Let me return to the madness of the government wanting to give these islands away to Mauritius and then to pay a large annual sum to rent back the naval base at Diego Garcia. Talks have resumed between the U.K. and the new Mauritius government over how much money we need to pay
The government should tell the new Mauritius Administration that they are not now proceeding. The protests of Chagos islanders living in the U.K. and elsewhere against Gifting to Mauritius has swayed with them. The deteriorating U.K. budget position thanks to the collapse of growth in the U.K. also means we cannot afford this policy.
Mauritius is more than 1000 miles Ā from Chagos. Mauritius never owned them. Mauritius is a friend of China. Mauritius could put people and activities on the other islands that impeded use of the naval base.
The advisory international law opinion made little sense. The only people who have a real case against the U.K. are the islanders who were moved away when the base was expanded. Many of them are now U.K. or Seychelles citizens . They are not proposing Mauritius ownership.
President Trump will doubtless be worried by the transfer of the freehold of Ā a crucial US base from the U.K. to Mauritius. Sir Kier says he wants to get on well with President Trump. Why not remove this disagreement from the list. The Chancellor could also celebrate at another large bill no longer falling due.
November 26, 2024
First Chago
Second Falklands
Third Gibraltar
Then anything else that could weaken or destabilise Britain
There is no end to this madness, giving money to farmers abroad whilst robbing UK farmers
Billions to mitigate alleged climate change abroad whilst freezing UK pensioners.
There’s a definite pattern emerging.
November 26, 2024
Starmer is polishing his anti colonial / commonwealth credentials. In doing so he jeopodises our relationship with the USA, promotes the expansion of chinese influence, and denies the Chagosians, already sinned against, a return to their ancestral home. Just to add jus to the hypocrocy he compels the UK tax payer to pay for it. This charlaton has no place in UK politics, he endangers us by his very presence.
November 26, 2024
@agricola – but they still belong to the Chagos Islands people. Running rough shod over people instead of working with them is more than shabby its criminal, maybe the unaccountable ICC should step in and issue an arrest warrant for Starmer
November 26, 2024
Good idea! And quickly before itās abolished.
November 26, 2024
Indeed Starmer is truly appalling even worse than Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron, May, Boris & Sunak in just a few months – really quite an achievement.
November 26, 2024
Good morning.
Why not just give the islands to the USA ? At least they want them.
November 26, 2024
Sensible off piste suggestion.
November 26, 2024
Why not sell the Islands to them?
Joking aside, does the US pay us for their base there currently? If so, it’s a double whammy (or should that be Lammy?) . We lose the income and start paying out rent instead.
November 26, 2024
Indeed Mauritius likely to effectively sell them to China what would the āleaseā agreement be worth then? As we saw with Pattonās Hong Kong deal. But clearly the F/O were planning this even under the Tories with the dire & not so Cleverly. It must surely be reversed.
November 26, 2024
Matthew Lynn today.
āThe Trump stock market surge is Kamala Harrisā final humiliation
The Left is finding out that appointments like Scott Bessent, on top of the anticipation of tax cuts, can revive animal spirits.
The Left, including its recent standard bearer Kamala Harris, is once again being reminded that economic growth depends on confidence among businesses, and appetite for risk among entrepreneurs, far more than it does on the government ā and by recognising that, Trump has already triggered a revival that will carry well into the new year.ā
Alas in the UK the first female Chancellor has delivered an absurdly anti-growth, anti-confidence budget with the lunacy of zealot net zero lunacy on top. 4+ more years of this all thanks to Sunak, Boris, May, Cameronā¦
November 26, 2024
Reeves told the CBI yesterday that her budget was good for jobs and growth and she wouldn’t come back later in this Parliament for further tax rises or further borrowing. That’s what we’re up against.
November 26, 2024
They quite like making commitments that they must know they are unlikely to keep (or maybe they just think we have very short memories). Red Rachel’s current budget assumes growth, which in practice seems unlikely. When the assumed extra tax revenues fail to arrive, she’s going to have to either cut expense or raise taxes again.
