British news from March 3, 2010

Fifty-two year-old Billy Bragg, the poet/songwriter is refusing to pay his taxes unless something is done about the �1.6 billion bonus payouts Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are giving to staff. RBS are 84 percent owned by the British taxpayer; however, what Billy and countless other protesters are failing to see is - well, reality. We live in a society that fiercely protects and proliferates capitalism, so why would anyone expect investment bankers to work any other way? If the British public want to see a return on their �14 billion invested into RBS then we must have the very best people working to make sure that happens. However, if we do what the protesters suggest which is to give little or no bonuses then the very people we want working at RBS to sort out this mess will go elsewhere to work. Wake up people; these are investment bankers, the very epitome of capitalism. It�s love of money, not country that drives them.

In politics, David Cameron addressed his party at the Conservative spring conference. No notes and an Obama style message of needed change in politics was the order of the day. I�m not sure that any politician has ever entered the pre-election arena without the promise of change but voters still seem to lap it up. Mr Cameron, leader of the opposition has seen his lead in the polls diminish this week as fears over the country�s financial deficit causes divisions. Cameron has made it clear that he intends to start needed cut backs if he is elected.  The problem is, only 25% of people worry that the deficit won�t be dealt with quick enough, but 40% are worried that dealing with the deficit will cause them inconvenience when local services start to disappear.

The unfortunate case in the UK at the moment is that before we have even approached dealing with the financial deficit, local councils are already running out of funding for basic local services. Care for the elderly is under threat as are many environmental and social services. As a side note, it is very apparent in London at the moment that the roads have ceased to be repaired. Potholes have made the roads a mine field for motorists and the authorities are refusing to repair them.

Following up on a story we published a couple of weeks ago, the verdict from the Senior Judges is finally in. Based on evidence, including 42 unpublished CIA documents, collected over the past 18 months by two high court judges and described in six separate judgments, it�s official; MI5 withheld evidence and co-operated with the CIA in the torture of Guantanamo Bay detainee, Binyam Mohamed.
MI5 boss, Jonathan Evans now has the audacity to suggest that the media�s reporting of the UK�s Senior Judges findings is playing into the hands of our enemies, allowing them to use propaganda to undermine our ability to confront them. Not so my dear Mr Evans, you undermined our ability, you provided our enemies with tools to use against us. You did that when your agency failed to uphold the values you are meant to hold so dear and the very law you are meant to stand for. Shame on you for continuing this tirade of buck passing!

In sport, there has been a lot of talk around London this week of the decision Wayne Bridge, the UK premiership footballer made to pull out of the World Cup squad. I reported a few weeks ago that John Terry the English captain had an affair with Wayne Bridge�s ex-fianc� which led to the sacking of John Terry. Since then, they have met on opposing teams and tensions have run high - but should he have quit the World Cup team to avoid John? The consensus from fans is that he may regret not being able to recount to his grandchildren the time he helped England to WIN the World Cup.

In other news, a man who is suspected of killing his girlfriend and baby is at large. Anthony Marsh, 21, has been missing since the bodies were discovered on Saturday. Miss Bellinger and her daughter Lily were found at their home in Totton near Southampton, stabbed to death.  Anthony�s mother appealed on television for him to hand himself in.

Finally, the infamous Yorkshire ripper, Peter Sutcliffe is seeking a high court ruling to set a release date. He was convicted in 1981 of cold bloodedly murdering 13 women and attacking 7 others in Yorkshire, UK. The judge at the time of sentencing recommended that he spend a minimum of 30 years behind bars. That elapses next year. He said MINIMUM, Mr Sutcliffe - look it up. You really are coming across a little eager!

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