WHAT DOES RIGHT WING RHETORIC AND RACIST ABUSE LEAD TO? IS THER ANYONE STILL WONDERING?

When the Murdoch Empire spouts it's filth about immigration do some racists take succour from that? When they do the same about paedophiles is it possible that some blameless people will be hurt? When David Cameron makes a speech and finds himself and the Tories being lauded by the odious Nick Griffin of the BNP who claims that Cameron's speech is a "further huge leap for our ideas into the political mainstream" does it give him pause for thought? When Marine Le Pen of the French Nazi National Front (her father's daughter) also praises Cameron's speech and says it "endorsed her own party's line on multiculturalism" is he quite relaxed about it? Can speeches and news stories and campaigns fan the flames of reaction and violence? I say the can and do, Norway and Oklahoma were no accidents, and some people are culpable.

Why would the speech I refer to a couple of weeks ago in Munich by Cameron repeatedly state the lie that "Islamist Extremism" is the cause of terrorism? Cameron is a clever enough man to know that he is not telling the truth so why? Votes and opinion polls that's why and that conclusively leads to the kind of character he is and says it all about the Tory party, famously and truthfully described by the great Nye BevAn as "lower than Vermin" When the former Norwegian Prime Minister, and current chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee Thorbjorn Jagland, chooses the immediate aftermath of the worst racially motivated terrorist attack in Norwegian history to condemn Cameron's rhetoric. He describes it as "playing with fire" and claiming it could be exploited by extremists is it not about time that the hate filled right wingers of politics took a hard look at themselves?

The Tories are never more than a bad poll result or a big Murdoch type scandal away from playing the race card; it was ever thus and they will never change. I am comforted by this man's decision to say in public what millions have known for years and were too cowed by Murdoch and Co. to mention. That is that every action has a reaction and when you stir up hatred of a racist kind someone is going to suffer, invariably a member of a minority group, someone who can be called different from the mob, likewise bogus campaigns to protect children which are really to sell more papers. Clearly to Cameron and the Tories and the repellent Murdoch gang and their like the votes and the sales are worth it, the damage done, the lives lost and ruined are worth it. That's why we can't condemn any other people and why we have no right to, we here in the Capitalist rich west have education communications and wealth and that does not make us better people it only makes us worse.

SCOTLAND’S HEROES OF THE INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES UNITED AT LAST.

"We shall not forget you; and, when the olive tree of peace is in flower, entwined with the victory laurels of the Republic of Spain --- return!"

(La Pasionara) - Farewell speech to the International Brigades. Barcelona November 1St. 19 38.

I am often accused of being harsh on Scotland I prefer to regard what I say as the truth as I see it and as I see it a recent event shows that Scotland has every reason to be proud of a famous episode in its past. The recent event was the release by MI5 of all the names of those British volunteers who joined the International Brigades to fight Fascism in Spain in 19 36. Scotland and Ireland supplied many volunteers, more than other countries going by population; they remain an inspiration to everyone who strives for a better more equal society. As I began to read and learn about politics in my early teens I became besotted with 'Spain' and these events. A statue stands in Glasgow at Custom House Quay of one of the most famous Spanish Republicans Dolores Ibarruri: known as "La Pasionara" a fierce and brave politician who rallied the troops against Franco's fascists with her mesmeric oratory and courage. The legend on the statue says "better to die on your feet than live on your knees" and it is an honour and privilege to have this statue of such an inspirational Socialist Heroine in Glasgow, a place where she would have felt at home.

Spain elected a Socialist Republican Government and the army staged a revolt to bring it down led by General Francisco Franco, backed by Hitler and Mussolini. Britain, France and America to their undying shame did nothing although many French and Americans volunteered as well for the International Brigades the American volunteers were called "The Lincoln Battalion" It is strongly hinted that Cafe owner Rick played by Humphrey Bogart in the classic movie Casablanca was a veteran of the Lincoln Battalion such was the romance which surrounded the cause. The fascists won and the green light was given to Hitler for what was to follow, an estimated 200,000 were killed in the fighting and in the couple of years that followed double that, 400,000 were executed. A male prison in Madrid was converted to a female prison to hold Republican women prisoners many of whom were executed. You can get a flavour of the times when you learn that the prison was run by an order of Catholic Nuns who dragged women prisoners to the Gallows kicking and screaming.

Approx. 4,000 British volunteers went to Spain 534, 65 of whom were Scottish paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for the Democratic Spanish Republic. Many artists went such as Orwell and Hemingway who wrote about it and the great Spanish genius Pablo Picasso captured on canvas the terror of unarmed civilians being attacked from the air by German planes in the town of Guernica the painting of that name is now one of the most famous ever painted.

