Grayling Shames Britain -

Every person has the right to life, liberty and security; their private and family life should be respected, and they have the right to get married. No-one should be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and has the right to a fair trial.

No-one can be enslaved; or suffer discrimination due to sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.

People should have the freedom of thought and religion; and in accordance with law freedom of expression, association and assembly.

Why are the Tories afraid of allowing international scrutiny of our nation against these standards? Are we join to Belarus in being the only European countries to stand outside of the European Court of Human Rights? 

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The EHCR has nothing to do with the EU. It was established by victorious allies after WW2 to protect the individual from oppression by the state. The Council of European which hosts the ECHR, was set up to promote Parliamentary Democracy, as well as personal freedom. Initially it had only 10 members Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. With the defeat of Fascism and Communism it has grown to 47, with many non European States having observer status.
Incidentally figures for 2013 up to September are available. Only 3 cases against the UK made it to Court (as the overwhelming majority are rejected) - the UK won all 3. They were 1) Wearing Religious Symbols at Work (employers are allowed to ban them) 2) Treatment of Prisoners in Thailand ruled out of jurisdiction 3) Banning animal welfare adverts on TV as they are political (adverts can be banned)

EU Parliamentary Elections are an Effective Referendum

I am grateful to the contributions from supporters of UKIP and others who seek to isolate the UK from the world's largest market, as well as placing us outside of the imminent EU/USA Free Trade Area. I see little point in addressing their ever lengthening list of bizarre claims, mis-information and scare-mongering; I leave it to the good sense of your readers to sift fact from fiction. In so doing I stand with the clear majority of working age UK citizens (Ipsos-Mori poll 29th Dec) who welcome the arrival of hard working migrants. A significant finding, supported by the Institute of Directors, The Adam Smith Institute Institute, The Institute of Economic Affairs, The Centre for Policy Studies, and the The Entrepreneurs Network (public statement 27th December) – who clearly cannot be dismissed as “left-wingers”. UK Business leaders, including the CBI and the EEF, have repeatedly expressed concern at the damage that would be done to our prosperity should we leave the EU, not least because of the estimated 3.5 million jobs that arise from UK entrepreneurs exploiting the single market, and the simplified regulatory framework that is thanks to the EU's bonfire of regulations. Hardly surprising then that economists estimate that the Single Market boosts UK GDP by around £35 Billion per annum, and the Office for Budget Responsibility has said that immigration is helping to reduce the UK's long term deficit; meanwhile in excess of 1 Million Brits have used their personal right to travel to live, work and retire in other EU countries. Whenever I ask the question 'what EU directive affected you today' I rarely get an answer, but at Xmas I am grateful for the EU Toy Safety Directive which includes a ban on the use of lead paint in children's toys. We are a democracy and the choice is yours. This June we have the EU Parliamentary elections, an opportunity for us all to be heard in an effective National Referendum on EU membership. In 2010 UKIP secured a derisory 16%, and they came a poor third in last year's County Council elections despite their clear expectations of glory. It will be interesting to see if they can improve that position in 2014. Meanwhile I and the clear majority of the British voters will continue to trust our personal freedom, prosperity and security to the 3 pillars of European co-operation, The Council of Europe, the EU and NATO.

Guest Contribution - Sir Alan Beith & Green Energy Levies

Dear Mr Beith

Thank you very much for your extensive letter on green energy issues, in response to my email concerning Lord Teverson's amendment to the Energy Bill.
You have provided a very extensive list of Liberal Democrat activity in relation to green issues and Liberal Democrat policy in general. Thank you. I could argue with some of the items on the list e.g. protection of the green belt  (where I note that you have failed to oppose changes to the rules which have made it easier to develop on green belt land, extend sites without consent, and to implement environmentally damaging changes of use), but that gets away from the key issue here of renewable energy.

Focussing on renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions, the facts are that, at your Party Conference in Glasgow the Lib Dems voted to support Nuclear Energy after Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said that not backing nuclear would be "reckless". Nick Clegg has gone on record to support fracking. You have consistently opposed wind turbines in our constituency, and thus the creation of skilled jobs which we badly need.

More recently you have supported the cutting of 'green levies' on energy bills . These funds are used primarily to pay for home insulation for those who do not have the means to pay for it themselves. The government was quick to announce a vote grabbing “cut in heating bills” at the expense of the poor, but have yet to announce any details of the replacement 'Warm Homes Discount'.

