“Brothers, our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there was nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.”

If those who purport to be Christian start to live the message and teachings of Jesus Christ the example they set would permeate through their own societies. This would in turn send a powerful message to non-Christians. Leaders would be under pressure from their own people to emulate the Christian Democracies.

Peace is the key to unlocking the solutions to the problems that beset the world. It is only when we have Peace that we can obtain the Truth. When we know the Truth we can obtain Justice. When we have Justice we will obtain Freedom.

To survive the coming turmoil we must place our trust in Faith and Family.

Keep the Faith. Have a Blessed and Peaceful Christmas.

We do not know how many boys were murdered but the impact on the town must have been terrible. But what about the modern-day state sanctioned slaughter of the innocents? Official statistics reveal that in Great Britain one in every four pregnancies was terminated prematurely by clinical intervention. Every working day in Great Britain 600+ abortions are performed. Department of Health statistics for 2004 showed a continuing increase in the number of abortions in England and Wales – at over 194,000 – a rise of over 2% from 2003.

That prompted Life to say; “Government money should be used to fund crisis-pregnancy counselling and support and not into railroading ever-increasing numbers of women into abortions they feel they ‘have no choice’ but to have”. Since then New Labour took no notice and neither has the ConLibDem Coalition. The annual figure has increased and peaked at 213,000 in the whole of Great Britain before falling back slightly. Teenage pregnancies and subsequent abortions keep on increasing

On 27th October 1967 abortion was legalised and since then seven and half million innocent British babies have been killed or to be politically correct – terminated. In 1968 there were 23,641 abortions compared with 842,000 live births, the illegitimacy rate being 8.5%. In 2001 there were 186,274 abortions compared with 595,000 live births, the illegitimacy rate being 40.1%. The underlying trend goes on and upwards and none of the Government’s initiatives to reverse this trend have worked. With the increased availability of the morning-after pill and unrecorded terminations we have no way of knowing what the true situation is. The impact on this country has been terrible.

The UK carries out more abortions than any other country in Western Europe. Worldwide the figures for abortions vary, from 50 million at the lowest estimate up to 80 million at the highest for each year. The Government is committed to funding abortion and contraception and exporting them worldwide as part of its international aid programme.

So on the 28th December pause and remember those modern-day Innocents.

Sacrifices and prayers of praise to you, O Lord, We offer

Receive them on behalf of those souls, Whom this day we remember

Allow them, O Lord, To pass from death to life.

Our greetings are extended to all our colleagues in Euro-Solidarity and friends across Europe. Our thoughts are particularly with our families and friends in Ireland who are experiencing a difficult and enduring period of hardship.

God bless you all.

From the 13th century onwards the Aztec tribe had attacked their neighbours and by 1502, when Montezuma II became Emperor, he ruled over a huge empire. The conquered tribes were treated harshly and enslaved by the Aztec who worshipped many gods and made human sacrifice. When they tried to expand their empire, the Mixtec tribes twice defeated Montezuma’s troops, which resulted in an increase in human sacrifice to the angry gods. Aztec astrologers predicted that the god Quetzalcoatl (the Plumed Serpent) would come to end the bloodshed of war and sacrifice. When Hernan Cortez, and his 900 Spanish Conquistadors, landed in 1519 he was taken to be the Plumed Serpent and was not opposed by the conquered tribes but received as a deliverer from the oppression of the Aztec. However, the bloodshed continued with the Spanish being just as oppressive as they plundered the riches of the New World and treated the indigenous people as subhuman.

Queen Isabella of Spain held a council with clergymen, theologians and lawyers when they concluded that the indigenous natives of ‘New Spain’ did have souls and should be converted to the Catholic faith. The Franciscans and Dominicans, who were vowed to poverty, were mainly responsible for this task. They educated the natives and built hospitals, also introducing agricultural techniques and new crops. Their austere and simple lifestyle contrasted sharply with that of the Spanish colonists who were flocking to New Spain. The friars showed immense courage in defying the abusive colonists who were feared and despised by the native people. Impressed by the missionaries, hundreds of thousands of the indigenous people converted to Catholicism.

