The first law of government isĀ that it continuously expands. ThisĀ is buttressed by the fourth law, that governments use the international rules based order to bind themselves into aims and policies which they place outside democratic control.
Some think governments undertake the international rules based approach to satisfy the vanity of rulers. They like to perform on the world stage, and are happy to sign grand undertakings to show their collective importance. There is more to it than that. International rules and commitments built into Treaties strengthen the powers of unelected officials and advisers, and reduce the number of areas that elected politicians can in future change. Officials negotiateĀ much of the detail and pre-empt future choices and options for Ministers and new governments.
In its mostĀ developed form, EU membership, incomingĀ elected governments have so much less scope to change and improve things than in non EU countries. They inherit a vast amount of EU law which remains as a given with no EU level impulse to repeal or reduce. As Euro members they inherit an economic policy largely determined outside their state, with interest rates, budget deficits and other matters settled or controlled from the EU centre. The EU requirements are enforced through an EU controlled court with the power to fine, to withhold access to EU money and to impose other sanctions. It greatly reduces what elections can alter.
Some of these international bodies allow independence of thought and action. NATO, for example, leaves members free to decide whether to join a NATO mission or not in any given case. The WTO is a series of rules for freer trade with a dispute settlement procedure, where any penalties have to be proportionate to the infringement and of the same kind. The international Treaty obligations around climate change are mainly enforced through moral and political pressures. Increasingly the Climate Change framework does pre empt policy andĀ decisions in a wide range of governmental areas from energy and industrial policy through transport to agriculture.
The international rules based system has two main weaknesses. The first is that the alternative world view held by China, Russia, Iran and their allies allows them to behave in very different ways and sometimes to find and exploit weaknesses in the West’s approach. The open statement and predictability of the West’s approach is seen as a weakness.Ā The second is how the rules are applied by an elite of well paid unelected officials acting asĀ legislators and enforcers can cause a rift between a majority of the electors and what government is doing and saying. The more Treaty commitments a country makes the less power electors wield to demand change.The most important clause in a Treaty which dictates policies and laws to us is the exit clause.
May 14, 2021
What use are International rules, when countries (or organisations such as the EU) can ignore their commitments when inconvenient. Is it just a box ticking, back slapping, political stunt?
I guess if International rules had real teeth, then more care would be taken over signing up to these rules. Alternatively, if you can sign up and ignore them with impunity then what’s the point? Do countries that adhere to the rules become disadvantaged against those who ignore them?
May 14, 2021
Shirley, before extolling the virtues of international rules have a think about how they come about, rarely truely democratically I would submitt.
May 14, 2021
What a load of piffle. Like EU blocking vaccines to N.Ireland and Australia. Blockade of Jersey. Like invasion of Iraq and Libya for regime change. Depends which country I guess.
May 14, 2021
I note that HMS Severn was patrolling the waters of Jersey and Guernsey again yesterday.
May 14, 2021
JR, O.T but linked to world based order and group think.
I urge you and all MPs to read and watch Dr Peter McCulloch. It is time you all questioned your govt. based on the crucial points he makes.
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/tucker-carlson-the-model-gb-news-should-follow/
May 14, 2021
Yes and even though she’s a Royal Naval ship she is also bound to obey the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea. So wherever we look wherever we go in this world we are all bound by international laws or other- it us not in our gift to discard ignore or overturn international law unless we are to become a pariah state.
May 14, 2021
Bitterend
I presume you would therefore agree thatb boats deliberately blocking another country’s main harbour is breaking “international law” ?
May 14, 2021
@agricola, that’s the point an Un-Democratic way for an ‘Elite’ ruling class to impose what is after all protection of their own personal way of life on Society.
May 14, 2021
Agricola and nota,
A bit liking watching Cameron. After the expense scandal he warned the nation and politicos about lobbying! Why did he not change the ārulesā to prevent what he has done? Utter shyster of a man. Like we saw with his pledges on Brexit. What happened to rule based democracy when nations lie to their public to deliberately deceive them to get what they want like on all matters EU?
May 14, 2021
“International rules” can mean a host of things, existing between almost all nations or just a few.
It is not national governments which enlist their countries into aims beyond democratic control, it is, in the best instances, the consensus of the family of humanity sharing this Earth.
Under those circumstances, in a good way, they have no choice.
John should accept this and welcome it, I think.
May 14, 2021
This is, of course, untrue. Another Brexitist slur that EU countries ignore rules. All EU countries are subject to the same rules which are judged in the same way.
The only one threatening to break international law is pathetic little Tory Brexit Britain. Angry with the consequences of the withdrawal agreement which nearly all of you voted for. I didnāt vote for it because I love my country.
May 14, 2021
Which country is that ?
May 14, 2021
What France where you have a home?
May 14, 2021
Andy your memory is rather short me thinks.
Remember Vaccines to Australia and the UK being blocked, remember Northern Ireland threats, remember the threat to cut off power to Jersey, do not recall that being the UK government making those threats.
May 14, 2021
and France and China?
May 14, 2021
Andy, France just one example – The European Court of Human Rights has criticized France in the past for a system that allows fast-tracked asylum seekers to be removed before appeals are heard. The new law is likely to face similar scrutiny in the courts. The UN is not happy with France’s procedures, people in tents, in office blocks, in mud at Calais, child migrants left adrift in Paris yet nothing is done by the EU.
May 14, 2021
Andy, Another good response by you, I totally agree with you. Collectively the EU is a very powerful force on the world stage.
May 14, 2021
Where is this world stage DB?
And are these powerful people voted into their positions by anybody?
May 14, 2021
Andy, Another good response by you. Collectively the EU is a very powerful force on the world stage.
May 14, 2021
Yawn
May 14, 2021
Agreed Shirley M. One rule says so-called “refugees” should claim asylum in the first safe country they come to – -instead of travelling thousands of miles through many safe countries to get where they’ll get the most. Europe has said they are NOT going to have any back that have come through their countries to get to the UK – and the UK just accepts them – na matter the cost or damage to the UK.
May 14, 2021
And this government does not care one iota how many, or why they are here. They know they can tax the original population, impose them on us and arrest us if we oppose. They live in their elite world and tell lies.
May 14, 2021
International rules area useful device for globalists and a valuable bargaining chip for those biddable politicians looking for a profitable career after politics.
The great and the good get together at events like the World Economic Forum and set the agenda for the future in most of The West.
Nation states who zealously guard their independence donāt necessarily go along with this. They go a stage further and ban some of those who look to operate outside politics from gaining a foothold (and therefore influence) in their countries. Hungary is a notable example.
