Month: February 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Lanarkshire District Council Meltdown

North Lanarkshire is the fourth largest Scottish local authority, located in west central Scotland, between Edinburgh and Glasgow. It covers an area of 47,358 and serves a population of 328,000 people. Party insiders are on record as saying that: “if Labour lose North Lanarkshire then it would be fair to say in Scotland the party’s over.”

But one party domination of the politics of a region for many decades invariably ends in disaster and this is the case in North Lanarkshire where in fighting has destroyed the party. Old inter-region rivalries have resurfaced together with accompanying allegations of intimidation and a pervading and intense climate of fear and allegations of wrong doing has diverted councillors away from the business of service provision.

The foregoing is compounded by recently announced police investigations into criminal reported to involve a number of councillors and businessmen the scale of criminality of which, if it leads to prosecutions is so widespread that it could bring down the Labour party in Scotland. The report that follows provides evidence in support of my advice that the electorate should abandon the Labour Party and transfer their votes to the SNP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 Feb 2016: Labour HQ asked to probe unexplained income and spending at Motherwell & Wishaw branch

Scottish Labour officials are being urged to investigate alleged financial irregularities in one of the party’s most marginal seats. A recent internal audit raised a series of concerns about the records of the Motherwell & Wishaw Constituency Labour Party (CLP) in North Lanarkshire.At a CLP meeting last week, activists heard around £4500 of unexplained income entered the branch’s account in 2015 and £2100 of unexplained spending left it. (The Herald Scotland)

 

 

 

 

 

 
6 Mar 2016: Scottish Labour general secretary Brian Roy and father, ex-MP Frank Roy, in party cash row

Kezia Dugdale’s top official is at the centre of a cash row that has split one of Labour’s most marginal seats. Scottish Labour general secretary Brian Roy is facing questions over how his dad Frank Roy spent around £1400 owed to Scottish Labour HQ on his own re-election campaign. The money represented two years of affiliation fees owed to Labour HQ by Frank Roy’s constituency Labour party (CLP) in Motherwell & Wishaw.

First elected an MP in 1997, Frank Roy stood again in the seat again last May. At the time, Brian Roy had newly taken over as Scottish general secretary and treasurer. However a leaked internal audit shows the Motherwell & Wishaw CLP hadn’t paid its annual subscription to Labour HQ since 2013, despite having funds to do so. The report states: “No Labour affiliation fees have been paid since 2013 despite having a balance of £8737.70 in the CLP account in 2013. This leaves the CLP in debt of around £2000. The balance of the CLP account on 28/9/15 was £109.48.”

Although failing to pay the fees to HQ didn’t disqualify Frank Roy from standing, it did leave more in the CLP account to spend on the election. The fall-out from the audit is now dividing the CLP and the Labour administration on North Lanarkshire Council, with many members furious at Frank Roy’s election agent Paul Kelly, who has been accused of failing to explain the state of the CLP’s finances.

Kelly, last week elected the council’s deputy leader, was CLP chair during the election. The audit report says that in early 2014, the CLP’s general purpose bank account of around £3200 was merged with a previously separate election account of £2800. “There are no minutes recording that this change of policy was agreed by the CLP,” it says.

The resulting single account was then cleaned out in the election – again without any minutes of the CLP agreeing to it – as Roy defended his 16,800-vote majority. The report states: “There are no minutes of the CLP agreeing to the level of expenditure to be used on the General Election.” Roy’s campaign cost £13,701, compared to £6,852 for the SNP’s Marion Fellows, who nevertheless won by 11,900 votes.

Roy got £4703 worth of staff support from Scottish Labour HQ, but the bulk of his campaign money, around £8600, came from draining the CLP account. The total outlay was twice that of the 2010 election, when Roy’s campaign cost £6766. The political co-ordinator of Better Together, Roy is now campaign director of the Scottish arm of Britain Stronger in Europe.

The failure to pay affiliation fees emerged last week after an audit into Motherwell & Wishaw CLP, which found “total unknown deposits” of £4474 were paid into its bank account last year without explanation, and “total unknown expenditure” of £2108 left it.

The auditor noted: “These matters were raised by CLP members on several occasions from July 2015 and as far as I am aware the issues have not been properly addressed.” A senior Labour source said the draining of the CLP account in election, including affiliation fees, had left the local party struggling going into the Holyrood election,

When Labour MSP John Pentland is defending a 587-vote majority in Motherwell & Wishaw. The insider said: “There are very unhappy people here. The council Labour group is very fractious. We can’t even pay our bills far less run an election campaign.”  (The Herald Scotland)

 

 

 

Jim McCabe

 

 

 

 
29 Mar 2016: Labour slammed for backing candidate

The former depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council has slammed the Labour Party for allowing a Motherwell councillor to take the job. Jim Smith believes his former colleague Paul Kelly shouldn’t have been in the running to succeed him because of an inquiry into alleged financial irregularities. Councillor Smith says Labour’s failure to take action against the Motherwell West councillor was the reason he quit the party earlier this month. He dismissed new council leader Jim Logue’s claim that Councillor Smith and three colleagues resigned for “selfish, personal reasons” after missing out on top jobs during a reshuffle. Councillor Kelly, who was elected by Labour colleagues as Councillor Logue’s depute, is a former chairman of Motherwell and Wishaw Constituency Labour Party.

An internal audit of accounts during his time in charge raised concerns about unexplained income and spending. Much of this related to last year’s general election campaign when Councillor Kelly was the agent for MP Frank Roy. The matter was passed to Scottish Labour officials. Councillor Smith said the party had blundered by not preventing Councillor Kelly from standing for a senior council post while the investigation was taking place. He pointed out that the SNP suspended Coatbridge councillor Julie McAnulty pending an investigation into alleged racist remarks she made.

In his letter, Councillor Smith wrote: “The Labour Party has been in free-fall in Scotland for several years now and and it would seem to be gifting the opposition ammunition ahead of next year’s council elections.” Councillor Smith denied quitting because he didn’t get a key post under Councillor Logue. He said the “sole reason” for his decision was the party’s “lack of integrity” in sanctioning Councillor Kelly as a candidate for depute leader.

A Labour source said there was “disbelief” that Councillor Kelly had not stood aside. Councillor Kelly refused to be drawn on the comments, saying only: “I was pleased the Labour Party were assisting the CLP in this matter and I look forward to the report back to the CLP.” Three other Labour councillors quit the party following the new leader’s reshuffle. Helen McKenna, Sam Love and Peter Nolan were all conveners under former leader Jim McCabe, but lost their posts. ( Motherwell Times)

 

 

Paul Kelly

 

 

 

 

16 Apr 2016: Labour kingpin fears scandal over accounts

One of the giants of Scottish Labour has warned that claims of “electoral irregularities” in last year’s General Election could bring his party in to disrepute. Lanarkshire kingpin Jim McCabe is one of more than a dozen party stalwarts to warn the Labour leadership of the finances of a local constituency group in what some insiders describe as a “smear”.

The former North Lanarkshire Council leader – who stood down in February after 18 years in post – is one of several councillors to sign a letter to his party’s Scottish HQ flagging up concerns over discrepancies in the accounts of the Motherwell and Wishaw Constituency Labour Party (CLP).

The letter, written by Councillor Frank McKay last month, refers to reports that there were nearly £4,500 of donations to the CLP during the General Election year that it could not account for. That has sparked fears in the party that Labour could have breached spending limits as it fought, unsuccessfully, to save the seat of its MP, Frank Roy. However, an investigation ordered by the party’s Scottish general secretary, (who also happens to be Mr Roy’s son Brian) found no problem with election expenses.

Party sources, nevertheless, stress the the very fact a figure as prominent as Mr McCabe signed the letter reveals the “sheer depth of animosity” inside North Lanarkshire Labour. The main targets of the letter are Mr McCabe’s successor, Jim Logue, and his deputy leader, Paul Kelly, a previous chairman of the Motherwell and Wishaw CLP.

It accuses the new administration of “hypocrisy, aggression and cynical self-interest”. The letter, dated March 15, adds: “We are of the opinion that there are very serious question marks around the depute leader. We believe that the severity of these threatens to bring the party in Scotland in to disrepute. “As you are aware the Motherwell and Wishaw CLP has raised questions about the conduct of the accounts while he was election agent. “While we do not allege misappropriation, we do allege severe incompetence. “We are concerned that the deputy leader was allowed to stand… at a time when opposition colleagues are speculating on the possibility of electoral irregularities.”

This letter came after Mr Logue carried out a radical reshuffle of the council’s leadership, prompting four councillors to quit the party. Sources close to the administration described the allegations about the CLP finances as a “smear” by some of those who had lost out in fractional infighting. Asked about the allegations, Paul Kelly said “I was happy that the Labour Party offered to assist the CLP in this matter and I look forward to the report back to the CLP. “Understandably, a number of colleagues were unhappy at the radical but necessary changes within the council, however our number one priority must be to our local communities.”

Brian Roy, in a response to Mr McKay’s letter, also seen by The Herald, offers to mediate between the two sides in the North Lanarkshire party. Mr Roy said he had already verbally assured the new chairwoman of the CLP that he was “confident that once all expenditure and income was reconciled… that the accounts would be accepted”. The local party, however, had not been able to pay affiliation fees to the national party, Mr Roy confirmed. The CLP, he said, had therefore agreed to forego payments it would have expected to receive from HQ to make up the shortfall.(The Herald Scotland)

 

 

 

 

 

 

27 Apr 2016: North Lanarkshire Council – Labour split over ‘corruption’ claim

Deep divisions within Labour have emerged again after an investigation began into alleged corruption at North Lanarkshire Council. Claims that councillors and officials benefited when authority contracts were being awarded to companies have been made in an anonymous letter. Council leader Jim Logue said the “detailed allegations, if true, are extremely serious”. He added: “An investigation, led by the council’s internal audit team, is already underway. Should the auditors find anything which substantiates these allegations that evidence will immediately be handed over to police. “It is essential the people of North Lanarkshire have full confidence in the way the council conducts its business and I am determined that we are transparent at all times.”

However, the decision by Councillor Logue to go public with the allegations was slammed by a Labour colleague who branded it “unprofessional”. The councillor, who claimed many Labour members are unhappy at the way the situation has been handled, said: “I’m disgusted. It’s crazy to give an anonymous letter such credence. People’s credibility is being sullied by an unnamed individual without any investigation having been done.”

The councillor said the position was in stark contrast to what happened two years ago when a member of staff made detailed allegations of misconduct within NL Leisure, the body which runs sports facilities for the council. The council dismissed those as “unsubstantiated and defamatory” and said it wasn’t policy to comment on anonymous claims. A Motherwell Labour councillor said any probe into the corruption claims should be carried out by an external agency and not “in-house”.

Councillor Logue has had a difficult start to his term as council leader after succeeding Jim McCabe. Last month four senior Labour councillors quit after his reshuffle of committee chairmen. A senior council source supportive of the leader said: “There was a great deal of animosity towards Jim Logue and Paul Kelly becoming the new leadership team by certain individuals. This was because people knew they would be very pro active in dealing with any serious allegations regarding the council and no stone would be left unturned. “Staff are no longer afraid to come forward with concerns.” (Motherwell Times)

 

 

 

 

 
6 Oct 2016: North Lanarkshire Labour party District Council accused of cover-up over child porn charge councillor

Labour has been accused of hushing up a child pornography charge against one of its councillors ahead of a high-profile by-election. Airdrie councillor David Fagan was arrested over alleged child images on September 7, while his party was fighting a close-run by-election in neighbouring Coatbridge. North Lanarkshire Council last night said its chief executive learned of the arrest and “broad nature” of the alleged offences on September 8 and then informed council leader Jim Logue. Mr Logue then informed deputy council leader Paul Kelly, the council said.

Scottish Labour General Secretary Brian Roy was also told about Cllr Fagan’s arrest and the seizure of computer equipment – but not specific charges – on September 8, and wrote to Police Scotland for more information. However Labour did not suspend Cllr Fagan for another three weeks, until September 29, after the party had won the by-election on September 22.

The SNP last night said the sequence of events was “staggering”. The contest in Coatbridge North and Glenboig was a trailblazer for Labour, as its strategy was to defeat the SNP using local health cuts – a trial run for the 2017 council elections. Labour candidate Alex McVey gained the seat from the Nationalists by less than 200 votes. A North Lanarkshire Labour source said most councillors were kept in the dark until this week. “There was nothing said at all about David Fagan to the Labour Group. If that had come out before the by-election, the SNP would have won it hundreds of votes.”

The win was seized on by Labour as evidence of a revival against the SNP. UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, who posed for campaign pictures with Mr McVey in Lanarkshire a week after Cllr Fagan’s arrest, tweeted his congratulations following the victory. Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale cited it in her UK Labour conference speech. “When people say that the Scottish Labour Party can’t win elections, I say look to our victories in Coatbridge, in Fife and in Ayrshire this summer,” she told delegates in Liverpool. .” (Greenock Telegraph)

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 Oct 2016: The leaders of North Lanarkshire Council have been told to quit over the alleged cover-up of a child pornography charge against a Labour councillor on the eve of a by-election

Labour boss Jim Logue and his deputy Paul Kelly are the subject of a no confidence motion promoted by one of their former party colleagues, Councillor Sam Love. It was recently revealed how David Fagan, a councillor in Airdrie, was arrested over alleged child images on September 7, but not suspended by Labour until September 29. At the time of the arrest, Labour was fighting a bitter by-election in neighbouring Coatbridge.

The council chief executive learned of the arrest and “broad nature” of the alleged offences on September 8, then told Mr Logue, who in turn told Mr Kelly. However most Labour councillors were not informed for another three weeks, when Mr Fagan was suspended by Labour HQ, fuelling speculation that the matter was kept quiet until after Labour had won the by-election in Coatbridge North on September 22.

The ward fight was a high-profile one for Labour, with Jeremy Corbyn appearing with the candidate and Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale boasting about the win in her UK conference speech as evidence of Labour’s ability to defeat the SNP. Labour beat the SNP by fewer than 200 votes – a margin that would have been wiped out by bad publicity over Mr Fagan if his arrest been widely known, opposition parties claim.

Cllr Love, a former housing convener who resigned from the Labour group in March, is now asking other councillors to sign a no confidence motion in Mr Logue and Mr Kelly. It calls for their “immediate resignation… for a wilful breach of trust and for failing to act in the best interests” of the council, and claims they “withheld information” given to them by the chief executive “regarding charges brought against a North Lanarkshire councillor”. It goes on: “It is entirely wrong that a serious disciplinary decision appears to have been delayed in an attempt to gain political advantage. As elected representatives we have a duty to be open and transparent. We therefore request that an emergency council meeting is called immediately and [Cllrs Logue and Kelly] should resign from their council positions forthwith.”

The council Labour group is due to discuss the situation next Monday. A Labour source said: “Monday is going to be a big day for the group. It’s going to be volatile. None of us came into public service for this kind of nonsense.” In a leaked statement, Cllr Kelly told other Labour councillors that Cllr Love’s motion was “pathetic” and “disgraceful”, and urged them not to respond. He said the statute under which Cllr Fagan was charged was not known until September 29, adding: “Even now, we are still not aware of the precise allegations against him. When we were informed that he had been charged – but not what he had been charged with – on September 8, both myself and the Council Leader sought assurances from the Chief Executive that he had taken all necessary measures. We were assured that this was the case. “David Fagan is subject to live legal proceedings.

It is pathetic that some would seek political opportunity when those proceedings are ongoing. It is disgraceful that those same people would suggest that either the council leader or myself would seek political advantage in the actions we have taken.” A Crown Office spokesman said: “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report concerning a 52 year old male in connection with alleged incidents said to have occurred between 25 and 30 June 2016. The report remains under consideration.” The council declined to comment. (The Herald Scotland)

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 Oct 2016: Row brews as Labour ends careers of senior councillors

Labour has pulled the plug on the political careers of some of its longest standing front-line figures as it bids to retain power in the former stronghold of North Lanarkshire. Jim Brooks has not been selected as a candidate for next year’s local government elections. He has served as a councillor since 1974, led Monklands Council at the time of its 1990s cronyism scandal and been a kingpin in North Lanarkshire since it was formed.

Brooks was one of eight sitting members who were due to be informed at the weekend that they had been deselected. In a highly symbolic move, Jim McCabe, who led the council for almost two decades until standing down in February, has failed the party’s selection process, even though he had already decided to quit politics. His former chief whip, Tommy Curley, another who is standing down, has also failed. The others deselected include Cumbernauld’s Bob Chadha, John Higgins who represents Coatbridge, Wishaw’s Frank McKay, Peter Sullivan of Airdrie and John McLaren of Strathkelvin.

A senior source said the decisions were taken by a local forum of officials and factored in local ward work, adding most of those axed were “malcontents” and “lieutenants” of Mr McCabe during his time as leader. But Brooks said the decision had the “grubby hands” of council leader Jim Logue “all over the decision”, and that he had not yet been informed it. It will almost certainly intensify the deep political and factional divisions within North Lanarkshire.

Earlier this year, six other Labour councillors in North Lanarkshire, including ex-deputy leader Jim Smith, left the party after being demoted by Logue when he took the reins in March. The move comes amid more turbulence at the authority. Both Logue and his deputy Paul Kelly have faced calls to quit in recent days over the alleged cover-up of a child pornography charge against fellow Labour councillor David Fagan on the eve of a by-election.

The no confidence motion is being promoted by former colleagues Sam Love, one of those who quit in March. Kelly has described the move as “pathetic” and “disgraceful”. Earlier this month three officials were suspended as part of a corruption probe instigated after Logue received a whistle-blowing letter detailing a string of allegations. The letter named also McCabe, the 75-year-old telling The Herald: “Under no circumstances am I corrupt and I have never been corrupt. No way.”

A senior source said: “You’re talking people who’ve treaded water for too long and when they do have an input its to agitate against the leadership. We won an important by-election last month, the SNP are all over the place in Lanarkshire and we have a chance of winning. That’s only if we’re all pulling in the same direction.”

Another source said: “This will make things fraught internally, but it was always going to be anyway. It probably does Logue, Kelly and Labour in the area more good than harm if they’ve any chance of holding on to flush this out now.” But Brooks said: “This is like the old German show trials. It has Logue’s grubby hands all over it. He’s Airdrie and there’s always that enmity with Coatbridge. “He’s already made a statement that ‘yesterday’s men are finished’. “But I need to find out what’s going on.”

A spokesman for Labour’s local campaign forum in North Lanarkshire said: “Whilst some will, of course, be disappointed not to have made it through the initial selection panel of local party members, being a councillor is a privilege and not a right. “All unsuccessful candidates will be given the chance to appeal the decision.” (The Herald)

 

 

 

 

 

 

27 Nov 2016: Revealed: £20 Million Corruption Report at Scandal Hit Labour Controlled Lanarkshire District Council

North Lanarkshire’s auditors reveal the sheer scale of multi-million-pound unsanctioned overspend at the authority, through massively inflated public contracts. One contractor was paid more than £9m on a contract valued at £1.5m. These contracts were awarded under the previous leadership of Jim McCabe and his deputy Jim Smith, who were ousted earlier this year. The authority is now led by Airdrie councillor Jim Logue. (The Herald)

 

 

Graft

 

 

 

 

4 December 2016: Rebel Labour MP’s fail to bring down North Lanarkshire Labour Council in “no confidence” motion

Calls have been made for SNP Group leader David Stocks to resign after he opposed a motion to bring down the Labour administration in North Lanarkshire.

Independent councillors including former Labour members Sam Love, Gary O’Rorke and Frank McKay were set to back a motion of no confidence against council leader Jim Logue and his deputy Paul Kelly. But in a sensational twist at the SNP’s Group meeting last Monday night, SNP councillors led by David Stock voted 12 to six against the motion with one abstention. It is understood that Wishaw SNP members Rosa Zambonini and Jim Hume voted for the motion.

Former SNP councillor John Taggart, who became an independent last year, has called for Councillor Stocks’ to quit. He added: “David Stocks should resign as the leader. “The SNP had the opportunity to bring down the regime in North Lanarkshire by supporting a motion of no confidence and they didn’t do it. “The vote would have been carried by a maximum of four and minimum of two. I am afraid this time they bottled it. The reason came out with is they couldn’t trust the independents. “I don’t know why. It is an excuse. “The SNP have been saying for years they want to take over the administration in North Lanarkshire. They had an opportunity and bottled it.”

Councillor Sam Love also called on Stocks to stand down as leader. He said: “David Stocks’ own members in the SNP are telling me he is not up to the job and that he is a lackey for Labour leader Jim Logue. “His own people say that he is not fit to be leader of the opposition. “He should resign. “The SNP had the numbers with a four or five majority to take over the running of the council. “They had a chance to reverse decisions like the £5 per week community alarms charge and the huge hikes in the Garden Assistance Scheme which has gone up from £40 per year to £140.”
SNP leader David Stocks insists they do not want the support of ‘malcontented’ former Labour councillors.

Now the SNP are targeting a new administration in May next year. Councillor Stocks said: “The SNP Group on North Lanarkshire Council has no confidence in the current, ramshackle, Labour administration. “Every week they are in crisis, whether it be the sudden imposition of up to £15 on community alarms and day services for vulnerable pensioners, the 60 per cent cut in support for Citizens’ Advice Bureaus, the heartless closure of the One Stop Shop for autism or the cuts in four libraries and seven community halls. “However, the SNP decided not to push an actual ‘no confidence’ vote because we would have been relying on support from rebel Labour councillors who have themselves let North Lanarkshire down in the past.

“The SNP Group hope to form a stable administration serving the people of North Lanarkshire after May 2017 and running an efficient council. And 22 SNP councillors running a 70 member council would be numerically challenging at this time. “We would have to rely on 14 malcontented Labour councillors – the same people who have let down the people of North Lanarkshire over these past five years. “Labour are in a complete mess – six resignations, others threatening to stand as independents next May and accusations of corruption and police investigations. “They are no longer fit to run this council. There’s a complete breakdown in trust. “We want a clean break for the residents of North Lanarkshire,with a clear SNP administration coming in after May next year. The fresh-start prospects are good. “Back in 2012, the SNP took 40 per cent of the North Lanarkshire local election first preference vote. The dramatic rise of the SNP nationally over the last two years and Labour’s decline all points to big SNP gains next May.” (Daily Record)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keir Hardie founded the Labour Party and championed the cause of the working class who had been badly governed for many years. But political power in Scotland was vested with the Tory and Liberal Parties for nearly 240 years until the advent of change in the political scene, brought about by an awakening of the working class after WW2.

In the period 1945-1979 Party growth in Scotland was spectacular as factory workers, coal miners, shipyard and steel workers flocked to its banner. In the same period the Party sent many able politicians to Westminster ensuring Scotland’s voice was heard in Parliament.

Scotland became a one Party state as Labour dominated the political scene. In the West of Scotland Labour votes were weighed not counted. In heavily industrialised Lanarkshire it was said that the Party could put up a donkey for election to office and it would win.

But the first past the post voting system of the UK had ensured Scotland would be governed by the Tory Party ( apart from brief periods between 1960-79 when Labour governments were elected but often with small majority’s preventing effective policy delivery.)

The eighties brought twenty years of extreme right-wing government, introduced by Margaret Thatcher ending in 1997 with John Major.

Thatcher (misusing the oil revenue) set about asset stripping Scotland of its industrial base, (transferring it to England and Wales) since Scots refused to embrace her “dog eat dog” society.

Unemployment soared in the West of Scotland and many hundreds of thousands of workers aged over 30 would never work again. A lifetime on the dole, families at the mercy of the welfare state initially a safety net which she soon even denied the children.

 

Twenty years in the political wilderness was not encouraging for aspiring Labour politicians. The Party in Scotland failed to attract students of politics of the grade it had previously and yet the Labour heartlands of Scotland persisted in voting less able individuals into office believing the alternative to be unpalatable. The capable “old guard” was no more being replaced with incompetent corrupt regimes akin to those in place in Eastern Europe.

The Thatcher years rekindled the fires of desire to be free of a political system that had eclipsed Scotland to it’s detriment. The Scottish National Party (SNP) started to make an impact at local and national level, But not in the West of Scotland which remained in the grip of the “Red Flag.”

