Andy Gray sacked from Sky Sports - Has Political Correctness gone to far again?

I cant help but feel that this saga involving Andy Gray is yet another storm in a teacup. Obviously, I in no way endorse the comments made by Mr Gray a leading football pundit on Sky Sports but I believe that the comments were quite obviously made in jest and it was just football banter. This view has even been endorsed by the former captain of the Ladies England Cricket Team.

This saga reminded me off an incident last year where Carol Thatcher was removed as The One Shows roving reporter after making a comment about a tennis player in the green room that she said in jest. Yet again I believe that political correctness is at the forefront of this argument as well. I say that sky should of given Mr Gray the chance to apologise about the comments that he made rather than just terminating his contract. I just hope that Sky Sports loss becomes the BBC or ITV gain and they are able to offer him some sort of contract.

We seem to have a kind of culture now where reporters, journalists or presenters are removed from a programme or a channel for comments that may push the boundaries but are clearly in the name of humour. I believe that sky have made a big mistake and I hope that there loss can be the gain of the BBC or ITV.

Hugh's Fish Fight - Campaigning against the joke that is the EUs Common Fisheries Policy

I would firstly like to start by apologising for not posting any articles in the last couple of weeks but I have been rather busy with exams and school work. Recently, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall has presented a very worthwhile and eye opening documentary on fish and discards of fish at sea as a result of the Common Fisheries Policy. It is a complete and utter joke that the EU has a quota on the amount of fish you are able to fish for and the quota has resulted in many fish been thrown back dead. This is completely unsustainable and yet further evidence of how out of touch and shambolic the European Union is. I urge you to support the campaign and sign the pledge.

http://www.fishfight.net/

'No Taxation Without Representation' A British Tea Party?

Recently, the tea party movement has been quite successful in the United States. For those of you who don't know a the inaugural tea party was an Independence movement born out of protest by colonists who objected to a British tax on tea in 1773 and demonstrated by dumping British tea taken from docked ships into the harbor. However, today one could argue it is the right wing of the American Republican Party and the right wing of the Conservative Party. A big hero of mine Nigel Farage who was recently re-elected to the post of UKIP Leader claims that the UK Independence Party is a 'British Tea Party'.

Personally, I do support many of the Tea Parties ideals. TEA even stands for Taxed Enough Already and I favour a minimal state, low taxation and share the feeling off been overtaxed, over governed and not been listened to. I believe like Mr Farage that the European Union undermines the ideal of having a small state with power been centralised in Brussels. When the Conservatives talk about decentralization and rolling back the frontiers off the state do they not realise that European Union which is so centralised undermines there politics of having a small state?

The problem with the Tea Party Movement in the United States and also the UK Independence Party in this country is the image associated with it. David Cameron describing UKIP as been a party of 'closet racists' an image that has not helped that party. In every political party there will always be members who hold unsavoury views but I think it is a mistake to brand UKIP a party of closet racists when they hold some very legitimate political views. There is a real argument that I believe should be discussed further and a referendum held on are continued membership of the European Union. UKIPS reason for are withdrawal is not racist it is a common sense argument open border immigration is unsustainable.

Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan has even set up a British Tea Party with limited success where UKIP will succeed in the coming years is in holding an arm to Conservatives on the right of the party disenchanted with coalition government and who knows it could recruit a few Tories to its cause. With more Conservative MPs rebelling against the coalition than Liberal Democrats. If it is successful it could bring about debate in the Conservative Party as it has been argued that UKIP cost the Conservatives its majority. A point i would dispute is a move to the right to satisfy the core vote could of left the centre ground free for Labour and for all we know that could of led to Labour winning a fourth election victory.

I have included a video of UKIP Leader Nigel Farage debating the proposed European flat tax to be levied by the European Institutions on the peoples of Europe. Arguably the European Commission who have proposed this policy haven't been elected by the people of Europe so therefore are not representatives of the people of Europe so I think I will be chanting that famous tea party slogan: 'NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!'

