FALANGE CONFERENCE IN BRIGHTON

Yesterday the
Falange

Conference hit another low.

Having refused to debate the increasing bloodbath that is Iraq, the Part's heavyweight thugs saw to silence an eighty two year old man who dared to briefly say what we all know, namely that this episode is the subject of lies from our dishoourable Government.

Here we see the brave new politics of New Labour;


1/. Deny a debate

2/. Use the thugs if anyone makes a noise.

To make things worse we had the hideous spectacle of a peace campaigner being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. If anyone wanted to know why we should be careful in the scrutiny of terrorism legislation, it is now clear. This Government is capable of using powers for other than what we were told is their purpose.

Today, we have seen a grinning apology by Mr Blair and the Defence Secretary trying to make a joke out of the thuggery of his party. Meanwhile it was noticeble that when delegates applauded Walter Wofgang, Lord Falconer and david Miliband failed to join in. But in that at least they were sincere. For we now have a conceited Government which in its monumnetal arrogance can brook no opposition. When people dare speak against it, a ruthless spin machine hammers them to the ground. It wins elections by dishonestly avoiding major issues and lying even about the total unconvincing Opposition parties. It defends its power by holding on to an electoral system that is little better than a lottery. And now it cannot cope with the briefest of heckling. How giants like Harold Wilson and Aneurin Bevan would scoff at such timidity.

The fact is that the Falange styled ruling party is now with Id cards et al a threat to our liberties. Abroad it allies itself with tyrants galore and as for Iraq, we still send young men to risk their all for the image of the pathetic men in suits whom we have endured on our television screens this week.

Surely the time has come to challenge this pathetic farce. A 'People Power' that campaigns for real democracy is needed. That is where I put my hope. In despair I find it hard to fill in my 'Electoral Registration Form.' I have had enough of tyrants and hand wringing! We need real democracy!

GORDON BROWN AND I

Driving home at lunchtime, I found myself listening to Gordon Brown's speech at the Labour Party Conference. As he came to his climax about renewal I had a feeling of having heard this all before. It was just so much like his last 5 or 6 Conference speeches. The commentators afterwards commented that one of his pledges had been to introduce corporate manslaughter legislation before snidely adding that this pledge wss not new but had been made years before. Indeed, a recent programme regarding the Paddington train crash had mentioned this unfulfilled promise.

As I walked through the door I could not help but reflect that thesoon to be British Prime Minister was going a tad repetitive.

However, I can't say I felt comfortable for long. I had to look at myself. For the past two weeks I have been going through a bad patch. I couldn't get myself together to draft a sermon for either of yesterday's services. During the morning Harvest Festival service, I found myself thinking that my sermon had an uncomfortable similarity to the previous year's Harvest sermon I had preached in that church. The question that now faced me was "Am I becoming Gordon Brown?"

The answer is of course, "No!" For unlike Gordon I am not expecting any promotion in the near future. I am far from Methodism's equivalent of No 10. Indeed I am nearer it's revolving door on to the street.

Still, it is an interesting thought! Gordon Brown and myself - two birds of a feather? Who'd have thought it? Oh well, I'd better join up with RESPECT just to be sure!

THE SICKLY PIETY OF POLITICS IN CONTRAST TO GOD

I was interested to read of the gaoling of Lord Watson for arson

Given that arson is a dangerous thing to do, I guess imprisonment was inevitable. However, I was fascinated that he is to be expelled from the Labour Party. In this Labour is hardly unique. The Tories did precisely the same to Jonathan Aitken and Lord Archer following their imprisonments.

And yet, I am uneasy. As I have stated before, the political parties have often done things that have wrecked the lives of people - Iraq is but one example where no head has rolled in terms of political office despite the mounting death toll. And yet when people mess up in their personal lives, our political parties become 'holier than thou.' It make me feel totally nauseous.

The message is that you are only valued when it suits the plitical party. That is one of the reasons why I refuse at present to join any of them - indeed if there were an election tomorrow I feel I could be an evangelical campaigner for non voting as it only seems to encourage them.

What I value about my faith is that my God sticks with me and values me even when I am hashing things up. And that colours my vision of what church should be about. I know that the hate mongers of the Sun and Mail would see this as wishy washy nonsense but it is the heart of the Gospel.

And the real wimps are those who desert others in their times of need. The heroes are those who stand with us when our actions have driven others away.

LABOUR'S IRAQ DEBATE

Interesting to read in The Independent of a row brewing in the Labour Party as to whether there should be a debate on the ongoing debacle in Iraq. With an increasing quagmire of death with little sign of light, it seems time to think in terms of phased withdrawal.

The use of the memory of Robin Cook in this debate may be embarassing for the Prime Minister. It may even be in bad taste. However, the fact is that Cook's position has been vindicated by events whilst the Prime Minister's case looks increasingly discredited.

Surely the time has come for steps to end this fiasce in which our young men seem to being sent to risk their lives for little more than the pride of the Prime Ministeras pointed out by Charles Kennedy.

And that means the ruling party having a free debate on Iraq at its conference even if that debate is a trifle uncomfortable

TONY'S GUESTS - No 1 CHINA

I promised to write about the sort of governments that our government invites to its arms fair.