In 1997 Tony Blair and Gordon Brown introduced “New Labour” to Britain and inspired the electorate to get rid of a Tory government mired in scandal and corruption. The motto of the party was “things will only get better” and people believed it.

But major policy divisions soon emerged shattering the media hyped illusion of unity and harmony within labour yet the Tory Party was still in disarray and unelectable and the electorate returned New Labour to office in 2001 and 2005.

The world financial crash in 2007-8 sealed the fate of the New Labour government which had proved to be a “basket case” entity controlled by a warmongering elite who took Britain to the gates of hell in just about every aspect of an abuse of the power gifted to them by a gullible electorate.

 

In Scotland the SNP finally recaptured its purpose under the inspired leadership of Alex Salmond who had heeded the call of its members and returned to Scottish politics replacing the uninspiring John Swinney.

The response was electrifying and Scottish Parliamentary elections delivered an increasing number of MSP’s. Disappointingly the changes in the fortunes of the Party were largely in the the rural areas and in the East of Scotland. The Labour Party maintained it’s dominance over the West of Scotland.

The breakthrough came in 2007 when the SNP was returned by the Scottish electorate as the largest Party but without a majority and no offers of a coalition. Overcoming many obstacles placed in his way by truculent Unionist politicians Alex Salmond formed a minority government which performed admirably and completed a full term in office.

 

In 2010 many self penned Labour Party men of the people left their offices of state in a state of financial chaos contrasting their own futures which were guaranteed as peers of the realm holding positions of power and influence in big businesses (often linked to their previous employment as ministers). Multi-millionaires one and all and no looking back at the people of Scotland that they had promised to represent faithfully but cynically betrayed.

But lessons had not yet been learned by Scots and in the 2010 Westminster General Election the electorate in the West of Scotland sent a bunch of incompetent Labour MP’s back to Westminster.

The red coloured political mapping in areas such as Motherwell, Hamilton, East Kilbride, Airdrie, Coatbridge, Bellshill and Glasgow stood with the labour Party.

 

The Scottish electorate was impressed by the competence of the government of the SNP and in 2011 the Party was returned to government with an unprecedented overall majority.

Once more it provided good governance despite the imposition by the UK government of  brutal financial austerity cutbacks which destroyed the hopes and aspirations of many thousands of Scots.

 

The 2014 Independence referendum was lost by a small margin due to the Unionist Party’s joining together with other interested groups to deny Scotland its independence.

But Scottish desire for independence had been reawakened by their near success and the revelations of Unionist skulduggery in the 2014 referendum and the electorate was no longer accepting of mistreatment by Westminster politicians.

 

The 2015 General Election just 6 months later provided Scots with the opportunity to send a message to politicians in England giving warning that any betrayal of the commitments made by Unionist politicians in the 2014 referendum “Vow” would be unacceptable and in a shot across the bows they sent 56 SNP MP’s to Westminster.

Unionist politicians at Westminster gave the impression that they recognised the new reality and reluctantly granted Scotland increases in the very limited devolution powers it already had in the belief that the measures would bring about the demise of the newly discovered national identity of a nation that had been absorbed by England in 1707 and was only recognised as a country by other nations of the World as a quaint wee place occupied by haggis eating, bagpipe playing, whisky drinking layabouts who existed only with the guarantee of financial handouts by the benign and ever generous English nation. 

 

The Scottish General election in 2016 provided opportunity for the people of Scotland to stand up for their rights and get rid of the corrupt, incompetent, crime ridden Labour controlled councils in the West of Scotland and Aberdeen. 

The lack lustre performance of the Party in the course of the campaign provided the Tory Party under the hi-profile leadership of Ruth Davidson with the opportunity to  take seats from the labour Party which was in meltdown. Which she duly did. Seats that should have been won by the SNP were lost to the Tory’s.

 Nicola Sturgeon indecisive  leadership very nearly brought an end to the SNP government but with the help of the Green Party it was returned to government but only after making significant concessions. Hardly inspiring!! and things would get worse.

 

The 2017 General election was a disappointment for the Party.

The 56 MP’s elected only 18 months before had achieved absolutely nothing at Westminster.

The Unionist dominated House of Commons mocked, ridiculed and contemptuously dismissed the opinions, views and contributions of SNP representatives as irrelevant nonsense at every televised sitting of the House.

The embarrassing spectacle and daily humiliation of Scottish MP’ in the Commons was witnessed by viewers worldwide and  many Scots at home and the absence of any decisive leadership action by Nicola Sturgeon was reflected in the loss of 21 MP’s.

 

In the UK 2019 General election campaign the SNP told Scots it was firmly committed to and would demand the right to another independence referendum if  the electorate indicated a desire for it by returning a majority of Scottish MP’s to Westminster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Davidson Fails the Scottish Electorate who sent her to Holyrood

Gaining seats at the last Scottish election was paramount in the thinking of Ruth Davidson and Tory activists in Scotland. This entailed a public denial of Westminster Tory policies and (as did Judas) the Party Branch in Scotland embraced Davidson’s policy with gusto. An examination of Tory Party electioneering literature in Scotland confirmed party insiders statements that: ” Davidson distanced the Scottish party from the UK Tories in several key policy areas including campaigning in the recent Holyrood election under the banner “Ruth Davidson for a strong opposition” rather than the Conservative name. The gullible Edinburgh public and others in Scotland believed the hype, to their and Scotland’s cost.

In the EU referendum 74.44% of Edinburgh Central voters supported Davidson’s oft stated policy that leaving the EU would be a catastrophic mistake, very possibly leading to a sea change in the attitudes of Scots resulting in Scotland voting to leave the Union. Her decision (after the referendum) to strongly support the Westminster government and it’s Brexit policy revealed Davidson’s own personal agenda did not and never has included supporting the wishes of the people of Scotland that elected her and her Tory cronies to office.

 

 

 
In support of the remain campaign Mundell said:

“those of us who are elected to positions of responsibility and who support these political institutions should be put on our mettle to defend them. Whether it is the United Kingdom or the European Union or whatever – if we believe sincerely that they are in the best interests of our country and our people, we should make the case for them with clarity and honesty.

The benefits which Scotland and the rest of the UK gains from EU membership are clear. Stepping away from the EU would be backwards step. We would be forfeiting our genuine freedom for a false freedom, which would impose real risks and dangers. In the end, it makes sense to be a part of the things which influence you. So let’s make the case for the real freedom which Scotland in the UK, and the UK in the EU gives to us all.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/david-mundell-scotland-the-uk-and-a-reformed-european-union-speech

 

 

 

In support of the remain campaign Ruth Davidson said:

Davidson savaged Boris Johnson when she argued that: “a Leave Vote would be a conscious decision to make Britain poorer which would hurt the poorest the most Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage would be OK; The wealthy are always able to fall back on their pension pots and savings. It would be ordinary workers who would suffer: the “Easyjet” air hostess who could lose her job because, after Brexit, the airline would be priced out from flying within Europe; the dad on the factory floor at one of our many car-makers whose job disappears because Europe has slapped a new tariff on British-made motors; the single mum on a zero-hours contract whose job is extinguished to cut costs.”

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/210365/scottish-tories-split-uk-party-boris-johnson-becomes-leader/

 

 

 

 

Davidson: A few days after the referendum – In support of EU nationals being allowed right of residence:

“That’s an assurance that I want from the Government, and I want it pretty quick. It’s not enough to say to people who have come here and made a home here, and have made their life here, that we want your labour, that’s all we want. We have got to be able also to say we want your brains, we want your culture, we want your passion, we want you in our country, making our country better, and giving these people security. This result is testing this country’s sense of unity. In Scotland, where people voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, the result is testing the binds of the Union as well.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-second-eu-vote-theresa-may-scottish-referendum-ruth-davidson-t-a7133271.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sergei Magnitsky

 

 

 

 
2007: The Magnitsky case

The case involved the theft of US$ 230 million from the Russian Treasury and is one of the largest tax fraud cases in Putin’s Russia. The crime was uncovered in 2007 by Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was working for Hermitage Capital Management, hedge fund, then the biggest foreign investor in Russia.

Magnitsky was arrested by the same police officers whom he accused of covering up the fraud. He was thrown into jail, where he died of mistreatment and inadequate medical care. Despite his death, the government of Russia continued to prosecute him. https://www.occrp.org/en/panamapapers/russia-the-cellist-and-the-lawyer/

 

 

 

President Putin

 

 

 

 
2012: The United States passed legislation named for the dead tax attorney that cited the “Magnitsky List” of implicated Russian state officials.

Until the Ukraine and Syria crises, even during the so-called reset period, the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act constituted the Putin government’s single biggest grievance with Washington.

More diplomatic energy was spent by Moscow on efforts to block or penalize passage of the bill than on any other part of bilateral relations with the United States. Russia, for instance, passed its own “counter – Magnitsky” suite of sanctions on U.S. officials.

But the core of the Putin strategy was to shift the blame completely. The Kremlin accused Browder of orchestrating both the tax fraud and Magnitsky’s murder.

In “The Browder Effect” documentary, Browder is depicted as no longer just a cynical accomplice to a crime against the Russian people, but now a shadowy agent of Cold War-style intrigue, and it would seem to be the CIA, rather than Russian authorities, that somehow denied Magnitsky life-saving medical treatment in prison.

The film also contained the accusation that, Browder, codenamed “Solomon,” had been working for MI6 since 1995. In 2006, he supposedly recruited Navalny, codenamed “Freedom,” and proceeded to disburse upwards of $1.5 million to him. With that slush fund, Navalny was supposed to engage in minority shareholder activism to expose graft in state-owned companies such as the energy giant Gazprom. Navalny was also supposed to focus on Russian officials, such as General Prosecutor Yuri Chaika. Towards this, Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation had suggested, in a “YouTube” video exposé that went viral that the General Prosecutor had accumulated a vast family fortune. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnitsky_Act

 

 

 

William Browder (CEO Hermitage Hedge Fund Capital)

 

 

 
24 Apr 2016: Once the leading British  spymaster in MI6 – Andrew Fulton has new clients. He Works for Team Putin and a Mobbed-Up Russian Lawyer

A Russian prime time news programme showed a documentary film “The Browder Effect,” which was about Alexey Navalny and his mentor, or handler, William F. Browder. It claimed that William Browder, (the CEO of Hermitage Hedge Fund) had been recruited by MI6 in 1995. His long term mission, to destabilize the Russian government.

Browder determined Navalny to be “the most suitable candidate for future political leader of Russia” given his creativity, new media mastery and speaking skills on politics, law and economics. He subsequently recruited him to MI6 in 2006.

That’s where Andrew Fulton enters:

In the film “The Browder Effect” the key source lending ostensible credibility to the allegations was named as Andrew Fulton, a former high-ranking MI6 spy. His opinion was presented on air as that of an independent analyst who verified the authenticity of documents. In fact, email correspondence leaked online and independently verified, shows that Fulton has been working as a private investigator for Andrey Pavlov, the lawyer for the alleged Russian mafia types accused of committing the crimes the television channel is seeking to pin on U.S. and British intelligence.

In a panel discussion following the showing of the documentary the presenter said:

“just so as you understand we have the results of an independent forensic study completed for us by an Agency in England headed by Andrew Fulton. Who is a well-known British specialist who for a long time headed the analytical department of MI6. This person, more professional than you or me, knows how documents are written. I have a written study report signed personally by him that the documents are authentic.” Fulton currently chairs GPW & Co., a private investigations firm based in London.

Unmentioned by the media is the fact that GPW & Co. are also subcontracted to the American white-shoe law firm Debevoise & Plimpton on behalf of their client Andrey Pavlov.

Pavlov is also the legal representative of the Klyuev Group. And he has spent a small fortune in the United Kingdom waging a PR counter offensive against accusations made by Browder against him, mainly to keep his name off any impending Magnitsky legislation in Europe. So far, he’s had little success: a non-binding European parliamentary resolution, urging the EU’s Council of Ministers—the policy-making body in Brussels—to sanction Klyuev Group members including Pavlov, was passed in April 2014.

