Blair fiddles as Gaza burns

UNITED Nations Peace Envoy Tony Blair has come under fire for hosting a lavish birthday party for his wife while Israeli forces continue their offensive in Gaza.

At the time that Mr Blair was partying with 150 guests ceasefire agreements were stalling in Gaza and the death toll continuing to rise. Already more than 1000 Palestinians have died in the fighting, the majority of whom are civilians. Two Israeli civilians and more than 40 soldiers have also died as the embattled region burns.

A spokesman for Mr Blair said: “Tony has been in touch on the crisis and will return to the region this week.

"He cares passionately about what is happening and will do anything he can to help.”

For all his concerns, however, the former Prime Minister was snapped partying with celebs and politicians, including current Labour Leader Ed Milliband, while UN officials struggled to hammer out a solution to the conflict.

In a statement UN leaders called for a ceasefire to be held during the Islamic festival of Eid and condemned the loss of civilian life.

 “The Security Council expresses grave concern regarding the deterioration in the situation as a result of the crisis related to Gaza and the loss of civilian lives and casualties.

“The Security Council calls for full respect of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilian population, and reiterates the need to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians and their protection.

“The Security Council expresses strong support for the call by international partners and the Secretary-General of the United Nations for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire, allowing for the delivery of urgently needed assistance, and they urged all parties to accept and fully implement the humanitarian ceasefire into the Eid period and beyond."

As a peace envoy Mr Blair is not required in Security Council meetings, however his absence from the region is likely to be seen by some observers as a sign that the UN is not taking the situation as seriously as many would like.

"Israel’s continuing bombardment of civilian homes in several areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the shelling of a hospital, add to the list of possible war crimes that demand an urgent independent international investigation, said Amnesty International spokesman said last week.

In his role in the region Mr Blair would have seemed a likely candidate to take part in such an investigation.

Mr Blair's position as Peace Envoy has been a contentious issue since his appointment. Several observers in the region have expressed views that following his actions in Iraq he is the wrong person to promote stability on the region. This was further exasperated earlier this month after he called for more intervention in Syria, and for potential action against ISIS forces in Iraq.

For now, however, Mr Blair seems more interested in celebrating his wife's 60th birthday, which is actually in September, than fulfilling such an important role at this critical time. 

Social media proves dangerous place for MP's

SOCIAL media has once again proved to be a risky medium for politicians as they fail to grasp the need to watch what they say.

The latest member of parliament to fall foul of the networks has been Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford West David Ward who demonstrated his poor judgement with tweets relating to the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Mr Ward has garnered condemnation for tweeting: ""The big question is - if I lived in #Gaza would I fire a rocket? - probably yes," and, "Ich bin ein #palestinian - the West must make up its mind - which side is it on?"

A spokesman for the Labour Party said: "At a time when all sides should be working for a ceasefire and a peaceful settlement, it defies belief that a Liberal Democrat MP should tweet something so vile and irresponsible."

Meanwhile in a carefully worded statement a Liberal Democrat spokesman distanced the party from Mr Ward's statement. 

"David has previously overstepped the mark with repugnant language.

"We fully support his right to campaign on behalf of the Palestinian people, but these views are clearly vile, crass and offensive."

Israel's actions in Gaza has drawn international attention as the civilian death toll mounts from air strikes and the ground offensive. More than 630, mostly civilian, Palestinians have died in the fighting as Isarel's attacks become ever more disproportionate and bloody, compared to approximately 20 Israeli soldiers and two civilian casualties.

Mr Ward is not the first MP to come under fire for expressing ill thought through views on social media networks. Last month Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant found himself at the centre of a twitter storm after posting that if he had been debating female journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown he might end up "punching her in the throat".

In both cases Tory Chairman Grant Shapps has been quick to ensure that the Conservative party is not implicated in the personal views expressed. Speaking after Mr Ward's tweet Mr Shapps was reported as saying: "No MP should tweet what's essentially incitement to violence. Completely irresponsible."

