Saturday 29 June 2013

Town Sports Day!

Today I attended the Town Sports Day where all the local kids ran in competition and their parents attended and cheered them on.  The reason that I attended was that my second granddaughter was running in a relay race.  Now I know, because I have attended a couple of her 'Sports Days' that the emphasis at this particular primary school is definitely non competitive!  The Headmistress likes music and so competitive young lads must sing with the girls! Yuck!

So we arrive at Loughborough University (what a lovely setting) and we discover that they are approximately one hour behind schedule. That may be fine for people who have nothing better to do but I am with parents who are both on nights!!

There is no PA announcing results. There is nobody updating the public on what is happening.  A couple of people wander in front of the crowd with boards (two numbers) telling you what event is happening.  Nobody is announcing which school is winning and nobody is announcing the winning pupils!  It is a typically abject performance from the education professionals.

I spy teachers taking their kids to the far side of the track and preparing them for the relay race. All of them are practicing but my granddaughter's teacher has disappeared.  The kids mill around leaderless. I asked her why they were not practicing and she tells me that their team does not have a baton! 

Eventually the race happens. The lead runner for my granddaughters's team gained a silver medal in the individual race and streaks off.  Suddenly at the first handover the second girl freezes and the advantage is lost because the poor girl does not know the rules.  She stands still and receives the baton without momentum.  The whole team is destroyed and there are tears.

That bloody so called PE teacher has a lot to answer for.  I am sorry but lazy, ignorant prats like him should never be in charge of kids. The day was an embarrassment for the teachers.  They have no idea how to run a sports day.  They were exposed as incompetents and talented children were let down by lazy teachers.

The only fee paying school slaughtered all the rest because their teachers are dedicated to their pupils. They wanted to win! The consequences of this afternoon could be long standing.  The poor girl who froze will never forget her embarrassment.  The other three athletes feel cheated. They are 10 years of age! Teachers need to be more aware that competitive sport is a fact of life. They have a duty to get involved.  It is no longer acceptable to be a wimp and to be incompetent! One half decent serviceman would have saved the day.


Friday 28 June 2013

Bullying and the Trade Unions!

The recent news that Julie Bailey has had to close her popular cafe and move out of Stafford owing to intimidation by persons unknown is a sign of the times. You may well remember that she was the person who almost single handedly exposed the scandal of Mid Staffs NHS Trust following the death of her mother.

She has since been targetted to such an extent that even this brave lady has had to close down and move out? Now who could possibly be angered by her stand against the horrendous practices established and acted out under the watch of people like Sir David Nicholson and Cynthia Bower?  Who would or could order a campaign of intimidation that would close her business down?

She relied upon the largesse of many of the workers from the local Stafford hospital so her stand was even more courageous but then did she already know that malpractice was encouraged.  She must have overheard her patronage discussing work issues.  Most of us will be eternally grateful to her for exposing the scandal at Stafford hospital so who would be angry?

In the 1970's Margaret Thatcher took on the Trade Unions and eventually destroyed them.  For some time after their influence waned but in recent years mainly since we joined the EU they have regrouped and are now once again a force for evil.  After all the leader of the Labour party owes his job to Union support.  He could never have stabbed his brother in the back without it!

They fund 'Unite Against Fascism' which is a violent organisation that specialises in closing down freedom of political expression. They have vetoed almost every attempt to reform Health or Education and seem to be the only organisations that can put enough people on the streets to mount a sizeable demonstration.

So who would it be that would cowardly bully someone like Julie Bailey into closing her business and moving out of her home town? We don't have to look to far to discover the answer.  Where is the modern day Margaret Thatcher when you need one?

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Derby County

When I first began this blog I wanted it to be about family, friends and interests.  In the intervening years the characteristic of the country and the political scene has changed to such an extent that I have become a political animal.  I now believe that the blogosphere has become such an important instrument on behalf of the electorate that I have no choice but to continue down this path.

