Latest carbon rise figures prove politicians only adding to hot air on climate change, rather than addressing root causes

More figures, this time from the World Meteorological Organisation, indicating that the concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases continues to spiral upward.

What is it going to take to wake people up to this growing environmental catastrophe?

Human beings have the capacity to learn, reason and act accordingly, so why are we failing to do so?

Groups like Extinction Rebellion have raised the environment up the agenda but the politicians continue to not act. There is much hot air spouted but the actions on the ground simply do not match the rhetoric.

There has been a failure of political leadership. The American president is a climate change denier, while in this country, the government seeks to just export our emissions elsewhere.

There needs to be urgent action taken. The Labour Party's green deal offers the type of bold approach needed. Other parties have some similar ideas.

The ongoing collective heads in the sand approach to this crisis will in the end see a violent reaction from nature - something that will strike uniformly across the world hitting rich and poor alike. It really would be better to take radical action now in order to avoid what is becoming, with each passing day, an inevitable humanitarian crisis.

Jose Mourinho savours victory over dismal West Ham on his return to the London Stadium

West Ham 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur

Jose Mourinho made a triumphant return to football management, watching his Spurs side comprehensively defeat a struggling West Ham outfit.

The ‘special one’ was clearly glad to be back, recalling going to football games during the last 11 months, he has been out of the game, wondering “what am I doing here.”

“I am now back in my natural habitat,” said a beaming Mourinho, who felt his team were “brilliant” for the first hour.

Mourinho was also glad to see Deli Ali back to something like his best. “it was like the old Deli Ali of a couple of years ago. He did exactly what I wanted him to do offensively and defensively,” said Mourinho.

Ali had a hand in making the first two Spurs goals. He played Heung Min Son in down the left, with the striker then cutting in and firing his shot across the hapless Roberto.

Then an exquisite back heel from down the line from Ali sent Son away. His cross was met by the incoming Lucas Moura, who drove the ball home.

West Ham were playing like a team devoid of all confidence, continually needlessly giving the ball away, thereby increasing the pressure on themselves.

The home team’s fortunes improved in the second half, with the introduction of Michail Antonio, whose searing pace caused Spurs some problems.

The half, though, was only a few minutes old, when Serge Aurier crossed from deep on the right for Harry Kane to get in front of the defender and head home.

West Ham only really seemed to wake up in the final 20 minutes. Antonio was rewarded for his hard work, when the ball fell to him in the penalty area. A quick faint, wrong footed the defender, allowing Antonio to drive home.

West Ham scored another goal in the 89^th minute when Declan Rice knocked the ball home from an Angelo Ogbonna header. But the goal though was ruled out for offside, following a VAR re-examination.

The second West Ham goal did arrive in the sixth minute of injury time, when Ogbonna drove home a Robert Snodgrass corner.

Wes Ham Manager Manuel Pellegrini admitted his team are struggling but did not seem unduly fazed by the recent bad run of results. “When you don’t have the result you want, you must trust more than ever. Our players never gave up, they continued to fight until the last minute. The moment we have the first winning result the pressure will be gone,” said Pellegrini.

The West Ham manager must though be beginning to feel the pressure himself, especially with Mauricio Pochettino now looking for a new club.

Jeremy Corbyn was the only adult in the room in the first leader's TV debate

The first leader's debate was a great success for the Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn came over as the adult in the room, Boris Johnson the petulant schoolboy, constantly interrupting and not doing as teacher told him.

There was also the notable disrespect that most male politicians seem to have for women. It is noticeable how whenever a male politician is in dialogue with a woman, he always seeks to talk over them. Again, full marks to Mr Corbyn, who did not undertake this practice but accorded host Julie Etchingham the respect she merited.

What was also notable in the debate itself was that the Conservatives are a one trick pony –  Brexit.

If that is all they have to talk about, then they are in trouble – pandering to leave in a general election campaign – something the Conservative government has fundamentally failed to deliver in three years does not seem a very clever strategy.

The factcheck debacle simply adds to the sense of desperation that seems to have gripped Tory HQ.

 

published in Independent - 20/11/2019

Christmas tree light up marks the start of community celebration but let's never forget those less well off than ourselves

The Christmas tree on George Green is due to be lite up tomorrow evening (22/11), with a festive celebration involving the local community.

Parker Dairies milkman Steve Hayden will be switching on the lights, as part of the effort to promote a cleaner, greener plastic free Christmas.