As I said in my original email, what is needed is a clear and consistent voice for renewable energy and for measures that will significantly reduce our energy use. This 'greenest government ever' of which you are a part, comes nowhere close. In fact, greed over fracking opportunities seems to be the key motivator at the moment. And in the meantime, opportunities for truly renewable energy and for proper home insulation are lost. A cynic would say that shoring up electoral fortunes are now more important than implementing  Liberal Democrat policies to support retrofit for home insulation. Retrofit could save households up to 25% of their energy bills - a lasting saving for them and real achievement for government.  In contrast what was voted for was a cheap headline of £50 off your bill - which was in fact £50 off the increase in your bill, enabling the energy companies to reduce their obligation for home insulation. Not a clear and consistent voice for renewable energy and reducing energy use at all.

Thanks again for your letter.

Roger Helmer on EU expansion eastwards

"an extra hundred million people in our single market may be a short-term liability, but long term will contribute to growth and prosperity."
It is not often that I find myself in agreement with UKIP MEP Roger Helmer, but his policy statement republished in this weekend's Observer, when he welcomed the prospect of EU enlargement Eastwards, is now delivering great returns. The economic growth in much of Eastern Europe is outstripping the UK (Poland 1.9%, Lithuania 2.3%, Latvia 4.5%, Hungary 1.8%, even  Romania at 4.1%). Roger you were right, enlarging the EU to include the former Communist States of Eastern Europe has helped underpin their freedom, their fledgling democratic institutions, and build their economies creating new markets for British exports.

here is the full paragraph taken from http://www.brugesgroup.com/any_article.live?framed=1&article=83

Tory policy on enlargement is clear. We are in favour of it, for three reasons. First, we owe a moral debt to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe which were allowed to fall under the pall of Communism after the Second World War. Second, by entrenching democracy and the rule of law in Eastern Europe, we ensure stability and security for the future. Thirdly, an extra hundred million people in our Single Market may be a short-term liability, but long-term will contribute to growth and prosperity.

Published by Roger in Freedom Today in 2002

Wenslydale Cheese Gets EU 'Regional Origin' Approval

I await UKIP's announcement of a National Boycott of Wenslydale Cheese as it was invented by French immigrants and has now been approved by the EU

Plain Speaking from UKIP, undermining your house

The Government has now identified the East Midlands, including most of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire as suitable for shale gas extraction, using the highly controversial process that requires rock strata to be fractured to release the gas ('fracking'). UKIP's 'Energy Spokesman' Roger Helmer has welcomed the prospect of fracking on behalf of his party. There is nothing wrong with honesty and as Roger puts it so well 'plain speaking'. Let it therefore be plain, a vote for Roger Helmer and UKIP is a vote for unleashing major environmental damage on the voters of the East Midlands constituency who's interest he is supposed to look after. So vote KUIP, for Roger Helmer, earth tremors (as have already happened in the North West), drilling under your home, noise and air quality degradation from lorries, pollution of the water table, and of course a fall in the value of your house.

Independent Poll Majority of Young People Support EU Membership

A pleasant but unsurprising result. Young people today enjoy freedoms that we could only have dreamt of - freedoms that UKIP threaten along with our prosperity. I still remember as a young engineer going to work in Belgium and having to 'export' and 're-import' my tools at Dover - what nonsense and what an awful cost and bureaucratic burden. If we are foolish to leave the EU many small UK businesses will fold, and many 1000's of jobs will be lost. That is why not a single UK Business organisation wants to leave the EU.

UKIP would isolate us from our allies, the biggest trading block in the world, leave us outside the EU/USA free trade area. They care nothing for this country, its economy, our prosperity or our security. They are a party of mainly old, tired men, with little imagination or care for our country.

At least we can look forward to our young people voting for freedom, and the right for free movement on travel - to work, live and retire anywhere in the EU.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-young-people-want-uk-to-stay-in-europe-four-in-10-adults-aged-18-to-24-are-firmly-in-favour-of-membership-poll-shows-9006438.html

Time to send UKIP back home

I wonder which immigrants would be the first to be 'sent back' by UKIP councillor Victoria Ayling, who has been supported by Nigel Farage. Let's start at the top with the Duke of Edinburgh (Greek), Mo Farah (Somalia), Sigmund Freud (Austria), Henry James (American), Ulrika Jonsson (Sweden), Handel (our great national German composer), T S Eliot (another American), Michael Marks (Polish co-founder of British shopping icon Marks + Spencer), Lady Randolph Churchill (American mother of Winston), Charles Saatchi (Iraqi), the Reverend John Sentamu (Uganda), Helen Mirren (Russian parents), Joe Bugner (Hungary), ... sorry running out of space