In the U.K. this does not happen. All sorts of rich individuals and organisations are welcomed with open arms. The U.K. will even undertake legal work on their behalf for events which should be outside its jurisdiction – taking in legal washing if you like. However the U.K. is an expensive laundry, so the lawyers involved make a pretty penny.
This attitude is so entrenched here that I am not sure how you unravel it. We are still not operating in totally free fashion post Brexit. UK politicians find it useful to hide behind existing agreements but talk tough instead of just moving to WTO terms.
May 14, 2021
I agree. China is signed up to the WTO but repeatedly breaks its rules. When has it ever been penalised for these infringements?
May 14, 2021
Well, under Trump the dispute resolution mechanism was completely disabled, so now that things are getting back to normal we’ll see, won’t we?
May 14, 2021
“The first law of government is that it continuously expands”. It seems so voter always want lower taxes, more politician promise this (or promise it to all but the very rich) but never deliver.
The laws of economics however mean that countries will (on average almost invariably) be far better off with lower taxes, far less government and freedom of choice. Government should only do the rather few things they can do better than businesses, charities or individuals. Defence, law and order and not much more. 20% of what would then be a far larger GDP is more than sufficient.
Newsnight on Wednesday claimed that there were 1 in 10 million fraudulent votes (a huge under estimate as they only counted actual prosecutions 1 in 100 is more like it). Emily Maitlis then went on to say this was less than the change of being struck by lightning three times (which is actually about 1 in 3 trillion). Do the BBC employ anyone numerate or rational or are they just lying for propaganda reasons? The BBC dripping the nation in propaganda certainly help this endless growth in largely parasitic government.
May 14, 2021
You would need to put a conductor on your tombstone to ensure the second and third strike.
May 14, 2021
Stand on a large hill, in a large puddle while flying a kite high at the end of an electrical conducting string.
May 14, 2021
on a bare hillside.
May 14, 2021
Hmm…..that’s given me an idea.
May 14, 2021
Quite why the BBC thinks it is itās position to use license fee payersā money to campaign against govt policy based on tendentious and / or made up data it is difficult to see.
Was there anyone on to ask why almost all other democratic countries – including most EU members – require voter ID? I imagine not.
May 14, 2021
Most election cycles there are four or five hundred allegations of electoral fraud. There are a few hundred investigations. There are a small number of prosecutions – and you can count the convictions on your fingers. It is a non problem.
This is simply a case of Tory MPs wanting to disenfranchise people who are likely to vote for another candidate.
The elderly people who vote Tory all have passports or driving licences. They donāt need postal votes because they are always free on Thursdays – they even get chauffeured to the polling station it needs be. Theyāll even be back in time for Countdown.
It really is sad that you all realise that you canāt win without cheating – but that you still want to cheat anyway.
May 14, 2021
Andy
Sorry to burst your bubble. Neither my wife nor I have a valid passport nor a driving licence. Not all pensioners are rich, even here in Wokingham.
We may be, in theory, asset rich due to property ownership but, cash rich we are not.
The equity in our home is only available for us to use if and when we sell up.
We cannot down size because our home is only a small two bed semi. In reality, our daughter will be the sole beneficiary of our assets assuming the state doesn’t tax it away.
I wonder if you hate the elderly because your grandad wouldn’t share his Wurthers with you. If it helps you to get over such a trauma, I am happy to send you a whole packet for yourself.
May 14, 2021
Cliff, laugh of the day. Thank you.
May 14, 2021
It does make one wonder what sort of childhood he had. Maybe we should pity him.
May 15, 2021
perhaps a naughty boy got a smacked bottom for screaming ‘no!’ at a granddad?
May 14, 2021
Yes, if they were truly interested in democracy then the very first thing that they would do would be to move elections to Sundays – as they are in more civilised, democratic countries.
May 14, 2021
Hey, MiC, can you imagine what certain UK churches and trades unions would say to that?
May 14, 2021
What do they say in the majority of countries which do just this?
Voting isn’t work, is it?
May 14, 2021
@LL – I broadly agree
‘Newsnight’ though, the BBC pontificating another reason why Central Government must have every one monitored and carry and ‘ID’ on the premise of voter fraud. This is just a Controlling Government in full flight using the Socialist Ideals of the BBC to justify the unjustifiable. As you say it is pure ‘propaganda’
Voter fraud is only happening were the State encourages ‘last minute’ sign ups.
May 14, 2021
@LL; “a huge under estimate as they only counted actual prosecutions 1 in 100 is more like it”
You are making an unprovable assertion, suspicion does not prove guilt, never mind (wilful) accusations, thankfully the UK’s judicial system requires proof beyond reasonable doubt. There is no other way to count voter fraud (given the sacrosanct nature of the polling station and voting booth) other than actual prosecutions that end in convictions.
May 14, 2021
A quick check on voter fraud could be to pick one university. Choose one course randomly PPE perhaps, and check if each student with a postal vote locally only voted once.
May 14, 2021
This is what the Electoral Commission says – and it might surprise you:
“If your home and university addresses are in two different council areas, you can vote in local elections in both areas.
This is because they are separate elections.”
Perhaps that is what these students claimed as overheard meant?
It also points out that to try to vote twice in a national election is a criminal offence.
You could research what database sharing there might be to detect this, couldn’t you?
May 14, 2021
Make your mind up MiC
Either voting twice is illegal or it isnt.
Hint
It is illegal.
May 14, 2021
It was the general national elections I was talking about Martin, people openly bragging on social media. Thatās not my job to check what database sharing is available to detect it, it is the electoral commissionās job, do they even check in a general election? You seem to know so much about it? I would hope so. If not, how can anyone claim that elections are secure if no checks are made.
Itās amazing isnāt it that students who donāt pay council tax get a say on who to choose to spend other peopleās money.
May 15, 2021
@Peter2; For pity sake, try actually reading the comment you are replying to!
Or, if you disbelieve MiC, read the following web page (scroll to the section “Voting in a local election”);
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/students
May 15, 2021
Stop getting so airiated Jerry.
Calm yourself.
Voting twice is illegal.
May 15, 2021
PS Jerry,
I never said I didn’t believe MiC
Try actually reading the post you are replying to !
May 15, 2021
@Peter2; Did you actually bother to read the web page at the URL I posted, are you seriously suggestion the EC do not know the law?!
Andy quoted word-for-word what is on the EC’s own web site, I posted the URL to the EC’s own website.