I wonder what she will choose? It’s a tough one question! š
November 26, 2024
Indeed. The budget is hugely anti-growth as is Net Zero he tax increases will not even raise extra tax revenue certainly not in the long run.
November 26, 2024
Reeves additional tax and borrowings have raised gilt prices and any additional taxes will pay debt interest that is simply huge on our growing debts, Time for all Governments to live within OUR means, just like we have to. It should be illegal to constantly run budget deficits year after year whilst not imposing limits on welfare in all its various guises or gifting foreign aid or climate aid or whatever. Generations have been allowed to be workless whilst hammering the productive people to pay for their idle, feckless, lazy and downright dishonest lifestyles. Importing minimum wage workers to give them welfare is madness. We desperately need change, we need REFORM.
November 26, 2024
SHE wouldn’t …. not the Government won’t. In view of the blatant “misrepresentations” on her CV of her career history and experience perhaps she’s not expecting to be in post much longer.
November 26, 2024
What on earth has her gender got to do with it? Will this entrenched attitude towards women never end? She is a PERSON who happens to be Chancellor.
November 26, 2024
I have to say we have NEVER had a woman number in the top political economists.
The top women have huge ability but our ability does not align with the top menās ability. I think you need to have some Aspergerās present to be able to concentrate well enough to excel at technical things, and that even includes cooking. British men have that.
Incidentally, Irish men donāt and they don’t excel at the things British men do, they thus have not managed to āinvent the modern worldā – but they are brilliant with horses and people as are most women.
November 26, 2024
Most tend not to devote themselves to Maths, Physics, Chessā¦ in the way some men do. Very few have been top in Cambridge maths (senior wrangler) but then only about 15-20% of the maths undergraduates were women to start with.
If you had a law that 50% of top maths or physics jobs at a university had to be women ) like board members in Scotland) vast anti male discrimination would have to occur. They have anti-discrimination laws then laws that make huge anti-white male etc discrimination compulsory by law!
November 26, 2024
Well she and Two Tier Kier were the ones trumpeting this. Though one can make the argument that far fewer women choose to read Maths, Physics, Economics… at A levels and at university only circa 20-30% female and even fewer at high levels. Though Reeves who read the dreaded PPE Oxon did take Further Maths A level which usually a good sign.
But if Reeves really thinks this is a budget for growth she is moronic. Perhaps she knows this and is lying? But Thatcher idiotically appointed John ERM Major as Chancellor who could not even pass his O levels!
November 26, 2024
Agreed. I hope thi ‘government’ are listening but I fear that they are tin-eared and will do considerable damage to this country woith this measure as with everything else they seem to touch
November 26, 2024
DP,
Yes, “tin eared” or not “normal” as described in the next post.
The massive petition for a general election will be shrugged off or ignored too.
Starmer will probably think the critics have the problem like the people who laughed at his tool maker speech.
November 26, 2024
Keir-Ching! and Lammy just want to virtue-signal to the world. History, money, security …. nothing matters to them except posturing to various Globalist Acronym Organisations and polishing their anti-colonialism, pro International Socialism credentials.
The protests of the Chagossians would be a bit embarrassing to a “normal” PM but we haven’t got a “normal” one, which his behaviour makes perfectly clear.
I hope Trump makes his/the USA’s position very, very clear to our disgraceful PM.
November 26, 2024
Totally agree.
But do not expect this Government to change this decision that seriously affects our future security.
I find the decisions of the ‘International Courts’ often show a bias rather than adjudicate on the facts. Thus bringing themselves into disrepute.
November 26, 2024
Sir John, far from 2TK Starmer wanting to forge closer better relations with the new incoming president Trump, he seems to be determined to continue on with Chagos and quickly, He seems to be in a hurry so the give away is advanced beyond the point of cancellation, before Trump actually takes office and can veto the nonsense via sanctions.
