Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Forum December 11th

 Come and join us:

Campaign for Conservative Democracy

Forum

11am - 2pm Saturday, 11th December 2021
(coffee served from 10.30am)

@ All Saints Church Hall, Oval Way, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 8PZ

AGENDA :  Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Forum

The Conservative Party

       Party Organisation, Constituency News, Reports, Whats App.

 

Party Conference

       Questions to the Chairmen, Fringe meeting, other matters.

 

Selection of Candidates for the General Election

 

Covid 19, What now?

                                       

Immigration

 

Climate Change Conference. Was it worth it?

 

How Democracies Die!

 

The History of Democracy in the United Kingdom - A short lecture on democracy – “The Great Reform Act 1832”.

 

Any Other Business

 

1pm Lunch: A Ploughman’s Lunch will be available free of charge but a donation towards our costs of hall hire and lunch would be much appreciated.

Directions: Go north through Gerrards Cross on Packhorse Rd, passing Ethorpe Hotel.   Take 1^st left into Orchehill Avenue, then 2^nd right into Oval Way.   All Saints Church is on your left past Thorpe House School.

 

Date of next meeting: TBA

All are welcome and do bring a guest

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Northern Ireland. Forget the Sermons - First read the small print.

 

FORGET THE SERMONS - FIRST READ THE SMALL PRINT

 by

Mike Clitherow

Since before the 2016 referendum and continuing non-stop, those against GB leaving the EU, Including -  Joe Biden and other US Democrats , most EU bureaucrats, several European politicians (particularly the French)  and of course our own Re-joiners  - have been pursuing the following rhetoric:

“You must not go against or interfere with the 1998  Good Friday Agreement 

There must be No Hard Border between Northern Ireland and the  Republic thereby ensuring peace “.

Well, we all agree with that don’t we!

 BUT the question is how many of these people have actually sat down and studied

in detail what is actually in this document?.  Given that within the GFA there is a

total lack of references to trade - I suggest not many have actually read it.

They are simply using this agreement to weaponize and  “beat up” the UK  for daring

to leave the EU. Others particularly Sleepy Joe see it as a route to a united Ireland

 The point is that now We the Little people need to ask “where is the evidence that any part of this peace agreement is threatened by the UK not being part of this inward-looking Trade Block called the EU and us wanting the whole of our country to be recognised and operate as a free independent sovereign state making its own laws and trading internally without interference ? ”

Have these people read and understood the GFA?

Having read the agreement some years ago and again recently – On behalf of the Little people I have some queries for the experts to answer.

• QUESTION - Where is trade/commercial activity mentioned in this document?

Yes we were part of the EU free trade area at that the time it was signed but between

the North & South there are already two different - currencies - corporation taxes and VAT rates - As well as different fuel, alcohol and tobacco duties none are mentioned in this agreement.

However, we have manged to work these between our two countries for many years

with little problem.

ANSWER - there is no mention of trade and commercial activity in the GFA.

 The Good Friday Agreement – is a fantastic declaration of peace and disarmament

by both the authorities and the terrorist gangs of both persuasions including release

of prisoners plus the future prosperity of N I.  - That’s it!

 Hard Border -  Part of this disarmament and standing down in this agreement is by implication to get rid of any so-called Hard Border  by withdrawing the military and their infrastructure along the divide between the North and South.

It’s gone!!!  never to return we hope.

 This peace agreement is wonderfully worded over 35 pages and here are some of the clauses that jump out.

·         Recognise the legitimacy of whatever choice is freely exercised by a majority of the people of N I with regard to its status, whether they prefer to continue their support of the Union of GB or a sovereign united Ireland.

·         Democratically elected Assembly in N I - to protect the rights and  interests of all sides of the community.

·         The Westminster Parliament (whose power to make legislation for Northern Ireland would remain unaffected)

·         ….the British Government will pursue broad policies for sustained economic growth and stability in N. I.

Yes very selective quotes but for sure very important as they are about freedom/peace and the NI population’s ability to make choices whilst remaining in the UK for the foreseeable future.

