The pro-Brexiteer seems to have gone rather quiet since Boris Johnson became PM and hadn’t told us what (as a farmer) he thinks about a no-deal Brexit.
Sure, our MPs are all on holiday in this time of constitutional crisis (whatever happened to parliamentary sovereignty?) but surely his constituents deserve to know what he thinks and what he is planning to do on behalf of his Tiverton and Honiton voters?
After all, we do know what Swire is up to, even if some of us don’t approve!
One wonders what attracted Swire to direct the push for him as PM … actually, on second thoughts, one doesn’t!
“What do we know about Dominic Raab, and what does it tell us about how he might approach his new job as Brexit secretary?
Prediction is a fool’s game in Brexit Britain, but as this hardcore leaver settles behind his desk, Raab’s controversial ideology may offer some clues.
Dominic Raab: bullish Brexiter with outspoken reputation.
Brexit poses a serious challenge to many of the rights we take for granted, including workers’ rights and our right to equality, which is not protected by a written constitution. Many of those rights that we enjoy today are in very substantial measure the product of our membership of the European Union, underpinned and developed over 40 years through laws passed and case law developed with British input. Once we leave the EU, any of those rights that originate with our EU membership, for example working time protections and the right to equal pay for work of equal value, are subject to potential removal or restriction by a future government so inclined.
And Dominic Raab arrives into his new job with the credentials of someone who may well be so inclined. Our new Brexit secretary is a man who believes the time has come for men to burn their briefs. He has called for an end to obnoxious “feminist bigotry”, and thinks we’ve already sorted equality – for women anyway – so the real cause of advancement should be men’s rights.
According to him, we shouldn’t be worried about the gender pay gap because “men work longer hours, die earlier but retire later than women.” In fact, it’s discrimination against men we should be getting exercised about: “from the cradle to the grave, men are getting a raw deal”.
Raab’s regressive views aren’t limited to gender. He has a long history of decrying the “excessive protections” of workers’ rights in favour of the rights of business. He has consistently made clear his contempt for regulation. Raab expressly compared Britain to the “rising” power of Singapore in a 2011 report called “Escaping the Straitjacket”. and argued that the “burden of employment regulation” was a “dragging anchor” on the British economy. He called for scrapping the requirement for small businesses to pay those aged under 21 the minimum wage, renegotiating the UK’s treaty obligations with the EU on workers’ rights, and securing a total opt out from European working time regulations. …. “
https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/11/dominic-raab-ideologue-rights-eu-brexit
Watch the full (one minute video) in the link from which this quotation is taken:
“… Sir Hugo said that he believes that immigration has not been controlled, and it is a government’s number one priority to protect its original citizens [first and foremost]. He added that hundreds and thousands of people are in the UK and no one has any idea how they ended up in the UK. According to him, it’s negligent on behalf of the government or successive governments….”
Sadly, his views will be shared by many East Devon Tories.
In the light of the by-election last night, which saw the strongest pro-Remain candidate win against the incumbent Conservative, Lib Dems and Greens shoyld surely ensure that Claire Wright, who embodies all their policies, must be allowed a straight run against the risible Hugo Swire.
It would probably be too much to expect Labour to do the same, although they should, since their chances of gaining the seat are zero.
Let’s hope common sense prevails so that we can oust the barely seen multi-job London and Middle-East based Tory to the ever-present, ever fighting, ever-local Independent.
Swire will be pleased – he’s spent many happy hours in Saudi Arabia with representatives of BAE Systems.
“British defence exports rose to a record £14bn in 2018, with sales to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and other countries in the Middle East accounting for nearly 80% of that figure, official figures reveal.
Campaigners said the statistics, released on Tuesday, showed that Britain was “arming and supporting repressive regimes”, while the Department for International Trade (DIT) said they demonstrated that the UK had returned to its position as the world’s second largest arms exporter after the US.
Defence orders rose by £5bn to £14bn, making it the biggest year since records began in 1983. That increase was helped by a £5bn order for Typhoon fighters made by BAE Systems, plus Paveway missiles from Raytheon that are partly made in the UK.
Campaign Against Arms Trade said the figures “exposed the rank hypocrisy at the heart of UK foreign policy. The government claims to stand for human rights and democracy, but it is arming and supporting repressive regimes and dictatorships around the world.”
Britain’s sales to Saudi Arabia – believed to be the largest arms buyer – are the subject of an ongoing legal battle. Ministers have asked the supreme court to overturn a lower court’s judgment that some of the arms sales to Riyadh were conducted illegally.
In June, the court of appeal concluded the sales of arms that could have been used by Saudi Arabia’s air force in Yemen were unlawful because ministers had failed to examine whether, in targeting civilians, the country was in breach of international humanitarian law.
The DIT estimates the UK’s share of the defence export industry to be about 19%, placing it second for the first time since 2014, pushing Russia into third place and sitting comfortably ahead of fourth-ranked France.