Email correspondence between Pavlov and Debevoise & Plimpton, which was leaked on the Internet, contains a “letter of engagement” between GPW and the London office of the U.S. law firm.

It is dated Sept. 26, 2014, and signed by Andrew Wordsworth, a founding partner of GPW:“We will need to conduct an in-depth investigation of the schemes, the legal proceedings surrounding [the allegations made against Pavlov] and the involvement and make-up of the so-called ‘Klyuev Organised Criminal Group,’ of which your client is accused of being a part,” Wordsworth wrote. He continued by explaining that he will personally oversee the Pavlov investigation while drawing on “the experience of my Partners and Chairman Andrew Fulton.”

To date, Fulton has not publicly acknowledged any role whatsoever in vetting or confirming Sokolov’s documents, nor has Fulton made it clear whether this was in conjunction with his compensated work on behalf of Pavlov. When reached for comment he replied “Thank you very much for your questions. It is not our policy to comment on speculation regarding the identity of our clients, or our projects. I’m sorry not to be more helpful.” (thedailybeast)

 

8 Feb 2017: In a trial just under a year later – Alexei Navalnay found guilty of fraud – Kremlin critic gets 5 year suspended sentence in retrial, which bars him from running for President in the next election. In a hearing on Wednesday a Judge handed down a five-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of about $8,500 to Navalny for embezzling timber worth about $500,000. (Aljazeera News)

 

 

 

Alexey Navalny

 

 

 

Andrew Fulton’s mission (in the couple of year’s he was in Scotland) included defeating the SNP in the 2014 Referendum. He did as he was tasked. But the projected meltdown of the SNP following on from defeat failed to materialise. Full story on another post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 Sep 2011: Only 6% of Scots think Scottish Tories put Scotland first

Polling of 1,500 Scottish voters for the Tory Party in Scotland before the Holyrood elections asked whether certain parties put mainly English, Scottish or British issues first. The Scottish Conservatives were seen as the most English and the least Scottish… and by some distance.

Murdo Fraser (MSP) said the finding strengthened his argument that the Scottish party needed a new identity: “No problem was ever solved by brushing it under the carpet. We have watched our vote decline at every election since the inception of the Scottish Parliament, and this polling tells us exactly why.

We have been fooling ourselves for almost 15 years and we must not allow it to go on. There is a belief amongst some that if we bide our time for another 10 years, things will get better. But we said that 10 years ago. It hasn’t got better, and it never will without radical change.

The anti-change approach will ultimately drag us down to a single-figure vote share, a single-figure number of seats in the Scottish Parliament, no seats at Westminster and effectively the end of the centre-right in Scotland. (conservativehome)

 

 

 
10 August 2012: Ruth Davidson Castigates lazy Scots for being content to live off handouts from Westminster

Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party claimed that nearly 90 percent of Scots households are currently “living off state’s patronage,” reports. At a Tory conference on Monday, Davidson cited that only about 283,080 households in Scotland – 12 percent of the total number – pay more in taxes than what they receive in public services from the state. In addition, due to the dominance of the public sector in Scottish life, she said that state spending now represents at least one-half of Scotland’s wealth.

She thundered: “It is staggering that public sector expenditure makes up a full 50 percent of Scotland’s GDP and only 12 percent of households are net contributors, where the taxes they pay outweigh the benefits they receive through public spending. The rotten system of patronage, which denies so many people real choices in their lives, has created a corrosive sense of entitlement which suits its political gang masters.”

Referring to the exalted 12 percent who are “responsible for generating Scotland’s wealth,” she rhetorically asked: “I wonder how many of them work on public sector contracts.”

Citing data from the Office for National Statistics, Davidson said that the average Scottish household uses £14,151 more in public services every year than it pays out in taxes. Even middle-income Scots, she noted, consume £20,000 more in state spending than they pay out. Only Scotland’s wealthy, that is, those who account for the top 10 percent of earners, pay £17,205 more in tax than they receive in public services.

She also alleged that over-dependence on the public trough has created a generation of Scots who are hopelessly loyal to the Labour and Scottish National Party, at the expense of the Tories. “If the gang master state is the only provider people can see for their housing, education and employment, it’s no surprise those who seek to break the stranglehold find barriers in their way,” she declared.

It contradiction, the Telegraph reported that on the whole Scotland paid 9.6 percent of the United Kingdom’s total tax bill, while accounting for only 9.3 percent of British public spending. (IBTimes)

 

 

 
20 Jan 2010: Ruth Davidson, ex BBC journalist was shortlisted for the Ultra-Safe Bromsgrove Worcestershire, England seat. But was not selected as the candidate.

17 Apr 2016: Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson quit her well-paid job as a popular drive-time radio presenter with the BBC in 2009 in order to stand for Holyrood. (The Guardian)

 
Comment: The written word condemns the Tory party spin, Ruth Davidson’s political career was focused on gaining a seat at Westminster for an English constituency. Her failure to gain the trust of English Tory party activists altered her thinking and prompted a return to Scotland to stand for election to Holyrood an institution she had previously slagged off for being all spend and no accountability. She eventually managed to gain a place as a list MSP.

 

 

 
12 May 2016: The Tory Party Surge- Yet another BBC fantasy designed to manipulate the outcome of the election

Using the 2014 referendum as a bench mark it is evident that Scot’s polarised their vote’s around one of two banners. The Green Party and the SNP voted “yes” and the Unionist party’s voted “no”.

Utilising the same benchmark, assessing the performance of each of the parties in the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary election is relatively straight forward.

The “New Labour ” element of the miscalled Scottish Labour Party returned to the Tory Party they had deserted (in preference for Tony Blair) nearly 20 years before.This had the effect of increasing the Tory Party vote by nearly 19%. No great effort was demanded of Davidson since voters had decided upon their choice of party some two year’s before.

Tory claims of a massive surge in their support enhanced by the popularity of Davidson is abject nonsense and they know it. The electorate had simply returned the Tory Party base vote to the pre-Thatcher days – between 24-25%.

The collapse of the Labour Party seems to be terminal, with their support amongst the electorate being reduced to a rump 18-20%. Two decades before, the base vote would have been much enhanced by voters loyal to the Party.

A resurgent SNP benefited from good governance and in retaining the confidence of the electorate laid claim to a substantial 49% of the overall Scottish vote and a historical third term in office.

The decline of the other Unionist Party, the Lib/Dem, by nearly 4% confirms well established pattern of rejection by Scottish voters, with only Orkney, Shetland and the largely rural North Fife sticking with it.

The Green Party’s common sense approach to opposition politicking ensured it’s love affair with the electorate also continued with a near 5% increase in their vote.

Applying the outcome of the election to the 2014 referendum provides the following result:

SNP + Green (Yes)  53.5%

Tory, Labour & Lib/Dem  46.5%

Ruth Davidson, in her after election victory speech made the silly claim “The increase in the Tory Party’s share of the vote sends a clear message to the SNP and their supporters that there is no appetite for another referendum.”

But her speech and that of other Unionist Party leaders betrayed their fear of another referendum since the SNP manifesto had not included any reference to another referendum.

The outcome of the election (without any campaigning by the SNP) also gave every indication that another referendum would result in a “yes” vote.

The first use of the term “Tory surge in Scotland” was introduced into the election coverage by the BBC in it’s balanced election coverage a couple of weeks before the election.

And was speedily picked up and given maximum coverage by the compliant Scottish Press. Another example of the blatant misuse of the power of media manipulation by the Westminster government and the BBC.

It was incredulous to many voters that the party of rampant “austerity”, and ever increasing levels of family and child poverty, had gained votes in Scotland despite the wanton freezing of the elderly fuel allowance (against a 20% depreciation in the allowance purchasing performance), and the reviled bedroom tax, ruthless attacks on the disabled and health and welfare benefits so much admired by many countries worldwide.

There is still hope that members of the Labour party in Scotland will “grasp the nettle” and get onside with their fellow Scot’s taking up the mantle of freedom, rejecting the “federalist” policies of Kezia Dugdale which will only result in total rejection of the Labour Party by Scot’s.

In any event the future is now much clearer, the polarisation of Scottish politics is complete. The die has been cast. The Unionist Party’s have been exposed as a bunch of bully’s with no interest in the Scot’s except as a source of income and armed forces. The future is ugly (without effective representation), for Scot’s unless they vote with their hearts and minds and break free from the oppressive yoke of Westminster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Cameron: English Politician: “It would be wrong to suggest that Scotland could not be another successful, independent country.”

 

 

James A Froude: English Historian: “No nation in Europe can look with more just pride on their past than the Scots, and no young Scotsman aught to grow up in ignorance of what that past has been.”

 

 

Michael Fry: Historian: Broadcaster: Political Activist: “Scots can only solve their problems once they rule themselves and take responsibility for their actions as an independent nation.”

 

 

Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun- Opponent of the 1707 Union: “I knew a very wise man who believed that if a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who should make the laws of the nation. The Scots deserve no pity, if they voluntarily surrender their united and separate interests to the mercy of a united parliament, where the English shall have so vast a majority.”

 

 

Daniel Defoe: English Author: Spy: ” The Scots are as diligent, as industrious, as apt for Labour and Business, and as capable of it, when they are abroad, as any People in the World; and why should they not be so at Home? and, if they had Encouragement no doubt they would. Scotland has had many an ill picture drawn for her in the world; and as she has been represented in False Draughts, no wonder the Injury’s she has suffered are intolerable. All the Spies sent hither have carried back an ill Report of the Land, and filled the World with weak Banters and Clamour as they know not what.” A spy repents: Written on his return to Scotland (a few year’s before his death) where he witnessed the abject poverty and starvation of a once proud Scottish nation living under the brutal yoke of the Westminster brokered Union.

 

 

Professor Nial Ferguson: Historian: “Devolution gives Scots the illusion of self-government but not the reality of it. The parliament cannot flourish while it acts as a mere channel for aid from England. Independence would be preferable to this half-way house.”

 

 

Winifred M Ewing: Politician: “We must push the Parliament to campaign for more powers and we must campaign for those powers out in the country. The concept of fiscal autonomy is one that is easy to understand and one which attracts widespread support already. The control of our own resources is essential for we are the only country to have discovered oil and still to have become no better off. We also have vast supplies of the key resource of the twenty-first century – water – whilst there is a scarcity of it elsewhere, including England, and we have a huge ability to generate power by wind and other methods. Far from coming to the end of our riches, we are just coming into them.”

 

Sir Thomas Farmer: Businessman: “Nobody in the C.B.I. nor any other organisation is in a position to say independence would be bad for Scotland. At the end of the day these comments are an insult to Scots and Scotland as a nation.”

 

 

Craig Ferguson: Television Presenter: “I’m more comfortable here in America than I was in England. America is a natural place for a person from Scotland. Culturally, it didn’t feel like that much of a leap for me. It just kind of works for me. But for better or worse I’ll always be Scottish. Perhaps I would never have exceeded my expectations if I had been born somewhere else.”

 

 

Winston Churchill: English Politician: “as to the future, we have to secure for Scotland a much more direct and convenient method of bringing her influence to bear upon her own purely domestic affairs. There is nothing which conflicts with the integrity of the United Kingdom in the setting up of a Scottish Parliament for the discharge of Scottish business. There is nothing which conflicts with the integrity of the United Kingdom in securing to Scotsmen in that or in some other way an effective means of shaping the special legislation which affects them and only them. Certainly I am of opinion that if such a scheme can be brought into existence it will mean a great enrichment not only of the national life of Scotland, but of the politics and public life of the United Kingdom.”

 

 

Sean Connery: Actor: “Over the centuries the Scots have accepted the fact of English domination. You’ve only got to look at the figures to realise Scotland is a perpetually depressed area. Why else do the Scots have to leave Scotland to make a good living?”

 

 

Sean Connery: Actor: “I’ve always been hopeful about Scotland’s prospects. And I now believe more than ever that Scotland is within touching distance of independence and equality. The first step towards this was winning Scotland the right to a separate parliament in 1997 and the second was electing an SNP Government last year. I believe we have what it takes to take the third step, and I am convinced it will happen in my lifetime.”

 

 

Edward J Cowan: Historian: “The Declaration of Scottish Independence, 6 April 1320 is the first articulation of the idea that a king is elected by his subjects and if he steps out of line he can be deposed by them. It appeals to universal values. It appeals to the freedom and dignity of the individual but it also appeals to the freedom and dignity of the nation.”

