Originally published in the 17th January edition of Free Speech from Blacklist Press. Mike Swadling wrote about Partygate and the hypocrisy of the PM. Since then we have seen fines issued. the release of Sue Gray’s report, and the revelations of Sir Keir Starmer’s curry and beer in Durham.
None of our political leaders come out well from this, and many in the public are now well and truly fed up with the whole topic. But it did have cut through, and below are thoughts on the Cut Through and Opportunity Partygate created.
” No doubt most reading this broke lockdown rules, some even as early as the spring of 2020. But there is a difference when the rule breakers are those that impose them”
It’s not a bad idea in a democracy to be popular as well as right. One of the depressing things surrounding the stories of Boris Johnson and Partygate has been the number of social media posts from liberty lovers saying the story isn’t the party, instead, the story is that the rules were wrong.
They are right of course the rules were wrong. No doubt most reading this broke lockdown rules, some even as early as the spring of 2020. But there is a difference when the rule breakers are those that impose them. Politics requires cut through, and often requires opportunism, Partygate gives both.
Most people in May 2020 were studiously following the rules, and they simply don’t like the hypocrisy of the PM, cabinet members, senior civil servants and their assistants, being out partying when we couldn’t get together with family to bury a loved one. Yes the rules were wrong, but saying the rules were wrong 2 years ago doesn’t have the cut through of pointing at a ruling class laughing at us.
“John Locke wrote that ‘freedom in society means being subject only to laws made by a legislature that apply to everyone’”
There is another issue here that really matters, the Government must follow the same rules as the governed. Magna Carta set out the need for the Monarch to follow the law as much as the commoner. Today much the power of Monarch is effectively held in 10 Downing Street, and rather than taking their cue from Runnymede our current government seems to have looked to Versailles. John Locke wrote(1) that ‘freedom in society means being subject only to laws made by a legislature that apply to everyone’. The rule of law is a common enough expression, indeed according to the National Curriculum(2) it is a fundamental British value.
“can we effect change or even build a majority by saying never again can the government be able to act outside of the laws it requires us to follow?”
I firmly believe the best case for liberty is made when liberty lovers connect with a broad swath of voters and show the hypocrisy of government and the desperate need we all have to constrain it. Can we build a majority that says all people must be free to act with complete liberty? I doubt it. But can we effect change or even build a majority by saying never again can the government be able to act outside of the laws it requires us to follow? Absolutely!
“The meetings were productive, although I can’t pretend hugely fascinating. They were however an opportunity to support the head of the school and provide some insight from the commercial world into the world of education”
It’s FA Cup third round weekend again and I have spent much of the Friday in a number of meetings with one of the schools I’m a governor at. The meetings were productive, although I can’t pretend hugely fascinating. They were however an opportunity to support the head of the school and provide some insight from the commercial world into the world of education.
As soon as the draw was made for the Cup, we knew this one would be a little special. My team Palace were playing local rivals Millwall at the New Den, and as we hadn’t played them for a few years, we knew it would be quite some match.
Last year during the period between lockdowns, a friend and I ran a ‘Palace Day’ at a local members club (what used to be called a working men’s club), in aid of the club’s charity. It provided an opportunity to draw more people in to watch the match that day, helping raise some much-needed funds for the club and the charity.
This match would provide a similar opportunity, a chance to get the charitable collection for the year started and encourage people out to the club on a miserable January day. Between the time of first goal, picture quiz and lucky dip we managed to raise about £100 for charity and bring in some extra trade – not bad for a lunch time game. Of course, the result also went Palace’s way. (Crystal Palace went on to make it to the semi final where they lost of Chelsea).
“As someone who believes in less top-down government control and more local and personal responsibility, it’s been remarkably easy to help be that change”
As someone who believes in less top-down government control and more local and personal responsibility, it’s been remarkably easy to help be that change. Being a school governor, I have a direct involvement with the school system in my area. We’ve been able to support a local business and a local charity. These activities have stretched me and helped me gain new skills. With government encroaching evermore into every part of our lives, let’s make sure liberty lovers are involved in building communities that can push back.
Written over the period of the recent local elections, we interview Ashley Dickenson, the Christian Peoples Alliance candidate in Carshalton Central ward, Sutton.
“The concerns I’ve heard are of excessively speeding traffic; narrow pavements; non-existent crossings needed for mums with buggies / pushchairs, besides railings for pavements that I’ve noticed are too narrow”
Tell us a bit about yourself and your party?
I’ve lived in the ward for 30 years this coming August and took voluntary redundancy from the civil service after 25 years, two of these in the Dept of Employment and 23 in the Met. Police in an Admin Support role. I’ve stood in nine elections on behalf of the CPA. I live alone but have lived an active life as secretary, minutes secretary and a treasurer.
