I suppose we all have our blind spots but it is a source of constant delight to me when I come across people, usually Lefties, who with great deliberation adopt the Nelsonian principle of carefully placing their world-view telescopes to their blind eyes. Take for example, Councillor Bob Piper, a Labour tribune of the people, an impeccable liberal to his uncalloused fingertips, a defender of liberty, an enthusiastic supporter of trade unionism and a scourge of the boss class. He likes to take his holidays in Cuba. Quite! Need I say more? Well, I suppose I should just in case some lost Lefty stumbles in here and fails to spot the irony because he has his telescope rammed in his blind eye! Councillor Piper is never slow to attack the 'Great Satan' in North America and is always enthusiastic in his defence of every gangster in South America including, and especially, Fidel Castro in Cuba.
In this enthusiastic campaign he is joined by some eminent members of the 'Trot-lot Faction' like Derek Simpson, one of the joint leaders of UNITE, the trade union currently leading some of its dimmer members up the path to the personal financial ruin that awaits those on strike against British Airways. So tirelessly does Mr. Simpson work on behalf of the idiots members of his union that he is impelled to seek relaxation where he can, for example, the 'PLAYSKOOL BAR' in Bangkok (Bangkok - such a very suitable name, in the circs!) whose name derives from a time when the ladies employed there used to dress in school uniforms:
As we all know, UNITE is using their members' funds to support a considerable number of Labour parliamentary candidates and when Mr. Simpson managed to drag himself away from the delights of the 'PLAYSKOOL BAR' he sent out a letter with a thinly disguised threat to these candidates:
As the Joint General Secretary of Unite, a trade union with almost 2 million members I am contacting Prospective Parliamentary Candidates to hear their views on Cuba.
If elected as an MP would you support better relations between the UK and Cuba?
Paul Waugh asks, not unreasonably, how Mr. Simpson's union would get on in were it operating in Cuba. Not too well, apparently:
According to the ITUC'S 2007 report:
"There was no change in Cuba where the single trade union system persists, there is no genuine collective bargaining and the right to strike is not recognised in law.
"Independent trade unionists continued to face persecution and seven of the trade unionists sentenced to lengthy prison terms in 2003 remained behind bars. Humanitarian aid destined for them and their families was confiscated by the authorities. Another trade unionist arrested in 2004 also stayed in prison.
Lest there be any confusion, when the report refers to trade unionists being "behind bars" it is not the Cuban version of the 'PLAYSKOOL BAR'!
In fairness, I should make clear that whilst Councillor Piper is a prize humbug, in every other aspect he is, I am sure, a gentleman of taste and discernment who would shun the proletarian delights to which Brother Simpson is attracted!
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