Both Dry AMD and Neovascular (Wet) AMD can be Reversed

Over the past 4 years I have completely reversed dry AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) to visual acuity (Snellen) 6/6 both eyes in 8 months from diagnosis (there is only the slightest evidence of drusen at high magnification) and in 2023 have near reversed neovascular AMD in my left eye (6/18 in January and now better than 6/7.5 with an ever-shrinking reservoir of fluid, and RE: 6/5) with no evidence of any adverse vascular activity just 10 months from diagnosis – all without medical treatment. It is significant that during the neovascular recovery both eyes are shown to have profited from the recovery strategy. Both of these AMD events were the direct result of poor/inappropriate medical interventions.

We hear much about the increase of AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), both dry and to a lesser extent neovascular, in the population across the Western World. We also hear that great advances are in process for treatments such as anti-VEGF. There are also some ophthalmic professionals who now state that poor diet and health are contributors to AMD. AMD is also referred to as a disease, and inherited genetics is also cited as a contributor. But have the ophthalmic profession completely misunderstood what actually causes AMD and that it can be avoided and, indeed repaired if caught early enough.

In recent medical papers and YouTube presentations I noted some ophthalmic specialists identify nutrition and health playing a significant role in AMD but, as with most ophthalmic specialists, they cannot resist medical treatment of the eye (effect) rather than addressing the cause.

As a former nuclear scientist with much exposure to the medical research profession, and in the past four years suffered from both types of AMD caused by poor/inappropriate medical interventions, have fully recovered from dry AMD and near full recovery from neovascular AMD using my own knowledge and research. I will share my journey with readers to completely redefine macular degeneration as health-related and, as such, eminently reversable without medical treatment if caught early enough.

My journey suggests that the age-related part of AMD is only an indication that, as we age, our lungs can become contaminated with atmospheric pollutants restricting the amount of actived oxygen extracted from the air we breathe, and an increase in the pH level in our digestive system meaning we no longer extract the nutrients we need. However, both can be easily corrected which suggests the eyes can be restored to good health. Therefore, I would suggest that HMD (Health-related Macular Degeneration) would be a more appropriate label.

I was faced on both AMD presentations by the senior specialist in AMD at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London with the prognosis that there was no way back, and my condition would deteriorate over time to blindness. Treatment such as anti-VEGF would slow the process but not repair the damage. This attitude appalled me and started a journey of discovery combing as many medical libraries as possible in the World seeking papers and data to help me understand AMD. The result of this research revealed a truly diverse range of thinking amongst professionals with the vast majority looking no further than the eyes for answers.

The eye perfectly lends itself to Black Box analysis as a complex muscle with one input and one output with a direct correlation of output being a function of input. Study found that the eye requires an extensive range of nutrients as well as the need for more Active Oxygen (defined as H3O2) than any other organ in the body in order to function correctly and stay healthy. Thus, diet and health are important to satisfy the inputs required. But this assumes much about normal digestive and lung function.

Reversing Dry AMD (8-month process)

My journey started with dry AMD after heart surgery in April 2019 where an over-zealous surgeon tightly sutured so much of my soft tissue that my left lung was barely functional for some 7-months. I have already written about this journey in a previous blog ‘Covid-19 and Airnergy+ Active Oxygen’.

Reversing Neovascular AMD (10-month process)

In November 2022 I underwent a Pfizer Covid booster jab to allow me to travel having previously undertaking two AstraZeneca injections for the same reason. The adverse impact of this vaccine occurred within one minute in the form of palpitations. Thereafter my health noticeably deteriorated culminating in a neovascular event in my left eye in January 2023. In its simplest terms the brain triggers vascular activity to support a recognised lack of nutrients to the eyes.

It took a request from me to secure comprehensive well-being blood tests. The initial response to these was ‘unremarkable’. After securing a copy of these results it was clear to me that they were far from unremarkable indicating problems, or potential problems throughout my major organs. My whole immune system was compromised. Having undertaken a revision cardiac myectomy procedure in April 2021 I worked hard to restore my health returning to active tennis by October 2021. However, I left Harefield hospital some 8kg (net of retained fluids) heavier and unable to lose this excess under normal diet and exercise during my return to health and fitness. Having researched what was pumped into me during surgery to gain so much retained weight it is likely caused by Hartnell’s Solution which appears to be a glucose bomb deposited in my liver and gallbladder. My blood tests indicated I was sleepwalking my way to diabetes.

As my liver determines the quality of blood to my eyes, I researched how I could lose this 8kg (17lbs) of excess weight without compromise to ensuring the nutrients required to restore my eyes and other organs to good health.

The medical response to my dilemma was that UK medical protocols do not permit the treatment of a number of organs simultaneously. My doctor chose to ‘repair’ my seemingly underactive thyroid with prescription drugs even after suggesting to him that my thyroid problem was likely a reaction to the underlying cause. I mention this because the medical establishment created this situation, commonly referred to as long covid but without any consideration of how to treat it.

Other concerns that needed address were:

  • During my revision heart surgery in April 2021 at Harefield Hospital I was given a contaminated blood transfusion infected with Antigen-E. This antigen is aggressive towards red blood cells reducing life of the cell and reducing integrity. This contaminant was a potential inhibitor to my recovery, but Harefield suggested there was no method of removal. Back to my research to find a USA patent filed in 1994 detailing a method to destroy biological pathogens by the introduction of an electron into the pathogen molecule – essentially a bullet to the head. This was easy to deliver using microcurrent technology after which the Haematology Department at Harefield certified the complete removal of this antigen.
  • As I can only attribute the complete breakdown in my established immune system to the Pfizer vaccine as can be clearly demonstrated with the significant deterioration of my health starting some 30 seconds after receiving the jab, I can only assume that this vaccine should have been identified as unsuitable for me.

My assumption was the Pfizer spike(S) protein was in my blood. As the spike protein is negatively charged it could well attach to my red blood cells degrading performance. Therefore, my objective was to rid myself of any residual proteins from this vaccine and rebuild my immune system. I had suffered two colds in two months – no viral infection has broken through my immune system since 2003.

Realising that I needed to solve my problems myself I formulated a strategy that would ensure:

  • restored digestive function pH ≤ 3
  • Maintain quality lung function
  • Loss of the excess weight impacting liver and gallbladder function
  • Adequate supply of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes using carefully selected sources and diet
  • Restore my immune system
  • Stay fit with a positive mental attitude.

Lung function was quickly under control with my Airnergy Pro+ machine – 2 sessions of 20 minutes per day.

Restore Digestive Function

AMD medical papers are now emerging that suggest a balanced diet is essential to eye function. However, if stomach function is not properly processing food intake the objective will not be achieved. Certainly, a good diet is essential to healthy living as is avoiding excess weight, but medics need to take a step back to digestive and lung function to make their pronouncements effective.