There will also be some milk available from the accompanying Parker Dairies milk float.

This event has grown in popularity over recent years, with over 150 gathering last year to hear the Salvation Army band and children from local schools singing. It is one of those times in the year when the local community comes together as one.

The season of Christmas is a time for family, community and celebration. People do come together at this time year – sometimes they fall out, but generally it is a time for peace and good will.

However, Christmas is also a time to remember those less well off around the world. The Christmas story is about a mother and father searching for somewhere to have their child. They were turned away by some places, finishing up in a stable – not a very hygenic, clean place to give birth. In fact, a squalid place that typified a life of poverty at the time.

It is this image that has to be before us in the Christmas season. A time for a reality check about how so many in the world and indeed our own country struggle by from day to day. There are millions around the world starving, struggling just to get the basic rudiments of life. Many are looking for places to live. Lots are fleeing persecution and wars, crossing frontiers looking for somewhere where they and their family can live in peace.

In our own country, the number of rough sleepers living and indeed dying on our streets has gone up. More than a million people are going to foodbanks because they lack the basics of life. Thousands of families struggle to feed their children during school holidays. The NHS creaks, under pressure, to cope.

These people are the ones we need to remember and reach out to over the Christmas season and beyond.  Yes, Christmas is a time for family and community, a time of giving and sharing but also a time to question unjust structures across the world that force incredible numbers to live in conditions akin to those of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in that stable all those years ago.

So enjoy the Christmas tree celebration but let’s never forget to remember others less well off than ourselves.

Published - Wanstead and Woodford Guardian - 21/11/2019

Reducing the immigraton debate to a numbers game is economically illiterate and misleading

It is sad to see the immigration debate once again reduced to the numbers game.

Will immigration rise or fall is the question repeatedly asked of the MPs standing in the general election.

The question is entirely irrelevant and economically illiterate. Net migration (the difference between those going out versus those coming in) rises and falls according to the wellbeing or otherwise of the economy. If the economy is buoyant, then people will come into work.

This is especially important in a country like the UK, with its rapidly ageing population - the ratio of under 18s to over 65s is closing all the time.

Equally, if the economy is in recession, there will not be work available, so people will not be coming into the country. Indeed, unless it is a world-wide recession they are likely to be heading out to other places that have the work required.

The numbers game is entirely irrelevant and has caused untold damage – including helping prepare the ground for Brexit - over recent years.

It is wholly premised on the idea that immigration is a bad thing, with migrants having a negative impact. The truth is the opposite. Migration is a good thing.

Where it can cause damage to the social fabric is if those coming in are being used to undercut the pay and conditions of the indigenous population – as long as this is avoided immigration is  positive

* published in the Independent - 17/11/2019

Fake narratives

Tory Party media tactics so far link to long running false narratives pursued over many years. 

The first is that Labour cannot be trusted on the economy, illustrated by looking for every spending claim ever made, adding them together and coming up with a fictious figure. Some journalists have picked up on this falsification but among the wider public it fits with the previous false narrative that Labour was responsible for the 2008 banking crisis. 

The second theme is that Labour cannot be trusted on migration. Again, the Conservatives have adopted the think of a number approach - this time, around 840,000. The migrants are coming here taking everything and contributing little is another long running false narrative plugged into. It played a big role in preparing the ground for Brexit.

These false narratives need to be vigorously challenged in all forms of media because in reality they amount to fake news and undermine our democracy.

 

published - 16/11/2019 - Independent / Evening Standard - 18/11/22019

Abuse of MPs is damaging democracy

The news that a number of women MPs are stepping down from Parliament due to the harassment and abuse they have suffered should be a cause for deep concern.

It seems to have become open season on MPs for some particularly disturbed members of the public. Why it is thought acceptable to abuse and even threaten those who have been elected to do a job on behalf of the people is difficult to fathom.

Two things have contributed to the febrile atmosphere that exists today. The first has been the Brexit debate that has dragged on for the past three years. As frustrations have grown, so the vitriol has poured forth.

MPs were not held in particularly high esteem before Brexit but things have reached a whole new low now – with MPs needing police guards to walk into Parliament whilst suffering abuse. There were the truly amazing statistics that 71% of Brexit supporters in England thought violence against MPs was “a price worth paying for Brexit.” On the remain side the figure was 58% regarding the risk of violence against MPs to secure remain.

