Immigration Arm-Waving

Once again, David Cameron has been able to muster all his pragmatic talents to deliver a significant policy speech, this time on immigration.  I have previously set out Sir Andrew Green's ground rules for debate: stick to the, facts, don't demonise your opponents and don't condescend to the public. His measured approach, presumably cleared by key stakeholders in advance, was certainly compliant but I wonder, being thus constrained, if he went far enough?  Indeed, before we get carried away, this politically reasonable and compelling speech seemed more about stemming the tide of UKIP than tackling the flood of immigrants.

I do not underestimate the difficult position he is in but I have 2 fundamental criticisms. 

•  Firstly, when he talks of the future, is he talking about the usual political horizon of the next election or a more profound concern for the legacy we shall provide for future generations.  It seems to me of equal moral irresponsibility to bequeath an unworkable multi-cultural society as it is to saddle the future with our spiralling national debt.  Surely Conservatives should feel they have a duty to conserve the structure fabric of our great country and maintain our defining way of life?  It is not clear to me whether the economic sanctions proposed will achieve this.

• Secondly, it is disingenuous not to admit that the problem is Europe (I know he hinted at it but that is not good enough).  We are where we are, ensnared in the structural economic decline of Europe and bound by the insidious political rules that previous politicians, of both parties, failed to see coming.  We are not going to be able to change any treaties so let us have it straight please!

On the plus side, he adhered to the advice that most Staff Colleges graduates would have absorbed fairly soon after being thrown into the pit of serpents in Whitehall, namely, never write anyone a nasty letter.  At least, unlike UKIP, we have not compromised our negotiating position by threatening immediate exit nor denied our "friends" in Europe a way out through compromise.

So, for me, its 7 out of 10 - a promising start that provides some hope in a non-specific sort of way but we need to show results on the measures proposed.  It is not good enough to sideline them until we eventually get round to negotiating our pre-referendum position.  In sum, it was potentially fruitful arm-waving but still arm-waving for all that!

It's a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht

 

As if to emphasise the growing gap in conditions North and South of the border, last night's BBC News showed the Scottish capital under clear skies and a full moon!  Definitely a case of optimism bias.

Meantime, David Cameron, after firing the starting gun on a process, the consequences of which seem entirely unpredictable and could eventually lead to the disintegration of the United Kingdom, noted the he would deal with the English votes for English laws question "soon."  Splendid - fire, aim ready!

Scottish Sell Out

The devolution bandwagon rolls on with a basket of goodies about to be bestowed upon the Scottish.  I don't suppose we shall hear anything by way of a parallel quid quo pro for English governance, however.  Yet another example of pragmatism and percentage politics trumping the right thing to do.

Vote UKIP - Get More Immigration!

The UKIP Manifesto calls for withdrawal from the EU because: "outside the EU, we can manage our borders and decide who we want to come and live and work in the UK. EU rules stop us from doing this." As far as how the UK is to pay its way in the European order the manifesto is less than fulsome but, on the other side of the beer mat, it says: "On leaving the EU, the UK will keep the trade agreements we entered as an EU member prior to the Lisbon Treaty. Outside the EU, we can negotiate our own trade deals, but be in a stronger position, as we will be negotiating in the British interest."

Leaving aside the nitty-gritty of accounting arguments, there is no doubt that the UK's trade with the rest of the EU is enormous. The key to what would happen, as Roger Bootle points out in "The Trouble with Europe," is what sort of trade relations could be agreed with the rest of the EU post UK exit.  Indeed, he warns that if  the UK withdrew from the Union, we would still have to abide by many of the obligations to which we are already legally party.

Nevertheless, it would appear that UKIP is broadly right in concluding that UK would have a strong negotiating hand.  Since trade with the UK is as much as 15% of the EU economy, it would be vital, to both parties, to maintain this activity. The situations of Norway and Switzerland are often held forth  as examples of the best of both worlds. So would achieving a similar agreement for UK be the answer or a Catch 22?

Although both Norway and Switzerland are outside the EU they are closely tied in practice.  Indeed, as Mats Persson noted in The Telegraph on 24 November, "both Switzerland and Norway are required to accept free movement of labour as the price for trading with the EU."  In a delightful irony he continues, "these two countries now take in more EU migrants per head than the UK."  So, if UK were to become like Switzerland we would be faced with the prospect of four times as many EU migrants as today!

As Yossarian observed, "that's some catch that Catch-22."  "The best there is," agreed Doc Daneeka!

Funding the Arts

Checking upon my list of prophets of doom from  the aftermath of the last election, I came across this particularly dire warning from Sir Nicholas Serota, writing in the Times on 16 July 2010.  "Cutting arts funding - it would be devastating - theatres will go dark, orchestras will disband, museums will shut - a whole generation of young people will be denied access to the fruits of everything that has been built up in the past ten years."

Over 3 years on and there does not appear to be much evidence of Serota's new dark age.  Indeed, looking at the 2 theatres nearest to me, should they be starved of funding I, for one, would not lament their passing too much.  I am fed up with the offering of politically correct clap-trap (I exempt the current touring version of She Stoops to Conquer which is excellent) and ceased to find anything that I was comfortable watching long ago.  It seems that in return for funding, arts institutions are obliged to do something in return for their public grants in the way of “modern,” “inclusive,” and “relevant” interpretations, pandering to the liberalist cult of repudiation.  Unfortunately, all this silliness merely achieves the very opposite of their intended purpose by turning people off the  artistic channel the generous dispensers of our taxes are seeking to promote!

I think our policy for the arts should be more concerned with the protection and promotion of value rather than sneering and desecration which denies young people the fruits of everything that has been built up over centuries!

That Photograph

Am I alone, as an amateur photographer, in wondering why there is so much fuss about the Thornberry snap? The choice of subject is a good piece of photo-journalism even though the subject was a little clichéd.  She did not choose a title for the photograph, which is a shame - it's always a good idea, before you press the shutter, to have a clear idea of what the photograph is about.  She has also relied on the automatics for exposure and has received quite a lot of unwelcome light, particularly on the foreground.  The crop could have been more dramatic - I would have had the white van in the "rule of thirds" position to maximise the impact of the story.  Finally, and this is a personal thing, I think the white balance is wrong.  I've always been a bit wary of entering photographic competitions because I find judges can be rather contrary and idiosyncratic and that was certainly true in this case. Sorry judges but this photo didn't make me want to beat my chest with respect.  It was mildly amusing but, for me, it lacked the "wow" factor.  Nevertheless, Thornberry should not be discouraged - David Bailey said that he found his impulsive first shots the best!