of the misery caused, is poisoning democratic debate. “Extinction Rebellion” activists block roads, interfere with the journeys of rail commuters, attack commercial buildings, and even attempt to censor our daily newspapers. Ostensibly they do this in the name of a theory that the planet is undergoing a dangerous episode of warming, brought about by the emissions emanating from human activity. They claim that they are either ‘drawing attention’ to the problem, something hardly required, given that we have all been exposed to their views ad nauseam, or that they are taking direct action aimed at stopping those activities which they deem unacceptable. However it is noticeable that these gestures are all directed at Western enterprises. While many of their supporters are gullible idealists, who think that they are responding to a higher moral imperative, the driving force behind this organisation, just as it is behind other such protest groups such as “Black Lives Matter”, and “Stop the War”, is an ingrained hatred of Western civilisation, arising from the anarchistic and nihilistic philosophies which have always inspired such people. I remember when, at a time when Labour was devoted to democratic socialism, it issued lists of proscribed undemocratic organisations, whose members sought to infiltrate the party in order to subvert its aims. I have no doubt that had groups such as these existed in those days, they would have been included in such lists.

However these people are a symptom of a deeper malaise, which is a threat to everything we hold dear, as the British public is largely unaware of the fact that the country is sleepwalking into the kind of dystopia described by Orwell in 1984. Left wing organisations are constantly promoting the idea that anyone who dares to suggest that they love their country, that they do not wish to see its history rewritten, that they do not admit guilt for the crime of being white, or heterosexual, or do not hang their heads in shame because they want to own cars, is committing a Thoughtcrime, and must be silenced. While for the moment individuals may be able to reject these accusations with the contempt they deserve, it is becoming clear that pusillanimous commercial enterprises are choosing to take the knee to these fascists, and change their policies accordingly. That these people are able to use social media platforms, which are dominated by technology giants run by those with similar views, is a disgrace, and yet another reason for closing down these vile cesspits of abuse and hate. If these vociferous extremists are able to achieve their aims then the day of the Thought Police will truly be with us.

Naturally the Covid pandemic has thrown everything up into the air, as, not merely Britain, but the world, have faced a threat requiring a massive response. Despite the constant carping by those such as the BBC, and ridiculous claims made by supporters of the Left, it is obvious than Bori and his ministers, when faced such an emergency have done as well as anyone could have done in the circumstances, particularly by implementing the successful vaccine programme.

Wash your hands; observe the speed limit; keep six feet apart; eat this, not that; don’t drink; wear a mask; get rid of your car, and walk; don’t smoke; keep off the grass; live in a cold home; oppose separate lavatories for the sexes; allow men self identifying as women to dominate female sports; don’t say that; don’t think that. As a reasonably intelligent, mature adult I try to take a responsible attitude to social norms, obeying sensible laws as I have always done, but I will not take a knee to those demanding that their every whim be satisfied, nor to climate change obsessives. However I am sick to death of being harassed, hectored, harangued and lectured by those who are determined to close down free speech, and force society into a straightjacket which conforms to their own views, and none other.

Many people are suffering the loss of reputation, employment, or even of liberty, for daring to stand against the tide of political correctness, indeed arrant nonsense, infesting our country. The persecution of academics, and students, at a number of universities, for daring to defy the fashionable dogmas is evidence enough of this.

It is this destruction of free speech, and thought, which, if allowed to continue, will truly tear this country away from its past, and will make it, for those of us who grew up believing in our basic freedoms for which millions died, an alien place. A fightback is being mounted by those such as the Free Speech Union, and Laurence Fox, but will it be enough? If not then it will be a Strange Land indeed.

A new consensus: Why the United States needs to re-think ideas such as the Wolfowitz Doctrine when thinking about dealing with China  The U.S.A. is no longer in a position of primacy in the Indo-Pacific; to regain hegemony, it must alter its policies. U.S foreign policy, ever since the tenure of President Woodrow Wilson and his famous 14 point...

How the Commonwealth of Nations Can Become the Most Innovative Bloc in the World  By Alexander Flint Mitchell MSc Dissertation for Business Innovation with EntrepreneurshipBirkbeck, University of London2020 ABSTRACT Much has been written on the three topics of the literature review of this thesis: innovation, the Commonwealth of Nations' ...

 Panelists: Barry Legg (Chair), Lord Dodds of Duncairn, Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, James Webber Lord Dodds, former Westminster Leader of the DUP: On the recent resignation of Edwin Poots: resignation provides the opportunity to "move forward…in a more constructive way"The imposition of the NI protocol has been the main contributory factor to ...

Panelists: Barry Legg (Chair), Lord Dodds of Duncairn, Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, James Webber Barry Legg, Chairman of the Bruges Group: Our next speaker is Bernard Jenkin. Bernard is Chairman of the House of Commons Liaison Committee, on which all select committee chairmen sit. Previously, he was Chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee,...

Land casinos have always been a go-to entertainment complex for many games-loving folks. These folks usually have different reasons why they go to casinos, whether to let off some steam, to relax and unwind, or they want to win huge sums of money. Nevertheless, whatever their reasons are, their visits to casinos made the gambling business thriving ...

 In the past year, the number of people who worked from home increased exponentially as small and large businesses alike discovered the benefits of the remote working model. What started out as a temporary solution soon became a long-term option: for 2021 and beyond, most companies either plan on going fully remote or will implement a hybrid m...

Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinchaft conference Berlin 1942 and the Mitteleuropäischer Wirtschaftstag (MWT) This was the report and conference by the leading Nazi economists during WW2 which planned a European Economic Community: http://www.jar2.com/Files/Nazism/The_Europeische_Wirtschaftsgemeinchaft_Berlin_1942.pdf When I started looking i...

3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Benefit from Cloud Content Management  If you run a nonprofit in the digital age, there's a good chance you're already taking advantage of various cloud computing solutions. If you're not doing so yet, you likely will in the future. For example, you could leverage cloud content management solutions to help your nonpro...

The title of this posting is undoubtedly a cliche, but unfortunately, for those of us who fought for so long to free our nation from foreign dominance, to restore the ancient freedom of free speech we once enjoyed, and to put an end to the arrogance of the liberal elite, it appears it may prove only too true.

When the result of the 2016 EU referendum became clear we rejoiced that, despite being opposed by all the so called great and good, the politicians who treated the ordinary people with contempt, and a media, particularly the BBC, dominated by those who supported them, we, who had walked the streets, and never given up, had triumphed.

We had driven back the tide of bureaucratic control, emanating from Brussels, which promoted a massively growing increase in this country, restored our right to hold those who ruled the nation democratically accountable, making it impossible for the MPs to shuffle off responsibility by claiming that they could not oppose the Brussels bureaucrats, while putting the Civil Service once more firmly under the control of elected representatives.

And then. In Kipling’s famous poem “The Road to Mandalay” there is a line “An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!”, but this time it was not the dawn but a foul virus, originating, either by accident or design, in a Chinese laboratory, or one of their filthy wet markets, which crashed like thunder across the entire world, spreading a pandemic which disrupted the entire human race.

We are all aware of the effects this disease had had on the UK, but perhaps one of the most significant is due to the fact that our newly elected Prime Minister, an optimistic, patriotic man, who was immensely popular, nearly died. Although he survived it is obvious that he has been badly affected by his brush with death, the old Boris having been replaced by a man much more unsure of himself, and susceptible to being guided by those he would once have dismissed as weak wallies.

Many of us who fought for freedom from the EU over decades are a little ambivalent about Boris. He was not with us when we walked the streets delivering leaflets, or held meetings putting the case for leaving the EU at various by-elections over the years. However we were aware from the early years of UKIP that he had sympathy with our views, and eventually he did put his shoulder to the wheel. His position as a significant politician was immensely helpful, and he stuck to his guns through the referendum, and the subsequent elections so he does deserve our thanks.