Wind Turbine Power to Gas (P2G) - A Way Forward

Power to Gas (P2G) could offer a superb solution to the problem of balancing out wind turbine generation fluctuations. Two pilot plants are now operational in Germany, one operated by EON and the other by RWE Power. Both use similar principles of applying the surplus electricity to generate hydrogen from water, either by electrolysis or via a particle exchange membrane (PEM). Once produced the hydrogen can be stored, and used for a variety of purpose, including additions to the gas main, methane generation from flue gas emissions, CHP and fuel cells for hydrogen cars. The trial EON Wind Turbine plant at Kelmarsh could be a valuable source of new, clean and low cost fuel and employment for the East Midlands; which is now linked the the European Hydrogen Highway. Reducing our reliance on imported Russian gas has to be good for our economy.This technology cold also be used to create quality job opportunities and economic growth for the North East of England, where just over the Border Scotland is now able export clean electricity to England.

Guest contribution - A letter to Sir Alan Beith on his failure to support measures to clean up coal

Thank you for your duplicated letter about your recent vote in the House of Commons. 

I am afraid that I am not 'reassured to know' that coal plants will not make much economic sense in 10 or so years time. The issue is about what we do now. 

We have a real opportunity to use new green technologies to meet our energy needs. We have a real opportunity to use our knowledge to cut our energy needs significantly through home and business insulation. And this government, of which you and fellow Liberal Democrats are members, is squandering those opportunities. Green levies, pitiful as they are, have somehow become the issue for this government - not the unbridled greed of the energy companies selling energy to themselves to manipulate profit and loss figures. The latest deal means that home insulation for the poorest, meagre as it was, is less available - all so that the government can headline a pathetic £50 cut in the increases that energy companies will charge. How are companies, trust funds and the like supposed to invest in green energy when the government, of which you are a part, wobbles, switches and consistently downplays the potential of green technologies? Orkney will soon be self sufficient in energy through harnessing wind and wave power. Scotland is moving that way and exports electricity to England. Northumberland could be there too with no need to pollute the environment and jeopardise the future for our children. And the jobs it would create would make a huge difference for the local economy. 

What we need is a clear and consistent voice on these issues - a government that invests in the future. You are clearly not going to provide it. Frankly I can't see why anyone should vote LIberal Democrat - vote Lib Dem, get the Conservatives.

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In response to Alan Beith's failure to join other Lib Dems who voted for Lord Leverson's amendment that would close the loop hole that allows old coal fired power stations to ignore new rules on pollution.

UKIP shame Britain again

UKIP MEP, Stuart Agnew represents 2.4 British Women. I wonder how many agree with his policy statement last week:

"Women don't have the ambition to get to the top, something gets in the way. It's called a baby... Those females who really want to get to the top do so".

How much longer must we put up with the shame of Britain being represented internationally by UKIP?

UKIP are deluded

UKIP's self-delusion is breath-taking. In 2009 they secured only 16.5% of the EU vote; add in votes cast for the BNP and other fringe parties the total barely reaches 22%. 78% of the British electorate voted to stay in the EU, exactly the same % of members of the Engineering Employers Federation who support EU membership. The recent poll of CBI members found a similar number of their members support EU membership. Part of the CBI evidence being research that the EU delivered an average £3000 p.a. to every UK household due to the boost to Britain’s GDP directly attributable to the single market. Not a single credible business organisation wants the UK to leave the EU, well illustrated by Nissan's view that isolation from the world's largest market would threaten their continued presence in the UK.
Far from being the great break-through that they seem to think, 2009 was a pathetic result for UKIP, which gave them only 13 MEPs out of 55. Two of them have now defected. Multi-millionaire Paul Sykes may hope to buy a pyrrhic victory for UKIP, but let us be clear – leaving the EU will result in lost jobs and bankrupt businesses.

Conservatives have lost any sense of reality over Europe

I am not persuaded that the Tory demand for a referendum has anything to do with 'giving the British people a say'. In reality a large section of the Conservative Party want to leave the EU, and they see this as the mechanism to achieve that end.