The medical expression for poor digestive function is hypothesis. My research revealed the typical indicators of hypothesis are:

  • Low red blood cell count
  • Low B12
  • Low actived oxygen in mitochondria

For the stomach to function properly it needs to generate HCL (hydrochloric acid) for which it needs inputs of zinc, potassium, and sodium chloride all of which are extracted from food intake. This HCL is triggered from gastrin which stimulates acid production during meals.

As a former sufferer of acid reflux, I can provide comfort to sufferers as curing acid reflux is the same process as for poor digestive function always assuming no other health issuers such as obesity, diabetes, smoking, and overconsumption of alcohol. Indeed, anything proposed in this paper either refers to the otherwise healthy, or a commitment to becoming healthy.

The UK NHS suggests acid reflux is the overgeneration of HCL and will prescribe PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) such as omeprazole or lansoprazole with all their nasty side effects. Current research and now practice in the USA suggests this approach is debunked as it is now realised that acid reflux is the under-generation of HCL, especially in the over 50s, resulting in low gastrin which results in the failure to close the lower oesophageal sphincter which then allows acid to flow up to the throat. Treatment for acid reflux changed in the USA in 2020 – when will the NHS catch up. For the purposes of this paper poor quality HCL and/or under-generation of HCL requires the same treatment.

The treatment does not require prescription drugs. All you need is Betaine Hydrochloride in capsule form taken before meals to stimulate HCL production before a main meal. To determine how much you need I can only point to the YouTube video by Dr Eric Berg titled ‘Repair Acid Reflux’. By way of reference, I used two capsules each containing 324mg Betaine Hydrochloride and 5mg Pepsin before my main meal for 4 days after which, because I started my diet, I switched to 1000mg Acetyl L-Carnitine before my main meal as per the recommendations of my chosen diet. Post-diet I maintain HCL levels with daily doses of pure apple cider vinegar, usually taken in the evening.

Weight Loss

Losing weight and restoring the nutrients required by eyes sounds counterintuitive. However, the threat of Type-2 diabetes makes losing weight fundamental to help restore a healthy body, especially the liver. Far too many laud lengthy periods of exercise as the method to lose weight. As a healthy 72-year-old still playing competitive tennis I can attest that exercise is important, but not to lose weight, only to maintain a healthy body. Exercise relates to skeletal muscle, not abdominal fat.

Having studied this subject in great depth, I was very disturbed yet again to study papers from the USA around 2020 that indicated that the epidemic of type-2 diabetes in the USA is due to clinicians using the wrong marker (blood glucose) for diagnosis reflecting only what is happening in the blood, not the body. Indeed, the treatments for diabetes under this error increases fat storage. It was determined that glucose is a symptom; insulin is the protagonist. For the past 2-years the USA has adopted the measurement of insulin as a diagnosis. Why is the UK NHS still languishing under the discarded process? Do we need an endemic in the UK before they wake up?

I also studied the use of SGLT2 inhibiters such as Canagliflozin (Invokana) and the more recent Metformin as part of a low carb diet but not convinced that this method of weight loss is effective in the long-term and tends to alter metabolic rate in any event. Same applies to fasting.

There are many weight-loss diets out there professing to be definitive. Having a traditional diet I chose the weight-loss diet that has survived challenge for many years being the Dr Atkins Diet Plan albeit I would not recommend the Induction Diet Plan for this purpose. I chose the Atkins-40 Plan which means I limit my carb intake to 40g per day and no snacking. It requires adapting to food available locally but not difficult. I allotted a maximum of 12 weeks during which time I lost 11kg (24lbs) after which I returned to a normal diet where my weight has since remained stable. In addition to the nutrients I use specifically for my eyes, I also stuck rigidly to the nutrient supplements recommendations with the diet. I would recommend securing a copy of the latest edition of ‘New Diet Revolution’ by Dr Atkins which provides comprehensive information needed during this diet including a required nutrition supplement list and variations for various medical conditions. It is also necessary to establish when, during the day, you need to take these supplements as some are not appropriate early morning, and most with food. Exception are liquid selenium (afternoon) (for thyroid) and liquid magnesium sulphate (around 20 minutes before retiring). Not all supplements are the same quality – choose carefully, and some recommended daily intakes are a function of body weight.

The nutrients, vitamins, and minerals specific to the eyes are as follow:

  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin
  • Billberry
  • Vitamin D3 (twice recommended daily amount: 4000 IU)

Restore Immune System

Since 2003 I have used an immune modulation system consisting of various ionised mineral salts which perform their task of penetration into my blood regardless of digestive function but is beyond the scope of this paper as it only takes a few days to restore digestive function so any quality immune supplement system will suffice.

Improve Well-being

Wellbeing and healthy lifestyle are important components in this process. The fear of losing sight can be stressful, but stress should be avoided. A positive mental attitude and belief that you can restore your eyes will significantly improve chances of success. I had Moorfields scan my eyes every 4 –5 weeks so that I could observe improvement as well as modify my strategy if needed. Even though there was no evidence of irregular vascular activity, and visual acuity had already restored to better than 6/9, I was persuaded to take one injection of faricimab after 4 months of my strategy as precautionary but only because I wanted to undertake two long-haul flights during my recovery process. If anything, either the injection and/or the flights set me back a few weeks requiring additional recovery effort. I certainly would not consider any further anti-VEGF injections.

I also made a conscious decision not to use any prescription or OTC drugs throughout my recovery period. Having suffered enough from medical intervention my choice was to naturally supply to my body everything it needs to repair itself.

Acupuncture

It is most certainly a paradox that acupuncture has been in medical practice by some 50% of the global population for more than 2,000 years but still no robust scientific understanding of why it works. However, it would not have survived if it does not work. As a scientist I was taught that if you observe an outcome that can be consistently repeated, believe it even though the capacity to understand why is still beyond us.

Although generally discounted by conventional Western medicine it is slowly but surely increasing its presence in pain management, fertility and, interestingly, long covid within mainstream medicine. It is certainly in widespread use in sports therapy and rehab.

Furthermore, the general view of acupuncture is the traditional method of needles at specific points along the meridians. However, acupuncture can also be achieved by manual wand, electronic stimulation, and Otto vibrational forks which I have used very effectively to immediately relieve the pain of arthritis in my left thumb having long abandoned ineffective steroid injections.

With nothing to lose I researched therapists within 25 miles. Having interviewed and discounted 6 such therapists I found Lianne Aquilina of Aquilia Acupuncture, trained in China, impressive credentials, and approved by private medical insurers. We spent a whole Sunday afternoon discussing my case and her proposed treatment process before engaging in treatment.