You’re standing in the Carshalton Central ward, can you introduce the ward to us and what you can bring to the area?
An attractive and historic area for which I wish to see improvements. At the council elections in 2018 I won 69 votes in this ward which I hope to increase (in 2022 Ashley won 132 votes) through my road safety petitioning for at least one pedestrian crossing in a potentially dangerous spot, not just to assist pedestrians but to keep a check on fast-moving traffic. The concerns I’ve heard are of excessively speeding traffic; narrow pavements; non-existent crossings needed for mums with buggies / pushchairs, besides railings for pavements that I’ve noticed are too narrow.
“the CPA supports transport that is cheap, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly this Tramlink will count for little unless our shops at the lower end of Sutton High Street can fully thrive again”
More widely what would you like to see change at Sutton Council and across the borough?
I’d want to see more CPA representation; this is something I need to work on so that come the next Council elections and the London Assembly elections expected in 2024 we hope to have more candidates standing. In the London Assembly List Results, we came ahead even of the TUSC. We need a moral voice in politics, to speak up on behalf of the unborn, the poor & vulnerable, besides a fairer taxation system, i.e.: turnover tax on multinationals, offset against corporation tax; increased stamp duty on expensive properties, especially where they’re being excessively used as purely for investment purposes: how fair is that when there are homeless on our streets?
When interviewed by the BBC on election night I pointed out the proposed Tramlink for Sutton. Albeit the CPA supports transport that is cheap, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly this Tramlink will count for little unless our shops at the lower end of Sutton High Street can fully thrive again – through our policy of cutting business rates so that they can compete with online suppliers. Online ordering has meant we see little of our neighbours (and that’s another issue) but physical shopping means that at least we can meet our neighbours.
Carshalton High Street (Carshalton Road) still has considerable history about it but there’s only so much pressure that it can take: considering lorries and buses have to pass through it on top of ‘usual’ traffic. So I would consider having lorries re-routed along our Ruskin Road, for their access to Sutton and beyond – even if at certain hours.
How can people find out more or get in touch if they want to get involved?
They are more than welcome to get in touch with me at [email protected] we need candidates in Sutton and Croydon, and I in turn can introduce them to our party leader; we have training days in public speaking. I have many hours in canvassing experience and not least today when I called on a lady who advised me of crossings needed close to Carshalton College, that I shall be taking further.
I have just finished re-reading Christopher Booker’s excellent book titled “The Real Global Warming Emergency”1. This book should be compulsory reading for all politicians and climate change fanatics as it describes from the IPCC’s first report, in 1990, to the Copenhagen conference, in 2009, some of the IPCC’s deceit, lies and manipulation, all aimed at promoting the fallacy that human beings are mainly responsible for catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW)2. The number of professional scientists of international standing who have resigned from IPCC committees due to their adverse views being ignored or deliberately doctored in the final IPCC reports is confirmation of this.
In addition, the publicity of the lies and deceit by the IPCC resulting from the Mann “hockey stick” saga and the “climategate” emails from the discredited University of East Anglia should have also alerted everybody to the total AGW sham being perpetrated on the general public. Also, none of the doomsday predictions concerning AGW have been realised.
Despite all this evidence, the AGW sound bite that 97% of “experts” agree that global warming is mostly man made is still being repeatedly trotted out. This was based on a “review” of abstracts of 11,944 peer reviewed papers published over a 21 year period which supposedly endorsed the scientific consensus on AGW. The 11,944 papers were reviewed later by another group who established that only 0.3% of the papers reviewed actually endorsed man-made global warming as defined in the original review. This result was confirmed when 31,487 American scientists, including 9,029 holding PhD’s, signed the Oregon Petition which disputed the notion of anthropogenic climate alarmism. Unfortunately, U.S. President Barack Obama sent out in 2013, a tweet claiming 97% of climate experts believe global warming is “real, man-made and dangerous.” Apart from being disastrously untrue, the survey he was referring to didn’t even ask that question. So, why was the President of the most powerful nation in the world promulgating such falsehoods?
“He then claimed in a speech to business leaders that the world has only 100 months to act “before the damage caused by global warming becomes irreversible” That was in 2009, 13 years, (156 months) ago. So, why are we still getting snowfalls, cold winters and increasing ice growth in the Antarctic?”
