The Journey - A Monumental and Historical Movie.

 Colm Meaney as Martin McGuinness and Timothy Spall as the Reverend Ian Paisley.

The Journey was a very poignant film about a simple car drive from the celebrated St Andrews golf course in Scotland to Edinburgh airport. Here a private plane is waiting to take an important political dignitary back to Belfast for his 50^th wedding anniversary. 

The political figure is the Reverend Ian Paisley. He is the head of a Loyalist (pro-British) political party in Northern Ireland. This part of Ireland has been fighting a vicious civil war for almost forty years. It is 2006 and the British Government along with Ireland’s Taoiseach government are trying to get the warring factions of the north to agree a peace settlement. If so, they could bring peace to the troubled province of Northern Ireland. 

The rural St Andrews golf course is the private venue and the peace talks are deadlocked into a stalemate. Tony Blair and Enda Kenny are exhausted. Sinn Fein leaders, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams also seem lost for a breakthrough on the peace agreement involving power-sharing. There is a desire for the re-opening of Stormont. The sticking point is the loyalist MP – the Reverend Ian Paisley. The man is a rigid and religious disciplinarian who detests the people of Sinn Fein and is very reluctant to engage in power sharing and dialogue with a group he regards as terrorists. 

There is this wake of political bigotry on both sides of the argument. Then in the middle of the talks, the respective Prime Ministers of UK and Ireland have to stop the meeting for the Reverend Ian Paisley. He wants to go home and be with his wife for his 50^th Wedding Anniversary. This is agreed to, but Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuiness pulls a rank of protocol matter and requests he wants to travel in the car and plane with Ian Paisley. Two protagonists on either side of a bitter and murderous conflict. 

The British secret service or some other security outfit see an opportunity for a breakthrough. If Martin McGuinness can reach out to the firebrand loyalist, the political deadlock might be broken. What follows is a car journey that has monumental and historical significance. The chauffeur is bugged with cameras so that the security unit can watch the journey via a spy camera. 

We have Tony Blair, Enda Kenny, Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley Junior all watching this nail-biting and at times bitter discussion between former IRA leader and a pro-British loyalist MP.  A truly marvellous movie. Very gripping in parts. Also very moving too. A total must watch. 

Mis-representation of UKIP by American Magazine Reporter Dennis Campbell

 

 

This man (Dennis Campbell) is portraying the idea of UKIP being right wing. This is sincerely wrong. They draw support from many fractions of the UK including left wing working class Labour supporters. Portraying them (UKIP) as far right is very mis-leading indeed. Over 5 million eastern Europeans and other none European immigrants have come to the UK in a decade. The population has gone from 57 million to over 63 million plus. That is what is admitted to. When you walk around little country towns, people are speaking in all languages and we feel like foreigners in my own country.

The 'only white people would be around' comment Dennis Campbell made is honestly offensive. Many people are rightly concerned that there are too many migrants coming to Britain and age is not conditioned by pro and anti EU. This problem goes across the spectrum and many UKIP supporters are Black British. It is not a whites only club and the migrants are mainly white Europeans that are causing concern.

These migrant people are not bad, but there are too many. The EU's policy of free movement of people was well meant, but it has caused a big problem of welfare benefit migrants - a problem that was not foreseen and something that the EU refuses to tackle. This is unfair on many eastern Europeans who work hard. However, as decent as these people are; there are far too many of them in the UK, Germany and other nations that have decent welfare benefit systems. Brits are not the only ones worrying about this issue.

When any Brit tries to say something they are labelled fascist or raceist. This is wrong and Dennis Campbell's term of 'we' during his talk, seems very strange. We Brits all like going to Europe and like Europeans. Even the Brits who don't want to be part of the EU.