May 15, 2021
I repeat voting twice is illegal
May 15, 2021
a-tracey was talking about general elections in her original post Jerry.
Look back and read it before you interject and get indignant.
May 16, 2021
@Peter2; Whatever… MiC was talking about all elections, and he made that clear (by way of the quote he gave), in his original post. It is you, Peter, who needs to look back and read the context before you interject and get indignant, you have been the only person to post factually incorrect assertions and then get upset when your error was flagged, it’s also obviously taken you two comments before you bothered to read the URL I supplied.
May 14, 2021
āCoal power must be scrapped worldwide to save the planet, government minister Alok Sharma will say in a speech today.ā
Silly fool and he read applied physics & electronics (Salford) so should know rather better. Has he had a chat with the Chinese about their plans for hundreds of new coal plants I am sure they will drop all their plans for him! Why then are we importing wood to burn at Drax. Wood gives off more CO2 than coal per KWH? Not that CO2 is really a serious problem anyway as he also should know.
May 14, 2021
Don’t forget the plan for the coalmine in Cumbria that it about to be abandoned. Has the penny not dropped that the coal will need to be mined in any case, butnot the UK, and this will generate just as much CO2 as if it had been mined in Cumbria. Additionally needing to be transported to the UK with the corresponding fuel use and subsequent CO2 generation.
I give up on the people.
May 14, 2021
The same goes for natural gas. We don’t allow fracking because some people create such a fuss about tiny or imaginary ‘earthquakes’, but nobody minds our importation of natural gas from the far east. This requires a great deal of energy to turn the gas into liquid and more energy to turn the liquid back into gas (there’s too much of it to let it just warm up naturally); and that’s quite apart from the energy needed to build the ships and pressure vessels in the first place and to transport it halfway round the globe
May 14, 2021
Emily Maitlis says Biden is the lawfully elected President of the USA. Since she and others like her all over the Anglosphere first said that, I don’t think we need to take much notice of them any more, and it would appear most people aren’t.
May 14, 2021
Ah Rose it’s all around us what about ‘hanging chads’ what about the red bus with 350 written on the side? What about the german car workers who were going to break down the doors to Mrx Merkel? What about Sadam Hesseins weapons of mass destruction as told to us by Tony Blair and thd hundreds of thousands of lives lost? I could go on
May 15, 2021
The WMD claim was Blair’s repeating of “high confidence” information passed to him by US intelligence.
He should have been far less naĆÆve.
May 14, 2021
It is of course not merely a matter of the numbers of votes that were impersonated, influenced, intercepted as postal ballots, false registrations of persons abroad or who do not exist, used twice (as in students voting at home and their place of study) etc., but the fact that these offences are concentrated in particular locations and sway results. Reducing all this only to detected incidents of personation is sweeping much of the problem away. I did see that a lawyer who specialises in electoral law found himself the subject of personation by person unknown in the recent elections.
The amount of effort that Cllr Peter Golds had to go through to secure prosecutions in Tower Hamlets tells us that the police and the Electoral Commission seek not to get involved, and to pretend that problems do not exist.
May 14, 2021
That figure was based on actual convictions. The number of complaints was much higher, but in the end only 4 convictions (2 for registering wrongly) and 2 cautions. That compares with about 24,000 people hit by lightning each year in the UK.
May 14, 2021
What checks are ever done to verify even one ward’s vote is 100% legitimate?
May 14, 2021
I had until recently always understood that the defence of the realm was the first duty of government, as underpinned by the 1914 Act of the same name.
What we in Britain have witnessed since the late 1990’s does not reflect that duty. Britain like all countries has its own criminals, but anyone can arrive here by plane, train, ferry, back of a lorry, or even a dingy and etc ed
This is not a criticism of the author of this article, but his first sentence “The first law of government is that it continuously expands” exemplifies why contemporary governments have failed and continue to fail. It is because irresponsible career and spiv politicians can’t or won’t apply that duty. Because of this, I fail to see why taxpayers should have to fund personal protection for any politician. It is time that they too must ‘run the gauntlet’ they have created for everyone else.
It is becoming increasingly obvious ‘democracy’ in this country is a sham.
May 14, 2021
Democracy exists at many levels.
John seems to want this country to abrogate its participation at the international level, on the basis that if it cannot get its own way – and bully all the others – then it will shuffle off and sulk.
The international rules are not beyond democratic control. They might be beyond parochial control, but an articulate, informed, and above all respected nation will be very influential on the international stage and have a large input into their formulation..
It’s a great pity that John’s party have turned this country into equally an object of contempt and a laughing-stock among so many in this regard.
May 14, 2021
MiC
“John seems to want this country to abrogate its participation at the international level”
I suspect you are somewhat distorting what he said.
Besides we owe nothing to ungrateful countries, so to hell with internationalism we need to sort our own house first.
May 14, 2021
MiC
“Itās a great pity that Johnās party have turned this country into equally an object of contempt…”
Ok :-
Misleading Parliament.
Two wars of questionable legallity.
Not to mention the train ticket and passport thing.
If anyone has turned this country into an object of contempt, Martin, it was your lot.
May 14, 2021
The correct word for “participation at the international level” is “diplomacy”, not “democracy”.
May 14, 2021
Once upon a time diplomacy was motivated by the national interest. That is no longer the case, as climate change is now considered the supreme motivation, with support for other PC causes following close behind. It is somewhat astonishing that all the major post ambassadors are now women – they were still very much a minority of recruits 30 years ago when they were starting their careers..
May 14, 2021
“An informed , articulate, respected nation will be influential on the world stage” Only if it’s in the self-interest of other states, with the exception of some aspects of legislation designed to change the climate, these are due to a madness that defies all logic.
May 14, 2021
“The international rules are not beyond democratic control.”…. Well actually they are in practice and that, to be honest, is one of the aims of the ‘international rules-based system’ tending towards a modern-day bureaucratic application of the fabled oligarchical collectivism….. It seems almost impossible for politicians to operate outside of the ‘build back better’ paradigm and all that entails.
zorro
May 14, 2021
No, international democracy is still democracy.
You just hate the idea of sharing anything, especially power, with other peoples it appears.
May 14, 2021
Who votes for the UN elite?
May 14, 2021
They are appointed by governments or other such entities – rather like the House Of Lords or the US Electoral College.
But they in turn do get votes and in that sense the UN is a democracy.
As I said, it has various levels and types.
May 15, 2021
The UN is not a democracy MiC
No citizens of any nation gets to vote for any of those who become the top officials.
