Vladimir Putin has already engaged in war with us on different fronts — and PM is right to strike back
Cold War 2
IT hasn’t fired a shot, but Russia is engaged in war with us on multiple fronts. Theresa May is right to strike back on every one.
Putin’s gangster regime aims to destabilise us with social media propaganda and even cyber attacks. Its warships and planes probe our waters and airspace.
Its oligarchs launder cash with near impunity in London. Its assassins have unleashed a nerve agent on our soil.
The response, using every lever of our power — economic muscle, peerless intelligence, military skill and even foreign aid — is not an over-reaction. And it has already achieved results.
Our intelligence and diplomacy triggered an unprecedented show of force from 25 nations who expelled Russian spies alongside Britain. Nato has too.
No one wants conflict. But, at long last, Putin knows we will face down his bullying.
Get us to work
THE last Labour Government flooded the economy with cheap EU migrants while offering Brits lavish benefits paying more than some jobs. It was a toxic combination.
The newcomers worked harder for less money and threw fewer sickies, as you’d expect of those motivated enough to cross a continent for a better life.
That depressed wages for unskilled Brits. Far too many preferred to languish on handsome dole cheques instead.
Tory benefit cuts did propel huge numbers into work. But now, as the Government-backed Migration Advisory Committee says, our firms need to wean themselves off EU labour, train up homegrown staff and pay better wages.
They will moan, but they may have no option once Brexit ends free movement.
And, as the MAC says, business kicked off about the minimum wage and pay equality too. Both were vital.
Young Brits, meanwhile, can learn from the migrants’ work ethic.
That comes from upbringing and education — but also from knowing there is no cushy alternative to a job.
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Show your Face
FORGET the ridiculous claims of attention-seeking tech nerds that Brexit was down to Vote Leave “cheating”. None of it adds up.
If Leave turned the referendum with a few hundred thousand quid on web ads, how come the Government couldn’t do so with £9million of leaflets sent to every home? How come Remain couldn’t, despite spending £4million more?
That said, Facebook does need to come clean over the misuse of millions of users’ data in America and Britain. How typical that Mark Zuckerberg has bottled out of doing so in person.
Sending a flunky to the Commons won’t do. Nor will a few apologetic ads taken out in newspapers (while oddly omitting Britain’s most popular one).
For all his enormous power, Zuckerberg shows shameful irresponsibility.
He must grow a spine and face the music.