Jolyon Rubinstein has just demonstrated his ignorance to the whole world on This Week by talking about the Suez Crisis and getting the facts entirely wrong:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mvhd

He was educated at the minor public school King Alfred School.

It is dishonest of Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg to say that there will be a referendum if any new powers are given up to the EU.

Under qualified majority voting (agreed under the Lisbon Treaty) the EU already has the mechanism to take all the powers it wants.

Gasps of disbelief, and shouts from around the hall

Ed Miliband made rather an obvious error in denying during the leaders' Question Time that the last Labour government overspent.

There were gasps of disbelief, and shouts from around the hall.

I suppose politicians think "the bigger the lie the more it will be believed" but it didn't work in this case.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-2015-32519586

Dishonest report on immigration in Peterborough during this evening's Channel 4 News

Jon Snow delivered a profoundly dishonest report on immigration in Peterborough during this evening's Channel 4 News:  http://www.channel4.com/news/election-2015-immigrationuk-live-from-peterborough-jon-snow-debate

During the "debate" he allocated most of the time to a teacher, a GP and a Community Relations professional.

He did not reveal that all organisations in receipt of public money have a duty under equalities legislation to promote a positive view of "diversity" - therefore employees of organisations in receipt of public money are legally obliged to say immigration "adds to the beauty of life".

You are a liar Jon Snow.  You work for a company that peddles lies instead of news.  Clever, subtle, hard to detect lies, but lies nonetheless.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

His vulgarity, coarseness, and sexist attitude to women

By seeking the approval of Russell Brand is Ed Miliband not aware of the disgust felt for this person, including among many Labour supporters?

His vulgarity, coarseness, and sexist attitude to women?

Or does this not matter when votes are at stake?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32492591

Yet another hustings.

I've managed to get out of the canvassing as it is such a long drive.

David Hanson (Shadow Immigration Minister) torn apart on Daily Politics

Poor old David Hanson (Shadow Immigration Minister) torn apart on Daily Politics by Andrew Neil:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

He looked evasive when asked about in-work benefits for migrants (which are actually a state subsidy for the importation of cheap EU migrants and also a state subsidy to employers who therefore do not have to attract labour by paying market-rate wages).

He looked ill when asked to explain Labour contradictory policy over the years towards recording exit numbers.

Squirming, wriggling, tortured, he pleaded "Can we look at the future" (and never mind the past presumably).

However the scriptures advise us:  by their works ye shall know them.

I hope it is not true that John Major is to play a greater role in the last two weeks of the election campaign.

It was John Major's faux-Conservative government that abolished industrial wages councils thus paving the way for Tony Blair's faux-Labour government to drastically reduce the wages of ordinary working people by opening the floodgates to ultra-cheap labour from abroad.

It was John Major who did this, and Labour who took the next step (pretending with their "minimum wage" that everything was fine with open-door immigration, a line they are still peddling).

I prayed that UKIP would do well

I am a Conservative.

And I want a Conservative majority.

But at Sung Eucharist this morning, as I knelt at the altar-rail and received the bread and wine, I prayed that UKIP would do well and that in particular they would win two specific seats.

Blessed city, heavenly Salem,
vision dear of peace and love,
who of living stones art builded
in the height of heaven above,
and, with angel hosts encircled,
as a bride dost earthward move;

consubstantial, coeternal,
while unending ages run. 

The Asian bloc votes harvested by Labour

The Lutfur Rahman scandal in Tower Hamlets is an example of the Asian bloc votes harvested by Labour all over the country:  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/25/tower-hamlets-dictatorship-east-end-lutfur-rahman

In return for a free-hand locally and endless payola (in terms of public money steered their way) the Asian bloc votes return Labour candidates who then impose an illegitimate government on the United Kingdom.

It is time Labour apologised for this scam.

For someone who did an History degree at Oxford University, Owen Jones is surprisingly selective in his historical analysis:  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/24/snp-dup-democratic-unionist-party-government-tories-anti-scottish-coalition-homophobic?CMP=share_btn_tw

Ulster Unionist MPs propped up Jim Callaghan's (genuinely socialist) Labour government in the 1970s and the world did not come to an end.

So why does Owen Jones demonise Unionist MPs now?