First up is China. I will resist writing about the massacre of pro democracy students, its alliance with Robert Mugabe or even the repression in Tibet. Instead dear reader, I draw your attention to an article in
The Guardian
which draws attention to the fact that a regime which is into heavy use of executions, actually uses the bodies of those whom they kill for beauty products. Pretty sick, eh?

Nice guests for your arms sale, Tony!

BLAIR AND THE MERCHANTS OF DEATH

Do you remember how New Labour was going to give us an ethical foreign policy? It all seems so long ago - certainly before the use of deceit to take us into the war with Iraq?

Well another area of New Labour deceit is that weapons from this country are still getting into some pretty disreputable hands. Far from showing repentance at the sins of selling the instruments of death, The Ministry of Defence is soon to be hosting yet another arms far through its subsidiary DESO.

You and I dear reader won't be able to get in. I guess we are all a little bit risky. That I could take but look at those who are being invited. I name but 5 countries;

Algeria

China

Columbia

Jordan

Saudi Arabia.

In the next few days I will outline the human rights records of these counties.

But of course, being a guest doesn't mean that they will be sold weapons we are told. Fair enough, but I take it that they are not coming just for a day out at MacDonalds. At the least, the representatives of these countries are coming on a working visit and the people who come work in armaments! If not, then surely they can return theior invites so that a few peaceniks can have a look around.

If I lay my cards on the line, I have to say that I find the arms trade throoughly despicable and I have not the slightest interest in protecting jobs in it when the talents of those who work for the whores of death can be much more effectively used for psoitive purposes. I still believe in the Biblical vision of 'swords being turned into ploughshares.'

It will be interesting to see the measures taken to keep protestors from this event. But I have no doubt that the protestors are doing the work of God and thankfully God is supreme over the tinpot empires and tyrranies that appear within this world.

So good luck to the protestors. Shame on you Mr Blair for this wilful abandonment of ethics.

SOME FAMILIES DO HAVE THEM!

Well, after the pice of nonsense printed below by George W. Bush, step forward our very own Marie Antoinette, Barbara Bush. Barbara clealry has decided that talking gibberish must be shown as a family trait.

At first I couldn't believe this comment but it is in so many newspapers, I guess she must have said it;

And so many of the people in this arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this.. (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.

Well, I doubt many of the uprooted people see it that way but if by chance some did, surely this is an overwhelming indictment of American capitalism that it can be suggested that losing everything is actually an improvement. The fact is thatthe Bush family with its obscene wealth has a record of acting first and foremost for the pampered and the powerful.

This family are the perfect argument for Marx's maxim;

To each according to their needs.

From each according to their abilities.

Doubtless, the Bush table will be well provided with all manner of goodies from lifetime involvement with the most unscupulous oil companies and arms dealers.

But ultimately the poor of New Orleans have much greater human qualities than this family that make Marie Antoinette look compassionate!

HAIL TO THE CHIMP

Yes folks, following his less than impressive performance in confronting the human tragedy that has ensued after Hurricane Katerina, President Bush according to the White House really did say this;

The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch. (Laughter.)

It only goes to show that democracy isn't perfect when it throws up a leader so utterly lacking in empathy for those whose lives have been destroyed.

CRICKET AT TAUNTON

For my day off on Friday, I was talked into going to Taunton so that we could get shoes, satchels etc for my children in time for the new school term. As is customary on such occasions, i went somewhat unwillingly. The part of the day we spent in shops was frankly about as exciting as watching paint dry. Most of the people looked like I felt. I've often heard people talk of 'retail therapy' but from what I could see, most of the shoppers looked driven to a need for therapy. I can't say how relieved I was when it was over.

The second part of the day was much better. we had gone to Taunton rather than Exeter because the night before I had discovered there was to be a Twenty 20 cricket international between England and Australia - womens' international that is. You know we all enjoyed it so much. We loved nearly everything about it - sun tan lotion given out free on arrival, ballon like things to clap with, cards which we could wave on a boundary plus the music that was played whenever a boundary was hit or a wicket out (Queen must have been quids in on royalties with "Don't stop me now" and "Another One bites the dust" being played so often. But best of all, was the quality of the match. Ok there wasn't the raw power of a Flintoff but there was some great batting especially by Australia's Karen Bolton who hit 96 not out to take her team to a three wicket victory which had seemed inconceivable when they were 6 for 3 in reply to England's 151. Furthermore, the match was played in great spirit with both humour and intense competitiveness.

After the match I read some of the profiles. Cricketers don't get played nearly as much as the bloated popstars of Premiership football. And these women were very much part timers who played primarily out of love of the game. Yet they had entertained me much more than some of those sportsmen whose noses are constantly in the rough looking to get more and more out of their games. And that reminded me that sport is not just about the get rich boys but about enthusiasts. I though back to my years in training when I had been so enriched by cheering Cambridge City's part timers in the Doc Martin League whose football was at times exhilerating and who ran their butts off even on days when nothing seemed to go right.

In other words, what I am trying to say is that sport is not for me about millionaires full of self importance. It is about people who give their all often for very limited financial reward. On which subject, my blood pressure did rise at Taunton when I saw the SKY cameraman and remembered that such is the company whose taking sport away from those who can't afford a satellite dish and whose throwing money to boost sales of their perverted TV channel has led to obscene wealth at the top end of sport, I found myslef reflecting on a society that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing!