Better dead than red

Better dead than red ...

... justified our wars from 1947 to 1975 in SE Asia. More coups in S America to put in right-wing tyrants who love killing non-violent opponents like me!

 

Our lack of magnanimity after Moscow ended the Cold War, led to us showing no empathy for the feelings of Russian nationalists as we put the boot in and welcomed the former USSR satellite states into the American led Western camp.

 

The enormous, formal military alliance of NATO has now shown up even more how Russia lost almost everything and everyone to the USA and Europe. No wonder Putin has turned away from America and tried to balance things up with the BRIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China. He's building a kind of 'empire', only to counterbalance our All Dominating and Powerful American led Western Empire. 

 

NATO should have gone when the Warsaw Pact disbanded, I believe. There would still have been an informal, unofficial coalition of like-minded Western, liberal democracies in very nearly all of Europe. And it would have been far less provocative to proud Russians like Putin. 

 

Next, our greedy grabbing of Ukraine in the 'Revolution of Dignity' has been catastrophic for Ukraine and Russia. Western loving Ukrainian hotheads were to blame wanting to be part of the American/Western Empire. They revolted when they should have waited for the next General Election to  be rid of Yanukovych.

 

Our Empire could not resist egging them on. Encouraging them to come over to our side. Now 11 years of war and another decade to come I expect. The folly and idiocy of we humans!

 

We've already had 1,000 years of intermittent war between Russia and Ukraine. Read Sixsmith. Violent humans are an absolute menace, whether they be the Greatest Briton who has ever lived (Churchill) or Netanyahu/Putin. We're all the same from generation to generation.

 

Folly and idiocy apply to me!

Dear Tony

… “folly and idiocy” are exactly the words ...

... that apply to me with my antics in the big hills over a lifetime of hill walking.  I've been very lucky to survive three very narrow squeaks where I could have been killed.  One with Becky and Tim on my last day of completing the Munros and Munro Tops of 517 summits in 2008.

Now, nine years of … “folly and idiocy” are exactly the words ... that come to mind over the millions of pounds in price and weight of GHG emissions from creating two more Big Establishment bodies of the WMCA and Midlands Connect in 2016.  I was told by the two members of my MP's office in 2015 (or 14) that the new Mayor, once elected, "would do something" about the “folly and idiocy” of spending hundreds of millions into converting/duplicating our bus and railway network into tramways!   What a hope!  Nothing changes for the better!

Growth Plan Grows Greenhouse Gases!

 The recently published WMCA 'Growth Plan'

What, exactly, was delivered from your last Growth Plan?
What was so wrong about the last Growth Plan for it having to be ditched?
How many Growth Plans have there been since 2016 when the CA was established?
What weight and growth of GHG emissions has the CA seen since 2016?
When will the new, next Growth Plan be written?
Who reads it from cover to cover?
Is it for reference, only, perhaps?
Is it a marketing document to show off the West Midlands at its best?
Do councillors and officers follow it, like the Bible, that tells them what they have to do?
Who buys it?
How many copies are printed?
What was achieved in the previous Growth Plan?
Can we see the results?

A scintillating Zach and Zara/Corbyn partnership!

I'm an ancient, old fashioned green from the 1970s and a member of the E&W GP from the 80s standing in local council elections and the two General Elections in the 90s - '92 and '97.  I resigned in the 00s because I don't think the GP is radical enough or deep green.  Zack sounds a lot better.

The Scottish GP, along with the SNP, has pushed through the Edinburgh Tram project and, now a third line is being worked on.  We all love trams but they are the second most expensive to construct, after HS2, both in price and in weight of GHG emissions.  For me, this should mean the Green Party and greens wanting the vast expense spent on more worthwhile projects like

 Bus and businesses at the centre of a virtuous circle

The West Midlands GP also wants trams because they are public transport.  The Campaign for Better Transport has a national campaign for tramways to be built in towns and cities.  FoE also wants trams here, there and everywhere, it seems from their total lack of support for the more responsible expenditure of NOT destroying our two mainline railways turned into tramways but, instead, using them as railways.  Now, too late but, at least the third mainline was saved but, still not in use for commuter trains - waiting for three stations to be rebuilt.  The priority for money is always trams on the other two mainline railways!