The unfinished lists are now complete and all of the valiant comrades who fought in Spain are at last united in the complete roll of honour. Scotland should be proud of the volunteers who went there and at a time when some people are arguing about the lack of history taught in our schools we should put aside the myths and legends and teach our children about these real flesh and blood heroes. Irish singer Christy Moore pays tribute to the Irish Brigade in a song called "Viva La Quinte Brigada" someone should do something similar for the Scottish volunteers, you can catch it on U Tube.

FOR MURDOCH, CAMERON AND THE MET. "OH WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE WHEN FIRST WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE" (WALTER SCOTT)

Excuse my language, I feel able to get away with it because I'm quoting the great Irish writer James Joyce when he had one of the characters in his famous novel "Ulysses" describe the fictitious newspaper where he worked as "The Arse Wipers Weekly" The phrase comes in to my head every time I hear the name Murdoch. I confess that Rupert Murdoch has been a personal thorn in my side ever since I first heard of him and read what passes for journalism in his papers. You see I made a promise to myself a long long time ago to make every effort never to hate anyone, hence the Murdoch thorn in my side.

The Murdoch Empire the Metropolitan Police and the Government are looking more and more like a sack of rats which have been poked by a stick as each day passes, is Capitalism an abomination or what; does it hold the moral high ground over other political systems; has it not become more difficult to claim that? These shysters are the people who have most vociferously attacked Socialism over the years, what can they say now? We live in times where tens of thousands of people are losing their jobs and their homes and our society is being shown as venal and dishonourable. Driven by a rich and greedy group of rich twisters backed to the hilt by an all powerful Press dictator who is power mad and immoral, how did we get here?

Chances have come and gone for one reason or another. We missed the boat when we watched the French Revolution when we should have been joining in, likewise the Russian Revolution, but opportunities will come again just like this one, why? Because capitalism cannot work, it creates far more losers than it ever could winners and that won't change; not until we make it change and make it change we must.

I have long argued within the Labour Party that we should not try to get along with people like Murdoch. Whatever he and his mob might say or do including backing Labour they are not our friends and no matter what we may say or do they will stab us in the back when it suits them, better to die on your feet than live on your knees. Circumstances have now presented the left with an unprecedented advantage over the people who see themselves as our natural rulers, A financial Tsunami; and now a collapse in the Capitalist Press's credibility must surely give us the incentive to keep going until we have cleaned these crooks and thugs out of Government, Police and Media. Time to show solidarity with what we consider to be justice honesty and decency. Socialism is a good idea, look around you; do you want to carry on like this forever?

Do people really want to have their lives and the lives of their friends and loved ones influenced by the kind of brutes who celebrated when an Argentine ship was sunk with hundreds of lives lost with the Murdoch headline "Gotcha" is that who we are? Thatcher wanted to prevent the Argentinean dead being prayed for at the post war ceremony at Westminster Abbey until the Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie threatened to refuse to officiate at the service, is that who we are? It is the most delicious of ironies that Archbishop Runcie is a holder of the Military Cross for his distinguished bravery in Normandy as a tank commander in World War 11.

I'll tell you who we really are though and Murdoch won't like it, we are the British Sailors who served on HMS Fearless in the Falklands who tore up copies of the SUN and threw them into the sea when they read the Headline 'Gotcha' that's who we are and we will never be Murdoch's kind. When Murdoch ran the headline "bonkers Bruno locked up" when the popular boxer Frank Bruno had a mental breakdown he (Murdoch) was saying quite clearly that that is exactly the kind of people we are, well, are we?

Let's try to make this a fresh start, when we get rid of Murdoch and the rest of the crooks and low lifers who hang on to him as well as cleaning out the Metropolitan Police and their friends in high places we must all be vigilant and make sure that the penny has at last dropped and say in that great Socialist word, 'collectively' we will not let this happen again.

MURDOCH FOLDS AND SALMOND BREATHES A SIGH OF RELIEF

How big a story is the Murdoch hacking scandal? I have been around in political terms for approx 45 years and I think it could well be up there with Profumo, Princess Diana, Peter Manuel and Mo Johnston signing for Rangers etc. in no particular order and it still has to run for a while.

Everyone has an opinion on it except the most opinionated person in Scotland, Alex (the spiv) Salmond who mumbled a couple of predictable platitudes about it and then went uncharacteristically shtum. Scotland's greatest ever 'ambulance chaser' has been struck dumb on this massive issue. He seems to be determined to maintain a 'Trump' like silence over it. Can anyone have a stab at wondering why?

His intellectual giant of a Justice Minister; the fool MacKaskill has also been maintaining a monastic silence over this, can anyone understand it? I look forward to hearing from you.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL BECOMES A CORNERED RAT.