I am sure sub-standard student accommodation is an important issue but I'm afraid I cannot take these hoity-toity students, with their received pronunciation accents, seriously:  http://www.londonlive.co.uk/news/2015-04-24/students-protest-over-poor-living-conditions

Having a mouse in the room at night is "really really stressful"!

Bleedin' cowsons, as my East End grandfather would say.

Michael Crick (Michael Crick!) quoting Tennyson

How appropriate that the Prime Minister should come to Lincolnshire to launch the Conservatives' English manifesto:  http://www.channel4.com/news/

Lincolnshire is the real England.

And how wonderful to have Michael Crick (Michael Crick!) quoting Tennyson.

On the subject of reforming the constitution so that we have English votes for English laws, we also need to end the right of non-citizens voting in our elections just because they come from a Commonwealth country.  The British Empire is long gone.  It is time to end this anomaly (which in places like Tower Hamlets can lead to serious abuse).

If you are not a citizen of the United Kingdom you cannot vote in United Kingdom elections.

Vernon Coaker had his arguments demolished and was completely exposed and humiliated

Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker had his arguments demolished and was completely exposed and humiliated on the Daily Politics this lunchtime:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

Andrew Neil not only knocked him over, he put on a pair of hobnail boots and tramped up and down on him while the hapless Shadow Minister squeaked pitifully.

Is this weakling aspiring to be in charge of our defence forces?

Migrants desperate to get into Europe

I am weary of Gary Gibbon's unctuous moral assumptions on Channel 4 News when discussing the migrants desperate to get into Europe:  http://www.channel4.com/news/

What the migrants are doing is blackmail.

They are saying:  give us what we want or we kill ourselves.

These people had European rule of their countries and they said they didn't want it.

Have they changed their minds?

Gary Gibbon with your fruity Oxbridge voice and middle-class spreading belly and Royal Television Society awards.  You are so privileged you can afford to protect yourself from immigration.  Only when you have given away everything that you have can you lecture other people on what they should give to migrants (because giving away EVERYTHING that we have is going to be the consequence of unlimited open door immigration).

Tow the migrants back to Africa.  Put them in United Nations refugee camps.  But not one single extra migrant should come into the United Kingdom.

And please don't start quoting the small print in the United Nations convention on refugees - that convention is now very dated and clearly unworkable.

And why isn't India taking African refugees?  Or China?  Or Brazil?

We always knew that sooner or later Alex Salmond would over-reach himself

I think we always knew that sooner or later Alex Salmond would over-reach himself.

And notice that HE will be writing the next Labour budget, not little lassie Nicola Sturgeon.

https://www.conservatives.com/salmondbudget

All that bigoted woman stuff has been brushed under the carpet

Sue Nye appeared on Channel 4 News this evening:  http://www.channel4.com/news/

She was the "gatekeeper" to Gordon Brown who set him up with the bigoted woman Gillian Duffy:  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/apr/28/gordon-brown-bigoted-woman

Presumably she thinks it is safe to show her face now.

Presumably she thinks all that bigoted woman stuff has been brushed under the carpet.

Vince Cable is a latter-day Duc de Saint Simon

Above:  Luke Stanley's excellent account of the "bastards" so despised by John Major.

On Daily Politics this afternoon Business Secretary Vince Cable made a slighting reference to "the bastards" on the Conservative backbenches:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

He meant of course that band of brave and determined men and women who dare to say No to the Euro-enthusiasts.

But listening to Vince Cable I was reminded of an earlier era.

Louis de Rouvroy, Duc de Saint-Simon, one of the toadys at the court of Louis XIV, railed against "the bastards" of his time - illegitimate children of the Sun King who were given higher social precedence and titles than the Duc de Saint-Simon.

And it occurred to me that Vince Cable is a latter-day Duc de Saint Simon.  

Part of an out-of-touch self-obsessed elite about to be swept away by a revulsion of the ordinary people disgusted by the lies and manipulations and betrayals of the Liberal Democrats.  

And it will take more than the Black Fingernail to save the LibDems this time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUS89dI5hO8

Excellent report on welfare policy on Newsnight this evening:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk25

Erudite, intellectual, informative - this is how Newsnight used to be.

He equated Jon Snow with Nigel Farage

Amusing tussle for the high moral ground between Jon Snow and Nick Clegg on Channel 4 News this evening:  http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/  (the replay for 21st April will be up shortly).