OK included in the GFE is reference to working with the EU but only in as much as a British Irish Council to consider the EU dimensions in relevant matters…... No mention of a role for the ECJ.

 Also, two excellent sections on Decommissioning and Security BUT still no reference to cross border trade.

If you haven’t already done so please read the whole thing yourself then try to figure out how will trading between two countries – one in the EU one out - differ to how smoothly it happens in the majority of the world and how it will it cause murder and bloodshed?

 IN CONCLUSION

We of course all know that North to South checks on goods if kept in line with what

happens in most countries internationally would be approx. 2% of all shipments 

this can mostly be done electronically  and the use of trusted exporter schemes,

Any physical checks if needed can be done prior to shipment or on arrival in the

Republic away from the border.

THIS THEN CAN NEVER BE CONSIDERED AS A HARD BORDER

– check out the Switzerland and Norway interface with the EU.

It’s up to the EU (represented by the Republic Ireland) to sort out the mechanisms if they

don’t trust the UK not to send them products and produce that will harm their population and environment. Plus, the South North movement of goods would be very light touch on the British side.

 We hear the cry  BUT BREXIT has changed everything – NO IT HASN’T  - this agreement is and will be respected in full.  

NOW:  Are all people and groups mentioned in paragraph 1 saying such a system would cause the IRA to start bombing and shooting people again?

 ·         My personal view is No as any shipment delays and refusal of entry would be instigated by the Republic for goods going South. Going the other way would be no real problem.

·         If people really believe yes – then why is the future of 1,900,000+ peoples future for economic growth and the ability to have their own elected politicians  represent them (rather than interference from Brussels and the ECJ) is all about pacifying a small terrorist organisation – makes no sense.

·  The real threat is very rowdy demonstrations by Unionists if we do not stop this nonsense of a  border down the North sea and therefore within our own country.

Of course, all above will be called a simplification of the situation

– BUT STOP and STEP BACK  – perhaps a simple thought process works.

 

Feed-back welcomed.

 

Mike Clitherow

 

Northern Ireland Protocol. By Mike Clitherow

 

N I PROTOCOL

- WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE THAT THIS RULING HAS SAVED ANYONE FROM BEING EXPOSED TO SUB STANDARD/DANGEROUS PRODUCTS???

 

We have heard so much from the EU Big Wigs and European politicians about how important it is to have checks on goods going from one part of the United Kingdom to another – mainland UK to Northern Ireland  - it is therefore vital to actually research  how effective these checks have been.  For example, how many people in the EU 27 and particularly the Irish have been protected from poisoning or their environment contaminated from products or produce shipped from the mainland. Which surely is the whole point of why inspections were demanded - isn’t it ???

 The way to establish this is for the Civil Service to research what percentage of products since the start of this EU operation have been refused entry for being genuinely sub-standard. That is taking aside the nonsense of the wrong colour ink on some of the paperwork or not being give 10 out of 10 by the EU  for other “naughty boy” homework errors in the huge volume of pointless form filling.

 The vast majority of us have no dispute with the theory that this trading block (can’t call it a county just yet) wanting to maintain standards for their member states is an understandable goal. I myself over many years was involved in having products produced in the Far East and then shipping them to several different EU countries. Although it’s worth noting that some of the rules to be able to obtain the laboratory certification (and therefore use the CE marking) for my products were to say the least “over the top” and not in line with other international standards but were certainly expensive and time consuming.

OK that was what was demanded and to complete  sales legally  we went with the flow and had to suffer delays and reduced profit margins – such is business.

Now if the EU protocol for NI is to protect the EU population  and is not there as some devious device to punish us for daring to leave the EU (surely that could not be the case) let’s now see the results of what they have achieved.

I believe this will be a very small percentage, as if products complied before we left the EU it is very unlikely suppliers’ standards would have dropped – realistically the reverse would be true to make sure of supply continuity.

My contention is that these bureaucratic rules have achieved virtually nothing since their introduction in terms of saving people’s health and the environment. Plus, the likely small % of items that may have been rejected are probably only marginally outside the regs. for purely technical/paper work reasons and would have done no harm to anyone anyway if they had not been checked.

