Remember "Britain First" is a Nazi front

Just a gentle reminder that this is the time of year that the fascist organisation currently known as "Britain First" shares seemingly patriotic posts on Facebook and twitter which appear to be in support of British troops and our Remembrance Sunday.

Please do not share these posts. A number of people have been taken in. So called "Britain First" is a fascist and Nazi organisation formed after a split in the racist BNP. 

Remember that the fascists in this Country supported Hitler during the second world war and wanted the Nazi to win who would have turned Britain into a concentration camp. 

So it is completely hypocritical of them to pretend that they are in anyway a "patriotic" party supporting our military veterans.  

The only "veterans" they will support are Nazi SS murderers of brave British commandos and prison of war escapees who were tortured and then shot in cold blood in World War two. 

Check out what a genuine British combat veteran thinks of "Britain First". 

(picture of recruiting poster for British Nazi's during World War 2)

Can you be a Socialist and a Patriot?

Hat tip to Ipswich Labour Councillor and former soldier Alasdair Ross, for his post on Lord West, who is a former Labour government minister and 1st Sea Lord (Head of Royal Navy).

Lord West confirmed to Alasdair at a "Labour Friends of the Forces" reception that he had told the Daily Telegraph his views of Tory minister Michael Gove, who suggested that you cannot be a Socialist and a Patriot by promising to teach him in a boxing ring - that you can.

Gove's ill judged comments remind me of the Daily Mail's foul attacks on the Patriotism of Labour Leader Ed Miliband by attacking his father Ralph Miliband, as a man "who hated Britain".

As the poster above reminds us, Ed's father was risking his life for Britain in the Royal Navy during the D Day landings, while a few years before, the owner of the Daily Mail was praising Hitler and the fascist Blackshirts.

Of course you can be a socialist and be a patriot who wants to defend your country against militarist or Nazi aggression. However, being proud of your country doesn't mean you think it is perfect and  that you don't want to change it for the better.

I would also add that in my view, if you are a socialist (as I define), you just have to be also an internationalist. 

My final comment is that during Easter 1982 I was a 19 year old officer cadet in the territorial army and went on a familiarisation course with 29 Commando Regiment in Plymouth. During the course we visited the naval base and went on a tour of one of the ships based there called HMS Ardent. It was an interesting break from very arduous exercises and its crew were very friendly and welcoming.

A few short weeks later during the Battle for the Falklands, HMS Ardent was struck by 17 bombs in less than 22 minutes and was sunk, killing 22 (10%) of its crew. Its captain was the last man to leave the ship. His name was Alan West, who later became Lord West. A man who has actually some life experience to back his views, unlike Mr Gove, that you can indeed, be a socialist and a patriot.

Former soldier warns against supporting Far Right Fascist "Britain First"

Labour Ipswich Councillor, Alasdair Ross, who spent over 24 years in the Royal Green Jackets, serving his country in Northern Ireland, Bosnia,  Kosovo and finally in with The Rifles in Sangin, Afghanistan warns us here about the nasty fascist so called "Britain First" front. Who are tricking the public to support them and using photographs of dead British servicemen funerals to raise funds.

I agree with Alasdair that these people are just fascists who shame our country and our war dead. Both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War. We lost hundreds of thousands of British military and civilians in combat and in the Blitz while fighting against the Nazi and their ilk.

"Britain First" is one of the many splits that have resulted from the welcome demise of the racist BNP. They are an extremist "hate group"- nothing more and nothing less.

(picture of German Bomber flying over the Isle of Dogs)

We can't go on meeting like this... without another £250k.

Hat tip Alasdair Ross "Maybe instead of campaigning to save the NHS - we should have just has a whip round and bunged Dave 250 grand?"

Life in Nahr-e-Saraj – Winter 2011

"As most of us worry about a few extra pounds we put on over Christmas or sit here moaning about the football, many others will have far more serious things to worry about, debt, unemployment, poverty and then we also have those who are worried about their loved ones serving in Afghanistan.

