Mandelson Tells Striking British Workers To Get On Their Bikes

[Waiting Patiently]

The smug, odious, Lord Mandelson shows his contempt for British workers in an echo of Tebbits infamous speech:

You can go and work in Europe, Mandelson tells strikers

Unions furious as ministers take aim at Britain's wildcat protesters

By Jane Merrick and Brian Brady

Sunday, 1 February 2009

Lord Mandelson enraged unions and Labour MPs last night by accusing wildcat strikers of "protectionism" and claiming they could turn the recession into a full-blown depression.

The Business Secretary inflamed the dispute over foreign workers by suggesting that protesters could go and work elsewhere in Europe if they were unhappy.

His support for free movement of workers in the European Union was also at odds with Gordon Brown's 2007 promise to safeguard "British jobs for British workers", a phrase which has been turned against the Prime Minister by protesters.

Independent on Sunday

[Nicolaj]

smug... incitement...or both

[Patfig]

The smug, odious, Lord Mandelson shows his contempt for British workers in an echo of Tebbits infamous speech:

Independent on Sunday

Effing nob jockey

[TheMadJock]

What I like most about all this is that Labour are potentially fuked either way. But it all depends on these guys holding their nerve long enough to generate a chain-reaction.

We then have a scenario where the government threaten the workers with the law as the strikes are illegal. So the boys and girls say 'sod you' and remove their permission for part of their union 'subs' to go the the Labour Party through their Political Funds.

There is potential for Gordon and his arrogant mates to get a real bloody nose here from which they will never recover

[Injin]

Classic shithead tactics - wind them up until they snap and then claim moral superiority when the troops have to be drafted in because they have lost it.

Then all innocence, all smiles.......

[Nicolaj]

I think this whole total fiasco scam..

as been a set up from the off....

[Guest AuntJess]

The smug, odious, Lord Mandelson shows his contempt for British workers in an echo of Tebbits infamous speech:

Independent on Sunday

Careful Mandy! The mask is slipping!

As to going elsewhere: Cheeky B. how dare he tell Brits to leave their country of their birth. Bloomin' marvellous! Talk about topsy-turvy Britain.

They let all and sundry INTO the country - with ne'er e a check on whether they are willing or able to work, or whether they have a criminal record, and refuse to extradict them even when they commit crimes: yet here he is telling "hard-working"( thought I'd use your phrase, Gorgo) Brits to bog off.

He needs a ducking in the village pond then sending on his way - hopefull to Hades!!

[Patfig]

Maybe he has just achieved the ultimate for a ginger and phucked himeself up the @rse. Lets hope so.

[interestrateripoff]

The one problem I've always had with the fact that you can supposedly work anywhere in Europe is that you need to speak that nations language.

I can't simply go to France and work in the same role as I do here because I can't speak or read French. This is one huge problem, I can't even fill in the job application form or even attend a interview, it would end up being a sketch out of a Dom Joly show. Similar I don't speak Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish etc....

Now if you really want free movement of workers there should be a single European language which ever nation speaks as their first language. Obviously that should be English, one it's the language of science, it's the language of the sky's, it's already a mix of several European languages - French, German etc..., it's widely spoken across the globe. I'll now get off my Pub Landlord soapbox.

Effectively the only place I could really go to work is in Ireland and they've got loads of jobs going haven't they.

Now when Mandy went to work in Europe it was easy for him everything got translated, now if we are truly going to have a free movement of labour within the EU everyone should have there very own translator so they can work in other countries.

[Ron Forthehills]

He maybe believes that this is a viable alternative, and for him, as a gay man it seems reasonable to be flexible and travel light.

However, anyone with a family and children is probably deeply rooted in a community, and taking foreign emplyment means either huge displacement, or family separation.

I don't imagine he has given that much thought.

[Patfig]

The one problem I've always had with the fact that you can supposedly work anywhere in Europe is that you need to speak that nations language.

I can't simply go to France and work in the same role as I do here because I can't speak or read French. This is one huge problem, I can't even fill in the job application form or even attend a interview, it would end up being a sketch out of a Dom Joly show. Similar I don't speak Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish etc....

Now if you really want free movement of workers there should be a single European language which ever nation speaks as their first language. Obviously that should be English, one it's the language of science, it's the language of the sky's, it's already a mix of several European languages - French, German etc..., it's widely spoken across the globe. I'll now get off my Pub Landlord soapbox.

Effectively the only place I could really go to work is in Ireland and they've got loads of jobs going haven't they.

Now when Mandy went to work in Europe it was easy for him everything got translated, now if we are truly going to have a free movement of labour within the EU everyone should have there very own translator so they can work in other countries.

Isnt it your right to have everything translated for you and for the nation state to bend over and kiss your @rse as an incomer?

Maybe if you spoke urdu, or were polish, you might fare better.

