The principle of the US revolution or war of Independence was “No taxation without representation”. It all began with Parliament’s imposition of import taxes or tariffs on products into the US. These were so unpopular most were repealed, leaving a tax on tea. That remained unpopular, so Parliament compounded the issue by giving a tax advantage and a monopoly to the East India Company, leading to the famous Boston tea party protest. Follow up legislation to punish Boston led to war.
UK governments should study this. It is an excellent extreme example of how much damage unfair and high taxation can cause. It is a reminder of the doughty independence of the English settlers who went to America to make a new life, who were impelled to self government by crass arrogance of the British establishment, and by the inadequate bungling of the professional British army against people fighting for their freedoms.
Today the US/UK alliance is strained again. The mighty and strong US resents the failure of the UK and the EU to make a proper contribution to our own defence, preferring to rely on the US nuclear and expeditionary umbrella. The US President cannot understand the self harm of the UK refusing to use its own oil and gas reserves, weakening its national security. He is concerned about the high levels of illegal migration into the UK and EU , and critical of extra taxes and regulations imposed on successful digital corporations. He cannot understand why the UK wants to give away the Diego Garcia base to an ally of China.
The UK objects to some of the President’s language. The government rightly points out the UK military has supported many US wars in the Middle East in recent decades, and has suffered substantial losses through being in the thick of the action. The UK’s aircraft carriers are serious weapons of war, not toys. The UK does not have to join a military action against Iran that the US undertakes.
The King is doing his best to bridge the growing divide, but is getting no help from the PM. Surely this is the time to admit it was wrong to try to give Diego Garcia away? It is time to announce the UK will not be imposing carbon based tariffs on US imports in the way the EU is. The PM should urgently address the trade tensions as the US is our most important single country trade partner by a big margin.
Meanwhile, for our own national security, the PM needs to come up with a budget that can provide for our immediate defence needs. That must include early and intensive work to get most of our naval ships ready to go on patrol again. It must include a big increase in effort on drones and robot fighters. It is esential we build a protective dome over our islands against missile and drone attack.
April 29, 2026
Good Morning,
An interesting analogy with yesterday’s whipped vote on Starmer’s referral to the Privilege Committee. Starmer’s heavy handed management of his backbenchers must surely leave even more concerns over his suitability for high office. Persuasion is always better than brute force.
April 29, 2026
Starmer is determined to give away Chagos and will not relinquish office until he’s successful.
He doesn’t want good relations with the USA because he prefers the EU. The EU can provide him with further tax free employment when he’s finally ejected, the USA won’t offer him anything.
Of course Trump is right on the self harm being done by net zero and the refusal to exploit our own resources. America is self sufficient in most things and doesn’t understand Europe’s reluctance to protect its supply lines.
We are being dragged into irrelevance by a bunch of (wrongly directed? ed) lawyers hiding behind the facade of non existent International Law.
April 29, 2026
Correct. Since he now knows his days in No.10 are numbered, he’ll be ramping up his efforts to apply for an International Role (ECHR, ICJ etc) when he’s kicked out.
April 29, 2026
as will many of his deluded and destructive Fabian mates.
April 29, 2026
@Peter Wood – all true supporters of the regime. They all get to ‘own’ every bit of the Government output. But that is Socialism for you, it overrides the meaning of Democracy at every stage
April 29, 2026
Exactly another stupid move by Starmer. I assume all the “diversity is out strength” and “climate alarmism” protect the ice at the poles nonsense was inserted by this dire Starmer!
JR “It is essential we build a protective dome over our islands against missile and drone attacks” sound rather expensive and we well might need help and advice from the USA and Israel the country Lammy has refused to supply with certain defence equipment. Then we might need to protect our under sea electricity, oil, gas and communication connections! All already mapped out it seems by Russian Subs.
April 29, 2026
Good morning.
The situation regarding the American War of Independence is a little more complex than one of settlers dressing up as Native Americans and throwing tea in to the river. The British have been fighting another war with France (who else ?) and needed to recoup the costs. The American settlers were enjoying the protection of the British Government but were not contributing enough, or so it was thought. The strength of independence really was not that great but that soon changed. And that is an highly abridged version of events.
The point is, it was avoidable. We kept Canada, but lost the Americas’.
Reply My point is imposing new taxes caused it. Hence their great slogan, No taxation without representation.
April 29, 2026
@Mark B – the UK Parliament wanted tax, more tax, but denied Democracy, denied Representation – sounds familiar. Who’d would have thought a UK Parliament would resort to black-mail and intimidation of a People on the back of its own very personal ‘ego’? Today 250 years on and they till don’t ‘get it’
April 29, 2026
“crass arrogance of the British establishment”
They didn’t learn the lesson then and they still haven’t. Evidence?