I do however still support my football club Derby County with a passion.  I have been very critical of manager and board mainly because, with such a large fan base, their parsimonious approach to football contrasted significantly with that of so many of their neighbours.

Thirty miles south of Derby near neighbours Leicester City spent money like water and still failed to gain promotion. Arch enemy Nottingham Forest have always been able to spend to compete but the Rams have relied on potential stars from the lower leagues, cut price transfers from Ireland and Scotland and the academy.

I doubt very much if any other club in the country has introduced more graduates from the academy to the first team.  The academy team in the past two years has only been defeated in the FA Youth Cup by the multi-national academies Chelsea and Manchester United. During that time they have dismissed Arsenal and Manchester City!

Mistakes have been made. Chances have been taken and have failed but the ethos has been correct.  Build from the bottom, get the right type of character, if it fails then the cost has been cheap. Do not buy expensive foreigners! Derby, at the moment, has one young chap from the Albanian Under 21 team on the books.  He paid his own way for his trial.

If they challenge for promotion this year and they finished 10th in the Championship last year, then Nigel Clough and the Board will be rightly regarded as turning the tide of British football.  I never, ever thought that Nigel could emulate his Dad and he won't but he might just do something differently.

Derby County is being run correctly and yes I know, that I have in the past criticized this approach. They seem to buy one expensive signing per year but then they also sell someone.  This year Johnny Russell arrived from Dundee United and it would appear that John Brayford will be the player sacrificed. he must be mad if he signs for Wigan ahead of Derby but Nigel Clough and Derby know that they already have a replacement (Freeman).

I just hope that we can hang onto Will Hughes (who at 17 played for the England under 21 team) because he is sensational and linking with Hendrick (now a full Eire international and both academic products) and Craig Bryson (cheap from Kilmarnock) will provide a very strong midfield.

Finally the strike force which so often let the Rams down last year has been improved by the addition of Johnny Russell from Dundee United. He is the big money signing this year! I have seen limited clips of this guy and he seems fast and prolific. If the Rams are to succeed this year then Russell will be the key but he has to step up a gear.

So to sum up.  Derby County under Nigel Clough will hopefully step forward this  year. They have the ammunition to gain automatic promotion even though the Championship league is so competitive. Players playing for Derby this year are motivated by ambition and not money. Their time will come.


Tuesday 25 June 2013

Evil Beyond Belief!

Almost every day we uncover more evil being perpetrated within our public services. The latest outrage is a confession by a former undercover policeman that they were trying to dig up dirt on the Lawrence family, the family of a young black lad murdered on the streets by thugs some of whom have subsequently been jailed.

This follows on from so many foul ups by police I am beginning to believe that we cannot trust any of them. The hierarchy, those responsible for decision making, seem to be following ideals that are so rotten and so corrupt that to most of us it beggars belief!

Rewind back to the horrendous execution of Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes and marvel that the officer in charge of such a shambles is STILL making decisions in the Metropolitan Police.  Think about Hillsbrough and the in house corruption which covered up the incompetence of the leadership on that day.

It has long been a belief that the investigation into the Lawrence murder was a cock up of  immense proportions and there have been rumours of police involvement with interested parties of the people who have since been jailed.  Now we learn that it gets worse and goes so much deeper than any of us could ever have imagined.

People are talking about public enquiries but who can we trust to conduct them? Today in the Daily Mail I came across this example of people within the legal systemIn modern times most of us are outraged at the lenient sentences being handed down to sex offenders and yet we allow people of 'dubious' background into positions where they can influence the law.

 I believe that there is now sufficient evidence to indicate that the police hierarchy has been infiltrated by some people who have no moral scruples whatsoever.  We need to get rid of them but who will do it? Who has the integrity to conduct a public enquiry and flush out, shame and punish the guilty? Do we have one leading politician, lawyer or senior police officer who we can trust? The very fact that I am writing this seems to sum up the state of the country!  Is the corruption within our political system now so widespread that it cannot be contained?