Juan Diego was a 57 years old convert whose wife had died two years previously and they did not have any children. He lived with his old uncle, Juan Bernardino, who was also a convert and they had taken their names on conversion. Because his uncle was in poor health, Juan walked to Mass on the 9th by himself. On the way he heard music and a choir singing an unearthly song followed by a voice calling his name. Juan climbed a hill to find out who it was and found a radiant young woman of about 16 years age. The sun had not risen but she was bathed in light. She revealed herself as Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. She told him that she wanted to help his people and all who sincerely turned to her for help. She wished a church to be built on the spot where they stood, a hill called Tepeyac where there had previously been a temple to the goddess Tonantzin. He was told to go to the Bishop which he did. Bishop Zummarraga received his request with some doubt and dismissed Juan, telling him that he would think about it.

Juan reached the hill at sunset on his homeward journey where Mary was waiting for him. Begging her forgiveness for having failed he asked her to choose someone else who would be more capable. Our Lady said, “My son, it is you I have chosen. Go back to the Bishop tomorrow, say you have seen me again, and repeat my request”. The next day being Sunday, Juan went to Mass following which he walked into the City. The Bishop was still uncertain and told Juan to ask for a direct and unmistakeable sign, and then he would build the church. Juan returned to the hill at Tepeyac where Mary was waiting for him. She told him to come back the next day at dawn when she would give him the sign to take to the Bishop.

When he returned home he found his uncle very ill with fever and he sat up with him all night. He didn’t feel able to leave his uncle and meet with Mary as promised. All through the next day and night he cared for his uncle. On the Tuesday morning Juan Bernardino fearing that his end was near asked his nephew to fetch the priest. On his way to the priest, Mary appeared to him again and Juan explained what had happened. She told him that he had nothing to worry about as his uncle had already been cured.

Mary asked him to go to the top of the hill and gather the roses that were growing there. He was confused because roses did not usually grow on the top of a hill, especially in December when there would not be roses anywhere. When he reached the top he found dozens of beautiful red roses growing among the frost covered cactus and rocks. He filled his tilma [an apron] with the roses and took them back to Mary who rearranged them with her own hands. She tied the lower corners of the tilma behind Juan’s neck to cover the roses. Mary said, “My son, this is my sign for the Bishop. Don’t let anyone see what you have in the tilma until you are before the Bishop himself. Tell him I made your uncle well again and that I myself arranged the roses like this. He will believe you, you will see”. Bishop Zummarraga received Juan in anticipation of receiving the sign and in addition to his interpreter [Father Juan Gonzalez translated all their conversations and later testified to all he had seen and heard] he called in other witnesses.

Juan told the Bishop what Mary had said before he untied his tilma. The roses fell to the ground and on the front of the tilma was an image of the Mother of Our Lord just as he had seen her. The Bishop accepted the truth of what Juan had told him and fell to his knees along with the others. The tilma was carried into the Bishop’s chapel and attached to the wall. News of the image quickly spread and crowds gathered outside the Bishop’s house. In order to let everyone see the image, it was taken in procession and put on display in the Cathedral of San Francisco. The Bishop wanted to fulfil Mary’s request as soon as possible and asked to be taken to the spot where she wanted the church to be built. After showing the Bishop the hill, they went to see Juan’s uncle who was now cured.