So I do despair of my old party that has well and truly lost its way.  I can only hope for a scintillating Zach and Zara/Corbyn partnership!  And you, Anne doing the same in Scotland - please!

PRIORITIES ARE WRONG

Guilt by association. Our top people are all very bad. Much more because of massacres in SE Asia, the Middle East since 1945. Now, withdrawal of US Aid causing even more suffering. The countries responsible must all take their fair share of asylum seekers fleeing from the horrors WE are all responsible for. 

4 STOKE MPs hanker after a Mayor

Midlands Connect Summit at Stoke, 12 September 2025

"As a Sub-national Transport Body, Midlands Connect", is to make "the Midlands region fairer, greener and stronger for everyone who lives here."

My attendance brings this:

FOUR STOKE MPs hanker after a Mayor.

In a conversation with me, Gareth Snell would not dream of questioning the projects that Mayor Richard Parker has secured for the West Midlands Combined Authority and Midlands Connect organisation.  In effect,

• "Good luck to what they get, I cannot criticise the billions coming their way and virtually nothing for us."
• 'It is of no concern of mine to be bothered about the billions in weight of deadly greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted'. (what Gareth was thinking!)
• CLIMATE EMERGENCY was never mentioned.
• Tens of billions secured for the highly prestigious HS2 for the West Midlands and not Staffordshire.
• This largesse is widely ridiculed as being nowhere near being completed after 16 years and will not be for another 10 years, just to Birmingham.
• The HS1 line never increased capacity.  Nor will High Scam 2 when it has no stations, so you have to keep the existing intercity service!!
• It ends at Handsacre, an insignificant village in Staffordshire.
• But even the much-looked-up-to WMCA failed to get its 200 Kms and 10-line tramway network by the year 2000.
• By that date, it had a paltry 20 Kms with 18 Kms on the first mainline railway.  This, to replace commuter trains for many times more per Km!
• It has a trifling 23 Kms, 
• Now, £15 billion to 2040 for 150 miles of tramway, 8 lines and 380 tram stops.
• Failed to complete its motorway box on its western side.
• Has such horrendous motorway congestion that drivers use it at night to escape long hold-ups.

The WMCA and Midlands Connect have destroyed the UK's only railway "of national strategic significance" that could have taken vehicles off the M5/M6.  Work is ongoing to turn it into a dog walkers' paradise of a cycle-walkway.  In other parts, our cllrs/MPs and transport experts have put buildings, a test track and, shortly, 6.7 Kms of trams (simply a “bus on rails”) on two sections.

120 Kms between Worcester and Derby.  One of only two north-south railways between Brum and the Irish Sea now drowned, dead from political and transport expert idiocy, breathtaking incompetence and stunning indifference.

PHOTO of the principal, mainline railway for dog walkers/cyclists!!

• There are Staffordshire railway lines wasted and overgrown in the Stoke area.
• But brilliant for Nature and bees - and Climate compliance.
• The Stoke Midlands Connect Summit ended with the four MPs wanting top billing for the A50/A500 upgrade.  It's already dual carriageway!
• Yet more clamour for PRIVATE transport as public transport remains in the doldrums.

The enormous gulf in funding between Stoke and the West Midlands is laid bare, here:

4 rail modes for West Midlands.  NOT FOR STOKE - it has to make do with one.

3 bus modes for the W Mids.  NOT FOR STOKE - just one for them.

But Stoke MPs must not interfere in other MPs’ business - over anything, so they have to keep silent!

We have everything; you have nothing!

Dear Nigel

In your comment, you wonderfully listed a number of places that could and should have improved transport but meant nothing to me.  I would love to have more details, please and I'll look them up on the OS maps.

What, exactly, are you campaigning for?  Would you like me to write to someone in support?

I would love to have your honest, frank thoughts on that pink sheet I gave you - please!

What do you think of my conviction that your public transport provision is threadbare compared to ours in the W Midlands.  We have four rail modes:

High Speed - tens of billions in price and weight of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Heavy Rail - although about 100 Kms of railway lines in the heart of motorway-congested Midlands have been destroyed for roads, building and for:

Light Rail; and,

Very Light Rail in Coventry and the VLR test track at the former Dudley Castle Hill mainline railway station.

