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Top 8 Heroes.....

It has been brought to my attention that Gordon Brown is to publish a book featuring eight of his 20th Century heroes. They include…

Martin Luther King
Edith Cavell
Robert Kennedy
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Raoul Wallenburg
Dame Cecily Saunders
Aung San Suu Kyi
Nelson Mandella

An admirable list but a very "safe" list all the same...Im sure that none of these figures will cause much division or controversy. My list however will send shudders down left wing spines!

1. Margaret Thatcher -A great leader who did what needed to be done. A woman who's legacy still prevails today and is accepted as the norm in government.



2. Queen Elizabeth II - Woman of great dignity> Service first-Self second. Despite sometimes overwhelming criticism of her family she never retalliates.



3. Ronald Reagan - Thatcher's ally> Great friend of UK> Revived the US both economically and socially, role in defeat of communism.



4. Niccolo Machiavelli - Great Italian philosopher, his works whilst often controvertial were very much ahead of his time and bare striking similarity to the world today.



5. Pope John Paul II - Great spiritual leader, whilst he had no real power he had immense spiritual and charismatic power that proved lethal to communism



6. Friedrich Von Hayek - Total economic genius, advocate of free market economics which influenced Thatcher, Reagan and Friedman. Now world accepted system.



7. Tony Blair - This will prove controvertial amongst Tory's but Tony Blair deserves due credit for his remodeling of Labour. He has accepted that they needed to change and has improved the Labour party image no end. As Thatcher said "We don't need someone who can beat Mr Blair...we need someone like Mr Blair".



8. Ariel Sharon - Stood firm in the face of terrorism and Islamofascism, great military leader and regarded by many as the father of Israel

Each of these individuals in my eyes deserves recognition for their immense role in shaping the world we live in today. Some are great leaders, great officers, great thinkers and some have (had) little real power but command deferance, loyalty and respect which can be just as powerful.

Free at Last...

I am delighted to see that common sense has prevailed and Ahmadinejad has released the British sailors held in Tehran. I am particularly pleased that this painful and embarrasing episode in British international relations hasn't damaged our reputation as much as was initially feared. I think, brace yourselves, that the INDEPENDENT summed the end of this situation best with its double front page...2 headlines...for 2 outcomes...depending on which way you choose to view it. On the one hand we see Ahmadinejad claiming victory in humiliating the British and playing the moral high ground card. On the other we see Blair celebrating his role in securing "a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis." However now fundamental questions must be asked...were they in Iranian territory? (In my view no) Why did we just let them take our sailors? and Why did the government appear so impotent in the situation? If we were that confident of our satillite position we should have chased them all over the Gulf if neccessary to get our sailors back! On a satarical note it was mentioned to me that if we were so sure of our position and the Iranians came to arrest our troops...we should have arrested the Iranians for trespassing with hostile intent in to Iraqi waters! I am glad to see the situation has been resolved but what really sticks like a sour lemon is the fact that Ahmadinejad has come off looking like the bigger man. I am still sickended by his and the Iranians actions during the crisis...parading our troops on TV...claiming that they were to release hostages and then changing their minds...speaking of possible charges...refusing the sailors consular aid and then suddenly claiming to release them as a gift to the British people in celebration of the prophet Mohammed and the festivities of Easter. Are we supposed to believe Ahmadinejad has had some kind of epiphany? Of course not he is still the West hating, Israeli bashing despot he always was and this whole episonde was designed to discredit Britain and the West and stir up political propaganda (as each confession letter became more and more political). All in all this was a clever P.R stunt intended to show the Iranians that they will stand up to the West and intended to show the West Iranians are decent, "peaceful" people. Either way Ahmadinejad played a blinder and that sticks like a dead badger in many Thatcherites throats! (pardon the expression)

The Falklands...The Malvinas...Spot the difference.

As the Falklands War approaches its 25th Anniversary I believe it is important to look back on a truly noble cause and a point of pride in Britain's history. When Argentina invaded the Falklands 25 years ago on Monday many around the world questioned whether Britain would bother embarking on an expedition 8000 miles around the world to recapture a small remance of the by-gone days of Empire. This is what the Argentines and much of the world were banking on...they weren't banking on Mrs Thatcher. The significance of the Falklands War was enormous, both for Britain's self-confidence and for its standing on the world stage. Since the Suez fiasco in 1956, British foreign policy had been one long retreat. The tacit assumption made by British and foreign governments alike was that our world role was doomed steadily to diminish. We had come to be seen by both allies and enemies as a nation which lacked the will and the capability to defend its interests in peace, let alone in war. Victory in the Falklands changed that assumption and set the tone for a new Thatcherite era of British politics that has prevailed to the present day.

