tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108153802024-03-18T03:01:54.116+00:00Chris Whiteside's BlogChristopher Whiteside MBE is a Conservative activist.
He has served as a County, City & District, Borough, Town and Parish councillor, and has also been a school governor and health authority member.
He lives and works in the North of England, particularly spending time in Cumbria and Yorkshire.Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.comBlogger16642125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-56106485765756341122024-03-17T07:00:00.001+00:002024-03-17T10:25:51.659+00:00Saying of the day - Happy St Patrick's Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e7/68/21/e7682159525121de8951a13b5e80cdde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e7/68/21/e7682159525121de8951a13b5e80cdde.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-70253508853364486102024-03-16T19:38:00.004+00:002024-03-16T19:42:15.687+00:00MoD defence intelligence update 16th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIx-VnFWYAAyO9e?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIx-VnFWYAAyO9e?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-48931828275378577402024-03-16T10:00:00.004+00:002024-03-16T19:41:59.606+00:00Saturday music spot: Henry Purcell's Rondeau from Abdelazer (Z570)<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/VVivtti-n-w?si=V5uIkUpmfzlrO64z" frameborder="0"></iframe>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-89839388956104268692024-03-15T23:30:00.001+00:002024-03-16T19:40:14.446+00:00MoD Defence intelligence update 15h March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIs3gD5W8AAcHur?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIs3gD5W8AAcHur?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-77617059510411409722024-03-15T17:00:00.002+00:002024-03-15T17:00:00.161+00:00Music to start the weekend: Vivaldi's Concerto for 4 violins in B minor<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/QSs6HKwhbAA?si=HOIl-K7S8CFcYNVH" frameborder="0"></iframe>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-20381227672396127812024-03-14T17:00:00.001+00:002024-03-14T17:00:00.127+00:00Thursday music spot: "My Heart is Inditing" by Handel, HWV 261<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/-GM_0wMuonE?si=xwvVPdSJgj_Sqd8r" frameborder="0"></iframe>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-18103621344848083122024-03-14T10:25:00.002+00:002024-03-14T10:25:15.617+00:00MoD Defence intelligence update 14th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GInnYRPXIAA0lWi?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GInnYRPXIAA0lWi?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-61386802324265318512024-03-14T10:22:00.008+00:002024-03-14T12:53:11.413+00:00Growth figures for January<p>This post is about initial and provisional GDP growth figures. For the avoidance of doubt, it refers to absolute GDP in real terms after adjusting for inflation, not GDP per head.</p><p><b>Initial figures released yesterday suggest that the economy returned to growth in January, and grew by more than it contracted in December.</b></p><p>You can find these initial figures at:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/gdpmonthlyestimateuk/january2024?deliveryName=DM38395">GDP monthly estimate, UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)</a></p><p>The initial figures show that the economy grew in January 2024, with GDP up 0.2 per cent and that our services industry and construction services are growing. </p><p>I was going to call this post "UK economy returns to growth" but actually it should not be taken for granted that the slight negative growth initially reported at the end of last year actually happened. </p><p>As I have explained in previous posts on the dangers of building strong narratives from weak data, which you can find <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/10815380/5852817934335949087">here</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/10815380/5748508174737192819">here</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/10815380/5538038836812105003">here</a>, initial GDP growth figures tend to be revised. In the UK they tend to be revised upwards: the average change is an upwards revision of 0.15 percentage points.</p><p>The fact that initial growth estimates in the UK have tended to be too low has given rise to a whole series of political narratives which turned out to be based on sand and media reports of recessions which, when the final figures came out a year or two later, had never actually happened.</p><p>For example, do you remember all the talk about a supposed "double dip" recession of 2011/2012? <b><i>It never happened.</i></b> </p><p>In early 2023 there was another commonly believed and shared narrative based on wrong data: the allegation that Britain was the only country in the G7 whose economy had yet to recover past pre-COVID levels. <b><i>That was wrong too</i></b> - and in fact UK growth over the pandemic period was the third fastest in the G7.</p><p>The ONS is currently saying that the UK economy shrank by 0.1% in the third quarter of 2023 and by a slightly greater amount, but still within the margin of error, in the final quarter. Because the formal definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth, the media reported when those figures came out that the UK was in a "technical recession"</p><p>Some people asked at the time what "technical recession" means. My answer is that it appears to mean estimated negative growth based on initial figures which is well within the margin of error for those figures. In this case within the margin of error to such an extent that, if the figures are subsequently adjusted upward by the recent historical average amount, it is entirely possible that we will find that the "technical recession" of the last half of 2023 will be yet another recession that never happened.