May 14, 2021
J Bush
Ah, interesting comments J Bush !
Some years ago, during the cold war, I asked a politician (not John Redwood) why tax was so high in this country. I was told that it was high because of having to to pay for the defence of the realm.
Now, when said cold war was over and our defence industry was flushed down the toilet, I then asked if we could expect tax reductions. I was told no.
Not only is democracy a sham, as you correctly point out, I’d go on to suggest the country has been led by criminals for decades, and they are still there making sure our nation is weak and pathetic.
I also agree with your sentiment that we should not be paying for politician’s protection. I always think that if they can’t walk amongst us they must be getting something wrong and should’nt be in the job.
May 14, 2021
I was only being polite when I wrote “irresponsible career and spiv politicians”, my honest description of them wouldn’t get printed – bit like the reality at the end of my 2nd sentence, which were edited out. š
May 15, 2021
J Bush – This site does not like truth. If it does not suit the narrative it is not published.
I
May 14, 2021
@J Bush – Agreed and among many example just reflect on the House of Lords – a slap in the face to those that desire Democracy.
May 14, 2021
Try it.
All of you whingers who think people can just arrive here by dinghy and claim the Earth should actually try it yourself.
Youād not last a day in their shoes.
The reality is that asylum seekers need huge amounts of help and get nothing. And pensioners need nothing and get everything. No doubt you are in the latter category.
May 14, 2021
“The reality is that asylum seekers need huge amounts of help and get nothing”
Yeah sure Andy
zorro
May 14, 2021
Andy, you are just blatantly telling lies that asylum seekers get nothing in the UK.
What you’ll get in the UK: You can ask for somewhere to live, a cash allowance or both as an asylum seeker.
Housing: Youāll be given somewhere to live if you need it. This could be in a flat, house, hostel or bed and breakfast. You cannot choose where you live. Itās unlikely youāll get to live in London or south-east England. (well why should you demand this high-cost area the rest of us can’t get free accommodation in London?)
Cash support: Youāll get Ā£39.63 for each person in your household. This will help you pay for things you need like food, clothing and toiletries. Your allowance will be loaded onto a debit card (ASPEN card) each week. Youāll be able to use the card to get cash from a cash machine.
If youāve been refused asylum
Youāll be given: somewhere to live- Ā£39.63 per person on a payment card for food, clothing and toiletries
You will not be given: the payment card if you do not take the offer of somewhere to live – any money.
Source gov.uk there is more:
Extra money for mothers and young children.
Maternity payment Ā£300 or Ā£250 if you’ve been refused asylum
Healthcare
You may get free National Health Service (NHS) healthcare, such as to see a doctor or get hospital treatment.
Youāll also get:
free prescriptions for medicine
free dental care for your teeth
free eyesight tests
help paying for glasses
Education
Your children must attend school if they are aged 5 to 17. All state schools are free and your children may be able to get free school meals.
May 14, 2021
Asylum seekers also get free university education, a living allowance, and local accommodation from most universities and councils. This in itself is a huge draw and is easily spotted on the internet.
May 14, 2021
you didn’t mention vet bills.
May 14, 2021
Andy
“All of you whingers who think people can just arrive here by dinghy and claim the Earth should actually try it yourself.”
We would get nowhere, because we’re indigenous.
“The reality is that asylum seekers need huge amounts of help and get nothing.”
Not so, Andy.
“And pensioners need nothing and get everything.”
There’s pensioners, and there’s pensioners. Granted some have far more than they should, but some clearly deserve better. It’s a generation thing. What annoys me is the ones who didn’t have to spend their lives with a cripling mortgage, get a free new car because of having nasal hairs etc, and get preferential parking at the shops when there’s nothing wrong with them……watch how they move when there’s a Ā£20 note blowing in the wind š
May 14, 2021
“Youād not last a day in their shoes.”
At least they get (free) shoes.
May 14, 2021
Twaddle to say they get nothing Andy.
May 14, 2021
“Mr. Batbie, in a much-celebrated letter, once quoted the Burke paradox in order to account for his bizarre political shifts: āHe who is not a rĆ©publicain at twenty compels one to doubt the generosity of his heart; but he who, after thirty, persists, compels one to doubt the soundness of his mind.ā
Young Andy, you have claimed to be so many different ages in the last 12 months, only you knows exactly where you fit in this quotation.
May 14, 2021
Couldn’t they get all those advantages in France or any other country in their line of transit?
May 14, 2021
Jeremy Warner in the Telegraph today seems to have finally caught on that electric cars save little or no net CO2 anyway, so best to keep your old cars rather than cause new cars and batteries to be mined and manufactured. Yet government policy is to force you to scrap them. Why especially when CO2 plant food is not even a problem?
Government policy is thus wrong on so many levels – it saves no CO2, it exports jobs, damages the economy and living standards and CO2 (plant, crop and tree food) is not a significant problem anyway. A similar argument can be made for the subsidised intermittents like wind and solar in most cases (when manufacture, installation and maintenance are included).
āPrepare for the new dark age of eco inflation
The green transition will bring price rises and could cause more harm to the environment than goodā
Jeremy Warner.
May 14, 2021
I believe that CO2 is 0.0415% of the atmosphere so vegetationis on short rations. You are correct, the whole premis of climate change is built on shakey foundations. Talk to the god Sol, he will correct errant thought.
May 14, 2021
More CO2 also help plants, trees, crops manage on less water as they loose less while capturing the CO2 they need.
May 14, 2021
Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis (recent merger of Peugot and FCA) pointed this out the other day – the first senior automotive CEO to speak out about the implications of the drive to replace the ICE with batteries. He pointed out that only the well off will be able to afford them, BEVs are much heavier (because of the batteries) and that the claimed savings in energy are a fantasy. By the time voters wake up to their coming nightmare it will be too late. Much of the industry that has delivered them independent fredom of movement will have been destroyed. That destruction is by design. And its architects will have departed the scene before voters can take their revenge.
May 14, 2021
He should tell Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
May 14, 2021
+1 So true, CO2 is lower now than some other periods of time
May 14, 2021
And with Europe and even Scotland looking like they are going further down the hydrogen route we will have foreign lorries on the roads and English stuck in service stations charging up. If hydrogen takes off in Europe abd we have EV’S where will we charge up in Europe? Surely we all need to be singing from tge same hymn sheet?
May 14, 2021
Perhaps an example of how mad things have become, with every sign of a worsening energy situation evolving, was that mad decision to run Drax power station on wood pellets procured from the USA to reduce the UKās CO2 generation. But:
* The trees are felled by machines run on fossil fuels.
