Letter to the I: Gibraltar Comments

Why do members of the Tory Party feel such a need to express national confidence and resolve in embarrassing ways?  First we had Michael Fallon talking up our modest contribution to the fight against the Islamic State as the "Battle of Britain" and now Lord Howard is getting nostalgic over the Falklands War.  It seems that they do not feel confident in our own nations' capabilities to be strong and silent.

      It probably has something to do with the fact that this government is expert at hollowing out our armed forces while making them look nice and presentable, making us look like a paper tiger.  As for Lord Howard he should pay attention to Abraham Lincoln's advice:  "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt".

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: 3 Day Weekend Letter

While I admire the idealism and the compassion behind the Green Party's idea for a 3 day weekend, I do think this idea is somewhat unhelpful.  It is particularly unhelpful for workers in the emergency services who do not always enjoy the luxury of a weekend.  It is also especially unhelpful for those of us, myself included, who get paid on a per hour basis.  This coming bank holiday of two enforced days off will put a noticeable hole in my pay packet.

     If the Greens are genuinely worried about exploitation then perhaps they need to focus more on spreading awareness of workers statutory rights, particularly those workers who are not on permanent contracts.  Many of them are vulnerable to having their hours changed without consultation and face bullying and harassment from managers.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Reply to Brexit Letter

Robert Readman's daily letter,  31st March edition, completely misses the point.  While Mr Readman chiefly blames the EU so-called "Eurocrats " for us leaving I believe the main blame lies with us.   We had 40 years to try and set out an alternative vision for the EU.  Instead of being constructive we used those 40 years just to endlessly grumble, complain and display unyielding pessimism about the course of the organisation.

     Claims like Readman's hide the real reasons why we are pursuing our current course.  The truth is that we are having an identity crisis, the consequences of which will hit our economy like a train crash, not to mention our public services in which EU migrants work.  Those who voted for Brexit because they regret how they voted in the 1970s should frankly get over it.

Regards

Zac Barker

Letter to the I: Brexit Letter

Hugh Bennett's article in favour of Brexit is an impressive example of rewriting history to suit one's, otherwise unjustifiable, argument.  Pro Brexit commentators wax lyrical about how much the Euro has apparently punished the economies of southern EU member states, but have completely ignored the structural weaknesses in these economies that have long been present in them.  Greece for one has a toxic culture of tax evasion throughout its elite that has nothing to do with the EU.

     Bennett's hint that the real forces of internationalism are behind Brexit fly in the face of reality.  Throughout Europe Brexit is not supported by dynamic internationalists but by preachers of the old nationalism that have worked hard to set our continent back decades.  I trust Bennett will not let the truth get in the way  of a good yarn on my account in the future.

Regards

Zac Barker

Letter to the I Newspaper: The Death of Martin McGuinness

The death of Martin McGuinness in the same week as the Westminster Attacks forces us to face some inconvenient truths about terrorism.  As strong willed as PM Theresa May seemed after the Westminster Attacks the truth is that she was completely wrong in saying that there are no "types" of terrorism.

     The truth is the motives and the causes of terrorists matter.  Some can indeed and should be addressed through political means such as diplomacy and peace processes.  Martin McGuinness did not just spontaneously decide to start blowing things up.  His experiences convinced him that he was at war with the British state since it seemed to support a society that kept his people living like second class citizens.

      The trouble is that while Sinn Fein see the merit of working with democratic pluralism, Islamists by design seems hell bent on destroying it.  If individuals in this country support an ideology such as that, then they should have the right to campaign and stand on a party platform for it.  Just as I should have the right to campaign vigorously against them.

Regards

Zac Barker

Letter to the I: The Labour Party

The I's interview with the Labour Party Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell was very revealing into how deluded him and his leader really are.  He points to the 2008 economic crash as the main point at which Labour lost economic credibility.  Very tellingly he mentions nothing about how Gordon Brown as Chancellor escalated spending to the point where extra borrowing topped it up.  It is obvious that he didn't mention this because this is exactly what his economic plans entail; spending and borrowing without limits.

     The Tories exaggerated the extent to which Labour overspent to justify their fanatical quest to shrink the state at all costs. But this does not mean that Labour must revert to stereotypical socialism.  It is clear that Corbyn and his allies are more interested in discrediting the New Labour legacy than he is in gaining power.  The problem is that he and his allies mistakenly see New Labour and the Tories' vision as being synonymous.

Regards

Zac Barker

Letter to the I: The Russian Threat

I read with great interest in this paper in the 13th March issue about how GCHQ will be holding seminars to educate politicians about the threat from Russian hackers.  I find it staggering how complacent the political class in and out of government, and the general public, are about the Russian threat.  Theresa May in her previous cabinet role moved to postpone the inquest into Alexander Litvinenko's assassination, so as not to upset our relations with the Russians.  Jeremy Corbyn has disgracefully belittled NATO, despite the fact that it was a Labour Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, who helped found the alliance.

     This country is sleepwalking into appeasement towards an aggressive Russia.  But by pursuing this course we are clearly displaying our sense of weakness in a changing world, and Russia's president proves that he exploits weakness.  Theresa May needs to focus less on the UK being a trading nation and more about us being a nation that stands up to international bullies.

Regards

Zac Barker