</p><p>It is also possible - although less likely because UK growth figures are more likely to be revised up than down - that the growth in the economy in January may be revised away, because this is also within the margin of error.</p><p>Before anyone misinterprets anything in this article as an attack on the ONS statisticians, it is nothing of the kind. They are doing an excellent job with incomplete information and the UK's economic statistics are amount the five most accurate in the world based on the size of revisions. They are also the most cautious, and that isn't a criticism either. We just have to understand the implications when using their data.</p><p>But with all those caveats - it does appear that the economy bounced back in January and is growing. We need to stick to the plan and look for ways to ensure it grows faster. </p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-34452925309264794052024-03-14T07:00:00.001+00:002024-03-14T09:04:20.887+00:00Quote of the day 14th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/inspirational-quote-on-blurred-background-260nw-1263338422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="376" height="298" src="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/inspirational-quote-on-blurred-background-260nw-1263338422.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-39466926261339268072024-03-13T23:30:00.001+00:002024-03-14T10:26:32.222+00:00MoD defence intelligence update 13th march 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIit44mWQAAhfDM?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIit44mWQAAhfDM?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-31627761570096041112024-03-13T17:00:00.001+00:002024-03-13T17:00:00.139+00:00Midweek music spot: Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave)<iframe width="480" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/zcogD-hHEYs?si=1cYj9Vdj1M1SStKR" frameborder="0"></iframe>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-31447065579957791042024-03-13T07:30:00.001+00:002024-03-13T07:30:00.158+00:00Cleaning up Britain's waterways<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This week the government <a class="arc-link" href="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233289c,4aba9f2,4abb144" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5514b4; margin: 0px; outline-offset: -2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: revert;" target="_blank" title="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233289c,4aba9f2,4abb144">announced plans for water companies to invest over £180 million to prevent sewage spills across the country</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; text-align: justify;">, </span>driving the largest infrastructure investment in water company history, as we stick to the plan to tackle pollution and clean up British waters. </span></b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The amount of sewage being spilled into our rivers is completely unacceptable - and whilst we have taken tough action to tackle this, there is more to do. That is why we have announced plans for water companies to fast-track investment of £180 million to stop more than 8,000 sewage spills over the next year. This funding will be invested in AI systems to help manage storm loads, the installation of thousands of new in-sewer monitors to check flow and spot blockages early, and the recruitment and training of specialist staff.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Whilst Labour and the Liberal Democrats continue to snipe on the sidelines, we are sticking to the plan to tackle pollution and clean up British waters by protecting and strengthening our waters with increased investment, stronger regulation, and tougher enforcement action - all to create a brighter future for the years to come. </li></ul><p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-48144151963621287402024-03-13T07:00:00.001+00:002024-03-13T07:00:00.179+00:00Quote of the day 13th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wSFpCpbyEo/WMKtjoOXK2I/AAAAAAAALYE/augSvsFg_A0gfkp6CuPY2pVMNwAzvMYHQCLcB/s1080/courage-quotes-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wSFpCpbyEo/WMKtjoOXK2I/AAAAAAAALYE/augSvsFg_A0gfkp6CuPY2pVMNwAzvMYHQCLcB/w400-h400/courage-quotes-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-15359601830165656492024-03-12T23:30:00.001+00:002024-03-13T00:09:16.159+00:00MoD Defence intelligence update 12th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIdZS2hWwAUMeqR?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIdZS2hWwAUMeqR?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-74388868124801882392024-03-12T19:00:00.002+00:002024-03-13T00:22:13.334+00:00Tuesday music spot: "The Final Countdown""The final countdown" sung by the band Europe, with a visual track of scenes from the Battle of Geonisis from Star Wars Episode II, "Attack of the Clones."<div><br /></div><div>This is the battle which made all Star Wars fans at the time think "Oh, that's why Obi-Wan Kenobi thinks Storm Troopers can shoot straight."</div><div><br /></div><div>Near the start of the original Star Wars film, "Episode IV, A New Hope," Obi-Wan refers to Imperial Stormtroopers shooting accurately. This line was ridiculed by fans because for the rest of that film and the original trilogy, Stormtroopers were notorious for being unable to shoot straight when firing at the heroes (e.g. characters with "plot armour" who cannot die if the story is to make sense.) </div><div><br /></div><div>My son fell about laughing while we were watching "The Mandalorian" when the character Mayfield, who is an Imperial army veteran and a sniper, reacts defensively to a joke about whether an Imperial soldier could be a good shot, and says something like <i>"Hey, I wasn't a storm trooper!"</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>At this my son nearly fell off his chair with laughter and exclaimed <i>"It's now canon that Stormtroopers can't hit the side of a barn!"