What have the Irish ever done for us?

One of my favourite films is "The Life of Brian". Possibly my favourite scene is the one where the Popular front for the liberation of Palestine are discussing the effects of the Roman occupation.


Last night, as I bopped away to the great Northern Irish punk rock band, Stiff Little Fingers, in the esteemed company of former Manchester City manager and current England manager, Stuart Pearce at the Kentish Town Forum, I pondered the latest statement from one of Barnet Council's top Tory Councillors, who's name escapes me. It seems that a Tory "think tank" (is that rhyming slang) in Barnet have decided to amend Tory policy. Norman Tebbit said that people should get on their bike and look for work. In a deliberately racist policy change, there is now an exemption to this policy for those of Irish descent. One statement from the Tory "Policy Review And Targets" team on the subject says “This is a commuter who comes over from Ireland looking for work that should frankly stay put in Ireland.

Watching SLF bash out stormer after stormer, my mind wondered back to John Cleese question in that great scene. As the Irish are one group in society who it is still quite clearly OK to abuse in a racist fashion, I thought I'd apply the Romans test to them. What have the Irish ever done for us? Well here's my top 20 list (in no particular order).

1. Built the rail network - teams of travelling navvies getting on their bike
2. Built the road network - teams of travelling navvies getting on their bike again
3. Built most of the buildings in the coutry- teams of travelling navvies getting on their bike again
4. Invented Guinness
5. Invented Bushmills
6. The Pogues
7. Stiff Little Fingers
8. Staffed the NHS - nurses coming over from Ireland
9. Live Aid - Bob Geldolf's brainchild
10. The Irish Regiments of the British Army - who my Grandfather left Dublin to join to fight the Germans in 1914
11. The Irish Horse Racing Industry
12. Irish footballers such as George Best, Liam Brady, Stephen Ireland - I could go on forever !
13. Barry McGuigan
14. Dave Allen
15. Ryanair
16. Ernest Shackleton
17. Father Ted
18. Shorts Aircraft
19. George Boole (inventor of Boolean Algebra)
20. Francis Beaufort (inventor of the Beaufort scale)

This isn't a definative list. It's just the first 20 things that came to mind. If I'd bothered to Google I'd probably have a completely different list. These are just the things which I could think of that made my life better in some way shape or form.

I'm proud of my Irish ancestry. I'm proud of my Grandfather and his comrade's sacrifice in the First world war (and many other conflicts) for Great Britain and it's people. I never met my Grandad, he died in 1948, from the effects of being gassed in the trenches, from which he never recovered. My dad used to tell me a story about my Grandpa and how he dealt with Racist abuse.

Dad was having a drink with him (my dad was an Aussie Bomber Pilot) during the second world war. Grandpa was at the bar when an English Army officer barged in front of him at the bar. When my little old Grandpa objected, the officer said "Irish scum". My father was just about to intervene, when my Grandpa grabbed the officer and said "Listen sonny, I served in the trenches for the British Army, under British Officers such as your good self. One thing I can guarantee you is that if the IRA fought the British for one thousand years, they would never kill as many fine British soldiers as the officers corps of the British Army did in the trenches, now learn some manners and let an old man buy a drink in peace". The officer backed away in shame.

I've no time for any sort of racism myself. I'll always stand up for the guy who's getting a kicking. We all have a decision to make do we condemn or condone racism, bullying and victimisation. What side are you on?

My message to Tory "Policy Review And Targets" team - Where would we be without the Irish?

A productive day - sheltered housing warden cuts

The campaign against the cuts Barnet want to impose on wardens for sheltered accomodation is really taking off. What is rather funny is the news that there is a covert group working behind the scene's for the architects of these cuts trying to besmirch and undermine the Community campaign by any means. I've been tipped off as to some of their shenanigans by one of our more decent and honest Tory Councillors (they aren't all bad guys you know).

It appears that a group has been set up. Lets call them the "Sheltered Housing Information Team" to use the web to try and derail the project. It's a bit sad that this is the only way they think they can win the argument. You may see a few comments left here and on other sites from members of this team. I'm happy to let them post as they really haven't got any serious arguments for their proposal, so they actually help us.

Anyway, enough of the paranoia, on to the good things. I've spoken to a whole host of councillors from across the spectrum in the last few days. We have developed a really exciting strategy for putting pressure on Barnet. I've also spoken to a few old friends in the world of music, film, TV and radio. My good lady wife worked for many years for Central TV in the department that makes documentaries, for one of the countries top producers, Richard Creasey. I'm developing a great proposal and when it's ready we know all the right doors to knock on. My cousin, the late, great director Midge MacKenzie was also a prolific maker of documentaries, founding the Sheffield Festival. At her wake I had a long chat with Helena Kennedy QC, who was one of Midges greatest friends.

From the feedback I've been getting it I'd say that the subject of the warden cuts is one that lends itself to a documentary. Through our campaign we have some great source material. My only worry is whether my liver will stand up to all of the meetings I've got lined up. I spoke to a couple of old friends yesterday about the project and we're going along to see Stiff Little Fingers at the Forum tomorrow night and a few interesting discussions will be had, so I've already got one positive result.

Anyway, I'll leave you with this parting shot. If I had the choice between the "Sheltered Housing Information Team" or the team I'm putting together, put your house on my team !