November 26, 2024
@Rod Evans – He is in a very Starmer, Labour way lying to force the UK back under the control of the unelected unaccountable Bureaucrats that run the EU. There can be know other reason for all this spiteful out pouring from them. He (Starmer) has spent the last 4 years fighting and ensuring the UK doesn’t get to leave the EU.
November 26, 2024
This does indeed seem to be an odd arrangement but let us not forget, like so much that is wrong with this country, it began under the Conservatives. Why even discuss it?
This zealous, doctrinal Labour administration is in place because the Conservative abandoned Conservatism. Sometimes things must get worse to get better. This is our anti socialism medicine.
Reply FCO officials put it to Conservative Ministers. David Cameron rightly turned it down
November 26, 2024
So this began as an FCO initiative!
You would think the civil service were there to provide wise heads to advise the government not to make foolish decisions, but in this case their folly equals the PM’s.
Time to drain the swamp.
November 26, 2024
R to R
But it was James Cleverly MP when Foreign Sectrtary who first initiated talks with Mauritias. This who thing started on their watch.
Reply And ruled out by Cameron so recpresented to Lammy who fell for it.
November 26, 2024
You can only enter the EU if you have no āland disputesā thatās why Armenia gave up Nagorno-Karabakh. So the UK will have to give up any land in dispute – does that include Scotland?
November 26, 2024
For instance, Thyssen Krupp, Europes biggest steel maker has collapsed in Germany. It is laying off 40% of its workforce. This is not slow decline, its crisis collapse, impossible to āmanageā or reverse.
Germany is collapsing before our eyes. Germany is the EU.
November 26, 2024
Nagorno-Karabakh was majority Armenian populated but,in law, Azeri territory.So,without getting into the rights and wrongs of what happened recently,it was vacated rather than given up.
November 26, 2024
Moreover, a possible candidature of Armenia to the EU is still being discussed within their National Assembly (NA) and a referendum called independently of the NA might be called if the NA does not support calling for a referendum on possible EU membership but 300k Armenian citizens called for oneā¦
As one can see, something not as straightforward as what Lynn was telling us above.
November 27, 2024
The Transcaucasus is turning sharply away from the west-see what’s happened in Georgia and Azerbaijan.Pashinyan,a Soros protege,is looking very isolated in Armenia.
On the other side of the Black Sea,there’s also been a totally out-of-the-blue outcome in the first round of the Romanian presidential elections-a’tik-tok candidate’ with no party apparatus coming first-anti NATO,anti-EU and pro-Russia-so,in the BBC’c lexicon,far right!
November 26, 2024
In whose law? Not in Armenian law.
November 26, 2024
The proposed Chagos island decision is symptomatic of the utter incompetence of this completely useless Labour government.
November 26, 2024
+1
November 26, 2024
+1 but that Tories were clearly pushing this too under Cleverly?
Reply Cleverly was considering this officials initiative. When I and other MPs got to hear of it we started lobbying against and found David Cameron as Foreign Secretary agreed. we also made the point a new Treaty would need Parliamentary legislation which we would vote against. No signs of Labour MPs opposing this travesty. No Conservative Foreign secretary would have got away with it.
November 26, 2024
Thanks for that reply. Why on earth were the officials pushing it? Stupidity, Corruption, Fraud, Bribesā¦?
November 26, 2024
Don’t know why you keep this blog going if everything that government says/ does annoys you so much. Personally I don’t give two hoots about the Chagos although i am aware of the removal of the people from Diego Garcia being a merchant seaman in the 1960’s and 1970’s I sailed the Indian Ocean. Just put government action down to a little housekeeping tidying up at the end of Empire Days and don’t get too concerned about Trump – nobody knows yet how all of that is going to work out – he’s clearly ‘nuts’ and thankfully we do not have any kind of relationship with him – Trump will act in his own interest – our economic future lay with the EU but we blew it.
November 26, 2024
Well the EU is holed under the water. You just keep sailing by if you are not interested in the future of the UK and our people.
November 26, 2024
Strangely unreported by the unbiased BBC, the EU has very real political & economic problems of its own SB.