Now however he is showing a timid side, which risks allowing the Remainer elite to reverse much of which Brexit has achieved, and will achieve, if the UK defies the nay sayers, and tells those such as Macron to get lost. Written in 1845 the poem by Robert Browning, ironically titled ”The Lost Leader” contains a famous line “Never glad confident morning again!”, and this is how many of us feel as we watch the promise of 2016 being undermined, and the irreconcilable Remainer bureaucracy seeking to force us back onto our knees to Brussels.

In the first days of the pandemic the government was operating without a clear map as to how to proceed, so it is understandable that they reacted in the way they did. Now however we have a population in which some eighty per cent have antibodies to the virus, and the daily death toll is less than the number killed on the roads. Covid is not the bubonic plague, the number having died is less than those who died in the 1957 flu epidemic, while the 1968 flu killed 80,000 in the UK without any lockdowns being considered.

However, as hopefully we near the end of the crisis, the choice of those supposedly advising the government, such as some of the members of SAGE, is questionable. One professor from UCL, who sits on this body, has been reported as saying that certain restrictions should be maintained indefinitely, yet this woman is a member of the Communist Party of Britain, which aims at “a revolutionary transformation of society to end capitalism, creating a socialist state of Britain”. She has also praised China, the cause of the pandemic, and the oppressors of the Tibetan and Uyghur peoples, as “a socialist, collective system, not an individualistic, consumer-oriented, profit-driven society badly damaged by twenty years of failed neoliberal economic policies”. As we know the idea of a totalitarian government, ordering the population about, is one which Communists love, so a desire to unnecessarily extend controls is something those like this professor would probably support for political reasons.

In addition, since the time of the Russian revolution Communism has been responsible for more than one hundred million deaths around the world, oppressed half of Europe for nearly fifty years, and created a slave state in North Korea, while reducing nations which tried it to penury. Only the wilfully blind could look at this record, and yet still support the system. All this must beg the question of why so many of those paid to advise the government, and to educate our young are quite happy to declare themselves Marxists, and allowed to hold positions as dons at all universities, but particularly Oxford and Cambridge. Did we not have enough of these people in the days of Philby and his accomplices?

Incidentally it is now obvious that those who naively believed that females are more moderate, and tolerant, than men, have been proved quite wrong. Many women in public life have shown themselves to be extremists, not least in the church where the female Bishop of St Davids was forced to apologise after she tweeted that readers should ‘Never, never, never trust a Tory’.

Those of us who worked so long to restore the country we knew before Covid, ‘woke’ lunatics, and climate change obsessives, one can only paraphrase Shakespeare’s Mercutio, and say "A plague on all your houses”.

The alternatives to Boris would be disastrous, either a Labour party dedicated to making us once again servants of Brussels, or a Conservative from that part of the party which took us into, and kept in, the EU in the first place. He must rediscover his optimism, and overrule the politically motivated scientific Cassandras who would never agree to restore full freedom to the people, while defying the EU over Northern Ireland, ideally pulling us out of the massively flawed withdrawal deal. If he does not then we shall indeed snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

The new Atlantic Charter, signed by the Prime Minister and President Biden as a 'reaffirmation' of the Special Relationship, is a somewhat mixed bag. The Atlantic Charter of 1941 envisioned a postwar world order we're all too familiar with, from respecting national sovereignty and democracy overseas to the aim of lowering tariffs. This 'New' Atlant...

Amazon could lose $425 million in fines after allegations of violation of EU data-protection laws according to Luxemburg's data-protection commission, CNDP.  For many large tech companies, user data is their bread and butter. Not only do they store and catalogue it, they use it to improve how their site is perceived by users. As harmless as it...

All socially aware people know of the political, and cultural, nonsense peddled by the intelligentsia, whose loyalties lie anywhere but with their own country, or the interests of ordinary people, but who like to regard themselves as so superior to those they regard as plebs. Show them a union flag, and they sneer, the National Anthem gives them a fit of the vapours, dare to suggest that perhaps this country is already too crowded to accommodate the millions of the third world who would like to move here, and they cry racism, while a male merely expressing a healthy interest in a member of the opposite sex, invites being treated as some sort of predator.

Of course these people do not limit themselves to the above but also infest the world of the arts, and it is this aspect of their malign influence which I would like to address, as it illustrates both their perverted view of the world, and also offers a hope that they are finally being rumbled by normal, sane people.

During the course of our holidays my wife and I have visited numerous galleries, inter alia the Uffizi in Florence, the Hermitage in St Petersburg, the Louvre, and Musee d’Orsay in Paris, the Belvedere in Vienna, the Frick Collection in New York, cultural icons such as the Vatican, and of course our own National Gallery, Tate Britain, the Queen’s Gallery, plus many others. We have stood in awe before such masterpieces as Michelangelo’s David, his Pieta, and the Sistine Chapel, the great works of the Neo Classicists and the Romantics in Paris, the Impressionists, and the beautiful pictures of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Probably unwisely we have also visited the galleries at the Arch at La Defence, and the Pompidou Centre, in Paris, MOMA in New York, Tate Modern and several other similar institutions, which specialise in modern, and abstract art. This is where one encounters what I can only describe as pretentious rubbish, produced by those who only talents are to think up absurd titles, and to write the utterly idiotic descriptions attached to the pieces. For the most part the nearer to our time one approaches, the worse the pictures on offer become. I know that it is often said that in the past the public in some of the totalitarian states states ignored their masters in order to visit such galleries in preference to those containing Soviet realism, or Nazi propaganda, but I suspect it was more an act of political defiance than any great interest in the actual exhibitions.

I have seen visitors discussing the great significance of what is no more than a blob in the centre of the paper, one rectangle on top of another, or one looking like which that my cat produces when disposing of a fur ball. The output of Jackson Pollock, who considered using a technique of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto the canvases a valid means of creation, are known as Pollocks, but my assessment would replace the ‘P’ with a ‘B’. We are asked to believe that unmade beds, piles of bricks, and elephant dung are great art. Nevertheless I know that those such as myself would be dismissed as philistines by the great and the good of the art world, whose livelihoods depend on offering positive comments on such nonsense.

The same affectations infest the world of opera. My wife has worked both for the ENO and the ROH, and we have attended performances at both houses, in Vienna, Prague, even Glyndebourne, seeing such iconic performers as Domingo, Carreras, Pavarotti and Kaufman live, as they appeared in great operas by those composers such as Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. However we have also endured, and in fact walked out of, insults to the paying public perpetrated by arrogant directors, who think that their insane concepts add to the performances, rather than ruining them. Beds halfway up the wall, scenes set on the M25, conductors accessing the orchestra pit by climbing over the dividing wall, and at least one Glyndebourne production which I can only describe as repulsive. Once again the so called experts wax lyrical over these aberrations, brushing off those who point out that the ‘King Has No Clothes’ as vulgarians, who are incapable of understanding the real value of such offerings.

The point of all this is that the sort of people who help to inflict these perversions of art upon us are part of that wider intelligentsia who think themselves so superior, not realising that the reaction of many normal earthy types is ‘you’re having a laugh’. Common-sense is a good guide to detecting what is no more than a confidence trick. Unfortunately for the country this elite does not limit itself to matters of taste, but also hold antithetical views to those held by the majority on such matters as patriotism, even democracy. They have become accustomed to their opinions on cultural and political issues being treated as holy writ, so were astounded when the vote on Brexit went against them. It is my hope that the fact that so many ordinary people having gradually had their eyes opened to the malign influence of these self important and opinionated snobs will cause their removal from sensible public debate. Their have enjoyed many years of receiving approbation, but their arrogance may now lead to their downfall. After all nemesis follows hubris.