* The felled trees are made into pellets by equipment powered by fossil fuels.
* The pellets are transported to dockside by transport powered by fossil fuels.
* The pellets are transported by ships using crude fossil fuels.
* The pellets are moved and delivered to Drax with the use of fossil fuels.
Aluminium smelting – we used to do it in-house but rising energy and other costs closed it down and we now buy aluminium from China, of all places, where it is smelted using coal. Overall, then, the UK has simply exported its CO2 emissions to the rest of world, which is hardly either sensible or green.
May 14, 2021
+1
Many of our contemporary politicians have only achieved, in a failed attempt to prove how righteous they are, (along with the other unelected ones who want to dictate policy by tweaking ears and other other bits of anatomy) have in effect have only proved, they are all essentially hypocritical self serving NIMBY’s. -)
May 14, 2021
‘but but..but we’re saving the planet… aren’t we’
May 14, 2021
The American car industry is buying Russian “green” aluminium,produced by hydro-power in Siberia.
May 14, 2021
“Aluminium smelting ā we used to do it in-house but rising energy and other costs closed it down ”
Nope, the EU closed down the UK Aluminium smelting industry, claiming that energy from a local nuclear power station was illegal “state aid”.
May 14, 2021
Indeed. They just pretend to be in charge whilst hiding behind some UN initiative to take in the entire third world at our expense. May signed up to this with no mandate. We’re living their dream! Priti Useless should be brought to account and asked how many dingy people have been deported?
May 14, 2021
@LifeLogic – you cant claim any sort of ‘green credentials’ unless you factor in the materials extraction and delivery, the production cycle, then final distribution of the product to market. The UK Government in forcing Companies to off shore from these Islands does absolutely nothing, zilch etc to reduce ‘Global Warming’, if anything it increase the problem. All it does is force more poverty on the taxpayer that has to pay for these whimsical idea.
May 14, 2021
Good post. NATO would have been a good model for the EU to follow. Had Brussels done so the UK might possibly still have been a member of it.
May 14, 2021
What, be run by the US, you mean?
May 14, 2021
Rubbish, participation and action are voluntary. Do not deride the USA. They lost many lives on two occasions, redirecting an errant Europe from it’s ways.
May 14, 2021
agricola +1
May 14, 2021
Agricola
Indeed
+100
May 14, 2021
And Europe, most especially France, has never forgiven them for that.
May 14, 2021
And us for putting Napoleon in custody. And those interfering Brits and Anglosphere for returning a collaborationist France to democracy, an uncomfortable form of government for them.
May 14, 2021
Denis
“Europe most especially France, has never forgiven them for that.”
But they were quite happy for the UK to risk annihilation by keeping the Soviets at bay for them during the cold war. Did we ever get any thanks ?
May 14, 2021
I don’t think that France can forgive us for rescuing them in two world wars; they have, as a consequence, an inferiority complex with regard to the UK, with little Mr Macron posing as a latter-day Napolean.
May 14, 2021
USA lives lost were a tiny fraction of the 27 million Russian lives lost in WW2.
May 14, 2021
How many more Russian lives would have been lost without US help to the USSR?
May 14, 2021
MiC: he who pays the pipe calls the tune.
May 14, 2021
MiC
Better to be run by the US than by the French – led EU.
May 14, 2021
which has stopped the march of boots all over many ‘democracies’.
May 14, 2021
The USA runs NATO far less than Germany runs the EU.
May 14, 2021
Actually Antony Blinken thinks he runs the EU now!
May 14, 2021
Be careful, MiC. You may be giving away the unspoken agenda of Remainers.
May 14, 2021
Why? NATO is a failure. It tried bombs in Afghanistan, Syria, Libya. None of it worked. It tried no-fly zones in Iraq. All of those countries are still a mess.
The EU tried peace, prosperity, diplomacy and democracy. That worked. It wasnāt bombs needed in Eastern Europe. It was votes, freedom and trade.
Croatia was a war zone not long before Afghanistan became one. But thanks to the EU Croatia is at peace and you can go on holiday to a lovely beautiful country. Unless you have a death wish aināt going near Afghanistan anytime soon. That was NATO.
Far more countries want to join the EU than NATO. NATO is an archaic disgrace. No wonder Tories love it.
May 14, 2021
It was the EU’s encouragement of Croatia(which had a well documented fascist past)that contributed to the wars that destroyed Yugoslavia.
May 14, 2021
I think that you will find that the unaccountable US Right, which poured billions into nationalist militias and parties there might have had rather more to do with it, Mitchel.
May 15, 2021
Both were at fault.See also Ukraine.
May 14, 2021
They want to join because they know that they will be the recipients of largesse, rather than the donors.
May 14, 2021
Nato failed in Afghanistan. Remind me how Russia got on fighting there?
May 14, 2021
They suffered a dismal failure too, not helped by the US’s arming the Islamist fanatics there, who then turned against them and us in turn.
Your enemy’s enemy is by no means always your friend.
People should really learn that.
May 15, 2021
‘arming …fanatics’ might be the clue we all need?
May 15, 2021
Russia/USSR pulled out of Afghanistan in good order and the fighting qualities of it’s troops were held in much higher regard by the Afghans than those of the US/NATO that followed them.
If you want the truth,rather than propaganda,on the Afghan war,read “Afgantsy” by Rodric Brailwaite,former UK ambassador to Russia,considered by Peter Hitchens and others to be the last competent person to hold that position.
May 14, 2021
NATO has been an outstanding success. Its main job was to prevent the USSR from taking over any more of Western Europe. I don’t think you quite realise how close we cam to a third world war during the fifties and sixties. I have many gripes with the US – it made a lot of money out of WW2 while we beggared ourselves to stop Hitler – but I have no complaints about the resources they have poured into NATO over the years.
May 15, 2021
The USSR did not take over “any” of western Europe-it stood by the Yalta agreements.Any gains would have come via the ballot box-France and Italy had large Communist parties – Unlike the west which sought to renege on those agreements by sponsoring active subversion which the Soviets knew all about thanks to Burgess and Philby.
May 14, 2021
Any set of rules, international, EU, or national, that are not produced by democratic decision, or produced by an elite that has no respect for democracy are ultimately doomed to failure.
Democracy is an evolving state, we are on the cusp in allowing representative democracy to contine as it has done for the past 100 years. Our EU referendum and it’s aftermath demonstrated the weaknesses of representative democracy in spades . We found we could not trust the representatives. Too many representatives can be bought by vested interests.
