Michael Gove and I have mutual friends. I have no difficulty in believing that he is charming in private, as is also said of Peter Mandelson and of Norman Tebbit, because politicians with reputations for "niceness" are complete and utter nightmares in real life. But Gove's proposal to give free British citizenship to EU nationals is as racist as the EU itself. Why to them, and not to anyone else? In the words of Barbara Castle:
"This, then, is the new internationalism. A selective relationship with the rest of the world, controlled and dictated by a powerful European bloc. And what kind of internationalism is it that says that henceforth this country must give priority to a Frenchman over an Indian, a German over an Australian, an Italian over a Malaysian? This isn't the language of internationalism … it is Euro-jingoism."
It amazes me, and not much does that, that your right to vote in Britain can be determined by whether or not your country is a member of certain international bodies, which it may leave at any moment (certainly in the case of the Commonwealth), thereby disenfranchising you. Parliamentary candidates should have to be British Citizens in Great Britain, or British or Irish Citizens in Northern Ireland, but everyone legally resident should have the vote, and indeed the right to stand in local elections. Why not?
Pending that, however, I can find nothing to prevent a Commonwealth citizen resident in the United Kingdom from being a parliamentary candidate while on remand. Assuming that that is indeed possible, and with George Galloway taking care of Birmingham Yardley (he cannot yet say yes because of his work, but he has never said no), then over to Julian Assange at Walthamstow.
Another hung Parliament is coming, 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.
"This, then, is the new internationalism. A selective relationship with the rest of the world, controlled and dictated by a powerful European bloc. And what kind of internationalism is it that says that henceforth this country must give priority to a Frenchman over an Indian, a German over an Australian, an Italian over a Malaysian? This isn't the language of internationalism … it is Euro-jingoism."
It amazes me, and not much does that, that your right to vote in Britain can be determined by whether or not your country is a member of certain international bodies, which it may leave at any moment (certainly in the case of the Commonwealth), thereby disenfranchising you. Parliamentary candidates should have to be British Citizens in Great Britain, or British or Irish Citizens in Northern Ireland, but everyone legally resident should have the vote, and indeed the right to stand in local elections. Why not?
Pending that, however, I can find nothing to prevent a Commonwealth citizen resident in the United Kingdom from being a parliamentary candidate while on remand. Assuming that that is indeed possible, and with George Galloway taking care of Birmingham Yardley (he cannot yet say yes because of his work, but he has never said no), then over to Julian Assange at Walthamstow.
Another hung Parliament is coming, 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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