Reasons Why You Should Study With a Group  In anticipation of major exams, many people are tempted to study exclusively by themselves so they have more control and autonomy over their work. Certainly, there are advantages to this approach. You may be less distracted and more comfortable during your studying – and more capable of absorbing info...

Tips for Starting Out as an Airbnb Investor  Airbnb has allowed millions of amateur real estate investors to become successful in creating a side stream of revenue – and sometimes, in running their own full-time business. But if you're just getting started, Airbnb investing might seem intimidating. So what does it take to run a profitable, suc...

Unmanned Aerial Systems, or UAS, are gaining traction in various domains due to their ability to retrieve information and provide top-notch surveillance, especially in airspace and military applications. In the past, these systems were solely used for military and surveillance purposes. However, the accuracy and phenomenal results displayed by UAS ...

Of all the great business ideas, which one would you go for if you were to start a business today? This is a question that most people would not have an answer to because many people don't know how to evaluate businesses. Well, the online lottery business is one of the best businesses that you can run. Owning a Lottery Website This is the first ste...

How the Coronavirus Pandemic is Impacting the Packaging Industry  Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have been hit hard. Initially, many businesses were forced to close their doors because of the shutdowns. Since then, only a handful of businesses have recovered. Although the economy has opened back up, many industries ar...

"Take back control." This was the mantra which propelled the leave camp to victory in 2016 - the singular battlecry of Brexiteers across the land ahead of the historic referendum on our membership of the European Union. Simple and effective, it communicated in three short words the primary benefit of extricating ourselves from Brussels's grip - nam...

 Factors That Lead to Burnout When Working From Home It's easy to understand how burnout manifests in a traditional office. If you have a long commute, a stuffy cubicle, and coworkers who constantly interrupt you, your stress will be off the charts. If your work is repetitive and unfulfilling on top of these problems, it's only a matter of tim...

Having the chance to study abroad is often a once in a lifetime experience, but with that can also come with a lot of stress. There are many deadlines and applications to make, so you might find that things slip between the cracks a lot. And you may not realize you have forgotten something until it has become a big issue. Paying attention to when y...

Three years before she became Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher addressed a meeting of the Exeter Conservatives. During her speech, she set out what freedom means. Among other things, she noted that it "is the right to move freely within a country - or to leave it."* It is not for me to presume what the great lady's opinion would have been on ...

Effective fleet management is essential for all transport and logistics companies. Not only does it keep down costs, it also improves customer satisfaction, which increases the sustainability and profitability of your business. Modern technology and telematics allow for real-time methods of keeping track of your fleet, employees and the increasing ...

Technology influences our daily lifestyle, and no one can escape from the absolute need for technology, starting from driving a car, or using a computer; it has its impact on every aspect of our day-to-day tasks. Technology has made work easier for us, including household chores or education, transportation, and medicine. The faster the world is mo...

The dental problem in the United Kingdom is becoming worse by the day. The Association of Dental Groups is starting a nationwide campaign to push ministers to act quickly. Many dentists are excited to witness the full extent of the lockdown's effect on the nation. The concern is that as the epidemic spreads, more sweet foods, fizzy beverages, and a...

How to Generate Income in Retirement (Without Going Back to Work!)  When it comes to retirement, there's something to be said for saving money over time. But it's not enough to save money. You also need to think about how you're going to generate income in retirement. The Two Biggest Retirement StrugglesRetirement is supposed to be the time in...

Politics the public and the environment – Pest ManagementGovernment policies may have a substantial impact on insect pest management in a variety of ways. They can influence the availability of money for research and extension, as well as product price and subsidies, as well as their implementation and acceptance. The general idea of IPM will only ...

For most of our history the ruling class was variously referred to as the nobility, or the aristocracy, selected by birth, not merit. Although lacking what we would call self awareness, or any concern for the views of the ordinary people (actually peasantry), it was normally, although not always, patriotic, and, particularly in the early days, quite prepared to enforce its will by clumping a mace around the head of any dissenters. This somewhat basic method of control was later replaced by less violent, although similarly uncompromising means of enforcing obedience.

Eventually the people decided that they had had enough of this, embraced democracy, and the old aristocracy lost power, although they usually retained their titles, and wealth. Our American cousins went further, and rejected the entire shebang, replacing the old constitutional system with a written constitution.

However, as is the way with such things (really everything), nature abhors a vacuum, and things did not go as hoped, and a new ruling class developed, not as thuggish as the old barons, but, for those who love liberty, equally abhorrent. In the USA the reliance on a legal document gave rise to a pestilence of lawyers, who now dominant much of American life, replacing common-sense with the sort of quibbles comparable to Saint Thomas Aquinas apocryphal questioning of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, while in the UK we have replaced Lords and Ladies with a layer of parasitic, condescending, arrogant, pretentious, narcissistic, know-it-alls (I am sure other adjectives could be added as required). These people know each other, generally go to the same universities to study the same fashionable, some would say, poncy, subjects, migrate to the top positions in all fields of life, largely by appointing their mates to them, and have only contempt for ordinary people who reject their stupid ideas. They lack patriotism, regarding those who love their country as deluded imbeciles. Even as I write this I can hear, from where my wife is watching the BBC downstairs, an interview with some superannuated ex Ambassador or the like, who is deriding the idea of a new Royal yacht, describing it as outmoded, old fashioned, and jingoistic. This is just the sort of person who hate the Last Night of the Proms. Those who can watch the band of the Royal marines play the Queen on board without feeling a swell of pride in Britain have no soul. It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, that almost all such people are Remainers, or Rejoiners, as they now like to be known. I have a different name for them but I will forbear to utter it.

Unfortunately in recent years these people have become acolytes of the extreme politically correct philosophy which goes under the name of ‘woke’. For a long time I disliked the articles written by Julie Birchall, but somewhere along the line she seems to have had a Road to Damascus, and now writes almost nothing but good sense. She recently coined the phrase ‘Woke versus Bloke’, which I believe sums up the division we now see in our society, provided of course that we are good little supporters of gender fluidity, and include females as blokes, much as we now seem to include them under the general heading guys.

Norman Tebbitt produced his famous cricket test, but a have a more pertinent proposal. Once football crowds are back to normal I suggest that we select one hundred at random from a combination of the Den (Millwall), and the Shed (Chelsea), and ask them to vote upon the basic tenets of the woke movement.

I might be wrong but I suspect that, when asked if they would give up their affordable cars, and heated homes, because the child saint Greta tells them to, or take a knee as an apology for their ethnicity, due to the actions of a foreign police force, the answer would be a resounding No. If expected to restrict their language so as not to offend some vanishingly small sexual minority, using only gender free conveniences, I imagine the response would be in the negative, as Sir Humphrey might have said. They probably would not even have heard of the high priestesses of woke such as that queen of condescension the Guardian’s Polly Toynbee, or the homosexual group Stonewall’s Nancy Kelley, although they will in all likelihood know of the patroniser-in-chief Dianne Abbott, but let us say I doubt that these ladies would be at the top of the list for the next dinner party they throw.

In particular I doubt that the ordinary working person realises just how much of the taxes they pay goes towards the obscene salaries paid to the wokists (crazy name, even crazier people) who infest so much of public life. While workers may get up at unearthly hours to drive trains, staff hospitals or respond to emergencies, often for very poor wages, this army of parasites rake in enormous salaries for sitting in nice offices, producing directives and policies, written in impenetrable bureaucratese. The diversity consultants, human resource advisors and vociferous, paid climate change obsessives, rely upon the nonsense promoted by the politically correct to feather their own nests.

