POLITICS and RELIGION continue to destroy the world we live in        

POLITICS and RELIGION continue to destroy the world we live in

For more than 60 years I have seen the unbelievable incompetence, greed and immorality of their leaders push us firmly towards destruction

Do we have any hope?

Perhaps – if AI intends to build ROBOTS without politics and religion, just programmed to help make lives better for the inhabitants of this planet.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Born on Robbie Burns birthday, probably just a romantic, optimistic dreamer I decided to take a look via Mr Google

https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/ai-and-robots-in-2025-the-robotics-revolution-we-predicted-has-arrived/

I went on the link above to find out more. Within 5 minutes I was scared out of my mind

  • 20 million manufacturing jobs to go by 2030, I believe this will increase exponentially. What will these people do?
  • All the service jobs will be at risk. Same comment and question
  • The divide between urban and rural, between high cost labour and low cost labour economies, is gong to widen
  • Everything is heading towards an even wider gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ – civil unrest is already just round the corner

Then I relaxed and started to think

The robots will find a way not to have politicians because they know that politicians will fight to use the increased speed of manufacturing to produce more sophisticated weapons faster. In the same way they will not allow religions as they provide most of the reasons we have wars

Could AI Robots develop a dictator with a big enough brain to control the world in a fair way? Since The war to end all wars finished in 1918 Human Dictators have not been able to control in a fair way – they were all too political and religion biased. Just look at the current bunch round the world

That is all miserable and I want to finish 2024 with some positive thoughts

First big thought – a bit selfish but I am too old to worry about AI if it goes wrong

Second big thought – how lucky I am to be a contemporary of some great people, unfortunately none of them in government!

  • Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Roger Waters and dozens of great singers at that time. They and Buck Ram who wrote for The Platters produced beautiful poetry to beautiful music. You need feeling to write and sing like this. Do robots have feelings? There are so many more from this age group, I could fill this page
  • Gerald Davies, JPR Williams, Gareth Edwards – three superstar rugby players amongst the many I played with and against – will rugby exist under AI robotic control?
  • Lynn Davies and Ann Packer – Olympic gold medallists in 1964. Two modest but inspirational athletes. Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher combined to help Roger Bannister break the magic 4 minute mile. All true amateurs. Wonderful achievers
  • Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and the slightly older Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Tony Jacklin and then Tiger Woods – what a group of inspirational golfers
  • Great tennis players – Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Tony Trabert soon to be followed by Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe

Will robots be running, playing rugby, golf, tennis? Can AI give robots souls like Bob Dylan or is poetry from the heart going to die?

OMG! Think of the Classical music AI can produce from a few programming instructions – Mozart and co. you are redundant

Sport can lose its inspiration effect if technology gets too clever. Already we live with the terrible decision to tell schools to make sport non competitive. Everyone’s a winner! – bullshit!

Next thing the Wokes will be doing is to increase the classifications for sport.

Think about it – so many more Olympic gold medals if these classifications come in, everyone is in with a chance!

Make more classifications you Wokes so everyone can have a medal and remove ‘achievement’ from our dictionary

Male – female – gay – lesbian – trans (from a male) – trans (from a female). All of these classifications can be OLD, Middle aged, Young, very young, infant  and we could also have all of these classifications for robots as well (don’t want to leave them out).

Hey – same for Paralympians.

Keep going Iain – we could have more competitors than spectators and the Olympic Village could become the Olympic City

So everyone is a winner? No everyone is a loser

Will anyone be able to program AI to produce song lyrics like this? No you have to be a Bob Dylan.

I first heard Mr Tambourine Man in 1965. I will never tire of listening to it. This is the first verse. Do yourself a favour and listen to it, preferably on video on YouTube. I have never tried to work out what he is saying, I am satisfied just to listen to the magical combination of words. Four verses – all magic

Though I know that evening’s empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand, but still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I am branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And my ancient empty street’s too dead for dreaming

PRISONS – AN UNBELIEVABLE COST BURDEN ON HONEST PEOPLE

PRISONS – AN UNBELIEVABLE COST BURDEN ON HONEST PEOPLE

In October 2023 the Tories produced their PRISON REFORM proposals. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prison-reforms-will-cut-reoffending-and-put-worst-offenders-behind-bars-for-longer

Many obvious points and good points but not taking into account how taxpayers like myself feel about the cost. In reality it is another example of politicians inexperience and incapability of managing any kind of business activity that requires cost control and productive efficiency.

They made one major good point but if any action followed this I have not seen it – they said they would ‘step up action’ to deport illegal immigrant criminals. Don’t talk about it – do it! For new offenders it should be an instant action taken within four weeks of an arrest. Anything longer is feeding the mouth of greedy lawyers at tax payers expense

Before Starmer and his ‘top team’ go ahead to dish out super generous contracts to build more prisons where local people who probably voted Tory don’t want them they should spend a week or two thinking about what we actually need and what is the most cost effective way to achieve it. This is what I think. Its too practical for Starmer’s ego but maybe it makes sense to Reform

I see five levels of incarceration and believe prisons can cater for these far better than at present

Death Row – why give ‘for life’ sentences to those who have taken another life or lives in one of the horrific ways we are seeing more and more. Bring back capital punishment – it will be a deterrent and save a huge cost burden on the tax payer.

Long term – these will be sentences for serious offences, usually involving dead or seriously injured victims. For these criminals prison should be a very unpleasant place that they never want to come back to. Prison staff in this area should be capable to defend themselves and attack if necessary and should never be outnumbered.

Medium term physical – sentences for lower level violent crimes. Keep them away from the long term inmates but let them see the misery of being a long term inmate, either viewing or film. Their sentencing should include “if, when you are released, you are later found guilty of any physical crime you will be placed in a long term prison”

Medium term non physical – there is a chance that some criminals in this category can be repatriated to society. Warders need to be trained by the staff responsible for repatriation decisions so that they are not fooled into making over-optimistic decisions. These warders will be very different to the warders in the preceding categories

Short term – for those on early release and for offences like fly-tipping or non violent actions at demonstrations.                             At sentencing warn them that if they repeat they move into medium term

Many of these will be genuine possibilities for repatriation into society. They should be held in a much easier environment, hardly a prison. To ensure they understand the seriousness of their situation they should wear GPS tags.

Each day they should be doing something worthwhile and productive – work that they are paid fairly for, the fly-tippers to be taken two days a week to clean up towns and cities. From their pay they should see a small, very fair deduction for rent and food. They should know that good performance during this period will earn them a reference of real value that will help them get suitable work when they are released

In the right circumstances evening classes would be a major benefit – something to help those who have not had the benefit of a good education – simple maths and better English would be good for many. Anything to help those who need it gain some self esteem

Short term is the area to work on for the future. Also, perhaps, Medium term, non physical

In an ideal situation we would have a prison for each category of incarceration.

If that is not possible then cater for Death Row and Long Term in one prison. To be effective the others must be stand alone

DRUGS

Amazingly the only mention in the government paper about drugs is rehab. Stop the drugs getting into the prisons!

Make the penalties for being found out really hurt – stop visits (hurts both sides of the wall), solitary confinement and if a member of prison staff is found to be involved make the penalty so severe he really thinks before he gets involved

Dividing the prison population more accurately into the prison types I suggest will make it easier to control

EVERY BRITISH POLITICIAN SHOULD READ THIS

EVERY BRITISH POLITICIAN SHOULD READ THIS

This is the story of what you can achieve even if at the moment you are not in power

It is tough to accept that we have to back around 100 years to be able to find a genuine great politician. During my life time there have been two who could have been great but were not

Margaret Thatcher, so determined, so scary, so badly advised she thought she was killing the unions but she killed communities and kick started the de-industrialisation that has left this country in the current poor economic and almost defenceless state

Tony Blair, so charismatic when he burst onto the political scene. As a Brit I think he took his eye off our ball wanting to be revered all over the world. His mistakes over Iraq were as bad as the Tories

So sad – these two had the personality, the force, the determination to do a huge amount for this country but didn’t because either they were given the wrong advice or they forced the wrong policies

What Churchill achieved in opposition and in power should be inspirational to REFORM and the CONSERVATIVES.     

This will not help Starmer, he already acts as if he knows it all – God help us

ENGLISH RUGBY – WHAT IS GOING ON?

ENGLISH RUGBY – WHAT IS GOING ON?

HIGHLIGHT IS THE EXCITEMENT(?!?!) OF THE 5 METRE TRY- lineout and 15man maul. Ugh!

I don’t have the time to research the statistics but I believe the 5m lineout followed by the 15 man maul is now the no. 1 try in the Premiership. Ugh!

I have played and loved rugby all my life but now I just watch the Premiership highlighls on YouTube and even highlights include the 5m line-out 15man maul tries! I only watch full match highlights for wonderful games such as earlier this season when Saracens beat Bristol at Bristol with the last kick of the match, a match that was full of brilliant rugby. All the other teams have also shown they can play brilliant rugby. Why not go for it all the time? And why are England’s major tactics kick and chase and 5m lineout/mauls. It is not the same in France, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa – when they play you will see quality rugby and you see the same in most of their club and division matches

France build their game around Dupont. England probably have the next three best attacking scrum halves in world rugby – Randall, Quirke and Mitchell. What a bunch of assets to build a strategy around! England is well loaded has the talent in all positions, so many good players. Fortunately they do not fulfil their potential – I support Scotland!

SOMETIMES RUGBY MEMORIES HELP ME FORGET THE POLITICIANS, RELIGIOUS CONFRONTATIONS AND THE UK’S DOWNHILL SLIDE

Dec 19th 2024 – a gathering of the young men who nearly succeeded in taking Blackheath into the Premiership as the game became professional in the mid 1990’s. Underfunded in comparison to the teams that succeeded to make the Premiership this group had very good, very committed players and a few with exceptional talent. They always showed their commitment and talent and played some great rugby and they were regular winners of Sevens tournaments. Danny Vaughan assisted by Phil Ubee and me had the pleasure of coaching them. Unhappily Phil could not be with us as he is going through a very difficult health set back – such a genuine good guy

The lunch was at The Gherkin and was a memory feast and for several hours I forgot the troubles of the country I love. For the young guys it was an alcohol feast🍺🍻🥂

In this photo is a coach who could transform England into the brilliant attacking force it should be. RFU pay millions to people who neither see the problems nor the solutions. Still too much ‘old boys’ network influence

Another day to forget all the negatives is coming up on January 18th when we will have a lunch at Blackheath Rugby Club to honour the memory of Peter Piper. I will be with a group of players who in their final playing years played for Blackheath’s Golden Oldies with Peter. An abundance of memories will be flying round – the Guernsey tour likely to figure high! And the East African tour in 1966 – Peter was President The program for that tour is in my memories section. Peter’s grand daughter is Katie Piper so no surprise how courageous she was after the acid attack and how successful she has been in her television career. Peter’s son Richard has been a very successful motorsports racer

VAUXHALL LUTON CLOSING – WHAT A SURPRISE – WE NEED A TRUMP-MUSK STRATEGY

VAUXHALL LUTON CLOSING – WHAT A SURPRISE – WE NEED A TRUMP-MUSK STRATEGY

LIFE BEFORE MY 11PLUS SCHOLARSHIP

While the UK and Europe continue to hand over the car market to China in the ultra idiotic pursuit of net-zero via electric cars I expect Trump and Musk to make sure they retain and rebuild this industry in the USA. I hope they will rebuild their machine tool industry at the same time. In the West Midlands when I was young 120,000 people were employed in the UK owned automotive and machine tool industry, double what we have now in the whole of the UK and most of UK manufacturers are now owned by foreign companies. Goodbye Vauxhall as you go down the road that these companies went – Rover, Austin, Morris, Triumph, Alvis, Singer, MG, Sunbeam. How many of these have now disappeared? 

PROJECTION – The UK MELT DOWN being managed by the current lot (the previous lot did nothing to control the situation) will, during the next four years, increase the PEOPLE OUT OF WORK with an annual COST £100BILLION+ By the time we get rid of this lot out of work benefits will have cost more than HS2, as much annually as the NHS.                                                                                                                                                    

WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM? The pound is sinking so soon they will not be able to borrow any more

THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING WORK IS – THAT IS WHY CHINA IS SO HAPPY.                 

WE GIVE THEM ORDER AFTER ORDER AND KILL OUR OWN MANUFACTURING. WE TRAIN THEIR PEOPLE AND PUT OUR OWN PEOPLE OUT OF WORK

GOVERNMENT IS SO EASY

LOOK AFTER YOUR PEOPLE. IF YOU HAVE SURPLUS LOOK AFTER OTHERS WHO DESERVE HELP.

The UK does not have a surplus – STARMER IS BANKRUPTING US WITH HIS EGOISTIC BENEFACTION.                   

TRUMP WILL NOT ALLOW THIS IN AMERICA. For him America comes first and so it should

THE UK LEADERS BELIEVE WE HAVE WORLD INFLUENCE, WORLD IMPORTANCE – HISTORY NOW BULLSHIT.                                                           We don’t have enough soldiers or weapons to scare the big boys in Asia and our self importance attitude must make them laugh. BEST UK POLICY – sack Lammy and stay friends with Trump. And give people worthwhile work

REBUILDING THE WORK ETHIC WE USED TO HAVE IN THE UK HELPS TO SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS

CIVIL WAR IN THE UK IS NEARLY HERE

CIVIL WAR IN THE UK IS NEARLY HERE

ELON MUSK said it recently. Over 30 years ago I said “If we continue to deindustrialize like this there will be civil war in the UK”

Too many of my friends were seduced by Mrs Thatcher’s policy ‘reduce manufacturing industry, develop service professions’

They did not give credibility to the reasons that provoked me to say it

These reasons have contributed year after year in our journey towards self destruction and the only politicians who seem to have an understanding of it currently are from the REFORM party. The Tories lost their chances when they missed the opportunity when it was all starting to elect Notman Tebbitt and more recently Rory Stewart to their leadership, a contender when Boris Johnson was elected. Norman Tebbitt and Rory Stewart had very different backgrounds but both cared about people generally. Rory Stewart has had amazing political and life experiences for a young man. Oh what could have been if the Tories had had sense then. Oh what they could achieve if they brought him back now, still a young man – no chance of that, see note at the end of this rant

If you disagree with me you are invited to respond on this page. Agree or disagree – share your own experiences please

These were my predictions and I believe they are now happening

De industrialisation is probably the most damaging decision for the UK by UK politicians – ever.

  • It reduced in a very short time a major percentage of good, satisfying jobs for mainly men who took satisfaction in being able to provide a home, clothing and food and a satisfying lifestyle for their families
  • It blew apart whole communities, especially those in the coal mining and steel areas. From skilled worker to relying on benefits in two generations
  • It has created an ever widening gap between white collar and blue collar workers
  • Self esteem falls through the floor, parents on benefits do not inspire the next generation and so it is into drugs and crime

Service Jobs and high tech engineering jobs will suit many in the UK but not the majority of the UK workforce. For the country responsible for the industrial revolution it is obscenely stupid that we have scrapped and shipped overseas hundreds of thousands of blue collar jobs in automotive, steel, mining, defence, machine tools (the mother of all manufacturing), oil and gas. Becoming a Barista does not satisfy these workers!

The lack of control of immigration has brought major problems that add to civil unrest

Now we have too few blue collar jobs

We have too many not contributing to the UK economy, too many having to rely on benefits

Even as a Christian country we managed to have serious divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Now Islam has been added to the mix of religions – and the problem is they do not mix! The first years, decades of Caribbean, African, Indian and Pakistani immigrants was reasonably controlled. Allowing immigration to mushroom out of control, even when it is named ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION by government after government, has created the danger

The new government is being very heavy handed in dealing with the riots. Some of these people deserve prison but not all, some are just very frustrated by the current situation. Surely there is a lower cost way to bring them back to sanity? How about giving them a provisional jail sentence but this opportunity first:-

  • Set up residential units, far less costly than prison, where they attend presentations and discussions for a couple of hours every day. They can air their feelings and hopefully hear some positives for the future. If they abscond – jail, no discussion
  • They are taken to various workplaces every day to do something useful that is not a cost as is prison. Use their trades if they have them
  • Try to engage them in working to improve themselves when they leave, capable of doing things they could not do before their offence
  • Give them the opportunity of understanding how to contribute to the community, look after their family better and be a better example to the next generation

Giving people the chance to earn self esteem and feel they are contributing to a  worthy UK is, I believe, the only way we will avoid civil war

8th September 2024 

 

Anyone interested in politics and politicians and how positively ineffective they have become should read ‘Politics On the Edge’ by Rory Stewart

Following is Penguin’s on line summary of a book that gives expert confirmation of many of our suspicions about politicians

Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.

Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow and inadequate our democracy and government had become. Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today. Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.

Politics On the Edge invites us into the mind of one of the most interesting actors on the British political stage. Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, this is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life. Instantly praised as a new classic, it is an astonishing portrait of our turbulent times.

Read this, read his biographical notes (Wikipedia is very complete) and you may well feel the frustration I feel at the opportunity the Tories and the UK have missed. I don’t agree with everything, he voted ‘remain’ for example, but he should be a major influence in politics. Despite his relatively young years he has experiences and understanding the rest do not have. When bidding for the leadership he made an impression on and his bid was supported by senior Tories such as Ken Clarke and Nicolas Soames and former soldiers like Tobias Elwood and David Gauke. This link is to a short recent interview

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/rory-stewart-interview-ready-to-work-for-labour-government-3124278  Not your usual politician!

 

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/442034/politics-on-the-edge-by-stewart-rory/9781529922868

Summary

The searing inside story of our broken politics from the former Cabinet minister and co-host of The Rest Is Politics.

‘The most exceptional political memoir I’ve ever read’
ALAN JOHNSON

‘An instant classic’

 

Reviews

  • There’s no denying that Rory Stewart stands almost alone among British politicians: he’s one of a handful who can actually turn a phrase. That talent is put to good use here — no other account of how Cameron Toryism curdled into May and Johnson is likely to be as evocative or amusing as this one

The Times, *The Times Political Book of the Year*

AGE-FIT NOTE

I think Rory Stewart’s boyish charm is hiding the steel of a real achiever. Now (Oct 30th 2024) is the time the Tories should have fought to get him back. However, I hope REFORM bring him into their fold – that would be a massive counter to some of the negatives that have followed Reform from its early days. I don’t think I would particularly like Nigel Farage as a person but I do admire his direct approach in saying what he thinks or believes. Come on Richard Tice – get hold of Rory Stewart and you have my vote

(Dec 25 2024) – I think he is changing lanes and maybe he is not the hope I thought he could be. What a shame if that is so

Nearly 400 years ago the UK endured a whole decade of civil war caused by greed, ‘haves and have not’s’, religious differences but culminated in a long war that cost more than 200,000 lives

Wikipedia as always provide outstanding description of the wars – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_English_Civil_War

and also of the main characters Charles 1 and Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell so complex I have not made up my mind if he was good or not, and if what he did was good

That’s history – we should be looking at the future. Is it really so complex a problem that we now blunder towards civil war.

Here is a manifesto for the politicians of today

1-THE UNITED KINGDOM IS FOUR COUNTRIES – THE GOVERNMENT WILL CREATE POLICIES THAT BRING THE FOUR TOGETHER FOR EVERYONE’S BENEFIT WHILST RESPECTING THE CULTURAL INDIVIDUALITIES OF EACH ONE

2-THE UK IS A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY. RESIDENTS MAY FOLLOW OTHER RELIGIONS PROVIDED THEY DO NOT CONTRAVENE THE STANDARDS THE UK ACCEPTS, AS FOLLOWS

-THE UK BELIEVES IN THE RIGHTS OF THE FEMALE SEX TO BE REGARDED AS EQUAL TO MALES. IN SOME SPORTS THE PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES REQUIRE SEPARATE MALE AND FEMALE COMPETITIONS

-THE UK ACCEPTS THAT PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX MAY BE IN LOVE AND WISH TO LIVE TOGETHER

-THE UK ACCEPTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL BE MORE COMFORTABLE TO BE REGARDED AS A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITE SEX – BUT THE UK DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED SEX AND THEREFORE THEY MUST USE THE PUBLIC FACILITIES OF THE SEX THEY WERE BORN IN. THEY CANNOT COMPETE IN SPORTS OF THE OTHER SEX

3-THE UK GOVERNMENT WILL SUPPORT INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TO ITS RESIDENTS, EMPLOYMENT OF A STANDARD TO GIVE THEM FINANCIAL AND JOB SATISFACTION

4-THE UK GOVERNMENT ALLOW TWO LEVELS OF IMMIGRATION I) IMMIGRANTS WHO CAN ADD TO THE QUALITY OF JOBS WHERE THE UK IS UNDERSTAFFED AND II) GENUINE ASYLUM SEEKERS – BOTH UP TO A MAXIMUM NUMBER THAT IS AGREED BY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES

5 – The UK Government will manufacture and buy whatever weapons and equipment it needs in order to be able to defend itself and to assist its allies. Such decisions will be based on Defence professionals’ advice and voting decisions will be cross party


6 – The UK Government offers to accept a charter from a Cross Party Group set up to provide a plan to reorganise the National Health Service that within three years can be proven to be efficient and cost effective

 

 THESE FOUR BASIC COMMITMENTS IF FULFILLED ELIMINATE THE RISK OF CIVIL WAR. IT JUST NEEDS QUALITY GOVERNMENT – OH DEAR!

.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – How to stop it

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION - How to stop it

UNBELIEVABLE – so many people contribute to this and they all miss the big issue. Flowers are sorted out, animals are sorted out, may be improving trade paperwork frustrations.

In the header they highlight security and biosecurity but I can’t find it in this press release AND NO MENTION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

I believe there is a cost effective, practical and humane solution. It follows the namby pamby ineffective statements in the press release

 

 

 

Press release

New border controls to protect the UK against security and biosecurity threats and ensure smooth flow of goods

The Border Target Operating Model sets out new controls to better protect the UK against security and biosecurity threats and create a world-class border system for trade in goods.

From:

Cabinet Office and Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG

Published

29 August 2023

 

The Border Target Operating Model for trade in goods, published today, 29th August 2023, sets out when new controls will be introduced to better protect the UK against biosecurity threats and create a world-class border system.

Delivering on the 2025 Border Strategy to create the most effective border in the world, the model introduces a new global regime for security and biosecurity controls, including bringing in controls on imports from the EU for the first time and using Brexit freedoms to simplify import controls on goods from across the globe. Many businesses will already be familiar with similar requirements already in place for exporting to the EU.

These controls will keep the UK safe by defending against plant and animal diseases from abroad, protecting our vital agricultural industry and food supply chains, and assuring our trade partners of the quality of our exports. It will also protect against illegal imports, including firearms and drugs.

The Border Target Operating Model makes smarter use of data and technology to ensure a more efficient trading experience for businesses. By taking an intelligent, risk-based approach, it removes duplication and reduces the volume of data and paperwork required from businesses when importing goods. This will save businesses around £520m per year compared to the original import model that would have been introduced in 2022.

The model has been developed following extensive engagement with the border industry and businesses across the UK, and in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Devolved Administrations. Having listened to the views of industry, the Government has agreed to a delay of three months for the introduction of remaining sanitary and phytosanitary controls, as well as full customs controls for non-qualifying Northern Ireland goods, which will now be introduced from January 2024. To give stakeholders additional time to prepare for the new checks, further controls have a revised timetable. These include checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU, implemented in April 2024, and safety and Security declarations for EU imports, implemented in October 2024.

The Government has also worked with industry to test new technologies in a border setting, including distributed ledgers for sharing data, smart seals and GPS trackers. Pilot testing found these technologies could simplify processes across the supply chain, transforming the UK border through reduced costs and administrative burdens, making importing and exporting easier and cheaper for businesses.

In addition to the Border Target Operating Model, the Single Trade Window is another flagship border development which makes smarter use of data and technology. It will simplify and streamline import and export trade processes and provide a single gateway through which businesses can supply trade data to the government. Under this system, information will only need to be submitted by traders once and in one place, removing complexity and duplication from the system.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said:

“Our Border Target Operating Model will ensure more efficient trading for businesses, protect against biosecurity threats and further crack down on illegal imports such as firearms and drugs.

“By making maximum use of data and new technologies, our innovative yet risk-based approach is key to delivering a world-class border system. Once fully implemented, these important post-Brexit measures will, I believe, bring considerable benefits to the UK economy and to UK trade, and the Government stands ready to support businesses through this transition.”

Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:

“Protecting UK biosecurity through effective border controls on the goods that we import is so important. These border controls safeguard the food that we eat and protect animal and plant health across the UK.

“The Border Target Operating Model sets out our innovative system of border controls, which will continue to uphold UK biosecurity and support trade with other countries.”

Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinary Officer, said:

“The Border Target Operating Model will deliver a new trade regime that provides a risk-based, proportionate and technologically advanced approach to border controls, built upon the foundations of safeguarding UK biosecurity. The threat from imported animal and plant diseases, such as African Swine Fever & Xylella fastidiosa, continues to grow. Our new regime of border controls will protect the UK and our trading partners from the economic, health and environmental harms caused by the outbreak of these diseases, whilst balancing the needs of vitally important trade.”

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Businesses will be pleased with this clarity as they prepare for the challenging shift to a digital trade system. The focus must now be on delivering the Single Trade Window to the timescales set out. The new approach to digitalising borders for goods movements could bring real benefits to the SMEs we represent, to trade, and to the economy.

“The critical thing is preparedness. Businesses are making investment and supply chain decisions for the long term and need to be confident that the physical and digital infrastructure around the GB border is going to be in place on time.”

Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, said:

“FPC welcomes the publication of the final Border Target Operating Model. It’s clear, Government has acted upon our concerns and will now implement a unique border approach for the benefit of consumers and industry. This focussed risk-based approach will reinforce UK biosecurity and promote self-regulation to minimise supply chain disruption.

“Let’s be clear, challenges remain. However, this is a bold step forward to achieve our ambition to become a world-leading destination of choice promoting imports and exports of fantastic fresh produce, and flowers and plants.”

Marco Forgione, Director General of The Institute of Export & International Trade said:

“The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) welcomes the innovative approach set out in the Border Target Operating Model. The shift to risk based, digital insights and targeting will ensure the smooth flow of goods and maintain strong security and biosecurity controls.

“The Border Target Operating Model should not be looked at in isolation. There are several other key initiatives taking place as part of the Border 2025 strategy aimed at making the UK border one of the most effective and efficient. This approach has the potential to convert our borders into engines which support economic growth. In addition we encourage Government to move as fast as possible to implement the findings of the customs initiatives announced at the Spring Budget.