People in Brazil are on the streets fighting for a new nation.  What would it take for the British to say enough is enough!

Sunday 23 June 2013

Ed Balls is Copying George Osborne!

Not a policy in sight!
I am watching Ed Balls on the show that the BBC still calls the 'Andrew Marr Show' and I am laughing out loud! This man is incorrigible!  After years of blowing all the public money under Grodon Brown he now says that the Tory austerity policy is correct.  He goes even further because he is trying to blame the Coalition for the state of the country's finances!

He is being skewered by Sophie Rayworth who is valiantly trying to get some sort of future policy out of him.  All he will admit is that he will continue the Osborne policy of cutting public spending. Ha!  In other words the 'Political Class' will continue 'troughing' and the public will continue to lose services. Vote Labour!

Every Sunday morning the BBC parades the usual subjects but even by their standards this morning has been dismal.  Baroness Helena Kennedy is a well known, well connected, socialist millionaire and she shared a sofa wih shameless self publicist Russell Brand!  What can this clown contribute to serious debate?

Nothing changes! Just pay the license fee and we will treat you as idiots. Actually Sophie Rayworth is much better than Andrew Marr and I would like to see her keep the job but please BBC bring on some credible  and sensible contributors.  Of all the mainstream frontline politicians only Nigel Farage has the ability to enthuse because he is the only one on the side of the patriot.

Friday 21 June 2013

NHS - The Story Unfolds!

The scandal currently engulfing the NHS is getting great air time as more detail emerges about the personalities involved.  Apparently one of the major players now says that she wanted to speak out...too late dearie!

I was amazed to discover that the CEO of CQC responsible for the redacted report, Cynthia Bower, was also CEO of NHS West Midlands when the previous scandal of Stafford Hospital erupted!
She was appointed to that position in July 2006 only three months before Sir David Nicholson (according to the Daily Mail 'the man with no shame') moved from CEO of the West Midland Strategic Health Authority to be CEO of the NHS. Such a link is rarely coincidental

If you think that is bad then read all about Sir David Nicholson's young wife! She apparently began as his junior and by the time she was 32 she was CEO of Birmingham's Children's Hospital!  Talk about wheels within wheels!

I do not understand why the NHS Board of Directors cannot see that Sir David Nicholson just has to be responsible for so much of the scandal that has engulfed the NHS in recent years.  Even his 'troughing' is legendary

It is little wonder that the mainstream media throughout the day has been latching onto this recent incredible cover up.  These senior executives have fallen so low it is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of their criminality but when you read up on their boss it is hardly surprising.  One can only wonder at the morality of the members of the NHS board who continue to employ him.

The Cover Up Becomes the Story!

As ever, once a cover up enters the public domain it becomes the story and I suspect that the attempt to cover up a critical health inspection report will run and run.  Two more names emerged yesterday of people who believed that the integrity of the failing Care Quality Commission was more important than the lives of babies!

I will never understand the lack of compassion and the devious criminality of these women but then what was the Health Secretary (Andy Burnham I believe) doing while all of this was happening?  We have had many complaints about Health Care during his watch or at least the watch of the socialists in charge of the health system.

The tick box culture which seemed to replace traditional nursing during these dreadful years did not happen accidently.  It was devised by someone or some people and they should bear the responsibility. In my opinion we should be looking at the Labour politicians, Sir David Nicholson (the man with no shame) and a few other layers lower down the pecking order.

This comes at the same time that news is emerging of 1000 (yes one thousand) severance deals costing the public purse £28 million to prevent ex-staff from whistleblowing!  Just what is happening in this country behind closed doors which would cause 1000 people to want to expose health care practice?

I believe that this is the proof that, at the moment, there is an undercurrent of evil which would probably shock us all and it probably will.  There is no honour amongst thieves and once we can uncover one layer of criminality others will follow.  If these women were so motivated to cover up the death of 14 babies what else would they cover up?  Were they covering up for themselves or for the whole system? Just what culture could possibly warp their beliefs so horribly that they would got to these lengths to hide the facts of these deaths from the parents of the kids?