In response to Mr Fabricant's comment he said: "I don’t think it was appropriate. I think it is absolutely right that he apologised. Sometimes on Twitter people shoot from the hip and then repent as appropriate. I don’t think what he said was appropriate and it is not the first time I have thought that.

“That is why I let him go earlier in the year from the post of vice-chancellor.”

For officials of all parties social media is providing a headache which they had never planned for. Whereas once statements could be carefully crafted and thought through the immediate access to thousands of people proves just too much of a draw for some politicians. While it may provide the electorate with a better idea of who they are voting for it has a tendency to cloud issues and divert attention from the official line. For many MP's social media is a strange and unforgiving place, if they are to survive they need to fall back on their old standards and treat every post as an on the record sound bite, otherwise their careers make become little more than a hashtag of history.

Lib Dems risk being party of obscurity

THE Liberal Democrat party is sliding ever closer to political obscurity as former allies accuse them of cynical hypocrisy in attempts to claw back support.

In a week which has seen more Liberal Democrat supporters say that David Cameron would make a better Prime Minister than their own party leader, Nick Clegg is under pressure to prove that his party has what it takes to lead.

Having already turned its back on the bedroom tax, calling for the policy which they voted in to be reassessed amid controversy the Lib Dems are now being accused of hypocrisy and electioneering by many in parliament.

Labour MP Rachel Reeves, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said: "This is unbelievable hypocrisy from Nick Clegg. The Lib Dems voted for the bedroom tax. There wouldn't be a bedroom tax if it wasn't for the Lib Dems. And in February when Labour tabled a bill to scrap the bedroom tax, the Lib Dems were nowhere to be seen. This just goes to show why you can't trust a word the Lib Dems say - it is clear the only way to cancel the bedroom tax is to elect a Labour government next year."

This does not bode well for rumoured plans of a potential Liberal/Labour coalition following the general election, something which Liberal Democrat Climate and Energy Minister Ed Davey has recently announced could be a genuine possibility.

Speaking to reporters Mr Davey said:

"If we were negotiating again – and I hope we will be, but probably with the Labour party this time; that would be my prediction – I think because we are used to coalition politics we would negotiate even better."

Earlier this year Mr Clegg was also quoted as considering such a pact while speaking on a BBC Radio 4 documentary.

"I think there's nothing like the prospect of reality in an election to get politicians to think again, and the Labour party, which is a party unused to sharing power with others, is realising that it might have to," he said.

"There is just no doubt in my mind that if there were a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition, we, the Liberal Democrats, would absolutely insist that government would not break the bank.

"I think the Conservative party has changed quite dramatically since we entered into coalition with them. They have become much more ideological. They have returned much more to a lot of their familiar theme tunes. I think it would be best for everybody if the Conservative party were to rediscover a talent for actually talking to mainstream voters about mainstream concerns."

The real question is if they will still have enough power for one of the two main parties to decide that it would be worth joining with them. Latest polling data has placed the party at 9% as they continue to fail to hit double digits, with Nigel Farage's United Kingdom Party continuing to poll ahead of them despite a recent drop in support. Being seen as opportunists who will turn on their own government the minute that things start to get tough is unlikely to garner much support from either side of the aisle for another chance at power. 

Four decades and still Turkish Cypriots wait to be recognised

On Sunday thousands of people marked the 40th anniversary of Turkish intervention in Cyprus to stop the genocide of the Turkish Cypriots.

Since then North Cyprus has been held in a state if limbo, recognised by Turkey, dismissed by the rest of the world.

With the debate on Scottish Independence moving into the last days in the United Kingdom, tensions running high between separatist and government forces in Ukraine and the Israeli Gaza conflict creating more widows and orphans everyday the issue of self determination has never been so high. Long gone are the days of empires, now is the time for those who need it to have the right to self determination, if they so wish.