“What’s really important is that UK businesses and those trading into UK markets prepare for these changes. The Border Target Operating Model helps to redress some of the commercial disadvantages that UK businesses have been facing.

“The Institute’s focus is on supporting businesses trading with the UK from the EU and the Rest of the World to understand the requirements of Border Target Operating Model and provide practical assistance in complying with the new system. The UK can reap the benefits of this world-class new digital border if businesses of all sizes are equipped and armed with the right knowledge. Now is the time to prioritise educating businesses on trading sustainably, safely and securely.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

  • The Border Target Operating Model incorporates feedback from the Draft Border Target Operating Model which was published in April 2023
  • The Border Target Operating Model confirms implementation of controls through three major milestones:
    • 31 January 2024 – The introduction of health certification on imports of medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU
    • 30 April 2024 – The introduction of documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU. At this point Imports of Sanitary and Phytosanitary goods from the rest of the world will begin to benefit from the new risk based model
    • 31 October 2024 – Safety and Security declarations for EU imports will come into force from 31 October 2024. Alongside this, we will introduce a reduced dataset for imports
  • Importers and their supply should already be preparing for the first milestone which we confirmed would go ahead in April. They should now begin to prepare for the following milestones. HMG will continue to work with them, ports, and the wider border industry to prepare for these
  • The final Border Target Operating Model also confirms that new checks and controls will be introduced for Irish goods moving from Ireland directly to Great Britain. In accordance with the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland businesses will retain unfettered access to their most important market in Great Britain, whether moving qualifying NI goods directly from Northern Ireland or indirectly through Irish ports. A full timeline for introduction of these controls is set out within the Border Target Operating Model.
  • In developing the Border Target Operating Model the Government has been mindful of the small potential impact on food inflation and has taken into account its firm commitment to bring the rate down. The estimated impact of the Border Target Operating Model on food inflation is expected to be minor, standing at less than 0.2% across three years.

Published 29 August 2023

 

SINK THE BOATS! Not really but the problem of the migrant channel crossings has to be solved

A PROPOSED SOLUTION that hopefully will not be needed for too long. It is designed to remove the incentive to try to enter the UK illegally

o   How many?  Make a decision on the number of immigrants we can accommodate in the UK – how many contributing immigrants and how many asylum seekers

 

o   Publicize the qualities and experience that a potential contributing immigrant should have to make a beneficial contribution to the UK and put numbers to each sector that we can allow in

 

o   Set up in Calais an Interview Centre for Asylum seekers and contributing immigrants. Develop an interviewing strategy that will deal with the numbers in a responsibly short time. If all the small boat people came for interview it would be average somewhere between 100 and 140 per day. A team of 50 – 60 interviewers with an efficient process should be able to cope.

 

o   To save time publicize a standard list of preliminary questions that will be asked at the interview

 

o   Add a 15 man armed security team. Buy a building to house sixty 15sq.m ground floor interview rooms = 900sq. m. Add 300sqm reception and facilities. It should have 3 additional floors to create sixty 400sq.m studio flats plus lounge, entertainment, gym and dining rooms. Add facilities, ground floor, for the security team.  Work rotas – 5 full days each week plus short days Saturday and Sunday and back to UK every fourth week

Budget

o   5000sq.m facility – rent, utilities £500,000. Employee hospitality 60 x £100 x 52 = £312,000

 

o   Salaries 75 x £80,000 = £6,000,000 Budget + 20 returns to UK every week (1 per month each officer) = 20 x £200 x 52 = £208,000

 

o   Total annual budget £7,000,020 – how does this compare to today’s nonsensical costs

Efficiency

o   It should not take 1 hour to see if someone is worthy of further interview/investigation

 

o   Those worthy of further investigation should be transferred to an interviewer who can judge their potential contribution e.g. if one says he is an electrician he should be interviewed by an electrics expert

 

o   Interviewers for asylum seekers need to be kept constantly aware of which countries/regions may be regarded as currently dangerous. Experts with detail knowledge of those regions need to be part of the interview

Publicize it – everyone entering the Interview Centre will go on the UK facial recognition system.  

It needs to be publicized that anyone caught on an illegal boat will be subjected to facial recognition and will never be allowed into the UK, even to visit.

We need to have a serious patrol boat service that will turn the boats round or take the passenger on board and return them.