The absolute rubbish being inflicted upon us would be laughable, were it not also so serious, as it is exacerbating divides in society, which were not previously significant, costing the economy billions, and undermining future hopes for prosperity, as they put their absurd philosophy above any other consideration.

It is hard to see how this tide of gibberish can be reversed, given that these drones and leeches have inveigled themselves into so many areas of influence. It is not possible to overthrow this new ruling class in the manner previous autocrats have been disposed of, as we do not have the equivalent of marching from Paris to Versailles, or storming the Bastille, when the despots now are an oligarchy, rather than a few identifiable, albeit royal, individuals. However we must do so if we are to have a bearable future. This should be the aim of all decent people who believe in democracy, and the battle can be won, just as we won freedom from the bureaucrats of Brussels.

A major City group has just published a report calling for an immediate development of an e-pound Britain could create a Western alternative to a Chinese digital/e-currency It is not generally appreciated that over 98% of UK transactional banking (by value) takes place in what is known as 'the wholesale market'. Less than 2% takes place in the reta...

 4 Precautions for Americans Traveling to Europe With a Concealed Carry Permit Americans with concealed carry permits need to exercise caution when traveling to European countries. Gun laws in the United States are strict, but they're extremely loose compared to other countries. While the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees th...

 I have become seriously concerned about green issues. No, I have not suddenly become a tree hugging greenie wishing to revert back to the days of horse and carts and candles to light our homes, my concern is with the measures coming our way to enforce a Stasi like, totalitarian green regime upon us. Many people are living in ignorant bliss of...

Alexander Adamescu is to be extradited from the UK to Romania, on an accusation of having, with his late father Dan Adamescu, bribed judges in Romania in 2013, in a case concerning a construction company. He asserts that the real reason is political - that his father and he controlled an opposition newspaper, Romania Libera, and Romanian Prosecutor...

A Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate. The three degrees which are considered a must have for a career in academia. Any person who knows the hard work and discipline it takes to receive a degree, will acknowledge how intense it is to gain all three. I am myself in my seventh year of university and in the second year of my doctorate. It really hasn't b...

Recently I bought a new car which came with all the contemporary bells and whistles concerning safety. However it nags so badly that, had it been a wife in the middle ages, it would have been a candidate for the ducking stool. It is petulant to the point that, unless I confirm every time I turn it on that I accept responsibility for driving, it won’t let me access the radio. I know that without being told, as I didn’t think it was the cat.

I can turn off most of the inconsequential complaints, but unfortunately that is not the case when it comes to the barrage of whingeing daily afflicting us from the combination of busybodies, scaremongers and politically correct fanatics, many of whom would have been willing Stasi informants in the old days of the GDR. They call themselves liberals, and spend their time virtue signalling, but in reality they are either stupid, or malign, or both. There are so many fields in which we encounter these imbeciles, whether it be sexual politics, historical facts, race or merely in our choice of words, or thoughts.

I am tired of those of us who are heterosexual being treated as giving offence if saying that we find the opposite sex attractive, while vanishingly small minorities are permitted to dominate debate. In many organisations these latter have succeeded in forcing the abolition of single sex toilets, completely against the wishes of women, although thankfully the government has declared that his process will not be permitted in public buildings. Those of us who have faith have been attacked for daring to say that marriage is between a man and a woman, while insane claims of there being over one hundred genders are allowed to pass unchallenged by a pusillanimous media.

Those such as myself who regard Winston Churchill as the greatest ever Englishman, and look upon our history with pride, are treated as being some sort of closet supporters of slavery, and while much is made of the reprehensible involvement of Western nations in the latter, no credit is given to the Royal Navy, which lost thousands of men driving the trade off the high seas. It seems to have passed these activists by that slavery has been a feature of human society for thousands of years, that its practice was never restricted to just white races, or that no one today with any intelligence would defend it.

The mere fact of being Caucasian is regarded as being a crime, and we must all be patronised by so called training in unconscious bias, again thankfully now rejected by the government. This is not to say that I would ever be deliberately unkind, or rude, to anyone because of their race, sex etc. as such behaviour is not part of my makeup, or of that of the vast majority of ordinary people.

The imposition of the left liberal version of Newspeak is intended to limit our use of our own language, and to regulate our thoughts, to accord with the wishes of these pseudo fascists, as if using the English language we have known for our whole lives is meant to indicate some hidden antipathy towards others. The lunatics of the environmental movement are seeking to deprive us of our cars, of our heated homes and of so many of the things that our forefathers spent so much effort to create, in the name of an unproven theory, supported for the most part by idiots whose scientific credentials are non existent.

I am not going to limit my use of language, apologise for my race or sexual preference, cease to express my love of Britain and her history, forgo the simple pleasure of driving the family to the coast, sit in a freezing house, nor ‘take the knee’ to a Marxist organisation because of the deplorable behaviour of a foreign police force, however much these various activists may complain. The late, great, Tony Hancock had the perfect answer when confronted by similar cretins, which was ‘Get Knotted”, while Sid James would have bopped them one. I trust any left liberal reading the last sentence will realise that it is intended humorously, not as an incentive to violence, but as they seem to lack any sense of humour one has to spell it out for them!

It is time we fought back against these extremists. On truism attributed to Churchill among others is that “a fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject”, which describes so many of those bossing us about these days. When told that, in relation to some inoffensive remark, “you can’t say that”, we should respond “I can, and I will”, while the demand that we police ourselves concerning our innermost thoughts should be dismissed with contempt. Just tell these boneheaded nitwits to shut up. Finally leave the morons of social media to shout at each other, and lead our lives as adults, not the infantilised victims of arrogant know it all bigots. Those of us who have spent years on the football terraces can respond to those trolls who think that they can win by abusing opponents by replying in kind, without backing down like pathetic snowflakes. Perhaps not the course of action recommended in “Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners”, but much more effective. Stop nagging us!

By Professor James Blyth The Fishing Saga The story of the UK's fishing rights scarcely needs re-telling, but it is well worth remembering. They are part of the internationally agreed economic resources of the UK, and are located primarily within the North Sea and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. They fall within the UK's exclusive economic zone (EEZ),...

The hollowing out of Irish independence: how the Irish people were made citizens of an EU Federation, by Anthony Coughlan, pamphlet, 16 pages, The National Platform, January 2021. The indefatigable Anthony Coughlan has produced another fine contribution to the debates about Brexit, Irexit and the EU. He is a lifelong campaigner for Irish independen...

 In recent days, the internet has been abuzz with the news of Joe Biden's proposed hike of federal capital gains tax to 43.4% for the highest earners. However, unsubstantiated rumours swirl of another, far more significant reform to American taxation: an 80% tax on cryptocurrency transactions. If true, it must be conceded that such a reform ha...

Looking at the contemporary disposition of the main parties in the USA it may seem incredible to those who know little of the history of American politics that, at the time of the Civil War, the Republicans were the dominant section of the radical party led by Lincoln, while the Congress of the Confederate States was dominated by former Democratic politicians. However we may now be seeing a similar reversal in position in the UK, opening up an historic opportunity for the Conservative party.

The result of the Hartlepool by-election, indicates that we are moving in the direction of the Conservatives becoming the party which actually supports the interests of the working class, while Labour joins the other left wing parties in only speaking for the metropolitan liberal, pro EU elite. By doing so it is following a road which could result in its oblivion as a serious political force.

It is unsurprising that the massively Leave supporting working class electorate in Teesside, who have endured decades of neglect by London politicians, should reject a party that had the arrogance to choose a pro EU candidate, at a time when the Conservative government is also actively taking steps to bring jobs and economic prosperity to the area.