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In this battle we first see the Republic's Clone Army, who wear armour which looks very similar to that of Stormtroopers, and who are shooting very accurately indeed, as enemy robots are scythed down by the clone army's fire. The natural assumptions was that these troopers are the origin of the Stormtroopers, and that they can shoot straight when they're not shooting at characters with "plot armour."</div><div><br /></div><div>In fact we learned much later in Disney Plus shows like "The Bad Batch" that the clone troopers who first saw action in this battle are not the same as the Imperial Stormtroopers of a generation later, they just wear similar armour. But it seemed like a logical explanation at the time!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/5nKLZ2ChqBc?si=Iwygn3-4g59xDrd0" width="480"></iframe></div>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-62467120924039774062024-03-12T18:00:00.001+00:002024-03-12T23:28:53.091+00:00Protecting the Muslim community<p><b>I have previously written about the measures the government has taken to protect Britain's Jewish citizens.</b></p><p><b>Just as there is a totally unacceptable rise in hate incidents against Jewish people there is also an alarming rise in equally unacceptable hate incidents against Britain's Muslim citizens.</b></p><p><b>This week the government set out plans to protect our Muslim communities.</b></p><p><b>The Conservative government is <a class="arc-link" href="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233289c,4aba9f2,4abb143" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0084d6; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: revert;" target="_blank" title="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233289c,4aba9f2,4abb143">investing over £100 million to protect Muslim schools, community centres and mosques</a> as we stick with the plan in standing against hate crimes, abuse, threats, and harassment against British Muslims.</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Anti-Muslim hatred has absolutely no place in our society and the rising number of hate attacks against British Muslims is very worrying. That is why we are investing £117 million over the next four years in new security measures, including alarms, fences, and CCTV cameras to protect Muslim schools, community centres and mosques. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This is an increase of £4.9 million in funding for the Muslim community this year, and follows an increase in funding for the Jewish community, as we continue to work closely with policing and community partners, to give British Muslims and Jews the certainty and confidence that they will be kept safe. </li></ul><p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-60631506806735583932024-03-12T15:00:00.002+00:002024-03-12T23:22:19.533+00:00More people in work, wages rising faster than inflation<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">It has been a long hard slog recovering from the damage done to the world economy by the pandemic, but the British economy is starting to turn the corner.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">New jobs figures show <a class="arc-link" href="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233b592,4acb66e,4ace1db" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0084d6; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: revert;" target="_blank" title="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233b592,4acb66e,4ace1db">there are over 4.1 million more people in work since 2010</a>, showing our plan is working as we drive down inflation and grow the economy.</span></b></p><p><u>Key statistics</u>: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Employment: There are almost 33.2 million people in work in the UK (up 76,000 over the last year and up by over 4.1 million since 2010).</li><li>Employment rate: Near record highs at 75 per cent (up by 4.8 points since 2010).</li><li>Unemployment: There are 1.3 million people in unemployment (down by over 1.1 million since 2010).</li><li>Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 3.9 per cent (down by 4 points since 2010) – near record lows.</li><li>Wages: Regular pay is continuing to grow and outpace inflation (up 6.1 per cent in November 2023 to January 2024).</li><li>Youth unemployment: There are 437,000 fewer unemployed young people since 2010. </li></ul><p></p><p>Other good news::</p><p>There are 30.4 million people in payrolled employment (a record high with over 1.3 million more people in payrolled employment since the beginning of the pandemic).</p><p>Vacancies recorded a fall in November 2023 to January 2024 the 20th consecutive fall.</p><p>Annual growth in total earnings (excluding bonuses) in Great Britain was 6.1 per cent in November 2023 to January 2024, and annual growth in employees’ average regular earnings (including bonuses) was 5.6 per cent.</p><p>The female employment rate is at 72.1 per cent – a 6.5 per cent increase from when Labour left office in 2010 and higher than at any point under the last Labour government.</p><p>There were 5.1 million disabled people in employment in 2023 (an increase of 320,000 on the year and 2.2 million since 2013).</p><p>We have increased the National Living Wage to record levels. From 1 April 2024, we will deliver a 9.8 per cent increase to the National Living Wage, benefiting 2.7 million workers, increasing the pay of a full-time worker on the NLW by over £1,800 (a 35 per cent real terms increase in take home pay for a full-time National Living Wage worker since 2010).</p><p>We have more than halved the number of workless households since 2010. There were 236,000 workless households in April to June 2023 (a reduction of 315,000 since 2010).</p><p></p><p>We are supporting 371,000 people who have been on the highest tier of incapacity benefits to get back into work.