Political Thread

[astral276]

Still on the tablet, so I may give up if things start going wrong in the editor.

Until the call for Scottish independence I had never really thought of the UK as four separate countries. My country was the UK. Yes, I was born in England but I was a member of the United Kingdom under one monarch and one government. When I was in the forces I wasn't serving for England but for the whole of the UK.

Struggling....

It is a rather perverse coincidence that the current furore over tax credits is because the government is looking to cut about 12 billion off the welfare budget and the overseas aid budget is...about 12 billion (the bulk of which is wasted or misappropriated). So our own people must suffer to pay for others.

We can find money to look after those overseas (most of whom hate our guts) at the drop of a hat, yet we have people left to sleep on the streets here.

Yes, as you may have guessed, I firmly believe that charity begins at home.

Nope, have to give up trying to post more than one-liners on here. Need to try a PC.

[westlondoncarparts]

The Shetland Isles are donors of overseas aid to the UK, this coming from the tax revenues from the substantial oil and gas fields in the Shetland territorial waters.

If there are concerns about the effectiveness of the UK Government’s overseas aid budget, just think how the Shetlanders feel about how their overseas aid to the UK has been frittered away and not spent sensibly – a major public sector financial crisis following the lack of Government regulation over the banks and the need for the Government to bail out the banks, a large Housing Benefit bill because the residential property boom means that ordinary people cannot afford a roof over their heads, a large tax credits bill because the British economy is in such poor shape that British businesses cannot afford to pay their workers a living wage and workers need to be given welfare payments to pay for food and a roof over their heads, the cost of illegal military interventions overseas, naval ship and plane resources decommissioned because the Government has no money to pay for them, food banks, disabled people having their welfare benefits cut, etc..

If the Shetlanders had kept all the tax revenue for themselves and not donated to the UK, they could have been the Abu Dhabi of Northern Europe with financial wealth beyond their wildest dreams. No wonder the Conservative Party is not doing anything to rain on the parade of greater autonomy for the Shetlands.

[tonyreddevil]

The Shetland Isles are donors of overseas aid to the UK, this coming from the tax revenues from the substantial oil and gas fields in the Shetland territorial waters.

If there are concerns about the effectiveness of the UK Government’s overseas aid budget, just think how the Shetlanders feel about how their overseas aid to the UK has been frittered away and not spent sensibly – a major public sector financial crisis following the lack of Government regulation over the banks and the need for the Government to bail out the banks, a large Housing Benefit bill because the residential property boom means that ordinary people cannot afford a roof over their heads, a large tax credits bill because the British economy is in such poor shape that British businesses cannot afford to pay their workers a living wage and workers need to be given welfare payments to pay for food and a roof over their heads, the cost of illegal military interventions overseas, naval ship and plane resources decommissioned because the Government has no money to pay for them, food banks, disabled people having their welfare benefits cut, etc..

If the Shetlanders had kept all the tax revenue for themselves and not donated to the UK, they could have been the Abu Dhabi of Northern Europe with financial wealth beyond their wildest dreams. No wonder the Conservative Party is not doing anything to rain on the parade of greater autonomy for the Shetlands.

very good point

[MPS16]

very good point

Yes you can't beat a good quality pencil sharpener.

[tonyreddevil]

As To Be Sharp Though

[Teddyrose54]

The Shetland Isles are donors of overseas aid to the UK, this coming from the tax revenues from the substantial oil and gas fields in the Shetland territorial waters.

If there are concerns about the effectiveness of the UK Government’s overseas aid budget, just think how the Shetlanders feel about how their overseas aid to the UK has been frittered away and not spent sensibly – a major public sector financial crisis following the lack of Government regulation over the banks and the need for the Government to bail out the banks, a large Housing Benefit bill because the residential property boom means that ordinary people cannot afford a roof over their heads, a large tax credits bill because the British economy is in such poor shape that British businesses cannot afford to pay their workers a living wage and workers need to be given welfare payments to pay for food and a roof over their heads, the cost of illegal military interventions overseas, naval ship and plane resources decommissioned because the Government has no money to pay for them, food banks, disabled people having their welfare benefits cut, etc..

If the Shetlanders had kept all the tax revenue for themselves and not donated to the UK, they could have been the Abu Dhabi of Northern Europe with financial wealth beyond their wildest dreams. No wonder the Conservative Party is not doing anything to rain on the parade of greater autonomy for the Shetlands.

I love Westlondoncarpet's postings. One very intelligent poster and always a pleasure to read.

[MPS16]

I love Westlondoncarpet's postings. One very intelligent poster and always a pleasure to read.

And a UKIP supporter to boot.

[olivia8143]

And a UKIP supporter to boot.

I doubt it

[squern]

I understand that President Xi Jinping is keen for the UK to stay in the EU.
I wonder how Mr Xi would feel if he couldn't make laws for his own country, or decide who lives there?
That's what we have to put up with.
It ill behoves Mr Xi, or Obama for that matter, to lecture us, if they wouldn't agree to live under the same terms.

[westlondoncarparts]

Some of what I post is intended to get a good debate going, something we do not always seem to get in the mainstream media these days. A good debate needs different viewpoints. A good argument held in a constructive way can lead to good understanding of all issues in a situation.

Although not explicitly stated, the comments about the Shetlands were not only factual but also a bit tongue in cheek as well. The Shetlands are not part of Scotland culturally and until recently did not have any great affection for the cause of Scottish nationalism. In fact until recently they would have preferred to be governed from London rather than from Edinburgh and might even still prefer that governance if Scotland ever does become independent from the UK.

The first tongue in cheek part is that Nicola Sturgeon will soon have the same comments made by the Shetlanders about autonomy for the Shetlands from the Scottish Government in Edinburgh that she makes about autonomy for Scotland from the Westminster Parliament in England. She will not be able to argue one way for the Westminster Parliament and the other way for the Shetlands. The Shetlands will always be important for the Edinburgh Government because of the large oil and gas fields in Shetland waters and the potential tax revenue that will come from them so it will be interesting to see how she handles all this. Fast and convincing speaker that she is, she could have her work cut out for her on this one if she wants to get her hands on the Shetlands tax revenues one day.

The other tongue in cheek part is that it would be difficult for the Conservative Party to support actively greater autonomy for the Shetlands if it pretends that it is going the other way in respect of the Edinburgh Parliament and Scotland. And of course the Westminster Parliament needs the Shetlands oil and gas tax revenues just as much as the Edinburgh Parliament would like them.

Contrary to the comment made, I am not a UKIP supporter. On the negative side I feel that Nigel Farage has shown inexcusable rudeness in the European Parliament, especially with regard to some of his very personal remarks against officers of the Parliament. On the plus side, however, I do feel that UKIP has managed to get EU related issues that should be addressed on to the public debating table – issues that other parties would have preferred to have swept under the carpet out of sight and ignored.