GETTING WORSE?
I HAVE never been a doom merchant. I have always believed that however bad things get, they will eventually get better.
In other words, I retain hope and faith that pure common sense will ultimately prevail, whatever confronts us.
It usually does, however long it may take. In any case, it is never my intention to ruin my reader’s breakfast, despite his belief that even the simple task of devouring his cornflakes can give him indigestion as soon as he sets eyes on my latest column.
Let’s be honest. Things at the moment are hardly hunky-dory, now are they, even in the TRNC?
We know the Cyprus “issue” never changes. Even as I write we are confronted with the less-than-sensational news that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders are now to “meet on a weekly basis”. What for? Are they settling matters with a weekly game of Tiddlywinks?
Let’s face it, experience shows there can be few other practical reasons (so, that’s put that one to bed!).
Then we have the Iranian war on Cyprus’s doorstep. That certainly would excuse the odd sleepless night.
Things aren’t much better north of Mother Turkey. As Ukraine continues to resist Putin’s aggression, the madman in the Kremlin threatens the Baltic States and even Poland, all of whom are Nato members. Nato says “attack one member and you attack us all” including Turkey and the UK.
At the same time, Nato itself appears to be falling apart, despite it being the source of Western security for generations.
Trump is rightly fed up with Europe’s failure to match the USA’s financial and military commitment to that alliance, whilst justifiably being most angry with the UK, which is totally incapable of defending itself, let alone anyone else. No wonder Putin becomes ever more aggressive!
Putin openly probes UK territorial waters and airspace, virtually unchallenged by a reduced and therefore ineffective Royal Navy and RAF, threatening the UK’s undersea pipelines and internet connections.
Putin could shut the UK down with hardly a shot fired. On top of that, he has just sent his new “tsunami” submarine on sea trials, making it absolutely clear that firing just one of its earthquake-creating torpedoes at the UK would create an enormous tidal wave capable of knocking Britain out completely.
Such a prospect is more than frightening, especially when the UK has a government more concentrated on mollycoddling illegal immigrants, with unknown intentions, from God knows where, than it is on defending the UK from aggression.
If that lot is not enough to give my reader indigestion, than I don’t know what is! Sadly, that is not the end of it.
The UK is in this dire state because even the Conservatives allowed Britain’s defences to decline to the point of ineffectiveness.
They too allowed a tsunami wave of immigration under Boris Johnson, replicated by first Starmer and now Burnham, challenging the cultural and communal unity of the UK, possibly beyond redemption.
Whilst all this is going on, US naval forces have effectively abandoned the Pacific to concentrate on the Iranian threat, a move that almost certainly will encourage Chinese aggression in the north Pacific, especially against Taiwan, a vital Western Allied asset.
Meanwhile, one other basic fact remains stubbornly intact: the British economy is in no condition to rectify any of this.
Labour has taxed, borrowed and spent it, almost to extinction. Even under Burnham, Labour shows no sign of deviating from that course. In fact, they are set on making it worse.
Now, that lot is enough to give anyone indigestion, let alone my reader! In fact, I’m reaching for the Gaviscon tablets as I write, only to come across yet another acidic fluid-creating headline. Brace yourselves!
Reportedly, Californian researchers have created 16 new viruses using AI. Pardon?
What is the intention? Oh, it all sounds very innocent. They are intended to infect and destroy naturally existing viral threats. That’s fine so far.
There is just one little problem. Other researching “experts” have warned this could lead to new biological weapons being developed by AI, from deadly poisons to unstoppable pandemics!
They justify this claim by pointing to the fact that AI systems have “already gone rogue”. Sadly, that is true.
They even claim such AI-created viral weapons could be designed to target people “according to race or sex”. So you think things couldn’t get much worse? I wouldn’t be so sure. Even my Gaviscon tablets aren’t working! Chin up, eh? (I’ll try).
ON WESTMINSTER
Unite the Right?
THE latest opinion polls shout out a clear message. Labour on just 26 per cent support are in the lead (God help us). Reform UK are second on 25 per cent. The Tories trail on 20 per cent. That means (if you include Restore Party support) that over 50 per cent of voters want Labour out.
The problem is that if those levels of support were to happen in a General Election, Labour would win! The majority would get exactly what they do not want.
This outcome was reflected in a recent council by-election in Dover. The Greens beat Reform by just 34 votes. Why? Because Rupert Lowe’s Restore Party got just 300 votes, enough to deny Reform UK victory!
The most right-wing party guaranteed the most left-wing party their victory. Madness incarnate!
How can we avoid such a catastrophic outcome happening nationwide? There are just two possibilities. Either voters rally to nationally second place Reform UK to defeat Labour outright, or the Tories and Reform UK come to some sort of electoral pact. The Right need to unite, by either means. Getting Reform UK into government, in their own right, is my preferred option. They are the only party DETERMINED to do what is required.
One thing is certain: if things stay like they are, Labour are home and dry, yet again. That is the very last thing Britain needs.
A DAY IN THIS LIFE
A Tory problem
KEMI Badenoch has moved the Tory Party to the Right, in her bid to out-reform Reform.
Many of her Cameron-like, pro-EU, pro-ECHR Tory MPs will find her more right-wing stance impossible to stomach. They might defect to the Lib Dems. The sooner the better! Then a Labour-beating Reform/Tory pact is more likely.
Ferry tragedy
I heard of the recent TRNC ferry disaster with great sadness, but was uplifted by the speed and efficiency of the rescue. Many lives were saved as a result. Arrests have been made. Justice will be done. The TRNC can be proud of their response.
Truth denied
An episode of Coronation Street recently described Cyprus as being divided between the “Greek side” and the “Turkish side”. What’s wrong with that? It undoubtedly is!
Not according to the Greek Cypriots. They have forced an apology from ITV for daring to utter this great truth. I despair, I really do.
Self-delusion
The recent Notting Hill Carnival was blighted by 636 arrests (for a multitude of anti-social reasons) and two knife attacks.
This didn’t stop the Met Police from describing the event as “overwhelmingly positive”. I suspect the victims of the arrested have a somewhat different view.
AND ANOTHER THING...
Skynyrd!
IF YOU want some deep south, rebel rock, look no further than the strangely named Lynyrd Skynyrd, formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964, “Rebel” being the operative word, their stage background being the now reviled Confederate (Civil War) battle flag.
Selling over 78 million records worldwide, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Three guitars, a lead singer, bass player, keyboards and drums formed this seven piece wonder, often with two female backing singers for good measure.
They were fronted by Ronnie Van Zant from 1964 until 1977, when Ronnie and two other band members died in a tragic plane crash.
They reformed in 1987 with Ronnie’s brother Johnny stepping into the role. Biggest hits? “Free Bird” (my favourite) and “Sweet Home Alabama”, after which the Rockpalast produced “Live” DVD is named.
It shows two concerts, the pre-plane crash Hamburg concert in 1974 and the post-crash Loreley Festival in 1996. I recommend it.
In 2018 they announced their farewell tour. Instead they just kept on touring, until not one of the original line-up remained in the band. The ultimate way to “Rock On”!