Category Archives: United Kingdom

Just one individual prevented an overall Tory majority: David Cameron

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By Gerald Warner, The Telegraph

The shrill denunciations of the media on election night by Joanne Cash, the defeated Tory candidate in the supposedly “shoo-in” seat of Westminster North, amounted to more than the chagrin of a failed political aspirant: they expressed the rage of thwarted Entitlement. Cash was the candidate who resigned in a huff last February, only to be reinstated by Dave, on which occasion she famously Tweeted: “It’s official DC has changed the party!!!!!!!!” Her message to old-guard Conservatives was: “RIP dinosaurs.”

Last Thursday, in political terms, it was RIP Cash. What does it tell us about the judgment of the man who now aspires to be Prime Minister and lead us through the perils of international global meltdown that he should have championed such a candidate? His failure to win a majority was largely attributable to his imposition on constituency associations of trendy, metropolitan, A-List candidates. Their performance was abysmal.

In the notorious Tatler magazine feature on 10 young Cameronian stars published in September 2008, Joanne Cash was tipped as a future Housing Minister. Equally implausibly, Shaun Bailey was regarded as a future Home Secretary, Mark Clarke as Trade and Industry Secretary and Annunziata Rees-Mogg as Defence Secretary (honestly, I am not making this up). All of them crashed and burned last Thursday: of the 10 much-hyped “Tatler” thrusters, only two were elected. Of the original 100 A-List candidates, two-thirds were defeated. Continue Reading →

This week’s “Tales from the ‘Freedom’ Files”

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This week’s stories remind us once again of how ‘old fashioned’, rational thought is being replaced by ‘progressive’, irrational ideology. The Loony Left in its mission to create a better, more thoughtful world continues to cast aside what they consider the useless notions of public consultation, debate and majority consent in favour of their gentler, wiser, dictatorial approach. Initially we at vladtepesblog were reluctant to post these stories, as we felt they may provide more data for the social engineers of our cities to expand their role of government interference in our personal choices and anything else enjoyable. Quickly concluding they will rail on regardless, we got over it. Enjoy.

#1. From Egypt.  Arabian Nights Obscene say Lawyers. A group of Islamist lawyers have called for a ban on ‘Arabian Nights’. Known in the original Arabic as ” One Thousand and One Nights”, the collection of folk tales and short stories has raised the ire of the lawyers who claim it is a call to ” vice and sin”. They were shocked to find offensive language and depictions of sexuality, arguing that the references to sex were calls to sin. Writers Union spokesman Ahmed Megahed said the lawyers were behaving like the Taliban and any call to ban the literary classic was an assault on the freedom of expression. ” We will not be influenced by a bunch of people who use Islam in order to suppress freedom” he said.

#2 From Britain.  Election Protest Poster Branded Racist. Fed up with being inundated with canvassing politicians leading up to the U.K. election, pensioner and former Tory councilor Roy Newman 74, put up a red, white and blue election poster in a window of his home. The sign read ” Get the Lot Out”. Ninety minutes later the police arrived informing Newman they were responding to a complaint by which an individual had interpreted the poster to be racist as the colours represented the Union Jack. In response to the complaint, Mr. Newman added yellow, but refused to take his sign down from the window despite being threatened with arrest. The police later explained the sign to the complainant and no charges were laid.

Defiance: Mr Newman put up the sign after being bombarded by canvassers

#3. From The U.S.  American Flag Logo Tees Offensive to Mexican-Americans. Five California high school students were sent home for wearing ‘American flag’ t-shirts to school on ” Cinco De Mayo” day. They were told they could wear them on any other day, but not on Cinco De Mayo as Mexican-American students may take offense. The students were told to either take off the shirts or risk being suspended at which point they chose to go home. Their parents are outraged. Insulted, some Mexican-American students have demanded an apology, but none has been forthcoming. The school district is not in agreement with the local high school’s decision.