Coming from a working class home, and born under Attlee as Prime Minister, I was raised reading the Daily Mirror, and, as a youngster, knew that the majority of my community regarded the Conservatives as the party of the privileged, and prosperous, while Labour was speaking for the ordinary people.

However the party of Attlee was very different to that which claims to be its descendent, the latter having rejected the kind of policies which ordinary working class people supported, and still support. I believe that grammar schools, introduced by Attlee when he implemented the 1944 Education Act, provided a means for any bright child, regardless of background, to climb the educational ladder, while it was his government that first created the independent nuclear deterrent, something I believe necessary for our safety. After centuries of persecution, and in particular the Holocaust, I think it only right that the Jewish people should have their own state, itself established with Labour support under Attlee. It was also the latter, later followed by another great Labour figure Hugh Gaitskill, who rejected involvement with what later evolved into the European Union. These policies make clear that so much of what the current left would no doubt describe as Tory, was in fact enacted, or at least endorsed by the most successful Labour government in history.

The Conservative party of those days was still very much one which favoured the interests of the moneyed few, while lacking an understanding that the ordinary person was instinctively patriotic, and wanted to possess the respect due to those who made a living through work, not state handouts. However Boris, despite his background as an old Etonian, and graduate of Oxford, seems to understand, and encourage, the aspirations of the working class in a way that the alleged egalitarians of the metropolitan elitists who dominate Labour dismiss with contempt, while nevertheless claiming to represent the underprivileged.

The main risk to the Conservatives is that the education system, both in schools and universities, is dominated by the liberal left, with the result that youngsters are being brainwashed into supporting the policies of the latter, while the BBC can be relied upon to present a totally biased view, favouring such ideas. The current influence being exercised by the so called ‘woke’, including the extremist agenda of the environmentalists, also presents a danger to common-sense policies, although the fact that the Green candidate only gained just over one per cent of the vote in Hartlepool makes clear that ordinary people do not support the ridiculous demands made by these obsessives.

The latter is one area where Boris needs to rethink policy, as conceivably there is not actually a sustained change in climate, but merely a variation, such as have occurred in historic times, for instance the Medieval Climatic Anomaly, followed by the Little Ice Age. Maybe there is a more long term change, but it could have nothing to do with homo sapiens, but be the result of subtle variations in the Sun's output, while perhaps there is indeed an effect resulting from our activities. If the latter is true then we need to do what we as a species has always done, adapt, but not to react in a way with a cure which is worse than the disease.

This does not mean that it is not a good idea to take measures to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, as these are finite on a human timescale, whereas energy from the Sun, tides and wind are only vulnerable on a geological timeframe. However this can be done over a sensible period, taking advantage of technological advances, without throwing the baby out with bathwater, as we can make huge changes over the coming decades which will put our industrial civilisation on a more permanent basis.

It is regrettable that governments, including our own, have shown themselves willing to take the alarmist statements of the green lobby at face value, when the latter would only be satisfied if we were all back in the caves, rubbing sticks together for warmth, as they falsely regard humanity of being guilty of a disregard for the environment for purely selfish reasons. Many, although not all, are in fact beholden to the usual self hating ideologies of the Left.

Boris has chosen excellent people to implement policy, with Priti Patel speaking for those who, in imitation of the Mikado, wish punishments to fit the crime, while Rishi Sunak is a popular and effective Chancellor, and Dominic Raab a good Foreign Secretary. It is also clear that the ethnic makeup of the Cabinet makes it impossible for the left to credibly claim that this Conservative government is in anyway racially biased. Those who arrogantly describe themselves as ‘one nation’ Conservatives, are in fact just the sort of complacent, hubristic elitists certain to lose the support of those Boris has now gained for the party.

If the party holds its nerve, and does not revert to its old position of merely representing the well off, it can secure its place as the governing party for many years to come. It is an historic opportunity, which may never come again.

Gambling can be pretty addictive, and it has become even more difficult to overcome the addiction with the dawn of online gambling. Winning or losing on a bet can have adverse effects on the brain, leading to unreasonable motivation to place more bets. Scientists are still researching why gamblers' returns may vary from one individual to another. H...

Online casino software is growing even more significantly in 2021, even though regulations for the COVID-19 pandemic are loosening up in Norway. Internationally, casino games are being played at a greater rate and are obtaining new publicity. Popular Twitch streamers have started streaming slots and video poker online, earning more money than they ...

Since March 2020, most of the world has been in quarantine in an effort to curb the pandemic. Norway is no exception, shutting down shortly after the first confirmed case. Now, people are trying to find the norske bettingsider for gambling. Casino games are an excellent way to keep yourself entertained while stuck inside. Many people decided to spe...

Ever wonder how slots came to be as popular as they are today? The first slot machine gave the impression of being a large and cumbersome machine accessed in land-based casinos. Today, we can play slot games with a plethora of themes available at our fingertips. All it takes is downloading an app. Players can even try multiple slot games at once. W...

For organizations across the USA, and not only, 2020 has been more than a challenging year. It's safe to say that no brand was ready to face a pandemic. But despite the challenging situation, companies have been resilient, pivoting and adapting their business models to face unprecedented conditions. Now that 2021 is here, businesses have to take ad...

Looking for the best casino bonuses this year? Well, look no further. We've gathered the top 10 best casino bonuses all together so you do not have to! Whether you are searching for poker games or slot machines, the best games are all here and ready for you to have a look at and start your play! Casino bonuses are a great way to increase the amount...

Most homeowners need some kind of landscaping services, whether it's weed-eating, mowing, or tree-trimming. Weeds and other intrusive plants can grow exceptionally tall in a short period of time, and this becomes overwhelming on a large property. Trees can also become problematic when branches keep getting bushier when left untrimmed. Most landscap...

Presentation Tips That Persuade People to Move  Steve Jobs once said, "People who know what they're talking about don't need PowerPoint." And while we don't have anything against visual aids, his point is clear: If you know your stuff, you know your stuff – you shouldn't have to rely on crutches or props. But as someone who is only just learni...

The destructive results of the religious wars of the 17th Century led to the rise of the Enlightenment of the following century, which sought to make logic and reason central to human thought, replacing the ideas driven by emotion, encouraging the ideals of toleration, liberty, progress and the removal of religious domination of the state. Undoubtedly the movement’s concepts were significant in inspiring the the eruptions of the American and French revolutions, although eventually it was the latter that caused its demise, due to the chaos engendered. Nevertheless enlightenment ideals continued to influence Western society, particularly those of the Anglo-Saxon powers.

The relationship between emotion and reason is fundamental to how human beings behave. If we were robots, or like Star Trek’s Mr Spock, we would totally lack empathy with others, yet if we allowed emotion to be our only guide, the passions, and a refusal to use reason, would return us to the bigotry of previous ages. Clearly, as in most things, a compromise is required, and this was recognised in Ephesians, which states “We are saved through faith. The mind and heart must both be engaged in this process because to have faith in God, we must believe and trust God. Believing requires the mind, but to trust someone requires the heart”.

For many years we have arranged our affairs in the belief that that reason is more important than emotion, even though, in his novel “Podrostok” the author Dostoevsky put forward the theory that, in the final analysis, human beings do not change their beliefs because of intellectual argument, but because they have first become emotionally convinced of the truth of the proposition. I am sure that this is true, as it is obvious that superior arguments alone rarely change peoples minds, but nevertheless, until recently, it has been possible to debate and discuss issues in a reasonable manner.

Now we have reached a point in the cultural wars afflicting us where mob mentality, given new life by the curse of social media, is creating a situation in which no rational debate can take place, as those involved in the various so called protest movements will admit of no possibility that their opponents might have a point, and they will never be satisfied unless every jot and tittle of their demands are met. The fanatical environmentalists worship their child saint Greta, while their violent followers in Extinction Rebellion make clear that their belief in their self proclaimed sincerity, and their absolute certainty that they are right, justifies any outrage.

