Newsletter 37

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Jan 6, 2016 Comments Off on Newsletter 37 John Butler

Cold War….. The new Cold War with Russia, now being played out in Syria and Turkey, has made the world a more dangerous place than at any time since 1945. The pro-Russian Assad regime, while no friend of the West or democracy, did at least ensure a degree of religious tolerance, something which none of the ragbag of conflicting Islamist militias (in a multi-sided civil war with no ‘good guys’), are likely to honour. Syria’s fragile and ancient tapestry of religious faiths (including Early Christianity), is unlikely to survive. Dan Snow’s recent BBC documentary on Syria’s history should be required viewing for all our politicians.

Cameron‘s decision to throw Britain into the Syrian mire by aerial bombing is no more than shallow ’gesture’ politics, prompted by a desire to please the US (and deny Russia an ally in the Middle East), more than any practical action to destroy ISIS. There are many sensible security and border control measures he could implement to ‘keep Britain safe’, but which he won’t consider because of EU ‘human rights’ laws. Meanwhile the EU’s insane adherence to the dogma of ‘free movement’ has in effect, created a borderless vacuum spanning an entire continent, across which terrorists are free to move and operate with impunity.

With 1 million migrants entering Germany this year alone (and at least as many expected next year), the European migrant crisis shows that the EU has no real desire to control its external borders. Uncontrolled migration serves its purpose; to weaken national cohesion and accelerate the fragmentation of its member states. Instead of preventing wars between nations, the end result of the EU’s ‘ever greater union’ is more likely to be civil unrest, chaos and violence within each country. Unless or until Germany can be at peace with itself, lay to rest its corrosive sense of national guilt (which has now gone on for long enough), and become a nation like most others, Europe will never truly be at peace. German-led efforts to ‘save‘ Europe by the impositions of the EU will only drag everyone further towards the abyss.

Meanwhile the other recent victims of ’liberal interventionism’ (Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq), have descended into total anarchy, partly because of our aggressions. In Libya, our failure to plan for a coherent, stable country post-Gaddaffi now presents a far more immediate threat to our national security than Syria. As the 21st century unfolds, we can begin to see that it is pan-national issues such as religious extremism, Western ‘liberal’ interventionism and the tensions caused by ‘false’ or ’failed’ states’ (such as ISIS and the EU), that will be the drivers of future wars.

Your Life In Their Hands ….. From 1st January, all EU nurses and doctors will be allowed to work in Britain’s NHS without UK regulators being able to make vital checks on their qualifications and safety. Under new EU rules, they will be given electronic ‘passports’ which will automatically entitle them to practice in British hospitals and GP surgeries. Almost 11,000 EU doctors and nurses were granted permission to work in the NHS last year. Numbers are expected to rise as the service become increasingly under-staffed.

The new system will mean that Britain will be reliant on other countries thoroughly checking their own doctors and nurses. While many EU practitioners are competent and valued recruits to the NHS, a few are not and there have been some well publicised cases where rogue practitioners have slipped the net. Furthermore, EU rules prevent UK regulators from testing staff on speaking English as this could impede their rights to ‘freedom of movement’ and regulators can only request ‘certificates’ stating EU workers have passed English tests elsewhere.

Referendum News ….. Cameron’s much vaunted ‘re-negotiation’ isn’t going down too well with the Tory press. On 17th December, the Daily Mail editor noted: ‘As David Cameron flies off to Brussels to plead for concessions from our EU partners, this paper has a deep sense of foreboding over the charade we may be about to witness ….. Mr Cameron is demanding pathetically little from our partners. And if they’re true to past form, they will be willing to concede even less ….’

Cameron’s mood won’t have been helped by a recent poll on the ConservativeHome website showing that 70% of Conservative party members want to leave the EU now. An Ashcroft poll puts the Leave EU campaign at 47%, against only 37% to remain in. Meanwhile Steve Baker MP, Chairman of ‘Conservatives For Britain’ claims to have 130 Tory MP’s committed to leave the EU. A letter has been sent to all their MPs reminding them of the ‘euro-sceptic’ noises which some made during the General Election and asking them to honour their election promises.

There is still no sign of ‘Leave.EU’ (backed by UKIP) and ‘Vote Leave’ (backed by some Conservatives at Westminster) working together. A recent meeting between the two sides broke up without agreement and it seems that personal issues may be getting in the way. There is also a Conservative agenda to try and marginalise UKIP’s role in the campaign, to deny us any boost at the next General Election. Nigel they say, is a ‘divisive’ figure (name a politician that isn’t). The fact is the campaign won’t be won at Westminster or by the Conservative party (who are officially neutral); UKIP is the only party with a coherent position and the necessary ground troops. Nigel is the only political figure who can talk to the working people of Britain. As well as being a brilliant orator, his knowledge of the EU is second to none. If the Conservatives won’t put country before party because of their own tribal interests, UKIP will just get on with it until the Electoral Commission finally has to decide which organisation is to be the official head of the ’leave’ campaign.

