I Intend To Escape ......................And Come Back

Thank You Wills and Kate

Amongst the explanations for stagnant levels of political growth on Wednesday, was this little gem in the Telegraph:

"The royal wedding was said to have cost the country £1billion in lost economic growth." 

My opposition to the royal family is ideological, not economic. No one has the right to reign over me, especially not an aristocratic family who have never been ever elected to do anything. We have heard far too much over the years from those who would lecture us on the economic benefits the monarchy brings to Britain, tourist booms, what good value the Queen is, or how other alternatives are worse.

Read that quote again. It comes from a Conservative newspaper, perhaps the most staunchly royalist in England. Wills and Kate - your overdraft to the British people now stands at one billion pounds. Time to get grafting............

 

 

 

Strange Bedfellows: Paul 'Lionheart' Ray and Andreas Breivik?

One of the more curious figures to have been thrown into the public gaze since the rise of the English Defence League, has been Paul Ray, who styles himself as Lionheart.

His Lionheart blog, complete with Crusader and Knights Templar imagery, has more often than not documented his many disputes with his past comrades. Since the Norweigian terrorist attacks however, things have got a little more serious for 'Lionheart' due to suggestions that gunman Andreas Behring Breivik was in regular contact with right-wingers here in the UK, and in particular with a 'Richard'. It does not take a huge jump to speculate that Richard was Richard the Lionheart. Ray has been forced into writing a statement condemning the Oslo attacks.

It is very difficult however to believe a single word Paul Ray says. Firstly because the amount of vitriol splashing around him, and equally being thrown by him at others, obscures what may actually be happening. All very convenient. What is clear however, is that Ray is a fantasist and a liar. Back on 9 March 2010 I exposed the bizarre claims Ray was making to have unmasked militant anti-fascism, in the shape of the Antifa group. Day claims to have done this by travelling to the Palestinian territories, infiltrating the International Solidarity Movement, and exposing the alliance between left wing anarchists and militant Islam.

Ray claimed:

Everyone knows Antifa? Antifa is the extreme left wing anarchist movement aligned to militant Islam. In 2006 I infiltrated their training ground in Jericho the West Bank of Israel. They go there under the guise of the International Solidarity Movement, and I came back with proof they are a terrorist supporting group who only go there to be trained up so as to return back home to their host countries to cause civil unrest on behalf of their Islamist masters, which is why they are now aligned against the EDL. Tell me any of the EDL leadership who have done anything of this nature, then I will listen to those accusations of ‘Keyboard warrior’, until then its more smear for the EDL membership to discredit me.

Antifa in the UK has never had any connection with groups in the Middle East or radical Islam. It has no masters, whether Islamist or otherwise. Its first action was a demonstration in 2004 against both the National Front and Al-Mujihiroun, in Trafalgar Square. The type of action the EDL would supposedly support, were it not actually so full of fantasists and fascists. The question I posed last year remains unanswered: Who is paying Paul Ray to come up with such fantastical garbage? Or is he so delusional he actually makes this stuff up himself?

Finally, what of the relationship - if any - between Breivik and Paul 'Lionheart' Ray? It certainly appears Breivik regarded the UK as more 'advanced' in its struggle against Islam than Norway. It is hard however to imagine a sustained relationship with the likes of Ray, as the former would surely at some stage realise that the latters commitment did not stretch much beyond internet posturing and dressing up in silly outfits. Sadly we know from events last week, that Breivik himself was the real deal.

Memo To All Terrorism and Security Analysts

Following the terrorist attacks in Norway on 22 July, the following script is now to be observed at all times:

Where a terrorist attack is committed by the far-right, it is deemed to have occurred due to the belief system of those involved. Where a terrorist attack involves Islamist actors, it should not be considered as motivated by the belief system of those involved.

Please do not attempt to operate outside of these restrictions.

A Salford Funeral

The pictures below were all taken at the funeral of Salford class warrior Ken Keating, which was held on 15 July.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hatred That Dare Speak Its Name

This little gem comes courtsey of Adam Deen, a former presenter on the Islam Channel, who now styles himself as an Islamic philosopher.

On 21 July, Mr Deen tweeted:

People talk about immigrants costing this country money What's draining this country is the cost of policing our chav population.

 

Adam's other tweets this week include a complaint that women are so brainwashed they go to the gym dressed as strippers (although it is hard to see what business it is of his what women wear when they exercise) Clearly he is more bigot than philosopher.

Still, as long as he only attacks white working class people, he will go far.

The Tour De France

I have lost count of the number of different versions Kraftwerk have made of 'Tour De France'.

This is as good as any, and comes complete with a marvellous video of historical race footage.

 

50p For A Cup Tea?

This blog is now five years old.

I set it up in 2006 to promote my own writing, and causes I believed in. It has gone in a series of directions since then, as has the accompanying 9/11 Cultwatch blog. I have managed to cover a range of issues, from local politics in Hackney, football and boxing, through to the rise of Islamism and the war on terror. Although I have juggled three part-time jobs, a PhD and a young family, most days this year I have managed to post something, and the number of visitors to this site continues to rise. I get at least 120 page views daily, with the figure rising as high as 6-700 at certain times. The blog has introduced me to people I would not otherwise have met, and I know from attending events like the Anarchist Bookfair in London that it is read by many activists I would otherwise have risked losing contact with.

