tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263577133333272085.post4643899075045332911..comments2024-03-29T14:17:56.918+00:00Comments on Boffy's Blog: General Election – What Labour Should Say On Defence and SecurityBoffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263577133333272085.post-64297206050933594772017-06-03T15:50:12.119+01:002017-06-03T15:50:12.119+01:00George,
Britain isn't really densely populate...George,<br /><br />Britain isn't really densely populated. Residential dwellings account for around 1% of the land mass, whereas Golf Courses alone account for more than 2%! Even taking into consideration residential gardens, roads, schools etc. that only rises to around 10%.<br /><br />The real problem and this is also the real reason for high land prices and property prices, is that vast swathes of land are still in the hands of a tiny number of landowners like the Duke of Westminster, Prince of Wales and so on, and because large chunks of land have been economically sterilised as a result of the idiotic policy of the Green Belt.<br /><br />I have no doubt that agricultural production could be increased considerably should the UK seek to do so. After all, the UK produces far more food today than it did 200 years ago, despite the fact that then a large proportion of the population were employed in agriculture, whereas today less than 2% are employed in agriculture. The problem is not the possibility of doing so, but the comparative cost of doing so rather than importing food from stable suppliers in the EU, which is another reason that Brexit is idiotic.<br /><br />A significant investment in solar power, in wind and tidal energy could significantly increase domestic energy supplies, as could the use of fracking for oil and gas. Moreover, a conversion of vehicles to electric power, fuel cells and a programme of energy conservation in homes etc. could reduce energy demand. My son is working on a film at the moment for Manchester's roll out of Mobikes, an idea developed by a Chinese company, but it got me thinking today about the potential for extending that to the battery powered bikes, or even a come back for the C-5, on a similar basis.<br /><br />In fact, given the extent of the UK economy dependent on services, a more important aspect is the provision of world beating broadband and mobile communications, which are sadly lacking. A navy is pretty redundant in those respects, other than as I said a coastal patrol function.<br /><br />I remember that Churchill himself said that its the victors who write the history of wards, which he went on to say he would write the history of that one. The fact was that Britain was effectively defeated after Dunkirk. It was only Hitler's decision not to press home the advantage at that point, in his anticipation of deal via Lord Halifax to form an alliance with Britain against the USSR, that saved Churchill. Again, had the Germans kept up the air war, and destroyed Britain;s airfields and air force, the country and its navy would have been pretty defenceless.<br /><br />So, Britain actually needs effective air defence, which I would suggest comes partly from an air force, but mostly from effective ground to air missile defences, as well as effective cyber and electronic counter-measures. Many air defence batteries in Britain in WWII were staffed by civilian recruits, as well as civilians providing spotters, fire and air wardens and so on. It is an obvious area for a militia style defence to organise.<br /><br />Again, a development of cyber and electronic defences, are something that can be developed on an Open Source basis, in the same way as Linux, Open Office and other such co-operative ventures, that are suitable vehicles for democratic control by civil society. They are practical measures for today, to provide security against cyber warfare threats etc.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263577133333272085.post-80271546489901171472017-06-03T08:54:30.676+01:002017-06-03T08:54:30.676+01:00Given that the UK is a densely-populated island na...Given that the UK is a densely-populated island nation dependent on imported food and raw materials, isn't its navy more important than its army? There's a reason why Winston Churchill said that the U-boat threat was the only thing that truly scared him during World War II.<br /><br />And anyway, what you seem to be advocating isn't really an army (designed to defeat other armies on the battlefield) but more of a gendarmerie (well, a proletarian take one) designed to maintain order within a territory.George Cartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12170378024031141482noreply@blogger.com