Sadly, even Prince Charles has been guilty of spreading false claims about AGW. In 2005, (17 years ago) he said climate change should be seen as the “greatest challenge to face man” and treated as a much bigger priority in Britain. He then claimed in a speech to business leaders that the world has only 100 months to act “before the damage caused by global warming becomes irreversible” That was in 2009, 13 years, (156 months) ago. So, why are we still getting snowfalls, cold winters and increasing ice growth in the Antarctic? Yet Prince Charles was still banging the AGW drum at the 2022 COP 26 conference in Glasgow. All this coming from a man who talks to his vegetables to help their growth! He should stop making stupid political statements as he is bringing himself and the Monarchy into disrepute.
It is also ludicrous to maintain that CO2 is bad for the planet. If it falls below about 150 ppm all plant life will die and all human existence with it. In fact, CO2 levels have in centuries past been 10 times higher than today and if anything, current CO2 levels need to be increased not diminished. Currently, CO2 comprises around 400ppm of the atmosphere, which has been increasing by around 1.5ppm pa for many years. Human emissions contribute around 3% of that annual increase & the UK only emits around 1% of that 3%, i.e., 0.00045ppm pa.
“temperature – not the other way around – and that human CO2 emissions fell dramatically during Lockdown, while CO2 concentration went up. You should also know that increasing CO2 levels result in global greening”
You will be aware that over time atmospheric CO2 concentration follows global temperature – not the other way around – and that human CO2 emissions fell dramatically during Lockdown, while CO2 concentration went up. You should also know that increasing CO2 levels result in global greening, which absorbs CO2 – a feedback loop which doesn’t seem to be factored in IPCC models.
“The RAC estimates that 18 million homes can utilise off-street parking to accommodate EV charging at home. How are the “other” 7 million households going to charge their EV’s?”
Apparently, the wholesale change-over from petrol and diesel engine cars to electrically powered vehicles (EV’s) is essential to achieve the UK’s target of bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. However, there are nearly 25 million dwellings in the UK 52% of which are terraced or semi-dets and 21% are flats. The RAC estimates that 18 million homes can utilise off-street parking to accommodate EV charging at home. How are the “other” 7 million households going to charge their EV’s? Has any thought at all been given to the trip hazard for the blind, disabled and elderly of live electric cables draped over the pavements, especially in wet weather?
Apparently, climate change zealots have allegedly said that all “climate deniers” should be prosecuted! I have some sympathy for that argument. However, it is the real climate deniers who should be prosecuted. They are, all those politicians, scientists, media outlets, (particularly the BBC, Sky News and the Guardian), weather forecasters and others who have prostituted their positions, training, careers and common sense to promote the seriously flawed and untrue philosophy of AGW. That is, they refuse to acknowledge that man made CO2 makes an imperceptibly small contribution to global warming. Dr Bruce C Bunker in his book “The Mythology of Global Warming”3 demolishes every claim made by the global warming zealots with facts and figures. He concludes that “the science of global warming is indeed settled”, that is;
“Gas is abundantly available in the UK, so the UK must prioritise gas production, particularly by allowing UK companies to start fracking in earnest”
GLOBAL WARMING IS A MYTH
For the government to swallow all the fallacious hype on climate change, let alone establish government policy on it, is totally insane. The law to achieve net zero must be repealed at once. Even optimistic estimates of the cost of reaching net-zero by 2050 show that it will cost £250 billion4. The government’s action to reduce gas and coal consumption is therefore illogical and insane, as they are the cheapest forms of energy. Gas is abundantly available in the UK, so the UK must prioritise gas production, particularly by allowing UK companies to start fracking in earnest. Coal mines and coal fired power stations must also be prioritised together with nuclear power stations. But new nuclear stations will take some years to become more productive.
As a member of the public I have been able to satisfy myself that AGW is a total sham. The government, with all the resources at its disposal must also be very aware that AGW is a total sham. Yet they persist in promoting this fallacy and are intent on ruining the UK economy in the process for whatever reason known only to them. The UK has already suffered over 50 years of lies and deceit by the Conservative, Labour and Liberal/Lib Dem parties over the EU, so lies and deceit are their stock in trade. They have also lied and deceived us over the so-called global warming for at least 20 years and are intent on making this last at least for another 30 years and decades beyond that. Lying and deceit are these parties’ stock-in-trade. Therefore, they must NEVER be allowed to govern this country again. They are imposing a flawed strategy and an enormous burden on the sovereign people, without their consent and they must be held accountable for that.
References:
“The Real Global Warming Crisis” by Christopher Booker. Quantum Books
“Inconvenient Facts”, By Gregory Wrightstone, Silver Crown Productions, LLC.
“The Mythology of Global Warming”, Climate Change Fiction vs. Scientific Facts by Dr Bruce C. Bunker, PhD, Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC.
“Paying for Net Zero”, by Tom Sasse, Institute for Government.