Thatcher inspired an uninspired nation and ultimately moulded her name as the Iron Lady further securing her place in Britains corridors of power for the remainder of the decade. For her, and for the British, the Falklands war was not a war for the reclaiming of the last remnants of by-gone Empire it was a war of principle and of liberty. In many ways it set the tone of the Gulf War in 1990,in the sense that a dictatoral regime cannot invade a sovereign nation and impose its will on those who do not need nor desire it. Argentina's claim to the Falklands in my view is a pathetic attempt to reassert their crumbling world authority and inspire some kind of national pride. Britain's legal claim to the Falklands rests on that fact, and on the desire of the settled population - which is entirely of British stock - to remain British. The principle of "self-determination" and "individual liberty" has become a fundamental component of international law, and is enshrined in the UN Charter. Britains claim to sovereignity in the Falklands has strong legal foundations, and the Argentinians know it but still refuse to accept it.

Argentina claims the Falklands are theirs we say they are ours, the world says they are ours and most importantly the Falklanders say they are ours...therefore who is right? If anyone, in my view, has the right to complain and contest sovereignity it is the Spanish. Gibraltar is actually ON the Spanish mainland the Falklands are OFF the coast of Argentina but just because they are closer to them they believe it is their right to own them. The fundamental difference between the two is the Spanish realise one cannot just act unilatterally and annex a sovereign state, one must persue diplomatic means to secure ones aims or ambitions, this evades the Argentinians. The fact of the matter remains the same The Falklands or "Malvinas" as they are known to the Argentinians, have the right to determine their own future and they have determined that future. They want a future with Britain...they are British...and they shall remain British for aslong as they desire and Argentina can lump it. This June I hope Britian looks back on a truly great cause and pays its respects to the truly great leader that led us to such a victory. One can't help but wonder, if the Argentines invaded again in a day or two, how the British would react when we can't even assert our authority in the kidnap of 15 of our own sailors.

Who do you think you are fooling Mr Ahmadinejad?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has proved once again that he is a cunning manipulator and devious operator unworthy of leadership. The seizure of 15 British servicemen was both unjustified and in my view a calculated and strategic response to the UN voting further sanctions on Iran just last week. It has been categorically proven through satellite imagery that the service personel were in Iraqi waters NOT Iranian. I am well aware that the legitimacyand accuracy of this imagery has been called in to question but this is the fundamental problem with politics...one has to hope and believe that the higher authorities are telling the truth and if it comes to taking the British word or the Iranian the choice is pretty clear cut. Regardless of whether or not the satalite images are correct, Iran has no right to parade our troops on TV as some kind of sick glorification of this heinous crime. By forcing a British service woman to go on TV wearing the Hijab and "confess" to illegally entering Iranian waters whilst apologising to the Iranian people and glorifing them as "warm and kind hearted people" Ahmadinejad is simply trying to rally his people and show Iran has humiliated those who "humiliate" Iran. In my view Ahmadinejad is buying his time on the one hand he is making positive noises about releasing the hostages while all the while humiliating them and the United Kingdom as a whole by parading them blindfolded on TV. Manipulators like this cannot be pandered to and as Margaret Thatcher said to George Bush Snr when confronting Saddam Hussein "This is no time to go wobbly" Britain must stand firm, rally our allies in support and demand the unequivocal return of these hostages before we have to resort to more serious actions...actions which I believe would be undesirable but wholly justified.

Edgbaston Constituency Dinner

As noted by Dan Cowdrill (http://bucf.wordpress.com/tag/daniel-cowdrill-editor/) as eloquently as usual:

"Thursday evening saw the great and the good of the local Conservative Party meet for the Edgbaston Constituency’s annual dinner. The guest speaker was Stephen Dorrell MP and former Minister, with other guests including Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham Council, and Deidre Alden, Edgbaston Parliamentary candidate. Ten of us from the CF went along including the new committee. I even won the raffle, which is a first. Though on reflection I should have taken the House of Commons Scotch I think, rather than the wine. Anyhow, a good time was had by all…"

Margaret Thatcher: Tory Titan

To those of you who know me you will undoubtedly be well aware of my abiding respect and affection for Lady Thatcher. We all learn history but to meet history...to be in her presence is another feeling entirely. In my view she did what needed to be done and when no other leader dared to do so. Furthermore there were no second guesses with Lady Thatcher she said what she meant and she meant what she said. She is a woman of great conviction and courage and ultimately the British political giant of the last half a century. The economic reforms she implimented were like a medicine...initially bitter but good for you nonetheless. I am delighted that she has been afforded the honour of a statue in the members lobby of the House of Commons, her imposing statue will serve as a reminder to all those who enter the chamber that if you do what is right, fight against all obstacles and never surrender your principles you can reap the rewards. Love her or loathe her Margaret Thatcher has transformed British Politics and for that amongst so much more we should pay her due homage.