The Millibandwagon - Red Ed and his oppurtunism

Ed Milliband has just had his first one hundred days in his job as leader of the Labour Party and in those one hundred days he has opposed and been opportunistic over most of the coalitions policies. Now this is all well and good but what makes this worse and in my view unacceptable is the fact that Ed Milliband has no real plan in tackling the structural deficit that the coalition inherited from his devalued government. If you do not have a plan yourself then you don't really have the legitimacy to criticise a plan.

Take for example the recent rise in VAT to 20% the Labour Party did not rule out a rise in VAT in its manifesto and in fact the only party to rule out the rise in VAT where the Liberal Democrats who warned against a VAT tax bombshell from the Conservatives in a series of election posters. however, after making compromises in the coalition agreement it has been agreed that a VAT rise would be a better option than increasing income tax. I do not think that Ed Milliband has the moral legitimacy to criticise the coalition for making tough decisions in the national interest. Ideally we would not have to put VAT up but we have such a huge structural deficit and the two ways to reduce a deficit like this is by either raising levels off taxation , cuts in public spending or combination of both which is the case at the moment. The Conservative party traditionally stand for low taxes and minimal state interference in are lives so for the Conservative Party to raise the rate of VAT to 20% would suggest serious financial problems.

Furthermore, Ed Milliband tells us he is in favour of a Graduate Tax but we do not even know what this would consist off and it is flawed as many students coming from abroad who would then return to there home country would not have to pay the graduate tax. Alan Johnson the Shadow Chancellor has even admitted that this policy is unworkable and has now done a U-Turn and is apparently in favour of a Graduate Tax, why cant Ed Milliband not work with the coalition in finding a policy that works for all parties that they can all agree on as oppose to what he is doing at the moment. Opposing the coalition when it comes to the deficit for the sake of been partisan and taking a rather populist stance.

We have seen weekly at Prime Ministers Questions Ed Milliband using cheer lines intended to get Labour members cheering there leader and its all well and good having a plan for Prime Ministers Questions but frankly he does not have a plan for the economy and the country in general. It is very easy to jump on the 'Millibandwagon' and oppose the tough spending cuts and taxes implemented by the coalition but as the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne put it:' there is no money left'. When interviewed by the BBC today and asked about his intentions on cutting the deficit he proclaimed that it would be halved in four years when asked how this was going to be carried out he said that a higher bank levy would be introduced. Clearly, this would not be enough to even half the current deficit.

Surprisingly, it looks very likely that Labour will win the Oldham by-election next week where they are using this by-election as a referendum on the coalition. The best outcome i believe for both the Tories and the Lib Dems would be a Liberal Democrat win and you can tell they want it as they are sending out there big guns with Simon Hughes, Tim Farron, Charles Kennedy (stop me if you have heard of one of them) and oh yes Nick Clegg visiting the constituency.

Ed Milliband is also looking to reduce the power that Trade Unions will play in the Labour Party he plans to reduce there stake in the electoral college when electing Labour Leaders and is also looking on introducing a cap on donations. The Labour Party was originally born out of the trade union movement and it has for many years since bankrolled the party and was the reason behind Ed Millibands victory over his brother David and the reason for his nickname 'Red Ed'. With David been supported by the three other groups represented in the two other groups off the Electoral College; MP and MEPs and Party Members.

Going back to the main theme of the post the Labour Party should do well in the elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly but it is often infuriating for me to see the Labour Party oppose legislation in a clear opportunistic way in the attempt to gain popularity. I just hope that the electorate can see right through the big state approach that Ed Milliband would bring to government.

Proof of how Illiberal the EU really is.

I think this video sums up just how illiberal the European Commission is. I would personally take the opinion that it is a complete and utter disgrace the European Commission is entirely unelected and yet has the power to impose legislation such as this across its member states. It really is about time for the British people to be given a referendum on our membership of this illiberal federalist state. As a Conservative I would like to see my party take a firmer stand on the European Stage as Mrs Thatcher famously did in Bruges but i fear that been in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats this will not really be an option. I support the coalition however and accept that you have to reach compromises in a coalition.