Prepare for Threats

A week after Corbyn’s election as leader of the Labour Party, the Sunday Times quoted a senior serving general, who warned that “feelings are running very high within the armed forces” about the possibility of a Corbyn government. “You can’t put a maverick in charge of a country’s security,” the officer went on. “You would see … generals directly and publicly challenging Corbyn over any plans to emasculate and shrink the size of the armed forces … There would be mass resignations at all levels … which would effectively be a mutiny.” If Corbyn proved as militarily radical a premier as promised, “the army just wouldn’t stand for it. The general staff would not allow a prime minister to jeopardise the security of this country and I think people would use whatever means possible, fair or foul, to prevent that.”

Corbyn didn't propose culling the Armed Forces - he proposed strengthening the Military Covenant on 5 issues.

1. Fair Pay – scrap the public sector pay cap.
2. Decent housing for forces and their families. 
3. A voice for service men and women, similar to the Police Federation.
4. End privatisation.
5. Support for forces children.

I wonder when the mutiny is scheduled for, given Boris' announcement on cutting the Armed Forces and the trashing of yet another election promise?

Personally, I think Boris' proposal makes common sense - prepare for the threats in order of priority. However, analysis has shown that the No.1 threat to the UK since 2007 has been a pandemic.

It's a pity we weren't prepared for that, despite Operation Winter Willow in 2007, which resulted in the outgoing Labour administration of Gordon Brown leaving us adequately prepared with huge stocks of ventilators and PPE following an unprecedented purchasing spree and training for hospital staff, the emergency services and local councils. The  successive Conservative administrations following on simply ran down the stocks and let them go out of date under the guise of Austerity.

Singapore, a country which has weathered Covid rather well, actually adopted Winter Willow recommendations and put what had been the UK's plan into immediate practice. 

While I'm on the subject of the current administration, what about Priti Patel's proposals for overhauling the asylum system? Never mind the fact it trashes our commitment to the Geneva Convention, it requires an agreement with countries where we're sending them back to - in the case of those arriving by boat, which is the main target, that will be France. Why would a country be willing to take our asylum seekers when we already have one of the lowest per capita number of asylum seekers in Europe and certainly fewer than France? Can't see that getting much traction.

Patel maintains it's to stop the people smugglers, but it's analogous to the government shooting the hostages in a hostage situation, rather than the hostage takers. "That'll teach those hostage takers!"

Then there's the story about Honest Bob Jenrick, a man who has been found to be acting unlawfully in respect of a planning application for a Tory donor, and should have resigned ages ago (if he had any honour), installing a bunch of commissioners to oversee Liverpool Council, which has yet to be found guilty of anything. Does Honest Bob perhaps want a cut of any dodgy deals that may materialise?

Next we have Cameron being investigated for corrupt lobbying.

I despair of this government, and yet the voters lap it up. It almost makes you think that Tory politicians are in it for nothing other than capitalism and greed.