Bigger and Better ….. ? Plans are well advanced to merge four of Dorset’s existing local Councils (Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and East Dorset) into a ‘super-unitary’ authority. The plan has been cooked up behind closed doors by the Conservative controlled ‘cabinets’ of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch Councils, and has almost certainly been rolled down to them from Con Party HQ. It’s an old idea that seems to re-surface every 20 years or so. The last time around in the mid-90’s, it was soundly rejected, but this one seems more likely to be pushed through.

There has been no meaningful public consultation or any proper assessment of alternative options. On 14th December, East Dorset District Council resolved to oppose the plans; a decision which prompted the immediate resignation of its leader, Cllr Ian Monks. Christchurch MP Christopher Chope has also opposed the plans, commenting that any change in existing structures has to be from ‘the bottom up’ and noting there is no public desire for change. Meanwhile Bournemouth Council’s ‘cabinet’ are pressing on with the plans and will present proposals to their next full Council meeting on 19th January.

These plans will make Council services and local Councillors more remote from the public they are meant to be there to serve. In local government, bigger doesn‘t always mean better. ‘Super’ Councils almost inevitably lead to ‘Super’ Waste, ‘Super’ Cover-Ups and ‘Super’ Expenses. Smaller Councils (Rutland-shire, Purbeck) usually score higher levels of public satisfaction than large ones. Whatever your opinion, it is surely only right that there is a full public debate on this issue before anything is decided. Lobby your local Councillor and sign the petition (www.change.org/p/ Bournemouth-council) demanding a full public referendum on these proposals.

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Local UKIP Branch News ……..
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The last few weeks of 2015 saw three local Council by-elections in Dorset. In the election for one seat on Shaftesbury Town Council, UKIP’s Peter Caulfield came second with approximately 20%. In the by-election for the Rodwell (Weymouth) ward on Dorset County Council, UKIP South Dorset Chairman, Cllr Francis Drake came fourth with 12%. In spite of Francis’s team’s hard work, this was a slightly disappointing result, though not too different from the result there in May 13. The main difference was the loss of the seat by Labour to the Greens, whose candidate had a strong vote previously and was known in the ward. Compared to May 13, Labour lost around 300 votes and the LibDem vote collapsed entirely. It is also worth noting that Francis was the victim of some very dirty tricks in the local press. In the Bournemouth Council ward of Kinson South, Duane Farr was hoping to join UKIP Councillor Laurence Fear, who won 1 of the 3 ward seats in May. The other 2 (won in May by the Cons) had to be re-run because of Council errors in a few postal ballot addresses. Although Duane and UKIP Bournemouth West put in a great effort, the end result was the same as May, with the two Conservatives re-elected. Duane’s third place with 313 votes was a notable achievement, but the turnout of just 18% was appallingly low.

All these by-elections campaigns were helped by UKIP members from all Dorset branches including our own. Although we didn’t win any seats this time around, we secured a strong vote in all three; stepping stones for next time. It is vital that we continue to stand UKIP candidates locally wherever possible, so the Westminster Three know that we’re around and can feel the UKIP pressure at the polling booth. We must all help UKIP South Dorset as they prepare for all-Council elections in Weymouth & Portland in May.

Our branch is ready for a big push in the New Year, with ‘Better Off Out’ leaflets and ‘Leave EU’ literature ready for distribution. We will be running UKIP market stalls from February onwards. If you can help with leafleting, please contact Diana (01202-602427).

We’re delighted to announce that UKIP’s Deputy Chair, Suzanne Evans has agreed to be our guest speaker for the 3.00 Public Meeting following our AGM on Saturday 6th February (see ‘Events‘). Suzanne is a former journalist who has made frequent appearances for UKIP on national TV and has written the excellent book ’Why Vote UKIP’ (which I challenge anyone to read and not say: ‘you know what, she’s right’. She will be ably supported by Steve Unwin, Dorset North’s PPC at the May election and a leading figure in the ‘Dorset Out & Leave EU’ campaign. Make sure you bring a non-UKIP friend !
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Tales From Europe ……..
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SWEDEN …. ‘Sweden yesterday (12th Nov) re-imposed border controls in an emergency move to stem the flow of migrants into the country. Government officials said the step was necessary because the surge in new arrivals ‘threatened public order’ ….. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said: ‘When our authorities tell us we cannot guarantee the security and control of our borders, we have to listen ….’ (Daily Express, 13th Nov)

GERMANY ….. ‘Each day, 7000 migrants arrive in Germany. They are predominantly young Muslim men from the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans and their numbers have topped 180,000 since the beginning of this month; equivalent to the population of Luton. By the end of 2015, a million new migrants will have reached Germany ….. and the surge of new arrivals is likely to reach the same tally in 2016. Demographers at the Bavarian Association of Municipalities say Germany faces a population time bomb. As migrants bring in wives and children, they warn that the number of Muslims could rise from 5.8 million to 20 million by 2020, threatening the culture of this once fiercely Christian nation ……..’