 By getting these figures published in the Media the NI protocol  in respect of products/items from the UK will be shown up for  what it is.

 I had an opportunity to put this point to David Frost at the Cons. Conference after his presentation at the Centre for Brexit fringe meeting (he made a great speech BTW) and asked him to release these numbers to the Media.

He acknowledged this could be an important point and would see what he could do. 

I have since dropped him a line to emphasise the importance of testing the validity of these border checks by using the numbers – Of course he is a very busy man - let’s see if he has time to follow this through.

 BTW – has anyone heard in any speech from Mr Sefcovic /other EU bureaucrats or any French  politician utter the words “We acknowledge that Northern Ireland is part of the independent sovereign state of the United Kingdom ”

Don’t hold your breath as for sure they seem not to want to admit this basic fact – perhaps they don’t know.

 Anyway 16 has always been one of my favourite numbers – hope to hear it quoted again soon.

 Your feedback is welcomed.

Mike Clitherow

 

Time for the Conservative Party to be Conservative!

 

AUKUS - Time to raise the Periscope

 AUKUS - TIME TO RAISE THE  PERISCOPE

By Mike Clitheroe

 

Wow so much coverage everywhere of the AUKUS agreement and the indignation in France.

Must be the Remoaners dream to be able once again knock their own country and

cry for an EU member state. “Those naughty two faced Conservatives ” they will scream.

 

For me an important point has been completely missed in all the media coverage.

So now I want to put this into my “simple man’s” understanding of events.

 

As we all know Australia has been under increasing pressure from China for some time about their attempted dominance of the Indo/Pacific region and the threats against Taiwan etc.

Particularly since the Aussies dare challenged them about howCovid 19 originated and why they mislead the world about the whole episode

 -Australia wanted quite rightly to increase their defence capability, to let China and the world know they would not take all this “lying down”.

 

As widely publicised, they set up a deal a few years ago to get Submarines  from France.

However not only did this agreement fall behind schedule the French package  proved to be poor on the technology front particularly the software.  The Australians  realised

(or were reliably informed) what they were dealing with from the French was a dated system which in part uses diesel (not very green?) and there was going to be a lot of money spent and time wasted when this virtually obsolete product finally came into service.

Therefore they would be way behind what was really required to be a meaningful deterrent - given the Chinese  have nuclear  powered subs already - which can stay submerged for muchl onger and were generally more efficient.

So it is fairly obvious the French could not supply the desperately needed 21^st technology.

Obviously they needed to shop elsewhere.

 

With the UK / US deal they get to share the most advanced secret technology and in the

longer term  Cyber, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing for the good of the Free World.

 

NOW!! THE WHOLE POINT IS THAT IT WAS AN AUSTRLIAN DECISION AND ANY CONTRACT/AGREEMENT

WITH FRANCE IS BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

Surely, like any other contract (if there is such a thing between them ) maybe there is compensation to pay

and explained logical reasoning and even an apology. Who knows? but it’s between Australia & France

The UK & US In my view are not the devious guilty parties.

Were we putting forward the opportunities in all our interests for a defence deterrent

– yes of course we were. BUT it was finally an Aussie decision – which was the sensible decision – to pull out of the French deal to get modern, up to date equipment and long term partnerships in defence 

of their country and surrounding regions.

WHY IS THERE THIS BIG DOWN ON THE UK & USA???

FOR ME A “SIMPLE MAN” I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THIS MOCK INDIGNATION.

Simply if one orders anything and it proves to be late and not of the standard required or promised – you cancel it.

 

Were we (the UK) and the Yanks supposed to say

“ We can’t possibly supply you with Subs with our superior technology and build a long term strategic alliance against China because we must not  upset the French”  OF COURSE NOT.

 

For the French its simply about the money as I believe their only vision is the EU and not the rest of world if there is no euros and prestige in it for themselves.

 

Yes people will say this is all over simplification – OK explain why.

 

Mike Clitherow

 

 

Have we all gone mad? Whatever happened to Freedom, Liberty, Justice, and Democracy?