They will fail for a number of reasons - not least because there is no groundswell of opinion amongst Brits to get out, and UK PLC has clearly stated that they want to stay in.

The anti-marketeers have shown how out of touch they are with the nations' mood. They ignore the reality that they do not have popular support for their views - displaying an arrogance that is beyond belief. They have also demonstrated that the core of the Conservative Party does not understand the need of UK businesses.

What this side-show amply demonstrates is that the Conservative Party has lost any sense of reality.

Don't forget the Science - EU support for world leading Science & Technology

Whilst the debate of the UK’s membership of the EU is dominated by the view from Industry, oft forgotten is the substantial contribution made by the EU to Science and Technology. As well as contributing an estimated £3000 pa to every UK household (CBI report), and acting as a magnet for internal investment (threat by Nissan to withdraw for the UK if we leave the EU), the UK is the 2nd largest recipient of EU science funding.
The EU’s Framework 7 programme of support for innovation is now closing, and the new 7 year programme will start in 2014. Known as Horizon 2020 up to Euro 80 Billion will be available for businesses, universities and public authorities to bid for in open competition. It is the world’s only International Science funding programme, and is responsible for some outstanding successes.
To pick just a few examples:
The European Consortium for Stem Cell Therapy in Neurodegenerative Diseases (NeuroStemcell) is delivering some stunning medical breakthroughs, including includes studies that are advancing techniques to repair neural damage, including Parkinson´s and Huntington´s diseases.

The European Telecoms Standard Institute was funded by the EU to develop the Global Standard for Mobile Communications (GSM), establishing Europe's IT sector as the world's leading player in the mobile phone market. There can be no doubt that this has resulted in the creation of 100,000s of new jobs, and created substantial business opportunities.

In all over 22,000 science and innovation projects were supported under FP7, covering exciting new developments in communications, energy, transport, medicine and other branches of science and engineering.

Horizon 2020 offers a stunning opportunity for more UK businesses to benefit from EU support for innovation. As all projects require international participation an H2020 project also creates a supply chain to sell innovative products in to.

The UK Government, through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and its associated Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTN) are organising briefing meetings up and down the country on the benefits of joining H2020 consortia, and advice on how to bid in to these programmes. There will be an organisation near you who can help you be a part of the next round of European technological success stories.

Do not vote for the Farage Tax

UKIP supporters claims that business leaders want to leave the EU is simply not true, as proven by the recent CBI poll which showed 80% of their members want the UK to stay in. A similar overwhelming majority of members of the Engineering Employers Federation said the same 3 weeks. Not a single credible business organisation wants to leave the EU. Hardly surpising in view of CBI's analysis that EU membership is worth £3000 p.a. to every household in the UK. For those who are interested the abolition of hordes of regulations that is result of merging 27 different nations set of product safety rules into a single common code, is also a major factor. No longer do I have to design a French version, or a German version or an Italian version of the same widget – I just make a British version and no-one can prevent me from selling it in any country within the EU as used to happen pre-Maastricht Treaty days. Perhaps James might appreciate why Nissan have said that an EU exit would threaten continued production of their cars in the UK.

There is no paperwork required to export goods to any country within the EU, or any bureaucratic barriers. There is paperwork, bureaucracy and costs associated with exporting anything outside of the EU – those of us who have to pay these costs call them 'The Farage Tax' – as that is the burden of red-tape and costs that fall on every business in the UK the day we walk out of the EU. Many small businesses would find it uneconomical to continue to export goods to Europe once these costs are imposed on them, which is why small businesses now also support EU membership. 

So it would be helpful if opponents of the EU just for once listened to business, as it is their exports that creates Britain's wealth and employment.

A Living Wage for All

As Tories line up to attack Milliband's proposal to offer tax breaks to businesses who choose to pay a living wage - they are rushing to the European Court to prevent the EU bringing in a cap on Banker's Bonuses. Nuff said!

Bedroom tax for MPs Electricity Bills

Heating Benefit of £5822 is claimed to have been paid to a Tory MP. Surely any employee should expect to have expenses covered to carry out their job, but they should be 'reasonable' costs. The solution to this latest scandal is to extend the Bedroom Tax concept to MPs, limiting their claim for second homes to 50% of the average household bills.

The Human Rights Act Speaks for itself

These are the main articles from the European Convention of Human Rights, which must be retained in British Law

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46637


Every person has the right to life, liberty and security; their private and family life should be respected, and they have the right to get married. No-one should be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and has the right to a fair trial.