I am now going to do something I have not done before. Typepad is one of the blog companies who charge for their services. I chose them in 2006 as I was aware of some litigation problems experienced by other bloggers, and after taking advice decided that I was far more exposed to a frivolous or vexatious complaint on a 'free' blog than a paid one. Put simply, a free blog provider is very likely to shut you down as soon as someone starts making complaints, whilst a company in a commercial relationship with you is more likely to look at the matter objectively. It is a decision that has stood me in good stead.

Now, having renewed the blog annually, I also have five years worth of posts and comments, that I am loathe to give up and lose. That will happen if I do not renew my account with Typepad. If you see an advert on this site that interests you, do click on it. I will eventually be paid a small sum by Google Ads for that. Secondly, if you wish to contribute more directly to the running of this blog or 9/11 Cultwatch, you can make a donation via my paypal account wam77t@yahoo.co.uk I will use that money for the maintenance of this site.

Windoms Way: A British Colonial Drama In Malaya

I have long had a fascination for the Communist insurgency in Malaya.

Firstly because the conflict is seen as a rare success in terms of a British counter-insurgency campaign. Secondly because the reality is of course more complicated - the British did indeed leave, yet the Communists found no role in independent Malaysia, and bizarrely continued fighting until the late 1980s. Many of their veterans are resettled in Thai border villages. Thirdly my interest was reinforced by probably the best book I have read by a participant in any insurgency - Alias Chin Peng, the memoirs of the former Secretary General of the Communist Party of Malaya.

On Thursday 21 July at 1145 BBC2 airs a fictional drama made during the insurgency - 1957's "Windom's Way". I have never seen it, and indeed never even heard of it, but will watch it with interest.

The Mystery Of The Disappearing 'MI5' Twitter Account

On 14 July I tweeted an excellent article from Illytd Harrington, on MI5, that had appeared in the Camden New Journal of 7 July.

Shortly after I received a reply, also on Twitter, from what pertained to be the MI5 Twitter account, pointing out that the service website contains a history of the Security Service. Looking at their feed, it was obvious they were spending a reasonable amount of time following the hashtag #MI5, and then replying to things that had been said. I found this slightly odd, as more usually the overt use of Twitter by insitutions is to disseminate their press releases and statements, rather than get dragged into debate with Tom, Dick and Harry.

Over the weekend I emailed MI5, via the contact form on their website. Was the twitter account theirs? On Monday 18 July I received the following reply:

Dear Paul

Thank you for your enquiry.

This is not an authorised Security Service account.

Yours,

The Enquiries Team
The Security Service

So - who is posing as MI5 on twitter? Looking now, the account I refer to appears to have been closed, and with it all records of the tweets it sent out. Does anyone have any further information on this rather curious affair?

 

A Lion In Opposition, A Pussycat In Office

One person who has much to be modest about when it comes to the issue of policing in London is former Mayor, Ken Livingstone.

'Red' Ken must assume Londoners have the memories of goldfish judging from the offensive he has launched in recent days, attacking both the Metropolitan Police and the London Mayor over the phone hacking scandal. Livingstone complains that Boris Johnson has now lost two Police Commissioners whilst Mayor (Sir Ian Blair and Sir Paul Stephenson) and calls for 'consistency', 'clarity' and 'change'.

Well we certainly had consistency when former Sun columnist Ken Livingstone was Mayor. He was Sir Ian Blair's staunchest supporter as Commissioner. When the rest of the political establishment (and virtually all Londoners) were recoiling following Sir Ian's lies and spin about Jean Charles de Menezes and the Stockwell shooting, Livingstone was one of the few to stand in his corner. Indeed the only reason the cricket loving Sir Ian (he went to Lords to watch cricket after de Menezes was shot, so unconcerned by events was he) is not still in office is that Livingstone thankfully lost the 2008 Mayoral election. Boris Johnson, despite his million and one faults, knew a cover-up merchant when he saw one, and showed Sir Ian the door.

The nexus between the police, media and politicians has traditionally been under researched in the UK. (Larry O'Hara has been one of the few examining it, and then largely in context of the political fringe) Part of the reason for this has been the acceptance of the status quo by those entering office, even after 'talking big' in opposition. Should he pull off a surprise victory in the 2012 Mayoral election, we should expect nothing different from Ken Livingstone.

Ken Keating - Funeral Arrangments

The family of Ken Keating are keen for political activists who knew Ken and knew of Ken to attend his funeral, which is on Friday 15 July in Salford. The details are as follows:

The funeral procession starts at 11am from 105 Tootal Drive, Salford M6 8DU. The church is 12 o'clock St Thomas church/Pendelton church, 1pm burial at Agecroft cemetary.

The Prison-Industrial Complex?

Below is an article from the excellent US libertarian magazine Reason.

