GLAMPING BUT NOT AS MOST KNOW IT
The Daily Mail reports that David Cameron and billionaire financier Lex Greensill went on a desert camping trip with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman – months after the Saudi leader was accused of ordering Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination, it has been claimed . The lobbying trip to Saudi Arabia in early 2020 for now collapsed Greensill Capital took place following global condemnation of Bin Salman for Khashoggi’s murder, according to the Financial Times. It will add to questions over the former Prime Minister’s lobbying for the Australian financier – which has already sparked calls for a public inquiry after Greensill collapsed last month when insurers refused to underwrite its loans and Credit Suisse froze the firm’s $10bn in funds. More than 50,000 people could lose their jobs as a result of the Greensill collapse, which has also forced steel giant Liberty Steel to ask for a taxpayer-funded £170m bailout. Mr Cameron is alleged to have been expecting to make $60m through share options from his advisory position at Greensill – had the company been floated.
CHANGES IN HONG KONG BREACH BREACH JOINT DECLARATION
Reuters reports: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that China enacted changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system which are a clear breach of the Joint Declaration – undermining the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and breaking Beijing’s international obligations. Hong Kong’s autonomy was guaranteed under the one country, two systems agreement enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration signed by then Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
US OFFICIALS WANT TALKS WITH IRAN
The Express reports that US officials want to sit down with their Iranian counterparts and begin serious talks on getting the deal back on track. Time is running out, officials have warned, with Iran facing a presidential election and a treaty expiration in the next few months. A source familiar with the American proposal told Politico: More than anything it’s about trying to get the conversation started. Observers say the next few weeks are crucial if Iran is ever to reenter the international fold – which Barack Obama’s landmark 2015 hoped to achieve. Under the deal, the Middle Eastern country agreed to curtail its nuclear ambitions in return for the removal of sanctions that have hampered its economy for decades. The urgency comes because Iran is due to hold presidential elections in June, with campaign season kicking off in May. The politics surrounding the 2015 nuclear agreement are very sensitive in Iran, making a major policy change in campaign season unlikely.
BIDEN PLANS WINDFARMS TO POWER THE US
The Times reports that the Biden administration plans to significantly increase US offshore wind power, beginning with a colossal development zone off the east coast that could host thousands of turbines.The plans announced yesterday, which mark a sizable US policy shift, set a target of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, enough to power ten million homes and cut 78 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The industry will also directly employ 44,000 workers and support 33,000 additional jobs, the administration said.
BRITISH ARMED FORCES TO GO GREEN
The Daily Mail reports that British Armed Forces must take ‘transformative action’ to become more eco-friendly as it also steps up to take on the globally destabilising impact of climate change, a new report says today. Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, who led the Climate Change and Sustainability Review, said that climate change was ‘changing the way our military fight, live and train’ and must be addressed. The report, released today, suggests military vehicles could be electric in future, with others running with fuel and parts that have been made from recycled material. It points out that the military is currently responsible for half of the Government’s greenhouse gas emissions, with fleets of boats, aircraft and ground vehicles.
RUSSIAN BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS FLY NEAR NATO AIRSPACE
The Express reports that NATO fighter jets were launched up to ten times on Monday to track and intercept Russian military planes spotted over the North Sea, Black Sea and Baltic Sea. In all, NATO aircraft intercepted six different groups of Russian military aircraft near Alliance airspace in less than six hours. Russian planes often pose a threat to civilian aircraft because they do not transmit a transponder code which indicates their position or altitude, making them invisible to normal aircraft. They also don’t file flight plans or communicate with air traffic controllers, making their flight paths difficult to track. Tensions have been high between NATO and Russia, prompting US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to condemn Russia for their reckless and adversarial actions, at a NATO meeting in Brussels. The Russian aircraft intercepted on Monday never entered Alliance airspace, and the interceptions were conducted in a safe and routine manner.