#4 From The U.K.  “Unhealthy” Cheese Sandwich Confiscated from Toddler. A two-year old boy has been pulled out of a nursery after staff claimed a cheese sandwich his mother had made for him broke their ‘healthy eating’ rules. The youngster was left in tears after nursery workers took away the sandwich from his packed lunch box and offered him their own fruit and vegetables instead. Jack Ormisher’s parents were told that had the sandwich included tomato or lettuce, he would have been permitted to eat it. The Westfield Children’s Centre in Pemberton, has drawn up a list of ‘healthy eating options’ for youngsters which include fruit, vegetables, rice, pasta and potatoes. A spokesman for Wigin council said ” a cheese sandwich would not be featured on the list”. Jack’ parents have since moved their son to another nursery.

#5 From The U.K.  Christian Foster Mother Struck Off Care Register. A Christian foster mother has been struck off the care resister and banned by her local council for failing to prevent a Muslim teenager from converting to Christianity even though the 16 year old changed religions of her own volition. The foster mother who has 10 years experience and has successfully fostered over 80 children, has since had to move from her home due to loss of income. The girl now 17, had been taken into care after suffering assault and abuse by a family member and saw baptism as a symbol of a ‘fresh start’. Despite the foster Mum’s attempts to offer the teenager alternatives and a place to practice Islam, the young woman insisted she wanted to convert. As a result, officials struck the carer off their registry, claiming she breached her duty of care as a foster parent. ” They consider that she should have taken steps to prevent the conversion” her solicitor said. A member of the Christian Institute also remarked ” I cannot imagine that an atheist foster carer would be struck off if a Christian child in her care stopped believing in God”. Apostacy is strongly condemned in the Quran and within Muslim communities. The teenager is back in the care of her family and remains supportive of her former carer. The legal case is ongoing.

Surprise — Conservative’s Abandonment of values lost votes to UKIP

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From The Daily Mail

The tiny UK Independence Party helped deprive the Conservatives of at least ten seats by fielding candidates in constituencies the Tories had a good chance of winning.

Nationally, UKIP picked up just 3 per cent of the vote. But in a string of seats their support was enough to stop even Eurosceptic Tory candidates winning. Continue Reading →

UKIP effect 2010

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From EUReferendum

We are compiling the full list of seats where the Conservative failure to gain a victory could be considered attributable to the “UKIP effect”. This we take to be seats where either the UKIP vote, or the UKIP/BNP vote combined, exceeds the majority of the Labour or Lib-Dim winner. The list starts here:

1. Birmingham Edgbaston: Lab 16,894, Con 15,620 – majority 1,274. BNP 1,196 and UKIP 732 (total 1,928).

2. Bolton West: Lab 18,327, Con 18,235 – majority 1,901. UKIP 1,901. Continue Reading →

How to follow the UK General Election online as it happens

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By Martin Bryant, TheNextWeb

One of the closest elections in history is being fought out in the UK today, but how should you follow it online?

Much has been made of this being the first “Social media election” in the UK but online engagement and campaigning hasn’t quite reached the levels seen in the USA during the most recent presidential race in 2008. Still, on polling day today there are lots of ways of keeping up to date with last-minute dramas and the results themselves.

Who’s voting, and where?

Let your friends know you’ve voted using Facebook’s “I Voted” button, available to UK users today. This will update your news feed to share the news, and there’s a counter to track how many Facebook users have voted.

ukvote 187x260 How to follow the UK General Election online as it happensThe Guardian is using a Twitter mashup to plot votes on a map. Just tweet #UKvote along with the first half of your postcode to be included on the map.

Of course, these tools show more about who’s happy to share that they’ve voted, rather than anything of great use. Far more interesting is ExitPol.ly. Just enter your constituency, tell it who you voted for and you’ll add yourself to a crowdsourced exit poll that might just indicate which way the nation’s vote will swing. Continue Reading →

Choosing the burqa.

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Seems the burqa is the garment of choice among thieves.

From The Telegraph U.K.

Robber wore burka to carry out jewellery raid

A robber wore a burka as a disguise to carry out a raid on a jewellery shop, police said.

Published: 3:10PM BST 06 May 2010

The criminal used the black head-to-toe garment, favoured by some Muslim women, along with a hijab or face veil, showing only his eyes, to hide his identity.

Owners of the jewellers in Bury, Greater Manchester thought the six foot tall robber was a woman and allowed him entry.

But as soon as he was buzzed in three men barged in behind him – one brandishing a shotgun.

