uk

Countries Forum

hey dont forget us!

Certainly not.

We have a prime minister who has been found out for bugging Kofi Annan, sending the UK into an illegal war, trampling all over international law, sending us into "puppet" status in the name of the US, and attempting to use spin to gloss over all of the above. Well, at least he spent a night on a park bench eh? The really sad thing is that we have no choice. We can either vote in the puppet Blair, or the puppet Howard. Hmm, what a choice. Why don't the British government just admit that we have the same level of choice as Saudi citizens. No Democracy, no justice, just American rule. The only problem is that we do not even have the vote in America, despite being the latest American state.

LONDON — Alistair Cooke, the broadcaster who epitomized highbrow television as host of "Masterpiece Theatre" and whose "Letter from America" was a radio fixture in Britain for 58 years, has died, the British Broadcasting Corp. (search) said Tuesday. He was 95.

Explosives find in UK terror raid
Tuesday, March 30, 2004 Posted: 12:29 PM EST (1729 GMT)


LONDON, England (CNN) -- British anti-terror police say they have seized a large amount of explosive materials and arrested eight men in a series of raids.

Police sources told CNN on Tuesday the suspects seized in the early-morning raids were "linked to possible Islamist terror."

Peter Clarke, head of London's Metropolitan police anti-terror branch, said the arrests were unrelated to Irish republican terrorism or the Madrid train bombs that killed 190 people this month.

But Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes told reporters in Madrid that one of the suspects may have a link. Police are investigating, he said.

In an unusual public statement, Clarke said half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, used in the manufacture of explosives, was recovered in west London.

All the suspects were British citizens aged between 17 and 32, Clarke said, and were arrested "on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism."

The men can be held for up to 14 days without charge under Britain's updated terrorism laws.

Clarke gave a hint as to which direction the case may be headed.

"As we have said on many occasions in the past, we in the police service know that the overwhelming majority of the Muslim community are law abiding and completely reject all forms of violence. We have a responsibility to all communities to investigate suspected terrorist activity," he said.

Seven hundred officers carried out 24 raids under the Terrorism Act 2000 across London and southern England, he said, adding that there was no risk to the public.

Ammonium nitrate is a common agricultural fertilizer, but can be mixed with fuel oil to make a powerful explosive.

It was used in the October 12, 2002 blast in Bali that killed 202 people, mostly Western tourists, and the Oklahoma City bomb in 1995 that killed 168 people. About 2.5 tons of the substance was used in the Oklahoma City bomb.

Clarke said part of the investigation would focus on the "purchase, storage and intended use of that material."

Police displayed a large, white plastic bag with strips of yellow tape similar to the one containing the ammonium nitrate and asked for the public's help in determining where the chemical came from.

UK attack 'inevitable'
London has been on guard against a potential terrorist attack since the March 11 bombing of four commuter trains in Madrid that killed 190 people.

Britain's most senior police officer Sir John Stevens has said officers are investigating a "definitive link" between the Madrid bombers and al Qaeda supporters based in Britain.

He also said an attack on Britain was "inevitable" following Madrid.

Earlier this month police in London launched a new drive to try to thwart potential terrorist attacks in the capital.

Scotland Yard and the City of London police jointly launched a public awareness and poster campaign.

The move came as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw met European counterparts in Brussels to discuss anti-terrorist measures, and security experts from the five largest European nations conferred in Madrid. (Full story)

anyone from scotland? what do you think about scottish independence?

I like Scotland. I love their accent and I love their scenery. I also am a fan of plaid. At school we have this Scot and when the band plays at football games he wears his kilt and nothing else. Once he painted his whole upper body in our school's colors. Plus Billy Boyd is Scottish, so there's no way Scotland can be bad

And if Scotland gained its independence I would be happy.

The majority are ahppy enough with devolution, but maybe one day.