On a different front the extremists of Black Lives Matter declare that they have the right to rewrite history, destroying artefacts, books, and the reputations of every one they can tar with the brush of supposed racism, while at the same time harbouring the virus of anti Semitism in their midst. The historic wrong of slavery cannot be expunged by refusing to accept that the past is the past, or that only a lunatic would support it in today’s world.

The utterly absurd gender wars are so imbecilic that any objective observer must conclude that the so called progressive Left has gone completely mad. Even the radicals of the feminist movement are in the firing line, for objecting to hairy great men being allowed to compete with women in sporting contests, or to be sent to female prisons, where the other inmates are then subjected to sexual assault by these “self identified” women.

The deranged intellectuals of the liberal left are attempting to outdo Orwell’s worst nightmares as they try to corrupt and distort our language to reflect the supposed truths of which they claim to be the guardians, a lie which the universities, and too many major institutions, are only too willing to support. It is sickening to see so many charities, and commercial organisations, jumping on this bandwagon, attempting to dictate what language their employees must use.

If these lunatics had lived before the Enlightenment they would have been the religious fundamentalists who tortured and burned others in the name of a religion of love, and they are now comparable to those who promote terrorism in the name of a different faith.

If they are not stopped we shall see the real end of the Enlightenment, and of the return of the mentality which inspired Matthew Hopkins and his witch-finders, while free speech and democratic government will become a distant, and ultimately suppressed, memory. The question now is “Who is going to stop them?”.

Holyrood elections to the Scottish Parliament are now just days away and the debate on Scottish independence is predictably heating up once again, especially as now there is a second pro-indyref party in the form of Alba, led by former SNP First Minister, Alex Salmond. The debate often skirts around one issue, currency and it's rather a significant...

As a business owner, you are going to invest in numerous resources and tools to help your business grow. Some of those assets will be more tangible, like vehicles and computers, while others are a little more conceptual, like employees, and training strategies. Having a tracking system in place will help you to ensure that you're leveraging your as...

Do you have a business that makes use of Instagram for its marketing but can't seem to get your account to grow? Have you tried various different ways to grow your follower count on Instagram but just can't seem to figure it out? Instagram is a social media platform that has grown exponentially since its launch in 2010. It now boats over q billion ...

You may have noticed that everywhere you go these days, people are always taking pictures of all sorts of things, in different settings with all sorts of people. It may be a plate of food, a trip to a vacation spot or a party. Many people are excited about taking a photo, probably to remember the event by. One of the biggest pushers for this trend ...

Are you new to TikTok and can't seem to get your follower count up as quickly as you had hoped? Have you had a TikTok account for a while now but don't seem to be gaining much traction when it comes to gaining followers? TikTok is a social media app where users can share short videos of themselves and others, as well as re-watch their favourite mom...

Are you looking to marketing your brand or business on social media and aren't sure which platform is the best for this? Have you tried using various different platform but don't think you are using the right platform or the most platform? The world of social media is an every-changing landscape with new platforms an d trends coming to the forefron...

 Climate change has been making countless headlines over the last several years. For quite some time now, scientists have been discussing the possible problems this growing issue can bring about for future generations. They've also been attempting to raise awareness of the many resulting consequences of climate change in an effort to mitigate ...

The Great Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008 has left many cadavers in its wake; zombified economies with under performing companies kept under life support by a presumed modern monetary theory, not too dissimilar to what Japan embarked on in the late 1990s. Quantitative Easing where the quantity is never enough, and the pressure is such that central b...

The challenges that are facing the European Union and Brexit are quite vast which is why there are so many opinions about them. Since the debate has started, many heated arguments have been expressed opposing both sides. As more people want to have their voice heard, many organizations are working towards starting more panel discussions so that the...

Do you still visit your nearest land-based casino in Hungary to play your favorite table games or card games? Gone are the days when players would queue at the casinos and pay to play games. Currently, many revolutions have happened in the gambling industry to make it better. There is no more going to the land-based arenas because the technology ha...

The BBC, first national broadcaster in the world, and founded almost a century ago, once was respected, and indeed loved, acting as the voice of the nation in even the darkest times. How is it then that it is now reviled, and distrusted by so many, to the extent that its survival is under threat?

Lord Reith, appointed as first Director General in 1927, remains the most famous of those to hold that post, not least because he established the principles by which the organisation was expected to abide, including an equal consideration of all viewpoints, probity, universality and a commitment to public service. He stated that his goal was to broadcast, "All that is best in every department of human knowledge, endeavour and achievement. The preservation of a high moral tone is obviously of paramount importance”.

In the great days of radio the BBC reined supreme, never more than during the Second World War, when it, together with Churchill, provided the voice of defiance to the Nazi barbarians, and brought hope to those throughout the world who were suffering under the fascists. The World Service was established in 1932, and broadcast in many languages. Many of the programmes such as “The Brains Trust”, treated listeners as intelligent, with experts answering questions from the public in an unbiased manner.

After the war the emphasis began to shift to TV, where presenters such as Sylvia Peters, and McDonald Hobley, provide its public face, and many of radio’s most successful programmes found a new home. I still remember watching the coronation in black and white on our old Pye set. In the decades that followed competing channels, the arrival of colour television, and social developments changed the BBC in many ways, but it was still regarded as a trustworthy source of information, as well as a producer of excellent programmes, including many comedies such as “Dad’s Army”, “Fawlty Towers”, “Till death us do part” and “It ain’t half hot Mum”. These were very popular, and it was obvious to anyone of intelligence that, when they included characters expressing bigoted views, the intention was to ridicule the latter, not promote them. Satire such as “That was the week that was” was aimed basically at the political establishment.

What a contrast is presented by the modern BBC. Although it still produces some excellent programmes, such as nature documentaries, it has, quite unnecessarily, reduced standards to meet the lowest common denominator, as it seeks to compete with the output of the commercial channels. Given that it is guaranteed its income via the licence fee, it is not obliged to chase ratings, yet so much of what it broadcasts fails to provide quality programmes to improve knowledge, and understanding of the world. Apart from “University Challenge” the quiz shows seemed targeted at the products of modern education, who, through no fault of their own, are being failed by a system which insists everyone must have prizes. This is all part of the BBC’s stated ambition to appeal to youngsters, quite ignoring the fact that the demographic profile of the nation points to a gradually ageing population, while the young are anyway just not interested in public service broadcasting.

However the greatest scandal, and one which undermines the whole original ethos of the BBC, is the way in which it has abandoned any idea of being unbiased, and champions the views of the metropolitan, left liberal elite. It declared some years ago that it would not allow those who question the whole concept of anthropological climate change to air their opinions as “the science is settled”, despite the fact that this is not true. It even encourages comparisons with holocaust deniers, an insult to decent people who refuse to accept a fashionable idea just because it is fashionable. However undoubtedly the most egregious example of this bias has been the manner in which Brexit has been treated. The entire organisation seems to be staffed with those who proved to be in the national minority, yet it took, and still takes, every opportunity to air pro EU views, while attempting to depict Brexiteers as right wing, bigoted, nationalists. One only had to see the expression on the faces of the presenters as the result of the referendum became clear to know exactly where their sympathies lay.

The bias shown extends to all those issues which are becoming increasingly contentious, such as race and gender, with virtue signalling spokesmen for the radical left being given preference over those who reject the claims of these bigots. The very unfunny comedies now broadcast are predicated on the premise that to attack those who oppose rule by Brussels, together with the Royal family, deserve mockery, while the BBC disowns the superior shows from the past, seeking to attribute malign motives, even to gentle comedies such as “Dad’s Army”.