And three bus modes - the Sprint bus that thinks it's a tram;

guided busway and,

Regular buses

Do you think that this is OTT as regards railway provision, when the national debt is rising with increased interest payments on them and, rising temperature from rising GHG emissions?

Was it you who told me that you would have cycled to today's transport meeting but you thought a suit was essential?  I always cycle to my local meetings in Brum from Halesowen, a distance of nine miles on over six miles of traffic-free routes - and I'm over 77!

Hydrogen in April 2024 from Kevin Kendal

The fact is that West Midlands is next to bottom of the England Renewable Energy League table, just beating London which is pathetic.  Without more solar and onshore wind, we are not advancing.

We need more renewable electricity. Hydrogen makes that possible by doing the energy storage for local vehicles and buildings, while filling the gaps when wind and sun are down. Forget the Grid which is only 21% of our carbon emission problem, while being way too expensive with minimal storage.

to John N

You wrote, "If indeed the Leadership Team are the persons responsible then perhaps there needs to be a concerted approach to them, both by direct letter and through the media."

Yes, my dear friend, you are so right.  I have been doing this since the 1980s but only you, train driver Dave Parsons and one or two others have been at all interested over the decades.  In the 80s, I led the campaign against the Kidderminster, Blakedown, Hagley (KBH) motorway standard bypass.  Our positive, practical and helpful suggestion then was that the first action they needed to take, after cancelling the road, was to return commuter and regional trains to the part freight only, Stourbridge to Walsall railway line.  After we stopped the KBH (we won!), I learnt that the wasted, unused railway ran from Stourbridge Jct, all of 56 Kms, to Burton on Trent via Lichfield and the UK's National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas - literally alongside the wasted railway but no station and only freight trains!  However, every councillor and officer, for forty years remain insisting - and now achieved - that they must convert a small part of the London to Edinburgh railway via the Black Country

 "of national strategic significance".pdf

into a 7 Kms tramway, 2 Kms VLR test track and the HQ of the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), with the purpose to promote, test and deliver VLR trams throughout the UK.  This, despite the fact there is an excellent facility, already to do that elsewhere.  My fellow campaigner and train driver, Dave Parsons wrote: "all light rail manufacturers ie CAF, Stadler, Siemens have their own testing and innovation management centres.  There's also other places in this country such as Long Marston former MOD depot, which has light rail testing facilities."

We have to influence the decision makers by power of persuasion and by appealing to their consciences.  As simple as that.  But, I know I have been doing all this, on my own, for decades!  No wonder I am such a successful failure, John.

They no longer want to hear from me, so it is over to you - PLEASE!  Every email of mine only, ending in @wmca.org.uk is blocked.  All I can do is resort to printing out my stuff and posting it or delivering it in person!  Even then I'm not sure personal delivery gets passed on because I never get a reply.  There is total silence and apathy from the officers.  But there is hope.  There is your good self, John!

We have to go via the members, the councillors who I can email, still and text.  Even then, there is much apathy and immoral acquiescence in whatever the officers and the Snr Leadership Team want.  And all they want, at the expense of the poor and Climate, is four totally unnecessary and highly expensive rail modes, viz:

Ultra-light Rail

Very Light Rail

Light Rail

High Speed

and a new bus mode, Sprint.

Please join me, John in writing, emailing, phoning, texting to the Top People, the VIPs.  Use the internet or my past email addresses or the WMCA website.  Attending their committee meetings, too, to try and win them over!

By the way, I've been writing and campaigning about green growth for decades and for social justice so that deprived areas don't get tramways for a billion pounds in price and weight of GHG emissions but sensible, practical help with energy and food bills and homes made Climate compliant.

You wrote, "The forthcoming report on growth could be the trigger, even while it is being prepared."  It is already prepared, John.  It is called 'The Growth Plan'.  Yet another one!

to WMCA councillors/members

You are each responsible for what has gone so wrong in YOUR organisation!  Our TDOS committee is as out of control as our great friend and ally, Israel.  TDOS will not act.  Over to you, Andrew!

You should be horrified and be wanting to do something positive, constructive and helpful and to use your power and influence to improve things, as influential members of the WMCA!  Or, are you a talking shop and rubber stamp?  Do you really question, challenge and scrutinise?

Your Overview and Scrutiny is top of the pyramid over all the other committees.  Are you able to examine the growth of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the other committees and even the Board which does not scrutinise, at all?