We have the technology to conduct direct democracy and can protect access to it. Think how complex it is to access ones bank account to pay a bill, except of course for anyone who persuades you to pay by Direct Debit. Direct Debit is akin to representative democracy. Correcting it’s mistakes can be equally difficult. Putting such a system in the direct hands of government would only guarantee it’s failure. However it could be done, but watch government kick against the very suggestion that diminishes their power.
The advocates of direct democracy must accept that in an emergency it would not work, better autocracy, the opposite as demonstrated by the vaccine programme. Nevertheless be prepared to fight to increase its scope and use, if you see merit in it.
May 14, 2021
@agricola, That is why so many when they grab power they dive into the ‘Great Reset’ – World Government by the Political Elite – only they get to call it Democracy.
We need to dial back how a democratic representative is chosen. It should be up to those in constituency alone to choose who stands in elections to represent them. Then any funding for Campaigns should only come from the registered voters of that constituency. While we could all accept even that would get corrupted as it human nature to defend what you achieve – it is infinitely better than todays choice.
Democracy is not Perfect, but it is better as we are seeing than all the other alternatives.
May 14, 2021
Good morning.
Great observations, and much in line with our own.
I have no problem with an international rules based system, so long as everyone else does the same. Trouble is, few do and, the only ones that do are usually Western countries. So where’s the ‘Level Playing Field’ here ?
I think it is time that the UK review many of its agreements and seek to either remedy the flaws in them or Leave. One such is, Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And we are to sign any such agreements perhaps the UK Government should insist on a Sunset Clause inserted and / or a UK wide referendum.
It is time that more power was given to the people on such things as it is clear that it is only them that are affected.
May 14, 2021
Listening to Mr Cameron yesterday on his answers to committees in Parliament shows directly how politicians have no understanding of the simple rules of life. Of course he should know that to contact and lobby officials of high office by using his former position is wrong and downright corrupt. Can I or anyone else just write to the Chancellor or the Bank of England to gain a commercial advantage? Of course not. We need to drain the swamp.
May 14, 2021
“We need to drain the swamp.”
…….something more akin to storming of the Bastille is where it will all end.
May 14, 2021
its definately moving in that direction.
May 14, 2021
+1
May 14, 2021
Build back better. Net zero. Climate change.
Debunking fossil fuels.
All job destroying and impoverishing policies followed by SOME western countries.
The sensible one’s ie Germany make the noise but totally ignore the actual.
Philosophy degrees running a STEM world.
May 14, 2021
Indeed deluded virtue signalling priests of the new religions combined with corrupt and crony capitalists.
May 14, 2021
LL
+1
May 14, 2021
@Ian Wragg, you can only Rule by decree once you have destroyed Society and built in your own image. A Socialist Dream of a World marching to the tune of their ruler without choice.
May 14, 2021
+1
May 14, 2021
+1
May 14, 2021
More often than not the status quo is reinforced by the precautionary principle. I believe it is written into EU treaties. It is a guarantee of ossification, the suppression of competition and the protection of the elites who designed it in the first place.
May 15, 2021
And yet you look before crossing a road, I take it?
May 14, 2021
Rules based systems? Rules require enforcement, why doesn’t the UK become a rules no go area like traveller encampments or neighbourly estates in Glasgow where a refusal to comply with the law or rules and a show of potential force is met with backing away and the rules breakers are let off.
Rules based systems can only work when parties comply or there is enforcement. We meekly comply as a country to our own detriment while other countries ignore or flout said rules.
May 14, 2021
Diversity is good and needs to be maintained.
Nature shows the resilience of ecosystems with diverse species.
Uniformity makes extinction certain. And is boring.
Some international alignment is helpful. But the ever more pervasive āinternational rules based orderā puts the very existence of our species at risk.
May 14, 2021
Which law of government says there is no need to repeal clearly wrong legislation enacted by previous governments rejected by an electorate?
May 14, 2021
Fred
Which governments, despite pre election manifestos, ever scrapped laws of previous government that were deemed unacceptable by voters ?
Not a single one, and we still have Blair-ism all over the place.
In the run up to general elections it’s better to assume they’re all tarred with the same brush and lying through their front teeth.
May 14, 2021
+1
May 14, 2021
I’ve always thought that, and due to the last 3 governments, more and more voters will be of the same opinion.
May 14, 2021
Find and exploit weaknesses
China and Russia are have and are doing it 24/7 and nothing is going to change.
In real terms what percentage of the total UK economy does China own, be it property, companies, industries and investment. The rate it is going the tail will soon be wagging the dog.
May 14, 2021
the rate it is going, it will soon be the dog
May 14, 2021
Very reassuring to know that all these treaties based upon moral and political pressures turn a blind eye on the exploitation very young children and their families for the extraction of all the raw earth materials for electric forms of transport. The destruction of arable land for turbines, solar panels, bio digester fuel,, bio mass boilers ad the destruction to wild life and the natural food chain. All carried out to save the world from some very dodgy science and predictions from the Church of Renewable Energy disciples.
May 14, 2021
Excellent summary Turbo.
May 14, 2021
+10
May 14, 2021
If morals are being considered then how is it right for a government to implement ‘green’ policies that will push many and especially the poor into dire fuel poverty? There are cheaper alternatives that are more reliable and clean.
May 14, 2021
Politicians often sign up and join international bodies, regulations and policies because they hope to influence them, but it also is then difficult to apportion blame on anyone should it all go wrong.
The idea is perhaps good, but the application, workings, control and implementation often seems too often to fail.
May 14, 2021
Alan Jutson
“Politicians often sign up and join international bodies, regulations and policies because they hope to influence them”
And there’s me thinking they do it in the hope of screwing us over.
May 14, 2021
@Alan Jutson, agreed it is naĆÆve for any section to suggest ‘influence’ That only comes if you take the attitude you will back it with Military Might and/or you resort to Blackmail
May 14, 2021
Governments shelter behind the international rule based system
In other words if you ‘Rule’ you fight Democracy and therefore the people at every opportunity.
The ‘ideal’ is Government by the People for the People, also called Democracy, which to most of us means all Laws, Rules and Regulations in our own domain and those that affect our lives are created, amended and repealed by the People alone.
A while back, those with power poo pooed the theory of the ‘Great Reset’ as just a Conspiracy without substance. Yet at every turn, they(Governments) have set up International Rules on how obedient the People should be to their masters in their pseudo democratic World. The Peoples Vote, therefore Democracy is not permitted in this ‘New World Order’.
