QUOTE OF THE MONTH

‘Toryism has always been a form of paternal socialism.’

Harold Macmillan [former Tory prime minister]

THE LOONY LEFT

The Liberal Democrat Bournemouth council recently announced that they would not be flying the Union Flag at the town hall on the Queen’s birthday as, allegedly, there were no staff available to hoist it.

However, no such staffing problems were encountered when it came to the decision to fly a rainbow flag for a gay pride festival, the Bourne Free Pride Festival, to be held next month.

David Clutterbuck, a Tory councillor, protested:

‘This is not only an insult to the Queen but is an insult to the public. To say they had nobody around to do it is nonsense. I would have gone down there and raised it myself.

I have no objection to raising a rainbow flag for the gay pride event. But you can’t five it more importance or priority over another occasion, especially when it is the Queen’s birthday.

I am sure people will accuse me of being homophobic and a bigot but I am not. This is political correctness gone mad.’

Only the politically correct would condemn the comments of Mr Clutterbuck as being bigoted. Most ordinary people would recognise a Lib Dem loony left council for what it is.

John Midgley, a spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said:

‘It seems a pitiful excuse not to fly the Union Flag.’

THE EU

Below is an item from the Daily Telegraph which is self-explanatory:


EU ignores constitution vote to launch anti-terror squad
By Justin Stares and Patrick Hennessy


European leaders were accused of "cherry picking" from the moribund European Union constitution last night after agreeing to create a pan-European counter-terrorism force.

At the Brussels European summit, all 25 member states agreed to pool assets - police, civil protection and military - and place them at the disposal of Javier Solana, the EU's foreign minister-in-waiting.

Such a move had been planned in the constitution which was rejected by voters in France and Holland last year. The constitution has been left on the shelf although Europe's leaders want it up and running again by 2008. Minutes of the summit show that the kernel of the counter-terrorism force, the "crisis steering group", will be operational in a fortnight.

The EU presidency, currently held by Austria, has drawn up a "manual" of forces and assets which can be called on following an attack in any country.

Last night, Eurosceptics reacted with outrage. Chris Heaton-Harris, the Tory Euro-MP, said: "This is another example of the Soviet-style regime which rides roughshod over democratic votes in France and the Netherlands.

In both countries voters said No to the constitution and, specifically, No to a continent-wide anti-terror force.

This is meant to be a time for reflection - but instead the EU is cherry picking from the constitution.

" Defending the agreement, Jesus Carmona, the spokesman on counter-terrorism for Europe's council of ministers, said the force would not constitute standing troops but "officers" from a pool, who could be called on when necessary.

It would operate in another member state only at the request of the government. The size of the force had not been defined, he said.

The latest, EU-wide agreement follows preparatory talks between the six largest nations - the G6, which includes Britain.

The G6 is not an EU institution and the talks therefore had no official status but, in a clear sign that Brussels was keen to be involved, the commission vice-president, Franco Frattini, attended.

THE BRITISH INQUISITION

Pub landlady, Angie Sayer has been interviewed by the police for 2 hours for alleged incitement of racial hatred.

This stems from a pub game to celebrate St George’s Day when parents and children fired toy arrows at a dragon. The game was a re-enactment of St George slaying a dragon and cost £1 a time at the New Inn, Wedmore in Somerset.

Unfortunately for Mrs Sayer, the only dragon she could find to use as a target was on the Welsh flag. So she had folded the flag to leave only the dragon showing.

Mrs Sayer said:

‘People came dressed as knights from the Crusades, and the kids loved shooting their little bows and arrows at the target. It was just a lovely day for everyone. It was never designed to hurt anyone, or cause any kind of upset. It was supposed to be a bit of a giggle, but it’s turned into a nightmare.

Someone’s obviously upset that we used a Welsh flag, but there were a few Welsh people there on the day who didn’t object. People are too afraid to blink nowadays in case we offend someone.’

A police spokesman said:

‘We were made aware of an alleged hate crime and we attended the property where she was in correspondence with police officers.’

Mrs Sayer was warned that the investigations would continue. Under the Public Order Act 1986, it is illegal to provoke hatred of a racial group. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 7 years imprisonment.