1. The crass arrogance on display ever since a clear majority of the British people voted to LEAVE the EU.
2. Decades of immigration, and 20 years of mass immigration, despite the British people consistently voting for less immigration.
The consequences are a broken country and the two legacy parties both facing obliteration on 7 May.
Two-Tier will do nothing to help Charles Windsor smooth the relationship with the USA because he WANTS a rift. It will appeal to the extreme lefties in the Labour and Islamist-Green Party and be used to justify his ambition to make us rejoin the EU.
He is not working in the interests of the UK.
April 29, 2026
The UK also a deeply divided country. The best way to get rid of socialism is to demonstrate unity and joint success through Conservative politics. The politics of Edmund Burke and co. Even within right-wing politics there is a lot of disunity and bitterness. You find same in left-wing politics as well. Sad situation. We should be united and happy despite our disagreements. Life’s too short.
April 29, 2026
It’s King Charles – not Charles ‘Windsor’. Charles does not equal the Crown. He is merely its figurehead. And when people insult the Crown they insult all people within the Crown. So you can have your private reservations about Charles but in public always refer to him, please, as ‘king’ not Charles Windsor. Thank you! (And if you don’t want a monarchy then wait until a democratic referendum)
April 29, 2026
@Donna – creating a rift was part of the ‘Plan’. Socialism cant align itself with any form of Democracy and Freedon
April 29, 2026
I think Starmer is diverted at the moment. What with the Mandelson affair, the Ukrainians firebombing his property and trying to convince the British public to vote for his incompetent rabble next week.
April 29, 2026
@Old Albion – I disagree, these distractions are just that distractions, allowing the ‘Plan’ of a personal Marxist State with comrade Starmer as its ruler to come to fruition. All the while people have been watching the Pantomime 2TK has buried us deeper under EU control, under EU Laws, on the EU being fed more UK Taxpayer Money. The detractions were not him being detracted, but him distracting everyone else while he got on with the ‘Plan’
His persona is one of a bumbling fool, but more fool us, this is one of the Countries brightest, most manipulative top of the profession Lawyers running rings around the Country and he is winning by a country mile
April 29, 2026
Yes, particularly with regard to defence, Starmer is now very clearly far more interested in saving his own skin rather than ours.
April 29, 2026
At end of day, it all comes down to owning your own house or paying rent. The Americans, sooner or later, wanted their own house. Not a landlord.
The Roman Empire great exception to the rule of empire. The Romans offered something of real value over those they governed (a thriving civilisation under which trade could thrive in an extraordinary way – in a way though unique to that time in history).
British Empire to a degree too in India.
And I think it boils down to Christian values and the best of the Greco-Roman world – combined – which the Americans could enjoy without the British. Eventually.
April 29, 2026
Not forgetting monarchy is not enough of an incentive to remain part of Britain thousands of miles away. Look at how the French treated their king about the same time. Canada the exception. But the Canadians ultimately govern themselves – not the British government. The monarchy more of just a figurehead than real power.
April 29, 2026
The American civil war was also fought over duties and taxes on the South.
Excess taxation has had huge impacts throughout history of starting conflicts.
Dominic Frisby has detailed many of these in his book Daylight Robbery which is an entertaining and illuminating read about the folly of trying to raise money from your demos.
April 29, 2026
One other driver of the War of Independence was the 1772 ruling that slavery was not supported in law and this gave a boost to the anti-slavery movement in Britain. This was not well-received in the slave owning states in USA. At the start of the war Britain promised slaves would be freed if they fought for Britain. As such this is one of the few major wars I can think of where the “wrong” side won – slavery was finally abolished in Britain in 1834 but only in 1865 in USA.
April 29, 2026
250 years on and the UK Parliament still doesn’t understand its purpose and its duty. What we call our MPs are not there to preen personal egos and self esteem but to manage and serve the people, but they don’t ‘get it’.
Yesterday is Parliament it was shown black-mail and intimidation rules, the country and it people are just the pawns in some perverted ‘game’
22 months in and the destruction just keeps building. Now we have another 38 months of pure malicious vindictive destruction to endure before any one is allowed a voice.
In the next 38 months what seemingly passes for the Worlds last true Democracy the USA will have had 2 more General Election with its leadership seeking confirmation and validation of the directions it is taking that Country. “More General Elections!” and the ‘Left’ condemns them for allowing Democracy. The UK, the UK Parliament more correctly hates the Democracy as much as it hates the people that pay empowers and pays them. Just as 250 years ago the UK Parliament remains a sham, a deceit and insulting