 

 

Donald Dewar: Politician: “And there shall be a Scottish parliament. I like that. For me, for any Scot, today is a proud moment. Another stage on a journey begun long ago and which has no end. This is not just about our politics and our laws.It is about who we are, how we carry ourselves. “

 

 

Robert B C Graham: Politician: Author: “I regret, as a Scotsman, because we have always had a good name for business, that those traitors who sold our country [in 1707] got so little for themselves. £26,000! Why, their patron saint, Judas, got almost as much, taking into consideration the greater purchasing power of money when he did his deal.

 

 

Voltaire: “We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.”

 

 

Irvine Welsh: Novelist: “Swedes, Norwegians and Danes remain on amicable terms; they trade, co-operate and visit each other socially any time they like. They don’t need a pompous, blustering state called Scandinavia, informing them from Stockholm how wonderful they all are, but (kind of) only really meaning Sweden.”

 

 

Kevin Bridges: Comedian: “I think we should have an English vote first and let England make the first move – if they want us to leave, then we’ll stay.”

 

 

Frankie Boyle: Comedian: “I think half the country will have had their dreams and hopes destroyed, so it will be pretty much business as usual for everybody.”

 

 

Frankie Boyle: Comedian: “For 3 million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over to Satan in person. (on Margaret Thatcher)”

 

 

Winston S. Churchill: English Politician: “Of all the small nations of this earth, perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind.”

 

 

James W. Robertson: Journalist: “But I do like Scotland. I like the miserable weather. I like the miserable people, the fatalism, the negativity, the violence that’s always just below the surface. And I like the way you deal with religion. One century you’re up to your lugs in it, the next you’re trading the whole apparatus in for Sunday superstores. Praise the Lord and thrash the bairns. Ask and ye shall have the door shut in your face. Blessed are they that shop on the Sabbath, for they shall get the best bargains. Oh yes, this is a very fine country.”

 

 

Samuel Johnson: Writer: “Oats. A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.”

 

 

Samuel Johnson: Writer:  “Freedom is an idea that no tyrant will ever crush.”

 

 

William McIlvanney: Poet Politician: “Son, it’s easy tae be guid oan a fu’ belly. It’s when a man’s goat two bites an’ wan o’ them he’ll share, ye ken whit he’s made o’. Listen. In ony country in the world, who are the only folk that ken whit it’s like tae leeve in that country? The folk at the boattom. The rest can a’ kid themselves oan. They can afford to hiv fancy ideas. We canny, son. We loass the wan idea o’ who we are, we’re deid. We’re wan anither. Tae survive, we’ll respect wan anither. When the time comes, we’ll a’ move forward thegither, or nut at all.”

 

 

 

Robert Burns: Poet and Political Commentator: “My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.”

 

 

Benjamin Franklin: US Politician: “Did not strong connections draw me elsewhere, I believe Scotland would be the country I would choose to end my days in.”

 

 

Evelyn Glennie: “Scotland has never ceased to amaze the world with its forward vision, bold action and great educational institutions. Nothing makes me more proud than to promote this wonderful land with all its richness and diversity wherever I go.”

 

 

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1836-1908): Politician: “Even good government can never be a substitute for government by the people themselves.”

 

 

Robert Carlyle: Actor: “The Stone of Destiny is about being Scottish. It’s not about moaning, complaining or crying about the fact that Edward stole it in 1296. It’s more about what it means to the Scottish psyche.”

 

 

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881): Writer and Sage: “It is noteworthy that the nobles of the country (Scotland) have maintained a quite despicable behaviour since the days of Wallace downwards – a selfish, ferocious, famishing, unprincipled set of hyenas, from whom at no time, and in no way, has the country derived any benefit whatever.”

 

 

Andrew Carnegie: Industrialist: Philanthropist: “America would have been a poor show had it not been for the Scots.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King RobertThe Bruce

 

 

 

 

Alistair Darling    Gordon Brown

 

 

 

 

Alistair Darling – His Unmitigated Disastrous Treasury brief from 1992-98 and 2007-10

Darling was central to the economic calamities of the New Labour Government. His record included a fixation with financial services and a property boom – which drove growth, but at the expense of manufacturing and production. It also facilitated an ever increasing disparity between the North and South within the UK – as the wealth division between the City of London and the rest became a gulf. And it included a record of poor financial oversight and regulation which led to the banking crash and contributed to the deepest recession since the 1930s.

Critics further highlight the desperation of an economic clique in Whitehall to provide tax support to hedge funds and financial capital above the overall health of the economy. Darling was very much in the forefront of this.

His response to the banking crisis was an extension of this economic strategy. He sought to deflect criticism from himself onto Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and Mervyn King at the Bank of England. But he cannot separate himself from the decisions that led to the crisis. He was Labour spokesman on Treasury Affairs and then Chief Secretary to the Treasury across the period of 1992-1998. Together with Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Ed Balls, he was an architect of – if not at least heavily complicit in – the deregulation and tax cuts which let the financial sector spiral out of control.

In his time as Chancellor serious errors and misjudgements on his part led to the banking crisis. Not least his proclamation of an extended period of UK austerity, proclaiming the need for cuts “deeper and tougher” than those instituted by Margaret Thatcher. His “new deal” also resulted in a massive cut in capital investment when it should have been expanded in the wake of credit crisis to boost growth, jobs and revenue.

 

 

Fred the Shred Goodwin

 
Darling – His Indecision – Incompetence and Reliance on Advice From Fred (the Shred) Goodwin

In May 2012, the former Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King criticised the lack of action by Alistair Darling and the last Labour government when, in September 2007, (in the earliest days of the banking crisis) the first UK Bank, sorry English bank, Northern Rock, failed, which King said could have cost up to one million people their jobs. Decisive action would have at least mitigated the problems encountered by other Banks including HBOS and RBS a year later.

Darling learnt no lessons from the collapse of Northern Rock and his March 2008 Budget speech just six months after the first UK bank collapse makes embarrassing reading today: “…we have maintained confidence and stability in the banking system … We have turned welfare into work and borrowing into wealth creation.”

It was the UK regulatory authorities headed by Chancellor of Exchequer Alistair Darling that had the powers to investigate the RBS / AMRO take over but ignored the fact that no due diligence was done by RBS on a deal worth £49 billion before they gave its approval for the world’s biggest bank take over deal that brought about the collapse of the Royal Bank.

Incredibly, the FSA overlooked the rules on capital by allowing Goodwin and RBS to dip below 4%, below the minimum regulatory requirement on capital, to do the ABN Amro deal.

So much for relying on the UK regulatory body and compounding the errors Fred Goodwin ( at that time) was still an adviser to Alistair Darling as Chancellor, and a member of a key Treasury body advising Labour months after the banking crisis and quitting RBS.

Additional Information at: http://www.businessforscotland.co.uk/cameron-demands-apology-for-rbs-mess-from-darling-and-brown/

 

 

 
Ten Years of Unnecessary Austerity – The Rich Grow Richer and the Poor Die Earlier

In 2007 the UK had urgent need for a leader capable of resolving a banking crisis brought about by the greed of bankers and investors The country were blessed with Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling when it desperately required a figure of the status of US President Andrew Jackson who when confronted with greed and avarice of a similar scale shut the entire system down and introduced a banking system that catered for the needs of the citizens of the US.

Jackson made many speeches but this one to the bankers and investors is most apt in this circumstance:

“Gentlemen! I too have been a close observer of the doings of the Bank of the United States. I have had men watching you for a long time, and am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the bread stuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves. I have determined to rout you out, and by the Eternal, (bringing his fist down on the table) I will rout you out!”

On September 10, 1833, Jackson removed all federal funds from the Second Bank of the U.S. and redistributed them to a number of state banks. Jackson succeeded in destroying the bank. Problem solved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darlings Solution Let the Rich Get Richer Those Most In Need Can Carry the Burden of Debt

UK Alistair Darling abused his office when he instructed the Bank of England to print money (with no gold reserves to back it) and to flood the financial markets with £billions through a system called “Quantitative Easing”. The vast bulk of the new money was simply handed over (without precondition and minimal interest charge) to banks whose finances were in dire straits. When this initiative failed, in some circumstances e.g.. The Royal Bank of Scotland, he purchased all the banks bad debt (at the expense of every UK taxpayer) placing the country at greater financial risk as the major shareholder in banks with no future.

From that time, bolstered many times by newly printed money through further quantitative easing the UK stumbled from one financial crisis to another and incurred fresh debt, measured in £trillions to a number of financial institutions.

It is accepted in financial circles that the UK may never be able to balance the books despite an ever expanding period of austerity (now 10 years) imposed on the 95% of taxpayers who can ill afford the loss of income.

Pensions are at risk of default and poverty is widespread and growing relentlessly. A recent report placed 30,000 early deaths firmly with austerity measures.

But austerity does not extend to the bankers, investors and hedge funds who maintained their place of business off-shore. Despite carrying massive financial debt, (largely guaranteed by the taxpayer) many thousands of bankers and staff attract obscene and unjustified huge annual bonuses so that they would not be inconvenienced by the austerity measures in place throughout the country. What a kick in the teeth for the vast bulk of the electorate.

I expect Andrew Jackson would have allowed the banks to default, whilst insisting that banks honour payment of protected savings. There might have been many losers but they would have been heavily outnumbered by the winners. And the bankers, investors and Hedge Funds would have taken a massive hit. The rich and greedy, having dug themselves into a hole would have been required to get their shovels and dig themselves out.

But, the beast that is Westminster protected the few at the expense of the many. And Scotland still rejected independence. I despair.

 

 

 
A Look at the US and President Trump

Within days of taking up the Presidency of the US President Trump ordered that statues of Winston Churchill and President Andrew Jackson, (consigned to the basement at the start of President Obama’s term of office) would be returned to their rightful place in the entrance to the White House. The order may appear to be of little significance but time might reveal the importance of the change.

I expect their are many in the UK who look across the pond and wonder at the springtime madness that seems to be gripping the political scene in the US. In particular the wanton violence in the streets and university campuses of States favouring the Democratic Party.

The violence is not spontaneous being organised and funded by faceless individuals, groups and organisations pursuing agenda’s designed to wear down the newly appointed President Trump and his administration.

The recent furore over a temporary (3 month) executive order banning the free movement of individuals to and from a small number of countries (previously proscribed by President Obama) had a single purpose, to challenge law and order and embarrass the newly elected President. And the women marching in protest against Trump (for allegedly giving voice to a liking for “pussy”) should be ashamed of their conduct and protests, which would have served better purpose had they been directed at the barbaric treatment of women in Saudi Arabia and many other Islamic States.

The insidious agenda of disruption, protest and release of privileged information is being orchestrated by parties under threat from President Trump and his Administration.

It is rumoured that the Federal Reserve (the President has no control over it’s decisions) is planning to undermine President Trump’s much lauded infrastructure improvements through a process of interest rate hikes and other anti-inflationary measures. Money and Credit will dry up. And the UK will suffer from the fallout.

The video “Storm Clouds Gathering” provides an excellent brief in support of the foregoing. I highly recommend a viewing: https://youtu.be/1MmfCX2H7N8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010: Chinese Inward Investment Potential

Chinese worldwide investment expansion from 2009 attracted many entrepreneurs who wished to grasp any business opportunities which might arise. To facilitate this Sir Richard Branson formed the “E2Exchange” a network of talented budding and established business people.

This in turn spawned the “88Initiative” a company which specifically targeted young Chinese students for business skills development (founders, Sir Richard Heygate and Sir Paul Judge.)

The initiative led to the formation of the Chinese “Sinofortune Group”. It was this company that intended introducing up to £10billion of inward investment to Scotland. Details below:

 

 

 

 
2011: E2Exchange Network – President Richard Branson

Founded in 2011, E2Exchange has developed into an exciting, thriving and powerhouse network of ambition, investors, and innovation; exchanging ideas and opportunities within a trusted community driven by a motivation to help entrepreneurial businesses prosper.

They are a hub for 10,000 scale-up and established entrepreneurs, sophisticated investors, world-class corporate service providers and experienced non-executive directors driving economic growth in the UK, with ambitions to expand this globally.

“I am delighted to be the Honorary President of E2E. Supporting entrepreneurs who do not have access to networks and other resources to grow their businesses is critical to helping build a prosperous, equitable world for all.” Richard Branson

 

 

 

 
28 Nov 2013: The 88 Initiative: Putting guanxi into Great Britain

Two of the City’s most prominent ‘knights’ have joined forces with an entrepreneurial network to create greater ties between UK businesses and Chinese investors. Millionaire and City veteran Sir Paul Judge is having a party round at his on 20 December and it promises to be a Christmas party with a mission.

High up in east London’s ‘The Panoramic’ building, Chinese entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, representatives from Chinese family businesses, Chinese students, local entrepreneurs and private equity professionals will all be chatting over a few glasses of eggnog, as they look out over the Thames. It’s the second event by the 88 Initiative and building ties between UK and Chinese businesses is the aim of the game.

The 88 Initiative, a venture designed to improve relations between Chinese businesses and investors and their UK peers, is not the brainchild of Judge though; his long-time friend Sir Richard Heygate (former partner at McKinsey and inventor of the online ATM, no-less) came up with the idea. Sir Richard has joined forces with E2Exchange, an organisation for entrepreneurs, for which another Sir Richard (Branson of course) is the honorary president – in order to launch the 88 Initiative.

With its inaugural event in September in the bag and the second one speeding towards it, the 88 Initiative is close to clinching investment deals for a number of UK-based companies.

Why now?‘ There are many ultra-high-net worth Chinese investors who want to invest into British businesses but don’t have the relationships in the UK to do this,’ explains Shalini Khemka, chief executive of E2Exchange.

Central to Chinese business culture is trust, so we are helping Chinese investors build relationships in the UK to gain that trust to facilitate investment flows into SMEs and help accelerate their growth.’

After leaving McKinsey, Sir Richard worked on a number of start-ups and soon realised there was no institutional funding for UK entrepreneurs,’ he said. ‘I came across fantastic British inventions which had simply run out of money and died off or been sold for a fraction of their value. ‘I was talking with a friend, one of the biggest immigration lawyers in the UK, and he pointed out China has the largest pool of venture capital in the world. And while the UK is keen to attract Chinese wealth, China needs UK innovation.’ Sir Richard, like many a British businessperson and politician before him, realised China could hold the answer to many of our investment problems.

But the classic problem when it comes to doing business with the Chinese is their emphasis on trust and building strong relationships before signing any deals. It’s not as easy as rocking up and swinging your start-ups around. ‘The generation in power in China is not easy to deal with,’ explains Sir Richard. ‘Mostly, they don’t speak English and rely on something called guanxi – business trust.

There’s no point in heading over to China, organising meetings and going to cocktail parties unless you have a high level of guanxi.’ While lecturing at the Said Business School, Sir Richard came up with what he thought might be a solution.

He was lecturing at the college and met a swathe of Chinese students – he was vastly impressed with their entrepreneurialism and saw this generation as holding the key to doing business with the older generation. ‘I was so impressed with what an inspiring bunch the Chinese students were,’ he says. ‘Many have three or four degrees each, they’re very hard working and open minded.

I realised maybe these people were the bridge and so I decided to work with the younger generation. I’ve become friendly with six or seven groups of young entrepreneurs, building guanxi, and through them gained access to high net worth individuals and venture capital firms in China.’

Together the E2Exchange and Sir Richard are hoping to use the 88 Initiative to do a number of things; identify, mentor and fund new ventures in both the UK and China; seek out suitable UK brands who can branch into the Chinese market and build long term partnerships with Chinese family businesses; encourage UK venture capitalists to open their portfolios to Chinese investment banks and corporations. Phew. That’s no mean feat.

The initiative is currently on the verge of three deals involving UK businesses; a wine brand, a healthcare company and a hotel deal and ‘there are lots more in the hopper’. It is formalising the 88 incubator for joint China/UK entrepreneurs, setting up two agencies in China (one west coast, one inland) and launching a new venture capital firm with Rob Wylie of Wheb Partners as chairman.

All stations are go. The timing of the 88 Initiative couldn’t be better. Thanks in no small part to some tussling on George Osborne’s part, London is due to become the designated trading outpost for the Chinese currency – the renminbi – at the end of 2014, early 2015. According to commentators, this will open the floodgates for Chinese investment in the UK.

The odd Lloyds building here, Manganese Bronze there, will pale in significance. Organisations such as the 88 Initiative will hopefully smooth this change of gear and help entrepreneurs as they try to do business with the Chinese. ‘For UK SMEs looking to expand overseas, China is a huge market and there are significant benefits for Chinese investors who want to invest into UK businesses,’ explains Khemka ‘Chinese investors are keen to invest in UK businesses if they can see that the companies have high quality brands, with real potential in their home market.’

Khemka’s experience of dealing with UK-based entrepreneurs has taught her that although the opportunities are out there – our home-grown start-ups and small businesses aren’t taking them.‘Many UK entrepreneurs still do not realise the huge potential that the Chinese market offers their businesses,’ says Khemka. ‘With those entrepreneurs who are aware, there is some inertia because of the language and cultural barriers and also the lack of understanding regarding how Chinese investment and business operates.

We can support companies by giving them more confidence, through introducing them to the right people and helping them build relationships with the most influential networks and investors.’ Eighty-eight is the luckiest number in Chinese culture but it looks like the success of the 88 Initiative will have little to do with luck and a lot to do with guanxi – something we bet we’ll all be hearing a lot more of… (management today, 88-initiative)

 

 

 

 

2016: Sinofortune Group – Linked to 88 Initiative and E2Exchange

Sir Richard Heygate, a member of the E2Exchange, founded the 88 Initiative in 2012 with Sir Paul Judge, a City of London boardroom veteran and former director general of the UK’s Conservative Party, and set out to bring to the UK some of the billions of private and public money that China was looking to invest across the globe.

Peter Zhang was a research associate at York University’s Management School – and was a founding committee member of the China Innovation and Development Association which received Chinese embassy-level support from 2009. It seems to be something of a hothouse conduit for the billions of investment that came after President Xi’s visit to Britain in 2015.

The Group is a Chinese company and has been taken as a model for China’s state-run capitalist strategy. It was incorporated in London in July 2015. The joint majority shareholders are managing director, Peter Zhang and the Liaoning Fortone International Investment Group, a subsidiary of Liaoning Fortone Group, an engineering- and construction-focused conglomerate based in the north-eastern Chinese city of Shenyang that lists its main business activities as “mega project investment.” The “Sino” part of the “SinoFortone” name comes from Sinolinks, a company formed by Peter Zhang in Hong Kong in 2012.

Professor Yu Xiong, the Chair of Technology and Operations Management at Northumbria University’s Newcastle Business School, knows Zhang from his university days and also has, he says, advised SinoFortone and the British and Chinese governments on joint cooperation business strategies (indeed, he is also a director of a SinoFortone business).

According to Yu, SinoFortone relies heavily on State funding but because of a slowdown on the release of funds – caused by a very real fear of corruption and tightened due diligence – the majority of this funding is not actually secured. “From my understanding they have signed some deals and secured some funding but Sinosure have not yet approved most it.”

Sir Richard Heygate, former company director who resigned from the group in December 2016, said SinoFortone’s commitment had fallen apart when China’s state export credit agency, Sinosure, refused to provide finance.

 

 

 

 

In the Autumn of 2015 Chinese investment in the UK increased markedly. Scotland attracted new opportunities some of which were sourced through ” Asia Scotland Institute” a charitable company of repute based in Edinburgh. One such company was SinoFortone (UK).

After many months of quiet diplomacy (required behaviour when dealing with Chinese businessmen) in April 2016, Scotland’s First Minister signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU) with SinoFortune committing government to further discussions which it was anticipated would lead to significant inward investment to Scotland.

The understanding was concluded within the General Election “Purdah” period and this prevented any major announcement. But the anti -SNP Scottish press decided to “go for the Kill” and broadcast news of the venture widely each day adding a series of “spoilers” designed to discredit the Scottish government.

Opposition group leaders in Holyrood “climbed aboard the bandwagon” claiming ignorance of any discussions with Chinese companies, lodging a series of unfounded outrageous allegations of misrule by the Scottish government. The sequence of events is detailed below:

 

 

 

 
Oct 2015: Asia Scotland Institute Chairman’s Letter To the First Minister of Scotland – Infrastructure Funding Opportunity from China – Chinese Investment in Scotland

I was in touch with your office last week and you may recall had written to you prior to your visit to China earlier this year. Although currently in the United States, I return to Edinburgh by the end of this month and am writing as agreed with your office to resuscitate my original communication, particularly in view of the successful and recent Chinese visit to England.

Prior to your own visit to China Sir Richard Heygate wrote the following:- “I will say that there has not been a single private conversation I have had with senior Chinese figures that has not ended up discussing how the RMB will replace the Dollar as international currency.

I doubt if top politicians will admit this, but it has an overwhelming feeling in the business community. How this will play out in the international world, I cannot predict, but all trends show that China will be overtaking the US in GDP in the near future.”

Sir Richard added this piece of advice for yourself and remember he knows the Chinese well and has great relationships with some very significant Chinese individuals and companies. “Keep answers simple. The Chinese hate smart complexity as they feel one is trying to fool them. They also love “visions” and “dreams” in a way we have long forgotten. You should emphasis your dream for Scotland and stress how the Scots traded so heavily with China in the past and that you are committed to get people to do the same today”.

Focusing on moving matters forward, I have encouraged Sir Richard Heygate (copied on this email acting for the two Chinese potential funding companies, to allow you and your colleagues to address the question of what major infrastructure projects might be explored with the Chinese in the coming months.

The recent announcements of significant transactions in England during the Chinese State Visit have prepared the ground for similar large projects in Scotland. I look forward to hearing back from you and arranging a meeting in Scotland in early November to see how we can take the initiative forward. (Roddy Gow, Asia Scotland Institute)

 

 

 

 
8 Apr 2016: Letter from the Scottish Government to SinoFortone (UK)

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) does not commit the Scottish government to any specific projects and that full due diligence would of course be undertaken should the MoU ultimately result in any projects. It is also emphasised that the MOU is not a binding legal agreement and emphasised that this had been made clear in public statements.
Note: In the period 27 October 2015 – 9 April 2016 there was a copious exchange of correspondence between various parties, the bulk of which appeared to be directed to the need for clarification of matters arising from a proposed investment of Chinese capital into Scotland. Full details are to be found at: “http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00500943.pdf”

 

 

 

 
14 May 2016: Holyrood questions lodged about China firms agreement

Dozens of questions about the Scottish government memorandum of understanding with Chinese firms were lodged during the first session at Holyrood. Wullie Rennie lodged a total of 28 questions, all on the topic of the China agreement and government memoranda of understanding.

He asked a series of questions about whether government officials were aware of the Norwegian blacklisting, their assessment of the firm’s human rights record, what advice was taken before signing the memorandum, and whether the government would suspend the memorandum until it had investigated concerns.

Ms Sturgeon said no firm investment plans had been made and insisted that due diligence would be carried out. (BBC News)

 

 

 

 

31 May 2016: Scottish government China Deal Correspondence Released

In a chamber debate about the economy, Wullie Rennie said it was now clear that aides had tried to “Tippex” China Railway out of the deal after “devastating revelations” from Norway’s pension fund and Amnesty International, which he said had “condemned” the firm. He said “no due diligence” had been done on the company before the memorandum was signed, and said the Scottish government should be “embarrassed”.

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said the SNP had “dodged and weaved for weeks” over the deal. He said: “Finally when forced to publish the facts, the SNP blames opposition parties for asking questions. It’s classic SNP: duck scrutiny and then go on the attack when challenged.”

And Scottish Labour said the SNP had “misled people” about Mr Souter’s involvement in the deal, with Jackie Baillie calling for a parliamentary statement from Mr Brown and an investigation by the Economy Committee.

 

‘Unfounded assertions’

Responding for the Scottish government, Mr Brown said the papers “show how misguided opposition politicians have been about the China investment memorandum, exposing their assertions as unfounded.

