Beyond barking - by Richard...

Beyond barking - by Richard...

This is so utterly mad that you cannot believe that anyone on this side of a secure mental ward could actually offer it as a serious suggestion.

But the biggest farce of all is the EU's blithe assumption that it can suggest policy that will take effect in forty years. At the current rate, the chances of it still being in existence in even four years is pretty remote. And even if it does last that long, I would not take any odds on it lasting ten years.

Between petrol cars and the EU, I would put my money on petrol.

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Unintended consequences - by Richard...

One thing which is crystal clear about the Libyan adventure is that the boy Dave hasn't thought it through. But someone here has - and the unintended consequences may be far more damaging than we can even imagine.

Peter Hitchens really isn't impressed either, and complains that we have in Dave another PM who treats Parliament like a neutered Chihuahua. Actually, parliament does that to itself, so it deserves the contempt it gets.

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Not even an airshow - by Richard... Monday, March 28, 2011

The RAF risks running short of pilots for operations over Libya as cuts to the defence budget threaten to undermine front-line operations, says Thomas Harding of The Daily Telegraph.

Since the conflict began, a squadron of 18 RAF Eurofighter pilots has enforced the Libya no-fly zone from an air base in southern Italy. However, a shortage of qualified fighter pilots means the RAF may not have enough to replace all of them when the squadron has to rotate in a few weeks.

The situation is so serious that the RAF has halted the teaching of trainee Eurofighter pilots so instructors can be drafted on to operations. But it gets worse. The handful of pilots used for air shows will also be withdrawn from displays this summer.

That has to be the ultimate pits ... the RAF can no longer even run an airshow.

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