Jon Snow tried many times to pin down Nick Clegg on whether he accepted responsibility for the failed state in the former Libya.

But Nick Clegg landed an astounding blow when he equated Jon Snow with Nigel Farage.

UKIP's five year plan

This piece about UKIP's five year plan I thought was interesting:  http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2015/04/16/john-lanchester/episode-ten-ukips-five-year-plan/?utm_source=LRB+online+email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150421+online&utm_content=ukrw_nonsubs&hq_e=el&hq_m=3719751&hq_l=16&hq_v=3b22cae22a

Migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea

Yvette Cooper rushing to make political capital about the migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLNBBkRkhwc

Yes, the search and rescue operations should be restored, but take the migrants back to North Africa.

Establish a military enclave if necessary and put them in UN refugee camps.

But do not reward illegal behaviour by creating an open-door into the EU.

And can the politicians please be honest about the amount of tax-payers money this is going to cost.

There will be post-canvass speeches by Owen Jones and others

I cannot think of anything more likely to wind up the voters of South Thanet and send them in droves into the UKIP camp than having an army of metropolitan lefties led by Owen Jones knocking on their doors and disturbing their Sunday peace with talk of nuclear disarmament, renationalisation, and the need for bourgeois householders to attend compulsory self-criticism classes:  http://leftfootforward.org/2015/04/ukip-have-no-ground-game-tomorrows-the-day-to-expose-them/

Note the event timings:  http://will4souththanet.co.uk/events-page/

And do note that at 4pm there will be post-canvass speeches by Owen Jones and others (possibly the latter day equivalents of Karl, Vladimir, Che etc):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jj-95n6DQc

Is it possible UKIP could win fifteen seats in the General Election?

Alan Grey - Great Yarmouth          

Allen Cowles - Rother Valley

Ian Luder - Basildon South & Thurrock East       

Jamie Huntman - Castle Point  

Nigel Farage - Thanet South

Patricia Culligan - Eastleigh           

Penny Mills - Plymouth Moor View           

Piers Wauchope - Thanet North    

Richard Palmer - Sittingbourne & Sheppey         

Sean Marriott- Gravesham 

Tim Aker - Thurrock 

Plus Boston & Skegness and Grimsby.

And Carswell (not keen on him) and Reckless.

It is very clear the audience is biased against UKIP.

Not one person clapped when he talked about Europe and immigration just now.

This is a leader of a party that WON the Euro election.

And yet not one person clapped him.

Does not make the BBC look very credible.

Nicola Sturgeon is adopting a very sarky tone on the election debate this evening.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11541093/bbc-challengers-general-election-debate-2015-live.html

"Prince" Janek Zylinski challenged UKIP leader Nigel Farage

On Daily Politics this lunchtime "prince" Janek Zylinski challenged UKIP leader Nigel Farage to a duel over the issue of claimed discrimination against Polish immigrants:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05rj6rk

As fighting duels is illegal in the United Kingdom by act of parliament presumably Janek Zylinski is guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime and one hopes the police will be interviewing him.

But his claims are all silly nonsense.

If there were discrimination against Polish people why are they continuing to flood into the United Kingdom?

They would be going in the other direction if Janek Zylinski was telling the truth.

And looking at Janek Zylinski, this is someone who says he was born in the United Kingdom and yet he continues to call himself Polish and assert his right to cultural practices which are illegal in the United Kingdom.

Does this not indicate the failure of immigration and multi-culturalism?

If even second-generation Polish "princes" are failing to integrate, what hope is there for uneducated bengali peasants and unskilled Polish serfs?

You only have to look at the courts pages of any local newspaper to see the huge number of crimes committed by people with eastern European sounding names - drunk and disorderly, drunken driving, assaults in the street etc.

A glimpse of Sir Horace Cutler

In a report on the Conservative Party's (excellent) new right to buy policy for Housing Association Tenants they was a short archive film from the 1980s which afforded a glimpse of Sir Horace Cutler:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk25

The incompetence of the SNP would be frightening if it were not so comical:  http://www.scotsman.com/news/peter-jones-ridiculous-dangerous-unworkable-1-3743849

Chuka Umuna has just slapped down Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umuna has just slapped down Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy LIVE on BBC2's Daily Politics:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

Asked if Jim Murphy was right to say there would be no budget cuts after 2017 Chuka Umuna told us that Jim Murphy would not be running the United Kingdom's economy.