Juan Bernardino had his own story to tell them. He had been in distress with the fever hoping that his nephew would arrive with the priest in time for him to make his peace with God and receive the Sacraments. The room filled with a soft light and he saw a beautiful young woman standing beside him. In his native language she told him of her meeting with his nephew. She also told him that she and her image were to be called – Our Lady of the serpent who is crushed. The Nahuatl word for ‘the serpent who is crushed’ is ‘coatlaxopeuh’, which is pronounced ‘quatlasupe’. Those Spanish present thought that Juan Bernardino had spoken of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was a famous Marian shrine in Spain. Despite the fact that Mary had appeared as a young native girl speaking the native language, they thought that Our Lady of Guadalupe had chosen to appear in New Spain. The interpreter explained the meaning of the word in the Nahuatl language and the obvious reference to the Immaculate Conception. This explanation did not stop the Spanish from using the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the image.

Hundreds of converts flocked to the hill at Tepeyac to help build the church as Our Lady had requested. It was completed in two weeks and on the 26th December the image was brought in procession from the Cathedral to the new church. Hernan Cortes also took part. During the celebrations a young Indian stumbled and fell on his friend’s spear. Losing blood he became unconscious and was near death. Two of his friends carried him to the image of Our Lady and begged for help. The young man opened his eyes, the bleeding stopped and he got to his feet. Our Lady saved his life and more miracles followed.

The other consequence of the apparition was a change of attitude by the Spanish to the indigenous people and a change of attitude by those natives who had stuck to their old beliefs as a result of the poor religious example of the Spanish colonists. With the tales of the apparition and after viewing the miraculous image, many of the indigenous people turned to Catholicism. There were many doubters among the Spanish who continued to follow the Virgin of Los Remedios whose statue had been brought from Spain by the Conquistadors. Following an outbreak of typhoid in the City in 1737, Our Lady’s help was invoked and the epidemic stopped as quickly as it started. Mary was officially proclaimed Patroness of New Spain.

During the fight for Mexican independence from 1810 to 1836 the nationalists seeking independence fought under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, while the royalist fought under the banner of the Virgin of Los Remedios, apparently not realising that they were the same Mother of Our Lord, the Prince of Peace, and how inappropriate it was. Throughout the 19th century there were numerous civil conflicts in Mexico and wars with France, Austria and the United States. The early 20th century saw revolutions lead by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, followed by internal power struggles and political instability resulting in disparity between the wealthy minority and the impoverished majority. Mexico became a strict secular state but the Mexican people remained devoutly Catholic. While restrictions were placed on the clergy and faith schools, fear of uprisings from the devout Mexicans loyal to Our Lady of Guadalupe meant that no government dared to prohibit Catholic worship. In 1921 anti-clerical extremists placed a bomb beneath the image of Our Lady in the Basilica which exploded during High Mass. The image was spared from the blast and there were no injuries. Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the sole unifying force in Mexico throughout this turmoil. She is honoured throughout the Americas and was also declared Patroness of the Philippines in 1935.

The original church had been hurriedly built in 1531 and would not last, but was the resting place of the image until 1709 when a Basilica was built at the foot of the hill to accommodate the huge number of pilgrims. The image was transferred to the Basilica which itself started to sink in loose earth in the 1960s and became the old Basilica when a new replacement Basilica was opened in 1976. This construction of concrete and white marble accommodates 20,000 people but contains no statue or image other than that of Our Lady on Saint Juan Diego’s tilma. Stairs lead from the back of the old Basilica to the top of the hill of Tepeyac and the Chapel of the Hill on the exact spot of the apparition. The image has been on public display since 1531 but its brilliance has not dimmed and it is well preserved. In the 1980s a close study was made of the stars on the cloak worn by Our Lady. Astronomical research concluded that the stars before dawn on the morning of 12th December 1531 were in exactly the same configuration as those shown on the cloak. “It is as though the Queen of Heaven had clothed herself in the firmament itself”.

Abridged from the ‘Message of Guadalupe’ by Gillian Rae – CTS Publications

SIEGE OF JERICHO

ACCOMPANY THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IN

DAILY PUBLIC ROSARY PROCESSIONS IN

EDGBASTON BIRMINGHAM TO END ABORTION

Monday 11th October to Sunday 17th October 2010

Priests and people praying the rosary are to process the Blessed Sacrament round the abortion centre at Arthur Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham 15 following the route Arthur Road, Carpenter Road and Ampton Road.