EASTER TREAT BONANZA FOR BRITS
The Guardian reports that Britons have spent nearly £50m more on Easter treats such as chocolate eggs and hot-cross buns so far this year as the easing of lockdown restrictions leads to households splashing out on treats before long-awaited reunions with friends and family. As the return of the “rule of six” permits small outdoor gatherings over the long Easter weekend Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at grocery market analysts Kantar, said the sales picture pointed to “people making a special, even symbolic, effort this year and grandparents might be showing up with additional treats”. The prospect of get-togethers after several months of restrictions has resulted in shoppers spending £37m on hot-cross buns and £153m on Easter eggs up to 21 March compared with 2020. That is £48m more than at the same stage last year, when the unfolding health crisis led to consumers focusing on stockpiling essentials such as toilet paper and pasta instead.
MICHAEL GOVE REVIEWING JAB PASSPORTS
The Times reports that the digital agency behind the shambolic development of the government’s contact-tracing app has begun developing vaccine passports, MPs have been told. In an hour-long private listening exercise with a cross-party group, Michael Gove, who is leading a review of vaccine passports, said that NHSX, a digital unit set up in 2019, was already working on how a Covid status certificate could work. At that point lots of people on the call said oh no!, one MP recounted. The agency’s reputation suffered last year when it spent months developing a centralised Covid-tracing app before reversing course and using a different, more privacy-focused model based on technology from Apple and Google.
BOOZE IN PARK BANNED AS LARGE CROWDS GATHERED
From the Daily Mail: Police were forced to ban alcohol in parks in Nottingham, as Britons enjoyed the country’s hottest March day for more than half a century today and people flocked to parks as temperatures soared beyond 75F (24C), one day after lockdown rules were partially eased and as it emerged 55 percent of people in England now have Covid-19 antibodies. Police in Nottingham said alcohol would be seized from people entering parks in the city from Tuesday amid a dispersal order imposed after large crowds ignored social distancing rules and left behind large amounts of litter. Furious local councillor David Mellen said a selfish minority had abused the easing of restrictions at Nottingham Arboretum following a series of brawls, criticising people for ‘acting so thoughtlessly and recklessly’.
MET POLICE HANDLING OF EVERARD VIGIL BACKED BY WATCHDOG
The London Evening Standard reports that policing protests can look ugly but officers at the Sarah Everard vigil went to great lengths to use appropriate tactics, a Metropolitan Police chief has said. Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe spoke out following a watchdog report that backed the force’s handling of the event on Clapham Common on March 13. She told the PA news agency that, while scrutiny is important, commentators should not rush to judge police actions before the full circumstances are known.
NO RACEGOERS AT THE GRAND NATIONAL
The SUN reports that the Government has blocked a sensational fan return at the Grand National because the Aintree race was deemed to come too early on the lockdown easing timescale. The world’s most famous race takes place at the Merseyside track next Saturday, April 10. Racecourse Association bosses had been in talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport over the possibility of welcoming fans back during the three-day festival as part of a test event but the Government decided it was too early for racegoers as the meet comes before the next nationwide relaxation of rules on April 12. This month’s Cheltenham Festival was held without fans and owners, with only trainers and stable staff allowed on the grounds.
AND FINALLY
From the Mirror: Police were stunned when they spotted the dangerously overloaded pick-up truck piled high with junk which stopped at a petrol station in Cannock, Staffordshire. When they spoke to the driver on Sunday they were left stunned a second time after they discovered the driver only held a provisional licence. Police shared pictures of the black Mitsubishi Trojan at the petrol station in Cannock with the caption: Just when you thought you’d seen it all. The image shows the car on the petrol station forecourt balancing a mountain of wooden slats, plastic chairs, ripped-out radiators and even a bike that was piled so high it almost spilled onto the roof, Central Motorway Police Group, covering the West Midlands, said they had a call from Staffordshire Police to give a bit of advice with this one.
If anyone is still wondering what economic/political globalisation is all about look no further than the Cameron/Lex Greensill affair.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the job of a chief executive of a corporation today is to privatise profits and socialise as much as possible of the losses onto the state.
We are, it seems in a golden era, of gigantic fraud in government and in big business.
covid origin.
