The celebration on Remembrance Day of those who gave their lives in defence of the UK is not just a reminder of and thanksgiving for their lives and service. Recent Prime Ministers solemnly lay their wreathes with a sincerity not to be questioned. Sadly, however in running our country in recent years they have failed to exhibit the virtues which the brave dead exemplified and which are as relevant in peacetime as in time of war.
Those men and women exhibited courage, resilience, duty, patriotism, pride and sacrifice. ThoseChurchillian words “We shall never surrender” guided the approach the UK took to the enemies who would destroy and undermine it. And it was understood that appeasement of those who would do you harm is not a strategy that will ever work. Dealing with such people, if one is to succeed, requires an approach from a position of hard strength. Words and soft power are not enough.
The people today who most resemble the British and Commonwealth citizens who we remember this week are the people of Ukraine. They are fighting a modern Hitler and are giving their lives in defence not just of themselves but of the whole of Europe, including the UK. Ukrainians are being murdered while we stay at home stressing about the cost of living not the cost of dying. They should be at the forefront of remembrance. They are showing those selfless virtues, and it is to be hoped that today’s western leaders will not desert them.
PEACETIME CONFLICTS NEED THESE VIRTUES
Experts and Governments warn of a need to defend a war with Russia no later than 2030. But it is common truth that the UK Government is not preparing for that. The neglect of the UK armed forces has never been more dangerous. The commitment to increase spending is partially even to be met by deceptive accounting, moving the secret services into the defence budget, as well as some infrastructure projects: not hardware and people or technology. Giving the UK much needed hard power is simply ignored.
The UK leaders seem to have a culture of surrender in their DNA. The conflicts we face always include negotiations. The Chagos Islands were given away with the UK paying for the privilege, with no compelling obligation to do it. The UK seeks constant better trade with China as if they will help us. Negotiations should be done with pride and resilience. Instead, the UK gives away all advantages, for example in agreeing to the new Chinese embassy in the City of London with no trade off. And the begging bowl is extended more to make the UK even more dependent on this hostile state, China: they feed Putin weapons and are his best friend, and so if he attacks, they will help him. China steals UK know how and data, and destroys British industry by flooding our markets, such as in steel and chemicals, and now EV cars copying Land Rover’s Evoque. Their subsidised cheap EV monopoly will, in combination with the pointless Labour obsession with Net Zero, kill the UK car industry. According to a House of Lords report, car factories in time of war will be important manufacturers of drones and missiles, and so that will be killed off too. And the UK Government is supine. Our military heroes may have died in vain as our leaders just lay down and have our great country rolled over: economic dependence for essential products on a hostile state is a form of surrender.
The same happens with the EU. The UK Government goes to the EU as a beggar. The EU will slaughter our so-called negotiators. Like Starmer and his uncommercial acolytes, Andy Burnham has declared himself fair game for any demands the EU makes. The UK’s veterans with courage and pride defended this place, but the likes of Burnham will give it away and call it progressive. The UK now depends on Europe for defence: if we had our own hard power, the discussion would be different. But this Labour Government refuses to prioritise weaponising the UK. As he resets the relationship with the EU, let’s watch with despair the inability to negotiate real benefits for the UK, as it for example submits itself to all laws and regulations made by Brussels, in respect of food, in the interests of the EU protection but not the UK. The current reset on issues announced by Starmer some 18 months ago give to the EU far more than the UK. “We will always surrender” is more the mantra today. Leaders must take warlike qualities into peacetime dealings.
BACK TO WAR
For the sake of all those who perished defending the UK, Putin must be defeated. The leaders of the UK and Europe and their peoples have to step up and recognise Russia is at war with them. Wartime virtues are needed, as are weapons and technology, to ensure that occurs. Our media, such as BBC World News, have been giving more airtime and worry about the sexual deprivation of Russell Brand and possibly the alleged abuser of young women, David Walliams. Sexual predators must be disgraced, but Putin’s daily murders in Ukraine and disruptions across Europe require far more important attention and regular calls to “arms”. Only hard power will deter Putin, and only proud resolution and sacrifice will enable the UK to prosper. Our PM seems better at photoshoots and tweets than inspirational leadership , and so the media have a special duty to not let him and his cronies off the hard power hook.
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