How big a mention does worsening Climate get in your very fine Growth Plan?

It looks as though you are wriggling out, dear friends, of your responsibilities as private citizens to speak up over what is going so wrong at 16 Summer Lane.  For decades, I have been doing all that you have suggested.  Now your turn TO ACT and to give a fine lead to me!  

Your Overview and Scrutiny Committee needs to take an all round, BIG PICTURE view of the wrong priorities at your HQ.  You are meant to major on lessening the Climate Emergency - NOT worsening it.

QUESTIONS:

What, exactly, was delivered from your last Growth Plan?

What was so wrong about the last Growth Plan for it having to be ditched?

How many Growth Plans have there been since 2016 when the CA was established?

What weight and growth of GHG emissions has the CA seen since 2016?

When will the new, next Growth Plan be written?

Why no Public Forum item on the agenda of a single committee?

Billions in price and in weight of GHG emissions, over my 57 years, wasted/pumped out on bizarre projects, on the most weird and wonderful priorities!

Public Transport in the Doldrums ...

 ... all my adult life since arriving in Brum in 1968, as a student.

We are deepening the Climate Emergency with this kind of behaviour

In 57 years, GROWTH in roads and private transport by the people at 16 Summer Lane, supposedly, devoted to public transport.

Great road schemes were delivered, like the Brum Inner Ring Road of free-flowing traffic and then, after a few years, demolition on two sections to install traffic lights and a longer one-way system of snarled up traffic.  Climate idiocy.

A mighty flyover to soar over Selly Oak was planned in 1968.  Eventually, in the next century, a bypass was built for the A38.  Public transport neglected and ignored.

Meanwhile, public transport has failed to receive the same attention and funding to persuade car commuters to use buses and trains to free up the road network for essential vehicle users, like bus and lorry drivers.  Climate irresponsibility.

Since 1981, millions of pounds in price and weight of GHG emissions have been expended to no good purpose to rebuild the 200 Kms tramway network only just obliterated by our transport experts 20 years earlier.  To date, 44 years on, only 23 Kms have been achieved and 18 Kms of the 23 Kms on a mainline railway between platform 4 at Snow Hill station and Wolverhampton Low Level station - now a conference and events centre.  Transport incompetence.

Meanwhile, over these 57 years I have seen the Longbridge to Four Oaks railway upgraded, Walsall to Rugeley reopened and Smethwick Galton Bridge to Moor Street reopened.  However, still, there remains many railway lines unused or freight only, as roads and motorways become clogged with traffic.  MAP:

 Railfuture's full map.pdf

It is thought that, finally Christmas, this year, this time, an even more important mainline railway 

 "of national strategic significance".pdf

 is due to be turned into a tramway to extend the first, Snow Hill to Wolverhampton mainline.  This Dudley Tram is on the London to Edinburgh, via the Black Country Railway.  It is one of only two north-south railways west of Brum.  Now destroyed.  Climate ecocidal behaviour.

Best wishes

Public Transport in the Doldrums ...

 ... all my adult life since arriving in Brum in 1968, as a student.

We are deepening the Climate Emergency with this kind of behaviour

In 57 years, GROWTH in roads and private transport by the people at 16 Summer Lane, supposedly, devoted to public transport.

Great road schemes delivered, like the Brum Inner Ring Road of free-flowing traffic and then, after a few years, demolition on two sections to install traffic lights and a longer one-way system of snarled up traffic.  Climate idiocy.

A mighty flyover to soar over Selly Oak was planned in 1968.  Eventually, in the next century, a bypass was built for the A38.  Public transport neglected and ignored.

Meanwhile, public transport has failed to receive the same attention and funding to persuade car commuters to use buses and trains to free up the road network for essential vehicle users, like bus and lorry drivers.  Climate irresponsibility.

Since 1981, millions of pounds in price and weight of GHG emissions have been expended to no good purpose to rebuild the 200 Kms tramway network only just obliterated by our transport experts 20 years earlier.  To date, 44 years on, only 23 Kms have been achieved and 18 Kms of the 23 Kms on a mainline railway between platform 4 at Snow Hill station and Wolverhampton Low Level station - now a conference and events centre.  Transport incompetence.

