Infidels!

In an almost unbelievably offensive act -- at least to anyone concerned with decency and humanity -- a number of left-wing MPs have signed an Early Day Motion praising what they term the "achievements" of Cuba's Fidel Castro, who has just stepped down from office. This follows on from Harriet Harman's well-publicised statement just days ago that in her opinion Castro is "a hero of the left". Says it all, really...

Here is the text of the Early Day Motion, proposed by Colin Burgon:

That this House commends the achievements of Fidel Castro in securing first-class free healthcare and education provision for the people of Cuba despite the 44 year illegal US embargo of the Cuban economy; notes the great strides Cuba has taken during this period in many fields such as biotechnology and sport in both of which Cuba is a world leader; acknowledges the esteem in which Castro is held by the people and leaders of Africa, Asia and Latin America for leading the calls for emancipation of the world’s poorest people from slavery, hunger and the denial of human rights such as the right to life, the right to shelter, the right to healthcare and basic medicines and the right to education; welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba at this time is the most responsible course of action; and calls upon the Government to respect Cuba’s right to self-determination and resist the aggressive forces within the US Administration who are openly planning their own illegal transition in Cuba.

These are the signatories:

Labour:

• Diane Abbott

• David Anderson

• John Austin

• John Battle

• Anne Begg

• Colin Burgon

• Richard Caborn

• Ronnie Campbell

• Martin Caton

• Colin Challen

• Michael Clapham

• Katy Clark

• Harry Cohen

• Frank Cook

• Jeremy Corbyn

• David Crausby

• Ann Cryer

• Ian Davidson

• Dai Davies

• Janet Dean

• Jim Devine

• Andrew Dismore

• Jim Dobbin

• David Drew

• Clive Efford

• Bill Etherington

• Paul Flynn

• Hywel Francis

• Ian Gibson

• John Grodan

• David Hamilton

• Fabian Hamilton

• Dai Havard

• David Heyes

• Jimmy Hood

• Kevin Hopkins

• Lindsay Hoyle

• Joan Humble

• Brian Iddon

• Lynne Jones

• Peter Kilfoyle

• David Lepper

• Andrew Mackinlay

• John McDonnell

• Austin Mitchell

• George Mudie

• Eddie O'Hara

• Albert Owen

• Gordon Prentice

• Ken Purchase

• Linda Riordan

• Virendra Sharma

• Jim Sheridan

• Alan Simpson

• Marsha Singh

• Dennis Skinner

• Dari Taylor

• David Taylor

• John Trickett

• Desmond Turner

• Mike Wood.

  Liberal Democrats:
  

• Paul Holmes.

  Plaid Cymru:

• Elfyn Llwyd

• Adam Price.

  Respect:

• George Galloway.

All of these are this country's true in-Fidel-s, as disconnected from the views of decent Britons as it is possible to be. None of them is fit to call himself or herself a "representative" of any respectable community in this nation. Presumably, every one of the above would like our nation to go the same way as Cuba, and of course there has been plenty of evidence to show that indeed we are now headed in that general direction, in many respects.

Anyone reading this who recognises one of the above as your local MP, I suggest bearing this in mind when you come to vote at the next General Election!