To remind us of how these brave men and women were spending their Christmas, I attach an email that the Colonel of 5 Rifles ( a good friend and former colleague sent me yesterday)"....  Click here Hat tip Alasdair Ross blog. Former British Army warrant officer and now a Labour Councillor in Ipswich.

"Cameron breaks promises to Armed Forces"

Hat tip recently retired Soldier and current Labour Councillor, Alasdair Ross. "The Conservatives have rightly come under some fierce criticism for their failure to deliver the promises they made to the Armed Forces before the election. Both Channel 4 News and the local Ipswich Evening Star asked me for my views on the Tories failure to stick to pre election promises on what they would do to make the Military Covenant law.

Here is my piece that I wrote for the Channel 4 News website:

I am sure today many soldiers will be sitting in their Units feeling they have been used by this Government - not used as in the way they would expect to be used- serving their country in Afghanistan, the Gulf, the Balkans but used by Cameron - as a publicity stunt.

The Tories claimed that Labour had broken the Military Covenant and that they would make sure it became law - yesterday they broke that promise - all we will get now is a report every year about the covenant.

Cameron also probably gained many votes off servicemen and veterans when he increased the operational allowance (an allowance introduced by labour) but what he forgot to say, whilst making his speech in June on HMS Ark Royal (scrapped) is that pay would be frozen and other allowances cut and scrapped. All with far more speed than it has taken to cut the allowances to MP's and the Lords

When I served in the Army, I had a decision to make when my daughter reached 11, would I put her in boarding school or move back to my home town. I chose my home town and I was able to do with help from the army through the 'Over 37' package, this gave me assistance in getting home once a month to see my family, and for them to settle down before I had to leave the forces at 40. that package is to be scrapped and also the boarding school allowance is to be cut.

So the only choice would be to leave your child in a Forces school, and that mean every two years they would change school- so much for looking after Forces families. There was talk from the Tories of paying for soldiers children to go to university, well if a child has to move schools every two years there would be little possibility if any child gained the academic qualifications to get into university.

Today many of my ex comrades feel used- used by Cameron in a cheap election gimmick.

On the Channel 4 News blog here, you can read by piece".

Armed Forces Day

I wasn’t able to attend the flag raising for Armed Forces Day at Newham Town Hall this morning but Ipswich Labour Councillor (and former soldier) Alasdair Ross posts far more eloquently (and with more reason) that I could on his local ceremony. Up and down the country there were similar events.

The picture shows how while on active duty last year his battalion flew the flag for Armed Forces Day in the only cool place in Sangin – the Helmond river.

Solider, Councillor, Teacher, Blogger...Alasdair Ross - Radio 4 PM interview

While driving through the rain on Tuesday from North Wales (visiting family and bossy big sister) to Lincolnshire (visiting family and bossy little sister) I listened to an interview with Labour blogger, Ipswich Councillor and 2 Rifle soldier, Alasdair Ross.

Alasdair was being interviewed on Radio 4 PM programme about his experiences during a recent tour in Afghanistan as an Army warrant officer. Alasdair gave a thoughtful and confident interview.

It started about 17 minutes into the programme and lasted for 8 (you can hear it in full here for next 5 days). He had served in the Army for 24 years when he retired, became a teacher and was elected as a Labour Councillor for Ipswich. He then voluntarily rejoined 2 Rifles as a reservist for his final tour which was spent in Helmand province in Afghanistan. 2 Rifles lost 13 soldiers during the tour including 5 killed in one day. The Battle group he was attached to lost 24 out of 1100 soldiers.

Alastair phrased the bravery of the local Afghans who despite the threats from the Taliban turned out to vote during the recent election there. He pointed out as a Labour Politician he knows that if it rains in the UK the vote will go down while in Helmand voters had to face rocket attacks! He also finished by stating that it is important that people like him who have been there now take part in the PR battle ahead about the war. What the Army wants is not sympathy - it wants backing.