Now, there is an election which should finally resolve matters, with Labour offering a referendum on a new leave deal or remain, the Conservatives a hard Brexit and the Liberal Democrats an immediate cancellation of Brexit.

The second thing contributing to the febrile situation is social media. The various hubs and forums encourage people to aggressively attack people online. These forums usually have virtually no moderation going on.

Most of those expressing abuse on line would never say such things to the face of person in question. It is a cowardly pursuit.

But the veniality of it all seems just to get worse and worse. There have been the tragedies of young people taking their own lives after online bullying – how can this be acceptable?

Recently, I really could not believe that one of the judges on Strictly Come Dancing had received threats because she did not save the dancer that some of the viewing audience wanted to continue.

It does seem that much of this vitriol that spews forth via social media is a reflection of some individual problems that a person may have.

 The attitude toward politicians and those in public life is beginning to reach ridiculous levels. We have seen what can happen when these things get out of hand, with tragic murder in 2016 of Labour MP Jo Cox. A number of those standing down because of the abuse and harassment they have suffered are no doubt considering their own safety.

Most of those who attack politicians and other in public life are not prepared themselves to stand up and take on the work themselves. It’s much easier to throw stones from the side lines. But what people need to realise is that there is a limit.

The MPs standing down have had enough. Other people of good will who have gone into politics for the right reasons to serve their communities are also considering whether it is worth the hassle.

Pretty soon there could become a lack of decent people prepared to step forward and take on such roles. Then what will happen – those taking up the work will be those that simply don’t care, who are in it for all they can get. This must surely be the outcome if people continue to attack those stepping up to try to do what they think is right.

They say a country gets the politicians it deserves, well this country is certainly no exception to that rule. And if the aggressive attacks on those in public life continue, then what results is unlikely to be good for anyone.

Too big to fail - how an 18th century corporate giant, the East India Company, came to dominate India and prepare the path of empire

The Anarchy – the relentless rise of the East India Company

by William Dalrymple

published by Bloomsbury Publishing   Price - £30

 This excellent chronicle of the rise and fall of the East India Company (EIC) has real resonance for the world today.

The East India Company was in many ways the first transnational corporation, starting life as a trading company in 1599.

Author William Dalrymple notes that for some time the Company struggled to get “a foothold in India and the region.” This though all changed in the mid-18^th century, with the EIC effectively transforming from being a trading company to an aggressive military combatant in the region. By 1750, the Company had a 200,000 strong standing army.

Dalrymple nicely summarises the transformation of the EIC over the 35 years to 1798,  “from a trading company to a privately owned imperial power with a standing army and territorial possession far larger than that of its parent country.”

The out of control nature of the Company, which was run by a group of directors from Leadenhall Street in the City of London, was revealed in the 1770s when it hit difficulties. At the time the Company accounted for half of all British trade – it amounted to a channel to transport Indian wealth into the pockets of the English elite.

The joint stock nature of the Company structure meant that many in the elite of society – including a large number of politicians – were heavily invested in the enterprise. So when it hit trouble, the EIC was regarded as too large to fail. A phrase applied more recently applied to unaccountable banks going bust in the 2008 financial crash.

The 1770s crisis also marked the point when Parliament would come to regulate and control more and more of the Companies activities. A major regulatory role was the price exacted for a huge £1.4 million loan extended to the Company by Parliament in 1773.

While operating as what amounted to a corporate mercenary the Company managed to take over running most of India - defeating the previous Mughal Empire rulers, then other pretenders such as the Nawabs, the Marathas and Rohillas.

Key players over the years were Robert Clive, a bold brutal British adventurer, who really established the military vice that was to extend out across India. Then power was consolidated under the likes of governor generals Warren Hastings, Philip Francis, George Cornwallis and latterly the Richard and Arthur Wellesley.

In the background to the ongoing effort to take over more and more Indian territory was a proxy war going on with the French for control of the continent. At one point in the late 1790s, there is an appeals from Tipu Sultan direct to Napoleon to support them against the British.

Meantime, the last influential governor general for the Company was Richard Wellesley, ably supported by his younger brother Arthur – later better known as the Duke of Wellington. The Wellesleys finished off the effort of the Company to take over most parts of plunderable India, whilst also moving the enterprise ever more closely under the control of the British State. It took though until 1857 before the Company was effectively no more, with India passing under the total control of the British Empire.