Our problem is not with fellow Europeans, but many Brits are questioning the governing body of the European Union - a parliament with an unelected president. We Brits are putting on the brakes and want a debate on these obvious problems. No one listens and now UKIP have taken up the banner. There are many people in other European nations that have the same fears. Britain is just more vocal against the unelected body in the EU. The Brit EU politicians who have been voted in by British voters to argue such things are UKIP. They sit in the EU Parliament elected, and argue with the higher officials that have power because it was given to them by a committee, and not the 500 million European peoples who should have had a chance to elect such important people.

Most of these unelected people are failed left wing socialists who could not get elected in their own nations. We have British socialists among the number - Neil Kinnock who lost his election campaign against Margaret Thatcher - three times disgraced Nigel Mandleson who can no longer be in the forefront of home politics so he gets on the EU gravy train. There is no example set to the good minded EU electorate believers, that alone the Euro-sceptics. This top gun click of the EU does seem like an unelected 'socialists only club' to coin a Dennis Campbell way of putting things.

Sooner or later these socialists will run out of other peoples money to spend and borrow. The unelected fractions of the parliament will not change and Brits are beginning to lose faith in trying to correct this dire situation. We search for allies among the Germans, Dutch and other nations. However, there does not seem to be anyone vocal enough to stand up to the unelected few who wield the power.

Therefore the exit answer is the only one that seems to remain to the continuing problem. Brits are being forced out of the EU by the intransigence of the EU.

 

Scotland and England Relationship.

A YouTube video of Scotty. 

I don't always agree with Scotty on historical things but he makes a lot of entertaining and thought provoking clips. I get all passionate when England play Scotland in football or Rugby. The thought of losing against them and suffering a year of bragging rites is horrendous.

When they (Scotland) play other national teams, I don't like seeing them defeated, but don't get too bothered about it if they do lose. I find many Scots to be argumentative and find them generally disagreeable in their views. Perhaps its me? I just find Scots to be often cynical about lots of issues. They see glory over grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory and sing songs about a bold prince that run away after such a dire undertaking.

However, I also know of lines of Highlanders standing in squares at Waterloo and this Scottish King that came down to London in 1603 with a grand idea of forming Great Britain. We English were not too enthusiastic about it. We did not like the Union Jack because the cross of Saint Andrew was of equal importance to the Cross of Saint George. How very wrong we English were and how far sighted the Scottish King James VI was when he became King James I of England.

The thought of Scotland leaving the UK is extremely sad and something I would genuinely hate to see. I find Scots very trying most of the time, but I still vote for the best Briton in elections. Being English, Scottish or Welsh does not come into it when I think of the UK. I'm English and a Brit. As a Brit, I'm proud of all Brits, including the founders of the Union.

What if Benifit Tourists Could be seen to be Stopped?

They Talk the Talk but actions speak better than words. We've heard it all before but nothing is seen.

I'm always dithering between the UK and its membership with the EU. Some things get me so crossed, that I want to throw in the towel with the EU and see the UK leave it. I would sooner face the so called economic strife rather then walk down streets were so many people are speaking foreign languages. I'm not racist and I don't dislike or wish people harm because they come from somewhere else. I also do not blame them for wanting to come here. But there are too many immigrants in the UK and my culture, racist or not, is being consumed. I don't embrace this apologetic idea of multiculturalism and I'm sick to death of being told I should celebrate such a thing. I don't want to. I want to be British and be among my own people. I don't hate others, I just resent my own left wing nationals constantly calling me a racist for loving my country and being upset by the real problem of irresponsible and uncontrolled mass immigration of unskilled labour. 

If economists of huge companies want the EU then let them go. Let's support the anti-EU economists that think we can survive on our own. Our old political classes have sold us down the river and things are going to get worse unless we boldly tackle immigration. Some politicians are talking the talk. Even the Germans and Dutch are saying such things. Maybe it could be sorted within the confines of the EU? If this could be done and seen to be, concerning immigration - the UK may wish to stay in the EU. The immigration issue will be the main thing on the minds of the majority of the UK electorate. Not the economics, even if this trading and global economy is the most important issue, you cant cram people of so many diverse cultures together and instruct them to like it.

below is a newspaper clipping of Theresa May Talking the Talk. Its good talk, but is it just talk?