Meanwhile, over these 57 years I have seen the Longbridge to Four Oaks railway upgraded, Walsall to Rugeley reopened and Smethwick Galton Bridge to Moor Street reopened.  However, still, there remains many railway lines unused or freight only, as roads and motorways become clogged with traffic.  MAP:

It is thought that Christmas, this year, this time, an even more important mainline railway ... is due to be turned into a tramway to extend the first, Snow Hill to Wolverhampton mainline.  This Dudley Tram is on the London to Edinburgh, via the Black Country Railway.  It is one of only two north-south railways west of Brum.  Now destroyed.  Climate ecocidal behaviour.

Flags to remember our conquering heroics around the globe

Dear Patrick

Flags in our streets remind me of how we proudly raised the flag after conquering the natives in our newly vanquished territories around the world for about 400 years.

Flags remind me of how we dominated, controlled and governed the people of other lands without their consent - and for centuries, too using coercion, force and, when they rebelled, violence.

Flags remind me of how the brave, colonised men of our biggest empire in the history of humanity, fought our wars to defend our conquered and colonial lands in the catastrophic and disastrous 1914-18 war that led to a century of Western wars around the globe.

The people we colonised also gladly bailed us out to rebuild our nation after the 1939-45 war.  For far too many, all the thanks they got was the despicable Windrush Scandal that is still not resolved.  Compensation is taking very many years to get paid.  Disgraceful England.

The unfortunate Black Country flag is so resonant of our ignorance over history.  It shows the chains that we used to manacle the slaves we stole and abused, and their property we looted, to make Britain's wealth then and, to this day.

The flags in our streets remind me of the flags in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.  They were used to underline division and hatred for the Other.  To get their own back on the hated other side.  For revenge.

The flags in our streets are to remind foreigners that England is for the English.  I would not dream of flying the Union Jack except, of course, at the Olympics where it is appropriate.

I think it is poetic justice that when, for centuries we went all over the globe to claim for ourselves the peoples we 'discovered' and to claim their resources, they are now landing on our shores.  And, in many times greater numbers (net figures) at our invitation than the desperate 40,000 arriving in small boats.

Tim Weller

Public land at Lapal Lane South/Manor Way bypass ...

... must be used by the Woodland Trust as a small woodland to sequester carbon dioxide as a tiny step to slow the accelerating Climate Emergency.

I will pay the Woodland Trust for at least part of the work to be done.

The Bible is NOT to give ...

 ... Israel the deeds to the land of Judea and Samaria, the Occupied West Bank.  Bible believing Christians must support the International Court of Justice advisory opinion last year that Israel's continued presence there was unlawful.

Annexation would undermine the spirit of the Abraham Accords which normalised relations between Arab countries, the UAE said and be the death knell of the two-state solution.  It might also end the AA agreement if annexation was not cancelled.

UN Chief, Antonio Gutteres, described the situation as a “failure of humanity itself” and said: “As the occupying power, Israel has unequivocal obligations under international law – including the duty of ensuring food and medical supplies of the population.”

https://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/25438350.lush-closes-merry-hill-store-day-solidarity-gaza/?ref=ebln&nid=1036&block=article_block_a&u=8737c9cfe839c7e7bae9d85055c55ab6&date=040925

All motherhood and apple pie

All the officers have to stay loyal to the received wisdom of the mighty edifice, viz:

• GROWTH or greed meaning rising living standards at the expense of life support systems.
• Ever more demolition and construction
• More homes unfit for a warming world
• Net zero which simply means we somehow have to have more Nature to sequester the global warming gases that get spewed out as we go hell for leather for economic growth/greed and population growth.
• But Nature is used to give us our homes, roads, multi-modal transport as we concrete, brick and tarmac over Nature - to our detriment.
• Growth/greed comes from demolition and building and, as we change from buses and trains back to trams, advance to Sprint (the bus that thinks it's a tram), build guided busways, Ultra Light Rail, Very Light Rail and High Speed Rail extensions.
• All this while Heavy Rail lines are unused or are freight only! 

Reader of Haaretz says:

Booboo:

None of the israeli defence countries should be there either. In fact, there should be no weapon shows anywhere, full stop. Humanity has become a vile virus on this planet, only happy when killing everything.

Embrace independent thinkers, critics, experts in their own field

Meanwhile, below, any comment, criticism, corrections - PLEASE?!  Is this the sort of thing Zak Polanski or Corbyn would approve?!