The article below is copied from a reader's comment and shows Murdoch and Co. as the liars and thugs that they really are. "Don't imagine this act of defiance will be painless or without consequence. Already a senior Miliband aide tells me they received a "very hostile" threat, not veiled at all, from a News International journalist warning: "You have made it personal about Rebekah, so we'll make it personal about you." Braggadocio maybe, but as the recipient of the threat said: "That's how they operate." And it can be terrifying. Bugging, blagging and Benji the Binman send shudders down many a spine. The spell is broken, but the terror may not be over" The above is a quote taken from the most recent Polly Toynbee article on this scandal. Even now News International are still trying to bully people and even now people still fear them. This is unacceptable and now is probably our last chance to bring Murdoch to account. I would call on every member and supporter of the Labour Party to contact the party leadership and offer their full support and solidarity to anyone threatened in this manner and ask that the aide concerned make a full public statement which details who made the the threat and when. For members and supporters of other parties I would urge you all to contact your party leadership and offer your full support to anyone threatened in this way by News International and demand that they name names and make full public statements on every threat they receive. Everyone has to stand together on this. We can beat Murdoch and the disgusting rags he publishes. link to Toynbee article http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/08/ed-miliband-broken-omerta-old-monster

I KNOW, I KNOW, I SHOULDN’T GLOAT.

At this very difficult time for himself and his family Rupert Murdoch has issued a statement asking that the public and news media respect their privacy stating that they need space to themselves to get through these trying times, it's only fair right?

DO YOU KNOW ANYONE INCLUDING YOURSEF WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN HACKED BY MURDOCH ? READ ON!

We now have reports that the News of the World offices in Scotland are to be investigated by Strathclyde Police as it has emerged that phone hacking is likely to have taken place there. I intend to write to my MSPs, MPs and Euro MPs urging them to do whatever they can to ensure that this is properly investigated and that we do not have a repeat of the previous failed investigations by the Met. And I would urge everyone from every background and every political persuasion to do the same. No doubt Wapping is the centre of this scandal but it's important that a light be shone on all parts of Murdoch's rotten empire.

Everyone who thinks that they or someone they know has been hacked as well as anyone who can think of any situation where someone has been hacked should speak to the Police about their suspicions.

Would you like me admit to being a slave trader before admitting to working for Murdoch?

The late great author Dennis Potter was interviewed by Melvin Bragg at a time when his life was ebbing away because of terminal cancer, he was in constant pain and during the interview he would stop and sip from a flask containing liquid morphine he did this he said "to keep Rupert under control" when Bragg asked him to explain he said he had named his cancer Rupert in honour of Rupert Murdoch. This interview came to mind when I was reading about the exploits of Murdoch's paper 'The News of the World' It still hasn't sunk in properly what these people, yes they are people; were doing. The tabloid press and most of the so called quality broadsheet press in this country deserve the often used insulting description of 'the gutter press' I can think of no other profession except journalism which has the ability to demonstrate mankind at its best and at its worst. For every James Cameron we get a Kelvin Mackenzie and for every Orla Guerin we have a Kay Burley and it's no coincidence that McKenzie and Burley are tainted by their association with Murdoch.

Hacking in to the phone of the murdered child Milly Dowler is a loathsome thing to do even by Murdoch standards and we are now left to wonder how many other times they have done this. Cases mentioned are the young girls murdered in Soham, The missing McCann girl and the victims of the London Bus bombings, we now know if we ever doubted it that all are suitable grist for Murdoch's mill, what indeed would they refuse to exploit on moral grounds after this? I can't think of anything, can you? Like most things in life this reminds me of a brilliant film with a nasty story line it's called "the Ace in the Hole" and it is so like the News of the world today that it is spooky. A low life journalist stumbles into a situation where a miner is trapped underground and he manipulates the situation by slowing down the rescue attempt to allow him to file heroic copy to daily newspapers to make money, it ends, no I won't tell you how it ends, try to see it, suffice to say that if the News of the World ends up like the villain played by a brilliantly vicious Kirk Douglas then I will cheer up. There is a criteria for people who build business empires part of which is the question put before Governments grant permission for expansion it is simply this "is the person involved a suitable person to acquire this business or to gain greater control of something" Murdoch is in hot pursuit of gaining total control of B SKY B which would give him a vice like grip on the news in our country. Is this man a suitable person to gain control of this amount of influence? It sounds rhetorical I know but today in Parliament and in news studios I listened to people making his case for him, I don't want to politicise this so I won't name them, go look for yourself.

Politicians and political parties fear his lash so much that they will do anything to avoid upsetting him but today we saw the rare sight of the House of Commons almost completely unified in their condemnation of Murdoch and what he stands for, is it too much to hope that they will stand up to him and cut him down a bit? Probably not but I can certainly say as someone who found his support for Labour sickening that I am glad we no longer have his support. I feel cleaner and more decent now that he supports the Tory/Libdem Government, I say to decent people of whatever party that support from someone like Murdoch is too high a price to pay for power, we all have to sleep at night. Do we have bent politicians? Yes, do we have bent coppers? Yes and do we have bent Journalists? Yes. The politicians now have the chance to clean out 'the Augean Stables' let's hope the revelations to come strengthen their resolve. If I had to choose between politicians who were vilified for expenses fraud and journalists and cops who can do things like this the politicians win every time and they have a chance now to redeem themselves by doing the right thing.