On the weekdays from Monday 11th October to Saturday 16th October inclusive we will start with Mass at the Oratory Church, Hagley Road, Edgbaston at 3pm and after travelling to Arthur Road priests (one carrying the Blessed Sacrament unseen) and people will process once around the route. It will take about 20 minutes.

On Sunday 17th October 2010 we will start at Arthur Road (no Mass) at 2pm and process around the route seven times

An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe dedicated at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico will be present.

PRAYER SUPPORT

We invite all who cannot attend to join us in prayer from their churches and homes or elsewhere, especially the old and the sick.

THE INTENTIONS

1. For a conversion of heart among the organisers and staff of the abortion centre and centres generally so that they and others may join the present movement to stop abortions world wide. They will know at first hand the distressing effects abortion has on women and the cruel death visited on the babies aborted.

2. To reinstate the priesthood in the eyes of the people, one of God’s purposes at the original Siege of Jericho on which we model this prayer crusade.

For further information contact us on 0121-705-9317 or 0121-706-1973

Please tell your priest friends and encourage them to come on one or more days

This decision and its repercussions are not going to be buried as the House of Commons Business Select Committee is to hold a one-off evidence session on the controversy next month. Nick Clegg has faced repeated calls in the Commons to apologise over the decision. Vince Cable will now have to face the Select Committee to give evidence. It will not be a pleasant experience as the Sheffield Labour MPs are extremely angry – as are the citizens of Sheffield – and will be supplying the bullets, based on inside knowledge, for their colleagues to fire. Vince has praised Forgemasters and said it was doing good business but their proposed expansion could not be supported and the decision was based on affordability.

Dave and Nick had originally said the deal was axed because the loan had not been signed off by the Treasury and it would only benefit Forgemasters shareholders. Labour was accused of announcing it as a “photo opportunity” days before the general election. However, Vince has confirmed that the advice given to the previous government had shown that the benefits of the loan were likely to exceed the costs. But Vince also said if the Coalition had kept to all Labour’s 2010 spending commitments, every company in the country would have faced the risk of a disastrous rise in borrowing costs. Just why was not explained but perhaps the Select Committee will press him on the point. The loan would have allowed the construction of a 15,000 tonne steel press for the manufacture of huge components for the nuclear industry, making Forgemasters the world leader in that sector ahead of Japan.

Japan Steel Works are now left as a monopoly supplier for civil nuclear power and it delays the development of nuclear energy as a stopgap alternative to greenhouse fuels. The demand for nuclear forgings is expected to reach 70,000 tonnes worldwide by 2020. As a result of this decision capacity will only be 59,000 tonnes. There will be a shortfall with only enough forgings to supply seven reactors per year when it is anticipated the construction rate needs to be thirteen reactors each year between 2010-2030. There is also the risk that the lights will go out over the UK as generating capacity reduces with the retirement of existing power stations. A domestic market exists to create steel for the next generation of nuclear power stations. The biggest contracts for stations could go to EDF of France as a result of backroom deals by Gordon Brown, but there is hope that lead sub-contractors would be British. They would supply 50% of plant requirements for the nuclear programme and this would increase to 70% if the Forgemasters expansion went ahead.

None of the reasons given so far for axing the loan stand up to scrutiny. Money was available and they have allowed the finance to proceed on other projects. £30million has been given to General Motors and £20million to Nissan Motors to produce electric cars in England, while the Ford Motor Corp has been given a loan guarantee of £360million. The Coalition chose to axe certain projects out of the 217 that they inherited; and reviewed in less than six weeks. Only 12 were scrapped and 12 suspended; three of those were in Sheffield. There is a suspicion in Sheffield that the City was targeted as in addition, to the Forgemasters loan, £13million for the Outukumpu industrial park and £12million for the Sheffield city-centre Sevenstone Retail Quarter were also withdrawn. People in Sheffield have accepted the Outukumpu and Sevenstone cancellations, but the Forgemasters decision has provoked persistent anger and a 10,000 signature petition demanding that the loan be reinstated. It would have created apprenticeships and 400 new jobs in Sheffield. Forgemasters has a high percentage of apprentices – 70 out of a workforce of 800.

