I have today written to the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister, and tabled Parliamentary Questions, concerning the news this morning that six of the suspects in the assassination of a Palestinian national in Dubai were British passport holders.
The Parliamentary Questions:
To ask the Foreign Secretary
What discussions he has had with his counterpart in Dubai concerning the Interpol request made by the authorities in Dubai in relation to six British passport holders suspected of involvement in the murder of a Palestinian national in a Dubai hotel and if he will make statement.
To ask The Home Secretary
If the following British passport holders Louis Graham, Paul Keeley, James Clarke, Melvyn Mildiner, Michael Barney, Stephen Hodes reported to Interpol by the authorities in Dubai are British citizens and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Home Secretary
If any of the following British passport holders: Louis Graham, Paul Keeley, James Clarke, Melvyn Mildiner, Michael Barney, Stephen Hodes, are also nationals of other states and if so what states and will he make a statement.
To ask the Prime minister
If he has had discussions with the ruler of Dubai about the grave international crisis over the murder of a Palestinian national allegedly by a group of 11 assassins including six British passport holders and if he will make a statement.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Thursday, 11 February 2010
The spiralling cost of the war spin machine
Today I've released some figures from the Ministry of Defence, obtained in response to a Parliamentary Question, which show a doubling of the budget for "public relations activities", including on external PR consultants, in the period when Britain joined George Bush's wars on Afghanistan and Iraq.
The MoD has confirmed that between 2001 and 2006 the amount spent on spin increased from £35.1 million to £76.2 million.
Senior military figures have told the Chilcot inquiry that during this period, such was the rush to war, British troops were sent to the deserts of Iraq with jungle fatigues.
It is clear that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, however, were prepared to lavish money on the Ministry of Defence's spin operation, which was deployed against military families who spoke out against the war, such as Rose Gentle.
The Iraq war was wrong for many more reasons than just the financial cost and the contempt that was shown for British forces, who were sent to kill and be killed on a lie.
But these figures provide a fitting indictment of Blair and Brown: a bottomless pit of cash to try to sell a disastrous and illegal war.
The MoD has confirmed that between 2001 and 2006 the amount spent on spin increased from £35.1 million to £76.2 million.
Senior military figures have told the Chilcot inquiry that during this period, such was the rush to war, British troops were sent to the deserts of Iraq with jungle fatigues.
It is clear that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, however, were prepared to lavish money on the Ministry of Defence's spin operation, which was deployed against military families who spoke out against the war, such as Rose Gentle.
The Iraq war was wrong for many more reasons than just the financial cost and the contempt that was shown for British forces, who were sent to kill and be killed on a lie.
But these figures provide a fitting indictment of Blair and Brown: a bottomless pit of cash to try to sell a disastrous and illegal war.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Come stand with us in East London
Dear friend,
The General Election is just a few short months away. After months of limping from one regressive policy to the next, Gordon Brown will call the date for the likely end of his own political career. In the wake of the spectacular collapse of the neo-liberal economic model in the last 18 months, Labour’s refusal to ditch their anti-working class policies will no doubt lose them the election. Savage and damaging cuts are planned to our public services. This week, the spectre of Iraq has come back to haunt this government. Blair and Brown have blood on their hands and the electorate know it.
Let us be clear: though it might be hard to imagine, any government formed by David Cameron and his Tory chums would be even worse! They would relish attacks on the public services we need and have vowed to be “the most unpopular government ever” within three months of an election victory.Into this dull establishment slugfest comes Respect. As ever, we will be a breath of fresh air. Putting forward radical policies to support working class people during the recession, champion international peace and justice and fight climate change, our aim is what it has always been: to shake up national politics and put people before profit. I have recently returned from Gaza, where the Viva Palestina convoy made a historic breakthrough by delivering much needed aid to the besieged people there. If we can achieve all that and more with just one Respect MP, imagine what we can do with three!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)