19 April 2016

Tony McAbbott – Meddler In Chief

| John Hargreaves
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I can’t think for the life of me why our PM would want to suggest that the world as we know it will cease to be if the Scots get independence. But then, perhaps the world as he knows it may just end.

Perhaps the flag may need to be revisited with the withdrawal of the St Andrew’s Cross; perhaps we could include on our new on the indigenous flags and save money on flag costs.

Perhaps the sense of separation from the British monarchy might just take hold here and we have a resurgent republican movement. I can only hope on this one.

Perhaps the United Kingdom may have to change to remove Scotland from the kingdom, but perhaps it could include Australia, NZ and Canada? Horrible thought!

Perhaps our PM thinks that his opinion in the matter counts for anything overseas. I doubt it. In fact, I doubt if any in Scotland could tell you the name of our PM.

Perhaps he is doing his Conservative mates a favour. Interesting, I thought that Cameron was a Scottish name and that the Brit PM was a more powerful actor on the world stage and didn’t need an understudy.

Perhaps he is doing this as a distraction from the Hockey budget debacle, the Abetz attack on the public service, the Morrison attack on boat people, the Pyne attack on education, the Bishop attack on our reputation overseas.

Perhaps as John Howard was regarded as Deputy Sheriff to George Bush, he wants to be Deputy Marshal to PM Cameron.

Or perhaps he just doesn’t know when to keep his trap shut!

As the song goes… perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…

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HiddenDragon6:22 pm 20 Aug 14

‘‘What the Scots do is a matter for the Scots and not for a moment do I presume to tell Scottish voters which way they should vote. But as a friend of Britain, as an observer from afar, it’s hard to see how the world would be helped by an independent Scotland.

I think that the people who would like to see the break-up of the United Kingdom are not the friends of justice, the friends of freedom, and the countries that would cheer at the prospect…are not the countries whose company one would like to keep.’’

Surely he was simply making the point that a diminished UK (or whatever it will be called if the yes case wins next month) will have less influence in the world and less capacity to do good things (as most Australians would see it) on the international stage. The second sentence could, perhaps, be misconstrued as going further, but it would take a huge, and fairly paranoid, leap of the imagination to read those words as a suggestion that an independent Scotland would be aligning itself in any way with enemies of the West.

I can’t imagine one vote will be changed by any of what was said, and the defence implications may not be so serious after all:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28775848

John Hargreaves Ex MLA1:55 pm 20 Aug 14

dungfungus said :

HenryBG said :

I’ve been a strong supporter of Independence for Scotland since 2002, on the (probably optimistic) hope that this would invalidate Scots from coming down to London to pollute the governance of the nation.

Just think – an English political landscape with none of the likes of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or Alastair Campbell around. What a vast improvement that would have been.

David Marr suggested something like this on ABC TV Onesiders last Sunday morning.
Marr suggested that Abbott’s comment would assist the case for independence and this is what the British conservatives wanted as the almost wall to wall eternal Labour seats in Scotland would be abolished forever.

David Marr got it in one. Don’t throw me into the briar patch, Brer Abbott..

To Matt…. one heart attack was enough. The depression which followed didn’t help either. I’m happy sitting around bagging out the intellectual dwarfs that occupy the Opposition benches in the LA, thanks.

To Justin. I’ve said all that needs to be said about Al – check the public record. I am not obsessed with the inaccuracies as are those who perpetuate the lies and innuendos. You may have your views on Al but mine are different and to me he was a multicultural hero whose legacy will outlast you and me. The test of greatness is the footprint you leave behind. He left a big multicultural footprint and you and I have ours washed away by the sea.

HenryBG said :

I’ve been a strong supporter of Independence for Scotland since 2002, on the (probably optimistic) hope that this would invalidate Scots from coming down to London to pollute the governance of the nation.

Just think – an English political landscape with none of the likes of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or Alastair Campbell around. What a vast improvement that would have been.

David Marr suggested something like this on ABC TV Onesiders last Sunday morning.
Marr suggested that Abbott’s comment would assist the case for independence and this is what the British conservatives wanted as the almost wall to wall eternal Labour seats in Scotland would be abolished forever.

justin heywood12:42 pm 20 Aug 14

Matt Watts said :

\
….Come on John – why not give the LA another crack? The size is now expanded, so you’re bound to have the numbers again, at least for an attempt at it. I’d love to see you live up to your newly found principles! Once again the LA can be a primary source of federal-level policy!

Careful what you wish for Matt!

And what happened to my idea that John writes us a piece on Al Grassby? He spent OUR money putting up a statue to him, so how about it John?

I’ve been a strong supporter of Independence for Scotland since 2002, on the (probably optimistic) hope that this would invalidate Scots from coming down to London to pollute the governance of the nation.

Just think – an English political landscape with none of the likes of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or Alastair Campbell around. What a vast improvement that would have been.

I can’t think for the life of me why people on this Canberra-based webpage would be interested in the foreign policy musings of an ex-someone who has no experience in foreign affairs. At least a Canberra-based blog now has a tag for “Scottish independence” 🙂 you may as well include a tag along the lines of “bored cheerleader”…

Come on John – why not give the LA another crack? The size is now expanded, so you’re bound to have the numbers again, at least for an attempt at it. I’d love to see you live up to your newly found principles! Once again the LA can be a primary source of federal-level policy!

As the song goes… shaddap you face. (I jest.)

Seriously, what is this? Can I now publish an article on anything I wish? At least the page will now receive more Scottish-based readers.

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