A (Protest) Song for Europe

Maxine Peake. Alexei Sayle. Ken Loach. Mike Leigh. Roger Waters. Julie Christie. Vivienne Westwood. Caryl Churchill. Roy Battersby. Peter Gabriel.

I mean, these people were already heroes, but they're even more so now thanks to an open letter in the Guardian asking for the BBC to press for this year's Eurovision Song Contest to be removed from Israel on account of their systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.

"On 8th February," the letter reads, "The BBC will screen You Decide, the show it says will 'deliver the UK the artist it deserves to fly the flag out in Tel Aviv in May. For any artist of conscience, this would be a dubious honour. They and the BBC should consider that 'You Decide' is not a principle extended to the Palestinians, who cannot decide to remove Israel's military occupation and live free of apartheid."

You can read this inspiring letter and the full fifty signatories from the creative arts here. Doubtless some will leap upon it as a sign of rampant anti-semitism existing within the political left of this country, but let's face it those who say that are very silly people indeed. 

Grenfell: Fake News and Poor Media

Firstly, I just want to share something that was posted on the AAV blog. It's a tweet from Breitbart London's Chief Editor, Raheem Kassam, and it's been brilliantly dissected and shown up for the lie it is

Don't believe the lies, don't trust what you hear. Look to the truth. This is important, because if you look at some news outlets such as The Guardian today you will see that up to a thousand people turned up at Downing Street today (along with several others across the country) to protest over the lack of help and aid and the sheer disregard for life at the hands of both local and national government. However, if you caught the BBC News half hour ago, you wouldn't know of this, because they decided it wasn't important enough to report to the nation. 

Why? For Christ's sake, we cannot deny the justifiable anger these people are feeling. It's not listening to these people that created this tragedy in the first place. Don't make the same mistake again. Their voices deserve to be heard! People are already believing a major cover up is in operation behind closed doors in an attempt to duck the blame, do you really think ignoring their pain will help to stop this suspicion?

Thankfully ITV News did report on the protest at Downing Street, presumably because they're not intent on licking Theresa May and the Tories arses all the time.

And it ought to go without saying, but please don't buy The S*n. One of their 'journalists' pretended to be the friend of one victim receiving treatment at King's College Hospital in an attempt to secure an interview. The hospital have submitted a complaint to press standards. If you read The S*n then you are actively condoning this kind of shitty, disgusting behaviour and allowing Murdoch to continue. 

Fighting Back : A Corbyn Special

Perhaps inevitably, the knives are out in the Labour leadership contest, with favourite Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters being attacked and discredited from all corners. 

It isn't going to get any better either, unless we - the electorate and Labour supporters - make a stand and say; enough.

That's where these petitions come in;

The claims that the leadership vote is being infiltrated by socialists and the Tories is getting tired now. I paid my £3 because I believe I have a democratic right to my say and I believe Jeremy Corbyn is the future, as opposed to the Blairites who have been around for two failed elections in recent memory. The in-fighting, the calls to halt the leadership election and the lies being spread about supporters is destroying Labour's credibility. Sign here to express your disapproval and get this stopped.

The comedian, campaigner and left wing activist Mark Steel has been denied a vote in the leadership election. Why? How is this democracy? This is clearly an attempt to fix the result, and keep as many Corbyn supporters away from the vote as possible and it stinks. Sign here to get the NEC to reinstate his full voting rights and put an end to the right wing Blairite's ruining the party from within.

The Guardian has come out in support of Yvette Cooper. This decision has led to many readers of that paper, myself included, feeling a little betrayed and unrepresented by the editorial team. Sign here to get them to reconsider.

Simon Danczuk has said he and his likeminded colleagues will conspire to remove Corbyn from the head of the party if he is elected. This is an outrageous and blatant disregard for the voters will. It reminds me of the plot of Chris Mullin's A Very British Coup actually, and that's a concern! Clearly, Mr Danczuk et al are scared stiff of losing their comfortable positions of power as MP's in Corbyn's vision of a Labour Party. Again, how is this an example of them working for us? If we speak, they must listen and act. To say they would do otherwise is like a mutiny. Sign here

"By God, Believe In Something" Well Said, Michael Sheen

Actor Michael Sheen took part in a St David's Day march in Tredegar yesterday to celebrate the NHS and its founder Aneurin Bevan and delivered a rousing vitriolic speech which shamed the cowardly Labour party we now have for lacking in conviction and joining the Tories in undermining the key values of the NHS that Bevan built.

Listen to the speech and read the full transcript here at the Grauniad website

Well said Michael! You and my DVD of Pride have today made me realise the fight is still there and that apathy is actually the very least of our problems.

We need to stand and fight and we need to do it NOW! Go grassroots, find your local NHS support groups and help them so that they can continue to help you!