The French government is in chaos and the German economy is busy collapsing. We have enough problems of our own (with the New Soviets in charge) without compounding our problems by sharing in the misery of our Continental friends. The comment about membership of the EU being “like being shackled to a corpse” is starting to look more and more prescient.
November 26, 2024
I agree about getting rid of responsibility for the islands and any other imperial leftovers that we have no profitable use for.
The British Empire only took over the islands(formally ceded during the Napoleonic wars) because the original ‘discoverers’,the Portuguese,could find no use for them.Portugal is a much happier,successful and comfortable state having shed the last of its troublesome imperial possessions.
November 26, 2024
I think the USA Military would disagree.
November 27, 2024
So what.The USA is a foreign power.
November 26, 2024
“Imperial leftovers with no profitable use?” Mitchel?
The Chagos Islands are a key military asset in the middle of the Indian Ocean that has great strategic value to both the UK and the US. Why do you think the Chinese are busy building artifical islands in the South China Sea? Perhaps it’s because islands are much harder to sink than aircraft carriers?
November 27, 2024
China is a great trading power-it needs to protect its seaborne commerce- the UK is not.It’s not the 19th century anymore.
November 27, 2024
If you believe that China is building those islands to protect it’s “seabourne commerce” then I won’t try to disuade you but I suspect people in both the Phillipines and Vietnam would disagree with you. Whether the UK is a “great trading power” is really not the question nor the issue here. It’s whether the ‘West’ can defend it’s global interests, given that we are so dependent on international sea routes.
November 26, 2024
Portugal is not a state, it does not exist, itās a part o& the EU and its poverty is comparable to Af4i a poverty. Incidentally, the ex-Portuguese colony of Mozambique successfully applied to join the Commonwealth – so we fund it now.
None of the Empire was profitable for us. Mrs Thatcher answered a question regarding profitability, it in Hansard. The most profitable colony was Hong Kong, and we lost money on that because of Defence Costs.
You have to be exceedingly rich to fund an Empire as Germany is discovering.
November 26, 2024
Isnāt it surprising that Portugal is the 40th country in the GDP per capita PPP table and Russia is 43rd. Does that mean that Russiaās poverty is even worse than that of āAf4iā?
November 26, 2024
But the EU is not just an economic organisation, Sailingby, unlike the days of the Common Market when you were working. It’s now a political union which would have brought us increasingly under the sway of EU politicians like Junker and Von der Leyen. That is why we left it. The economic consequences were a challenge, and you and might agree that we didn’t manage that very well. But we had to leave, or be ruled by Brussels (and the EU’s civil service devotees in London).
November 26, 2024
The EU (Formally the EEC) was always a political union in the making. It was stated as such in the Treaty of Rome when it clearly stated that the UK (or any other member country) would have to cede sovereinty upon joining.
The government (Conservative under Edward Heath) and the Civil Sevice kept that from us.
November 26, 2024
The Common Market was never an economic organisation as Powell explained until he was blue in the face.
November 26, 2024
Jonathan P?
November 26, 2024
And I wonder why you must keep coming ?
November 26, 2024
For fun! To get the latest from the Pravda Oāphile, the latest fantasies of a number of other ācharactersā about EVs, climate, Covid vaccines, WEF/UN/WHO, ā¦
All that without having to go to the pub and it is less expensive (but funnier) than Private Eye.
Tell me: how many of the contributors do you really take seriously?
November 27, 2024
I can tell you one who I don’t take seriously. It’s useful to have this person’s thoughts, though, because it gives a good idea of how someone fed on mainstream media and imbued with the certainty that it must be right views the world. It tells us what the mindset of a person who cannot think outside the Overton window is like. A person who obediently follows whatever ‘the experts’ say on public health, geopolitics, resetting lifestyles etc. A person who narrows their worldview so as not experience the cognitive dissonance that would result from confronting the huge harm that their ‘experts’ have been doing to the public interest in those domains (and others). There must be many people like this in the civil service and in corporate business, and we need to be aware of the effect they have on decision-making. Elites. after all, are able to carry out their agendas because of the existence of a large mass of unquestioning conformist followers, as we see from 20th century history. Those of us who question current dogmas may need to be reminded that there are many people who would prefer not to. Hearing from one of them from time to time is helpful in that way.