They raided the shop stealing a large amount of bangles, rings and lockets, before escaping in a waiting car, thought to be a silver Toyota Yaris.

Police are now hunting five men, all Asian, thought to be involved in the raid, which took place at about 4.15pm on Wednesday at Capri Jewellers on Benson Street in Bury.

The offender dressed as a woman is described as Asian, over 6ft tall and of thin build.

The getaway driver is described as Asian, in his early 20s, of chubby build. He was bald and wearing glasses.

The other three offenders are described as Asian and were wearing balaclavas.

The gang left behind two holdalls that were branded Wei Bao.

Det Sgt Chris Jameson, of Greater Manchester Police, said: ”The store has very tight security so the ruse used to gain entry shows a level of detailed planning and I want to hear from anyone who may have overheard the gang preparing for this robbery.”I would also urge anyone who knows the whereabouts of the getaway car or who may have been approached with a view to buying the stolen items to call police. All information will be treated in strict confidence.”

In western Europe wearing of the burka or face-coverings in public has stirred controversy with some countries considering or imposing a ban on the dress.

Muslims say the burka is a part of their religious culture and such state interference is evidence of prejudice against their faith.

UK elections much more exciting with Multiculturalism!

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Back before the UK decided to deliberately destroy anything like a traditional, classical, or dare I say, English England, elections were quite dull with people debating points and arguing what was best for the country. Now, elections are much more visceral thanks to the enrichment that many cultures bring.

H/T wazzockUK

UK Conservatives launch Equalities contract

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Britain’s Conservative party today launched its equalities manifesto, in which it accuses the Labour government of failing to tackle discrimination on the basis of sexuality, gender, race, disability, and age. Under the Conservatives at least half of all candidates considered for boardroom positions would need to be women. Conservatives would also tackle bullying in schools of LGBT students, and would introduce mentoring schemes to help women and ethnic minorities set up businesses.

From the Conservative party:

Our Contract for Equalities

Theresa May

Theresa May, Shadow Minister for Women, has launched the Conservative Party’s contract for equalities.

She said the contract “underscores some of the most important battles in politics”, on gender equality, racial equality, ending age discrimination, LGBT issues and helping disabled people.

In this contract, as with the others, the Conservatives are saying that if we fail to make progress in these areas and do not deliver on our side of the bargain, then vote us out in five years time.

“This contract for equalities will be central to what we plan to do in government”, May said. “After 13 years of Labour’s big government, inequality is at its highest level since the Second World War”. Continue Reading →

UK Judge: “Islam Will Dominate the World” graffiti “not religiously motivated”

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From the Daily Mail

A British Muslim has shown ‘no remorse’ after desecrating a town’s war memorial with extremist Islamic slogans, a court has heard.

But the Crown Prosecution Service has decided that graffiti proclaiming future world domination for Islam, glorifying Osama Bin Laden and calling for the assassination of the British Prime Minister, ‘was not religiously or racially motivated’.

Tohseef Shah, 21, admitted a charge of criminal damage to the memorial, outside Burton College in Burton on Trent, when he appeared at Burton Magistrates Court.

graffitiIslamic message: Tohseef Shah’s graffiti ‘Islam will dominate the world’ was not religiously motivated, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Shah admitted spraying the words ‘Islam will dominate the world – Osama is on his way’ and ‘Kill Gordon Brown’ on the plinth of the East Staffordshire Borough Council-owned memorial, on December 10 last year. Continue Reading →

Ukip threatens action over debate

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From the Hereford Times

The UK Independence Party has threatened legal action if the BBC does not allow the party to participate in Thursday’s televised leaders’ debate.

Party leader Lord Pearson of Rannoch has written to BBC director-general Mark Thompson arguing that the corporation is breaching its own election coverage guidelines by refusing to allow Ukip equal footing with Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Lord Pearson said that if the BBC does not agree to allow him to participate in the debate by noon on Wednesday, Ukip will apply to the courts for a judicial review of the decision and injunction overturning the ruling. Continue Reading →

Sikhs must ditch turban to join firearms, riot teams.

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From The Telegraph U.K.

