BRITISH GOVERNMENT BETRAYS ITS INJURED SOLDIERS

Posted by Caledonian Jim in Daily Posts

Pictured above is a wounded British soldier in Afghanistan. In a shameful move, the UK government will this week launch an attempt to deny soldiers maimed or crippled in battle full compensation for injuries sustained there or in Iraq. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will go to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to try to slash the compensation awarded to 2 injured soldiers by up to 70%. If the government wins, it will fuel the mounting disquiet over the relatively paltry payments some soldiers are receiving for lifelong injuries. The legal action comes as British troops are suffering their heaviest casualties since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan in 2001. In the landmark legal case this week Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, an inadequate craven hypocrite who lied only last week when he said he would “bust a gut” for British troops, is appealing against a previous court ruling that 2 soldiers should have their compensation increased.

Obviously our brave soldiers are in the wrong place at the wrong time. If they were Iraqi civilians bleating for compensation after they got involved in crossfire for harbouring terrorists – or Afghan drug lords screaming “racism” every time our troops advance across their poppy fields in Helmand – or Islamic fundamentalist fanatics spouting hatred whose financial claims cost the country millions in legal aid and social benefits – and of course if they had the benefit of the taxpayer funded services of trendy human rights lawyers who will represent any scrounger, wastrel, illegal immigrant or dopehead, they’d be much better off. But it seems to this cowardly New Labour government, ever ready to appease Islamic nutters as it denies our own soldiers proper equipment and now proper financial support after terrible injuries, to be more important to spend public money bribing inner city Muslim voters than supporting the troops. And even less important to appreciate the ongoing obscenity of politicians fiddling their expenses while injured soldiers suffer.

In the UK a woman has been awarded compensation after cosmetic surgeons left her face a “complete mess” after a series of botched procedures. Beverley Binks (pictured above) underwent an eye and jaw lift to “bolster her self-esteem” but instead claims she was “butchered” by 2 cosmetic surgeons. Mrs Binks has now been awarded an undisclosed sum in compensation after taking legal action against the surgeons. After a series of botched procedures she was left with her face appearing “too tight” and too much fat had been removed from underneath her left eye, meaning the skin would not properly connect with the eyeball. Mrs Binks, a former wine bar and nightclub owner from Hetton, County Durham, says she has lost her livelihood because of what happened to her and tried to take her life because of the stress. She said: ‘The cosmetic surgery has ruined my life and has left me looking a complete mess. I used to be such a sociable person and outgoing but now I’m like a recluse and hardly ever go out.” Now I’ve no problem with Mrs Binks getting compensation – but what really upsets me is that I bet the “undisclosed sum” she got is a damn sight more than what our injured soldiers get.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling (pictured above) is to question bank chiefs over the continuing squeeze on credit and how much banks are charging companies and individuals for loans, saying he is “extremely concerned” that their rates and arrangement fees are too high. In a rare moment of lucidity for a member of the current government, Mr Darling said the cost of loans seemed to have risen, despite the UK’s record low base interest rate of 0.5%. He said that banks had a duty to restore lending levels, saying the government and taxpayer did not rescue the banking sector “out of some charitable act”. He has called a meeting with bank executives in Downing St today in order that they can explain themselves. ”The public will not understand it if the banks don’t seem to be doing their part in the current recession, ” he said. “I want them to rebuild their balance sheets – but at the same time, because of the particular circumstances we’re in now, because of the fact we’ve got this recession, we also need them to lend money,” said Mr Darling. “That’s why we re-capitalised them to do that, and that means they’ve got to live up to the promises that they made.” Quite right too, Chancellor. In fact I would only take issue with you on one point. The public DOES understand why the banks don’t seem to be doing their part – it’s because the banks are piss-taking, greedy, profiteering bastards who don’t give a toss about the economy or their struggling customers.

Beleagured, bedraggled and exhausted UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown (pictured above) appealed yesterday for discipline within his New Labour Party amid fresh criticism of his leadership following the government’s humiliating by-election defeat in Norwich North last Thursday. The PM used a newspaper interview to insist there was work to be done over the summer as members of parliament and ministers headed off for their summer break . He didn’t however elaborate on HOW work was going to be done with politicians taking an unprecedented 82 days off ! Lucky for some during the recession.

Brown went on : “We’ve got to show that we are a disciplined party getting on with the work of government. I think people are very clear that we’ve got a task ahead. We’ve got work to do to prepare for the autumn.” The PM said he was determined to spend plenty of time with his children during his break from Westminster. That should I suppose stand him in good stead when he has to deal again with his juvenile Cabinet. He also stressed that during his holiday he would remain focused on the country, currently facing the challenges of swine flu and recession. ”My attention is focused on what I can do for the country. I will not be diverted,” he said. Shit – we’re doomed then.

The British government is facing fresh calls to open contacts with the militant Palestinian Hamas movement (above) in bid to “inject new momentum into the Middle East peace process”. The House of Commons foreign affairs committee says the current policy of non-engagement with Hamas – which controls the Gaza Strip – appeared to be “achieving little”. The committee repeated its call of 2 years ago for the government to “urgently” consider ways of engaging politically with “moderate elements” within the group. Currently, the government refuses to talk to Hamas until it accepts the principles of the international Quartet – the UN, the US, the EU and Russia – of non-violence and acceptance of the existence of the state of Israel. I’ve got 2 questions for this committee : (a) What “moderate elements” are there in Hamas ? - and (b) What the bloody hell is the British government doing getting involved in Gaza with Hamas anyway - or indeed Israel for that matter ? Leave them to it – we’ve got enough problems of our own.

Some Muslims living in Britain are refusing to use alcohol-based hand gels (above) to combat the spread of swine flu because they claim it is “against their religion”. Some of those employed by St Albans Local Authority in Hertfordshire have complained about the antibacterial lotion, which is considered a key strategy in containing the virus. Officials were concerned because the Koran bans Muslims from consuming alcohol, so local authority chiefs issued them with non-alcohol hand gels, which studies have shown to be less effective in killing bugs. But the Muslim Council of Britain has criticised the local authority’s decision to change the gel, pointing out that Islamic teachings allow Muslims to use alcohol for medicinal purposes. The Muslim Council said: “We would advise people to follow the medical advice so we would, of course, encourage people to use alcohol-based hand gel. People need to find ways to accommodate their beliefs.” Credit where it’s due – some common sense instead of ignorant doctrinal bullshit.