The Post Office and Localism

Just seen that ideas for a new banking system based on the Post Office network is being advocated by a group of MPs and others. Mainly Liberal and left-wing MPs like Jon Cruddas, but the idea is definitely worth pursuing. At a time when the global banks have so monumentally collapsed, taking both vast sums of taxes and general confidence with them, the idea of a parallel banking network would seem attractive. In fact, the Post Office as an engine of 'new localism' was being advocated only last month as a possible plank in a new "Red Toryism" by Philip Blond in Prospect magazine. Seemed pretty convincing as an idea to me, so I'll be interested to see what the Tory high command now make of today's proposals. The government, led by the high priest of globalism, Peter Mandelson, so far seems cool. Of course they would. They already own most of the country's banking system, so why set up another!

Brown in Warning To Iran Shock

Gordon Brown can barely run his own country, so why he thinks it incumbent upon him to lecture any other countries is beyond me. Particularly Iran. You have to have sympathy with the land of the mad mullahs, when all they get from the West are a series of pointless, patronising statements from leaders who have given up on the home front and need to score kudos abroad.

Iran is a mature theocracy, a regional power, a proud nation, and whatever we may think of her leader she jolly well deserves to be treated with a degree more equality and respect than western leaders have so far managed to achieve. I have a feeling we would get much further in negotiations with Iran if we were prepared to at least acknowledge some parity of status. But instead, we get limp Gordon, with his newly found interest in foreign affairs, blah-ing on about how Iran needs to basically do what the west wants. Don't get me wrong - I'm as keen on western liberal values as anyone. Well - western conservative values actually. I believe the West stands head and shoulders above all others in what she has developed both politically and ideologically. But I don't get the old imperial attitudes I'm afraid.

Human Rights?

The blogger Cranmer has posted an interesting piece about Abu Qatada - the Al-Quaeda apologist and suspected activist - and the benefits he receives under the Human Rights Act. I have posted a short reply comment on his site - not nearly as elegant or thoughtful as Cranmer's own post I fear, but this is it:

The very notion of a Human Rights Act is suspect. Unlike a Bill of Rights, which safeguards the citizen against the potential tyranny of his government, a Human rights Act is subject to such contentious ideas of what actually constitute human 'rights', to say nothing of whether every human being is deserving of such rights, that it cannot be anything other than a playground for lawyers and ne-er-do-wells. People who dwell upon their rights will never be the most useful, helpful or charitable members of society, and a Human Rights Act merely reinforces their narcissistic rights gazing.

The Wretched Jade

I've tried to avoid reading anything to do with the awful Jade Goody, I really have. It's just so difficult to miss unfortunately. The ghastly woman's name or image peers out from a hundred mainstream websites. I caught a brief story - actually not so brief now I come to think of it - on the BBC News site. My first thought was how ugly she is; my second was that such ugliness reflected her inner soul all too well; my third was whether I should be ashamed for my first two thoughts.

For, of course, this mouthy ignorant woman is dying. Dying of cancer, as a dozen magazines, articles and shows inform us. So surely she deserves sympathy now? Actually no. From the time she hit the public consciousness with her epic display of ignorance on Big Brother, she has never been anything other than repellent. She glories in her ignorance for she knows no better. She rapaciously grasped every opportunity offered her by her new found fame and fortune. Her judgment in choosing boyfriends and fathers of her benighted children is no better than any other aspect of her life. Taking part again on Big Brother she now showcased her ignorance through her racism. She cried when people had a go at her and doesn't understand why racism is so terrible. And now she is dying with the full lack of dignity and grace that she has done everything else in her life. The venal producer of the Living TV documentary of her dying days told us that when confronted with the news that her cancer was terminal Jade did "what anyone would do in the circumstances". She screamed, bawled, broke down and howled about how unfair it was. Actually, this is not everyone's reaction to such news. Many people confront it stoically, heroically, with dignity. This was simply Jade's reaction to the news, and it was entirely in character.

To be a pawn in a ruthless media game might engender some sympathy, although Goody has shown no signs of regret over being in such a position. But the mere fact that she is dying, facing what everyone else on this planet must face at some point - that is not a reason for sympathy to suddenly emerge for such an awful character. In this country alone there are millions of human stories which offer evidence of compassion, inspiration, heroism, pluck, courage and the ability to have a positive impact on those around them. Jade Goody's miserable story offers nothing outside the triumph of a massive, ignorant ego. It would be difficult to say what positive impact her life has had. At bottom, we are perfectly within our rights to ask why such a story has been thrust at us so relentlessly by the malevolent practitioners of the media. We are entitled to question the value system of a media that will take this story even to the grave, with all the feeling of an empty bottle of water. But we do not have to show sympathy for an utterly unsympathetic character.

Some Room for Courage

The wisdom of the world is that we all need huge injections of public money to get the economy moving again. It's the only way. I can certainly see the argument, but when everyone's agreed, you start to get a bit more jaundiced, and one can't help but feel uneasy at the huge sums being so readily promised for so much. Hence, a little relief is certainly due that David Cameron has not committed his party to a watered down fiscal stimulus, but has instead decided to robustly warn of the dangers of debt. The new Tory campaign - "Every child in Britain is born owing £17,000" - should get people to think first, and then possibly to question the wisdom of the world. For the Tories, it may just be worth it. So long as they have a credible economic alternative to show us, of course.

Bush's Last Words

And so he goes out as he governed - warning of the threat of terrorism. "There's still an enemy out there that would like to inflict damage on Americans" warns George W. Bush in his upbeat message to his successor. Almost certainly, but most of them are enemies created by America. Bin Laden, for example, Enemy No. 1, was armed by them and then given his raison d'etre in the US presence in Saudi Arabia. And, of course, Bush has given the Saudi terrorist and his glorious, death loving followers, a wonderful lease of life by creating the torment in Iraq. Terrorism has been the justification of Bush's presidency, and he and the terrorists have thrived off each other. There are plenty of enemies out there, but none as lethal as the one who is just about to departt he White House.