Sikh police banned from joining firearms teams wearing turbans

Sikh police officers will be banned from allowed to join firearms or riot teams unless they remove their turbans, under new police guidance.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) announced Sikh officers serving in the units would have to ditch the traditional head covering in favour of a patka – a smaller piece of material – in order to wear bulletproof helmets.

The turbans were deemed ”unsafe” because they cannot fit under the protective headgear and do not themselves offer sufficient protection.

ACPO rejected the notion of designing a special bullet proof turban made from ballistic material, but said such equipment was worthy of ”future exploration”.

The guidance was issued after the British Sikh Police Association (BSPA) requested clarification on whether their officers could join firearms and public order units. Continue Reading →

Britain’s Ominous Smiley-Face Election

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From The Brussels Journal

With a general election set for May 6, the two main parties have, as Peter Goodspeed notes in Canada’s National Post, busied themselves “adopting U.S. policies, personnel and practices.” The British press, too, is full of talk about “presidential-style” TV debates and “first lady politics”. The Americanizing of the British election becomes even more evident if one listens to Conservative party leader David Cameron, who routinely references president Barack Obama – as an apparent inspiration – and who has even, on a few occasions, cited John F. Kennedy as “a great American president.”

But despite the US-UK “special relationship,” the British, as well as other Europeans, misread American culture. They admire the US’s vitality, yet believe it to be entirely separated from its traditional, Constitutional values.

To the European mindset, free speech (which necessarily includes “hate speech”), gun ownership, etc., are the sort of unsophisticated convictions that the nation’s dynamism should be evolving away from.

This mindset is illustrated in how the EU  has been formed. Although  consciously modeled after the US, many national “independence” parties -– not to mention Soviet dissidents such as Vladimir Bukovksy -– believe the EU resembles something much closer to the USSR. Continue Reading →

Inmates return tv’s; X Factor too distracting to Islamic studies

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From The Sun

By STAFF REPORTER

Published: 11 Apr 2010

ISLAMIC inmates at a maximum security jail have handed in their cell TVs because they do not want to watch the ‘distracting’ X Factor.

Crooks including terror suspects at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire say they would rather spend more time on religious study than watch the raucous talent show, judged by Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Danni Minogue and Louis Walsh.

Islamic inmate Abu Dira wrote to lag magazine Inside Time about the X Factor protest at the maximum security jail.

Extremism

He said: “Many Muslims in Long Lartin have handed back their televisions, as they are viewed as nothing more than a distraction to religious study.

“I do not envisage hordes of crying Muslims lamenting the loss of X Factor.”

The inmate also blasted plans to fight Islamic extremism by flooding the prison library with books from moderates, saying no one would read them, “let alone accept the viewpoint of those individuals who align themselves with occupational forces”.

Figures revealed show the Muslim population inside Long Lartin has doubled in just two years, with a quarter of all prisoners now followers of Islam.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that extremists held in the maximum security terror detainee unit are being given fresh sheets after every cell search by drug dogs so that their religion is not offended.

Yet non-Muslim prisoners have complained that Islamic inmates are being offered preferential treatment as others are not offered clean sheets.

James Brandon, a researcher for anti-extremist think tank The Quilliam Foundation, said: “Tensions between Muslims and prison staff have arisen from the use of search dogs as a result of some Islamic traditions teaching dogs are unclean, which leads to distress for ordinary Muslims as well as extremists.

“Extremists are able to make political capital out of almost any issue which concerns ordinary Muslims making it imperative for the Prison Service to minimize the issues and grievances which Islamists can exploit.”

Fanatics at Long Lartin include Mohammed Hamid, 51, dubbed Osama Bin London for training militants in the Lake District, and Al Qaeda member Adel Abdel Bary, wanted for the 1998 African embassy bombings which killed more than 200 people.

This week’s “Tales from the ‘Freedom’ Files”

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This week’s stories remind us once again of how ‘old fashioned’, rational thought is being replaced by ‘progressive’, irrational ideology. The Loony Left in its mission to create a better, more thoughtful world continues to cast aside what they consider the useless notions of public consultation, debate and majority consent in favour of their gentler, wiser, dictatorial approach. Initially we at vladtepesblog were reluctant to post these stories, as we felt they may provide more data for the social engineers of our cities to expand their role of government interference in our personal choices and anything else enjoyable. Quickly concluding they will rail on regardless, we got over it. Enjoy.