"Back from one war to join another fight"

Welcome back home to Ipswich Labour Councillor Alasdair Ross who has returned from a tour of duty with 2 Rifles in Afganistan. This Youtube tribute was posted on his blog in September and titled "A tribute to the 2 Rifles "The Chosen Men" High on a Hill".

He reports on his commander's view that it has been "the fight of our lives" and on "the tragic news today from Helmand today reminds us all in the Rifles of what we went through and watching the news today it made us realise the roller coaster ride our families went throughwhilst we were away (5 British soldiers apparently shot by an Afghan Police officer).

Alasdair also posts "Goodbye Sangin- it has been a complex, lethal, intense and nuanced campaign. But we leave Sangin and the Upper Helmand Valley a safer place to live for all Afghans".

Alasdair is not convinced that the Tories will win the next general election. The Labour Party members of today must fight like Bevan and Gaitskill "did in their time for the future of this country".

“Alasdair must be one of the most outstanding councillors in the country. I salute him”.

Well said Thanet District Councillor, Mark Nottingham about Alasdair Ross.

Alasdair is a Labour Ipswich Councillor (and blogger) who is also currently serving his country as a military reservist in Afghanistan.

See my previous post here and this post.

Rifleman, Labour Councillor and Anti-Fascist Blogger in Helmond

I recommend today's latest post from 2 Rifles Reservist and Ipswich Labour Councillor, Alasdair Ross. Alasdair is on active duty in a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Helmond province, Afghanistan.

He describes the sadness over the loss of Rifleman Sheldon as well as continued fire fights with the Taliban who are launching indiscriminate attacks on the local population as well as the security forces.

The British troops (including the Welsh Guards) are very impressed with the bravery of the Afghan National Army “The Warriors” that they are fighting alongside. I am sure that everyone is pleased to read this encouraging report since we all want the Afghans to take responsibility for their defence as soon as they can so NATO troops can return home. Alasdair also mentions the work done by the troops to improve local people’s lives such as the opening of a new clinic.

I must admit that I am surprised (but pleased) that the British Army has allowed Alastair to “blog” from the front line. I would imagine that there is some form of process he has to go through? However, the Army is now dependent on reservists and Territorials to be operational so it is only right that these citizen soldiers can express themselves in a way (he also “Twitters”) that perhaps the Regular Army personnel should not?

Alastair himself is a fantastic role model. He was born into the Labour movement in Ipswich and had a successful career as a senior non-commissioned officer then left the army and became amongst other things a Labour Councillor. Now, while once again serving his country and putting himself in harms way check out his post “Keep the BNP out of Ipswich”. Great stuff.

While some people are genuinely opposed to NATO being in Afghanistan I think that there is no alternative to military intervention. There are legitimate questions to be asked about certain tactics used but if we allow Afghanistan to return to the hands of the Taliban and to once again be a national training camp for terrorists then this will be a disaster for all – especially for the Afghans themselves.

However there is a terrible price that is being paid and I am sure that everyone’s thoughts will be with the comrades and family of Rifleman Sheldon and the other NATO and Afghan personnel killed or injured.

"in all my time in the army I have never been issued with so much equipment and of such good quality"

There has been criticism of the Ministry of Defence and the Government for providing inadequate equipment and support to British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some of it I have no doubt was justified much of it was not.

It is therefore interesting to see this report below from Ipswich Labour Councillor and blogger Alasdair Ross as he prepares for his deployment with 2 Rifles to Afghanistan later this year.

Alasdair left the regular Army as a Sergeant Major in 2002 after 24 years service with the Royal Green Jackets. He has been granted leave of absence from the Council for his tour. Check out here.

"Not blogged for a while as I have been involved in pre Afghanistan deployment training- training for a hot summer in Afghanistan with a freezing two weeks in Wiltshire!

But today in Northern Ireland we were issued our desert clothing and equipment. The reason I mention this is that there has been much criticism in certain papers about the lack of equipment our troops are issued with.

Well in all my time in the army I have never been issued with so much equipment and of such good quality.

Of course our troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan deserve the best equipment but the papers (and the Tories) should say well done when the MOD and the Government get it right".