SALMOND THE ROYAL FLUNKY BETRAYS HIS PARTY FOR THE QUEEN.

When is SNP policy not SNP policy? Apparently when the (wee spiv) Salmond decides to change it, he does not need a conference decision it would seem, how else can we explain his utterances on the Queen. Going by what he is now saying the Queen under independence will be de facto the Scottish Head of State. The Salmond line is now the following, "since the creation of the Scottish Parliament the policy is for an independence referendum which will include the long standing policy for the Queen and her successors to be the Scottish Head of State" OK I'm not a member of the SNP but; I take an interest in such matters and I knew nothing of such a policy and I'm sure I would have had something to say about the hypocrisy of such a position.

Rewind to 1997 the scene is the Rothesay Pavilion the occasion is the SNP conference the debate is the future of the Monarchy under an independent Scottish SNP Government, the decision was and I quote "a referendum will be held on the question of whether or not to retain the Monarch as Head of State for Scotland" Party leader Salmond spoke against the motion and lost he then said "the leadership will respect the view of the party" quite unequivocal eh? no shades of grey eh? the party took a democratic decision to hold a referendum on the Monarchy and the leader endorsed the decision. So that's that then isn't it? well, remember this is the SNP where democracy is a sham and only exists when Salmond (the spiv) agrees to it, I do hope you braveheart SNP members are reading this and sharpening your pencils to attack me, I can hardly wait to hear from you. The fraudulent party response is that it has been party policy to keep the Queen since its formation in 19 34 or put another way the SNP conference in Rothesay in 19 97 did not actually take place so says the leader and what the leader says goes right?

A leader overturning a policy decision because it doesn't suit him or her would be a dangerous thing to do in any party except the SNP under Salmond (the spiv) that is the embarrassing truth about the SNP members, he knows he can do anything he wants because his membership is completely spineless he can and does hold the ordinary members in contempt and he is right to do so. OK I might be wrong but I see no evidence of it. The abolition of the hated Windsor Monarchy is one of the main reasons that a lot of people were attracted to the SNP, where are they now, if they are not prepared to speak out on this betrayal then why are they still in the party, just what do they mean by independence? Is it not about time we heard from at least one or two of them, my guess is that they will all come to heel behind their lord and master Alex (the SPIV) Salmond. 'such a parcel o rogues'

DAVID HAYE – ANOTHER ONE WHO COULD TALK BETTER THAN HE COULD FIGHT.

Stayed up late to see the Wladimir Klitschko V David Haye fight on Sat. Night. It was a good and a bad night for boxing the good thing was that Haye got a drubbing and the bad was that it reminded me that the heavyweight division is in a bad way, it has gone from being peopled with boxers like Frazier, Foreman, Quarry, Cooper, Lewis, Tyson and of course the man himself Ali. To impostors like Haye. This is not a criticism of Klitschko he is big and strong and clever enough to have made his living in the ring with those I have mentioned albeit with mixed fortunes but Haye is not. He represents showmanship over ability and he has taken that attitude to extremes, I hope we have seen the last of him, when Ali slighted opponents and sold out arenas all over the world we knew there was an element of comic farce in his antics, with Haye it is arrogance and sickening behaviour. He is as Terry Malloy (played by Marlon Brando) described himself in the movie "On the Waterfornt" 'a bum' and he did not deserve to be a 'contender' 7 heavyweight bouts he's had and had he won on Sat. night he would have been world champion what has this great sport become? he does not have the right to describe himself as a boxer, that name belongs to people like Manny Pacquao, Benny Lynch, Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson not a charlatan like Haye.

Haye comes from a bad tradition of people who will justify any kind of low behaviour by saying that he couldn't care less because he walked away from Sat. nights fight with millions of pounds when he should have done the right thing and given the crowd their money back, "he stank the place out" as old boxing aficionados used to say or as my Da. who loved boxing would say "that clown couldnae fight sleep" After all the swagger and vulgar bragging he had nothing to offer, he was like a rabbit caught in the headlights of the big Russian tank being driven by Klitschko who spent the whole night jabbing his huge fist into the dispirited face of Hayes, that's when he wasn't throwing him around the ring like a rag doll, a big mismatch and no mistake.

Boxing, particularly Heavyweight Boxing as I have said before needs an enema.

ALEX’S TRUE LOVE.

The eyes met, the chemistry was strong, the pipes played in the distance, it was love at first sight.