It is clear that while all potential investment has to be considered carefully, opposition parties should be wary about deterring potential investment. The full set of papers we are releasing shows the approach taken by the Scottish government to potential investment in Scotland was entirely appropriate throughout the process.

The papers confirm that the interest from Chinese investors with the potential of up to £10bn of investment in a range of private and local authority projects was serious and credible, but that discussions remain at an early stage, with no specific projects or any investment whatsoever agreed.” Full details: “http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00500943.pdf”

 

 

 

 
Britain was expected to benefit from Chinese inward investment as a result of the visit to Britain by the Chinese President in the summer of 2015. It did but suffered a sharp reverse due to a number of unexpected events. These are detailed below:

 

 

 
May 2015: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Formed in China

In recent years the Chinese economy boomed due to a worldwide free trade agreement resulting in the accumulation of substantial cash reserves. The Chinese Central Bank authorised foreign inwards investment and also looked abroad, to other countries for opportunities to enter into joint business and infrastructure projects.

The UK government was not slow to respond to the Chinese initiatives and announced a new era of open trade. China then created a new funding structure the “Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.”

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, went off to Beijing to sign up to the new arrangement and during his visit announced that the UK would be a founding member of the new bank.

The US authorities were furious that he had placed the US/UK alliance at risk. Not to be put off George then advised his hosts of the new HS2 rail link between London and the North of England and the opportunity for joint China/UK major infrastructure investment.
Note: Following his defeat in the 2015 General Election Danny Alexander was repaid with a peerage for his loyalty to the UK Chancellor, George Osborne. He was further rewarded with the appointment to the post of vice president and corporate secretary of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. In this position he would have been fully conversant with developments in Scotland.

Wee Wullie Rennie’s claim, in the Holyrood parliament that he had been kept in the dark about the initiative by the Scottish government beggars belief. The number of questions he raised in Holyrood betrayed the level of his knowledge of events. It is entirely possible leaks published in the Scottish press originated with the Lib/Dem Party

 

 

 

 

Jul 2015: Chinese President In First Visit To The UK For Over Ten Years

During the official four-day visit President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan stayed at Buckingham Palace as guests of the Queen and attended a state banquet. Mr Cameron and the President held two days of talks, including Chinese investment in UK infrastructure and business ventures for British companies in China.

 

 

 

 
Jun 2016: Britain Votes to leave the European Union

The unexpected referendum vote (on June 23) to leave the European Union caused much anxiety in Beijing who had expected to use the UK as a base to expand into Europe.

 

 

 
Jul 2016: UK Prime Minister Theresa May delayed approval of the nuclear power station at Hinckley Point

The shock decision (July 28) by the newly appointed UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, to defer approval of the nuclear power plant at Hinkley (part-funded by French/Chinese investment) caused consternation in France and Beijing. It appeared the US had voiced concerns about the project and others in the pipeline would be compromising the security of NATO.

China’s response was to highlight the huge inward investment of Chinese finance into the UK economy, the planned expansion of trade and that diplomatic and trade links had existed years between China and Britain for many hundreds of before the creation of the USA.

They also highlighted that the vote in the June referendum to leave the EU had been assisted by a vision of Britain outside the EU with closer links to new markets such as China.

Also that Inter government discussions had been held exploring new trade deals and it was imperative that open trade arrangements were put in place so as to ensure active participation in the “Made in China 2025”, initiative which addresses China’s declining competitive advantage in manufacturing by encouraging Chinese companies to make better-quality products. The scheme presents a golden chance for British firms to manufacture and supply high-tech equipment, design and consultancy.

Reference was also made to arrangements currently in place which include British employees working with many Chinese companies world wide on multi-billion pound projects forming part of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative which is designed to revive the ancient silk roads, connecting China with its neighbours and beyond, through investment.

And failure to sign off the nuclear power station agreement could also jeopardise the HS2 infrastructure development. She signed the agreement. But the damage had been done.

 

 

 

 

Aug 2016: Blow to UK Economy As China Clamps Down on Overseas Investment

Chinese overseas deals worth almost $75 billion were cancelled last year as a regulatory clampdown and restrictions on foreign exchange caused 30 acquisitions with European and US groups to fall through.

A quarter of the value of commercial property deals that were in the market on 23 June, the day of the EU referendum, have since fallen through as investors tread cautiously amid uncertainty around Brexit negotiations. (Himanshu Singh: Citywire)

 

 

 

 
There is early promise that 2017 will be a better year for Britain and Chinese relations. Red Rock Power Ltd has been established in Edinburgh and the Chinese Console wrote to a Scottish newspaper clarifying China’s commitment to inward investment worldwide. Details below:

 

 

 

15 Nov 2016: China-Scotland Inward Investment – Renewable Energy Development

On 15 November, Red Rock Power Limited, a subsidiary of Chinese “State Development and Investment Corporation” (SDIC), officially opened its office in Edinburgh.

Managing Director, Mr. Wang said that with the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to the UK, a “Golden Era” of the relationship has begun, providing a strong support for the offshore wind power cooperation between China and Scotland.

As Scotland has rich marine resources, excellent investment environment, comprehensive offshore operating experience and outstanding professionals, the Chinese side has full confidence in the investment and development of Scottish offshore wind power projects, and wishes to work together with its counterparts to make a role for business cooperation between China and Scotland.

SDIC looks forward to participating in Scottish economic development in more areas for mutual benefit.

First Minister Sturgeon expressed her warmest congratulations on the office opening of Red Rock Power Limited. She said China is an important partner to Scotland, and the both sides are strongly complementary with each other in economic cooperation. http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/cgedb/eng/xwdt/t1416271.htm

 

 

 

 

17 Nov 2017: The Chinese Consul General in Scotland replied to an article entitled “Questions over China Deal Remain”, raising doubts about Chinese investment.

At the beginning of this millennium, Chinese investment is widespread throughout the world. For consecutive years, its outbound direct investment (ODI) has kept the third place in the world.

2015 saw China’s non-financial ODI reach a record $118.02 billion and over 30,000 Chinese enterprises operate in 188 developing and developed countries and regions. From January to September this year, its non financial ODI has already overtaken last year’s figure with an accumulative investment of $134.2 billion, up 53.7 percent year-on-year.

As the world’s second largest economy, China has become the second biggest trading partner of the UK outside EU, with the latter as a main destination for Chinese outbound investment.

For the past five years, Chinese investment in Britain has surpassed its combined investment in Germany, France and Italy. A recent example is the significant breakthrough in the Hinkley Point nuclear project with Chinese investment.

Meanwhile, Chinese investors aren’t sitting idle in Scotland with some large enterprises already setting their foot here in the fields of oil and gas as well as renewable energy. This year saw another major Chinese investment in offshore wind farms.

As a major player on the global stage of investment, Chinese enterprises work hand-in-hand with their counterparts in the spirit of mutual respect and trust, achieve wins for both sides and contribute to global economic and social development. In doing so, Chinese investment enjoys a good reputation and warm reception worldwide. (Scotsman 17 Nov 2016)

 

Wee Wullie His nose is always in the trough

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Michael Fallon, Minister of Defence

 

 

 

 

The Last Honest Journalist in the UK

“In the eyes of posterity it will inevitably seem that, in safeguarding our freedom, we destroyed it. The vast clandestine apparatus we built up to prove our enemies’ resources and intentions only served in the end to confuse our own purposes; that practice of deceiving others for the good of the state led infallibly to our deceiving ourselves; and that vast army of clandestine personnel built up to execute these purposes were soon caught up in the web of their own sick fantasies, with disastrous consequences for them and us.” Malcolm Muggeridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 Aug 2015: The British Army is to be sent to the Ukraine to train the Ukraine Defence Forces

The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Stoking up Conflict, Michael Fallon, just announced (during a visit to Kiev that the British Army) is going to be investing more UK taxpayers’ money into training the Ukrainian army, increasing the number of soldiers in the programme from just over 1,000 to around 2,000 by the end of the year. Another Battalion of the Highlanders Regiment is being deployed

But Article 10 of the Minsk II Accords states the following: There will be a pull-out of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. Disarmament of all illegal groups.

Judge for yourselves: Is this in compliance with Minsk II? Or is it a flagrant violation of it?

During his visit he told Ukrainian Prime Minister that the visit “reaffirmed the UK’s support”. and went on to say: “Seven thousand people have already died in the Ukraine, right on the doorstep of Europe … This is not a frozen conflict, it’s still red hot. We are not going to turn our back on Ukraine.”

Of course he conveniently forgot to mention that the majority of those 7,000 or so dead people are civilians in the South East of Ukraine (they are Ukrainians too), who died at the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, or the so-called volunteer battalions such as the one led by arch Nazi Stepan Bandera.

 

Three questions to Mr Fallon:

1. Is the UK Government going to sanction itself for violating the Minsk II Accords?

2. In reaffirming the UK Government’s support for “Ukraine”, do we include those “Ukrainians” who have been shelled relentlessly by the “Ukrainian” Government?

3. Are we going to be training any of those nice chaps with the SS runes?

http://www.theblogmire.com/michael-fallon-and-those-nice-chaps-with-the-ss-runes/

 

 Stepan Bandera’s Ukraine’s irregular force

 

 

 

 
29 Sep 2016: Uk to Take up Leadership Role of the European Nations Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) in 2017

UK armed forces are building a stronger relationship with Albania by working side-by-side on NATO exercises improving mutual effectiveness meeting security challenges in the Balkans.

Soldiers from the Army’s Grenadier Guards and Royal Marines from Kilo Company 42 Commando joined Albanian troops and personnel from the US, Kosovo and Montenegro in Biza in a combined field training exercise.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-powers-up-albania-defence-partnership

 

 

 

 

 

8 Oct 2016: 2,300 UK maritime forces take part in exercise with Albania

An amphibious task group, the Joint Expeditionary Force Maritime comprising Royal Navy and Royal Marines joined Albanian forces for an exercise in the Adriatic and the Gulf, reinforcing the UK’s relationships with allies, ensuring the task group’s response readiness.

the UK force was led by the warships HMS Ocean and HMS Bulwark supported by Navy vessels RFA Mounts Bay and MV Eddystone, a Tailored Air Group made up of Chinook, Merlin, Wildcat and Apache helicopters, and lead elements of a Royal Marine Commando group, Royal Navy divers and Commando engineers.A small number of Army and Royal Air Force personnel also took part.

The Minister of defence, Sir Michael Fallon said: “The contribution of maritime forces as well as two Royal Navy warships underlines the UK’s strength at sea and our strong defence partnership with Albania. The UK is committed to work with Albania meeting security challenges in the Balkans and demonstrates the ability the UK has to deploy highly effective maritime forces at short notice, anywhere in the world.

In addition to this exercise, the UK has over 3,000 military personnel deployed on operations around the world, underlining Britain’s global military footprint.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2300-uk-maritime-forces-take-part-in-exercise-with-albania

 

 

Albanian army unit

 

 

 

 

9 Oct 2016: Russia must be held accountable for its war crimes, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said today.

Sir Michael said “a much more aggressive Russia” had made the decision to be a “competitor” to the West, as he accused it of murder and war crimes in Syria. He said: “The regime is bombing its own people, its own children, its own women, and it’s being aided and abetted by Russia. There’s increasing evidence that Russia is party to the slaughter that’s now going on. We hoped Russia would become a partner to us in the West, but clearly Russia has decided to be a competitor.

They said that right at the beginning they were going to come in and help us fight Daesh (ISIS), they haven’t done that. They’ve been helping (Syrian president Bashar) Assad bomb his own people, they’ve been flexing their muscles in the Black Sea, they’ve been militarising in Crimea, we’ve seen this pressure on the Baltic states, and they’ve tried to interfere in elections — they even tried to interfere on the Dutch referendum on the Ukraine association agreement.”

“https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1943334/michael-fallon-blasts-aggressive-russia-over-decision-to-become-competitor-to-the-west/”

 

 

Albanian Soldier

 

 
28 Nov 2016: Sir Michael Fallon has warned NATO is “prepared to defend” any of its member states amid rising tensions between Russia and the West.

Fallon, said Vladimir Putin has been testing the alliance’s resolve with recent military manoeuvres, which included stationing nuclear weapons in firing distance of Europe. He said Nato had to respond to Moscow and is fully “prepared” to come to the defence of any member state.