Fortunately, having spent much time in the Far-East during my career, I am familiar with acupuncture as a treatment having witnessed the power of such treatment in competent hands. I found a paper ‘Effects of acupuncture on age-related macular degeneration: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials’ March 2023 (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0283375) that looked at the benefits of using acupuncture as a treatment for AMD. Although not a rigorous randomised controlled trial it did include results from 508 AMD patients (631 eyes) of which 360 were dry eyes and 271 wet. The clearly serious and brutally rigorous analysis by the authors impressed me, and what interested me was the arguments why acupuncture could help AMD patients, especially with regard to treatment applied along the liver (LV) and gallbladder (GB) meridians.

Although I have no empirical evidence that acupuncture significantly contributed to my outcome Lianne was diligent in her regular reviews over the 16-weeks I engaged with her and the interesting vitals that acupuncture practitioners use to determine wellness of the body all showed significant improvement.

Conclusions

Both medical interventions responsible for my AMD events can be reasonably viewed as accelerated aging.

Assuming normal light conditions as the process, the eye lends itself to simple Black Box analysis with one [complex] input and one output.

It is acknowledged that ophthalmic professionals are likely to contest my views and approach (albeit I am aware of a number of optometrists in the UK who use Spirovital Therapy with their patients). It should be noted that, during my neovascular recovery, having declared the use of regular blood tests in addition to OCT scans to monitor progress, at no time did any ophthalmic professionals show any interest in these blood test results whereas my acupuncture practitioner wanted a copy for analysis as soon as available. These blood tests were critical to ensure my body was responding to the recovery strategy, especially my eyes.

As a qualified and trained scientist, I am fully prepared to argue my case and debate the logic and argument applied to my recovery. In any event the results speak for themselves, and mine is not the only reported recovery.

Everything is impossible until someone proves otherwise.

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My book ‘the Way’ is now published

‘The Destruction of the UK Economy’ by Starmer and Reeves

Sir Kier Starmer and Rachel Reeves have announced their brave new world of far-left socialism. What will be the impact of trying to tax the rich and business to engage in unaffordable authoritarian social engineering and appease their Union paymasters, and Ed Milliband’s delusional net-zero energy policy, certain to destroy the UK economy? Milliband behaves like someone with a new credit card, maxing it out in a frenzy with no possibility of being able to repay. Let us illustrate this in terms Labour supporters should understand. It’s a sobering message.

Suppose that once a week, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to £100. If they paid their bill the way Labour expects to collect our taxes, it would go something like this:

  • The first four men (the poorest; out of work, zero hours, etc) would pay nothing
  • The fifth (labourer) would pay £1
  • The sixth (skilled worker) would pay £3
  • The seventh (professional) would pay £7
  • The eighth (management) would pay £12
  • The ninth (executive) would pay £18
  • And the tenth man (richest) would pay £59

The ten men drink at the bar every week and seemed quite happy with the arrangement until, one day, the owner caused them a dilemma. “Since minimum wage and corporate taxes have increased, energy subsidies have increased energy costs, and the likely costs of new employee rights” he said, “I have to increase the cost of your weekly beer by £20.” Drinks for the ten men would now cost £120.

They realise that £20 divided by five is £4 but if added to everybody’s share then not only would the first five men be drinking for free, but the sixth man would have his contribution increased by 133%!

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way they pay their taxes. The first four men are unaffected; they will still drink for free. But what about the other six men – the paying customers? The fifth member was employed by a small business which could not cope with the increases so was made redundant, thus joined the first four and paid nothing. How could the remaining five divide the £20 increase so that everyone would pay his fair share?

The bar owner suggested that it would be fairer to increase each man’s bill according to the principle of the new tax system and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

The result was that the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (a 100% saving).

  • The sixth man now paid £4 instead of £3 (a 33% rise)
  • The seventh man now paid £9 instead of £7 (a 28% rise)
  • The eighth man now paid £15 instead of £12 (a 25% rise)
  • The ninth man now paid £22 instead of £18 (a 22% rise)
  • And the tenth man now paid £70 instead of £59 (a 16% rise)

Each of the last five is worse off than before with the first five now drinking for free.

But, once outside the bar, the paying men began to compare their rises.

“I paid 33% extra; double the tenth man,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “his share was much less than mine!”

“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he only pay 16% when I paid 28%? The wealthy get all the breaks!”

“Wait a minute,” yelled the first five men in unison, “we can’t get a job because of this new system. This new  Labour system exploits the poor!”

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up demanding a greater contribution from him.

The following week the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important – they didn’t have enough money between them to pay even half of the bill! Three months later the pub closed because taxes made it no longer viable as a business.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the declared Labour policy will work. The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally consider their position. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just might not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier, and take their business with them. This happened in the late 1970s when higher rate tax rates were 83%. Didn’t work then; won’t work now.

Lest we forget when Labour lost the General Election to the Conservatives in 2010. Liam Bryne, Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown, left a note for his successor stating ‘I’m afraid there is no money.’ This has been the case with every Labour Government since the war.

Any political promises more than 5 years away are pure fantasy because they exceed the term of a Government and thus why spades of such promises are put out there to woo the gullible. Even the air you breath leaves you exposed to pay taxes. Anything for free will be abused, as we see in the NHS. Someone has to pay at the end of the day.

There is also an assumption by Starmer/Reeves that the financial community will agree to fund an additional £55 billion p.a. for 10 years – not likely, not least because much of this funding is not directly linked to increased productivity. A more likely consequence of a Starmer Government will be a downgrade in the UK credit rating which would increase the cost of any available borrowing thus negating the Reeves argument that borrowing will be cheap. The more modest extra £20 billion p.a. for 5 years spending pledged by the Conservatives will raise eyebrows in the financial markets; even with a majority Conservative Government.

It is only possible to spend if you have a strong underlying economy. Without the rich, and wealthy businesses to provide jobs and generate profits upon which the Government depends to accumulate tax revenues, there is no money to spend.

European Energy Crisis – Angela Merkel’s Legacy with lapdog Tony Blair

Yet again Europe is in turmoil, how short their memories giving Russia the opportunity to expand their influence. At the heart of these woes, we have an insane energy policy legacy promoted by Angela Merkel leaving many dead and many others displaced in Ukraine and a country ravaged by the despotic Vladimir Putin. These events have revealed the true, arrogant, and naïve nature of the EU. Where would the UK be if still a member? Remember 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea, mainland EU was so shackled to Russia by the lunatic dependency for most of its energy needs the UK could not act to stop him. Even then Europe did not learn the fundamental truths of energy strategy – never depend on a pariah State for anything.