No-one can be enslaved; or suffer discrimination due to sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.
People should have the freedom of thought and religion; and in accordance with law freedom of expression, association and assembly.

UKIP will cost jobs

Whilst I am pleased that Derek Childs, UKIP MEP for the East Midlands, remembers the export papers I offered him for my last shipment to the USA; it is a pity that he failed to look at them. I wonder if he also forgot about the small business woman in the audience who so eloquently told him how the EU's abolition of export paperwork had helped her small business grow thanks to the ease of exporting to what is now the largest trading bloc in the world. UKIP not only seeks to impose this costly and bureaucratic burden on every business in Britain, they would also place us outside the emerging EU/USA Free Trade Area area – isolating British businesses from the 2nd largest trading bloc in the world. It is time UKIP were honest, and came clean about the businesses that will close, and jobs that will be lost due to their isolationist policies. It is hardly surprising that the October 2013 survey carried our by the Engineering Employers Federation found that 85% of their respondents wanted to stay in the EU, a figure matched by the CBI September in which 78% voted to stay in. In fact not a single credible business group in Britain wants to leave the EU. It is a pity that the vocal minority who want to damage British interests by undermining our global trading links listened to British businesses.

Leave the EU for Constipation

In my most recent debate with UKIP I presented my opponent, East Midlands MEP Derek Childs with a dodgy dossier. It contained all the paperwork I had to fill out to export some apparatus to the USA. The equipment in question is a specialist device used to measure the elasticity of skin known as the Linear Skin Rheometer (LSR), and it has been used by cosmetic companies to evaluate the effectiveness of skin moisturisers, pharmaceutical companies to test the efficacy of medicated bandages for older people prone to skin tears, and in fundamental research in support of potential tissue engineering therapies. So it is clearly a VIP, at least Customs & Excise think so.
As the apparatus was sent on loan, I had to apply for a UK passport for it, known as a Controlled Export Procedure. Having proved that the LSR was British the passport duly arrived and was included in the Airway Bill Pouch. The USA has one of the most secure borders, for goods at least, in the world. So a British Passport for dumb equipment is not enough. Along with it I had to include 4 copies of a standarised invoice, declaration of country of manufacturer, and a statement of its harmonised code. Also required were some very intimate details, a description of the LSR in terms of height, length, breadth and size; which goes far further than the data required for a Human British Passport.
During its vacation the LSR developed a fault, and a part was returned for repair. Not an easy process as it was deemed to be an illegal immigrant! I had to apply for a Visa for it to temporarily enter Britain for TLC, using Inward Processing Relief – which has nothing to with constipation. When the illegal immigrant left Britain to the USA, I had to inform the authorities. Finally it all come home. I had to alert Border Patrols in advance to look out for this British return; which they duly did, examined its passport which was cancelled and the LSR was allowed entry to the UK. I dread to think what happened on the 4 occasions it passed through American Customs, but foreign countries have their own social mores, culture and bureaucracy.
Needless to say this is a not a pain free process. In all the LSR crossed 8 Borders during its vacation, and each crossing cost money and time.
To send an LSR anywhere in the EU requires only 1 piece of official documentation. It is called a postage stamp, you lick it and stick it to the outside of the parcel.
Derek seemed disinterested in my woes, he would not even look at the paperwork. Yet it is this burden of horrendous and costly red-tape that he, UKIP, and many Conservatives want to impose on Britain's businesses. If they have their way not only will our export costs to our biggest trading partner go through the roof, we would be outside of the new USA-EU Free Trade Area.
Derek's response was to re-open the Commonwealth Preference and trade with Australia! Australia however have the worlds 3rd largest market on their doorstep, China, and the major economies of Japan and Far East to deal with. They have also gone on record as wanting the UK to remain within the EU. I think Derek should talk to the Australians first before trying to take us back to a long-lost past.
The reality is that taking the UK out of the EU will be disastrous for business, leading to a huge burden of red-tape, insolvencies and job losses.

