Elfin Safety - Protect and Survive

The video gives tips on surviving an electioneering visit to your area from Gordon Brown.

Courtesy of Tory Tottie and Gotty

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I'm a Politician - Get Me Out of Here!

Where are Gordon Brown's advisors? Surely someone could have told him that walking around in a suit in a war zone isn't a good idea.

Perhaps he shunned sensible advice, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. The MSM did his bidding this weekend though with their 'first PM to stay in a war zone overnight' headlines. I understand Mr Brown's 'basic accommodation' was the VIP area adapted for his determination to be seen as 'one of the lads'. All things considered, he was safer being protected by our troops than many of us would be on the streets of some of our inner cities.

Many of you know my feelings about politicians visiting the front line, but I will reiterate them. These visits require a great deal of forward planning. The military's usual schedules are upset. Transport is taken out of normal service because these VIPs require to be ferried around. It's not just the VIP but their entourage and press pack, therefore more than one helicopter is needed per trip. Soldiers are pulled off normal duties to line up for the compulsory photo calls.

One commenter on the ARRSE forums puts the PM's visit succinctly:

'Visits to hot and sandy places are of benefit only to those who are doing the visiting. Prior to these snakes arriving in theatre the lads, who are busy enough as it is, are required to sit through pointless briefs about media exposure, followed by hours of pushing brooms around the desert. On the visit itself the lads will stand around and nod in agreement with the PM whether they agree with his comments or not, purely because they don't want to rock the boat and embarrass the CofC. How does this benefit the lads? I've not even started about the extra security arrangements required while he's there. What possible benefit does this bring anyone, apart from himself?'

Nothing more I can add.

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The Toll Rises

The Ministry of Defence has just announced another soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. The soldier, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died as a result of small arms fire in central Helmand Province today.

This year 100 of our military have lost their lives in this futile war and the death toll since 2001 is now 237. The number this year may have risen to 100 but tragically there will be more.

Gordon Brown's been orating his 'sympathies' and insisting we must continue to see this 'mission' to the end. The man has no shame or conscience. If he did he would refuse to have our military used as cannon fodder in the front line. Many countries have only provided troops with this condition attached.

Now another family has to suffer the pain of losing a young life and all because our politicians have a taste for war plus a misconceived idea of their own importance. The legacies of Blair and Brown will be recorded as warmongers not peacemakers.

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For Glasgow NE Floating Voters

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The Devalued Prime Minister of a Devalued Government

Daniel Hannan is a conservative MEP for south east England.  He is a writer and journalist and writes for the Telegraph as well as other publications.  My thanks to Faux Cu for bringing this to my attention.

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CHARLIE GORDON, MSP, WEBSITE EXPENSES

Charlie Gordon, labour MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, former Glasgow City Council leader and the man who 'acted in good faith' over the Wendy Alexander scandal. The same man who was on Newsnicht back in July, putting himself forward for the post of leader of labour MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, but he didn't get enough support.

How many of you have websites?  Quite a few I expect, especially if you have a business of any kind.  Charlie Gordon has a website for his business which, as we know, is looking after the good people of Glasgow Cathcart.  He charged these good people and the rest of the population of Scotland £12,822 this last financial year for the privilege of reading his website.  That's about £10,000 more than any similar site should cost - I'm being generous too.

Mark Pack, Liberal Democrat Voice has an excellent article on the ins and outs of Mr Gordon's website expenses, so no need to repeat them here.

What I do need to repeat is this - why do we continue to accept this behaviour from any MSP?  Last week this was news and now this week not a word about it in the press.  Has anyone complained to Parliament officials?  Has labour taken any action? 

The Turks obviously think it's a serious matter because it's mentioned in the Turkish Weekly.  Why can't we see how important it is that we stamp out this trough-digging now.  Once we have independence we need quality MSPs (or whatever we decide to call them) to represent us, the type of person who understands the meaning of the words trust and honesty. Incidents like this can't be allowed to become tomorrow's chip paper, they must be resolved, and quickly.

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