Four women have been named so far.....!

Thursday 20 June 2013

CQC...the Cover-Up is in full swing!

Quite correctly and rather surprisingly some local MP's are demanding that the people who instigated NHS cover ups following the deaths of a number of babies in Cumbria should be named and shamed. Two of them former Chief Executive Cynthia Bower and her deputy Jill Finney have already been named by at least the Daily Mail but of course many more of the management team would have known that reports were being redacted.

Health Minister Jeremy Hunt has publicly stated that names should be reported but then the cover up begins.  Current CQC CEO David Prior has predictably announced that this would breach data protection laws which is the excuse they always use. These 'secret' officials will fight like hell not to have their secrecy breached because once the precedent has been set they are all in danger.

If the public are to obtain justice and protection from these healthcare ogres someone in government must insist that they are not only named but also charged and put in the dock.  This is the only way that care standards within the NHS can be restored.

Once one person is named and punished for wrongdoing and subsequently loses the handsome pensions and payoffs that these people appear to have access to then we can bring back some common sense into this public sector.  Then perhaps we can also take a close look at the police, welfare, town halls and education to name just some where high salaries seem to mean lack of accountability.

Wednesday 19 June 2013

The NHS... yet again!

Nicky Morgan MP...one of the Guilty!
Like anyone else I find the idea of criticizing nursing staff difficult because we have all known nurses who have treated us with kindness when we have been ill and vulnerable. The modern NHS is however, not the picture of heath that we would like it to be.  Day in day out stories of neglect and downright cruelty are emerging in the mainstream media.

My wife was a receptionist at a large modern GP practice.  She is now retired but she never divulged patient details even when she knew it would eventually affect me. Mind you I never told her about my work in intelligence either so we both remained loyal to our employers. Before she retired she did encounter a new operation called Care Quality Commission which, once again, was supposed to ensure some kind of overview of the care in the NHS.

Recently the work of the Care Quality Commission has been under the microscope.  Are we surprised? Almost everything that has been introduced by Sir David Nicholson (the man with no shame) has been exposed as inept and corrupt.

I find this subject so horrific that it is difficult to know where to start.  I will start here.  This Chief Executive presided over horror. Babies died on her watch and yet she walks away with millions of pounds in pension rights. The cover ups are legend it is like watching a scene which fifty years ago would have been laughed out of court.  The trouble is that nobody is in court and why is that?


I have a theory.  I began this blog after discovering the exploits of Common Purpose, a secret organisation emanating from the European Union that recruited aspiring young people (often ethnic minorities from poor backgrounds...you know the very people who would be desperate to prove themselves).  They set up a networking organisation where young intelligent people would be over rewarded for being appointed to positions they did not deserve.

They then stuffed every quango and many government organisations and Town Halls with people who were rewarded by EU money because the EU does not have an auditor. So qualifications went by the board, experience was never rewarded, because only a slavish acceptance of Common Purpose counted. 

Now that does not matter in many areas but when it involves  the NHS it becomes dangerous. Ambitious, amateur, managers in the NHS are dangerous.  Huge power and huge salaries are dangerous in the NHS. We have now got to the stage where amateurs caused the death of babies! That is the bottom line!

The power of Common Purpose will probably keep the guilty, unqualified, ambitious, lethal parties out of court and as usual they will walk away with huge pay offs.  It is about time that the judiciary and the politicians tackled the problem of Common Purpose because it has now got out of hand.  When vulnerable people are dying to protect an ideal someone has to step forward and protect the public. At the moment only Nigel Farage is doing that which in itself is ludicrous. 

The message to any politician who wants to win the next election is that you must tackle the problem of Common Purpose so that we can get back to normal...but then you can't can you?  You would lose so much money!  



Monday 17 June 2013

Syria... yet Again!

I cannot believe that our leading politicians are still seriously thinking about further involvement in Syria.  Somebody, somewhere is yanking at strings with the intent of causing a dangerous confrontation which has all the trappings of a major war.