The loan was affordable and would have been repaid with £30million interest. A private sector loan was not available so the government stepped in because it was a strategic investment to develop jobs in a new sector. The project was also supported with match private investment funding of £60million, including £40million from giant US nuclear plant manufacturer Westinghouse. The money was to be paid out of the Strategic Investment Fund and the external body – Industrial Development Advisory Board – had verified that it was ‘good value for money’. The loan passed a strict ‘value for money’ review by the Treasury before approval. Former Labour ministers Peter Mandelson and Pat McFadden returned to the Business Department to vet the papers relating to the loan. They confirmed that everything was in place and budgeted for. This loan was good for Sheffield and good for the UK; it ticked all the boxes and the Coalition would be on to a winner.

Real reasons for axing the loan include the lobbying by rival Sheffield steel magnate Andrew Cook who donated over £650,000 in cash to the Tory party and funded 23 flights for David Cameron. He e-mailed No. 10 suggesting that the loan was probably unnecessary and possibly illegal under EU rules. In fact the loan was delayed for nearly a year while Brussels vetted it before approving the aid. Another possibility is the LibDem opposition to nuclear power generation and their favouring of renewable energy. Forgemasters is not putting all its eggs in the nuclear power basket. They are targeting the global market for equipment used in hydro-electric schemes by joining forces with the British Hydropower Association and moving further in to the renewable energy market. Forgemasters have also signed a £30million contract with Bharat, the Indian state run power equipment maker, to oversee the development of power generation forgings for their rapidly expanding domestic market.

And then we have the contradictions, which hardly demonstrate joined up government. The Business Department is guaranteeing a funding deal to ensure a £22million Nuclear Manufacturing Research Centre goes ahead. This is to be built at the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Waverley on the Rotherham – Sheffield border which has already received £15million from the Business Department. The Centre includes Forgemasters, Westinghouse, Rolls-Royce and Sheffield University. It will play a major role in replacing the UKs nuclear power stations and has export potential. An Innovation Technology Centre has also been built on the Park. Sheffield’s expertise in special steels is in much demand in the aerospace sector so it is no surprise to find that Boeing has located at the Park to work with the University. Sheffield’s Firth Rixson is supplying engine parts to Pratt & Whitney the Canadian engine manufacturer as well as Rolls-Royce.

Corus Special Steels in Sheffield is supplying an expanding world wide aircraft manufacturing industry that is expected to explode and they have worked with Dowty to develop landing gear for the latest generation of civil aircraft like the Boeing Dreamliner. This has involved using techniques developed in collaboration with researchers at the Advanced Manufacturing Park Research Centre.

The Park is a centre for advanced technology development with tremendous export potential and job creation. The Forgemasters loan was a vital component in a strategy towards achieving this. It capitalises on the worldwide recognition of the ‘Made in Sheffield’ brand which stands for excellence and quality. It fits in with the Coalitions plans for a recovery based on export led manufacturing. The Coalition’s decision to axe the Forgemasters loan is therefore incomprehensible and it calls in to question their economic competence. The project was cleared by government departments and the Treasury as good value and sound use of public money, but was then delayed for months because the EU rules on state aid had to be cleared. The new Coalition Government cancelled the loan without any recourse to Sheffield Forgemasters – who are the worlds only independently owned forge master – to discuss alternative methods of funding. It is plain crazy.

One thing does seem certain, Nick Clegg needs to find a safer parliamentary constituency before the next general election.