The world leader is the US, which has a share of about 40%, according to the British estimates in the annual statistics published by the DIT, which is the licensing authority for arms exports.”
Chris Pincher – foreign minister
Still, he can still do LOTS of travelling in his many other (non-constituency-related) well-paid jobs.
“Dominic Raab has been appointed foreign secretary and first secretary of state.
First secretary of state is a title sometimes given to a minister by the PM. Damian Green was the last person to hold the post. It means Dominic Raab, who was Brexit secretary until he resigned at the end of last year because he was opposed to the withdrawal agreement, is effectively deputy prime minister (unless Boris Johnson surprises us all and appoints an actual deputy prime minister). …”
No such qualms for Old Etonian Swire, one assumes, working with yet another Old Etonian boss, and Old Etonian Cameron having appointed him and knighted him. Swire did support unsuccessful candidate Raab, who has since sucked up to Johnson – but he’s not an Old Etonian!
“Sir Alan Duncan, the Foreign Office minister, has resigned today because he is not willing to serve under Boris Johnson, the Times’ Steven Swinford reports. Number 10 has confirmed that Duncan has indeed gone.
That is not especially surprising. Duncan has been fiercely critical of Johnson in public, including recently accusing Johnson of “contemptible negligence” for his failure to back Sir Kim Darroch, at the time the US ambassador to Washington, in the face of attacks from President Trump. If Duncan was not resigning, he would almost certainly be sacked later this week.
But what is unusual is the way Duncan, along with the cabinet ministers Philip Hammond and David Gauke, have decided to resign pre-emptively rather than let Johnson dismiss them. This is unusual, and illustrates quite how strong the opposition to Johnson is in some parts of the parliamentary Conservative party. …”
This time it’s the Sidmouth beach management plan … which the old Tory council never resolved.
And again Owl isn’t quoting him or providing a link to his transparent blame nonsense.
Parish and Swire voted FOR the suspension of Parliament if that is what Johnson wants.
But since he refused to say this to the previous Tory-led council, Owl will NOT be quoting him and will NOT provide a link to this hypocritical nonsense.
“Albert Isola, the Government of Gibraltar’s Minister for Commerce, recently led the Gibraltar delegation to the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) Summit in Grand Cayman. This provided Mr Isola an excellent opportunity to address leaders and senior representatives of the Overseas Territories.
During the visit Minister Isola fulfilled two public speaking engagements. On the opening day he was invited to contribute to a panel discussion moderated by Alan Gemmell and with panellists Rt. Hon. Sir Hugo Swire, MP, Cayman Island Chief Officer, Eric Bush, JP, and Premier, the Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, JP. The session, entitled: “Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council” (CWEIC), discussed the commercial opportunities available within the Overseas Territories for growth and expansion in a Commonwealth context. …
Axminster Conservative Councillor Ian Hall has challenged the area’s two Conservative MPs to press for more credible support from Westminster after the town suffered another in a series of economic setbacks.
The Conservative district councillor, who was re-elected to represent the town in May, despite his party losing control of East Devon after 45 years, says he feels the Tory administration in Westminster has abandoned the town.
This follows news that the Government has rebuffed Axminster’s application for help from a Future High Streets Fund grant at the second stage.
The former Conservative administration at EDDC applied to Westminster in March for Axminster to receive a share of the £675 million set aside as part of Government’s Our Plan for the High Street.
It became clear that Axminster had lost out when the shortlist of successful bids for up to £150,000 was announced last week, with the nearest places to go forward being Taunton and Yeovil.
Ian Hall said: “Axminster seems to be the forgotten town of East Devon when it comes to any kind of support from Central Government. There’s been a catalogue of decisions going against us, which have left those of us who are working hard to revitalise the town during challenging economic times feeling like nobody in power cares about us.
POSITIVE ACTION
“I’ve now contacted our two local MPs – Neil Parish and Hugo Swire – challenging them to press colleagues in Government to recognise that Axminster will be in dire straits if it doesn’t see some positive action”.
In March, Ian Hall described a Whitehall decision to backtrack on an earlier promise of a £10 million grant for the proposed Axminster Relief Road as a ‘betrayal’ because changing the grant to a loan rendered the entire Axminster Masterplan unviable.
Since then, there’s been more gloom for Axminster, with Goulds announcing an autumn closure of the town’s Trinity House department store and McColls newsagent in Victoria Place expected to cease trading.
An angry Ian Hall said: “Enough is enough. Axminster is fighting for its life at the moment. There are people in this town – and I’m one of them – working incredibly hard to keep ourselves afloat against really tough odds. But all we’re getting from this Government [HIS GOVERNMENT!!!] is one kick in the teeth after another.