Where previously satire was directed at the powerful, now the targets are ordinary people who happen to disagree with the lunatic views of the radical left. Programmes such as “Today” can be relied upon to present a totally slanted view of issues, calling upon the usual suspects to offer their views, while censoring those who actually speak for the majority. The choice of those to review the newspapers is usually heavily weighted to those who quote from the “Guardian”, or the “Observer”, ignoring the fact that these papers are read by a small minority. I remember Frederick Forsyth being dropped from “a point of view” because his opinions gave the BBC lefties a fit of the vapours. Even the tone of voice used by presenters is a guide to their biases as they convey incredulity that anyone might hold views different to the accepted consensus among the liberals. A prime example of this kind of arrogance was the treatment meted out to an MP who happened to have the union flag in his room, as if supporting one’s own country was a sign of stupidity or worse. It is also obvious that the audiences for “Any Questions” are drawn from basically one side of the political spectrum.

One could go on and on about the reality, but nothing will change unless action is taken to cleanse the Augean stables of the BBC. This should be part of the fightback against the so called “woke”, who are destroying this country. That the national broadcaster should have fallen victim to these people is a disgrace, and the decline and fall of such a British icon is a tragedy.

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The reaction to the report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities proves, if proof was needed, that those who have dominated debate on race in this country for many years are not driven by morality, as they pretend, but by a left wing ideology which hates our society, and by the desire to ensure that their access to lucrative consultative fees, book deals, and profits from running absurd training courses continues unabated. The latter, encouraged by politicised HR departments, and permitted by pusillanimous managers afraid of ‘giving offence’, have been responsible for countless blameless employees being obliged to attend classes where they are expected to offer mea culpas for opinions and actions of which they are entirely innocent.

These courses are nothing more than the product of left wing propaganda, sowing discord when none previously existed. The underlying assumptions that only white people are racist, and that all white people are racist, albeit many subconsciously, is itself racist, and an insult to the vast majority of people in these islands, many of whom have been cowed by political correctness into granting credence to these false beliefs. When I was forced to attend one of these travesties I recall being the only person to raise my hand when asked if anyone of those present, who were all white, had not discriminated against others on the grounds of race. The others attending were too frightened to reject presumed guilt, but as a lifelong trade unionist, and reader at my church, I refused to be intimidated.

Of course the people who run these courses claim that to say one is innocent is proof of unconscious guilt, a proposition that the Stalinist and Maoist self criticism meetings used to condemn innocent people, and is worthy of Orwell’s 1984. The government has concluded that these courses have cost taxpayers thousands of pounds when used on civil servants, for no useful purpose, and have accordingly banned them in bodies under their control.

The manner in which our universities have largely been taken over by hard left academics ensures that the only acceptable view is a parody of Orwell’s sheep in Animal Farm, chanting ‘White bad, non white good’, so students who do not subscribe to this philosophy are marginalised, and treated as guilty of racism. Unfortunately our young people have been so brainwashed by the Marxists who have infiltrated our educational institutions, aided and abetted by those such as the disgrace which still calls itself the ‘British’ Broadcasting Corporation, that they accept these lies.

The membership of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities is approximately ninety per cent non white, yet the political activists who have responded treat the report as if it were some sort of statement by the Ku Klux Klan. The Runnymede Trust, called it a “gross offence” to grieving families of ethnic minorities who have died of Covid, as if the virus has been somehow directed to infect the latter in preference to the white community, while Black Lives Matter, said that it was “perplexed” by the report’s methodology, and “disappointed” by oversight of police racism. This latter organisation seems to have less concern for anti Semitism in its ranks, so obviously for them some people are more equal than others. The usual suspects, when interviewed by their fellow travellers in the BBC spoke as if the people who produced the report were merely government dupes, whose efforts could just be dismissed.

The reality is that of course racism exists in the UK, as it does in Japan, China, Russia, the USA, and indeed around the world. However it is neither institutionalised, nor structural, but rather the result of individual prejudices. To judge anyone by the colour of their skin is unkind, deplorable and just plain wrong. Indeed, as those of us who follow Christ know, he said “Judge not, that ye be not judged”, a principle which everyone might consider following. The point is that in this country it is not acceptable to allow personal prejudice to affect employment, housing, or the manner in which one is treated by the organs of government, such as the police.

There is no doubt that when activists of any sort demand public enquiries, or government reports, on any subject, they have already determined what result they expect, so, if those involved dare to find against them, woe betide them as they may expect to be subjected to abuse. It is utterly pointless to ask experts to give of their time if they are to be bullied into agreeing with whatever the extremists desire. Undoubtedly, if at some stage an enquiry is held into the handling of the Covid pandemic the loudest voices will be demanding that the government be condemned for failures, whatever the truth may be, and however much hindsight is allowed to take precedence over reason.

Those keen to rubbish the report on race in the UK should be wary. Although there are morons around who hate people merely because of the category into which they fall, the majority of Britons are mostly easy going, and consider fairness to be a virtue. If however perfectly innocent people find themselves constantly demonised on the basis of their being white they will react with anger. The result will not be better race relations, but a polarisation in society. Of course this is precisely what the Marxists want, as they continue to believe that causing social upheaval will give them the opportunity to gain power, before instituting their socialist nirvana. It seems to pass them by that this never works, and that all they end up with are rightwing regimes which crush them, but that’s what you get when you insist on following the ideas of foolishly idealistic nineteenth century intellectuals, instead of genuinely seeking a better world.

We have come a long way since the dark days when minorities were indeed discriminated against as a matter of course, and it would be a tragedy if we allow the politically motivated divisiveness promulgated by the hypocrites of the acolytes of extremism to win.

It is claimed that two thousand years ago a Roman citizen could walk across the known world free of the fear of attack, protected only by the words ‘Civis Romanus Sum’ translated as ‘I am a Roman citizen’, as all understood that the Roman state would punish any who harmed its citizens with unfailing retribution.

Of course one should not use the Romans as a model of how to behave, as they were notoriously hypocritical, in that they called their opponents barbarians, while they themselves maimed, blinded, castrated and enslaved populations who tried to defy them, committed genocide in Gaul, and elsewhere, and applied bestial punishments such as crucifixion and burning. The one lesson one can draw from the their claimed success in enforcing their laws is that deterrence works, not always, and everywhere, but generally.

The idea that the punishment should fit the crime, as espoused by Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado, receives little support from modern criminologists, yet is largely supported by the victims, who see pathetically soft penal policies enabling vicious felons to escape any sort of meaningful justice. I am old enough to remember when criminals would, before setting out some nefarious enterprise, search each other for deadly weapons, as they knew that, should one of their number kill, they would all hang.

Thanks to the dominance of liberal ideas over recent decades we now live in a society where murders, rapists and violent thugs have been given punishments which neither deter, nor represent any sort of justified retribution, ignoring the pain of those who suffered at their hands. Politicians of all parties are guilty of perpetuating this state of affairs, claiming the moral high ground by expressing concern for the human rights of the offenders, while ignoring those of their victims, and of those who will suffer in the future. My sympathies, and I have no doubt those of the vast majority of ordinary people, lie with the baby girl murdered, or starved to death, by those who should be taking care of her, the woman attacked and raped when walking down the street, the spouse who suffers domestic abuse, the youngsters stabbed to death near their homes by those who carry knives as a macho statement, the people assaulted because of the colour of their skin and every innocent who deserves the protection of the law, but sees lawyers, psychiatrists and the like doing all they can to excuse the thugs, and prevent them receiving the punishments they richly deserve.