US OFFICIALS WANT TALKS WITH IRAN
“Observers say the next few weeks are crucial if Iran is ever to reenter the international fold – which Barack Obama’s landmark 2015 deal hoped to achieve. Under the deal, the middle eastern country agreed to curtail its nuclear ambitions in return for the removal of sanctions that have hampered its economy for decades.” (Daily Express)
Barack Obama’s deal with Iran is called the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA). The JCPOA by ending sanctions will allow the Iranian government enough funds to build nuclear weapons (” its nuclear ambitions”). The Iranian government never signed the JCPOA, it only made a promise not to develop nuclear weapons. That promise is what the Daily Express calls agreement.
Obama’s JCPOA will allow Iran to build nuclear weapons, which is why Trump scrapped it.
Thanks Ralph for explaining that. So, yet another Global Threat. After a nuclear war will there be anyone left for Global Government to govern?
BRITISH ARMED FORCES TO GO GREEN
I’m fed up of all this Green Nonsense but when it affects our ability to defend ourselves it is surely a step too far. Just imagine the battery capacity required to power a main battle tank and the difficulty of recharging it!
Who the hell is this Lieutenent General Nugee any way. Wouldn’t it be good if it was just a hoax. I mean surely even this government are not THAT stupid, are they?
But it seems a bit early for last minute point scoring for the May local elections.
Yes they are THAT stupid and a little bit more at that, I mean look who is in charge. A blond haired buffoon, ring any bells?
I saw mention of him being the brother-in-law of Lady Nugee (aka Emily Thornberry of ‘White van man’ fame), which surprises precisely nobody.
That’ll be fun on the battlefield!….. But even if there’s permafrost in Kent, all we’ll hear from the BBC & the rest will be more about Global Warming
In my day in the police, that vehicle would have been reported for a number of offences under the Construction and Use Regulations and summonsed to appear before a Magistrates Court, and the facts wouldn’t have got anywhere near a newspaper or spoken about in the national press as if its some major crime affecting everybody. It was bread and butter run of the mill stuff. Nowadays it is all just advice because it wouldn’t be fair to prosecute the offender, and yes lets release it to the national press because in the eyes of these out of touch useless Chief Constables that are now in office, who have undergone left wing common purpose indoctrination at university, it would show the public that they are actually doing something. It is far easier to do that than sit down with an Incident Report Book and a pen and report the offenders for prosecution. The Chief Constables do nat have the respect of the officers under them nor the public. There needs to be radical change but it wont happen as long as there is a certain buffoon in charge at number 10.
If you look on Youtube this is normal/typical of third world countries.
No names, no pix of drive, draw your own conclusions
Needed — a Pakistani version of Sgt Hussey to sort that out!
Otherwise who cares, really?
Harry Again (oh not him again) You’ve got too much time on your hands……..
So the Chief Constables are as bad as those other newfangled something or others overseeing them.
Colin you have just depressed me further.
What you mean the Police and Crime Commissioners? Without doubt that group of useless individuals know nothing about policing and what’s more know nothing about crime. The whole set up from start to finish is an utter shambles as well as being an utter waste of money. And it is not just the Police and Crime Commissioners themselves, its the staff they employ as well. All this money could be saved at a stroke by abolishing the PCC’s and monies saved by recruiting warranted police officers. That is what most people in this country want, more police officers walking the streets preventing crime, and arresting those who do commit crime, most certainly not an extra layer of highly paid pen pushers stuck behind a desk making politically correct pronouncements. We need radical change in this country, but is there the political to do so. Probably not, bearing in mind the clueless individual presently occupying number 10 at the moment. Are you feeling even more depressed now?
O.M.G !! Well Maybe the Covid SCAM(demic) has run it’s course and T.P.T.B. have decided there is more to be gained by falling back to the, CO2 causes Global Warming SCAM.
Hope there will be plenty of recharging points available, in enemy territory, when our EV army invades.
Mind you we might all be wiped out anyway by nuclear war between N.A.T.O. and Russia.
I forecast BLIZZARDS across U.K., over Easter. Grandparents will be killed by families being forced to mix indoors.