BRITISH LOYALTY!

The death of young Ivan Cameron will have touched us all. Bringing a child into the world is a big step for parents. To have that child born seriously disabled is dreadfull. To then have the child grow and become a loving family member, who needs total support 24/7, giving the best that parents can to ensure decent quality of life, knowing that one day that life will be cut short, takes courage and fortitude and a deep well of stamina. My heart goes out to the Camerons.

My heart also goes out to the parents of loved ones who make the ultimate sacrifice for a country that does not really appreciate them, and sees them as a necessary evil. On the very day that Ivan Cameron touched our hearts, four service men dies in Afghanistan.

The same MPs who suspended business in Westminster, in support of the Camerons, took the decision to send our forces to Iraq and Afghanistan. The same MPs who now condone these forces operating in Afghanistan in equipment that is frankly a bloody joke in this day and age. The same MPs that are bending over backwards to prevent the public from seeing the expenses that they snuffle at the trough of the tax payer.The same MPs that sent our forces to war to invade a sovereign country on a "thats it then." Three words that condemed 10s of thousands of people to death and many more to a lifetime of mutilation humiliation poverty and pain.

I am sure it was the right thing to do to suspend the business of the house for Ivan. His father is one of their own and will value that gesture of solidarity. What a great pity that the under paid under protected men and women, we ask to put their lives on the line for us cannot feel that solidarity. They feel betrayed and hung out to dry. The butt of endless jokes from American troops who are incredulous that soldiers have to endure what ours do in 2009.

When it come to digging deep and looking after our own we fall short time after time. There are veterans of these campaigns now living in poverty and misery because of a lack of after care by the MOD.



As the father of a serving officer who's son has has served in Iraq, I cannot begin to explain how it feel every time the phone rings or someone rings the door bell. You hear a car door slamming in the street at 3 in the morning and hold your breath praying that no one rings your bell. 328 families have had that dreaded knock in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaign.

149 from Afghanisatan.

And 179 from iraq.

"British workers for British jobs," a cheap nasty throwaway remark by a cheap nasty PM. Who when it suits him pops up in Iraq purely to have his photograph taken and flash his insane rictus smile at all he meets. When it comes down to the wire his remark is betrayed for the utter posturing lie it is just like the New Labour party.

I fear for our country now that I can see what is down the road, knowing how cynical and utterly ruthless these greedy career politicians are. They really do not give a shit that the UK is about to enter one of the darkest periods of our history, they have stuck there heads in the trough and the bunker mentality has now taken root at the heart of the government. They are in a gold lined teflon bubble. Damn them all to eternal hell.

Vince and HBOS deal unravelling.

FROM SKY NEWS

The dossier was submitted during an unsuccessful legal challenge to the merger

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable has tabled a parliamentary question asking if the document still exists, and if its contents can now be revealed.

The Treasury dossier was submitted in evidence during the unsuccessful legal challenge in December and January by opponents of the merger.

The Merger Action Group fighting the decision to waive competition law to allow the merger to go through took its case to a two-day hearing in London, but lost.

The secret dossier was clearly central to the Government's case for riding roughshod over competition law.

MAG spokesman Malcolm Fraser

It believes the Treasury document, which was not made public, sets out why Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling thought the takeover was the only option.

The group also believes that copies of the document have been destroyed.

MP Vince Cable

Mr Cable's parliamentary question asks if the original still exists, and if so, whether Mr Darling will now reveal its contents.

He said: "There appears to be a lot of murky dealings surrounding the Lloyds TSB takeover of HBOS, involving the Government and the Lloyds board.

"It is important, both for taxpayers and shareholders, that we have more transparency about what actually went on when the takeover was being pushed through by the Government."

Mr Cable's question also asks what advice was given to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson by the Financial Services Authority about the merger and what alternatives his department considered.

MAG spokesman Malcolm Fraser said: "The secret dossier was clearly central to the Government's case for riding roughshod over competition law.

"Now that the takeover has gone through and the extent of HBOS's financial losses are now known publicly, why should the contents of the dossier remain secret?

"If it is no longer in existence, why not? What is the Government hiding?"

A Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform spokesman said: "We've kept all the records that informed the Secretary of State's decision."

FROM MEDIAWATCH.... INGRAM BIGS IT IN SUNDAY HERALD

Labour this Labour

The Sunday Herald
01 Mar 2009

Senior Scottish MP in forged letters mystery

Letters defending Adam Ingram in local press were faked

ASENIOR Labour MP has refused to comment on a forgery row involving fake letters about him being sent to a local newspaper. Former defence minister Adam Ingram is not responding to questions about how a 75-year-old Labour member’s name was used to defend the MP’s record in a series of letters. Councillor Michael McCann, the MP’s aide, also declined an invitation to discuss the subject on Ingram’s behalf.

I n g r a m , w h o r e p r e s e n t s E a s t Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow, was criticised recently for having the largest-declared outside earnings of any Scottish MP. The long-serving politician makes up to £ 170,000 in consultancies and non-executive directorships on top of his £ 63,291 salary. The revelation was followed by two letters being published in the East Kilbride News under the name “ Tony Carlin”, a former Labour councillor and party member.

One of the letters challenged the criticisms of Ingram’s outside earnings:“Adam Ingram has served our town as both an elected councillor and as a member of parliament with distinction. He has fought for people across the constituency and has delivered for them.”

It p ra i s e d h i m a s a “ t i re l e s s campaigner” and noted his “indefatigability”. The letter also attacked the local Green Party for its criticisms of Ingram’s extra-parliamentary jobs: “[ The] Green Party are against the redevelopment of the town centre, in fact, they are against any development in the town, full stop.”

Another letter, again from “ Tony Carlin”, hit out at criticisms of the first piece of correspondence. However, the East Kilbride News has since reported that the two letters are forgeries.

Adeline Pandolfino, Carlin’s daughter, told the newspaper that her father had neither authored the letters nor given his permission for his name to be used. She added that, if individuals did not want to put their own name on letters, they should “remain anonymous”.

The typed letters had a superimposed signature at the bottom. The Sunday Herald left a message for Ingram and emailed him questions, but the MP declined to respond. Councillor McCann was also given the opportunity to comment, by email and through calls to his home and mobile, but he too did not get in touch.

However, both Ingram and McCann have commented on the outsideearnings row in the local press.

In a letter to the East Kilbride News, McCann responded to Green Party criticism of Ingram by stating: “Kirsten [Robb, Green Party activist] opposes the South Lanarkshire Local Plan and she opposes the redevelopment of the town centre.”

Ingram, in a separate publication, defended his five other jobs: “ The companies I am associated with came to me and suggested that because of my background, knowledge and experience, that I may be of assistance to them.”

McCann is expected to be the next Labour candidate in the constituency, if Ingram opts against seeking another term. Carlin declined to comment. Pandolfino said she intervened in order to clear her father’s name.

John Wilson, an SNP MSP for Central Scotland, said: “Given his position, Adam Ingram should make clear what his view is on this serious matter.”

Robb said: “ These bogus letters are disgraceful. Adam Ingram should answer questions.”