Having left the EU we could reinstate capital punishment for murder, while the absurd policy of releasing offenders when they have completed half of their sentences should be ended. Rather then reductions due to good behaviour, if inmates are guilty of bad behaviour the sentences should be increased, although no doubt so called progressives would have a fit of the vapours at the thought. These latter always claim that execution is not a deterrent, a ridiculous assertion, but even were it to be true, it is also a justified retribution for the heinous crime committed.

Now we are faced with a further failure in the enforcement of justice in that the police force is increasingly falling under the sway of those who clearly see their function as running a Thought Police, rather than a body whose aim is to deal with real crime. Senior officers encourage the persecution of people who are doing no more than exercise their right to free speech, characterising expressions of opinion as ‘hate’ crimes, while pandering to paranoid, and politically motivated, enemies of democracy, who take constantly offence where none is intended. There is no justification for encouraging those who seek to inflame any sort of hatred against minorities, but such incidents now form a small part of the cases raised by those whom seek to suppress free speech.

Two principles which are totally ignored by the high priests of political correctness are that allegations are proof of nothing, while one is innocent until proven guilty. A former police officer, is taking Humberside Police to court over reported 'hate incidents’, as he was previously told by Humberside Police that he had been reported for hate speech because of tweets that were anonymously reported as 'offensive' and 'transphobic'. Despite being told he had committed no crime, a policeman told him he needed "to check your thinking". His record now clearly states that he has committed a 'non-crime' 'hate incident'. The problem is, if something is perceived as hateful, it is recorded as hateful. No evidence is needed. There is nothing you can do to change its status, and it remains on your record permanently. 1984’s O’Brien would be proud!

I have known many police officers, both personally, and in my time playing for my various sports clubs, at golf, tennis, squash or latterly bowls against their teams, and I also know how many are disgusted by the way in which the force has been politicised, its objective no longer being to fight real crime. The ordinary courageous policemen, and women, daily put their lives on the line to deal with the Marxist mobs of Stop the War, Extinction Rebellion, BLM etc., while facing criminals carrying guns, who are no longer afraid to use them. They are being betrayed by the liberal leaders now dominating the force. The days when every policeman had to perform a spell of beat duty, and were not required to pursue academic qualifications, rather than learn on the job, have gone, and politically trained automatons are preferred to real coppers.

In a letter published in the national press in 2018 one ex policeman reported “I served in the Met in the Seventies, and would report for night duty at Kings Cross. As well as constables in panda cars, a van to collect the drunks, an area car for emergency calls, and pursuits, officers would be assigned a beat to patrol on foot. If a break-in or damage was reported the next day from your beat, you had a lot of explaining to do. No wonder the crime rate is soaring with no coppers on the streets looking for crime, instead of waiting for it to happen. Where’s our thin blue line gone?”.

We want officers visible on our streets, not sitting in front of computers pursuing those who dare to hold a different opinion to metropolitan elitists. I remember when bobbies would stop cyclists riding on pavements, as well as panda cars stopping those with non functioning car exhausts. As was discovered in New York, if decent behaviour is enforced in even small things, beneficial effects will be felt throughout society.

When the state tells the people that they cannot respond to attacks, but must leave it to the organs of the law, then it is in effect agreeing to a contract that the state will take effective action against the lawbreakers itself. If it constantly refuses to do so then it is hardly surprising that people hold it in contempt. Respect for the law is essential if it is to be obeyed.

It is well past time for soft laws, inadequate sentences, politicised police, slippery lawyers and appeasing politicians to be consigned to the dustbin of history.

On a Rhine cruise some years ago my wife and I visited the beautiful town of Heidelberg and, while touring the castle, were informed of an interesting historical fact that contains a lesson for today's so called liberals and progressives. In the seventeenth century one of the Electors anticipated war and built strong fortifications. No one attacked. His successor discounted the possibility of war, weakened the defences and, unsurprisingly, saw the castle overwhelmed.

This is proof of the truth of the statement found in Latin author Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus's tract “De Re Militari” (4th or 5th century AD), where he says “Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum” which translates as “Therefore let him who desires peace prepare for war.". This adage is generally better known as “Si vis pacem, para bellum” or "If you want peace, prepare for war”, and indeed it is the motto of the Royal Navy, the Norwegian Military Academy, part of the US Marine Corps, and numerous other military organisations throughout the world. This is not because of any bellicose desire to fight wars, but because military men are well aware that the best way to avoid conflict is to be prepared in the event it should come, and to be able to counter, and deter aggressive moves by one’s enemy before these escalate to the level of actual warfare.

In would be unfair to characterise the people of the UK, and before that of England, as being warmongers, but, over the centuries, we have proved ourself no shrinking violets, having fought against more other nations than any other country, a result of being one of the world’s oldest nation states, the creation of the Empire, and the desire to preserve the balance of power in Europe.

However we have at times failed to give sufficient priority to the Armed Forces, most obviously in the inter war years of the 20th Century, when we failed to maintain an adequate military in the face of the growing threat from Germany, as the politicians sought to appease the fundamentally unappeasable. Thanks to the still overwhelming strength of the Royal Navy, the bravery of the Air Force, and the mighty allies brought to our side by the imbecilic decisions of a paranoid megalomaniac, we survived.

Despite escaping from destruction by the skin of our teeth, the post war years show that both politicians, and ordinary people, have, in many cases, not learned the lesson. When we were confronted by a totalitarian power, implacably opposed to our way of life, and possessing nuclear weapons, the reaction of those such as CND was to support disposing of our stocks unilaterally. Obviously many were fellow travellers, who wished to see Communism triumphant, but others adopted the stance of the ostrich, burying their heads in the sand, and apparently hoping the Soviets would just go away.

The reality proved to be that nuclear weapons, seemingly capable of annihilating the opponent in a single decisive blow, were never used, and eventually our enemies collapsed, thanks to the inability of their economic system to match that of the West. The reason they never resorted to using their H-bombs was that any ensuing victory would have been pyrrhic, thanks to the certainty of mutually assured destruction. CND could not have been more wrong.

How many times in recent years have we seen defence reviews, while claiming to to create a leaner, but meaner military, actually being based on saving money, while relying on the power of the USA to ensure that her allies would not fall before a common enemy. Not only is this dishonest, it is so short sighted as to be contemptuously cretinous.

The latest review appears, no doubt until all details become clear, to offer a more sensible programme than that proposed by previous governments. The good parts involve the greater use of AI and drones, more warships and submarines, and an expansion in the number of nuclear warheads held. Air power, if promises are kept, will remain significant, and the pivot to the Pacific is obviously rational as China grows more threatening. Cyber defences grow ever more necessary, so creation of the National Cyber Force, RAF Space Command and an artificial intelligence agency are all positives, particularly as the danger from terrorists always remains.

However the proposals for the Army are alarming. Less tanks, insufficient field artillery, and, above all, another reduction in the number of troops, would make the Kaiser, if he were still alive, repeat his remarks about a contemptible little army. Our soldiers are among the finest in the world, but there comes a point where there are too few to be more than a token force. Clearly our historic role has been that of a naval power, since augmented by the air, but if we are to neglect the army then even more must be allocated to the former. More aircraft carriers, frigates, and even destroyers, should be built in British shipyards, while the air force should be expanded.

None of this comes cheap, but the first responsibility of a government must be the protection of its citizens, and there is no point in having a marvellous social and health infrastructure if it can be easily destroyed by those who hate us.

Perhaps in the long term one of the most important changes which could be made would be to attempt to restore the sense of service to the nation which plays so little part in contemporary culture. We have the Army, Navy and Air Force reserves, but they could contribute more to our potential strength if they were treated with the respect they deserve, and not subject to the sneers of the metropolitan elitists, who dominate organisations such as the BBC.

No rational person wants conflict but, if you want peace, prepare for war!

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