While the nation is getting to grips with Jonathan Aitken’s new role in leading a much needed prison review for The Centre for Social Justice, I can disclose that he is spending this week touring the UK to promote a campaign against sex trafficking.
He is a keynote speaker for CHASTE – Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking across Europe. Their tour, entitled Love’s Not For Sale, is visiting Birmingham (tomorrow), Cambridge (Thursday, I shall be there), Leeds (Friday) and Edinburgh (next Tues).
While there will naturally be much attention focused on Jonathan’s presence, I am sure that everyone will also enjoy the music of Helen Hicks singing the CHASTE iTune chart-topping song “Love’s Not For Sale”, as well as songs taken from her new album.
The passionate and hugely dedicated Carrie Pemberton, CEO of Chaste, will also be speaking about modern-day sex slavery and what we can do to put an end to it.
Such a bargain too, tickets only cost £3.50, so do book yours here if you can make it.
I wish him every success with his campaign on behalf of CHASTE.
More people are looking at the irony of him leading a prison review, and the important work with CHASTE is not getting mentioned.
I have no problem with Aitken using his notoriety to help him support a worthwhile cause to which he is understandably committed. He is frank about his own experience – and honesty seems to be a virtue many public figures lack. So what if Aitken’s travelled a difficult personal journey to reach his present position? We all mess up, only most of us don’t do it on such a big scale, or in such a public way. I think he deserves respect for his current efforts and see no irony in the situation. He’s better informed than most people who carry out investigations.
The Centre for Social Justice
What on Earth does ‘Social Justice’ mean ?
Well it certainly doesn’t sound like the blistering assault on lawlessness that the public are crying out for, nor the building of new prisons.
Google Fifty Cents and read his lyrics – I’m utterly shocked by them – try finding a sentence without ‘nigga’ ‘bitch’ or ‘hoes'(whores) in it for a start. Far from being a cry for help this is a direct attack on society and the kids are lapping it up. If I think that Aitkin and Duncan-Smith are wankers what impact do you think they’re going to have on these contemporary followers of fashion ? Except Gangsta Rap doesn’t appear to be a ‘fashion’ – it’s been here for aeons and shows no sign of abating. It’s extremely corrosive and influential in violent street crime – it must be rejected and never humoured or venerated. Drive it underground (that’s where it deserves to be) and show some guts about it – spare us the usual drivel about ‘prohibition’.
Here are positive things which can be done:
– scrap the Human Rights Act
– repeal No Win No Fee
– More apprenticeship places, less legal courses in colleges
– Build more prisons and make them unpleasant
– make examples of recidivists and serious offenders
– repeal PACE
Above all of this:
Stop shafting families who DO get it right thus forcing them to cower, give up or emigrate: Unfair tax, benefits skewed to reward fecklessness, unfair speeding endorsements (lost jobs), interfering laws (smacking etc), forcing their kids to sit in classes disturbed by uncontrollable children, attacking values and traditions they hold dear, useless police and soft judiciary who refuse to protect them properly … and on.
How can our youth have a stake in society when our politicians fail to recognise that most people are not academic and instead insist on overcomplicated and ineffective education for them ? They consistently fail to reintroduce a proper system of apprenticeships and Julian Sturdy MEP said on these pages of mass immigration “At least I can find a plumber now”
Not funny – one of the very reasons why youth feel they have no stake in society and fall into the clutches of the Gangsta Rapper and oh so typical of why my default mode is to despise politicians.
They are either too embarassed about or do not care enough for British culture therefore they do not care first and foremost about families (of all hues) raised on British values. In fact I’m pretty convinced that they detest us.
A further issue I must challenge.
I do not believe that video games are quite as destructive as Rap. The reason being that Rap sets out to inculcate a feeling of grievance and INJUSTICE within the listener.
The Centre for Social INJUSTICE is typical of the stupidity of our ruling classes – ‘Social INJUSTICE’ panders to the sentiments of Rap musicians and reinforces and perpetuates the dishonesty of them. Doubtless more resources will be diverted from deserving families in persuit of this folly as ‘gangsters’ procure from politicians influence which they do not deserve. They would call this ‘justice’ ? Fools.
Add to my list the disbandonment of the Centre for Social Justice as its very name gives it away as being be a rather bloated and overrated dog being wagged by an aggressive and illiterate tail.
Ellee: We have a church certain denomination here in the U.S. that has been selling property to settle sex abuses but I’ll be good and not mention them by name. However, I can tell you the church for years knew of this abuse and merely moved the (Ahem…) perpetrators to other parishes. I cringe whenever I drive past one of those churches and see a message on the sign outside that reads, “Want to learn more about us?” I think I know quite enough and wish Mr. Aitkens good luck with his campaign.
Yes good luck Aitken – will be interested to see how this goes.
‘- Build more prisons and make them unpleasant
– make examples of recidivists and serious offenders
This is quite resonable EK.
AS a known liar of course Jonathan Aitken`s public hair shirt will be varying degres of interest . I am not disposed to accord him any great respect certainly. I thought the WI had the best idea
Legalise Brothels and subject them to inspection . Outlaw and pursue other prostitution as well. This is two pronged appraoch needed. I `m afrid hand wringing about one side of it will do little good
I quite like rap music – I doubt it has any effect whatever on peoples behaviour.
I also have no problem with Aitken leading this review if he’s the best man for the job… even as I acknowledge that a lot of Tories would be screaming like stuck pigs if the shoe was on the other foot and it was the government who were employing a convicted perjurer.
Electro-Kevin: There are many and varied forms of the music you call ‘Rap’. The genre is as diverse as rock music.
[…] Jonathan Aitken’s other new role […]
Back to my original point.
Is the purpose of the Centre for Social Justice to offer inclusivity to ‘gangstas’ ? I imagine it has a wider remit but a great part of it has to be to appeal to a section of the populace that has voluntarily sought out a violent way of life during a period of unprecedented welfare and (so we are told) surfeit of employment – to the point that we have to import unskilled labour. Foremost in the minds of this centre has to be the gangstas which have caused the convening of at least two Cobra meetings to my knowledge.
Please link to the site I provide in my previous comment and google on Fifty Cents – pray tell, what is there to like about this hardcore stuff which is what the urban youth are devouring at the moment ?
And then for our politicians to offer these volunteers to degeneracy an olive branch by saying “we seek JUSTICE for you” (Centre for Social Justice) implies that this is society’s fault and that they are victims – I find this insulting in the extreme. It insults every hard working parent and child but worse – it is scarey. To see our cowardly establishment offering some sort of equivalence to a culture in which drugs and gun crime is endemic explains why peaceable families on sink estates feel so abandoned – this is evidence that violence and thuggery gets the respect of our politicians. The IRA did it, the Poll Tax demonstrators did it, the Brixton Rioters did it …
Well I no longer respect our politicians, judges or police and I’m an ex cop. I know many hard working people who agree with me.
I was surprise by the news:
“Almost eight years after walking out of prison with his belongings in a black bin liner, former Conservative Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken has been appointed to lead a review of prison policy for a conservative think tank.”
This is what the was known to all, but by private relation who can be so far…..!
I thanks to electro-kevin for its positive things which can be done:
– scrap the Human Rights Act
– repeal No Win No Fee
– More apprenticeship places, less legal courses in colleges
– Build more prisons and make them unpleasant
– make examples of recidivists and serious offenders
– repeal PACE
Aitken fell from grace when it emerged he lied about a stay at the Ritz Hotel in Paris during libel proceedings against The Guardian newspaper and the World in Action television series. feel bit uneasy ………