OK – so much politics. So, here’s a song from 40 years ago by one of the great British singers, the sadly departed Dusty Springfield. I like so many of her songs, this one has a sweeping melody, a lovely lyric – and once you get past the fashion taste, it remains a classic. I’m sure Elvis Costello borrowed part of the lyric from this for his poignant little ballad "Just a Memory"….hope you like it.

You know, when it comes to finding politicians to detest, we are rather spoiled for choice but Northern Ireland Secretary of State perma-tanned Peter Hain is surely right up there as one of the most loathsome creatures in this abomination of a Government.

Naturally the Belfast Telegraph – Northern Ireland’s worst daily newspaper – finds space to report Peter far from perfect accuse the Conservatives of whipping up an English nationalism which threatens to make the people of Northern Ireland "second class" citizens and bring about the Balkanisation of Britain. Maybe better than the Islamification of Britain, eh Peter?  

The Ulster Secretary has launched a (wait for it..it’s hilarious!) "staunch defence of the Union"- only days after a similarly passionate appeal was made by the likely next Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Mr Hain rounded on Conservative proposals for "English votes for English laws". Tory leader David Cameron last year said a "neat solution" to the so-called West Lothian problem would be to allow the Commons Speaker to designate England-only Bills.

This is the same Peter Hain who would be more than happy to see Northern Ireland out of the Union and who has become a key persuader for unionists to accept the idea of Irish republican insurrectionists in devolved Government. This is the same Peter Hain who welcomed the draft EU constitution. This is the same Peter Hain who the Muslim Council of Britain sees fit to honour. This man would not recognise truth if it jumped up and bit him in his oddly orange-hued face.  

I wanted to commend this excellent post over on Cranmer to you. It concerns a story that appeared on the BBC which I meant to report but overlooked! Apparently, the NHS should provide more faith-based care for Muslims because ‘Muslims are about twice as likely to report poor health and disability than the general population’. The BBC states this, without providing the scientific explanation for the fact, doubtless because it does not wish to offend, cause riots, or have any of its staff murdered.  Read the full post to get the significance of my title to this post…

This is an extract from Auntie Beeb’s web report on the health of Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro (key words underlined):

‘Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in a serious condition following three failed operations, according to Spain’s El Pais newspaper.’

Yet the very same BBC website reported the death of Augusto Pinochet last December in the following way:

‘Chile’s former military leader Augusto Pinochet has died in hospital aged 91. He had been thought to be recovering after a heart attack a week ago.’

So when is one dictator elevated to the rank of military leader, whilst the other continues to languish in the quagmire of journalistic ideological mediocrity associated with the everyday term ‘leader’?  Elementary!  It’s when one trangresses the cardinal ‘virtue’ of being as Left as Left can be.

If anyone is in doubt as to WHY Palestinians should not be indulged — check this very short video footage out…it shows just how much value that they put on the life of children.

I note that the UK’s rate of inflation has jumped to 3% in December, according to the latest set of official figures. The rise in the Consumer Prices Index, up from a rate of 2.7% in November, was at the top end of expectations. The increase, taking the rate to an 11-year high – had been widely expected following last week’s shock rise in UK interest rates to 5.25%.

There is a secondary point here – and it relates to Gordon Brown’s tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer. His profligacy on spending when it comes to the Public Sector and the vast expansion of this knows no bounds, and there was always going to be pay-back in the real world. Now we see it. Brown wants out of the Exchequer before the brown stuff hits the financial fan. I think we can all now see why. 

Here’s an interesting story that the MSM have largely ignored…..from the Irish Independent. 

AT least one Catholic priest in Northern Ireland administered "last rites" to people who were "executed" by the IRA including some of those who were disappeared and whose bodies have never been recovered, it has been learned. The revelation comes as appeals are again being made by the Independent Commission set up to try and locate the remains of nine men whose bodies have never been recovered. Seven of those still missing were murdered by the IRA and one by the Irish National Liberation Army. 

Seamus McKendry, whose mother-in-law was Jean McConville, confirmed yesterday that he had been told that priests had administered last rites to people who were about to be murdered by the IRA. "When I was making inquiries in the early days, that was often mentioned to me. They got the last rites. It was said: ‘What’s the     problem? Sure, they got the last rites’. They were God’s henchmen." One of the victims, who disappeared from west Belfast in 1981, was last seen kneeling on waste ground on the outskirts Of west Belfast as the priest administered the rites to him.

God’s henchmen? Is that how Republican murderers viewed Priests who co-operated with them in providing the Lat Rites to their victims? Do we need an enquiry into this? Was the RC Clergy working with the terrorists in providing this "service"?

Who is surprised to discover that Lottery money has been poured into Labour heartlands at the expense of Conservative areas? New research has revealed that on average, Tory-held constituencies received almost £11 million less than their Labour counterparts!

Labour strongholds raked in almost TWICE AS MUCH in health, education and environment grants – which critics argue should be paid for out of general taxation. Overall, Tory seats should have received an extra £2.2billion between 1995 and 2007 to match levels in Labour areas, according to a detailed study by the Conservative party. Opposition MPs have accused the Government of ‘grand larceny’ on the lottery by changing the rules on how money is handed out. 

This Labour rabble in power will do EVERYTHING possible to remain in power. You can bet on that!

It saddens me more than anything else to read DUP Leader Ian Paisley praising Sinn Fein/IRA’s {or "Sinn Fein" as he now prefers to call them, } utterly cynical ploy to call a conference to consider the possibility of them "supporting policing."

Look, no normal political party should be praised for endorsing the rule of law. It should be a given. It should be expected. Only freaks like Sinn Fein/IRA have to think about this. 

When Sinn Fein/IRA hold their wretched conference, and then – ring out the bells and declare a seismic shift – declare to a panting lapdog MSM that on the basis of this that and the other, they will endorse the PSNI – so what? I fail to see what Paisley is welcoming here, other than the fact that the DUP (or a section therein) have set up this "endorsement of policing" as the BAR for Republicans to meet, when in fact it is a big nothing.

Jim Allister – a senior DUP delegate – has set up much more robust test for Republicans. I endorse his views fully and am disappointed that Dr. Paisley feels the need to praise contrived republican cynicism.

Don’t the UN and EU make you sick?

The BBC reports that United Nations and European Union “leaders” have condemned the lawfully brought about executions in Baghdad of two of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s top aides. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he regretted the move, while a top EU official said it had damaged Iraqi reconciliation.

Total rubbish. These two thugs got all they deserved, and the fact that Barzan Ibrahim was decapitated during his hanging is of no importance. It is a distraction from the central fact that these guys were monsters, who gleefully brought about the death of innocents.

The EU is institutionally opposed to capital punishment and seeks to IMPOSE its values on other non-EU nations. The new UN Chief, Ban ki-Moon actually dealt with the execution of Saddam rather well, making it clear that it was a matter for Iraq as to how it dealt with this tyrant. Clearly, he appears to reverting to UN form on this, with the MSM using his comments to further it’s rancid anti-capital punishment agenda.

Bottom-line; these guys lorded it over the deaths of thousands. They have paid the price for doing so. Justice is done. The UN and EU can go hang.