Agenda 2019

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/hinkley-point-reasons-not-to-be-suspicious-of-chinese-investment-a7166576.html Reasons not to be suspicious of Chinese nuclear investment A rather curious article from Ben Chu and the Independent, essentially telling the readers that there is nothing to worry about in having huge Chinese involvement in the generation of nuclear power in this country. Rather in the same way as George Osborne heaped praise and encouragement on Chinese investments in the United Kingdom up until a few weeks ago. Add caption I recently wrote that personally, I have never been enthusiastic about the Hinkley Point C development. The spiralling costs of the project, which are confidently expected to rise even more and the evidence that time-scale (which is already three years late) will extend well beyond the completion date of 2020, are in themselves sufficient grounds for abandoning the project now. Added to that, the unit p...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/28/hinkley-point-c-to-go-ahead-after-edf-board-approves-project Hinkley Point C in fresh doubt after government delays approval New Hinkley Point nuclear plant in doubt The government has delayed a final decision on the Hinkley Point power station until "the autumn at least". The announcement was made on the day that the contract with the French firm EDF, was due to be signed. Why, after all the euphoria of the past few days, has the government had this sudden attack of cold feet? Perhaps the fact that similar projects is Europe are running £billions over budget and at least 5 years behind schedule, has something to do with it. The new power station at Hinkley point was always a bad idea, with cost, project delays and questionable technology being three of the many reasons for not going ahead with the construction. Hinkley point is a bad idea and should be abandoned as soon as possible.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-could-boycott-trident-vote-to-stem-internal-rebellion-a6844071.html The Conservatives want to hold a snap vote in the House of Commons to approve the construction of four new submarines HMS Vigilant, one of four submarines carrying the Trident missile   The government can "find" £31billion to renew weapons of mass destruction, but cannot afford to build houses for people crying out for homes. They can find £31billion to build 4 new submarines, but cannot afford to adequately fund welfare for the sick, disabled and pensioners. The government can ignore more than 1 million families, reliant on Foodbanks and other charities, to fund a prestige project implemented with the ultimate objective of killing millions of men, women and children. Rather than boycotting a vote in the House of Commons, the whole of the Parliamentary Labour Party, together with the wider Labour movement in the country and trade unions...

                  http://thefreethoughtproject.com/saudi-arabia-100000-empty-tents-ac-3-million-people-refugees/ Saudi Arabia Has 100,000 Empty Tents with AC for 3 Million People – They’ve Taken Zero Refugees The tents, which measure 8 meters by 8 meters,are air conditionedand fire proof.   Saudi Arabia is a country run by the evil and despotic Al Saud family. The Saudi Arabian "justice" system, executes (beheading) more of its citizens than any other country and is a serial violator and abuser of human rights and civil liberties. Saudi Arabia arms, finances and supports ISIS in its terrorist activities in the Middle East and in Europe. Saudi Arabia is a dangerous and destabilizing regime in the region and in the world. The United Kingdom is a major supplier to Saudi Arabia with arms, munitions, weapon systems and aircraft being at the top of the list of exports. ...

  http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/21/cameron-accused-of-misleading-steelworkers-over-80m-aid-fund Cameron accused of misleading steelworkers over £80m aid fund   Steel workers at the Tata Steel plant in Motherwell   Thatcher started this destruction of British industry and Cameron continues her evil work. Heavily State subsidised imports from abroad, this time it is steel, are allowed to flood into this country but the government refuses such support to our own industry. As a result, because our own industries are unable to compete with the cheap (on price and quality) imports, the government  allows the plants to close and the workers to be made redundant. The government justification for allowing the extinction of the industry is the fallacious lie that the industry is noncompetitive and "market forces"  must be allowed to determine the outcome. Not only does this country loose the manufacturing facility, it also loses the skills as...

  http://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2015/oct/20/steel-crisis-grows-as-tata-unveils-job-cuts-business-live Steel crisis grows as Tata unveils job cuts Hundreds of SSI workers try to find work at a jobs fair in Redcar for steelworkers made redundant . China continues to dump its state subsidised steel onto our markets as another 1200 people at least are made redundant to join the 5000 already announced from the closures of SSI and CAPRO. Against this background Cameron begs for Chinese money for other United Kingdom projects (which will undoubtedly cause even more redundancies for British workers) by welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping on a state visit to this country. President Xi Jinping and his wife arrive in London for a state visit to Britain The Buckingham Palace ballroom set for a state banquet This evening, the Chinese President and his delegation together with Cameron and other "dignitaries" are being entertained at a l...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-cameron-seeks-chinese-support-6654559#ICID=sharebar_facebook   David Cameron seeks Chinese support to bomb Syria in talks with president    This is bloody incredible. The British Prime Minister seeking support for intervention in Syria, from the President of a torturing regime, steeped in the blood of hundreds of thousands of people, serial abusers of human rights and civil liberties. Seeking support when the House of Commons has not debated the issue of UK intervention. Seeking support when the Chinese dump steel onto the markets and cause thousands of British workers to be made redundant. The Prime Minister of this country. leaning over backwards in the hope of getting some financial benefit from China in the form of a few more contracts, which will eventually lead to even more British workers being made redundant. A pathetic Prime Minister demonstrating all of his Tory philosophy where money is the ...

  http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/18/britian-has-made-visionary-choice-to-become-chinas-best-friend-says-xi Britain has made 'visionary' choice to become China's best friend, says Xi   We, the United Kingdom that is, seem to have a most bizarre collection of "friends". China, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Israel, India, UAE and Thailand rate amongst the more repressive regimes around the world and have an appalling record of human rights abuses. Yet, these countries, along with a few African republics, seem to be favoured to a greater or lesser extent, as "valued customers" by sections of the United Kingdom business world, particularly in the defence sector where we have large markets for riot and civil disorder equipment, and certainly by British governments who welcome these unsavoury administrations as "great friends and allies". Certainly over recent years, where the "war on terror" has provided justification...