He continued: “Testing, that’s what he’s [Putin] been doing. We’ve seen long-range aviation, Russian bombers flying down the edge of our flight region, more submarine activity, manoeuvres on the borders outside the Baltic states and across the border from Poland, more maritime activity in the Baltic, we’ve had this cruiser group sail through the English Channel. So, Putin, I think is testing the alliance and we have to respond.”

The Secretary of Defence also called for NATO members to increase military spending to meet the guidelines which say nations should spend two per cent of their GDP on defence as the alliance “pulls itself together”.

“http://www.libertyfighters.uk/uk/michael-fallon-nato-prepared-to-go-to-war-with-russia-and-respond-to-putins-threats/”

 

 

 

 

4 Feb 2017: Michael Fallon – The Nutty Brit

Enter Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary of the Poodle-in-Chief, the United Kingdom, who insinuates that Russia is launching a campaign of cyber attacks targeting democracy in the west, “weaponizing misinformation”.

Is he nuts? Firstly, Russia is a democracy and has a President who enjoys an 80%+ approval rating . Secondly, Fallon should publish any supporting facts in public for all to see. Thirdly, what is this nonsense about “misinformation”? Misinforming whom about what?

 

Albanian airforce

 

 

About Misinformation:

Who forged papers falsely linking Saddam Hussein to yellow-cake uranium produced in “Nigeria” (in fact it is from Niger and the document was forged by guess who?)

Who provided “concrete intelligence” to the UK’s bed-master about Saddam Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (in fact a thesis copied and pasted from the Net and sexed up by Blair and his spin doctors)?

Who was it that invaded Iraq based on shamefaced lies?

Who supported terrorists in Libya that they had listed as proscribed?

Who lied about Syria, claiming that the elected government was using chemical weapons against their own soldiers?

Who supported terrorist groups in Syria who cut the heads off small boys?

Who Staged an illegal coup in Ukraine, backing a motley bunch of fascists, terrorists and murderers.

Who perpetrated massacres of Russian speaking Ukrainians and threatened to clear the Ukraine of Jews?

Who copied and pasted photographs from the Net from two decades before and relating to another country claiming President Assad was murdering civilians (when the photography pertained to a NATO massacre in Iraq two decades before)?

Who conducts 24-hour-a-day cyber terrorist attacks against western publications?

The international community is fast losing patience with the UK and its partner in crime across the Atlantic. It is a fact that the world does not need the UK or USA. They need the World.

If the US and UK wish to do something worthwhile, they could assist other countries resolving the contamination of the Worlds oceans. Today a whale beached itself in Norway trying to die because it had so many plastic bags in its stomach it was driving the poor creature…to suicide. When a whale decides that death is better than the living hell humankind has created, then something is wrong.

So instead of bickering and threatening other nations, the US and UK could do something in tune with the hearts and minds of humankind.. Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey Pravda.Ru

http://www.pravdareport.com/opinion/columnists/04-02-2017/136783-trump_shut_up-0/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 May 2016: Defence Minister, Philip Hammond ‘tried to court-martial senior general

General Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as Nato’s deputy supreme allied commander for Europe until 2014, said before standing down from the post the Government was taking “one hell of a risk” by cutting the regular army. In his book ‘2017: The War with Russia’, published today, Sir Richard claims he was summoned by the head of the Army after his remarks in March 2014, who told him the Foreign Secretary wanted disciplinary action against him.

Formal action would have involved a court-martial and, fortunately for (Mr Hammond’s) political reputation — “it also seems he had not appreciated that I reported to Nato and not to him — wiser counsel prevailed. But the damage to our armed forces… had already been done. It’s the duty of senior soldiers engaged with politicians not to think like politicians, not to make life easier for politicians, but to be prepared to lay out the military consequences of political decisions, and I sense that is something that has got blurred in recent years.”

Sir Richard, who was the army’s third most senior officer, said the level of cutbacks to the British military means the armed forces might not be able to deploy an effective force for war. There has been a hollowing out, a cutting away at muscle and damn nearly bone in UK defences which puts us in a very different position from where we were even ten years ago.

I would question whether the UK could deploy a division for war — I think that’s highly unlikely. The notion of deploying a division for war as the UK did in Iraq in 2003 and Iraq in 1991 is frankly almost inconceivable.” Sir Richard also hit out at what he branded “increasingly irrelevant” political leadership and claimed Britain has become “semi pacifist” in recent years. The former general suggests Vladimir Putin’s regime “has set itself on a collision course with the West”.

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/defence/defence-funding/news/75163/philip-hammond-tried-court-martial-senior-general-new

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 August 2016: Scandalous splurge – Ministry of Defence doubles spending on on ‘experts’ to £91million as it cuts troops to the bone

Whitehall defence chiefs employ over 2,395 pen-pushers (many on salaries over £60K) in its Finance Department, at an annual cost in excess of £75million. It also employs 282 lawyers at a cost to the taxpayer of £26 million.

But last year it still spent another £17.8 million on legal consultants. And £57million on other experts in areas such as “change management.”

In recent years, the Army has axed 18,000 personnel, the RAF 6,000 and the Navy 3,000. In March the MoD announced it was closing 10 sites across the UK reducing the size of its built estate by 30 per cent.

The chief of the UK National Defence Association, said: “For the MOD to be lavishing so much public money on “consultancy” is scandalous and an insult to all the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have lost their jobs in the last few years in wave after wave of penny-pinching Defence cuts.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1607670/ministry-of-defence-doubles-spending-on-on-experts-to-91million-as-it-cuts-troops-to-the-bone/

 

 

 

 
17 Sep 2016: Gen Sir Richard Barrons, Senior General of the British Armed Forces accuses the government of leaving the UK vulnerable to a military attack

General Sir Richard Barrons served as Commander Joint Forces Command, one of the six ‘Chiefs of Staff” leading the UK Armed Forces until April 2016. He was responsible for 23000 people worldwide and a budget of £4.3Bn, delivering intelligence, Special Forces, operational command and control, information systems and communications, logistics, medical support, and advanced education and training across the Armed Forces. His military career includes leadership from Captain to General on military operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan – often as part of US-led coalitions
In a long memo (written just before his retirement), to the Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon he warned that key capabilities had been sidelined to cut costs. His warning stated that the government was simply “preserving the shop window” with items “large ticket items” such as aircraft carriers and “capability that is foundational to all major armed forces has been withered by design.”

He continued: “Counter-terrorism is the limit of up-to-date plans and preparations to secure our airspace, waters and territory. Neither the UK homeland nor a deployed force could be protected from a concerted Russian air effort. The army has grown used to operating from safe bases in the middle of its operating area, against opponents who do not manoeuvre at scale.”

He further warned that crucial manpower in all three armed services is “dangerously squeezed and there is a sense that modern conflict is ordained to be only as small and as short term as the UK wishes and is able to afford which is absurd. The failure to come to terms with this will not matter at all if we are lucky in the way the world happens to turn out, but it could matter a very great deal if even a few of the risks now at large conspire against the UK.”

The memo was sent to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, following the government’s decision to increase defence spending by nearly £5bn ($6.5bn) by 2020-21, reaching Nato’s target to spend 2% of GDP on defence until 2020.

But the vast bulk of the projected increase in defence spending includes the purchase of “big ticket” items, New type 26 destroyers, 2 aircraft carriers (without aircraft or crews), 48 x F35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (not available from the USA for some years yet). Replacement of the Trident nuclear missile systems and accompanying nuclear submarines. Conventional forces are reduced to their lowest level ever, including reservists and recruitment is stagnant.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Note:

The F35 joint strike aircraft (US built) is the most expensive combat aircraft ever built for the UK. But payloads are restricted and with a complement of 48 the RAF will only be able to place 6 in the air in any combat situation. In any event the aircraft will not be available much before 2020. Plans are to deploy the new carriers equipped with complements of US aircraft and flyers but the logistics of joint deployment of forces has yet to be discussed and may never get off the ground in which case the carriers will be mothballed for a few years.

Britain has 6 x type 45 destroyers. 4 are tasked to protect the new carriers. The remaining 2 destroyers are needed for the defence of the UK mainland & islands. And the foregoing provides no time for maintenance. The Type 45 destroyers are unable to operate in warm climates for any length of time due to design faults and this restricts their deployment to the North Atlantic. So the navy will need to confine deployment of the new carriers to the same area. Hardly inspiring.

The army has not deployed forces for training in tank warfare since 2003 and skills have been lost or waned. Plans are to upgrade the remaining ageing Challenger tanks but not until other higher priority items are completed. Russia’s new “Armata” tanks outspeed and outgun the Challenger and are equipped with an active protection system that further reduce the efficacy of existing UK anti-tank weapons by over 50%.
The UK’s operates a fleet of 6 x AWACS planes, (providing long-range radar coverage and command hubs for deployed forces). They are hopelessly outdated and require ever increasing downtime for maintenance. It is known that only 1 aircraft is guaranteed to be airworthy at any time.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/british-armed-forces-ill-prepared-attack-uk-says-retired-commander-1581819

http://con4lib.com/the-scandal-of-britains-withered-armed-forces-a-strong-defence-is-essential-to-liberty/

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Nov 2016: Army’s new £3.5bn mini-tanks are ‘DEATH traps’ that are only useful against ‘incompetent enemies’ who cannot hit them with heavy artillery

Hundreds of Ajax mini-tanks are due to be supplied to the Army next year with the full order of 600 delivered to the Ministry of Defence by 2024.

But sources have claimed the delivery could be delayed due to complications with a revolutionary weapons system fitted on board each tank, although the MoD has insisted the project will be completed on time and will provide the ‘best’ tanks.

Critics claim the ‘lightly armoured’ tanks cannot stand up to heavy artillery and say the weaponry on board is not sufficient – with the gun having already ‘stopped working’ during foreign trials. Raising concerns about the new tanks, one former defence official told The Times: ‘It is fine if you are operating against incompetent enemies, but if you are up against a peer enemy this thing is useless, it’s a death trap.’

The Ajax armoured vehicles will travel at speeds of up to 40mph and have been touted as the first ever fully digital armoured fighting vehicle in UK military history.

The 589 tanks are said to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of the British Army on the battlefields of the future. The new vehicle will allegedly give the army enhanced intelligence, surveillance, protection, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, and it will be able to defend itself with a highly effective 40-millimetre cannon, which was developed jointly with France.

However, critics claim the cannon has already encountered problems during routine testing in overseas trials and say it is simply not up to the job of defending rival power from countries such as Russia. Referring to an alleged complication with the cannon’s turret – a section attached to the weapon to feed ammunition to the barrel – a source claimed: ‘As soon as the turret was subject to vibration and bumps the [feeding] mechanism failed. ‘My understanding is that there are quite a few reasons why the programme has been delayed’.

In addition, there are reported concerns that the barrel life of the weapon system is too short to function adequately – although the MoD says the new technology ‘can’t be compared to previous technology’. The turret and feeding mechanism on the cannon is being supplied and tested by defence firm Lockheed Martin, while the cannon and ammunition are being developed by BAE Systems and Nexter.

The Ajax tanks are being supplied to the MoD by US defence company General Dynamics, as part of a £3.5bn deal. A spokesman for Lockheed Martin admitted ‘issues did arise in recent trials’ on the weaponry but said ‘early indications point to a component failure and not a design flaw’, The Times reported. BAE systems said the cannon had passed ‘stringent qualification trials’ and said there were no issues with its performance or when it will be delivered. ‘Deliveries to date to the UK Ministry of Defence are ahead of schedule,’ a spokesman said.

The MoD said the project is ‘running to time and cost expectations’ and insisted the tanks were ‘the best in class’. delivering internationally best-in-class standards of scalable protection, reliability, mobility, lethality, and all-weather surveillance. Prototype vehicles are currently being put through a rigorous trials process, with successful live firings taking place in April and more to come. ‘As planned, the Army will take delivery of the first production vehicles in Spring 17.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3892754/Army-s-new-3-5bn-mini-tanks-DEATH-traps-useful-against-incompetent-enemies-hit-heavy-artillery.html

 

 

 

 

 

UK Defence Secretary in waiting