OPINION: Funding of Political Parties

A report commissioned by the government has recommended that:

1. Donations from individuals should be restricted to £10,000

2. Donations from trades unions should be restricted

3. An increase of £23 million pounds (roughly 50 pence per taxpayer per year) should go into state support of parties

Obviously, the Tories object to (1), Labour object to (2) and, because they think the public won't like it, all three of the big parties object to (3).

But why, having commissioned a report, are they allowed to ignore its recommendations? Isn't that anti-democratic?

Personally, I'd limit all donations, outlaw the political levy that the unions do and remove state support for the corrupt system of party politics.

OPINION: Soldiers aren't heroes

Soldiers aren't heroes, they're victims:

*Victims of incompetent politicians who would rather use bombs instead of words and gain jingoistic favour by tugging on the heart strings of societies lowest common denominators.

*Victims of the immoral arms trade who turn massacres and maiming into profits for shareholders.

*Victims of warmongering military leaders who use them, and, increasingly, the public as cannon fodder in their war games. 

*Victims of a failing education system that provides few options for the less able and allows them to be brainwashed by regular visits from Army recruitment who lie about a glorious career. 

There are no heroes in military uniform.

It's wrong to glorify their actions, their killing of civilians, their maiming of children. War cannot be justified. 

At remembrance, weep for the waste of life, the loss of possibility, the destruction of families but, please, remember these soldiers were trying to kill and maim; that's their job so that the politicians can get a jingoistic boost, so that arms manufacturers can make a profit, so that the military can justify their existence and so that the education system has a dustbin for its failures. 

There are no heroes in the military; just victims and aggressors.