The Wrong Message

The other day I wrote about how Labour's education experts are presumably mystified that standards have fallen while less emphasis is put on teaching the basics. It seems that this disconnect is not limited to them.

Blame for the Government's humiliating Commons defeat over the Gurkhas was laid squarely on Jacqui Smith last night.

Labour MPs openly criticised the beleaguered Home Secretary's bungling of a vote on giving retired soldiers and their families the right to live in Britain.

She was accused of failing to persuade around 100 backbenchers to oppose a Liberal Democrat motion which called for immigration rules to be scrapped for thousands of the veterans.

No, you morons, the point here is not that you didn't convince people to vote your way- it's that you have taken completely the wrong side on this issue. The blame is not corralling votes- it's the stupid rules banning brave men who have served our nation from settling here while our borders are thrown open to radicals, illegal aliens and so-called asylum seekers. And, as the Daily Mail points out-

The decision sparked public outrage that former soldiers who had been ready to give their lives for Britain were being denied a home here while foreign murderers, rapists and paedophiles were allowed to stay.

Smith's not being criticised by Party insiders for the damn rules, but for failing to convince others to support her vigorously enough. They just seem to be incapable of understanding. We live in a nation where airline high-jackers from Afghanistan are permitted to remain in the country but veterans, some of them in need of medical care linked to their service, are denied entry.

Labour doesn't seem to see that as a problem- all they are concerned about about is staying in power. For them the issue here is that Gordon Brown's authority has "been dealt a blow", not that have insulted men who have fought and bled for Britain.