The Golden State's Iron Bars concentrates on California's most powerful trades union - which appropriately enough for the United States, is one for prison guards. They have been using their political and financial muscle to obstruct any move to reduce the vast numbers incarcerated in the state.

Perhaps there is a warning here for those in the UK trades union movement - and even parts of the left - who have been cosying up to the Prison Officers Association for some years? As the Dorset POA prepares to take part in the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs commemoration, it is worth speculating how the POA would react to any programme that looked to seriously reduce the numbers in jail in this country? Or, if there were to be a sustained breakdown in industrial relations in this country, exactly where the POA would stand when the courts began jailing trades unionists?

 

Corporations Against Violent Extremism?

Tucked behind its firewall the Sunday Times of 3 July 2011 had an interesting article about Jared Cohen, of Google ideas.

Cohen, Google and the Council on Foreign Relations were behind the recent Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) held in Dublin. An advisor to first Condoleeza Rice and then Hilary Clinton, Cohen's conference brought together former gang members, terrorists, fascists and Islamists to discuss their experiences. There is also an accompanying website for this project -  Against Violent Extremism.

Am I the only person to feel slightly uncomfortable with all this? It is hardly surprising that senior figures in corporations and government will be opposed to what they define as 'extreme' - such opinions after all, may threaten both their interests and at times their person. Given this, we can hardly expect them to be neutral on the subject. Looking at the Against Violent Extremism network I did not spot any former anti-capitalists, Socialists or Anarchists, but no doubt some will appear in the future.

As good as it is for people to leave the Nazi skinhead scene or groups such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir, there is something slightly Orwellian at seeing the recorded 'confessions' of former radicals. Just as the UK government has been keen to expand its counter-extremism strategy from a post 7/7 concentration on Jihadists to the far-right and even animal rights activists, this international version casts its net equally wide. The further equation of youths joining criminal gangs with people joining 'extreme' political organisations is surely one that is contentious, but the case is already proven from what I read on the AVE website. Is it?

One problem with all this is that governments, and indeed some corporations, are responsible for significant acts of violence and exploitation in the world. Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton have been involved with far more death and destruction than some Nazi skinhead from Sacramento, however unpleasant his views. Have those behind AVE stopped to think how their project will actually look to those currently involved in 'extremist' organisations, and even more so, at the possible contradictions behind it?

Ronald Reagan: The Cold War Re-Written

I am tickled to read that the statue to Ronald Reagan, unveiled in Grosvenor Square today, claims that he won the Cold War without firing a shot.

Taken literally, that is perhaps correct - Reagan himself never did fire a shot. But the Cold War itself was pretty hot, especially when Ronnie was at the helm. The most disastrous example of this is of course Afghanistan, where America worked with Saudi Arabia and Pakistani intelligence, to arm the Mujahideen. In this instance the cure for Communism - Islamism - proved to be worse than the disease. Far from 'not a shot being fired' that particular bullet is still ricoheting today - most noticeably in New York on 11 September 2001.

Finally, is there any sight sadder than the 'patriotic' British right when fawning over a US President? Take the only Tory MEP anyone has heard of, Daniel Hannan, in this grovelling piece describing Reagan as Britain's greatest friend. This was a man so concerned for UK opinion he invaded Grenada, where the Queen is Head of State, without even informing British government. And as with most US invasions in that decade, plenty of shots were being fired.....

There is one thing that can be said for the Ronald Reagan statue. It advertises the conceit, immorality and gross stupidity of the US and UK right perfectly. Long may it stand to remind us of that very fact.

 

Salford's Ken Keating Dies

Probably the best selling book by an UK Anarchist organisation in the past thirty years, is the Class War Federation's Unfinished Business - the Politics of Class War.

If you have a copy, do turn to page 1, which contains the following dedication:

"This book is dedicated to all those class warriors who are fighting for a  better world, especially our comrade and friend Ken Keating."

Salford's Ken Keating has sadly just passed away (as you may have seen from the comments by his son Sean, elsewhere on this blog, and several threads on Ian Bone's blog). I never met Ken, but he was well known in Salford and Greater Manchester for his class politics, and across the UK when the spectacular falling out with his son, Sean, was covered in the national media.

If football is a simple game made complicated by coaches, politics, and especially class politics, is equally simple. Ken Keating recognised this, he was a man who unlike most of the British left, was more taken with Mary Burns than Fredrich Engels. To Ken, Lowry, far from being a chronicler of working class Salford, was a rent collector, pure and simple.
In the late 80s and early 1990s Ordsall Class War took their politics to the state, attacking the police, and those representatives of the local and national state who they felt needed to be removed from a rapidly changing Salford. In the long term such tactics were unsuccessful, although many years later, at the height of the MP expenses scandal, it was noticeable that one of the offenders who had the most difficulty moving safely in her constituency was Salford MP Hazel Blears.

Ken was seemingly reconciled with his son Sean, and I regret not meeting him. When you read of BBC staff not wanting to move to Salford's Media City, you know exactly what Ken would think - they are quite happy to milk working class people in Salford with a compulsory TV licence, and even see people jailed for not paying it, but don't want to work amongst, or live with, real live actual working class people.

Ken Keating 1938-2011.