Effectively he was saying:  Jim Murphy can shut the fuck up.

Is it possible that Chuka Umuna regards the Scottish Labour as just a branch office of the Labour Party?

Article by Zoe Williams about South Thanet

Anecdote dressed up as fact in this article by Zoe Williams about South Thanet:  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/12/nigel-farage-south-thanet--ukip-ramsgate?CMP=share_btn_tw

Personally I hope Nigel Farage gets elected.

Not because I am a member of UKIP (I am not). 

Not because of UKIP policies. 

But because he annoys all the people in politics and the media who need to be annoyed.

He shakes up all the people in politics and the media who need to be shaken up.

If Nigel Farage did not exist we would have to invent him.

Please South Thanet send Nigel Farage to Westminster as your Member of Parliament - it will be a wonderful tonic to the nation.

Whether the Conservatives will be able to find £8 billion extra spending for the NHS

On the Andrew Marr Show this morning Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman questioned whether the Conservatives will be able to find £8 billion extra spending for the NHS.

The Conservative economic track record over the last five years PROVES that they are able to find extra money (running into many billions) when necessary.

Labour's economic track record was one of boom and bust.

By their works ye shall know them, as the Scriptures advise us.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0080bbs (and yet another left-wing luvvie in the form of Clinton buddy Kevin Spacey was given a platform on the show).

Only David Cameron can form a government

Very convincing analysis by Adrian Sykes (Money Week) on why only David Cameron can form a government  http://moneyweek.com/election-2015-why-david-cameron-will-remain-prime-minister/

Trident is all about national prestige

None of the politicians discussing Trident are telling the public the truth.

Trident has very little relevance to defence of the United Kingdom.

Trident is all about national prestige.

Giving up Trident would cause a fall in British prestige equivalent to giving up dominion over India in 1947.

And although you might argue this would be a good thing, you should be aware that there would be a severe economic cost to a fall in prestige - it would have all sorts of knock-on effects.

Prestige is an asset that does not appear on the Treasury's balance sheet, but you will certainly feel its loss once it has gone.

More:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-scotland-32236184

The prevalence of smoking in the United Kingdom

What impact has post-1997 immigration had on the prevalence of smoking in the United Kingdom?

Is it not the case that the vast majority of migrants from eastern Europe are smokers, including the majority of young migrants?

Is this inward flood of millions of smokers moving the United Kingdom backwards in terms of health objectives?

And supposing that the migrants stay here, what provision is being made for a rise in the numbers of people developing lung cancer and other smoking-related health conditions (and who is going to pay for their treatment since migrants are on minimum wage and will not be paying taxes)?

What a mendacious twisting deceiver Stewart Hosie looked

Stewart Hosie MP (the SNP's Parliamentary Group Deputy Leader, Chief Whip and Treasury spokesperson) was absolutely trounced on Daily Politics this lunchtime:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

How satisfying it is to see evasive politicians cornered and pinned down.

And how remorselessly Andrew Neil presses his finger on the painful pressure point.

What a mendacious twisting deceiver Stewart Hosie looked.

Oh how happy Daily Politics has made me feel!

Politically-correct pogrom

The new Labour policy on non-doms is a welcome attack on foreigners, although dressed up in mealy-mouthed language:  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/07/ed-miliband-non-dom-tax-status-labour

This politically-correct pogrom is to be encouraged, and creates space for other parties to be even more robust about the way in which migrants are ripping off Britain.

If we are being run from Brussels what do we need all the Westminster MPs for?

There are thirty four areas comprising eighty policy areas that the EU operates in (over a seven year perspective):  http://ec.europa.eu/policies/index_en.htm

The Westminster Parliament does little more than rubber-stamp EU diktats.

If we are being run from Brussels what do we need all the Westminster MPs for?

Why UKIP seem to be slipping in the polls

Michael Crick on Channel 4 News was wondering why UKIP seem to be slipping in the polls.

Two reasons:

1  They are not focussing on immigration.
2  Nigel Farage has not been on television as much as he was during the Euro elections.

http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/

Incumbency will deliver a late boost

My assessment is that the Conservatives will gain a tiny majority - but that will leave them very vulnerable to by-elections.