November 27, 2024
HM, Thanks a lot.
November 26, 2024
Have we ever heard how much we are paying per year to Mauritius after we’ve gifted them the Chagos ? Last I saw there was a suggestion that the agreement itself prohibited that being made public which may not be correct but wouldn’t surprise me.
November 26, 2024
The government has already made a mess of foreign policy without needing to add to it. They are undermining Brexit and its potential, they have immaturely insulted the President of the United States and they are considering singling Britain out for reparations next year for past slavery of which we are no more responsible than every other country or tribe on earth who engaged in it. Indeed we ended it!!
The only reason I think they have added to this failure, by giving away the Chagos Islands against their will, is their mentality. The people in the Government are still student activists and not responsible statesmen.
November 26, 2024
Giving away the Chagos islands – Not in the manifesto
Removing the Winter Fuel Allowance – Not in the manifesto
Introducing IHT into farming – Not in the manifesto
Giving away Ā£500 million to foreign governments – Not in the manifesto
Increasing taxes by Ā£40 billion – Not in the manifesto
Allowing Ed Milliband to dream up policies costing Trillions in the idiotic pursuit of ‘net zero’ – Not in the manifesto
“Smashing the gangs” In the manifesto but not happening.
Labour elected by few on the basis of a pack of lies and untold policies. Is it any wonder over 2 Million have stated their desire for another General election?
November 26, 2024
Indeed increasing NI (they actually promised not to)
The IHT is also on many trading companies too.
Bring you money to the UK invest it and we will take most of it off you in just a few years then 20% – 40% off you when you die for good measure.
November 26, 2024
I confess I did not read the Labour manifesto. So could either your goodself or someone please tell me if, letting convicted serious criminals out of jail early was a manifesto promise ?
November 26, 2024
No that was another surprise for us!
Incidentally I read a story this morning about a new driver who though it a good idea to use his knees to steer the car. He ploughed into another vehicle resulting in the woman driving it being paralysed from the neck down.
He recieved 2yrs 2months in prison!
Under Starmer we have people serving longer for posting nasty things on social media.
This country and the justice system is a perverted scandalous shambles.
November 26, 2024
I understand that jailing people for telling the truth was also not in a Manifesto and came as a surprise to many of us.
If āspreading misinformationā is a criminal offence what is the personnel that comprises the British Government not in jail?
November 26, 2024
Further examples of inept socialist planning and a lack of concern about giving away our hard earned money for no purpose.
Why didn’t we simply allow the island to be rented from us, allowing some sort of council, working with the UK, to manage those islanders that want to live there?
Surely we don’t need the whole island?
November 26, 2024
Islanders kept away probably due to the security of the huge American air base and port.
If it changes hands, there may be many complications to security with Chinese and Russians fishing boats (spy ships) constantly approaching the surrounding islands, perhaps then legally if no exclusion Zones are put in operation by the new owners.
November 26, 2024
Cui bono?
Why is the PM doing this? Who is benefitting from this deal? The Chagossians? The UK? Mauritius? China?
Has an official referendum taken place with the Chagossians so they can decide? Do they want to become Mauritian citizens?
Or should there not be a UK referendum? GEās give Parliament temporary authority only for 5 years. This temporary authority does not give Parliament the authority to give away UK territory permanently. Such a policy requires a referendum so the nation can decide.
BTW, looking at the map the Seychelles, the Maldives and Madagascar are all closer to the Chagos Islands than Mauritius.
Because the Chagos Islands have not been inhabited, apart from the airbase which brings in all its supplies from elsewhere, it now has one of the richest, largest and most diverse marine environments remaining anywhere in the world.
What will happen to this when the Mauritian fishermen arrive?
November 26, 2024
PS : We need to refuse to accept the rulings of foreign global/international kangaroo courts set up by Communists, such as the UN ITLOS and of course the ECHR.