The Coalition Government is asking for trouble if any changes are made to universal benefits without first obtaining a mandate from the electorate. All of the parties could have put forward proposals in their manifestoes to tidy up the benefits and make them easier to administer, with a resulting reduction in bureaucracy and cost. They might now claim that the budget deficit requires them to make cuts, but they knew the scale of the problem before the election as they had been warned by the Bank of England. The government has already switched the calculation of pensions from the Retail Price Index to the lower Consumer Price Index just as the baby-boomers start to draw their state pensions. In general, this post-war generation left school at fifteen or sixteen and have been in continuous employment, paying contributions and taxes. To reduce the value of their pensions and defer the age at which they can claim the other benefits will be a slap in the face for them. This will be an affront too far, resulting in a backlash from a new generation of active pensioners, unlike any previous generation. In seeking to preserve their entitlements the baby-boomers will also be looking to protect the older generations who have been badly treated by earlier governments, both red and blue.

“It is time for this generation to reflect and show its gratitude”, said Prime Minister Cameron on the 65th anniversary this year of VJ Day. It is assumed that he was referring to his own generation [post baby-boom] when he commended our veterans for their bravery, dedication and sacrifice. He was talking specifically about the Far East veterans, saying “They fought and suffered in ferocious conditions. They witnessed incomprehensible horrors. They lost their lives and many were imprisoned. And they did this for us, to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.”

This month we have had a special commemoration of the Battle of Britain which took place 70 years ago and was pivotal in the defence of the mainland. Fulsome tributes have been paid to the ‘few’ but the ‘many’ who supported them have also been recognised. Political leaders once again praise them and acknowledge the debt that the Nation owes them. They also acknowledge that Britain was involved in total war in defence of freedom, which included civilians on the home front as well as the military forces fighting all over the world. The debt that is owed is owed to that whole generation. It is right for the Government and political leaders to continue to acknowledge the debt and remind us that we should show gratitude, but it is about time that there was a practical expression of that gratitude.

The same applies to an earlier but decreasing generation born at the twilight of Victoria’s reign who were embroiled in WW1 and who are also remembered each November. Lauded by successive Prime Ministers but with little practical reward between the Wars, they received support in the 40s with the setting up of the Welfare State and decent pensions, only to have that pension devalued when the Thatcher administration broke the link with earnings. The pensioners that were most affected were the WW1 generation. New Labour did nothing to reverse this travesty in the twilight of their own lives. The few who are still alive should be the first to received enhanced age-related pensions. This process could then be continued down the ages. This can be afforded because although the state pension is operated on a pay-as-you-go basis, there is a substantial surplus that would have to be prised back from the sticky fingers of the Treasury.

We also need to be clear about the nature of the winter fuel payment. New Labour Chancellors have messed about with it and used it as a tool to cover up their mistakes and to compensate those adversely affected. A derisory pension increase led to a revolt which was put down by way of an increase to the fuel payment. Similarly, when the 10p income tax band was increased to the standard rate those in the 60+ age range, who had not been compensated by other measures, received some relief by use of the increased fuel payment. If the fuel payment is now to be denied to those people, they will lose the effect of those reliefs and compensations. It will be nothing more than state robbery. It is an ex gratia payment and should be recognised as such by ditching the ‘winter fuel’ title. In reality it is the 14th monthly pension payment paid in time for Christmas.