It is inevitable that incumbency will deliver a late boost.  There is a significant number of don't-knows who WILL vote, and will vote "safety-first".  Which will boost the Conservatives.

More analysis:  http://electionsetc.com/2015/04/03/forecast-update-3-april-2015/

Intervention over the planned referendum on Europe

Tony Blair's intervention over the planned referendum on Europe, reported on Daily Politics, was an illustration in how the metropolitan elite thinks and acts http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

What he was really saying was:  if we in the elite stick together it doesn't matter what ordinary people think.  It doesn't matter about any democratic deficit.  If we in the elite (Tories and Labour and LibDems) stick together we can go on running the country as WE think it should be run and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

And is there no-one in London who can perform a citizen's arrest? 

Or even chuck ink over him like that Frenchwoman did to Ted?

Barnett Formula

Westminster should use reform of the Barnett Formula to undermine nationalist parties by making enhanced Formula grants payable directly to local authorities.

That will remove the cancer of nationalism, make the formula fairer across the whole United Kingdom (since English regions can be included), and take the principle of devolution to its logical conclusion.

Local authorities can of course voluntarily give their grants to regional assemblies if they wish.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/election-essays-douglas-alexander-scottish-labour-1-3732203

Several hundred at the 10.30 Eucharist.

As everyone was coming back from the High Altar two eastern Europeans came and sat next to me (I always sit near the front where the pews tend to be half-empty).  I tried to talk to them but they didn't understand.  Aged about 20, they were slightly dishevelled and dressed in trackies, t-shirts and leather jackets.

No service sheets, so they must have come in half-way through the service and joined the queue for Communion.

We stood when the choir(s*) sang the Hallelujah Chorus.

I would have asked them back for lunch, but there was no way of communicating with them.

I drank too much at lunchtime and must have passed out.

I woke at 7, and felt terribly dehydrated.

Which is my present state, despite drinking four glasses of water.

*two choirs were at the service.

Nicola Sturgeon and the French Ambassador

The memo about a conversation between Nicola Sturgeon and the French Ambassador is intriguing:  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/04/ed-miliband-nicola-sturgeon-allegations-damning-labour-snp-david-cameron

Everyone is denying everything, but an inquiry has been launched which must mean the memo exists.

As always, it is not the original blabbermouth "misspeaking" that will do the damage but the denial and cover-up.

And if it all comes out the SNP fanatics will turn on her with a ferocity that will be shocking.

Presumably journalists are now combing through other conversations by Nicola Sturgeon, checking whether she has made similar comments that would confirm the sentiments expressed in the memo - that the SNP would rather Scotland endured five more years of Tory overlordship if it means that they will gain political advantage from it.

Good Friday

I didn't plan it this way, but the library book (collected yesterday) I am reading on Good Friday is Caiaphas by Adele Reinhartz.

At the 2 o'clock service this afternoon the priests prostrated themselves on the floor, only the male choir sang, the Passion was read out.

The great cross was brought in for veneration, no wine with Communion, everyone left in silence.

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

"What I'm hearing is more debt and more taxes, more debt and more taxes, a lot more debt and more taxes, some more debt and more taxes, and definitely more debt and more taxes."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sv2AOQBd_s 

My assessment is that Nigel Farage won the leaders' debate.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/leaders-debates

I find it spooky when politicians suddenly turn to the camera.

It's like those really cheap drama where the lead character turns into narrator.

Nigel Farage has been astonishingly lucky to be in the centre where he can pose as an honest broker.

The others are just me-too socialists, referring every argument to David Cameron.

Rather a cliche for Nicola Sturgeon to wear bright red - looks rather silly to dress up in a political colour.

So far the leaders' debate is very pedestrian.

David Cameron has gravitas - none of the others do.

Migrants do not value trade unions

In my opinion Daily Politics on BBC2 is providing the best coverage of the general election (Newsnight's coverage so far has been poor).

Today on the Daily Politics there was a short discussion on immigration and TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady refused to say whether she thought immigration was too high (she just refused to answer the question).

Perhaps Frances O'Grady could tell us how many of the post-1997 surge in migrants are members of a trade union?  If they are being exploited then why are the unions not signing them up?  Or is it the case that the migrants do not value trade unions?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb