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Clegg Cameron Immigration & The Votes Of Racists

The Labour Party's loss of its grip on political power came as no surprise because in the eyes the working classes of Primeminster Brown had betrayed them through abolishing the 10p tax rate. For others his complicity in the illegal Iraq war was untenable. For many his decision to cut resources allocated to protect soldiers in Iraq was a death sentence and his apparent mourning of their paying the ultimate sacrifice confirmed he he was a bigot.

The Cameron bid for power based on the Obama 'change' model had its appeal given the Brown's record as premier but there was no substantial or detail as to what the change would be. Memories of 18 years of Conservative under investment in public services in the 80's & 90's also preyed on voters minds particularly as Cameron was advocating that austerity was the only option to addressing the county's deficit. Doubts about his integrity arose as he argued that in spite of the economic crisis the country could afford to abolish death duties for millionaires. His justification that expenditure on upgrading Britain's nuclear weapons was warranted incase we ever wanted to bomb Iran or China seemed symbolic of a 'cold war mentality' and out of kilter with the announcement by Russia and America that they were going to reduce their nuclear arsenals by 30%. Thatcherism trails seemed to be present.

Neither of these choices appealed to an already disenfranchised electorate, especially in the under 30 age group, who were perceived politicians as being ego centric scroungers who abused their power by claiming for sex videos duck pounds and alike on their expenses.

Does politics really have to be likely this ? can't we do it differently ? do we have to be play pass the parcel of power between the same old parties.? Cue for someone we might agree with - Nick Clegg. At the beginning of the election campaign Clegg the leader of the Liberal Democrats was not a household name, but his ability to raise questions rather offer dogmatic policy struck a chord with many. Some believe he was politically nieave particularly after he said in an interview that he had slept with 30 women - a bluntness or honesty that few politicians would exhibit unless exposed in a tabloid. Underneath this youth personality lay a deep thinker who believed in consensus politics - was a committed european and social equality. To many voters the fact that he would admit that he did not have all the answers st him aside from the old 'conviction' poltiics'. and the clegg band wagon accelerated.

Historically governments loose elections and until the Leggy band wagon started to roll a clear cut Cameron victory seemed inevitable. The Leggy factor made it clear that an outright conservative victory would not happen and that his refreshing political approaches would squeeze their and the labour vote. One of these approaches was the proposal to have an amnesty retrospectively for illegal immigrants who have lived here for ten years or more. This was for many the most unpalatable proposition even though it threatened threatened to identify the gangs trafficking people illegally into the country and exploiting them and would result in the immigrants making a contribution to British society.

Cameron attacked this proposal and made a great play on his plans to deport illegal immigrants - even though as no-ones knows who they are and where they the deportations mould be impossible to effect. Though Clegg remained steadfast in his views on immigration his proposal is likely to have alienated voters who have concerned on immigration levels.and this is likely to account why the early Clegg euphoria did not transfer into more seats than in the last parliament.

However the promises of Cameron to deport illegal immigrants did not fall not fall on deaf ears. In many constituencies across Britain, particularly those with the highest percentage swings from Labour to Conservative, the British National Party and United Kingdom Independence Party vote fell significantly.. One can only conclude that Cameron's protestations appealed to the racist voter.

Serbia Apologises For Srebrenica Massacre

Mass grave near Srebrenica

31st March: After a 13 hour debate Serbia's parliament has passed a resolution offering an apology for the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. The resolution states that the s Serbian Government should have done more to prevent the tragedy. It was approved by a narrow majority. .

The resolution's text states:" "The parliament of Serbia strongly condemns the crime committed against the Bosnian Muslim population of Srebrenica in July 1995," It (the parliament) formally extends "condolences and an apology to the families of the victims because not everything was done to prevent the tragedy".

The head of the governing coalition's parliamentary group Nada Kolundzija during the debate argued hat approval of the proposed would help close a tragic chapter in Balkan history. e said that ''paying respect to the innocent victims and offering condolences to their families, will lift the burden off future generations,"

Oposition members criticised the text, saying it shamed Serbia and some nationalist politicians voted against it after argung that any resolution should also condemn the crimes committed by Bosniaks and Croats during the 1992-95 war. One opposition member said "Why do you want to put a mark on the future generations that they will never wash away?" The pro-Western coaltion passed the resolution with a narrow majority - 127 MPs voted in favour, out of a total of 250. Only 173 members of the parliament voted, tt member abstained..while others abstained in protest.

Editorial Comment: For many years Serbia denied that the massacre ever happened and the resolution is a sign that Serbia has 'accepted' its mistakes in the past and that it is time to show regret. Though it may not lessen the pain of those friends and relatives who survived the obscenity of that atrocity the supporter of the resolution should be respected.

Holiday Couple Go 650km Off Course After GPS Error.

A Swedish searching for of the famously romantic southern Italian isle of Capri mi spelt the islands name as Carpi when programming their GPS navigation and found themselves in an industrial town in northern Italy.

The lost couple went into the town's tourist office when they could not find the Capri's famous Blue Grotto and discovered they were 650km (400 miles) from Capri. A spokesperson for the tourist office commented that it was surprising that had not wondered why they had not crossed a bridge or taken a ferry bearing in mind Capri is and island. Realizing their mistake the couple went back to their car to continue their journey.

Berlin List Will Reveal What The Nazis Did With 600,000 German Jews

A German federal archive ' the Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation 'has nearly completed listing the names and fate of approximately 600,000 German Jews living in the country under the Nazis Rule.

The list, which has taken the Berlin based organization four years to compile has established that at the end of WW2 the Jewish population in Germany had fallen to around 20,000. Many of these survivors had been confined to camps for displaced persons.

The list will not be publically available due to German privacy laws but it will available to available to Holocaust organizations and museums assisting people to discover the fate of their relatives. It will also be given to Israel's national Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem. The Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation was established by former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder 2005 to assist the victims and relatives of Nazi persecution.

Related Feature: Auschwitz Birkenau

Amsterdam's Cannabis Cafes To Weed Out Tobacco

For years the cannabis cafes of Amsterdam have extended a warm welcome to locals and tourists who want to buy some cannabis and roll a joint without fear of being arrested. New laws introduced across Holland in July mean that smoking tobacco in all public places - including the Cannabis Cafes is now illegal. Under Dutch law the smoking of marijuana is illegal but it is tolerated at the cafes - though the number of licence's for these establishments has been rationed this year. Now visitors to the cafes risk being arrested if they roll a joint using standard tobacco - not the marijuana. The new law apparently is encouraging people to roll pure ' joints' which is not what the city authorities had intended when they started to reduced the number of cafes licensed to sell the cannabis.

Learn Judo With Vladmir

Vladmir Putin, 56, has released a video in which he promotes the philosophy of Judo and demonstrates some moves of the martial art.

Mr Putin, now reportedly a 6th Dan black-belt has practised Judo since his youth when he became the Junior Champion of St Petersburg.

In the past Mr Putin has suggested that the philosophy of judo has influenced his approach to his life and politics. In the video he argues that “The practice of struggle permits compromises and concessions, but they are possible only if they are on the road to victory".

The 74 minute video, which he co produced with Yashuhiro Yamashita, a former Japanese world and Olympic Judo champion, according to Mr Putin is aimed at encouraging Russia's youth to take up the sport. His political critics view this motive more sceptically saying that it is intended to further enhance his growing international image as a macho world leader.

Whilst 'Learn Judo with Vladmir Putin' might not be every ones idea of a cosy evening in the demand for it in Russia will be high where he is regarded as Russias most popular leader since the October Revolution 91 years ago.