A Small Island Man

Guts me to say this but: GIven https://tinyurl.com/2bgyasgc If your dream is for EU membership, or at least the single market and freedom of movement, then a vote for Labour will push that hope further away than a vote for Conservative. If as it seems LibDems and Greens fail to do the obvious and form a coalition before the next GE, neither is likely to take power. Labour will take power by default. Simply because the Tories are so hated by so many, Labour will then inherit a catastrophic economic situation that they will not be able to reverse in a single term of government. They will then be followed by an all-new Tory government offering impossible promises. For EU lovers, the only hope is that Labor loses the next election and that destroys Labour and finally results in a new centre-left pro-EU, 21st-century savvy party. So desperately sad.

The recent events surrounding the collapse of Johnson's House of Cards - House of Commons have had us watching the media with more rapture and rapt fascination than any blockbuster movie. But we wring our hands in glee and cheer the demise of the wrong villain! We cheer the implosion of the Conservative party, but the success of the UK will only be found in the death of Labour. Hear me out!!! Trade and War are two faces of the same coin; Competition. One wins with bullets and bombs, the other with being better and more creative and more efficient. But both share the same aim to win. Technology inevitably brings an ever shrinking and ever more interconnected world.  This is not something that is driven by governments, it is driven by commerce, competition, and the desire to win. In this ever-shrinking world, a handful of trading blocs have emerged that will  go on to dominate the globe; the Americas, Asia Pacific, Russia, China and of course Europe. (perhaps Africa in time) In ...

Johnson's Brexit promise:  The UK will "prosper mightily". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzbNC0crPBo Yes, this political chaos IS still about Brexit. If the UK was prospering mightily people would be happy, well-fed, and flushed with success and enough cash. Under those circumstances, most people do not care a jot for what is happening in Westminster, not even the sleaze. But the post-pandemic recovery of the UK is anything other than Prosper Mightily when compared to the majority of the rest of the EU. Only rich Tories and their chums have Prospered Mightily. The UK, was stitched up, not by the EU but by this government., The smoke-and-mirrors measures adopted to try and cover up the harm done to our economy by Brexit is now only beginning to be revealed. Every UK citizen who is not a millionaire now faces a future of diminished wealth, reduced human rights, and restricted opportunities. The UK drank the Farage Koolaid. He showed us a poster of EU immigrants flooding t...

I have had enough of sad remoaners doing Brexit and the UK down. I admit I voted to remain but the Brexiteers had it right all along and hand on heart can say life is better since I properly embraced Brexit: Petrol stations have never run out and the service has improved. Fuel prices have not increased. My heating and electricity bill has gone down and now I get the free summertime all you can use hot water allowance. Supermarkets are always fully stocked, with plenty of choices, and much better and friendlier service. Health care has massively improved. A cyst I need removed was operated on immediately and free of charge by my local doctor's surgery. I did not even have to make an appointment! An ultrasound I needed was arranged in a matter of days. Shipping to EU countries is no more difficult than it use to be. No paperwork! No tariffs! No hassle! My first Covid vaccine was a little delayed but, everything is running really smoothly and I have had my booster. I am not so fu...

Why can't the world see that a global pandemic requires a global solution? 2020 ought to have been the year when Climate Change and Covid focussed the minds of the world to form a nascent World Council with binding obligations for the well being of all mankind. A world council would be charged with limited responsibilities for matters like the distribution of vaccines, vaccine information and the means to distribute and disseminate information for all. All participating countries would be called upon to contribute according to their means. This could have been the silver lining. This would also be the route to prepare for the challenges that are inevitably heading our way with Climate Change. If a mutant arises that is highly transmissible and very deadly, then what's left of mankind is going to look very silly for not having laid its differences aside and doing this. If no such mutant arises, and we did do this, no one is going to say it was a silly thing to do. Comments will ...

So gov.uk drops the map for Teeside Freeport into my email inbox today. Three Acres of Lawlessness for Teeside I have written about how I believe this government's plans for freeports to level up the UK, is more likely to line the pockets of the wealthy and corrupt before. A very wealthy person said my analogy of freeports operating like an unlicenced lawless solicitors office for conveyancing on the cheap to avoid scrutiny and taxation "was silly". But then I think the excessive wealth of the super rich and their efforts to avoid sharing their wealth with those less fortunate by tax evasion is also silly. It seems my concerns are shared by the EU too. The Summary conclusions of the European Parliamentary Research Service's report on Money laundering and tax evasion risks in free ports start with: "Free ports are conducive to secrecy. In their preferential treatment, they resemble offshore financial centres, offering both high security and discretion and allow...

I am the small island man! How lucky am I not only to have discovered Sifnos but to have found a way to make a permanent way of life here. To book a two-week holiday and to have had a single morning as perfect as mine would make that holiday a worthwhile investment. But I, get to live here! I have to pinch myself every day, to check I am not dreaming. This morning Hazel and I ventured up to Apollonia. We had to check for the post at the post office, stop by the butcher, and as habit dictates, stop for a chocolate croissant and coffee which we share with Ronnie, aka The Schnoodle in the little square outside the Veggeraki bakery. Such excursions always take a long time. It was necessary to stop and pass the time of day with a dozen or so friends. Of course, we spoke with the butcher, the baker, and our carpenter had to stand in for the candlestick maker. But then there were the many other island friends too and a new friend was made too (we managed to pick up some of his Greek and Engli...