House of Lords Reform?...I think not!

The House of Lords is an incredibly valuable institution. It brings together (some) of the brightest and best of our political world wether it is influential business tycoons, former Prime Ministers, former Ministers etc Furthemore the cross-bench system is a great asset to democracy. One could argue that the House of Commons is too partial and aspiration orientated MP’s will generally tow the party line whereas in the Lords one needn’t feel obligated to any one person or party. In my eyes the Lords is a vital check on the Commons and the excessive dominance that the Prime Minister (wether Labour or Tory) exerts. Therefore i feel the Lords is a House that has been reformed enough…it isn’t the same House it once was…it isn’t all landed gentry. Its members vary from clergymen to politicians all if not most who have played a great role in the political life of the nation. If it aint broke…Labour bureaucrats will try to fix it!

Robert Mugabe

I find the death penalty barabic and am personally opposed to its implementation...but with Robert Mugabe I may be prepared to make a very rare exception. The crimes that are continually being commited by the ruthless dictator are numerous and a shocking example of a tyranical ruler, complete with Hitler style mustache, with no regard for the sanctity of human life nor democracy.Indeed Mr Mugabe,, according to the telegraph, has compared himself to Hitler claiming "I am still the Hitler of this time" Robert Mugabe's latest comments of "go hang" to the west were another example of how little respect nor fear the west commands anymore. We are being denounced and demoralised at the hands of egotisitcal, over ambitious, jumped up little dictators such as Mugabe. This brute has been in power for over 20 years...whites and blacks alike are persecuted under him all in the glare of the media spotlight and still we do nothing. Yet we decided that it was Saddam Hussein who was the real threat and sent him to the gallows! (Of which I was opposed- life in prisoment would have been much better and far more demoralising for him and his followers) Whilst Robert Mugabe walks free. It is time that the West re-evaluated the moral high-ground upon which it claims to stand. I accept it is not out right to police the world but further sanctions are not enough they only hurt the PEOPLE of Zimbabwe who suffer enough under Mugabe. So to Mugabe I say chose your words more carfeully next time..."go hang"? more comments like that and i assure you...YOU SHALL HANG! if Saddam Hussein is anything to go by.

Slave Trade Anniversary

I apologise for yet another rant but i am particularly tickled by the latest episode of "Britain: The Apology Culture". First let me it make quite clear that I agree that the slave trade was a ghastly trade that resulted in the violation and mistreatment of countless individuals (non-whites) I also believe that Britain and other nations of the world should rightly express regret for their involvment in the slave trade. However I draw the line at a full apology for one simple reason....Why should we? Why should we have to apologise for the actions of our ancestors? Do we currently engage in slave trade? No... Do we encourage others to participate in slave trading?...No! I believe it would be foolish of Tony Blair to apolgise for the slave trade as it will never be enough for certain individuals and will simply fan the flames. Some individuals are malcontents and will fail to be satisfied until Britain bends over backwards! The Slavery service held in Westminster Abbey is a classic example of this. The Queen and Tony Blair along with members of the clergy gathering to give thanks for the abolition of the slave trade and express their regret...interupted by a heckler demanding that the Queen apologise for her ancestors roles in the salve trade! An expression of regret is more than enough and entertaining these ridiculous antics will only fan the flames. Let it never be forgotten that the slave trade was an integral part of the 15th - 19th Centuries...it was the way it was...it wasn't right but it was the time. Were it not for the efforts of the British and other nations pioneering against these inequalities we could still have slave trading today. That is Britains apology! We have eradicated the slave trade in our borders and territories and we are (usually) a world pioneer for Human rights. Britain is rightly a tolerant society however I believe that we are being pushed too far and many Brits have had enough of the apology culture gripping the nation. As for Blair apologising...theres much more pressing matters that DESERVE an apology....like making John Prescott his deputy!