Comment
TONY PARSONS
Dear Keir Starmer, be more like Donald Trump and put our great country first
Why can’t we deport Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Qari Abdul Rauf?
THE USA swears in its 47th President tomorrow and whatever turbulence a second helping of Donald Trump brings, it will teach an invaluable lesson to the Prime Minister of the UK.
Put your own people first.
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The one total certainty around Trump’s second term is that he will be unapologetic and unequivocal about acting in his nation’s interests.
Why can’t Keir Starmer do the same?
Trump is promising to “drill, baby, drill” — to ramp up oil and gas production in the sole interest of driving economic growth for America.
In stark contrast, the UK, a green country that produces just one per cent of global emissions, is fanatically pursuing the national self-harm of Net Zero — no matter what it does to energy bills, or our ability to keep the lights turned on.
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Trump chants “drill, baby, drill” because he wants to make Americans more prosperous.
Labour pursues its Net Zero crusade because they want to heal the world.
In the US, Trump will reverse the ban on offshore drilling.
In the UK, the Government decimates traditional industries — oil and gas, car manufacturing — so Ed Miliband can personally save the human race.
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Net Zero has nothing to do with our national interest.
It is the same with the chatter about reparations for slavery.
Trump could take Greenland in 24 HOURS in 'world's shortest war' against tiny force of 17,000 troops, experts warn
Before he entered Government, David Lammy was vocal about the UK coughing up for slavery.
Lammy tweeted in 2018 that slave owners were paid £17billion in compensation after Britain banned slavery, but slaves — “my ancestors,” Lammy said — “received no reparations”.
Now he is Foreign Secretary, Lammy is backtracking — but how could he have ever entertained the delusion that people who were never slave owners owe money to people who were never slaves?
Because instead of putting British interests first, Lammy thought it was more important to pay penance for the sins of the past.
Why does our national interest matter so little to Labour?
For example, why can’t we deport Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Qari Abdul Rauf?
Rauf was sentenced to six years’ jail for multiple sexual offences against children and was released in November 2014 after serving just two and a half years.
Rauf was ordered to be deported to Pakistan nine years ago.
He is still here, living in the same streets as his victims, because Pakistan does not want him.
To which I imagine President Trump would say — too bad!
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Pakistan is the top recipient of British foreign aid, receiving hundreds of millions of taxpayer pounds every year.
Pakistan has some nerve refusing to accept a convicted child groomer who is a former UK-Pakistan dual national.
Trump would tell them to take Rauf back or expect their generous foreign aid to be critically reviewed. Because Trump puts America first.
On the campaign trail, Starmer was rarely seen without the Union Jack standing proudly in the background.
At the Labour Party conference, he got the comrades to sing “God Save The King.”
So in opposition, Starmer credibly campaigned as though nothing mattered more to him than the interests of this country.
But Starmer does not govern like a patriot.
He gives every impression that British national interest is of absolutely no concern.
Labour wants to give pro-China Mauritius £9 billion to take over the British territory of Chagos Islands (Mauritius wants more!).
Labour is abandoning Tory legislation that prevented hundreds of IRA suspects — including ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams — from claiming compensation from the British taxpayer for having their human rights violated during The Troubles.
And Labour wants to take the Parthenon Sculptures — also known as the Elgin marbles — out of the British Museum and ship them back to Greece.
How is ANY of that in the British national interest?
What do WE get out of compensating old IRA men or throwing away national treasures or strategically important territory?
What’s in it for us?
- Stop putting Britain last, Labour.
- Start putting our nation first, Keir.
- Desist worshipping at the altar of “human rights”.
- Dial down the self-harm of Net Zero.
- Tell Gerry Adams he is not about to win the compensation Lottery.
- Inform Greece we are keeping the Elgin Marbles.
And tell Pakistan that it will take back any convicted national who has held a Pakistani passport or we will review the hundreds of millions of foreign aid we annually give to Pakistan.
Please, Prime Minister — start understanding that in your job, there is nothing more important than the prosperity, safety and happiness of the British people.
Start thinking a bit less like an anti-British lefty human rights lawyer.
And a lot more like President Donald Trump.
Playing shirty
I LOVED the Prime Minister’s new macho look he sported in Ukraine.
That black T-shirt really made Sir Keir look like he was ready for World War Three.
Although if the Russians want him to surrender, they will not have to use their nuclear weapons.
Threatening to take away Starmer’s Arsenal season ticket should bring him to his knees.
Alan's man of match
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HOW chuffed Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan look to be confirmed as the new Match Of The Day presenters.
And how could they not be pleased?
MOTD is the most iconic show in the history of the BBC.
And whoever they found to replace Gary Lineker, I would have continued to tune in as I have every Saturday night for the last 60 years, man and boy.
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But the BBC has just missed a historic open goal.
There was only one person who could have properly replaced Gary Lineker on Match Of The Day, and it is the same man who replaced him as England’s goal scorer.
Replacing Gary Lineker? It should have been Alan Shearer.
A COUPLE in Redcar, North Yorkshire, have caused a stir by naming their baby boy Lucifer.
It reminds me a bit of when David Bowie called his newborn son Zowie.
Zowie Bowie soon decided he preferred being called Joe.
Lucifer will probably plump for calling himself Lou before he is out of short trousers.
AS THE world prays for peace in Gaza, isn’t it chilling that there are members of the Israeli cabinet who think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not right-wing enough?
Tyson U-turn a no-go
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WHEN Tyson Fury announced he was retiring from boxing, the sporting world reacted with almost unanimous disbelief.
So why did I believe him? Because Tyson does not need the money.
The £500million generated by a fight with Anthony Joshua would make scant difference to Tyson’s lifestyle.
And because Fury does not need to prove himself.
He is already one of the greatest boxers of all time. And because he is now nearer 40 than 30.
Those gruelling fights against Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk will have demanded a physical price that only Fury himself will know.
So when the Gypsy King says, “I would like to announce my retirement from boxing,” I believe him.
And if he does go back on that promise, then it will be because Tyson can’t live a happy life without the discipline that boxing imposes.
It will be because he is a healthier man, with a calmer mind, if he has to put in the hard work that boxing training demands.
If Fury comes out of retirement, it will be because he discovers that he needs boxing as much as boxing needed him.
Holey advice
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DAVID LYNCH the visionary Twin Peaks director who has died at 78, was killed by the smoking habit he enjoyed for so many years.
“There is a big hole in the world now that he is no longer with us,” his family posted.
“But as he would say – Keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole.”
A beautiful tribute, and good advice for all of us. It’s not that hole that matters in this life. It’s the doughnut.
Monica's in a class of her Joan
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EVEN before I have seen A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet has already delivered two almighty shocks.
Shock one – Timothee arrived at the London premiere on an e-bike.
Now that’s what I call the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan!
I don’t recall a huge Hollywood star ever rocking up to a premiere on a bicycle before.
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And shock two – Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, owning the red carpet in an all-black outfit.
I certainly don’t remember Joan Baez ever looking like Monica.
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