You might also like to sign the following petitions;

Channel 4; Show Sell Off - Our NHS Is Being Taken Away From Us

Nye Bevan Day 5th July

The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher

Hilary Mantel might look like how Walt Disney might depict a poorly shaved owl kitted out in a maternity smock but she's alright by me, because she's given us this great little alt history, in her recently released short story The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, which you can read in The Grauniad here

Naturally a phalange of right wing critics have slammed the author for her fictional depiction of the former Tory PM's murder in 1983, with the Telegraph refusing to publish the story despite paying a substantial sum to gain the rights! Mantel has hit back at her critics, saying ''I think it would be unconscionable to say this is too dark we can't examine it. We can't be running away from history. We have to face it head on, because the repercussions of Mrs Thatcher's reign have fed the nation. It is still resonating.''

Here here! It seems that, now Thatcher has actually carked it, much of our Establishment wish to treat us like children, reminding us how disrespectful it is to speak ill of the dead. Nonsense. This is a woman who, even they must agree, had always divided our nation and, as time has moved on, the genuine horrors of her reign - such as her lying about her government's activities that led to and continued through the miners strike of 1984/85, and the still shady arena of the cover up from the Hillsborough disaster - are slowly stepping, much delayed, into the white light of truth. As such we simply must continue to address our feelings towards her and reappraise them at each turn. The reason why those who have taken it upon themselves to act as 'our betters' do not agree to such a process is because they are fearful of us finding or fanning the flames of the same contempt at dissatisfaction in the current Tory led government.

One Law For Them...

This week, the Independent Police Complaints Commission served Greater Manchester's Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy with a criminal and gross misconduct notice following allegations made by a serving officer.

Despite this, GMP has so far refused to do the decent thing and suspend Fahy.

Why are the GMP, to all intents, acting against the law in allowing a man under suspicion for a crime to remain in such a vital position whilst an investigation is ongoing?

Why is he being treated differently from anyone else?

If, like me, you think this stinks and that Fahy should be suspended forthwith, please sign the petition here

For more details on the allegations against Fahy, read this article from The Grauniad

My Girl, Anna Chlumsky

Great interview in The Grauniad this week with Veep star and all round lovely, Anna Chlumsky talking about her childhood fame with the film My Girl and her newfound fame thanks to Armando Iannucci. Read it here

Season Three Veep currently airing on Sky Atlantic has proved to be even funnier than the last season, with Chlumsky getting some of the best one liners and some of the best facial expressions; she's clearly an actress who believes acting is all about reacting and she's sublime at it.

Well Said Ken : Loach on Left Unity

Interesting article and call to arms in The Grauniad today from veteran filmmaker Ken Loach concerning the failure of the current Labour party and the need for a new left wing democratic party, in the shape of Left Unity

Read it here

For more information about Left Unity, visit their website here ahead of their conference in Manchester this Saturday

David Kelly, 10 Years On

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Dr David Kelly's death. Kelly was a scientist and expert on biological warfare who hit the headlines in July 2003 when an off the record discussion he had with BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan surfaced that made it clear Kelly's expert analysis did not agree with the government's claims regarding the WMD capability of Iraq, claims which were subsequently revealed as incorrect, proving Kelly was right to not believe in them.

As a result of this, Kelly was called to appear before a select committee investigating the claims. Questioned aggressively, Kelly was found dead two days later on Harrowden Hill, Longworth, Oxfordshire.

The subsequent public inquiry, The Hutton Inquiry, found that Kelly had committed suicide; a haemorrhage due to incised wounds of the left wrist, combined with ingestion of coproxamol and coronary artery atherosclerosis. Lord Hutton deemed evidence to remain classified for 70 years (for the benefit of Kelly's family) However the cause of death has been much disputed ever since, including in The Guardian this week Here

Now, 10 years to the day of his death, it's time to remember and commemorate the passing of a conscientious man. 

Here's Thom Yorke's song dedicated to him, 'Harrowden Hill'

Simon Armitage's Poem, Hand Washing Technique - Government Guidelines

i.m. Dr David Kelly

1. Palm to palm.

2. Right palm over left dorsum and left palm over right dorsum.

3. Palm to palm fingers interlaced.

4. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked.

5. Rotational rubbing of right thumb clasped in left palm and vice versa.

6. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand left palm and vice versa.

And the painting Death of David Kelly by Dexter Dalwood

Dr David Kelly, 14th May 1944 - 17th July 2003

We're All In This Together...Not

Shocking report in The Grauniad today 

jubilee-pageant-unemployed

Yes, to celebrate 60 years of Elizabeth II's reign, some bright sparks thought it was a good idea to bus a load of long term unemployed into the capital and force them to work as unpaid stewards for the events with no accommodation or concession to their basic needs. All whilst toffs, celebrities and Royalists had a whale of a time. Hmm, we're all in this together right Cameron? 

At any other time, the notion of the unemployed and poor in society sleeping rough under London Bridge would have us up in arms....here, they were positively told to do so, they had no other option!

This is what happens when the public sector go hand in hand with unprincipled private companies to try and duke the stats and force people into no win situations in the name of the Workfare programme. It's either do this or lose your benefit. What a horrible society we have become.


Seems I was right to suggest yesterday that the pageant could have done with a whip cracking Raquel Welch - we already had the slave labour.


It's worth remembering that the word Jubilee actually stems from the Hebrew 'Yobhel' - a festival every 50th year when debts are forgiven, property restored and slaves released....not here in the UK.