The immigrants already here can have their claims processed in a similar way

 

OUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

The Illegal Immigrants Bill (UK) will hopefully be applied soon – it should have been applied after BREXIT. That would have encouraged Europe to act sensibly

Now we see Europe splitting up over this subject, each country looking after itself and, quite bluntly, that is what it should have been years ago

Creating a European free trade area was a good idea. Trying to convert all these countries with different histories, different languages, different natural resources, varying religions into one entity was crazy. It has one hugely long border to protect – impossible

Most of Europe is CHRISTIAN in one form or another. There are differences, some have even led to war, but ISLAM is so different to Christian religions that every country in Europe should be very carefully controlling its influence. We are foolish in the UK right down to junior school level

BREXIT handled sensibly should have seen the UK as an Island able to have control over its borders. America has four borders, two ocean coasts and two land borders, Canada and Mexico. Mexico is their main border control problem. The UK is an island and is unique amongst the larger countries in the continent of Europe . The UK should not have serious border control problems – that it does is down to rubbish management by UK governments

Even Australia and New Zealand, countries that for years have been increasing their skilled workforces by controlled immigration have had to apply stiffer controls as they have entered housing supply crises.  What on earth goes on in the minds of the idiots in UK governments past and present? Are they so cosy in their pads paid for by all of us that they really cannot see how their imbecilic policies are growing the housing crisis dangerously and civil war may be round the corner

This Sky News photo illustrate the overload danger on a very calm day. I can see only three flotation rings, no life jackets. Some genuine people are desperate enough to take these risks. Our policy must encourage them to apply to come to the UK though an official route – but that route has to fair and clear but above all it has to be able to carry out the processes fast and efficiently

 

DEFENCE – our defence is in the hands of politicians, GOD HELP US – please.

DEFENCE – our defence is in the hands of politicians, GOD HELP US – please.

Conservatives and now Labour continue to show their total lack of understanding of defence spend.

They talk about spending 2.5% of GDP – what absolute stupidity. And it is so simple!

You decide what you need to win whatever fight you are in and/or to defend us against aggressors Then you make or buy that equipment as cost effectively as you can

Winston Churchill set the standard motivating huge manufacturing concerns like Vickers and Rolls-Royce and the shipyards, coal mines and steel works to raise productivity and for men and women in all factories to work all the hours available. The output of these manufacturing companies was out performing Hitlers Germany and helped Churchill to bring America into the war

After the war the UK concentrated manufacturing on rebuilding the economy but by the Seventies Mrs Thatcher could see we needed to strengthen our defence capability. People of like mind, I was one, voted for her. Unfortunately a couple of years after she was elected she decided we were spending too much on defence and issued a moratorium on defence spending! This was a major contribution to the de-industrialisation policy that has seen the destruction of the UK’s coal, steel, power generation, automotive, rail, aeroplane and machine tool industries, industries that we were world leaders in

The result is we are reliant on nuclear weaponry, mostly American, and spend most of our budgets on warships or submarines to carry them. We make small missiles but these factories are owned by the French

Russia now produces huge glide bombs in vast numbers. Ukraine is facing a massive threat from these

Vickers produced the Chieftain tank and then the Challenger tank in the 1980’s. Read about the Challenger in Wikipedia. In 2005 it was recognised that major technical upgrades, real modernisation was necessary and it would become Challenger 3, supposed to be better than any other tanks in the field. Challenger 3 may be under test in 2026 and available generally in 2030. Unbelievable – 25 years.

Our politicians posture spitting out big words but I believe three leaders of countries we should be very wary of laugh at us. In a conventional war they would overwhelm us. They out number us in people and weapons and we still continue to reduce our fighting force numbers. We may already be in the position where the only way we can a fight is nuclear

80 years ago we won a war because of our leader and our manufacturing capability. Today we have no leader and very little manufacturing capability and capacity

We cannot afford to fall out with NATO, especially America

Keep your fingers crossed that America keeps control of their designs and manufacturing capability of high level semi conductors (chips). 24 years ago the UK gave away a world leading designer and producer of chips based in Cambridge. It went to the Americans but cooperation has spread to other nations, hopefully not to backfire on us

I think less than 10% of the nonsensical billions spent on nonsensical HS2 would have enabled us to reinstate and develop our own defence industry

29th July 2024

There will be a lot more to say about defence policy – one of the biggest c*ck ups by governments for decades

I believe very strongly that the UK should be able to defend itself and its allies. In the early 80’s one of my companies was making major gun turret components for the Chieftain tank (left photo). The Chieftain’s replacement, the Challenger 1 was not a great upgrade and Vickers started producing Challenger 2 (right photo) in the mid 90’s and I am very proud that Vickers bought one of my machines to produce the sprocket carriers holding the sprockets to the axles – hidden behind the sprocket wheels in the bottom photo but you can see the bolts holing them on