November 26, 2024
ITLOS is a dispute resolution mechanism not a ‘kangaroo court set up by communists’.
You manage to get ‘communist’ or ‘marxist’ into everyone of your posts.Do you realise-I assume not-what a reds-under-the-bed nutjob you sound?
November 26, 2024
Mitchel :
Oh, OK, ITLOS is a Communist/Marxist run international dispute resolution mechanism like the ICC, the ECHR and all the UN/WEF run agencies.
November 26, 2024
+1
November 26, 2024
Off topic: From today’s DT:
“Germany has joined a growing backlash against fines for carmakers missing net zero targets as the Government comes under pressure to ease Britainās electric car mandate.
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has criticised EU plans to impose steep fines on manufacturers that miss carbon-reduction goals ā saying the companies should instead be able to invest the funds in cutting emissions.
āThe money must remain in the companies for the modernisation of their own industry, their own company,ā Mr Scholz said.The comments add to pressure on net zero mandates, which carmakers have said are becoming increasingly unrealistic as the majority of motorists shun electric cars.
As I said the other day, the Net Zero lunacy project to destroy petrol/diesel car sales, will be stopped by Germany, desperate to protect VW, Mercedes and BMW.
November 26, 2024
And here we are, also from the DT and published a short white ago:
“Britain poised to water down electric vehicle rules
Fast-track consultation to consider greater flexibility for carmakers to meet net zero mandate”
The UK is now able to try and save Nissan, because our Lords and Masters in the EU (which we’re supposed to have left) are responding to Germany’s attempt to save VW, Mercedes and BMW.
November 26, 2024
Not taking the EU’s side, but I think that is a little unfair. Many a time the EU has impliment rules (eg fishing quotas) which member countries (such as the UK when we were ‘offically’ members) had to comply even when it damaged our industries and benefitted theirs. No it seems the EU has created a policy with fines that will directly and negativly impact Germany and are now drying foul.
I have no sympathy with Germany who have benefitted the most from the EU and now complain as we once did when things are not going their way. If things do indeed change I am sure many members such as Greece will not be best pleased.
November 26, 2024
If you’re going to make them independant, give the island to the indigenous people of Chagos and not the people of Mauritius
November 26, 2024
It is a stupid decision made by stupid people.
November 26, 2024
Simple, but true !
November 26, 2024
If the people whose Islands these are gets no say, what is the point?
Just because the UK administered the 2 armās length Island groups Mauritius and the Chagos Islands under one UK based administration when they were part of the British Empire didnāt make them one unit. Theyāre more than a thousand miles apart and a different āpeopleā. Even when the UK expelled the Islands citizens only a small percentage went to Mauritius and there they were treated as 2nd class citizens.
The unaccountable UN and 2TKās legal mates are behind this move, even under the UN Theories of a World Government the People of those Islands have a right to self-determination ā they should be the only ones to decide, the only ones to profit. So, they are contradicting themselves seemingly to enhance their own personal self-esteem.
November 26, 2024
This is a really stupid decision highlighting the incompetence of Prime Minister Starmer and his Foreign Secretary. And a decision taken without parliamentary debate or consultation with the Chagos Islanders. And to add insult to injury we will have to pay rent to use the base? This level of incompetence takes really does some beating!
November 26, 2024
I cannot stand what this Labour government is doing to our Country. Why oh why did this not get put to bed by the Tories? Cleverly hasn’t answered for his part in this or Sunak, Boris or anyone else involved over the years.
November 26, 2024
Giving away the Chagos Islands and renting back the air base doesn’t make sense and looking for a reason why this is happening is hard, if not impossible, to find.
Factors to consider are why this disposal of overseas sovereign territory doesn’t require an Act of Parliament.
Should we not have asked for some money for these islands;which could have gone to fill the Ā£22 million black hole in the UK economy.
What is China’s future involvement going to be and what threat is that likely to pose?
Why are we giving away land for free and then having to rent some of it back?It would have been better for the UK and USA to keep the ownership/control and save on the annual rent!
