Chilling stuff from Gus O'Donnell. The National Security Council is only somehow above politics if Britain does not have politics as such. Alas, that was the case for a very long time.
Jeremy Corbyn has many, many faults. But he has opened up the debate on economic and foreign policy for the first time in a generation. Before the summer of 2015, Britain had an unquestionable State ideology in international affairs and in relation to the architecture of the economy.
It was occasionally possible to make a small and probably jocular criticism of the Government. But it was effectively forbidden to criticise the State. Corbyn has brought onto the platform the voices of opposition in principle to politically chosen austerity and to wars of political choice.
It was occasionally possible to make a small and probably jocular criticism of the Government. But it was effectively forbidden to criticise the State. Corbyn has brought onto the platform the voices of opposition in principle to politically chosen austerity and to wars of political choice.
The likes of O'Donnell are determined to silence those voices. An entire political party now exists for that sole purpose, and it is enjoying wholly uncritical saturation coverage. Noticeably, though, that is not the position of the Conservative Government.
It is a pity that George Osborne never tied in his Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine projects with his pioneering participation in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Nevertheless, Philip Hammond is making overtures towards the Belt and Road Initiative, a potentially crossparty recognition that the future is coming and that Britain needs to be part of it.
Not only is this right up the street of the people closest to Corbyn, however sections of his fan base might appear (see also Brexit, among other things), but Danny Alexander is already the Vice-President and Corporate Secretary of the AIIB. Whom does that leave?
Well, it leaves the Yellow Peril and Red Scare weirdos on the Conservative benches and in their media, exemplified by that funny little man who wanted to send a gunboat or some such to the South China Sea. Isn't he on the National Security Council? I only ask.
Then it leaves the crossover of that into the terrified spooks, whose Official Secrets Act ought simply to be repealed, since no one has ever seen any need of anything remotely like it in the United States. And then it leaves the crossover of that, in turn, into Change UK and into most of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Ah, yes. Most of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Another hung Parliament is coming, however, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. It has become a local commonplace that I am on 30-30-30 with Labour and the Conservatives here at North West Durham, so that any one of us could be the First Past the Post. I will stand for this seat, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
Well, it leaves the Yellow Peril and Red Scare weirdos on the Conservative benches and in their media, exemplified by that funny little man who wanted to send a gunboat or some such to the South China Sea. Isn't he on the National Security Council? I only ask.
Then it leaves the crossover of that into the terrified spooks, whose Official Secrets Act ought simply to be repealed, since no one has ever seen any need of anything remotely like it in the United States. And then it leaves the crossover of that, in turn, into Change UK and into most of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Ah, yes. Most of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Another hung Parliament is coming, however, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. It has become a local commonplace that I am on 30-30-30 with Labour and the Conservatives here at North West Durham, so that any one of us could be the First Past the Post. I will stand for this seat, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
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