Migrants that move across the European Union to claim benefits with no intention of working are to be targeted by ministers, the Home Secretary has said.

Speaking following discussions at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Theresa May said free movement abuse was a problem for a number of EU member states.

She said a commitment to tackle the problem had been secured following discussions with EU partners.

Mrs May said: "We must clamp down on free movement abuse, which takes its toll on our public services and local communities.

"The UK ensured this issue was high on today's agenda, and I am grateful to our EU partners for their increased support following our constructive discussion.

"Ministers have today acknowledged that free movement abuse is a problem for a number of Member States and we have secured a commitment to find EU-wide solutions to this problem.

"Stopping the abuse of free movement will help us to maintain an immigration system that works in the UK's national interest.

"But this is not a problem for the UK alone. That is why we are continuing to develop a consistent and collaborative approach across the EU."

The Cabinet minister reportedly has the backing of Germany to tackle so-called "benefit tourists".

Great Britain's H.E.I.C. Nemesis for China.

Sometimes grand achievements are blighted by dreadful origins. I suppose we sometimes look back at the Roman Empire, or any other, and think of its wonders but don't take into account the suffering of the many that succumbed to such power of a grand empire - the many people that are caught up in its suffering. I think this is often so of the British Empire. Sometimes something grand comes out of dreadful and ominous beginnings. It's no consolation to those who suffered the horrendous beginning, however. 

Model of H.E.I.C. Nemesis

In the late 1830s, Great Britain was full of private overseas companies searching the orient for trade. These British run companies would often use the vast Royal Navy to protect their trade interests. When looking at the vast areas of land, that Great Britain was beginning to rule; the empty areas of Australia, Canada and Africa paled when compared to the vast oceans used to gain access to the ageing civilizations of China and India.

Technology wise, the old and ancient civilizations of Asia had become stagnant but their produce of food and other materials offered vast bounties for the entrepreneurs of Europe – especially the British who had gained an enormous advantage with the growth of its Navy and developing industrial abilities.

The rulers of China had become over confident in their old and, once mighty, territory. In reality, the nation of China was less of a match for the more unscrupulous trade companies and adventurers of Great Britain then realised. Sometimes the vast and very great Empire of Great Britain is seen in a perspective of grand achievement, but it is also fair to look at it in another light – the one which shows immoral civilian profiteers using evil methods of acquiring trade.

The British business companies of the time wanted Chinese tea, which was now very popular in Great Britain and other parts of the Empire. Instead of using money to trade for tea, the British transported and used opium as a currency for China's tea and caused a terrible drug problem.

When the Chinese rulers witnessed the apathy and degradation that opium caused among its population they tried to halt the trade of opium. The British companies would not oblige by the Chinese rulers’ demands and attempted to continue trading in opium. Therefore, China excluded Great Britain from trading in their ports.

The British industrialists called upon the British government to employ the Royal Navy to protect their interests and in 1839 began to attack Chinese ports and occupy them with land forces.

H.E.I.C. Nemesis destroying Chinese Junks in 1841

During one of the prominent events of the First Opium War, in 1841, a state of the art ship owned by the East India Company called H.E.I.C. Nemesis went up the River Yangtze after Canton was captured by the British. Chinese junk ships were sent to confront the huge paddle steamer but the fire power of the East India company, British ship, was devastating and the fleet of junks were destroyed or dispersed. The British continued up the river and captured the tax barges, which denied the Chinese government huge revenue. It was the major blow to China’s Qing authority – the war lasted until 1842 when Chinese Qing authorities in Peking were forced to sue for peace. The Treaty of Nanking was signed and Great Britain gained Hong Kong as a foothold into China – a deep water port, and a way of trusting imperial China to stick to its part of the bargain.

The British continued to trade opium for tea. Hong Kong developed into a huge industrial powerhouse, becoming a place of prominent trade and commerce until this day. The British remained in Hong Kong until 1997, but the blighted Opium Wars brought about this legacy.