2008 on the ACPO Network

The focus of the ACPO Network (by which I mean my personal focus, and thus the focus of all the websites I run within the ACPO Network) will change slightly in 2008.

Don’t worry, I will still bring you high-class posting on a regular basis, commentary from both a right-wing and a Conservative, yet Christian, perspective. However, I will also be focusing on the following topics:

• A continued focus on Pakistani politics
• The campaign for an English Parliament
• The need to end the State funding of the BBC

I have outlined below reasons why I am going to focus on these issues, either in my own words, or, because I am very busy, using the words of the official campaign. Of course, all issues I currently focus on, I will continue to do so.

A continued focus on Pakistani politics

Events in Pakistan affect us more than many people may realise. For one thing, Pakistan is a well known haven for terrorist organisations to nurture and mentor their future suicide bombers – potential terrorists come from all over the world to train in Pakistan, and then go all over the world again to put their training into practice.

What makes the situation in Pakistan that little bit more frightening, and the need for a “friendly” government in Pakistan that little bit more obvious, is that Pakistan is one of the eight known nuclear powers of the world.

The Campaign for an English Parliament

“England is the home of a democratic tradition that has given rise to a distinctive system of law and parliamentary democracy which has served as a model for others. It is a proud and major part of the United Kingdom, a powerful and successful state of worldwide influence and importance.

“However, the devolution of powers to a Scottish Parliament has seriously unbalanced the Union, producing difficult constitutional problems in dealing with English matters in the House of Commons and the Government. A sense of profound unfairness is growing among the people of England. Creating Regional Assemblies in England would not remove the problems, as it is impractical to devolve to them the power to enact primary legislation.

“Amending parliamentary procedures in the House of Commons would not solve the English Question and would lead to continuing constitutional unrest as each new government changed the rules.

“An English Parliament with devolved powers similar to those accorded to the Scottish Parliament would (with similar action for Wales) continue the process of devolution and produce a uniquely British system of government, owing nothing to the federal systems of other countries. It would produce an improved decentralised system of democratic government, bringing power to make decisions on priorities nearer to all the people of the United Kingdom.

“Devolved powers to an English Parliament would also enable the United Kingdom Parliament and Government to concentrate on its retained powers, including the vital matters of international relations, defence and the economy.

“The principle of devolving powers to an English Parliament should be referred to a Constitutional Commission that would examine the detailed aspects of implementation and provide recommendations to be decided by a Referendum.

“A parliament is a symbol of a people’s identity, unity, culture, and history. That belief was a key motivation in the campaign for a Scottish Parliament. It would be a great historic injustice for the people of England to be offered anything less.”

From: Campaign for an English Parliament

The need to end the State funding of the BBC

The BBC’s bias has, over the past few years, become more and more overt and blatant. The popular networking site Facebook revealed that 11 times more BBC employees class themselves as being liberal than conservative.

It is abhorrent, detestable and totally disagreeable that, in 21st Century Britain, the supposedly free society, that we should have government propaganda thrust upon us, both in the news and also the “entertainment” programs (including my own favourite, Spooks), and in a way that is so blatantly obvious to those who recognise it, yet those who don’t, seems entirely innocent.

Now I have nothing wrong with bias within the media, it is, after all, precisely what defines each TV station, program or newspaper. However, funding of these biased institutions should be made purely by those who support them, not by taxing everyone and giving their money to the one institution, whether the taxpayer likes it or not.