Those revolts against New Labour Chancellor Brown will look mild to the revolt faced by Coalition Chancellor Osborne if he withdraws, reduces or postpones the entitlement to the winter payment. It will also make David Cameron’s outrage, at Labour lies, as nothing compared to the outrage of the baby-boomers. They have paid their dues and will then be denied their entitlements. They have done everything that was asked of them by way of making adequate provision for retirement through second pensions. Joined SERPS, took out portable personal pensions, or joined occupational schemes; only to see constant change by government. SERPS abandoned, misselling of private pensions and withdrawal of fund tax breaks. The recession and downturn in the stock market, together with quantative easing, have devalued their pension funds. They have ended up with worthless pensions and must now rely on an inadequate state pension that has been run-down. A recent Aviva report highlighted the plight of some over-55s who have no pension, no savings, but have massive debts. They will be forced to rely on supplementary benefits at the public expense. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

This might just have been Dave politicising on the spur of the moment and in response to a journalist’s question during the silly season when hard news is scarce, similar to his recent comment that council house tenancies should not be for life. However, a host of Tory insiders confirmed; “There’s a simple way to save money. We’ll have fewer ministers. We also want to get rid of these split responsibilities [a reference to Peter Mandelson’s encroachment in to other departments – with eleven ministers under his command]. There’s not much evidence that it works. It’s something we are working on.” Or, “The department I was in [John Major’s administration] had four ministers and now it has eight. You get a situation where one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing.” Or, “I can confirm that we are keen to reduce the number of ministers but I don’t think we’re anywhere near a conclusion on numbers. We are committed to reducing the cost of politics. No decision has been taken on ministerial salaries.” What a difference a year makes, especially when they have had to accommodate a tranche of Coalition LibDem colleagues.

The Tory planners were critical of a cumbersome, top-heavy and unwieldy Labour administration and influenced by a report the previous year by Matthew Taylor, Blair’s No. 10 policy chief, which proposed to cut the number of ministers by 25%. Brown’s government comprised 125 Cabinet and junior ministers, with departmental portfolios and without, and whips. This compared to 60 ministers in 1900 at the height of Empire and 74 in 1940 at the most crucial period of WW2. Their conclusion was to cut Cabinet pay by 25% and reduce the number of ministers by 30 to 40.

Post Election 2010 and the reality is somewhat different. At the first photo-shoot of the new Cabinet, they were squashed around the Cabinet table like sardines. Twenty-nine members of whom 23 were estimated to be millionaires. There has been no reduction in the number of Government departments and no cut in pay of 25%. So where is the example to the rest of the country? The Prime Ministers of Ireland and Lithuania have taken pay cuts of 33% and 40% respectively. Dave has taken a cut of 5% leaving him with £142,500 pa frozen for the life of the government. The 5% cut is across the board leaving Cabinet ministers with £134,565 pa, and junior ministers with £89,435 pa. It was also proposed to axe ministerial cars and make them use pool-cars. Now, Cabinet members have been allowed to retain their chauffer driven limousines.

Their MP salaries have not been affected. No evidence there that they are sharing the pain. The MPs had a pay rise before the Election and they are still complaining about the allowances and expenses system. Abuses of the system are still taking place. The new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is under attack and costing far more to administer than it could possibly save. The MPs are not happy about proposals to reduce the number of constituencies and the prospect of losing their jobs. Do not expect this reduction to ever materialise; it would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.

The number of government departments is not regulated as it would undermine the PMs ability to reward support. Part of the problem is that we do not have a written constitution. Article 28 of the Irish Constitution sets out clearly and concisely the powers of the Government. Article 28.1 states; ‘The Government shall consist of not less than seven and nor more than fifteen members who shall be appointed by the President in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’ The Irish constitutional system is very similar to the UKs and written but their Constitution is not perfect. The Irish PM gets around the restriction on cabinet numbers by dishing out junior ministerial positions in return for support. It is therefore interesting that their government’s first Budget of 2009 took the axe to the number of junior ministers as well as imposing pay cuts across the board following the example of the PM. These real cuts were also applied to the senior civil service, and the judiciary who had to volunteer as they are independent. The response was good and in the interests of the Nation. Pay cuts to a lesser extent were also accepted at the lower levels of government. It is unlikely that these cuts will hold for more than two years as there is no corresponding prices freeze. However, the Irish leaders have set an example. An example the UK Cabinet could emulate.