As the anniversary approached peers in the British House of Lords debated the ongoing split within the country. Ostensibly as a guarantor power the lords may have felt that their deliberations would have some impact on the situation. Britain's failure to intervene effectively 40 years ago, or since, to protect to freedoms of all Cypriots has diminished its responsibility. The discussion between members of the House Lords bore more in common with a patronising display regarding a disagreeable prodigal child than a serious attempt to aid Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to find an agreeable solution.

A voice of reason and honesty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass was one of the few to make a stand for the Turkish Cypriots and criticised Britain's role in the situation thus far.

"I will be critical of the role that for more than 50 years the United Kingdom has played in terms of assisting in a solution," he said.

"It is important to know what really happened in Cyprus. It is time to stop rewriting history...How many know that EOKA-B sought to expunge every Turkish Cypriot from the island between Christmas 1963 and 1974? I hope that the Minister will be able to tell us explicitly the significance of the Akritas and Ifestos plans—the blueprint for ethnic cleansing even before we used that term."

Neither side in the conflict could be described as pure, however a fight for survival is unlikely to reveal the softer side of any nation.

"We hear about all the people who were killed when Turkey, as a guarantor power did what we, as a guarantor power, should have done—intervened to try to stop wholesale slaughter," continued Lord Maginnis. 

The 40th anniversary is sadly not the marking of four decades of freedom for the Turkish Cypriots. It is the commemoration of four decades of fighting to be recognised. Whether Cyprus is unified once again, or is officially recognised as two separate states has long since been down to the Cypriots. If Britain and the rest of the world were to try and provide genuine assistance is would be to do their duty and recognise the equal rights of the Turkish Cypriots as opposed to condemning them to an unending future as an embargoed, unrecognised nation.  

Ukraine crash is an early test for Hammond

BARELY having had time to move into his new office Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond is already facing a serious test of his ability in the role.

Yesterday's devastating crash of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has led to recriminations from both sides of the Ukraine crisis amid fears that an already tense situation could lead to all out civil war.

Among the 298 dead passengers and flight crew lie the bodies of nine Britons. Their deaths may mean that Mr Hammond is pushed into taking a more direct response to the conflict which has engulfed Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of the European Council meeting earlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron told leaders that there needed to be a tougher stance on Ukraine. 

"There are important discussions here today, perhaps the most important is that the situation in Ukraine is unacceptable. The territorial integrity of that country is not being properly respected by Russia," he said.

"We can send a very clear message with clear actions at this council."

Following the latest dramatic events Mr Hammond will be under scrutiny to see how he can follow through on his leader's directive.

In evaluating the British stance Mr Hammond is up against conflicting statements and unconfirmed rumours regarding the cause of the crash. With a full investigation yet to be carried out mechanical failure, or pilot error cannot be totally ruled out. 

Blaming pro-Russian separatists Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said it was an "act of terrorism".

Meanwhile separatist leader Alexander Borodai blamed Ukrainian government forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been accused of helping to supply hi tech  weapons to the rebels, laid responsibility for the crash with the Ukrainian government, saying: This tragedy would not have happened if there were peace on this land, if the military actions had not been renewed in southeast Ukraine.

"And, certainly, the state over whose territory this occurred bears responsibility for this awful tragedy."

No matter who finally faces responsibility for the crash Mr Hammond must be ready to deal with the escalating crisis in the region. His decision may be further complicated by the aggressive stance taken by the United States, which has already called on European nations to take a harder line in relation to the conflict.

Commenting on the tragedy U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said:

"We are horrified by the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. There are no words adequate to express our condolences to the families of the nearly 300 victims. We offer our sympathies and support to the Governments of Malaysia and the Netherlands at this difficult time, as well as to all those whose citizens may have been on board. We are reviewing whether any American citizens were aboard the flight.

"The United States Government remains prepared to assist with a credible, international investigation any way we can, and we will continue to be in touch with all relevant partners as we seek the facts of what happened today."

The British government has already called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the crash. For Mr Hammond, however, it is the rapidly evolving situation which will determine how the world sees him in his new role, rather than any agreement reached by the UN. 