Those that believe this is fiction, look around, absorb what the Political Class/Elite are doing outside of their own mandates, the wishes of their electorate, outside of the Democratic will of the People and how they blame it on others – their international Partners(or maybe masters).
To call a place a democracy everything that affects the People in a Country has and should be arrived at by a Democratic process, with the opportunity to amend and repeal on the same basis.
May 14, 2021
A nice summary of why so many world leaders sing from the same hymn sheet – no matter that they may be presiding over a funeral – and indeed very good reasons why treaties should not be left in the hands of politicians to sign our rights away.
Some treaties are useful and give little or no power away to global organisations, but even where agreement is based on mutual thinking and peer pressure a vast rethink is required on how we should approach the use of treaties.
The UN, with its many failings, is an example of one international organisation that now wags the dog – they lead the charge on alleged MMCC, and we follow. We simply cannot afford any more such treaties, but it may already be too late.
May 14, 2021
But WHY does Johnson ( the latest example) follow the rules so slavishly?
( And turn us all into slaves the while).
Is it debt? Money or favours? Future promises? Long shadows?
Just a few years ago his writings reflected very different views to those he now inflicts on us.
We were given āThis fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,ā….
And then we āchoseā leaders who trash it.
May 14, 2021
SirJ without further comment by me, thats the best passage you’ve written in years……your frustrations are our frustrations – I just hope your fellow MPs read this
Reply Thanks
May 14, 2021
The IMF is a bit of an exception. President Nixon effectively consigned the international monetary system bit of the IMF to the dustbin when he closed the gold window in 1971, I think. Over the last 50 years currencies have aligned themselves gradually,the ups and downs against each other the have been smoothed out, the system works reasonably well why change it?
May 14, 2021
The current “system” works in the absence of any formal obligations or rules to follow. The Plaza Accord in 1987 or thereabouts, for example, was a pragmatic and voluntary agreement by the world’s biggest Central Banks acting in concert.
May 14, 2021
Judicial review of the Irish protocol starts in Belfast today:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57108347
“Brexit: NI Protocol challenge to be heard in High Court”
“The protocol means Northern Ireland remains a part of the EU’s single market for goods and enforces EU customs rules at its ports.”
With this consequence for our fellow citizens in Northern Ireland:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brexit-deal-blocks-life-saving-cancer-drug-in-northern-ireland-7t8w5nr8m
“Northern Ireland is to miss out on a new cancer drug licensed for use in Britain in the first evidence of a hard border for medicines.”
“Under the terms of the Brexit deal drugs such as osimertinib, which can improve survival rates by up to 75 per cent, is excluded from use in Northern Ireland because it has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.”
May 14, 2021
DUP leadership contest today, otherwise no mention of this on the BBC.
May 14, 2021
Yes Rose and as someone said they have elected a flat earther a creationist who thinks the world began 400 years ago ’cause someond else wrote it in a book and called it the word of God
May 14, 2021
Best of luck to them. I would have thought the Act of Union takes precedence over the EU Treaty (have they ratified it yet?). It will be interesting to see how rigorously the government defend the Treaty, or on what basis they even can, seeing as they have just as much obligation to defend the Act of Union, if not more. Perhaps the EU will appeal a judgement that favours the Act of Union.
May 14, 2021
The original treaty of 1801 was never ratified
May 15, 2021
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apgb/Geo3/39-40/67/contents
May 14, 2021
Could we put Northern Ireland patients requiring the treatment on a ferry, sail out into British water, treat them and sail back into port.
May 14, 2021
I thought I had done my bit for today until I read in the Telegraph that London and North Eastern Railway has banned the phrase ” Ladies and Gentle men” from train announcements following complaints from someone uncertain about ” Its” sexual identity. LNER then tried to justify themselves with a load of woke drivel. Perhaps we should rename them the London and North Eastern Hermaphrodite Railway, with a discount on any passengers who can prove their lack of sexuality.
May 14, 2021
While I find present modes of address in the HoC sensible, varying from outright friendly to black irony. I do wonder what current sprouting wokery makes of it. What adjectives would they add to honourable, to describe a sex neutral invertibrate, that avoids offence.
May 14, 2021
Why is this nonsense engulfing the civilised world?
May 14, 2021
s/be ‘Ladies, Gentlemen and those who haven’t decided yet’
May 15, 2021
Well, Parliament could pass a law which simply says that no apology for using the term “ladies and gentlemen” to address the general public shall be given.
The Tories have been in for ten years now, so it’s no good their whingeing about what has just happened, is it?
They coukl also overturn the common law ruling which says that the froth on beer can make up part of the pint while they’re at it too.
May 14, 2021
You won’t get any objection from me, it is a point I have raised several times, like we didn’t vote to throw off the shackles of the EU only for the political classes to shackle us to UN treaties eg. migration and climate change. As well as the political creep now coming into trade treaties, where they are including women’s issues and immigration. These are not harmless wish lists, for left wing political activists and their human rights lawyers use the courts to enforce policy on the Government.
When will our politicians learn to respect the sovereignty we have lent them? It is anyway self defeating, they struggle to get elected to do things, then tie their own hands so they can’t. Most odd.
May 15, 2021
No “shackles” have been thrown off.
The UK has just painted itself into a very small, silly, awkward corner on the world stage.
May 14, 2021
Sir John,
Good thing we found the exit before it closed. The next country wishing to leave may not be so fortunate.
May 14, 2021
Mark Thomas,
I can see no other country within the EU with that inate sense of fairness that would proscribe that they did it right. Since Machiavelli neither do I know of anyone with a genetic tendency to the level of downright dishonesty and capacity for betrayal as May and her sidekick Robbins. Most europeans lack the self control of the British. The French for instance would be the first to be lifting paving stones to arm themselves, revolution being their first principal of active politics.
The only way with the EU is to prepare in advance, activate Article 50, and depart the following day to the arms of Liz Truss who would furnish them with an instant FTA.
May 14, 2021
Come, come, dear Agricola, have you forgotten (perhaps deliberately) the late Sir Edward Heath when talking about downright political dishonesty?
May 14, 2021
what exit ? — felt more like scaling walls, crossing torrents, fighting with a hand tied behind back, and running marathon with people chucking hurdles in front all the time. Even our ‘supporters’ kept yelling to stop and accept prison.
May 14, 2021
As Sir Something, the ex ambassador to the USA, Trump had not followed the international rules and if he got in again he would be even worse. Deep state had to make sure that they could get back to normal. Well they got normal and it doesn’t seem to be too popular with anyone but the letter people and Mexicans five months later.