The UK is not isolated, as UKIP seem to want

Nigel Farage's Radio 4 interview on UK foreign policy was a display of utter incompetence. He was wholly ignorant of Operation Palliser, in which British forces successfully assisted the end of the bloody conflict in Sierra Leone; a military operation that did have the support of law and was in our National Interest. He also failed to recognise the value of International Cooperation to combat Somali Pirates, in which the EU's operation NESTOR will play a major role by training Horn of Africa regional naval forces to take over naval law enforcement currently being undertaken by NATO. His final gaff was the absurd claim that the UK's foreign policy is determined by Brussels, when last week's key vote in the House of Commons on Syria demonstrated to all that the UK, and its Parliament are the ultimate arbiters our foreign policy and military interventions. Perhaps he could instead explain how standing isolated from our allies is good for Britain's security?

Poo to Fracking

Gas Extraction Licences (methane from coal) have now been granted for a vast swathe of Leicestershire, from Wymsewold (the whole village is included) to Melton Mowbray. Fracking  and Coal Gasification, despite their appalling environmental impact, are attracting huge sums of taxpayers money – yet an alternative source of clean renewable gas fails to grab the headlines. Some industry experts are claiming that 10% of the UK's gas requirements can now be met from poo, and like all new technologies it can only get better. Sewage, household, agricultural and industrial organic waste can all be processed by anaerobic digestion (AD) into methane; yet the majority of this valuable, and undoubtedly renewable resource, is processed by oxygenation, and eventually released into our rivers and seas. What a waste of waste! My congratulations to Prince Charles, who's AD plant at Poundbury is the largest in the UK. Unlike fracked gas, which once burnt will be gone forever, poo will be a continuous resource for centuries to come. Let us hope that our County and City Councils will stop fracking coming here, and instead join forces to develop a household waste and sewage processing centre that will truly keep the fires burning.

UKIP's record of waste

UKIP has 11 MEPs; they might have had more but 2 have been jailed since 2007 for expenses fraud. That's 18% of their total representation wasting public money. What a contrast to the 0.7% of GDP that we give to fight disease & poverty, investing in education and essential infrastructure in developing countries.

George Osborne's Fracking Policy - Go North for Growth

May I congratulate George Osborne on his innovative solution to the North-South divide. By offering subsidies for gas fracking he has delivered an awesome planning blight on a swathe of prosperous Southern England, from Dorset to Kent. Who now would want to invest or buy a home there. Also let us not forget that there are proven oil and gas reserves beneath Charnwood Forest, which thanks to the County Council's Mineral Policy mining companies are now free to exploit. In contrast the North Eastern and Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnerships have hailed a £66 Million investment programme into wind turbines as the start of a £7 Billion boom in renewable energy construction and engineering. It was so well put by Lord Howell, but it is the South East that will become desolate, with economic growth in the North East.

Please leave the North East alone Mr Osborne

George Osborne's failure to take responsibility for his actions is breathtaking. The withdrawal of public sector funding was disproportionally targeted at the North East, undermining any chance of a private sector revival. The abolition of One North East, the most successful Regional Development Agency in the UK was an act of vandalism that lost this Region a major driver for growth, One North East had a gearing ratio of 8 to 1 (private sector investment of £8 for every £1 of public sector money) and was delivering new jobs and opportunities up to the day the Tory's shut it down. The reality is that policy driven from London cannot appreciate the needs of the North East, or understand the economic infrastructure that is waiting to grow. The LEPs that they created to replace RDAs cover too small a geographic area to have any impact, and the decision by 7 North East Council's to merge these functions is an important step forward in freeing the North East from 'remote control' from London and creating an environment for innovation and growth. Mr Osborne, you are the primary cause of the economic woes of this country, having snuffed out the recovery with a string of ill-thought out policies that has delivered zero growth for 3 years. If you want to really help, then leave the North-East alone.

[in response to press release from Osborne stating that  more needs to be done for the North East]

No School for Michael Gove's Children

Being denied the right to go to school is something we oft think of as happening 'somewhere else'. The outstanding speech by Malala to the United Nations this week being a great exemplar. Yet it is happening here too, not by force of arms but by legislation. 120,000 children will be denied a school place this September because provision of school places has been thrown into chaos by Michael Gove. His neo-Stalinist desire to seize control of schools from local people has led to the replacement of School Organisation Plans that took account of local need and parents wishes, with a dogmatic driven desire to spawn academies and free schools regardless of the resultant localised over-provision. Thus we have the absurd phenomena of Free Schools opening around the country at great public expense, which are less than half full. Yet there are dramatic shortages of primary school places elsewhere. To hide this fact Michael Gove has used executive powers to allow schools to refuse admission to children seeking to start class on September 1^st of the year of the their 5^th birthday; a decision taken without Parliamentary approval. Far from seeing a growth in Localism, so trumpeted by David Cameron when he forged his coalition after failing to win the General Election, school provision has been centralised in Whitehall, with scant regard to local need. As a result £millions will be poured into empty schools that are not needed, whilst under-provision elsewhere will deny education to 120,000 children.