Strong arming Europe risks British interests

BRITISH Prime Minister has signalled that he is prepared to take on Europe once more as parliament debates limiting the powers of the European Court of Human Rights.

Following his humiliating defeat over the election of Jean Claude Juncker as the head of the European Commission Mr Cameron has seemed determined to demonstrate his strength in defending British rights in the bloc.

The bill, which Mr Cameron claims would 'reassert British sovereignty' could become his most contentious battle to date. Having loaded his cabinet with eurosceptics this week it seems as though it is a battle which he has no intention of backing down from.

If successful it could lead to Britain's expulsion from the Council of Europe, something which opponents of the bill could precipitate a forced withdrawal from the European Union.

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieves, who was replaced as part of Mr Cameron's reshuffle earlier this week, has voiced his concerns of the move, reported by the BBC as saying it could be a "legal car crash with a built-in time delay."

The proposal comes shortly after Mr Cameron helped push through emergency legislation to circumvent a European Court of Justice ruling on the holding of personal data. The speed with which the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill has been rushed through parliament has worried some peers in the House of Lords.

Labour peer Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, a QC and civil liberties campaigner, was reported as saying: "It is a serious abuse of Parliament, and the use of emergency procedures to enact laws that are controversial and have significant impact on individual rights is happening too often."

Meanwhile Mr Cameron's campaign to have newly appointed EU commissioner Lord Hill allocated one of the top spots as discussions on candidates stalled yesterday.

For Mr Cameron taking a strong stance on Europe is key to his election strategy for May 2015. In the wake of losses to the anti-Europe United Kingdom Independence Party in elections earlier this year he is in a desperate race to regain ground. With so much still to be debated in Europe he may find that by rushing legislation through he misses the long term effects on British interests. 

Lesson learned from Tea Party, UKIP threat not passed

A RECENT poll has seen support for the United Kingdom Independence Party plummet but, as shown by the American Tea Party, the threat from the far right may not have passed.

For some observers UKIP's fall from grace signals a coming back to senses of the British electorate after the party's staggering gains in the European Elections. What seems more likely is that it is just a hiatus while the anti-immigration, anti-Europe party marshals its resources ahead of next year's general election.

In 2010 analysts in America predicted that they had seen the back of the grass roots right wing Tea Party movement, which had threatened to do irreparable harm to bi-partisan relationships in both congress and the senate. As evidenced by recent election successes for the group this was more wishful thinking than reality. 

The danger in Britain is that the Conservative party follows the mindset the Republican Party had in America and sits back on its laurels believing the danger had passed.

The Guardian/ICM poll has shown Nigel Farage's UKIP dropping seven points in a month from 16% to 9%. The news for other parties though has not been overwhelmingly positive.

Analysing the results Martin Boon, director at ICM research, said: "We used to talk about parties getting themselves through the 'magic' 40% threshold before they would be in serious contention to win, but less than a year before a general election, both the big parties are currently struggling to get themselves into the middle 30s, which, of course, only the Tories managed in 2010."

Part of the problem is that many people are suffering from election fatigue, having been bombarded by political policies for the last few months. The other is that after a flurry of television and radio appearances Mr Farage is now hard at work undermining the European Union. It would be a mistake to think that he, and his party of malcontents, had disappeared from the political landscape though. 

As with the Tea Party UKIP knows that it needs to manage its resources efficiently to ensure it is prepared for the big battles. For now it just needs to wait in wings until it sees an opportunity. 

"This time last year," explained Mr Boon, "UKIP also dropped to a similar extent, from 18% in the ICM/Guardian May 2013 poll to 12% the following June." 

By loading his new cabinet with eurosceptics and taking a harder line in his negotiations with Europe Prime Minister David Cameron may help to keep the UKIP threat at bay. With ten months still to go until the election, however, it would be a mistake to think that we have seen the last of Mr Farage and his entourage.