[Bob Loblaw]

The police response has been interesting. At one point they had 60 mounted police lined up against the hard working, British protesters. It is a stark contrast to the policing at the protest by Muslim protesters two weeks ago where the police were actually running away and having spit and traffic cones aimed at their backs.

[Guest AuntJess]

The police response has been interesting. At one point they had 60 mounted police lined up against the hard working, British protesters. It is a stark contrast to the policing at the protest by Muslim protesters two weeks ago where the police were actually running away and having spit and traffic cones aimed at their backs.

Ah! but there it is, you see. We can't upset the ethnic minorities - t'in't done. Indigenous Brits. are valued less than the dirt beneath their feet.

If you have a religion or foreign cause, or your richer relatives own half of the UK, then we must tread carefully... n'est-pas?

Edited February 1, 2009 by AuntJess

[blankster]

What about all the British workers working for British companies overseas in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Is it time to bring them home?

[Guest AuntJess]

What about all the British workers working for British companies overseas in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Is it time to bring them home?

Gawd knows why they ever went. Money cannot replace a severed head.

[Waiting Patiently]

..........Indigenous Brits. are valued less than the dirt beneath their feet.

I increasingly suspect that the likes of Brown and Mandelson regard the indigenous British, and particularly the English as "the enemy within"

[Guest AuntJess]

He maybe believes that this is a viable alternative, and for him, as a gay man it seems reasonable to be flexible and travel light.

However, anyone with a family and children is probably deeply rooted in a community, and taking foreign emplyment means either huge displacement, or family separation.

I don't imagine he has given that much thought.

I don't reckon he gives ANYthing much thought, unless it has direct bearing on his livelihood.

[blankster]

Britain has an appalling record* in the way it subjugated and exploited other nations at the time of British Empire, now it's payback time.

*Although not as bad as Spain, Portugal, Belgium

Edited February 1, 2009 by blankster

[Waiting Patiently]

What about all the British workers working for British companies overseas in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Is it time to bring them home?

I suppose they'll come home or go wherever the work is when the debt-fuelled illusion that is Dubai evaporates into sand. From what I hear, it's already started.

[zilly]

Where's the surprise?

Never before has a political party successfully melded the worst parts of right-wing ideology with the worst of left-wing ideology.

Well done New Labour.

[Waiting Patiently]

Britain has an appalling record in the way it subjugated and exploited other nations at the time of British Empire, now it's payback time.

In many ways you're right, but, as usual, there's two sides to that argument. It wasn't all bad.

[Bob Loblaw]

What about all the British workers working for British companies overseas in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Is it time to bring them home?

You will generally find these are doing very specific jobs where the local populace is unable to do the work. In the case of the Total refinery these jobs could be done by the British workers available but the sub-contractor was obliged to use its own labour. This is more a case of Labour claiming to support British workers but on the other hand allowing big business to do what they want. Gordon Brown claims one thing (British Jobs for British Workers) but knows full well he is either lying or telling half truths. The truth is he is obliged by EU law to open all vacancies to any member of the EU so his claim was just empty words.

[Cinnamon]

The one problem I've always had with the fact that you can supposedly work anywhere in Europe is that you need to speak that nations language.

I hate to point that out -- but learning another language is not so hard, you can do it in a few weeks at least to a functional standard.

And Mandelson has a point -- fact is that it's been legal to work anywhere in Europe for many years and it is part of being a EU member.

When the treaty was signed, this is when those protests should have taken place, now it's too late, you might as well hold up signs that protest against Viking tourism and their habit of enjoying blood eagles.

British jobs for British people... just that there is no Britain anymore and no Brits, just a bunch of Euro regions run by bureaucrats in Brussels, the UK has already been wiped off the map, the rest is just going to be a formality.

[Injin]

I hate to point that out -- but learning another language is not so hard, you can do it in a few weeks at least to a functional standard.

And Mandelson has a point -- fact is that it's been legal to work anywhere in Europe for many years and it is part of being a EU member.

When the treaty was signed, this is when those protests should have taken place, now it's too late, you might as well hold up signs that protest against Viking tourism and their habit of enjoying blood eagles.

British jobs for British people... just that there is no Britain anymore and no Brits, just a bunch of Euro regions run by bureaucrats in Brussels, the UK has already been wiped off the map, the rest is just going to be a formality.

Isn't this the sort of thing that helped kick off the american civil war?

Can't compete with slaves without ruining your own standard of living so they had to go and free them.......

[Guest AuntJess]

Britain has an appalling record* in the way it subjugated and exploited other nations at the time of British Empire, now it's payback time.

*Although not as bad as Spain, Portugal, Belgium

Taking THAT point of view I guess the Italians owe us too, as the Romans conquered Britain, not to mention the Normans.

It really is the height of lunacy to expect descendants to pay for what their forbears did.

PS what nationality are you?