Prior to Tony Blair becoming prime minister of the UK the UK was energy independent. The UK had nuclear, coal, and gas & oil from the North Sea. But energy infrastructure needed upgrade as existing generating capacity was approaching the end of its useful life. Blair preferred to spend money on social projects to boost his populism. Many citizens recently expressed their resentment at Blair receiving a knighthood because he blindly followed George W Bush into Iraq. History will show that his domestic crimes were far more serious, impacting people for generations to come. Not least of his crimes he degraded the educational system in the UK labelling Colleges of Further Education and Technical Colleges as universities encouraging some 50% of students leaving secondary schools (whereas only some 24% are needed) to attend university for nebulous degrees that would not attract employment and burdening these students with onerous debts that shackled them from starting their lives on the property ladder. He also pandered to the people promising them cradle to grave financial security as an entitlement without any incentive to work leaving the Treasury bare when the Conservatives first took power even after selling half of the gold reserves and lucrative telecoms licences. But even worse he blindly followed Merkel into the Lisbon Treaty and her energy policy of not only continuing the Nord Stream project set up by her predecessor Gerhard Schröder (now Chairman of Gazprom) to provide gas from Russia to Germany but then starting a second pipeline Nord Stream 2 which the USA condemned as strategic lunacy. I wonder what reward she has been promised by Putin for surrendering the EU to his mercy.

Having engaged with Putin when he was a KGB officer my profile would be small man, big ego, and desperately in need of a legacy. He has brutally suppressed any opposition to his dreams of fame, brain-washed the public to suit his ambitions, and will not stop at the savage slaughter of innocent people in the pursuit of his legacy. However, it should be now clear to him that history will record his legacy as infamy in the ranks of Hitler and Stalin. But his ambitions were obvious years ago so why did the West, especially Germany and the EU foster his narrative? I must admit that in January I thought Putin was posturing for international recognition for the annexation of the Crimea into Russia as his legacy. I have yet to understand what caused him to flip into war with Ukraine as it is clear this mission was not well planned as can be seen by the losses to the Russian armed forces.

The UK had its hands tied as a member of the EU in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea even though voices were loud and clear of what was to come should this annexation be allowed. But, just as today, Germany is so dependent on gas and oil from Russia they cannot risk offending Putin lest he closes the pipelines. The Germans today demonstrate their fear of reprisals with their limp offers of help to Ukraine. For the third time in 100 years the UK is leading the charge to bail out Europe because of the failure of Germany. I hope the EU member States crush the influence of the German elite in the EU going forward or, better still, collapse this il conceived union which many member States have paid dearly to support the incompetence of the likes of Merkel.

When Switzerland announced it would follow Germany in ending nuclear power as part of its energy mix, I explained to a Swiss Federal Councillor the lunacy of sacrificing its energy sufficiency which would result in consumer energy prices doubling in just two years. Thankfully they reversed this policy. Today my projection on pricing is more than validated.

What confounds me is why Merkel originated Nord Stream 2 when a far cheaper, more strategically astute solution was available. In 1998 I was engaged to structure the financing of the development and production of onshore oil & gas reserves in Azerbaijan for which I needed a credible long-term offtake agreement having previously structured the first international public financing of oil & gas development and production for Russia and thus understood the risks involved. My proposed strategy was to pipeline the gas to Constanta in Romania, and then continue the pipeline under the River Danube all the way into Central Europe. Easy, out of sight, and significantly cheaper. Dual sourcing is always far superior to all eggs in one unreliable basket. Now the Chinese have control over the Azerbaijan gas.

I hope the Green lobby, especially in Germany, learn from the spilt blood of the Ukrainian people that mankind does not have the illusionary attributes of King Canute. Climate change is a fact of life on this planet. Every time some young activist with little or no understanding of the world approaches me to insist I take climate change seriously I ask them to answer one question. ‘If we were standing having this conversation on this spot some 10,000 years ago, we would be standing on some 10m of ice. Where did it go? In our more recent 4,000-year history how many ancient cities are now under the sea?’ As the industrial revolution is less than 250-years old this question always ends the conversation. Whereas I have strong views on pollution, especially in our incredible oceans, I have heard no reasonable argument to suggest that man adds much to climate change. For example, the moon is likely to have more impact on our climate over the coming 6-years than mankind as it wobbles its way to its new orbit. And, as for methane emissions, do these activists understand anything about the Bermuda triangle, or the structure of the world’s continental shelves? Full of methane just waiting to escape into the atmosphere in vast quantities as witnessed before the cameras in the BP accident in the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago. Carbon digestors exist today but who will pay? The solution to particulates in diesel existed in 1994, and thus Governments pushing the switch to diesel engines, but the solution would force Governments to reduce duty on diesel because of the higher cost to produce. Instead of 0% sulphur content (the source of particulates when burnt) politicians throughout the EU settled for 5% sulphur. Let not a little pollution get in the way of tax revenues. Electric cars is another diesel catastrophe if only the people will open their eyes, and stop listening to so-called ‘experts’ – the most degraded word in the English language in the past 30 years. As has been proven during the Covid pandemic scientists should never be allowed to drive policy – but neither should inexperienced politicians with little or no understanding of the real world. In any event, money and greed is by far the largest polluter on this planet.

You might ask why I have yet to criticise the UK Conservative Government. The UK could, and should be energy self-sufficient. An astute Government would also ensure that the UK is not subject to market pricing for home-grown production as in the USA. However, David Cameron dithered over replacement of our base load generation. Teresa May sold the UK down the river to the EU and added insult by creating law to make the UK carbon neutral by 2050.

Boris Johnson has forgotten Conservative values and cowered to the green agenda leaving our base load requirements in jeopardy and listening to lunatic activists regard oil, gas, and coal. However, a Labour Government would fare worse.

 I hope this current energy crisis is a total wake-up call to the current UK Government that 2050 carbo neutral is only an aim, all other energy requirements being a priority. The UK must activate all North Sea assets, ensure control over pricing within the UK for new fields with priority supply to the UK, start fracking immediately to cover the short-term gas needs, re-activate any moth-balled generators needed including coal, and mine any required coal, i.e. return to energy self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. How many people know that the UK has substantial gas storage facilities, some owned by Centrica and the other by EdF. From what I can glean the Government would not support Centrica in the maintenance of these strategic reserves, and EdF emptied their vast facilities because of possible fracking in the region. Thus all of the UK’s strategic gas capacity was empty in December. I also understand that the UK is now supplying gas to the EU to keep them afloat.

The Green levy and VAT on energy bills should be immediately rescinded. The UK Government needs to accept that they cannot blame the inflation in the economy on commercial pressures – current inflation is almost totally inflicted by Government incompetence, with a nominal amount due to the Covid pandemic, but again much incompetence on the part of the Government regarding lockdowns. The nuclear reactors developed by Rolls Royce should be quickly installed whilst larger facilities are built. Rather than tax the energy companies regarding their enormous windfall profits from consumers encourage them to sell their energy to the UK network at a cost over production for UK sourced energy assets.

As a footnote I listened to a conversation last evening on GBNews between Nigel Farage and Dale Vincent, founder of Ecotricity. Dale’s rose-tinted spectacles sees a UK using only renewables for all its needs as the sun will always shine and the wind will always blow. And he proclaims this will be the cheapest solution. If this is true, why the onerous green levy on current energy bills? And, by the way, peaks in electricity demand will be controlled by removing civil liberties from the people penalising them for collectively putting on the kettle at half time during the Cup Final. Thankfully Nigel told him on air that he didn’t believe a word of it. We are doomed if the energy policy makers listen to such fantasy.

When all costs are taken into consideration wind turbines are not cheap, nor are they eco-friendly not least because the turbine blades require replacement every 2-3 years and are not recyclable. What do the eco-warriors suggest we do with them?

Renewables are a tertiary source of power generation and will only become a secondary source when there is a commercially viable battery storage capability which will certainly increase the total consumer price above gas or nuclear. Just as with EV cars once the battery is depleted it is useless until recharged. As a former nuclear scientist, I see no identifiable renewable that can generate 24/7 base load. The wind turbine I can see from my study window was turned off over the Christmas period for 2 days because the wind was too strong and gusty – these turbines have a limited operating window for wind speeds.

If we switch to thorium reactors (invented in the UK – see earlier blog) which are about a third the price and build time of uranium reactors we have a secure, safe source of 24/7 base load with no nasty decaying legacy – truly clean energy at an affordable price below renewables.

What today is our understanding of Humanity and Society

What, today, is our understanding of Humanity? Demobbed from the daily need to seek an income provides time to reflect. Thinking back to life post-WWII when I was born into a society working together attempting to recover from the aftermath of a futile war and comparing to today where humanity is blindly staggering into a maze of conflicts, both political and ideological, my observation is that we learn nothing, merely degrade humanity.

Religion & Science

In ancient times religions were created to explain the awe and wonder of the World in which we live, invariably pointing to a higher power or creator or God as a focus for answers beyond our knowledge or conception.

Around the 15th century science started to contradict or provide answers to the teachings of religious teachings. This created a war between the church and science, the most prominent being between the Catholic church and Galileo which I understand is still considered the most expensive court case in history! In the past the church was able to exert it’s influence by stealth, and even by brutal force. But science prevailed. So is science the new God!

Medicine, electronic communications, space travel, genetic manipulation …. these are the miracles about which we tell our children. These are the miracles about which we now teach to our children. These are the miracles we herald as proof that science will bring us all the answers. The ancient stories of the creation of the World, immaculate conception, burning bushes, and parting seas are no longer relevant. God, as such, has become obsolete, science is the new God.

But let us examine the effect of this new God to see if it has benefited mankind or cost it dearly in terms of basic humanity. Science may have alleviated the miseries of disease and drudgery and provided an array of gadgetry for our entertainment and convenience, but it has left us in a World without wonder. Our sunsets have been reduced to wavelengths and frequencies. The complexities of the universe have been shredded into mathematical equations. Even our self-worth as human beings has been destroyed. Science proclaims the Planet Earth and its inhabitants as a mere speck in a grander scheme.

Even the technology that promises to unite us, divides us. Each one of us is electronically connected globally, and yet more people than ever feel utterly alone. We are bombarded with violence, division, fracture, exclusion, and betrayal. Scepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that most humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in history? Does science hold anything sacred? Science looks for answers – now in probing the unborn foetus and re-arranging our own DNA. It shatters the World into smaller and smaller pieces in the quest of knowledge and meaning … and invariably all it finds is more questions.

The ancient war between science and religion could be considered as over, as science has claimed to provide the answers to most great mysteries. But has it provided answers or merely radically reorienting our society that the truths we once saw as signposts, now seem inapplicable? Religions cannot keep up. Scientific growth is exponential. It feeds on itself like a virus. Every new breakthrough opens doors for more new breakthroughs driven by the commercial pressure on scientists to publish or suffocate. Mankind took thousands of years to progress from the wheel to the car. Yet only decades from the car into space. The Astra-Zeneca vaccine took 26 days where normal vaccine expectations can be 10 years. Now we measure scientific progress in weeks. Are we spinning out of control? The rifts between religion and science grow deeper and deeper, and as religion is left behind, people find themselves in a spiritual void. People cry out for meaning. We see UFO’s, engage in channelling, spirit contact, out-of-body experiences, drug induced experiences, mind-quests – all these eccentric ideas have a scientific veneer, but are they rational, or a desperate cry of the modern soul, lonely and tormented, crippled by its own enlightenment and its inability to accept meaning in anything removed from technology?

Has the unrelenting pace of scientific progress saved us, or provided more problems than solutions for humanity? Technology has provided social media, the plague of breeding malicious information which promotes insecurity, inadequacy, and fear into people. It further encourages the likes of Snowflakes and Wokes who spread their divisive ideologies which further divide society.

Since the days of Galileo, the church has tried to slow this relentless march of science, sometimes with misguided fervour, but always claimed as benevolent intent. But the temptations are too great for man to resist.

 
Look around yourselves – have the promises of science materialised? Promises of efficiency and simplicity have bred pollution, more confusion and chaos. We are a fractured and frantic species …. moving ever towards dislocation, displacement, disenfranchisement, exclusion – the effects of which now creates a society of fear and terror. Progress is important, but not at any cost.

What is this god called science which offers people power, but no moral framework to tell them how to use such power? What kind of god provides powerful technologies but does not provide the moral fortitude not to use such power for destructive purposes? What is this god that uses profit as a value judgement on whether the majority of poor, and oppressed live or die? The language of science comes with no signposts about good or bad. Have you ever read a scientific textbook that not only explains how to create a nuclear reaction, but also expressly defines the destructive dangers of such nuclear reactions and the moral implications?

So where is the voice of balance as science ploughs blindly on in the quest for smaller chips and greater profits? The people should expect this new god to govern themselves, but how can they? Their world moves so fast that if anyone stops even for an instant to consider the moral implications of their actions someone will whip past them in a blur. So on it moves proliferating weapons of ever increasing destructive powers to counter its own impact on humanity. People are encouraged to interact on phones, video screens, and computers, but who reminds them of the special benefits of communicating face to face? This god sees no profit in encouraging the most natural and beneficial communication between people, so is not encouraged.

