Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Starmer or the farmer? The nightmare before Christmas

If farmers want peaceful protest to succeed quickly, here’s a suggestion: Withdraw all turkey from the market from now until after Christmas.

Obviously, lots of families would be dismayed and distraught. But who would they blame? Farmers or the politicians responsible for their plight? Starmer or the farmer? No contest, it would be Starmer.

There would be outrage over this attack on the nation’s traditional festive fare (except from a few leftie vegans). Imagine the reaction of the Daily Mail or the Sun.

The NFU should levy all its members to recompense turkey farmers for the income they would lose and promise that, if Rachel Thieves withdraws her ruinous death tax, turkey will be back on the menu in time for December 25.

Instead of being the Grinch, Starmer and his little elf Rachel could then portray themselves as the Politicians Who Saved Christmas. 

I’m not sure if this policy would also work for Brussels sprouts but it may be worth a try.

Thursday, November 07, 2024

The black hole and how to deal with it

What do you do when you discover a black hole in the nation’s finances? A hole so enormous you can’t even pay the interest on your existing debts?

Always assuming you want to maintain an army and a Government in the manner to which it has become accustomed (you know, free clothes, free specs, very posh free accommodation, free tickets etc)?
You print money, of course. 

These days, it’s called quantitative easing. Back in early 18th century France, they called it ‘le diable d’argent’ – Devil Money.

And it was all the brainchild of a fugitive Scotsman who fled England to avoid execution for murder, who made his living as a gambler and who had some interesting economic theories.

John Law conjured money out of nowhere.

He became the greatest financier in Europe, controller of the entire French economy – from tax-collecting to introducing paper money – lord of Louisiana, founder of New Orleans.

For Billy Barnett, John Law was a meal-ticket, a mentor, a father-figure and a friend.
Until the black hole threatened to swallow everyone up.

Look out for my new novel, 'Devil Money', coming soon.


Monday, November 04, 2024

Two minutes hate #5 Agoraphobia, 1066 and all that

Our farmers have a dilemma: protest as if they were French or Just Stop Oil nutters and bring the motorways to a standstill - or hope public support will be enough.

Sadly, it is unlikely that a little petitioning and lobbying their local (Labour) MP will be sufficient to reverse Rachel Reeves’s reckless, pig-ignorant class-warfare punishment of family farms.

The inheritance-tax take will wipe out most family farms in a generation and hand the countryside over to giant agriculture corporations and very rich London lawyers, destroying centuries of continuity and investment in the countryside.

Amazingly, the ‘Sunday Times’ is trying to help by exposing the ‘scandal’ that the Royal Family owns quite a lot of land all over the country. Who knew?

It’s not surprising the lefties at Channel 4 are staggered by the revelation that King William I conquered England in 1066 but it surprises me to discover a once-sensible newspaper is doing its bit to support this faux indignation as well.

The aim, no doubt in the service of this Government, is to whip up envy over land ownership by the Monarchy because it helps the campaign to deprive your average farmer of his rightful inheritance as well.

It’s all part of the egalitarian socialists’ campaign to reduce Britain to the lowest common denominator. Which brings me back to the farmers’ dilemma. 

I would offer a suggestion or two but as doing so risks being jailed on some trumped-up charge by one of Starmer’s lackeys such as Melbourne Inman, the Recorder of Birmingham, it’s probably best just to sympathise with their dilemma.