Hey, the three of us all joined in May, and from Aunt Lorna it goes down one year until it reaches lodgebo. Cooool

I certainly do not see Scottish independence as a step in the opposite direction from the EU. An independent Scotland can certainly become a member of the EU in its own right if it wants to.

Well Scotland already has an voice in the EU.

Independenace would be nice but I think we have to be careful and recgonise the major changes that would bring for the whole of the UK not just Scotland. First off we would have no royal family which would be good. Second off in westminster the Prime Minister, chancellor, speaker, and defence minister would have te bo removed as they would be foreigners in a new English prliment. If we wanted to join the EU, UN NATO etc would we be elgible as an independent country?, then there if the economic side would we make enough money from oil, tourism, banking and farming to sustain the economy, and lastly how are we going to pay for a new Scottish army? These questions should be thought about were mostly I speak to be people who want indpendence just because.

Well hello logebo. You live in Scotland? Cool. I'm just new on this forum. Pippin introduced me to it. You have some interesting things to say about Scottish independence. I can't imagine any country trying to get independence "just because" though. There must be good reasons for wanting independence. I also don't see a problem with Scottish ministers in the English Parliament, provided they live in England and are serving English interests. It's just like Arnold S. being governor of California. Nobody has a problem with that. Anyway, the oil revenues already go down south for the most part. If they stayed in Scotland the country would be much better off. An independent Scotland could produce and compete very well on the world market, just as it did in Alexander III of Scotland's time. But my reasons for invisioning an independent Scotland have mostly to do with identity. Scotland has a rich and colourful history and identity all its own, but much of that is lost on the young, who, for the most part, wouldn't know who I was talking about if I mention Alexander III of Scotland. A people have to have a certain amount of pride in being who they are. I find that Scottish people who go to the United States identify more with "being Scottish" than a good number of Scots who live in Scotland who see themselves as British and couldn't care less about what being Scottish is all about.

Wow. I'd like to learn more about Scottish history, seeing as some in my family might have Scottish roots... I didn't realize the turmoil regarding Scottish pride and identity that was going on.

I think one thing that the Scots and the americans share is our national pride and sense of identity.

Lorna you made some very intresting points and I actaully do agree with many of them except the concept of a lot of Scots seeing themselves as more British than Scottish all the people that I know are very proud of there nationality and the majority to not think of themselves as British on any level.

Sorry I got the spelling of your name wrong lodgebo. Yes, you are right that scots for the most part see themselves as scottish and not british. That's been my observation too. But how far can you take a sense of national identity when your nation is not taken seriously as a nation in its own right? I think Scotland has a lot to be proud of but when the people of scotland don't agree with the policy at westminster how is the scottish voice heard? It's voice is lost in its britishness.

Very true Lorna you are right that the Scottish issues that are not devolved seem to ba passed over for what some MP's might call the greater British good. The Poll tax and the disgusting way they treated our regiments are examples that come to mind.
However what i want to know is why do Scottish MPs that are in positions of power and who know how the Scottish people feel about certian issues do nothing, they should be saying something to the house but they clam up, why do people like Jack McConnell say nothing whe he has a direct line to tony Blair. Quite Frankly it is the politicians that sell Scotland down the river. the people want to be taken seriously but our MPs and MSP's seem unwilling to make fuss to help us do it.

I admit I could easily fall in love with Scotland.

I don't know what the politics are like up there but the sceenery is beautiful, the country is extreamly enriched in History and I love the Bagpipes (though thats a steriotype).

I love Portsmouth because it's lifeblood is the Navy and the History that surrounds the city but its sceenery is not a good as it could be because we're overpopulated, but I love Portsmouth anyway.

I often talk about moving away permanately to Scotland (Inverness actually) or Wales but I don't think I will for a long time. I would find it wierd not being over-shadowed by the three large forts on Portsdown hill.

If the Lochness Monster were really real...I would move there. Yeah.

I love the scotish senery ...

A while back there was a big Anthrax threat just after 9/11, turned out to be a hox, someone had sent a white powder to lots of places including No.10