Regional Development Agencies are back!

The decision by 7 North East Council to merge to merge their economic roles is a ground breaking decision, which has passed unnoticed by the London based political elite. This is exactly the sort of innovative thinking that Eric Pickles has been calling for, so solid support from the Government should now be forthcoming. As well as economies of scale, the key Economic Development remit will pass to this new Regional Authority, enabling the North East to present a united message when seeking inward investment. Similar plans are emerging elsewhere in the country, with Leeds and Sheffield also looking to develop similar Regional structures to match Boris Johnson's London, and the major Metropolitan Regions of Birmingham & Greater Manchester. It is now widely recognised by industry, academia and Local Government that the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies was one of the Government's worst decision. Yet swathes of English Regional economic delivery organisations established by the RDA's survived abolition because they are successfully delivering badly needed economic development (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland's RDAs were not abolished). Now these successful legacy bodies are set to be joined by new Regional Authorities which will be accountable to local people via the ballot box.

The European Arrest Warrent, UKIPs gift to fugitives from justice

As Jeremy Forrest starts his 5.5 year goal sentence for child abduction, few in the media have highlighted that his speedy return to justice was thanks to the European Arrest Warrant. This is one of the many common policing measures that make our continent safer, yet are threatened by a vocal gaggle of Torys and UKIP, who seem to detest all things European. Clearly they view short term electoral popularity as a higher objective than citizens safety and the UK's security.

UK benefits from EU's science fund

Framework 7 (FP7) is the EU's little-known, but vital, science and technology programme.
Over the past seven years, a total of £42 billion has been awarded to international consortia to develop and bring to the market cutting-edge solutions. The UK is the second largest benefactor, after Germany, having secured inward investment from the EU's FP7 programme of about £800,000 per annum (representing about 12.5 per cent of what we put in to the EU).

The range of research is staggering and translating research into commercial realities is a key factor in all EU programmes. Perhaps the most ubiquitous example is the mobile phone.
The EU financially supported the European Telecoms Standards Institute (ETSI) development of the mobile phone standard. Europe led the world in commercialising this technology, creating hundreds of thousands of European jobs as a result.

In medicine, there are now a number of stem cell trials that could lead to new therapies for motor neurone disease, blindness and other diseases – in part greatly assisted by the EU bringing the continent's leading medical researchers together to collaborate on tackling major causes of disease.
Collaborative research into intelligent vehicles has been supported for decades by the EU and now we take these features in our cars for granted.

As finance for small businesses  dries up, due to banks not lending, and the abolition of the regional development agencies, the EU offers great opportunities for British business to seek financial support for innovation. In fact, over one-third of the funds from FP7 went to British companies and research institutes to support their investment into new technologies.

To walk away from the world's only international science and technology network is utter folly.

England's long relationship with Islam

In the 8th century much of what is now Leicestershire came under the control of one the Anglo-Saxon's era most powerful Kings, Offa of Mercia, who ruled from 757 to 796.
A significant find from this period can be seen in the British Museum, a gold coin with King Offa's head on one side and the Arabic inscription which roughly translates as: "There is no god but Allah and there is no other like him".
A lot of early English silver coinage also bore Arabic inscriptions. King Offa and the English were not Muslims, but it is strong evidence that England and the Islamic and Jewish world had strong cultural bonds and trading links from the very earliest days of English migration to these islands.
The English immigrants of the 4th century were denounced by Roman propaganda as Barbarians, but in reality they did in due course settle, intermarry with the indigenous Celts, and after the later French conquest moulded this country's language and culture into the foundations of what we now know as England.

Islam was present at its beginning, and has remained with us to today, adding to our language (alcohol being just one Arabic word), culture and, most important, science and trade.
The very pages of this newspaper are identified by Arabic not Latin numerals. None of this of course has ever undermined English identity or culture – it has merely enriched it.
Recently, however, the true Barbarians returned to the street of Leicester, in the form of the English Defence League. Their message of hate and intolerance has no place in English society, which has a world-wide reputation for tolerance.
The violence that always comes with the self-styled EDL speaks for itself. Meanwhile, the majority of the population of this great city, which is a shining example of cohesion, have with dignity and respect, reclaimed the flag of St George for us all, from those who have only brought it shame and dishonour.
St George is the patron saint of England and Istanbul, a modern link between our country and the Islamic world that brings us back to the beginning.
As the Arabic coinage of the earliest English kingdoms demonstrate, we have had links with the Islamic world for hundreds of years.