The great strength of this book is in revealing the truly brutal and aggressive nature of those pursuing the early stages of creating the rudiments of what was to become the British Empire. Dalrymple does a great service to history with this work that reveals the reality of what really went on, rather than the shiny image often presented in British history books of empire as some sort of civilising force for humanity

Scourge of modern slavery in 21st century Britain

The tragedy of the 39 people who died in the back of a lorry in Essex has brought the whole issue of modern slavery to the fore.

The prevalence of slavery in 21^st century Britain is an often hidden problem but nonetheless continues to grow.

The Met Police reported 263 cases of modern slavery in London last year. The Global Slavery Index estimate that there are more than 130,000 people living in modern slavery in Britain today.

A number of sectors seem to attract slave labour. They include car washes, nail bars, construction, agriculture and factories, domestic service, catering and the sex industry.

A number of the pitiful tales of how people have been trafficked to the UK, then effectively sold into slavery, have been exposed.

Shayne Tyler, the compliance director at vegetable supply group Fresca Group, is a passionate campaigner against modern slavery.

He has come across all sorts of different forms of enslavement that come up in the supply chain of an international company.

His advice is to be vigilant, questioning suppliers about their processes. If goods are too cheap then there is every chance that some sort of malpractice is going on along the line. Shayne suggests that we should all become more pro-active, asking supermarkets about the processes that bring these products to the shop shelves.

Car washes are a place where slave labour can be found. If a car wash is too cheap - £5 or less - then the people working there are not likely to be being paid very much if anything at all.

The Church of England has an app, where people can file a report if they suspect some form of slavery is going on at a car wash.

There is also the Modern Slavery Helpline, when people can get in touch if they suspect something is wrong.   

Whilst people are becoming more knowledgeable about the existence of modern slavery, there is still the problem that once many of those caught up in this insidious business are freed, they later return to the slavery.

Mark English, human trafficking and organised crime co-ordinator for Norfolk, explained that once freed people can then be relocated to another area of the country, where they can be isolated. If there are none of their community around them, individuals feel vulnerable, so can once again be in danger of falling back into slavery.

There may also be the threats from traffickers as to what could happen to relatives back in the country from which they have been trafficked.

So there is much to do. If an individual, once liberated, is to remain free then paths need to be developed that give the support to ensure that they do not fall back into slavery again.

Slavery is horrendous. It is incredible that it continues to flourish in this country in the 21^st century. A concerted effort is required across the country to eradicate this appalling exploitative business from continuing to pray on vulnerable people. Events in Essex with the appalling loss of life should act as a wake up call to us all regarding the human cost of this modern scourge.

West Ham outplayed by rejuvenated Newcastle

West Ham 2-3 Newcastle Utd

 

Newcastle United squeezed home at the end in a game, where they should have been out of sight by half time.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce was right when he said his side "could and should have had four or five by half time."

The problems began for West Ham in the 15th minute, when Issa Diop gave away a free kick on the left hand side. Jonjo Shelvey duly delivered , his cross being nodded back across by Miguel Almiron to Ciaran Clark who headed home.

Six minutes later home keeper Roberto came for a Jetro Willems cross, which he missed, allowing Federico Fernandez to head home.

A couple of minutes later, the big keeper made amends, coming out to save with his feet as Allan Saint-Maximin raced clear.

Maximin then seemed to be breaking away at will, gathering a long kick from Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka, to bring another save out of Roberto.

Maximin finished the half, forcing Roberto to push a bending shot round the post.

West Ham's sole effort of note in the half was a Fabian Balbuena header that Dubravka pushed onto the bar.

After the break, any hopes of a West Ham revival were short lived, as five minutes in, Shelvey curled in a free kick from 25 yards.

The boos from the home crowd were growing, as the stadium began to empty.

West Ham did up the pressure in the last quarter, with Babuena side footing home an Anderson corner that had been nodded on by Sebastian Haller.

Then, with s couple of minutes to go Robert Snodgrass converted an Anderson pull back from the edge of the penalty area. But it was too little too late.

Bruce was full of praise for his front three players, who have taken a lot of criticism over recent weeks. "They didn't score but did everything but,"said a delighted Bruce, who explained how it takes time for players, especially when coming in from abroad, to adapt to Newcastle and the team.

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini defended his goalkeeper, who could have been faulted on two of the goals.

The manager highlighted how things had not been right since the 4-0 drubbing away to Oxford United in the Caraboa Cup at the end of September. "We are not winning, confidence is not high and there is a lack of energy," said Pellegrini. "We must review what we are doing."