 

Whatever Happened to Freedom, Liberty, Justice and Democracy?

 With thanks to Jimi Cazot and the Telegraph.

 

If you went back five years and asked a friend to predict the next five years and they told you the following, you would think they had gone mad, and yet?

"In the future, many of your national assets will be owned by China.   Most of the goods you buy will be made there too, which you will not purchase from your fellow countrymen, but a sole supplier owned by an American.

 The most successful politicians will not be elder statesmen committed to public service but young upstarts who view the job as a stepping-stone towards tremendous personal wealth in later life.

 Your Government will pass bills to quash peaceful protest.   This won’t be limited to the intelligence services but bodies like the environmental and food standards agencies too. When you ask “why”, nobody will be able to tell you.

 Your Government will set up ‘nudge units’ staffed by unknown behavioural scientists.   They will tell you what to eat, drink and how you should behave.   There will be patronising health and safety signs everywhere you look.

 “The media will grow dependent on Government advertising revenue and cease reporting opinions and events that contradict official narratives.

The internet will be dominated by a small number of big-tech companies who will delete all information that they disagree with.

In the name of safeguarding students from harm, schools and universities will cease debate and enquiry. People with contrary views will be barred from campuses. Even student newspapers will be censored by ‘sensitivity readers.’.

At work, you will be made to undergo psychological re-education.   The people lecturing you will have no knowledge of psychology but nonetheless try to change you at a subconscious level.

 People will be sacked from their jobs for saying there are two biological sexes or for telling an ill-judged joke. They will not be forgiven if they apologise.

Every major institution and employer will sign up to this censorious culture and soon you will censor yourself when speaking to friends and colleagues without even knowing that you have done so.

When a virus emerges that only kills 0.3% of those who catch it – the majority of which older than the average span of a life – you will be bombarded, 24-hours a day, by terrifying public messaging.

 The police will stop you from meeting a friend for a coffee in the park. They will rummage through your shopping bags to make sure you have only bought things that they deem essential.   They will film you as you walk in the countryside and put the footage on the internet so to shame you.

Neighbours will be told to spy on neighbours, and when you have friends round for dinner the police will knock on your door and give you a fine.

You will be told to stay two metres away from other people at all times.   You will be made to wear a facemask even though there is no evidence that they do anything at all.   When this becomes apparent, scientists will say you must wear them so as not to frighten other people.   Your freedom will end where another’s fear begins.

Families will be kept from dying loved ones.   Widows will be denied the comfort of human touch. Daughters will be arrested for collecting their mothers from care homes.

 Vast numbers of children will be sent home from school and denied a proper education just because one classmate lost their sense of smell.

 Weddings will be cancelled.   Nightclubs will be closed.   Churches will be shut.   Singing and dancing will be prohibited.   Lovers will be kept apart.

You will be told to have an anti-virus vaccine although the vaccine isn’t compulsory, yet those who refuse might be sacked from their jobs.  They will be made to queue for longer at airports.   They will be put under house arrest if they come into contact with someone who has the virus, whilst those who have had it will not. They will be stopped from going to bars and stadiums. There will be two classes of people: the clean and the unclean.

Your unassailable and decadent leaders will ignore the rules they set for others again and again, blissfully untroubled by the cries of hypocrisy.

Global leaders, bureaucrats, scientists, royalty, and the super-rich will meet in private to discuss how we all must live. They will say there are too many people and not enough resources, but nobody will ask who we should get rid of and how.   Blinded by hubris, they’ll believe that they alone can bring about a utopian future.   The language they speak will be impenetrable to most, it will be made up of meaningless phrases like ‘stakeholder capitalism’, ‘collectivisation’, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘Build Back Better’.   Every now and then, however, they’ll make things very clear: “You will own nothing.   You will rent everything.   You will be happy.”

Few will question what this means, how it will be brought about or what mandate they have for doing so.   Those who do, or any of the above, will be insulted, ridiculed and so pushed to the margins of society that they are effectively silenced.

Most will stand on their front doorstep at 8pm every Thursday, clapping their hands and bashing saucepans."