British news from February 24, 2010

Caribbean and Latin American leaders have unanimously backed Argentina at a summit in Mexico over a 170 year old dispute with Britain that has raised its ugly head once again. In short, Argentina claim sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (which they refer to as Islas Malvinas) but the UK have started drilling for oil based on their alleged sovereignty since 1833. UK Minister for the region, Chris Bryant, said that Britain had �no doubt about our sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.�
�It is underpinned by the principle of democratic self-determination,� he said. �Falkland Islanders want to remain British.�

However, Argentina has received all round support from its neighbours. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called on the UN to debate Argentina�s sovereignty claim.

�What is the geographic, the political or economic explanation for England to be in Las Malvinas?� he asked. �Could it be because England is a permanent member of the UN�s Security Council [where] they can do everything and the others nothing?�  The UK and Argentina went to war not too long ago in 1982 over the same dispute, during a seven-week war that killed 649 Argentine and 255 British service personnel. If we do end up at war over this, let�s try and remember this time � it IS over oil!
Back here in the UK, troubled Prime Minister Gordon Brown was caught in another scandal, this time over the alleged bullying of his colleagues. It really is like a school playground in British politics. This came after Christine Pratt, Chief of the National Bullying Helpline went public with the revelation that employees from 10 Downing street had used the helpline. Mrs Pratt has made it clear none of the callers accused Mr Brown personally of bullying and said he may not even have known about the claims. However, since the scandal broke, so many defenders of Brown have been trying to dig him out of a hole that they seem to be sitting in a much deeper one now where Browns temperament has definitely been called into question. Well done guys!

On Wednesday 24th PM Gordon Brown apologised to 130,000 children forced to migrate to colonies such as Australia and Canada. Lied to, abused both physically and mentally, deprived of childhoods and split from their siblings, many are still trying to come to terms with what happened to them. This was a shameful government scheme between the 1920s and 1967 when the last child was shipped. Amongst other things Gordon said: �We are sorry they were allowed to be sent away at the time when they were most vulnerable. We are sorry that instead of caring for them, this country turned its back.�
Director of the Child Migrant Trust, Margaret Humphreys said: �It gives them [the migrants] the recognition they have sought for so long - and, sadly, that so many have not lived to witness.�
Up in the North, a Scottish company selling �Anyone but England� T-shirts for this year�s Football World Cup has been warned by Police that it could be seen as racist. Oh my goodness, we can give it but we just can�t take it. Truth is; most Brits just see them as a bit of light hearted fun.

And finally back to London...

In a worrying trend, more and more Londoners are breeding banned fighting dogs. Many see them as protection in low cost housing estates while others actually pitch them into fights with prizes of thousands of pounds. Although Pit bulls were one of the named breeds banned by the UK�s 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act the breeders cross them with legal dogs, thus getting around the law.
Residents surrounding London�s Heathrow airport (already Europe�s busiest airport), including 13 councils (local government), green groups and residents� organisations have said an emphatic �NO� to a third runway proposed by the UK government. They have now reached the high court in an attempt to stifle the plans. Noise, air pollution and demolition of local infrastructure are just some of the things at stake.

In yet more predicted problems for British Airways, cabin crew voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over pay and conditions. UNITE (the airline crew union) said that 78.77% of the 11,691 ballot papers issued were returned. Of those 80.7% (7,482) supported taking action with 1,789 voting against it. British Airways warned: �We will not allow UNITE to ruin this company.�  Negotiations are continuing.

Finally in some good news for Britain, Amy Williams the GB team�s skeleton slider has won a Gold medal. Although it�s great news, it highlights the embarrassing fact that it is our first individual winter Olympic gold for 30 years! The 27-year-old from Bath won the women�s skeleton title at Vancouver 2010 Olympic by a whopping 0.56 seconds!

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