Can the likes of Cameron and Hague not foresee that they should keep their snouts out of a local Sunni/Shia war.  These people have been at it for centuries and nothing will change.  What will change are the people who seem to be hell bent on getting involved.  I still have not seen any evidence of chemical weapons but of course if you are determined to find it you will!

We have 650 MPs in Westmonster and yet I have still to see one of them rise to their feet at PMs Question Time and ask what the hell is going on? Are none of them concerned at yet another attempt to get involved in war? Do they not realise that we are all warred out?

For a long time I have got the impression that the 'regime changers' are using the British Army as a mercenary force.  We have been constantly at war for the longest period ever in our history.  Every time one war ends the 'regime changers' find us another war and find an excuse to deploy the British Army. The body bags keep coming home even though they managed to shut down Wootton Bassett.

We see hordes of servicemen being sacked but on the television we are informed that 'the army is recruiting'! At the lower end of the job market many of the new recruits do not have an option. They must dice with death in order to earn money.  It is a horrible scenario forced on the population by an utterly amoral Political Class.

We must, at every opportunity, oppose any involvement in Syria.  Our leading politicians are being led by the nose.  It is so obvious that it is obnoxious. If we do not do this then we may get involved in a war to end all wars.  IT MUST STOP!

Thursday 13 June 2013

The NHS!

I cannot understand how our useless politicians can stand back and allow scandal after scandal to engulf the NHS! Clearly the Chief Executive, Sir David Nicholson, should have been replaced months ago and in my opinion he should actually have been prosecuted following the debacle at Mid Staffs.

Today he faces parliamentary committees and is allowed to bluster and bluff his way through the procedure apparently without any of them laying a glove on him.  The most recent exploit of incompetence involves a 'flawed analysis of incomplete proposals' concerning the Children's Heart Surgeries.  More millions wasted following the laughable attempt at a national computer system and then the millions wasted at trying to shut people up.

The NHS is rapidly becoming an omnishambles at management level.  How the staff can work under these buffoons beats me and how many more millions will be poured down the drain before Jeremy Hunt decides to sack the senior officers responsible for this lack of financial acumen.

I sometimes think that there will be a prize awarded for the people who can waste most taxpayer's money.  It seems to be happening everywhere and nobody seems to care! 

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Turkey and Democracy!

The situation in Turkey is interesting. The people are absolutely determined to change their leadership and it would appear that their President has underestimated the strength of feeling.  What I find interesting about this particular confrontation is that, for once, the 'regime changers' do not appear to be involved.  That means that this display of defiance means that the people are speaking. When the people speak then the leadership should beware.  

The police can never subdue a popular revolution. Eventually they will be overcome and then it gets nasty.  The Turkish people are quite fearsome in nature and they border Syria.  I believe that this story will run and run.  The Middle East is erupting and we should all be concerned.  I hope that our politicians ignore William Hague and his 'regime changing' backers because our Foreign Secretary is trying to involve us in a disaster scenario.

We must let these people decide their own future.  We have no business interfering in their internal disputes.  Any intelligent person must realise that William Hague is not backing Britain when he advises that we should back a rag tag bobtail mercenary group of rebels with weapons paid for by us in a period of austerity!

I despair of our mainstream politicians! 

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Nigel Farage and UKIP!

In recent weeks, following the County Council elections when UKIP shook up the country politics has gone quiet.  This is probably because our MPs get such long and frequent holidays that the momentum has been lost.  All we are getting is scandal after political scandal involving some very prominent politicians from both houses.

Why these scum continue to believe that they can dupe the public year after year with their sleazy sidelines is inexplicable. It is probably feasible that they have a fine line in procedure which never sees any of them in court in front of a judge.  They can 'resign from the party whip' or they can 'refer themselves to the Parliamentary Standards Committee' but they are never sacked or publicly disciplined. They continue to enjoy the subsidised Westmonster bars and restaurants and continue to draw salaries and expenses.