FIGHTING
“There’s only so much people here on the ground can do. I’m fighting Axminster’s corner at district and county level. But our local efforts can only make a difference if we get support from central funds. No one at Westminster seems to understand the desperate position we are in – let alone care about it. If you take away people’s hope, why shouldn’t they just give up?
“I’m hoping the two men who local people elected to protect our interests [!] will start rattling some cages in Westminster. We will soon have a new Prime Minister and a fresh administration in Whitehall. I’m challenging our MPs to get Axminster on their radar and to secure some tangible recognition of our town’s fantastic record of self-help.
“Meanwhile, we also have a new administration running East Devon. I also challenge them to do their bit, as a matter of urgency, to help our fantastic town to thrive and prosper”.
“Whilst Foreign Secretary the front runner in the present Conservative leadership race appeared mainly concerned with selling weapons on behalf of British business, barking at visiting Malaysian dignatories “Aren’t you interested in buying arms?” in lieu of a more conventional welcome. To which the answer has so far been a sensible no.
The question is how will trade and investment flow if Boris takes charge? Brexit to one side (having to an extent performed its purpose in making him leader) it seems likely that Johnson will soon respond to some of the financial interests which supported his rise. These include businessmen behind what is termed as the ‘Commonwealth Agenda’, keen to revive what they see as the UK’s special ties with countries such as Malaysia.
Barely known in the UK, but long since recognised as a key promoter of this agenda and also of former prime minister Najib Razak is Lord Jonathan Marland, who set up a two pound limited company called the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and appointed himself as Chairman after stepping down from a short stint as a working peer in the Department for Energy in 2014.
The focus of CWEIC is concentrated on channelling foreign money into the UK as per a new so-called ‘Commonwealth Partnership Programme’ signed last week with the well-known off-shore haven of Jersey purportedly designed to:
“.. unlock opportunities for Jersey to increase its visibility and access to key decision makers in priority Commonwealth markets through CWEIC’s extensive cross-border networks and in-country expertise.
Lord Marland said: “I am delighted the Government of Jersey is strengthening its partnership with CWEIC. Together we will continue to support the ambitions of the Government of Jersey to increase trade across the 53 members countries of the Commonwealth.”
Senator Gorst [of Jersey] said: “I hope … CWEIC’s support will maximise opportunities and encourage UK-based programmes or inward delegations to visit Jersey.”
As readers of Sarawak Report may be aware Lord Marland likewise claims he was the driving force behind the massive investment of Malaysian public money into London’s most costly ever development project at Battersea Power Station during his short term as a minister:
I think the only legacy [of his role] that… lasting legacy will forever exist would be Battersea Power Station which I was the minister responsible for getting that going… it is fascinating seeing the towers coming down and going back up again which I was utterly insistent upon and actually getting the Malaysians, they were brilliant, they are still. …
Q: What do you regard as your big achievement in office?
LM: .. I think opening trade relationships with some of the biggest countries in the world which had completely died. I mean, Malaysia for example, you know, the amount of Malaysia monies coming in… Getting those relationships going and then buying into British. [Lord Marland]
As testimony to his role Marland attended the earth-turning on the project in 2013 together with private developers SP Setia, former PM Najib Razak (Malaysian Government concerns Sime Derby and EPF already owned 60%), former PM David Cameron and the then London Mayor Boris Johnson.
Swiftly, the major shareholder of SP Setia, Liew Kee Sin, managed to sell out his stake in the company to the Minister of Finance (also Najib) controlled fund PNB the following year at what could only be described as a surprisingly advantageous price of RM3.95 for each of his 67 million shares, which was RM1.00 above the market rate.
Having cashed out so handsomely Liew was perhaps equally surprisingly permitted to remain as Chairman thanks to the acquiescence of the new publicly owned shareholders. Meanwhile he transferred most of the SP Setia staff to a new company under his control, namely the now burgeoning property development company Eco World, which soon got down to a number of rival developments next door to Battersea itself in London.”
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2019/07/will-britains-boris-boost-business-for-malaysia/
Parish and Swire were amongst 190 MPs who abstained on equalising abortion and marriage rights between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK:
Here’s the full list of MPs who voted against marriage equality and abortion in Northern Ireland
Those MPs who did vote had a majority for equalisation.
Swire no doubt didn’t want to upset his DUP Leader pal Arleen Phillips.
After all, he did bring her to East Devon to address the party faithful recently.
Swire will be happy! One of his jobs in the Foreign Office was to promote arms sales to Saudi Arabia and in his current post as Chairman of the Conservative Middle East Council he will want to keep his Middle East pals happy too!
“Ministers have asked the courts to set aside a landmark ruling that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful, a legal manoeuvre that prompted Jeremy Corbyn to accuse the Conservatives of prioritising military exports over civilian lives.
The government has applied for a stay of last month’s judgment pending an appeal, according to Campaign Against Arms Trade, which is fighting the case, at a time when conflict between the Saudis and Houthi rebels in Yemen has intensified.