What other country gives away its territories for free?
Is the Falklands next?
November 26, 2024
Dear John,
I enjoyed chatting to you at the conservative lunch last Friday, and I agree with you about these islands. Also your other email today about various “WHYS” I am vice -chairman of MID-BERKS ramblers and one of our members works for the government in the oil and gas department , trying to retire but has to an important job , but is allowed to work 3 days a week. When I was walking with him the other week I was asking him about CARBON CAPTURE, I must say it sounds very complicated. involving capturing carbon and then sending through pipes to storage under the NORTH SEA, a very expensive way!
November 26, 2024
Seem utterly sensible but Sir Keir seems dead to public opinion or accepting he may have made a mistake
November 26, 2024
Diego Garcia is essential to US global hegemony as a staging post in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Maybe we should sell it to the Americans as it’s little use to us.
If proximity is the key to territorial sovereignty which mostly it is, the Chagos Islands should belong to the Seychelles which probably don’t want them. The Chagossians themselves exist as a result of transportation under French and British colonial rule.
November 26, 2024
Indeed, I agree fully with our host, this agreement is just another example of the utter incompetence of the current, and seemingly out of control, SoS at the FCDO that undermines the very security of the UK and western alliances. Given all the evidence from HMT, about how Ms Reeves failed to adequately communicate with other departments when writing her Budget, one has to ask if the FCDO even asked for an opinion from the MOD regarding the Chagos Archipelagos.
November 26, 2024
It is easy to charge the Starmer Gang with incompetence if you predicate your case on the presumption that the Gang is attempting to govern in the interests of the UK. The premise is false. The Starner Gang of Socialists and Communists hate the UK and everything in its history. They hate the fact of the British Empire. They believe they can expunge it by removing every vestige of British power overseas. They hate conservatism, they hate patriotism. They hate enterprise, they hate private capital, they hate the pursuit of excellence. What they can’t give away they will destroy. It is not incompetence. It is hatred.
November 26, 2024
Like everyone else commenting here, the intention of giving away sovereign territory in exchange for leasing it back seems so bonkers and against our interests, both geopolitical and financial, that you need to understand the left wing mind. I can only deduce that the decision is all part of the post-colonial guilt experienced by the woke, where all things foreign are good and all actions by the British are seen as racist and exploitive and must be redeemed by the present generation. Unfortunately, this attitude will destroy us unless vigorously opposed in the public realm. There are some signs of a fight back under our new Conservative leader, but all conservatives must join in with this struggle.
November 26, 2024
In other breaking news – If permitted
The Milliband/Labour factor
”Vauxhall Luton factory to close, parent firm Stellantis announces – putting more than 1,100 jobs at risk”
https://news.sky.com/story/vauxhall-to-close-luton-plant-putting-more-than-1-100-jobs-at-risk-13261106
Don’t worry folks; we can also import EV vans from China
November 26, 2024
I remember years ago a documentary about Corby. The documentary makers went to the town a few years after the steelworks was closed – to see how well the āretrainingā and āhelpā to find other work for the (primarily) men who had worked there. And they found men – men that used to work with molten steel, hard, tough men who used to work hard and provide for their families, men with self respect – they found those men wearing hairnets and aprons standing next to a conveyor belt. They were picking up little cup cakes and sticking them in boxes. On minimum wage, they were asked how life was now. I felt for them. They simply shrugged and looked almost ashamed.
That what the workers at Luton will be like soon. I feel sorry for them. Itās bad enough living in Luton. Unemployed in Luton doesnāt bear thinking about.
November 27, 2024
Its a sad story all round ….government today could cancel ZEV mandate and negotiate the closure of luton van
November 26, 2024
I suspect that if Starmer proceeds with this daft policy, Trump will Put America First , and simply take over Diego Garcia and the other islands and run it as US territory. Can’t say I would blame him for doing so !
November 27, 2024
Anything to do with security of UK should not be put up for sale. I cannot understand who is pulling the strings here as Starmer is totally untrustworthy. Who is he working for?