So if anyone believes that UKIP has gone quiet here is the speech that Nigel Farage gave to the South East Counties Annual Conference when he welcomed Patrick O'Flynn (Chief Political Commentator of the Daily Express) to the UKIP ranks.

His reference to the UAF (United Against Fascism) thug organisation is not unusual.  I recently spoke to a policeman from Scotland who advised me that of all the violent organisations who take their politics onto the streets the UAF were the most difficult to deal with because they are well versed in the law. They are also a violent, Trade Union sponsored, gang of thugs.  These are the people who close down freedom of speech and are backed and supported by Ed Miliband and Ed Balls. Nothing changes folks!

Saturday 8 June 2013

Genuine Education!

Founders Day George Heriot School Edinburgh
I have been been absent on family matters for a few days which is the reason this blog has been quiet of late.  Normal ranting will restart.  I was attending Founder's Day at the George Heriot School in Edinburgh and it opened my eyes.

I have been a stern critic of education in the UK because, once the politicians abandoned the 'Grammar School', there have been few opportunities for kids from a poor background to escape their circumstances of birth.  When I attended a grammar school (in the fifities) any pupil from a council house estate could, through academic achievement, rise to the top and benefit from a university education.

I also believe that education is not purely about passing examinations but it is also to teach good behaviour by example.  It is about developing loyalty, team spirit and a sense of pride in achievement.  When the national education system began tampering with the marking of exam papers that sense of achievement disappeared.  Kids know who the bright students are so when they gain a false mark they are aware that the marking has been manipulated.  If the whole marking system has been corrupted then where is the pride in achievement?

My granddaughter gained admittance to George Heriot's following the death of my son in a road traffic accident.  Way back in 1628 the goldsmith George Heriot bequeathed money to form a school in Edinburgh and insisted that any child who lost a parent at an early age should be considered for a place at the school. It was and is an astonishing act of philanthropy! These 'foundation' students are treated equally with the children of fee paying families.

Last Monday I watched as 1600 children from ages 5-18 paraded before the school authorities to watch them pay respect to the founder.  We then attended a service in the Greyfriars Kirk and finally a buffet lunch in the quadrangle.

All the time I was reminded of a real sense of history and I observed as decent young people mixed easily with staff and visitors.  The organisation was impressive but above all  these children are being taught to become good citizens and support each other.  They wear their uniform with pride. I  got the feeling that it would almost be an act of treachery to let that uniform down.

The format that makes this school so successful could be replicated everywhere if there was political will.  I suspect that the teaching unions do not have too firm a grip on this school so that the ethos dictated by George Heriot so long ago has continued through the years without political manipulation to such an extent that today it is almost a modern miracle. 

Saturday 1 June 2013

Newark What Now?

It is difficult to understand the level of deceit and downright criminality practiced by so many politicians.  Following on from the expenses scandal when so many were outed but very few punished for practicing the black arts of false accountancy it is difficult to accept the behaviour of Patrick Mercer MP.

I do not believe that any journalist goes to the trouble to organise 'a sting' unless there is a very good chance that they will get a result. Consequently one must come to the conclusion that someone had pointed them in the direction of Patrick Mercer.

However, in the murky world of 'Westmonster', he is allowed to 'resign the whip' and continue to enjoy the perks and privilege of office  when in effect he should be gone and facing criminal charges.

This leaves us with the result that the citizens of Newark are now not represented effectively because Patrick Mercer can no longer be trusted. So far I cannot find any evidence of a forthcoming by-election!  I can understand that the Coalition would not want another too close to call by-election but surely it should be inevitable?

Patrick Mercer should not be allowed to continue to 2015 with or without the whip.  He has been filmed asking for £1000 per day (outrageous) to table a question on behalf of so called lobbyists. He knew it was wrong so he has no excuses. Get rid of him and give UKIP another crack at breaching the barriers of Westmonster. It is only a matter of time.