That appears to contradict assurances given to MPs by Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, that Saudi arms sales would be halted after the ruling pending a review. At the time, 57 export licences were under consideration.
Corbyn said: “This makes a mockery of their own commitment to halt all new sales while a review takes place into civilian casualties. Nothing could be clearer: the government’s priority is to sell arms, not to protect the rights and lives of Yemeni people.”
Thousands of civilians have been killed since the civil war in Yemen began in March 2015. Indiscriminate bombing by a Saudi-led coalition is blamed for about two-thirds of the 11,700 civilian deaths in direct attacks.
At the time of the ruling, Fox told MPs that while the government considered the implications, “we will not grant any new licences for export to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners which might be used in the conflict in Yemen”.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said he believed a stay could be used to allow sales to continue. “The court found that the government acted irrationally and unlawfully in allowing these arms sales. If a stay is granted then it will result in more unlawful arms sales and more atrocities.”
The Department for International Trade said it was not going to grant any new export licences to Saudi Arabia which could be used in Yemen in the light of the court of appeal judgment, although existing export licences are unaffected. But a spokesman added it was seeking to overturn the ruling: “We disagree with the judgment and will be seeking permission to appeal.”
British arms that could be used in Yemen by the Saudis have to be signed off by the foreign secretary and the international trade secretary before a licence can be granted. Since the war began, the UK has sold at least £4.7bn-worth of arms to Riyadh.
Last month’s judgment by the court of appeal held that the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, his predecessor and leadership rival Boris Johnson, and Fox had illegally signed off on Saudi arms exports because they failed to properly assess the risk to Yemeni civilians.
Three judges held that ministers had “made no concluded assessments of whether the Saudi-led coalition had committed violations of international humanitarian law in the past, during the Yemen conflict, and made no attempt to do so”.
Last month, it emerged that Johnson had recommended that the UK allow Saudi Arabia to buy bomb parts expected to be deployed in Yemen in 2016, days after an airstrike on a potato factory had killed 14 people.
Lawyers for the government have asked the court of appeal for leave to take the case to the supreme court and to set aside the existing judgment until the appeal process is exhausted.
On Friday, Corbyn and the Westminster leaders of four other parties – the SNP’s Ian Blackford, the Lib Dems’ Vince Cable, Liz Saville Roberts of Plaid Cymru and Caroline Lucas from the Greens – called on Hunt and Johnson to hold a parliamentary or public inquiry into how the arms sales have been allowed to continue.
There are signs that some involved in the Yemen conflict are eager to escape a conflict that has become a quagmire, described by the UN as causing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. In the past days, it emerged that a key Saudi ally, the UAE, has quietly begun pulling out its forces as western opposition grows.”
“Theresa May wants to do things ‘properly’ and will limit the roster to a few names who have put in genuine public service.
The Prime Minister is planning a scaled-back resignation honours list which will reward a small group of people for public service and stand in contrast to her predecessor’s controversial gongs for cronies.
David Cameron was criticised for handing out 46 knighthoods and honours, as well as 13 peerages, to his aides, donors and political allies when he stood down three years ago. …”
Surprised The Sun is running this – it’s more of a Daily Mirror story!
“THE Conservative Party has already sold access to the next Prime Minister for £300,000 – before the leader has even been chosen.
Party officials raised the staggering six-figure sum by selling dinner with the new leader at an exclusive fundraiser on Wednesday.
The auction at the Tory summer party – revealed by the Daily Mail last night – has raised questions about cash for access to the new PM.
Dinner for ten Tory supporters with either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt was offered at the private members’ club bash in West London.
A party source told the paper: “The next prime minister is being pimped out before they’ve even got the job.”
Among the other lots sold off at the posh Hurlingham Club included a signed photo of Boris and David Cameron and tickets to the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix.
Deep-pocketed Tories were also offered a walk with Tory leadership wildcard Rory Stewart – who electrified the contest with his trips around the country.
A wine tour with Education Secretary Damian Hind was also offered for sale – while a donor paid £40,000 for a private champagne party at the London Cabaret Club.
Boris and Mr Hunt were both in attendance at the fundraising do – along with outgoing PM Theresa May and other senior cabinet figures.
OUTRAGE OVER DONATION
It’s not known who successfully bid for the £300k Tory leader’s dinner.
The sale comes after outrage over the wife of one of Vladimir Putin’s former ministers paying for a night out with Mrs May and six female cabinet ministers in May.
Lubov Chernukhin was entertained by the Prime Minister at the five-star Goring Hotel for £135,000.
The banker has donated more than £1million to the Tories in the last seven years alone.
Theresa May defended the donation as Mrs Chernukhin is now a British citizen.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9441101/tory-dinner-boris-johnson-jeremy-hunt/
East Devon Watch 