Michael Gove has gone 'Bonkeroony' - a new exam for mediocrity

Dumbing down our exam system by abolishing the rigour of modules and coursework will damage the life chances of our young people, undermine excellence, and damage our economy.

Modularity brings out specialists, with a passion for a subject. This is essential to support UK research & development. Instead we going to abandon support for highly gifted students, to be replaced by a single bland generalised exam structure. Clearly Gove has not consulted any UK universities, else he would have discovered that undergraduate courses are taught using a modular approach.

Coursework is rigorous, and requires students to deliver throughout their training and learning period. Simply regurgitating facts in a 2 hour exam is insufficient to demonstrate true understanding of a topic, and the ability to apply that learning.

As someone who both runs a small business and teaches part-time at an English university, my advice to young people is to ask to be entered into exams set by Scottish or Welsh examination boards.

Letter From Orkney - A Tale of History (ancient & modern), Natural History & Green Energy

Letter From Orkney

Orkney is a must-go destination for lovers of outstanding scenery, history, and wildlife. Orkney's Neolithic Heart includes the stunning Stones of Stenness, leading via a narrow isthmus to the Ring of Brodgar. The 5000 year old Maeshowe tomb predates the Great Pyramid. We will never know what rituals, were carried out here; or why the tomb fell in to disuse after 500 years. Remains of later immigrants can be found everywhere, with Pictish and Norse settlements, brochs and ruins throughout the archipelago. If you want something different then descend into Rennibister earth-house, or crawl into Cuween chambered cairn. Give yourself time to visit more than just the Mainland Island, Hoy's Dwarfie Stane, and Roussey's Midhowe are only a short ferry ride away.

For military historians, a visit to Scapa Flow is essential. Known as a safe haven for King Haokon's Viking fleet in the 13th Century, its strategic use comes down to the 20^thC as the base for the WW1 Fleet of 24 battleships and 3 battlecruisers who sailed to the Battle of Jutland in 1916. WWII saw the Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow, where it played a major role in protecting the Arctic Convoys to our Russian allies in Murmansk. The sinking of HMS Royal Oak, with the loss 833 men, led to the creation of the Churchill Barriers by Italian POWs. All that is left today of their prison camp is the outstanding Italian Chapel, decorated by Domenico Chiocchetti. Restored in the 1960's it is hard to believe that it is built from 2 Nissen huts, drift wood, scrap and cast concrete.

For us the highlight was the bird life. We had the fortune to be taken on a walk by Tim Dean, author of the authoritative “Birds of Orkney”. First stopping off to see an example of the rare Primula Scotia, we visited a number of superb sites along the Mainland's West Coast. There are a wide range of sea and coastal birds, too many to list but including fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, puffins, oyster catchers and curlews; all ever vigilant for cruising skuas. The coastal scenery is superb too, with a number of long distance footpaths not always shown on OS maps.
What is not apparent is the dramatic fall in nesting bird populations, which scientific studies have linked to a substantial fall in sand-eel and other fish stocks. The cause is not overfishing, as determined by the Scottish Fisheries Research Services which found little change in the fish population despite a trial 2-year closure of a Shetland fishery. The sad conclusion is that climate change is now delivering major environmental impacts, altering the scale and timing of sand-eel availability, such that insufficient stocks are present during key nesting periods. The Scottish Government's innovative Marine Protection Zones, intended to protect both nesting colonies and their feeding areas will make a +ve impact, and are a policy that the rest of the UK can learn from.
Orcadians are also making a major contribution to combatting climate change. Wind turbines, solar panels and ground-source heat pumps are widely deployed; on their best days Orkney exports electricity to the Scottish mainland. The technological gem will be the harnessing of tidal power, a field in which Orkney leads the world. Latest estimates are that 85% of Orkney's power will be home-grown this year, and soon the island could be self-sufficient with clean, low-cost renewable energy. A testimony to the ethos of self-reliance to found here. The UK can learn a lot from Orkney, who have demonstrated that green energy can replace Russian Gas, Middle East Oil and imported Uranium.