Image source: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ACME-Plastic-Whistles-211-5-Green/dp/B00X6012JY/ref=asc_df_B00X6012JY/
I have mentioned it before in past blog-posts, that I live in an area (Penwith [not to be confused with Penrith in Cumberland]) that probably has one of the highest per capita dog ownership ratios anywhere in the UK.
As a regular pedestrian user of the South West Coast Path, I frequently see dog owners blow their whistles repeatedly in an attempt to recover their errant canines. This because most owners allow their animals to run off the lead (in contravention of the wishes of the landowners) and with many rabbits around the animals to what dogs do and go on the hunt. This is not always a zero cost option for the dog owner. This because Penwith (unlike Penrith) has a healthy population of adders. Now, it is quite easy to avoid being bitten by an adder. You see, the adder no more wants to bite a human than the human wants to be bitten! Adders have the most extraordinary ability to sense the smallest and lightest of creatures by the vibrations these small and light creatures transmit to the ground by their movement. Therefore when a large and slow moving (compared to the adder’s prey) shakes the ground the adder knows that something very large and very heavy which could not possibly constitute prey is heading it’s way – the adder does the sensible thing and moves out of the way!
When I am walking through rough ground I take the additional precaution of banging the ground hard with a walking stick.
Sadly, for the dog owner (and the dog) the dog does not carry out the precautionary measures that I and other humans carry out. As a result the animals frequently get bitten by adders and their frantic owners take them quickly to the veterinary surgeon. The “vet” manages to save the dog’s life but at a cost (to the dog owner – over £300).
Of course, on the political front, our Dearly Beloved Prime Minister, Boris J has a similar predicament with errant Tory voters! Come the next general election (probably in 2024) he is going to want all those white working class first time Tory voters in the North of England (and elsewhere) to vote Tory again!
Now, BG Readers will know that I do not hold Boris J in the highest regard! However, I do recognise ability and Boris J has one ability that causes Tory activists to ignore the man’s many failings and to retain him as their leader.
This ability is the ability to do well in elections.
Now of course, the ongoing “Party-gate” scandal has caused the Tories to suffer in the recent local elections. Tory strategists have however come to the (correct) conclusion that by 2024 this will be “past history” and “water under the bridge”. Tory strategists have also come to the (correct) conclusion that by 2024 the issue of the channel crossing migrants will under no circumstances be “past history” and “water under the bridge”!!!!!!
It will be a most topical issue!!!!!!
Now Pete “North the Younger” has repeatedly excoriated the Tories on the Turbulent Times blog about the Tories Rwanda Plan by repeatedly “……..stating the bleedin’ obvious……..” that the government’s plans won’t work as the courts will state “……..the bleedin’ obvious……..” that the policy contravenes the UK’s Human Rights Act and it’s treaty commitments under the European Convention of Human Rights and it’s wider commitments under other international treaty provisions.
That this is a statement of “……..the bleedin’ obvious……..” is evidenced by that FACT that one does not have to be a QC specialising in Human Rights and Immigration Law to realise this! Every first year undergraduate student reading law will confirm this!!!!!!
What is going on here is also “……..bleedin’ obvious……..”: The Tories have passed the Act. The groups advocating and championing the rights of the migrants have launched legal challenges. These challenges will go through the system (from High Court, to Appeal Court and the Supreme Court). This of course will cost a vast amount of money! The groups advocating and championing the rights of the migrants will have their legal costs paid for by many wealthy middle class Guardian readers who are most generous. The government of course is funded by the hard pressed UK taxpayers!
The end result of this litigation is also “……..bleedin’ obvious……..”: The Tories will loose! The Supreme Court will rule that the policy contravenes the UK’s Human Rights Act and it’s treaty commitments under the European Convention of Human Rights and it’s wider commitments under other international treaty provisions!
The reason why Boris J is throwing huge quantities of taxpayer’s money at this (bye the way, the taxpayer will have to pay most of the winner’s costs as well!) can be summed up by the phrase, “What comes next!”
What comes next is a law that causes the UK to renounce it’s legally binding commitments under the above mentioned provisions enabling it to pursue the policy it advocates!
Now, this is where I agree with Boris J! You see, it would NOT be right for the government to do what the many political activists who are described by many Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians as “the Far Right” want them to do: Introduce the legislation now.
This would be very, very wrong!!!!!!!
This because such legislation would constitute a very serious act. That is to abrogate by statute solemn and binding treaty commitments previously entered into.
If a UK government intends to do such, it MUST propose this in a manifesto and ask for a mandate at a General Election!
We can therefore see that there will be “clear blue water” between the Tories and the Labour and Liberal Democrats at the next election!
You can bet your bottom US $ that the Tories will repeatedly draw the voter’s attention to the FACT that Labour and Liberal Democrats politicians have supported the groups advocating and championing the rights of the migrants!
Expect the next general election in 2024/2025 to be a very bitter and divisive affair!!!!