#1 From Spain  Animal Rights Groups Condemn Bullfighting in Film. Animal right’s activists are urging cinema goers to boycott the new film Manolete accusing the picture of glamorizing the role of the matador. Alliance Anticorrida, a French anti-bullfighting group, has sent a message to it’s 20,000 members urging them to avoid the film stating, “it is inadmissible to release a film in which the hero is a matador”. The joint British-Spanish production follows the life and death of Manolete, the legendary bullfighter. The film’s producers have tried to reassure activists that the story is about love, not killing, but their claim has fallen on deaf ears. It is worth mentioning that no real bulls were used during production.

#2 From England  Council Set to Ban Word ‘Obesity’. Liverpool City Council believes the word ‘obese’ could stigmatize youngsters and wants to replace the word with ‘unhealthy weight’. In a bid to avoid offending overweight children, the words obese and obesity would be dropped from all schemes and strategies aimed at improving children’s diets and health. But the plan is opposed by anti-obesity campaigners who feel that although the word carries a negative connotation, it could prove useful in addressing the seriousness of the problem. Tam Fry, chair of the obesity prevention charity Child Growth Foundation, maintains that school children must be taught the realities of life, stating, ” if your obese, you’re obese”.

#3 From Canada  Noise Violations May Prompt Fines. Ottawa City Council’s Community and Protective Services Committee has approved a proposal by councilor George Bedard which would see charges and fines levied against the hosts of loud parties. Councilor Bedard said that the city’s current way of handling noise complaints is ‘ineffective’, stressing ” we need to address this in a more efficient manner”. As it stands, staff who receive a complaint are directed to phone the residence and ask that the noise stop, usually ending the problem. Despite this, legal officials and police will be consulted and staff will report on their recommendations including possible noise bylaw amendments which would see hosts or their landlords who partake in or allow ‘noisy’ parties charged and/or fined. (Good thing Bluesfest has moved out of Bedard’s neighbourhood).

#4 From The U.K. Butcher Banned From Using Knives. A Sainsbury’s customer was stunned to learn that his butcher has been banned from de-boning a joint of lamb in case he cuts himself using a knife. Despite the fact that the butcher has been successfully chopping meat for 30 years and teaches young colleagues the art of meat dressing, he is forbidden from cutting lamb joints for his ‘own safety’. The embarrassed butcher said he simply couldn’t do it as he was not insured. A spokesman for Sainsbury’s market said ” Our colleagues who work on the meat counters are trained to use knives, but some have not received all the training to safely de-bone a lamb joint”.

#5 From The U.K. Great Grandmother Banned From Eating Cookie in Shop. An 86 year old great grandmother was threatened with security and banned by Marks and Spencer staff from eating a cookie inside their shop. Thelma Williams was confronted by security guards after she was caught eating a chocolate chip biscuit which she had purchased earlier from the store’s food section. Staff informed Mrs. Williams that she was not allowed to eat food bought outside the cafe, even if it was bought from the store with one employee telling her ” you’ve got to put that cookie away now or you might expect a heavy fine”.

Mrs Williams wanted to enjoy one of her biscuits with her tea after having lunch in the M&S cafe Chocolate chip cookies: Mrs Williams wanted to enjoy one of her biscuits with her tea after having lunch in the M&S cafe.

*** and the story we almost forgot….****

From Northern Ireland.  Green Party Plans to Ban Fox Hunting. The Green Party of Northern Ireland is poised to introduce a bill that would put an end to fox and stag hunting along with hare coursing. A key principle of the Green Party Northern Ireland states that ” the impact of society on the environment should not be ecologically disruptive”.  GPNI assembly member Brian Wilson said ” Legislation banning the hunt of wild mammals with dogs already exists in England, Wales and Scotland, so this bill will bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the U.K.”. A group known as Rural Ireland Says Enough (RISE) opposes the plan and led a 5,000 person strong protest through Waterford, fronted by six riders on horseback. A constitutional challenge to the controversial Hunting Act (2004) has already been dismissed by the courts. Similar legislation deeply polarized rural and urban Britain, prompting impassioned demonstrations on both sides of the debate with both continuing to be at odds.