My emphasis is on getting WMCA to be more Climate conscious and Climate active by switching their priorities away from swanky, self-indulgent, wealth-flaunting Metro, VLR and Sprint and High Speed extensions.  Instead, make the homes of the poorest to be Climate compliant.  And, for buses and railway lines to be fully used.  £2.4 billion on transport for unnecessary flash, fancy, frippery multi-modal projects must go to get the homes of the poorest to be highly energy efficient, highly insulated and solar powered.  Send the money back until HMG money is used for the right things.

The WMCA Growth Plan must reflect that but it does not.

Does that make sense to you or am I out of my mind?  My kind of thinking is totally unacceptable to TfWM/WMCA at Tram HQ.  Hence, my emails are not being delivered.  Free speech is silenced.  They don't like what I'm writing, so instead of giving me a well reasoned, proper response or, rebuttal, I get silenced!

Dan, It seems to me that the role of the cllrs is to have their say, to give their opinion and then to agree/rubber-stamp whatever the officers want. Outside on the pavement, I was urging one cllr to be more assertive, outspoken and  critical. There is never any voting, simply a have your say; a pointless exercise. An expensive talking shop.

All my emails to 16 Summer Lane are blocked, Dan. Why, my friend?!

Talking Shop

Dear Dan, Helen and Ed,

It seems to me that the role of the cllrs is to have their say, to give their opinion and then to agree/rubber stamp whatever the officers want. Outside on the pavement, I was urging one cllr to be more assertive, outspoken and critical. There is never any voting but, simply a have your say; a pointless exercise. An expensive talking shop.

You must consult with truly outside, independent experts like Kevin Kendal, Mat Taylor, Keith Whitehead ... me even!

All my emails to 16 Summer Lane are blocked, Dan. Why, my friend?!

This means you will not receive this, nor will anyone else at 16 SummerLane, aka Tram HQ!

Does anyone take the slightest notice of the GROWTH PLAN?

"A refreshed Local Transport Plan and transport capital programme, backed by £2.4 billion set out at the Spending Review, and further progress towards delivering a fully integrated public transport system, are among the three year actions committed in the Growth Plan."

After sixty years of talk of "a fully integrated public transport system", why has it still not been achieved?

Does Growth mean road congestion and GHG emissions will also grow?

Will Metro, Sprint, HS2 extensions be the answer?

Should TfWM/WMCA be ending railway destruction for roads, buildings and tramways?

Or, Western Orbital Motorway built?

Does growth mean growth in temperatures, as is happening?

"The warmest summer on record" this year, said the Met Office today.

Growing the Climate Emergency?  Is this what the Growth Plan is about?  I think the Plan will continue to see business as usual for the worsening Climate.

Can we have a Growth Plan that will address Climate by reversing the deepening Climate Crisis?

Are you in favour of HS2, Kevin?  You wrote, "HS2 was not mentioned."

Do you think that HS2 is essential for growth?

There must have been other glossy, fancy, prestigious Growth Plan documents over the years.  Why another one, now?  Was anything achieved from that earlier plan?

Are these plans simply a bureaucratic exercise to help keep officers in work?

What is the point of the Growth Plan?

I'm in a flap about flags

Provocative flags were the bane of their lives in N Ireland.  Deliberately divisive and underlining differences and hatreds and disharmony.

They make the point that foreigners are not welcome in England.  England is for England and the English, only.

Poetic justice, now, with the shoe on the other foot - after we had gone all over the world to explore and trade.  It ended with us taking over one-third of other nations' lands whether they liked it or not.  Well, we just had to show the poor blacks how to live and conduct their affairs.  Making them put up with our strange ways, religion and culture for their own good.

Poetic justice, now that they want to come here - after we had forced ourselves upon them, taught them English, converted them to Christianity and made them British Empire citizens.

Prose injustice - the natives made to serve our needs and wants as we minimised their wages.  Zero wages and harsh work conditions, of course, when it came to our 300 years of slavery.

After 500 years under our righteous rule, all the thanks we get are years of an unofficial armada of 'small' boats desperate to get to Merry England to try out their English.  Yet, the migrants we welcome each year to do our jobs are about 15 times (net figures) the number of unwelcome, inconvenient illegals crossing our English Moat.