  http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/24/hs2-bidding-process-opened-up-chinese-companies HS2 bidding process to be opened up to Chinese companies I am not asupporter of HS2. Having said that, I appreciate that the contract will be very attractive to elements within the conservative party not least of all to Cameron and Osborne who no doubt see substantial opportunities for they and their business and city "friends " to make vast sums of money for themselves and by various backdoor avenues, for the coffers of the Conservative party. As usual for prjoects of this size and nature, the British tax payers, that is you and me, will fork out huge sums, at the latest guesstimate somewhere in excess of £43billion, on the promise of hundreds of jobs for the UK economy and being "good for Britain and British travellers". This may sound all very well, but is of course complete nonsense. The reality is that sometime soon, some currently obscure Chinee...

  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/13/heathrow-tunnel-m25-under-third-runway?commentpage=1 Heathrow bids to tunnel M25 under third runway No third runway     What part of "No third runway at Heathrow" do these people not understand? No matter how many times expansion plans are rejected, some organisation or other interested body comes up with yet another scheme involving an additional runway wrapped up in some grandiose plan. The objections are well documented, and yet there seems to be no end to the "expansionists" determination to make Heathrow even bigger. It seems to be a case of "no matter how many times you reject our expansion plans, we will keep on submitting applications until you give in and agree". Complete lunacy.

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/28/lockerbie-bomber-libyan-arms-deal "Agreement 'ready for signature' as soon as purchase of air defence system concluded" Tony Blair with Muammar Gaddafi in May 2007 A not very well kept secret, that the British government will make grubby commercial deals with any tyrants or despots, no matter where they are, and will lie to the people and the commons in their attempts to conceal the sordid detail. It almost begs the question as to how much money went into who knows who's pockets as an added sweetener. This whole sleazy morass of greed and corruption stinks to high heaven. 

  http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/ios-investigation-hs2--the-hidden-cost-to-britains-wildlife-8478609.html New rail line threatens 350 unique habitats, 50 irreplaceable ancient woods, 30 river corridors, 24 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and hundreds of other important areas. Is this really progress? Route finalised.   £33 billion on a project which will not even start for another 4 years at the earliest, and will not be complete until 2032 at the earliest. In addition the effect on communities, regions and wildlife sites will be disastrous. If there is £33 billion "in the kitty", infrastructure projects NOW will have an immediate effect on the economy and on un employment with some housing, hospitals and road programmes. The current rolling stock and track system may well be in need of upgrading, but the HS2 project announcement  for public consumption rather than a serious intention to tackle the current economic problems of the c...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/13/private-firms-corporation-tax-nhs-profits  Private companies providing NHS services could be exempt from paying corporation tax on their profits   Private NHS providers in line for corporation tax exemption    Labour should not be "calling" on the government not to "let the tax avoiders into the NHS". Labour should be demanding that there should be no privatisation of the NHS and any private companies operating within the NHS at the time of the next Labour government will be absorbed by the health service and taken into public ownership. If these private companies are to operate for the time being within the NHS, they should pay corporation tax the same as any other private company. Why should the tax payer subsidise private parasites and assist the Tories in rewarding their friends in business as they sell off  huge chunks of our services? For far too long Labour have acquiesced in the privatisation...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/stress-puts-people-out-of-work-and-on-to-benefits-8301330.html workplace stress  Growing stress and pressure at work has led to a surge in people being forced to quit their jobs and live on benefits until such times as Atos decide that they are "fit for work" of course. Atos the parasitic organisation grasping £millions of our money via dubious contracts placed by the government. Atos, the organisation that decrees that if you can raise one finger, you are fit for work. Stress is real and if you suffer from it you will know. One of the main causes of stress is of course this government and the parasitic organisations getting our money (which all too often finds its way back into Conservative party funds through grubby donations) through government awarded contracts.

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/29/tories-lib-dems-trident  Philip Hammond announces go ahead for nuclear deterrent replacement before review completed Defence Secretary Philip Hammond . £1 billion deal paves the way for Trident nuclear deterrent replacement The myth of the "independent nuclear deterrent" gets another breath of life blown into it by Hammond's decisions to award a further multimillion-pound contract for a new generation of nuclear missile submarines, clearly signposting plans to press ahead with a replacement for Trident. Since the 1980's, and even before then,  there are those of us who have argued that the "deterrent" is not independent (as we have to obtain launch codes before we can use it) and it does not deter as was demonstrated by the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands to name but one example. The "threat" is an empty one now and always has been. However, successive war mongering...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/oct/26/government-building-standards-review-regulation#start-of-comments Regulations including fire safety and wheelchair access could be torn up in an attempt to cut costs for the construction industry   A return to shoddy "Jerry built" houses and flats is the most likely outcome of this latest round of government lunacy. "Self regulation" of the building industry will only produce the same results as all the other self regulation schemes.Companies are not philanthropic organisations and will take whatever short cuts they can in order to increase their profits. Unfortunately, sooner of later, the removal of building regulations will result in one or more tragedies.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/prison-system-must-do-more-for-less-to-break-the-cycle-of-criminals-reoffending-says-david-cameron-8220667.html Private firms and charities will be put at the heart of efforts to break the cycle of re offending among hardened criminals   David Cameron Cameron pouring more of our money into private firms. With the experience of the current lot, A4e, G4S, Bombardier ATOS and the rest, you would have thought that  this government would give some consideration to public opinion. However, when it comes to awarding contracts to friends, relatives and contributors, the Tories have no equals.