The One That Had A Good Time. . .

Not long in from OH's little stroll. I would have stayed longer, but the Snowolf doesn't understand and needed a walk of her own.

I'll not do a complete re-hash, but I will say that I was surprised with the reception we got from the phalanx of armed forces vets in the Westminster Arms and around Parliament itself, good men and women who seemed genuinely interested in what we were doing, why were doing it and as far as I witnessed, wishing us all the best.

Some people get very snotty about 'The Walk', and I don't understand why. Is there a 'look at me!' aspect about it? Perhaps for some. Did we change anything? Not in the slightest. Did we make the 646 quake in their boots? No way.

When asked by a friend why I was doing this, my response was 'Well, if I don't, who will?' Did it matter if I did it? No.

The same friends also display a certain nervousness, the expectation that I will get into trouble. Well, why would I? There is no law in this country about wearing a mask, or walking down the street, or doing both simultaneously. As disturbed as I am about the way things are going in this country; things haven't got that bad yet. It is not an offence to go out sans ID, unlike some of our fellow EU members. Yet.

Doing what we did today, we were never going to get into any trouble. There isn't any there to be had. I'll let you into a little secret. What we did today was not daring in the slightest. It was not subversive, not radical, not anything.

From my perspective, OH's line about it only being a walk is not some mechanism to get around protest laws in Westminster, it is a clear statement of fact. The way some people react when I tell them about it, you'd think that we were running the risk of being cast into some Cat. A prison somewhere, never to be seen again.

The sad thing is, this says more about the public's perception of what is permissable, than it does about any laws Westminster and Brussels have passed. If they can suggest that doing this is likely to end badly, if they can insinuate that going for a walk and wearing a silly £5 plastic mask is some form of civil disobedience, then the gig is up. They don't need to pass any laws, they don't need to explain to the electorate why they've done it. We've done it for them.

It makes me very sad that people's automatic reaction to the act of wearing fancy dress, walking down one of the busiest streets, in one of the world's busiest cities, carrying nothing but a few quid in your pocket, could somehow result in 'trouble'. As a result, they don't do it.

I don't think they should do it, it's up to them. Most halfway sensible people wouldn't even consider it. But isn't it amazing that this equates to trouble? How conditioned we become to accepting authority over us, and fearful we are of questioning it.

So, that bring us back to the question put to me. Why did I do it?

Because I wanted to.

Because I could.

Because I was able to meet a group of likeminded people. Young and old, male and female. I was able to meet the two young Geordie girls who had spent what must have seemed like the last week on a bus down from Newcastle, just to do this. The residents of France and Switzerland, showing that whilst they may be ex-patria, they still think of home.

The main reason I did this was because it was fun.

Remember folks, the only real barriers in your way are the barriers you put in place yourself.

The One That Thinks He's Having A Laugh. . .

So, the response to the petition is out.

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to resign.” Details of Petition: “There are many reasons why we might want Brown to resign, but rather than having lots of narrow petitions on this topic (most of which have been rejected), I wanted one for all of us.”

That's the petition wording.

Here's the response:

The Prime Minister is completely focussed on restoring the economy, getting people back to work and improving standards in public services. As the Prime Minister has consistently said, he is determined to build a stronger, fairer, better Britain for all.

But we're broke because you've pissed all our money up the wall, Gordon.

There are no jobs Gordon, not real ones, there's no manufacturing. The EU has seen to that. Private business is mired in a morass of paperwork, red-tape and punitive taxes because you lot can't stand the idea of someone making money without your help.

The public servants are now starting to rise up, unable to do their jobs because of your rules and tinkering. Thousands added on to the payroll, with nothing to do, and now you've realised you can't pay them.

As for building a stronger, fairer and better Britain, well, you've had almost 13 years now. From where I've been standing, it's become weaker, unfairer and much, much worse.

Invite us in for a cuppa when we pass your gaff this morning, give all your advisors and spin doctors a scare. You might even like what we have to say.

The One That Thinks We've Not Been Clear. . .

It is the only conclusion I can come to.

This, to which my attention has been drawn by OH elsewhere today.

David Wilshire, the disgraced Conservative MP, has compared the treatment of politicians over their expense claims to the plight of Jews in Nazi Germany.

A voter who emailed to protest at Mr Wilshire’s behaviour received the reply in which Mr Wilshire compared MPs whose claims were exposed during the expenses scandal to Holocaust victims.

Right, bollocks to it, I've had enough of this shit now.

Firstly - In Nazi Germany the Jews were, after a period of restrictions on their liberties, rounded up, transported en masse and then put into a programme of systematic extermination.

Secondly - MP's have not had this treatment meted out to them.

Thirdly - Jews are an identifiable religious and socio-ethnic group.

Fourthly - MP's are not an identifiable religious and socio-ethnic group.

“The witch hunt against MPs in general will undermine democracy. It will weaken parliament - handing yet more power to governments. Branding a whole group of people as undesirables led to Hitler's gas chambers.”

Right, let's deal with that.

Firstly - In a good Democracy, constituents would be able to look at a venal, money grabbing MP and recall him or her, due to their complete loss of trust in his or her abilities or motives.

Secondly - It is all 646 of you who have weakened parliament. It is your governments who have stripped power from the individual and made them subordinate to the State. Do you mean to tell us that you sitting on your excessively well fed and expensively clothed arse syphoning cash off makes for a strong democracy? Do you think I'm stupid? Well, fuck you mate, your excessively well fed and expensively clothed arse is history.

