| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Reply | |
| Posted by: | Steven Rose | |
| Date/Time: | 23/02/26 21:48:00 |
| You seem rather more concerned with manifesto pledges, Michael, than the government, who introduced the farm tax though it was not mentioned in the manifesto, and raised National Insurance, though the manifesto pledged not to do so. But to address your points: 1) I am perfectly aware that mad Ed Miliband has only banned new oil extraction in the North Sea, though the ban has been modified to allow companies to drill for oil in pre-existing fields. But you haven’t answered my question. Regardless of whether a ban was a manifesto pledge, is it sensible to limit UK production while continuing to import oil from abroad? 2) Again you haven’t answered the question on independent schools but just repeated the mantra of a manifesto pledge. If you are a parent struggling to pay schools fees for your child because adequate state provision is lacking, is it fair to impose a 20% increase which forces you to withdraw your child from the school? 3) My point about the original farm tax is that it was extremely ill-judged and caused unnecessary distress. The modification is welcome but it won’t bring back the farmer who committed suicide. Furthermore it is likely that some farmers who operate farms barely making a profit will still be forced to sell up because they can’t afford to pay the tax bills. 4) I remember that you too supported Trump’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. It is clear that the Iranian nuclear programme was severely disrupted but a raid cannot destroy the knowledge to build nuclear capability. The Iranians are clearly prevaricating on the issue of uranium enrichment in the hope of one day obtaining enough material to make a bomb. If that happens they will be invulnerable to attack. Is that a prospect you welcome. If not, what do you propose should be done to prevent it? In my opinion the only solution is regime change, which will be good for the world and good for the Iranians. Only Trump can bring this about. The figure of 30 000 dead comes from dissidents in Iran, where thousands of people have lost family and friends. The comparison with Israel is entirely inappropriate. The Iranian regime murdered 30 000 peaceful protesters over two weeks in January. Israel has been at war for over two years with an enemy territory ruled by a genocidal group of terrorists whose aim is to wipe out the Jewish population of Israel. Of the 70 000 Palestinians who have died , between 20 000 and 30 000 are thought to be Hamas militants. 5) Yes, the discussions with Mauritius started under the Tories, though I suspect under the influence of woke Foreign Office officials. But you haven’t answered the question. Saying you haven’t got an opinion is a cop out. Are you happy that the British taxpayer is going to pay £100 million per year for the next 99 years, a total net cost of £3.4 billion, to lease a territory the UK already possesses? Recently the Chagossians themselves have stated clearly that they oppose rule from Mauritius. Regardless of what Nigel Farage (whom I don’t support) does, do you think it is right to ignore the wishes of the Chagossians? 6) Yes, the increase in the minimum wage was included in the manifesto, but was it a sensible proposal ? Any chance of an answer? |