‘It is bitterly ironic that postwar Germany, still battling with national guilt over the Holocaust, is importing so many people who are avowedly anti-Semitic. A leaked document by German Intelligence Chiefs warns that fully integrating thousands of ‘illegal migrants‘, will be impossible; ‘We are importing Islamic extremism, Arab anti-Semitism, national and ethnic conflicts of other peoples, as well as a different understanding of society and law.’ The document, published in Die Welt, warned: ’Intelligence agencies cannot cope with these problems, (nor) the response from the German population …’ These views were echoed this week by Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of German Jews: ‘Many flee from Islamic state terror to live in peace and freedom. At the same time they come from cultures in which a hatred of Jews and intolerance is a fixed element. Don’t only think of Jews; think of the equality of woman and man, or dealings with homosexuals …….’ (Sue Reid, Daily Mail, 28th Nov)

DENMARK …. ’53% of Danish voters have voted ’NO’ to proposals to remove some of their opt-outs from the Maastricht Treaty, which would have given the EU control over Denmark’s policing and home affairs. This comes at a time when the EU has been attempting to promote a common European police force in the wake of the Paris attacks … ‘ (Teletext News, 4th Dec)

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Snouts In The Trough ……..
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‘A Taxpayers Alliance survey reveals that there are 3,483 senior Council staff on salaries of over £100,000; 206 are on more than £200,000 and 10 in excess of £300,000. The former Chief Executive of Cumbria Council last year received a total package of £411,025, including a payoff for early retirement. While slashing public services, Cumbria also managed to find £10 million for a new HQ …. In Oxfordshire County Council, spending on primary schools fell between 2012 – 2014 from £24 million to £13 million, yet the pay for senior staff rose from £2.03 million to £2.4 million ……… 1,757 NHS staff are on more than £200,000, the highest paid of whom (Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Heath Board), received £454,404 last year ….. There are 99 police employees on more than £150,000, including the deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, who last year received £298,984 ….’ (Ross Clark, Daily Express, 13th Nov)

‘The US private equity firm that owns the Queen’s jeweller, Mappin & Webb, has not paid any corporation tax over the past 5 years, despite making profits of more than £66m ……. Meanwhile the US owner of that once quintessentially British firm Cadbury, managed not to pay any corporation tax in this country last year on more than £2bn of revenues. And the highly profitable internet giant Facebook, used an ingenious accounting manoeuvre to pay a mere £4327 corporation tax in the UK, despite having a vast operation here. This is £1000 less than the annual average tax paid by a single British worker …..’ (Stephen Glover, Daily Mail, 14th Dec)

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Stories You Won’t Hear on the BBC ……
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‘After Donald Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the US, two petitions were launched in Britain. One, signed by half a million people, called for Trump to be barred from the UK. The other, signed by over 450,000, called for UK borders to be closed to all migrants until ISIS is defeated. The former got wall to wall coverage on BBC News, the latter was ignored …. (Amanda Platell, Daily Mail, 12th Dec)

‘Ministry of Justice figures show that almost 23,000 of the people charged with dodging the BBC licence fee last year were never convicted ….. More than 3,500 a week faced prosecution for failing to pay; 1 in 10 of all cases to come before local magistrates. But more than 1 in 10 cases ended without a conviction, putting defendants through stress and wasting thousands of pounds in public money … The figures also reveal that younger people are much more likely to face prosecution. More than 67,000 under 30’s were charged last year, more than 9,000 of whom walked away free …‘ (Daily Mail, 31st July)

‘Claims by traders that free parking significantly boosts town centre shopping have been backed by research. According to an AA survey, nearly three quarters of motorists say parking charges determine whether they visit a town centre, with 89% believing fees are ‘ramped up’ to maximise income for Councils. The findings come after traders in the Welsh town of Cardigan reported sales rose by 50% after all its parking machines broke down. Town halls are set to make a record £687m from parking charges this year, despite government advice that fees should not be used to raise revenue ……’ (Daily Mail, 31st July)

‘Car tax evasion has more than doubled since the decision to scrap the traditional paper disc. The number of drivers dodging the annual payment has soared from 210,000 in 2013 to 560,000 now, according to Dept. of Transport Statistics. Its report warns that about £80m revenue is being lost annually, compared to £35m before the changes, far exceeding the £10m which the switch was expected to save …..’ (Daily Mail, 27th Nov)