Our Resurgence Party Programme sets out how we would tackle these issues for the purpose of reducing the cost and size of government and legislature. In September 2008 we set out in Resurgence News 2:1 [article – Lean and Mean] proposals for a reduction in the number of government departments to fourteen and a reduction in the size of the Cabinet to twenty. Check it out by going to the Main Archive in the header bar.

This ConLibDem Coalition government does not have a democratic mandate to undertake the public spending cuts to be announced very soon. Neither do they have any moral mandate to impose cuts while ever they refuse to set a proper example for the Nation and share the pain. Even worse are the morally bereft Parliamentarians who refuse to accept any cuts in pay or restrictions on their expenses, but will legislate the spending cuts in to law.

In the Inquisition sketch none of the instruments of torture work properly and the dead parrot has expired contrary to Michael Palin’s protestations. As the lumberjack’s song gets more bizarre the chorus fade away in disgust leaving him standing alone. We can well imagine all this happening to the Coalition Government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that comprises Dave’s Flying Circus.

They are trying to do too much too quickly; undertaking reviews that require more resources than they have available. A Government spin doctor has admitted as much. They will run out of fuel before the five years are up and the runway is reached. The two co-pilots hope for a soft landing will be nail biting as they come in on a wing and a prayer. Except it is doubtful that they know how to pray. Pity the poor passengers – that are us. So adopt the crash position and put your head between your knees.

This Coalition Government is truly awful. It is a sham and chaotic, just like the sixth formers unexpectedly getting the opportunity to run the school. David Cameron and Nicholas Clegg have been labelled the Dedward twins of politics – without the sticky-up hair. Like Jedward, the X-Factor losers but less entertaining, they both lost the popular vote. All the political parties lost the General Election and it was left to the panel, guided by the Head of the Civil Service, to patch up a result. The Coalition Government does not have a popular mandate. Their manifestoes have been abandoned and the joint agreement for government has no democratic legitimacy. Many of the policies that they are now implementing were not in either party manifesto and some were not even in the Queen’s Speech.

When Dave got the keys to Number 10 it let Nick in through the back-door. It also let in another cowboy at Number 11, George Osborne who is slashing and burning his way through Whitehall. We have three bullocks loose in a china shop, causing indiscriminate damage with arbitrary budget cutbacks. This is not the careful and considered pruning of inefficiency and waste promised by Dave last February. Then he promised, “We’re not talking about swingeing cuts. We’re talking about making a start in reducing our deficit”. We can now see that rather than pruning the deadwood, they are also hacking at the trunk.

This union is not compatible and will not last the full five years. Befitting well brought up public school boys, they are ever so well mannered and polite. They will both tell each other what they think the other wants to hear, and then carry on doing their own thing. It is a marriage of convenience made in hell, what some might call an open-marriage, but Tory David Davis described as the Brokeback Coalition, with the emphasis on the broke, after the GAY cowboys in the movie. But as LibDem Vince Cable confirmed, “It’s a civil partnership. It’s not a marriage, but it is civil and it’s working well. It’s a great collaboration.”. They are still in the honeymoon period. The real test as to whether the union is broke or working well will come this Autumn when the spending cuts are confirmed and hit home next year.

It is the most unlikely coalition that one can imagine and is doomed to failure. There is one common factor. The LibDems are notorious for pursuing different policies in different parts of the Country. Depending on who they are targeting, they tell people what they want to hear, flying false colours. Within his own party Nick is known as Calamity Clegg for u-turning policy on a sixpence. Following David Cameron’s selection, as Leader of the Conservative Party, the Labour Party aired broadcasts showing him as a chameleon changing colour to suit his circumstances. The campaign failed and was dropped when the public decided the chameleon was cute and appealing, with Dave expressing his delight.

Labour might want to consider dusting off the video tape. We need to remember the chameleon analogy whenever considering the actions and behaviour of this Coalition Government.