The people who oppose such a new god are considered ignorant, living in the past. But who is more ignorant – the man who cannot define lightning, or the man who does not respect its awesome powers? The natural events such as recent tsunamis show us that there are far more powerful natural forces that we can ever defeat. We strive, at all costs, to be more powerful than such natural forces, which not only is a fool’s errand, but leaves in its wake a humanity ever more removed from any form of moral or spiritual conscience and thus become so spiritually bankrupt that we would rather believe in mathematical impossibility than in a power greater than us. At this juncture we must ask “Who are we?”

Whether or not we believe in a religious God we were given the intellect to know that when we, as a species, abandon our trust in a power greater than us, we abandon our sense of accountability. Faith … all faiths …. are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable … With faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. All religions are flawed, control – order systems because mankind is flawed. However, looking beyond the ritual of these churches, they are mostly a brotherhood of imperfect souls spreading the word of compassion in a world spinning out of control. Does the world really need a voice for the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the displaced? Recent events such as Live Aid, Live8 etc have shown that there is a growing voice outside of the traditional religions – spanning all religions – imploring every one of us to read the signposts of morality and not let the pursuit of science and profit be to the detriment of our humanitarian responsibilities.

Today we are perched on a precipice. We now know the result of our urge for more profit and power at all costs. None of us can afford to be apathetic. None can say it is someone else’s problem. We, as a species, should have learnt by now that the basic instincts of compassion, morality, and accountability to each other are the real values that set us apart. We must all now re-ignite these values and strive to re-establish them as the cornerstone of humanity. We need to convince the followers of the science god that science is only valuable when it respects humanity and the values that make it great. We must also convince the purveyors of destruction that reside on the fringes of humanity, whoever and wherever they are, despot power zealots, or fundamental idealists, that their cause is lost, and they should rejoin humanity.

People & Nationality

The World today is a very small place. It is possible to get anywhere in the World in no more than one day. One hundred years ago this would be inconceivable. In some countries your nearest neighbour could be a day’s walk away. However, they were generally neighbourly, and a sense of community prevailed over many problems. Today neighbours as near as an adjoining house, or next-door apartment, are likely to be total strangers.

Technology has moved us closer together physically, but further apart spiritually.

We live in countries enclosed by boundaries both physical, and arbitrary. What are these boundaries that separate people? Who created them, and for what purpose? Why have they been continually redefined throughout history? Indeed, there are still such boundaries imposed by the outside world that are not understood by the indigenous people within those boundaries. There are still tribal structures that do not recognise, or even know about arbitrary boundaries imposed upon them. Even in the Middle East, much of which was carved up after the Second World War, some say arbitrarily, with a wide-tipped pencil – the thickness of the lines represent many miles of land! This has both created boundary issues such as Iraq and Kuwait, and even today means nothing to the roaming Bedouin tribes.

Within these boundaries we have the concept of nationality. What is nationality – probably a derivative of tribal structures. However, over the centuries people mobility has been far more fluid than boundaries. Such mobility could be voluntary, need for food, or imposed. Today, DNA can easily demonstrate that man has continually moved and interwoven throughout history, thus very few people in the World would be revealed as thoroughbred and indigenous to where they are today. So what makes us classify humanity into artificial structures of nationality when we will probably find that our forefathers migrated from faraway places? Used as a tool to create fellowship in healthy competition follows the tribal traditions of mankind but in peaceful harmony, not war.

Impact of the Covid Pandemic

I now reflect on what the behavioural phycologists advising the so-called medical “experts” (I consider the word “expert” the most degraded word in the English language this century) and Governments regarding the impacts of lockdown and work from home have learnt about their gross impact on society and humanity. I am reminded of two proverbs.

“Idle minds are the devil’s workshop”

“The devil makes work for idle hands?”

Covid lockdowns and work from home created many idle minds and hands some of whom chose to occupy themselves to use anarchy as a right to protest about statues, slavery, gender, etc wanting to rewrite history, and redefine society.

We should heed the thoughts of Voltaire – ‘those who can convince you of absurdities can convince you to commit atrocities’.

Hypothesis

The peoples of the world have either created division or had it imposed upon them by self-serving, morally corrupt autocrats degrading any reasonable concept of basic humanity in the name of progress and power. We have become numbed by science and divisive ideologies losing our moral compass. Discuss.

PERFECTION? – In the corporate World

Perfection – I was recently asked to use my corporate executive experience to comment on the pursuit of perfection in the corporate world from both a corporate and individual perspective.

I can’t remember throughout my long career ever hearing this word in relation to corporate goals or achievement whether individual or corporate. What is perfection in the corporate world and how would you measure it?

A definition of perfection is the action or process of improving something until faultless. And then they give an example: ‘as among the key tasks was the perfection of new mechanisms of economic management’. Isn’t this an oxymoron?

Sun Tzu describes the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without conflict taking all intact. Translating this into the corporate environment suggests you, as a corporate, are so good at what you do your lead in the market is so great that any attempt by a competitor to challenge your superiority could be futile and probably expensive. Great business leaders avoid expensive hostility; they achieve results by consent or superior tactics. He also suggests that attacking strength is not a good strategy. Nothing here suggests perfection as upon reflection in hindsight elements of strategy and tactical execution can always be improved.

Throughout my career the pursuit of excellence and superiority has been my goal. If these targets are considered a synonym of perfection, so be it, but in my eyes, they are not the same as perfection. Furthermore, individual stars are only as valuable as their backup. A superior goal is to coach all people to be a greater force as a whole, than the sum of their individual contributions.

I am not aware of any successful corporate that seeks perfection, they seek relative excellence and superiority.

As for individual people I struggle to define a corporate that measures performance in terms of the perfection of any individual, not even the CEO. Perfection requires boundless time and effort, a luxury in the corporate world where timing is everything. Thus, the success of a tactical move is not defined by its perfection, only its quality and timing.

In conclusion business is conducted between people. All people are analogue and imperfect. Anyone seeking perfection is probably delusional, and possibly scary.

The Demise of Civilisation

It snowed last night so I made a snowman with my children.

A feminist passed by and asked me why I didn’t make a snowwoman. So, I added a snowwoman.

My feminist neighbour complained about the snowwoman’s voluptuous chest saying it objectified women.

The gay couple living nearby threw a hissy fit and moaned it should have been two snowmen instead.

A transgender man..women…person asked why I didn’t just make one snow person with detachable parts.

The vegans at the end of the lane complained about the carrot nose, as veggies are food and not for decorating snow figures.

I was called a racist because my snow couple are white.

A middle-eastern gent across the road demanded the snowwoman be covered up in the name of modesty.

