How do You Solve a Problem Like the Falklands?

The Falklands rhetoric that's made-up hundreds of column inches over the past few months continues unabated, yet the rhetoric from both sides remains unabated.  This article from the Argentine Ambassador to the UK does a good job of regurgitating false rhetoric and casually omitting history to justify the Argentine position.  

Frankly all that is irrelevant though; the current population has lived there continuously for almost 180 years, and their wishes must come first if we are to be truly post-colonial.

The Ambassador is right in saying the UK should negotiate, I agree and think the government is silly for not doing so.  Cameron is foolishly failing to show alter his position while Argentine President Christina Kirchner steadily works to diplomatically isolate him on the issue.

It is time for David Cameron to call her bluff.  Cameron should call for a highly publicised UN administered negotiation on the issue, where Cameron, Kirchner, and the Chief Executive of the Falklands can sit down and discuss the issue.  Surely as a representative democratically elected by the people of the Falklands, the Chief Executive should be present, it is only consistent with Argentina's stated desire to not take away the Britishness and the way of life of the 3,000 inhabitants of the islands.  I am sure the UN would support this.  Cameron should then open this meeting by calling on Argentina and the UN agree that no deal can be reached without the approval of the Falklands executive.  This is the best way to outflank Kirchner; she cannot disagree without appearing imperialist, and she cannot agree without losing the the argument.

However things go Cameron needs to accept that to end the issue some sort of negotiation must take place.  Whatever shape these negotiations take, the Falklands should have their own separate delegation and no agreement should exist without their agreement.  That is democracy, that is justice, and that is what Argentina should be pushing for.

UKIP on Third, but what does it mean?

UKIPper's across the twitter-sphere where in full celebration last night as the yougov daily tracker showed UKIP in third place, beating the Lib-Dems, for the first time ever in a General election voting intention poll.


UKIP members are right to celebrate this event, a watershed in the party's history and a result they all hope to repeat many times.  It is however important they do not over hype the relevance of this.  They could come in third across several more polls or they could fall back again just as easily.  It is important to note that two other polls came out yesterday, neither showing them in third place, with populus showing roughly a 4% figure.


But the underlying trend is very good for UKIP, the party is up from a month ago and even further up from two months ago.  Support is widening and media coverage is increasing.  UKIP now needs to focus on bringing younger voters into the fold.  Polling figures show the proportion of under 40 voters who are uncommitted is much higher than the proportion of over 40 voters who are uncommitted.  The under 40's is coincidentally a clear weak point for UKIP.  Bringing these voters into the fold is key for cementing UKIP as the third party in British politics.


Finally, we must recognize that an opinion poll is really meaningless in itself.  Election results are all that matters and an increase in polling results increases expectations.  UKIP must perform well in this round of local elections, a few dozen gains is an absolute must, and the same must be repeated next year and the year after.  The party must pick out target areas and build a few strongholds across the nation.  If UKIP can gain control of a council or two at district level or above, and become a major presence in a few more, the party will be in good standing for the next general election.


Nigel Farage is correct when he says, "This isn't some flash in the pan, this is 20 years of hard work which we will continue."  The Lib-Dems still massively outnumber UKIP in councillors and of course in parliament.  The hard work must continue, and the party activists must work even harder to truly establish UKIP as the third party in British politics.

Legalise it.

So this November the American state of Washington will have a referendum on whether or not to legalise marijuana.  Initiative 502 will make it legal for Adults to carry small quantities of marijuana and will regulate the production and sale of the drug in a similar way that hard liquor is regulated.

As a Libertarian, I believe the government has no right to tell me whether or not I can smoke weed.  Yet legalisation is about more than stoners’ rights: legalising and regulating the marijuana market would take profits away from violent drug cartels while providing a massive windfall for government coffers.  Deficit? Bye Bye.

Hopefully this initiative will make it succeed in Washington state, and hopefully the UK will follow the likes of Holland in taking this progressive step.

Campaigning for UKIP

This afternoon I shall be out and about in East Neuk, campaigning for Michael Scott-Hayward's re-election to FIfe council.  Mike has been involved in Fife local politics for 25 years.  He is Chairman of UKIP Scotland and a tireless campaigner for local issues.


If you would like to help Mike or learn more about UKIP, feel free to contact either Mike or me, and spread the word!













you can read his manifesto here:
http://mikescotthayward.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/council-elections.html