Thirdly - Yes, the branding of a whole group of people as undesirables did indeed lead to Hitler's gas chambers. Those who would smoke, those who would drink, those who would eat, those who would be free of thought, those who would see us leave the EU, those who would go for a walk down the street, those who go for a walk in the park with their dog and forget to take a plastic bag, those who leave their bin fractionally open, those who would attempt to do their recycling like a good citizen but find the bins are full, those who would question the 'settled science' behind global warming/climate change, those who do what they can to get their kids into the best school available, those who stand at the Cenotaph and read out the names of the lads who have lost their lives on active service, those who would take a photograph of a public space, those who would take a photograph of a public servant, those who would have their friends look after their children, those who would show a bit of fucking humanity and pick up a child who has fallen and cut their knee, those who would drive a car, all have been branded as undesirables.

I could go on, but I fear I would lose the will to live. Funnily enough, MPs would not appear on that list, not even right at the bottom. You see, David, what MPs have done is bring it on themselves. What the people on the list above have had happen is have it forced on them by you and your mates.

No doubt you would dismiss all this as having happened under Labour. But you know what? I don't think you'd be any different. Is it just our money you want, David? I'm betting not, I'm betting you want our money and our obedience.

Still, let's see what else you've been doing.

Earlier this month, The Daily Telegraph disclosed that he had paid £105,000 from his office expenses to Moorlands Research Services, a firm owned himself and his girlfriend.

Doubtless your research firm are world leaders and provided excellent value for money. Even if that is the case, it is the perception of the thing. How could you be so stupid, so arrogant? Did you think we wouldn't find out, or did you just think we'd do as we were told when you stood in the way and told us to mind our own business? Your lot have been nosing around in our lives for years, now the spotlight has been switched. Not very nice is it?

He told his constituents that he had been “attacked” by the Telegraph, but was writing: “with a clear conscience”.

Well good for the Telegraph. It's nice to see something approaching investigative journalism these days. And no, you did not write with a clear conscience, in order for the conscience to be clear there has to be a conscience there in the first place. From where I'm sitting, MP's aren't shamefaced (although I'm struggling to think of one who is ashamed) because they've done wrong, they are angry because they've been caught. They are angry because the report talks about retrospective measures. Well, it's fucking good enough for us, isn't it? Have some of your own medicine, you fat old trougher.

he said: “It is in accord with the rules.”

Well yes. And who made those rules?

The destruction of Jewish businesses was within the rules (hey, you started this comparison, lard-arse), denying the Jewish housing was within the rules, turning Jews into slave labour was within the rules, hoarding the private belongings of the Jews was within the rules, sending Jews to concentration camps was within the rules.

Well, that was until the rest of the world got together in Nuremburg after the war and decided that it was all very much against the rules. How many of the old Nazis got uppity and huffy at the trials, David? Did they sound like you?

In his letter, the MP complained of being the victim of “false allegations” and insisted that his company was “a properly constituted business”.

He added: “This use of allowances to help an MP do his/her job is completely within Parliament’s rules.”

Again, who made these rules?

We are the world as far as you are concerned, David. And for all of you in the house, the General Election will be your Nuremburg.

646 of them. 60 Million of us.

I'm looking forward to my stroll on Thursday.

The One That Had A Smashing Day Out. . .

The little walk was very good fun, and is covered by Guido here and here.

A few people have been missing the point, asking what did we acheive? It is simple really, nothing. But that wasn't the aim, we weren't protesting. It demonstrated that you cannot walk down the street in a costume without being stopped and hassled. That is the real story here.

There's something very wrong with this country, don't you think?

The One That Is Singing 'Val Da Ree, Val Da Raa' . . .

The ticket has been bought, in cash, this morning. The wallet has been emptied of everything excepting a little pocket money, the mobile phone will be left sat on the TV at home.

No apologies for plugging this again.

Yes, tomorrow is the (first annual?) Old Holborn walk. The man himself will be in the Chandos pub on St. Martins Lane from 11am. I shall be arriving in the area very shortly afterwards.

Many will be wearing costumes (no, not disguises, Nov 5th is one of the closest things we have to a national holiday and I for one see nothing wrong with people dressing up in celebration of the salvation of democracy), I shall not be in fancy dress, but will be made recognisable by wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend 'Snowolf'. That, or Wolfers, is my name. I'll be keeping this on a strict Reservoir Dogs basis.

To re-iterate; this is not a demonstration, nor a protest, or anti-social behaviour or an act of, or in preperation for, terrorism. We are merely walking down the road. There will be no banners, shouting or chanting. I have no intention of breaking the law regarding demonstrations, even if I do think it is bloody stupid.

The One That Will Shortly Be Lacing Up His Walking Boots. . .

On November 5th, the excellent Old Holborn has organised a little walk.

This is not a demonstration. This is not a political rally. This is not anti-social behaviour. This is not an act of, or an act in preperation for, terrorism.

Walking down the street without permission in this country is still perfectly legal. In celebration of this, a group of people who are happy to live in a country where we can walk down the road will be doing just that, from Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall to Parliament. I always enjoy walking this route and the old Palace is a very fine peice of architecture, indeed I think it is the most impressive seat of government in the world.

Anyhow, should you find yourself at a loose end on Nov 5th, or in town with a little time to kill, why not join us in Traffy Square for a prom? We are constantly being told that we need to take a little light excercise every day, where better than the centre of the greatest city in the world?