‘Families pay an average of almost £735,000 in taxes over their lifetime, according to figures released by the Taxpayers Alliance. It takes the lifetime tax bills of 15,610 families to pay for just one year of the £11.46 billion overseas aid budget ….. The poorest fifth of families (average annual income £12,914) will pay a lifetime tax bill of £282,545 an increase of 4.1% from last year. Meanwhile the top 20% of earners, with an average household income of £83,750, pay £1.48 million in taxes, a fall of 2.2% … (Daily Mail, 31st July)

‘According to the French government, the carbon footprint of the 10 day Paris Summit on Climate Change, was 21,000 tonnes of CO2. However this figure only includes emissions created at the site of the conference. It excludes those from hotel stays and delegates travelling to and from Paris ….. Taking everything into account, US technology magazine Wired calculates that CO2 emissions generated by the summit reached 300,000 tonnes, the equivalent emitted in a whole year by a town the size of Aylesbury (pop. 58,740) …. The organisers had also based their figure on the assumption that delegates would arrive by bike or take up the offer of free public transport (which cost the French taxpayer £56m). However on the second day of the summit, a bicycle rack for 50 cycles at Le Bourget had just 2 bikes in it, while footage showed world leaders arriving in their usual limousines …… Dutch environment consultancy Ecofys, estimate delegates air travel added an extra 40,000 tonnes of CO2 to the Paris total ……’ (Ross Clark, Daily Express, 14th Dec)

‘3 out of 4 people who found work in Britain in the past year were migrants from the EU, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. The number of people born in other EU countries in work in the UK has now reached 2.1 million, up 291,000 in 12 months, while the number of British-born people in jobs increased by just 122,000’ (Daily Express, 12th Nov)

‘During Pakistan Independence Day Celebrations, former Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, announced that Cllr Diana Coad, UKIP’s Party leader in Slough, has been appointed an Honorary Ambassador to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and issued an invitation for her to visit Pakistan as their guest. The President of Slough PPP says: ’We were very happy and impressed with Diana with all her help in different things, including a lot of charity work’. Cllr Coad said she was ‘deeply honoured’ by the appointment, which she understood is fairly unique ….’ (Slough and South Bucks Observer, 11th Sept)

‘A count of snow patches on Scotland’s mountains has recorded 73 left from last winter – the most in 21 years. Snow expert Iain Cameron, who publishes his data in the Royal Metereological Journal, believes last winters heavy snow, followed by an overcast spring and cold summer, are to blame. He spots 6 – 12 patches in a typical year ……’ (Daily Mail, 28th Nov)

‘Nearly 1 in 3 staff employed by the Dept of Work & Pensions are on some form of ‘top-up’ benefits …’
(C4 ‘Dispatches‘, 2nd Nov)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVENTS …. EVENTS .… EVENTS ….
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SOCIAL EVENTS: Thursdays 7th Jan; 4th Feb; 3rd March, 7.30pm: Dorset Branches Social at the Charlton Inn, Charlton Marshall. All supporters and friends welcome. Contact John Baxter 01202-897884

Thursdays 14th Jan; 11th Feb; 10th March, 8.00pm: Poole Branches Social at Twin Sails Wharf, West Quay Road. All UKIP supporters and friends are welcome. Contact: david.darling@ukippoole.co.uk

Third Thursday each month 7.30 pm, UKIP Bournemouth West Social at The Crown, Broadhurst Avenue, Northbourne, Bournemouth BH10 6JW. Contact: duanefarr.ukip@gmail.com (07855 349387)

Saturdays 2nd Jan; 5th March, 11.00 am, Chat, Coffee or Snack at Corfe Coffee, 137 Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3HH. Contact Dave Evans, 01202-602856

Sat 6th February, UKIP Mid-Dorset & North Poole AGM 2pm, followed by Public Meeting (3pm) at St Paul’s Church Hall, Culliford Crescent, Canford Heath BH17 9DW. Guest Speakers: Suzanne Evans (Deputy Chair UKIP); Steve Unwin (Dorset Out).

Sat 5th March, UKIP (SW) Spring Conference, at The Leisure Centre, Alveston Hill, Thornbury (Gloucester shire), BS35 3JB

Don’t forget to check the monthly Dorset Digest (obtainable via e-mail) for up to date bulletins of ‘What’s On’ locally, as well as checking our branch website www.ukipmiddorset.org

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‘‘They say it’s a wide road that leads to war and only a narrow path that leads us home again’ (Russian soldier going to the front, August 1914)
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Items for next Edition by 31st March to:
John Butler, 20 Nightjar Close, Poole BH17 7YN
e-mail: john.butler@ukipmiddorset.org All items in this newsletter are personal views only and do not necessarily represent the views of the UK Independence Party Mid-Dorset & North Poole