The Police arrived saying someone had taken offence.

My feminist neighbour complained again that the broomstick of the snowwoman needed to be removed because it depicted women in a domestic role.

The council equality officer arrived and threatened me with eviction.

A TV news crew showed up. I was asked if I know the difference between snowmen and snowwomen? I replied “Snowballs” and am now called a sexist.

To sensationalise their story, I was on the News as a suspected terrorist, racist, homophobe sensibility offender, bent on stirring up trouble during difficult weather.

I was asked if I have any accomplices. My children were taken into care by social services.

Far left protesters, offended by everything, marched down the street demanding I be arrested.

Moral:

There is no moral to this story. It is what we have become, all because of Snowflakes.

Is Gutter Politics Really the Way of the EU

Since 1st January this year we have witnessed an implosion within the EU demonstrating its true character mainly due to the inept handling of the Coronavirus vaccine crisis by Ursula Von de Leyen, the EU Commission President, exacerbated by their determination to cause many problems for the UK as punishment for BREXIT.  In their arrogance they now find the realisation of their refusal to consider reform proposals by the UK in 2016. Now others see the creeping expropriation plans of the EU Commission as the German Supreme Court bans any further integration of Germany into the grand federal superstate program covertly facilitated within the Lisbon Treaty. I still hold the view that the arrogant nature of this plan will cause the EU to implode in the coming 12-months, especially as debt mounts with no credible means of repayment. If its true that the European Central Bank is looking for consumer and commercial deposits to prop its Balance Sheet the end is nigh.

The startling reality of the behaviour of the EU is the collateral damage inflicted on many millions, if not billions of people throughout the world in need of protection against coronavirus – since when has the EU ever shown any thought towards others. I speak of the gutter tactics to discredit the AstraZeneca vaccine because AstraZeneca did not succumb to the jackboot demands of the EU for supplies which, contractually they were not entitled to. And trying to block the export of vaccine made within the EU but destined for other countries will most certainly send shivers down the spine of external investors considering investment within the EU.

From the beginning of the disastrous EU vaccine strategy Brussels has deployed the most gross of gutter politics to cover themselves with the citizens of the EU who are now paying the price of inept decisions with their health, liberty, and even their lives. We recall the inept Ursula Von de Leyen lashing out at AstraZeneca for breach of contract where the contract clearly states best endeavours. Taking that contract to the High Court would have been a tremendous embarrassment for the powers in Brussels. And of course, the biggest embarrassment for the EU is the vaccine is the result of British research.

Initially we saw Germany attempt to offset the anger of its citizens by declaring the AstraZeneca vaccine unsuitable for the over 65s rather than admit failure to secure supplies. Now they have reversed this political sidestep to find they have seriously impacted public confidence of their people who now show a reluctance to have this vaccine. Supplies are still not remotely enough to service the EU so another gutter tactic to ostracize AstraZeneca for not complying with the demands of those who must be obeyed in Brussels has been launched throughout the EU in the form of the unfounded, and medically unproven scare that AstraZeneca can cause blood clots. The number of so-called cases is well below the normal incidence without a vaccine. This tactic has universally been denounced by scientists and medical professionals including the European Medical Council – the primary body within the EU.

Has anyone in Brussels considered the impact analysis of this tactic on its own citizens, and the collateral damage throughout the world, especially third-world countries in desperate need of a vaccine? This vaccine is by far the cheapest and easiest to transport thus the best choice for the developing world. But how will the vaccination rollout in these countries be affected by the gutter tactics of the EU? How many additional lives will be lost through lack of public confidence caused by inept EU politicians using such gutter political tactics?

OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR WHEN THE ENEMY DESTROYS ITSELF. But, as history has shown, inept European wars have devastating fallout consequences.

For those with some medical knowledge I have a significant D-dimer reading of 650 ng/L (normal 0 – 285) and a heart condition needing surgery making me very susceptible to blood clots. I had my first AstraZeneca jab 4 weeks ago with no ill-affects whatsoever.

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Populist Politics + Liberal Democracy + Social Media = Anarchy

Following on from my recent blog Is Populist Democracy an erosion of Democratic Values much of what is anticipated played out in Washington last week. Having lived in the USA I have always found it difficult to accept the USA as a true democracy. The land of the free is a corruption of the concept of democracy especially when anyone has the right to bear arms on the street. I remember being embroiled in a shootout between police and bad guys in a shopping mall in downtown Buffalo with bullets flying around with neither side being proficient shots nor having any regard for potential collateral damage.

It is claimed that Donald Trump fanned the flames that caused a mob dedicated to Trump to storm Congress. Much for the World to understand about the state of mind of the USA not least the behaviour of the security services and police who essentially refused to confront this mob. Quite rightly much has been made about the contrast between the security deployed during the recent Black Lives Matter march on the White House and that deployed last week against a majority white mob.

And now Nancy Polosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, wants to apply her usual emotional and illogical reason to fan these flames further by screaming for impeachment of Donald Trump. No matter what her personal feelings towards Donald Trump if she is to respect democracy, she must respect the outcome of the Presidential Elections and understand that some 47% of the USA electorate voted for Trump, the second largest number of votes in US election history. This 47% have it in their heads, much through social media, that their man was cheated out of office. Their actions caused Trump to completely back off and is not totally neutered in disgrace. Why does Polosi not understand that the pragmatic approach is to allow these flames to ebb by quietly securing support from the Senate to distance themselves from Trump thus further neutralising him. There are but 10 days left before inauguration of Biden. There is no possibility of securing impeachment in this window, and I’m sure that Biden has more pressing issues on his desk. She must think about uniting the people behind Biden, especially now he can look forward to control of both Houses.

Wake up Nancy. Your personal outrage towards Trump should not be played out in your political role. If I were Biden she would most certainly lose her office. Furthermore, social media have now seen for themselves the impact of putting ‘freedom’ into the hands of the mob. I think it was Voltaire who said ‘Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. It is now time to instil responsibility into the social media platforms.

BREXIT: London Evening Standard or should it be Londoner Abend Standard

I had the need to visit London yesterday on medical grounds, collecting a copy of the London Evening Standard to read on my way home. Important editorial warning of the ever-increasing likelihood of London rising to tier 3 because of the rapid increase in Covid-19 infections is consigned to the bottom corner with the blazing headlines and main editorial focused on the doom and gloom of a no BREXIT deal. Whilst I appreciate that, overall, the vote in London to remain in the EU was marginally more than 50%, and the former schoolboy Chancellor now editor George Osborne is heart on sleeve Remainer, what happened to balanced reporting? And, of course, the doom and gloom can only be described as originating from the stable of Lord Haw-Haw.