</p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-17079985751291550362024-03-12T13:00:00.001+00:002024-03-12T23:16:53.463+00:00Reforming electricity markets<p>Today, the Energy Secretary set out the Conservatives'<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 17px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify;"> </span><a class="arc-link" href="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233a983,4acd142,4acd2ff" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0084d6; font-size: 17px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: revert;" target="_blank" title="http://t1.info.conservatives.com/r/?id=h1233a983,4acd142,4acd2ff">plan to deliver more gas power stations as part of our sustainable transition to net zero</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 17px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify;">, as we stick to the plan to ensure proportionate and pragmatic transition, keeping bills down for families.</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The UK is the first major economy to cut its emissions by half since 1990, showing our plan is working. We must stick to the plan as we deliver net zero in a sustainable way without increasing costs for hardworking families. That is why we will set out our plan to support the building of new gas power stations to maintain energy supplies for when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The choice is clear: stick with the plan that is working under Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives who will deliver a brighter and more sustainable future for the country, or go back to square one with Sir Keir Starmer and Labour who will just drive up bills for families with their 2030 decarbonisation promise which they themselves originally costed at £28 billion - and still say they aim to do, just now how they will deliver it or afford it.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIekrWmXwAAzh25?format=png&name=small" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="680" height="209" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIekrWmXwAAzh25?format=png&name=small" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-24710301676356741682024-03-12T11:57:00.003+00:002024-03-12T11:57:58.773+00:00Quote of the day 12th March 2024<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">"Anti-Muslim hatred has absolutely no place in our society."</span></b></p><p>Prime Minister <i>Rishi Sunak</i>, message to community leaders on a visit to London Central Mosque, where he announced £117 million in new security measures to protect Muslim schools, centres and mosques across the country.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIZIXAXWIAA--sE?format=jpg&name=small" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="679" height="267" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIZIXAXWIAA--sE?format=jpg&name=small" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-37930604528407412562024-03-11T11:04:00.004+00:002024-03-11T11:04:39.236+00:00MoD Defence intelligence update 11th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIYOTGTWkAA-jBx?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIYOTGTWkAA-jBx?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-18934747469010214972024-03-11T11:00:00.000+00:002024-03-11T11:00:11.462+00:00Ramadan Mubarak<p>Wishing a happy and blessed Ramadan to Muslims in the UK and around the world </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIU7xkzXoAAgZn1?format=jpg&name=small" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIU7xkzXoAAgZn1?format=jpg&name=small" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-43861882552434740832024-03-10T23:30:00.000+00:002024-03-11T11:06:44.588+00:00MoD Defence intelligence update 10th March 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GITDuLRXUAAWE_o?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GITDuLRXUAAWE_o?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-74970712257978635732024-03-10T12:00:00.002+00:002024-03-11T11:12:54.963+00:00A Mothering Sunday prayer<p>Below is a picture of the candle which I lit in St James's Church after the service this morning. </p><p>Prayed on this Mothering Sunday for all mothers everywhere and especially those on both sides affected by Putin's illegal, devastating and bloody invasion of Ukraine and by the almost equally bloody war in the Middle East.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KgZcwMVsT4T9LYZjIcAfN8m0uMNixGZs9lSSdB0qziH5ueqBYsgGh4_i_yMbPZmDidX8EQjgQBqoaxT88P7i4JNLZ3o-54nIUhAkmQwtLMBOAMNTd9iQPgremvPb0y17mlCRHZFWKAWg14iDY-6zWjKFygwOQiqjHfTbETlFvLrCM_-iDIEB/s2040/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2014.34.28%20MOthering%20Sunday%20candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="1530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KgZcwMVsT4T9LYZjIcAfN8m0uMNixGZs9lSSdB0qziH5ueqBYsgGh4_i_yMbPZmDidX8EQjgQBqoaxT88P7i4JNLZ3o-54nIUhAkmQwtLMBOAMNTd9iQPgremvPb0y17mlCRHZFWKAWg14iDY-6zWjKFygwOQiqjHfTbETlFvLrCM_-iDIEB/w300-h400/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2014.34.28%20MOthering%20Sunday%20candle.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-83767759895490651392024-03-10T07:00:00.001+00:002024-03-11T11:08:25.388+00:00Quote of the day for Mother's Day 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bhg.com/thmb/tflZg8ngSQyiEdXELB4f-Y5FBhE=/1455x0/filters:no_upscale():strip_icc()/Mothers-Day-Quotes_11-11-366c57cd370c42f6b42add87f55983d1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="800" height="344" src="https://www.bhg.com/thmb/tflZg8ngSQyiEdXELB4f-Y5FBhE=/1455x0/filters:no_upscale():strip_icc()/Mothers-Day-Quotes_11-11-366c57cd370c42f6b42add87f55983d1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10815380.post-55599879712667359932024-03-09T23:53:00.002+00:002024-03-09T23:53:18.723+00:00MoD update 9th March 2024 part 2: latest intelligence on the Russian invasion of Ukraine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIN4Vz5XIAA6hLw?format=jpg&name=medium" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIN4Vz5XIAA6hLw?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Chris Whitesidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02888720969479013951noreply@blogger.com0