May 14, 2021
It won’t be popular with the law abiding Mexicans whose country is once again being used as a corridor for criminals.
May 14, 2021
Kim Darroch, ex Ambassador to the EU was a disaster in Washington, and had to be replaced. Karen Pierce managed to rescue the relationship over the remaining Trump months, but may now find it less easy under a Biden presidency.
May 14, 2021
If the West operates a rules based system, it’s not helping the situation in Palestine much.
But Israel is a Western Country. Oh ! the rules don’t matter if the West is breaking them.
The West can invade who it likes but not anyone else can. The people of Palestine are not too happy being invaded by Israel. The people of the Crimea were happy by 98% that they were invaded by Russia .
Shall we now impose sanctions against Israel like we do against Russia. Most unlikely!
May 14, 2021
The EXIT CLAUSE, Sir John.
Well I hope there is one for the Global Warming, or Climate Change Treaties that we have been signed up to.
Perhaps more to the point:-
Is there any chance your present Leader can be persuaded TO MAKE USE OF THE EXIT CLAUSE?
Surely the counties you list as not taking notice of these agreements are justification enough for us getting out.
Added to which, we were part of the E.U. when we were dragged in.
May 14, 2021
I meant countries, not counties. Typo.
May 14, 2021
A slight correction.
Russia, China and Iran etc are not the only Alternative world views. There are plenty of unimplemented Alternative Western world views. Such as Economic Nationalism that has been. proposed by Trump that resonate with voters and will therefore must win out in the medium term.
May 14, 2021
Phew, this is a relief!
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-ireland-agree-together-smooth-144632418.html
“Britain, Ireland agree to work together to smooth post-Brexit trade”
Except that:
a) We have heard all this before; and
b) The crucial decisions will be made by the EU, not by the Irish government.
As clarified and confirmed here only two or three weeks ago:
https://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2021/04/27/the-question-s-over-scottish-independence/#comment-1225090
“… from about 30 minutes in you will hear a former senior Irish diplomat, Rory Montgomery, saying that initially the Irish government had been open to suggestions on how customs checks and controls could be performed without any need for a hard border on the island of Ireland but they āran into a brick wallā with the EU Commission … “
May 15, 2021
‘..but they āran into a brick wallā with the EU Commission ‘
of course they do !
May 14, 2021
As I’m writing I see where in NI they have just elected a flat earther leader of the DUP.. interesting times ahead
May 14, 2021
We should take a lesson from medieval Venice, which legally regarded itself as part of the Eastern Roman Empire, and often threatened to ask the Emperor for military support when threatened, but never actually allowed Byzantine ships into its waters, nor ever paid tribute to the Empire.
Their philosophy was that you should always try to be subject to someone who is far enough away from you, and whose basic interests are sufficiently different to yours, to ensure that they will never bother you, or try to rule you directly, but whose halo of power you can share.
And no, I don’t mean the EU.
May 15, 2021
The same happened with Russia and the Mongols-they accepted the Great Khan as suzerain whilst not being directly ruled by him,building up their strength and then took much of the Mongol Empire piecemeal as Mongol power faded.Just like the Venetians first stole the Byzantine’s trade and then plundered the Empire as it declined.
May 14, 2021
This is all very true but Treaties are NOT laws – despite what the Left always scream. They are merely an agreement between two governments. And what one government agrees the next can disagree. No government, as we know, can bind its successor. So any government can simply say that they are no longer bound by part, or all, of a Treaty agreed to by its predecessor. All it takes is a little bit of gumption. The reason, I believe, so many people have contempt for politicians and governments is that these never display any backbone. Why, for instance, does a government never say that the courts are wrong, and change the law, or just dismiss the judges, when these rule against a minister? After all, politicians are elected, but judges are not. In a democarcy the elected should always have supremacy over the unelected. And the most recently elected government should have supremacy over governments elected years before. So politicians, and governments, should stand up for themselves and say: “we are the elected representatives of the people and therefore we will do what WE believe is right”.
May 15, 2021
Sorry but International treaties are binding in Law. Governments ratify these by passing laws.
The EU treaties were binding in law. We left using an exit clause in that treaty.
The treaty of Utrecht ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain in perpetuity from Spain.
The treaties with China regarding the Hong Kong New territories had a time limit written in. The earlier Hong Kong Island colony had no time limit but was not viable without the new Territories. So the then Conservative government negotiated the hand back for both.
What you are suggesting was is what the late Herr Hitler did, claiming a mandate of the people to tear up the Treaty of Versailles. That ended up in World War 2.
One-sided resiling from treaties can end up in war or loss of face.
We expect countries to honour international treaties to the UK and our citizens. How would you feel if a country suddenly tore up Internation Aviation treaties at a moments notice and shot down all British registered aircraft over its land?
As for your notion of “elected representatives” well what percentage of the people voted Conservative in December 2019? It may suit you to have total power for the government just now, but what if Comrade Corbyn had won? I suspect your attitude to sacking judges would be very different!
Democracy is about rights for losers in elections, not Stalinist or Hitler like power for the winner.
May 15, 2021
All treaties are changeable.
X -Tory was right.
It is very rare treaties regarding borders are changed.
But treaties regarding other things are sometimes altered by negotiations as circumstances of the parties involved alter.
Laws can be changed by Parliament.
Otherwise if you are correct every treaty and law must exist unchanged in perpetuity.
May 18, 2021
International Treaties can only be changed using mechanisms in the original treaty or mutual consent. Any other path leads to at best – ill will and at worst war.
May 15, 2021
‘we will do what WE believe is right’ , (add) not what the PM and inner clique insist’.
Then you might move toward a democracy.
What a novel thought !
May 15, 2021
It is all very well to say that weak international rules, such as WTO, give countries rights but that also means that we have little or no rights with regard to other countries. Other countries can block our exports at a whim or impede our citizens for often trivial reasons. Maybe those who even pre-COVID didn’t travel think that is wonderful. I do not. I regard customs and immigration lines and hassle as just that. The WTO system is a pretty low bar to measure against. British jobs are at risk from countries that don’t have minimum wages or National Insurance payments made by employers. WTO weak rules are fine for countries that don’t do much trade with one another. As trade increases so do customs and associated delays.
May 15, 2021
Trade is between willing customers and suppliers.
WTO agreements work for nearly 100% of world trade.
And world trade is growing at a good rate.
Helping to improve standards of living for people all over the world.