But who are these people in London who cannot accept that we have already left the EU and now want to ensure that UK sovereignty is not compromised by any future arrangements with the EU? I know that some have vested self-interests which can only be described as selfish and certainly not in the long-term best interests of the UK. Remember the Corn Law wars. Others probably have property within the EU and selfishly do not want any added burden to their usage thereof. But surely there has been enough press on these negotiations to understand that the EU is fearful of the future enterprise of the UK embarrassing the EU and thus want to have the capability to rein in and stifle such economic prosperity as there is no doubt that the UK will certainly lead the EU in technology and innovation. You only need to see how many very bright young people have already departed the EU to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia to know where they think their future lies.

Let us blow one myth currently touted by Remainer – the people of this country did NOT vote to leave the EU with a Trade Deal, they voted to rid themselves of the shackles of the EU. The current so-called Trade Deal is a blatant attempt by the EU to replace some of the shackles to UK prosperity and well-being all in the name of maintaining the integrity of the Single Market, the most protectionist market in the World. A no-deal BREXIT is by far a better scenario than one which continues to shackle the UK to the delusions of grandeur of the EU elite. Let me make my argument.

The EU, as a trading bloc, is possibly, but not certainly the largest trading partner of the UK as some UK business recorded by the EU is only in transit through the EU to non-EU destinations. These transactions will certainly continue regardless of the outcome of trade discussions. The UK’s largest single trading partner is the USA, and the UK is the third largest export market of Germany. Yesterday a German Minister was reported to state that a no-deal BREXIT will cost some 700,000 jobs in Germany, a serious economic impact.

The current net trade imbalance between the UK and the EU is EUR1 billion per WEEK in favour of the EU. Thus, the UK is an important trading partner for the EU.

The UK imports some EUR37 billion of perishables from France per year. What will happen to this produce if France throws its toys out of the pram and blocks this business, or prices it out of the market with tariffs? The French Government finally alerted producers in France last week that the UK has already sourced some 50% of this produce outside of the EU at cheaper sourcing prices, and the EU is not currently able to absorb this reduction in trade. These are perishable good with a finite usefulness so cannot be stored or held up by unwieldly red tape at ports. We are talking of EUR 700 million per week which is much transport logistics, and many thousands of people’s livelihoods. If these products are not freely and swiftly delivered, I predict the producers and supply chain will be on the streets in French cities, and some will burn.

Another French childish idiosyncrasy is the announcement that UK citizens will only be allowed to visit France for up to 90-days in any 180-day period. Considering that President Macron was a former banker does he not understand that people who choose to have extended visits to France spend money there which probably supports the economies of towns and villages they frequent?

Another announcement that also is absurd. The EU have announced that transport from the UK can only be single destination within the EU, the same with pick-up. Economically and environmentally ridiculous. Have the Londoner Remainers not noticed how may distribution hubs have been built in the UK this past year? The UK can play this silly game by restricting foreign lorries to one of these hubs from where goods will be distributed throughout the UK by local transport thus providing jobs here.

Another myth is there will be significantly more paperwork involved in a no-deal structure. Do the people of London think that UK firms only deal with the EU? Do the people of London think that UK trade with the EU will continue with existing paperwork in the event of an EU trade deal? Trading paperwork will comply with International Standards thus for exporters not wholly exporting to the EU little will change. In any event they will find that astute corporates have already reduced their exposure to the EU.

I heard a cynical so-called expert from the fishing industry (where does the media find these ‘experts’) say there is little or no benefit of UK fishermen resuming control of UK waters because most of the catch goes to the EU who will block trade. I remember when the fishing industry in the UK was decimated by the UK submission to the Common Fisheries Policy. It will take time to rebuild UK fishing fleets. An opportunity exists for existing UK fishing fleets. The shop and restaurants of the EU will still need fish. Where else can they get them? If the EU wants to impose tariffs the cost will be borne by the EU buyers, not the margins of the fishermen.

Another, no doubt, tale to spook is BMW intend to transfer production of the mini to Germany. Good luck with that one. They should learn by the woes of Jaguar Landrover who, a few years back, announced they wanted to build Jaguar cars in the USA, that is until they were told in no uncertain terms by the Jaguar Owners Club in the USA that their members would only buy cars built in the UK. Although Jaguar Landrover may have heeded that warning they decided to build the Landrover Discovery Sports in Croatia only to find that they cannot sell them in the UK. Production is now being transferred back to the UK. No knowledgeable car manufacturer will move production from the UK if they want to sell their vehicles. The Mercedes F1 racing team is not only championed by a British driver; the car is designed and built in Northampton, UK. Only the Mercedes badge is possibly produced in Germany.

The biggest laugh for me is the EU demand to have some regulatory control over the activities of the City of London, the financial capital of the World. I was part of the Passport negotiation with Jacques Delours and Prof Tickle with M. Barnier as a bit player. They came with demands from Germany to levy withholding taxes on trades with German citizens and any trade in German Bund. Delusional. They were told that they comply with International trading rules or go away. They now say the financial community in the City will only have restricted access to the EU. They forget that the Euro is and will remain cleared through London – embarrassing for such an important (in their mind) institution. The EU has no financial capacity to absorb the EU based derivatives so will continue in London. If any member State, or EU corporate wants to raise capital it must come to London. This will not change. So much for the mighty EU.

If I were strategically managing negotiations with the EU, in the event they are not willing to remove all the cynical Sovereign handcuffs from the deal I would concede to a no-deal scenario and prepare for WTO rules. I predict, by first quarter-end 2021 the EU will be back looking for a deal. The UK will have a bumpy transition but would under either scenario, and it’s clear that the Stock Market investors are not concerned either way. Investors are the people who put their money where their mouth is so others should listen. It should also be remembered that losing the UK will have far reaching negative impacts on the EU from which they might not recover. The German economy is built on a similar incestuous model as was seem in Japan in the 1970/80’s until it imploded. The UK does not want to be anywhere close to the EU when this happens. I shall also watch with interest as Putin imposes and interferes with the much-weakened EU, especially because the insane energy policy of Germany leaves them totally exposed to Russia. Without the influence of the UK, I think Putin will become emboldened in his dealings with the EU.

In summary I would suggest that Londoners still sleepwalking wake up to the reality that we have already left the EU. Whether or not we have a trade deal with the EU is of small consequence against our long-term freedom and prosperity. I would suggest when Londoners are free to travel the globe again, they stop someone in the street where they are and ask them a simple question – can you show me on a map where the EU and its capital, Brussels, is located? Then when their confused look diminishes ask them where the UK and its capital, London are located. Then remember what it is to be British and think of that quintessential Englishman, Captain Sir Tom and his true blue British view that tomorrow will be a better day.