1 00:00:01,399 --> 00:00:08,080 okay far away far welcome to Casual 2 00:00:05,359 --> 00:00:12,200 politics thank you casual I'm uh I'm 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:14,280 enjoying that one thank you very much um 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,560 I need that you need no introduction at 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:21,840 George Galloway you've been a member of 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:25,240 parliament since 1987 MH and uh you and 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:29,119 then you became a leading member of 8 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:31,560 respect party eventually you you also uh 9 00:00:29,119 --> 00:00:36,160 you were leader you are still a leader 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:39,239 since 2004 so my first question is how 11 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:42,200 did you get involved in politics I was 12 00:00:39,239 --> 00:00:46,879 born into politics really my parents 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:48,559 were political activists my grandparents 14 00:00:46,879 --> 00:00:52,760 uh to some extent 15 00:00:48,559 --> 00:00:57,079 also uh and so it was as natural as 16 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:59,640 mother's milk to me I was the kid in the 17 00:00:57,079 --> 00:01:03,039 class at school who always knew who the 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:06,200 prim minister of Czechoslovakia was who 19 00:01:03,039 --> 00:01:08,960 the uh president of Uganda was and uh 20 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:13,000 and so on so politics was always 21 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:16,080 discussed around my breakfast table and 22 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:18,560 uh I never had any doubt at any time in 23 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:20,920 my life that I would live a political 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,960 life and by the grace of God I've been 25 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:27,400 able to do so and um and what has 26 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:31,680 changed um in politics since you you 27 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:33,600 entered um in Parliament since 1987 well 28 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,119 on one level a great many things have 29 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:39,759 changed but on a fundamental level they 30 00:01:36,119 --> 00:01:43,600 remain the same uh let me deal with the 31 00:01:39,759 --> 00:01:44,680 fundamental level first uh The World Is 32 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,600 Still 33 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,439 divided uh between the rich and powerful 34 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:52,360 and the Poor and 35 00:01:49,439 --> 00:01:55,200 Powerless uh rich countries dominating 36 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:58,399 poor countries rich people in the rich 37 00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:00,759 countries dominating the poor people in 38 00:01:58,399 --> 00:02:04,119 their countries and people in the poor 39 00:02:00,759 --> 00:02:07,000 countries also dominating and exploiting 40 00:02:04,119 --> 00:02:10,080 the poor in their countries that has not 41 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:15,480 changed it will not change 42 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:18,120 until the Socialist idea comes to pass 43 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:22,280 the German revolutionary Rosa Luxembourg 44 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:24,280 said uh almost a 100 years ago that uh 45 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,200 the choice facing the world was 46 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,800 Socialism or 47 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:32,080 barbarism and uh I believe that's still 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:35,000 the same choice so that has not changed 49 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:39,000 uh what has changed is the uh 50 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:43,040 stratification of people in class terms 51 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,680 the number of blue color trade 52 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:48,519 unionized 53 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:50,400 proletarians in Britain and most Western 54 00:02:48,519 --> 00:02:53,280 countries it's obviously very much 55 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:57,319 smaller now than it was when I was born 56 00:02:53,280 --> 00:03:01,599 when I was born uh factories 57 00:02:57,319 --> 00:03:05,000 employing 10 15,000 people inside one 58 00:03:01,599 --> 00:03:07,799 place Under One Roof in one Union uh 59 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:10,360 were Common Place indeed my father 60 00:03:07,799 --> 00:03:14,080 worked in one and I later also worked in 61 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:19,200 one uh that's no longer uh the case 62 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:22,920 workers are are are are atomized more in 63 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:25,680 different uh small employee employers 64 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:28,760 and often times not involved in trade 65 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:32,640 unions sometimes not allowed to be in 66 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:35,120 trade unions so that's a big change uh 67 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:37,480 when I was born 68 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:43,280 98% of the 69 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:46,799 people uh in 1955 so when I was one uh 70 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,400 98% of the British people voted either 71 00:03:46,799 --> 00:03:51,760 labor or 72 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:54,799 conservative only 2% voted for anyone 73 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:58,319 else and of course that's very different 74 00:03:54,799 --> 00:04:02,000 now the two big parties labor and the 75 00:03:58,319 --> 00:04:04,959 conservatives will be lucky to achieve 76 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:07,280 55% uh between them it's not even 77 00:04:04,959 --> 00:04:11,799 inconceivable that they'll get 78 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:16,440 50% uh between them and so the plurality 79 00:04:11,799 --> 00:04:21,320 of the British uh party political scene 80 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:23,680 vastly changed since uh I was young um 81 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:26,759 however you can have a lot of different 82 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:29,360 parties uh with different names uh 83 00:04:26,759 --> 00:04:32,080 wearing different colors uh but if they 84 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:37,280 are fun fundamentally the same uh they 85 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:39,960 have the same attitude to property power 86 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:42,720 uh imperialism the things that make my 87 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:45,919 politics tick then you you're as well 88 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:48,199 having two or 22 it won't make any real 89 00:04:45,919 --> 00:04:51,759 difference you talking about plurality 90 00:04:48,199 --> 00:04:54,919 of British politics now we we saw um 91 00:04:51,759 --> 00:05:00,080 rise of nationalist parties such as NSP 92 00:04:54,919 --> 00:05:02,680 in Scotland and UK um and UK so in what 93 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:05,680 sense it has actually affected your 94 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:08,440 party and overshadowed your party's 95 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:11,440 policies uh well it's definitely uh 96 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:14,320 overshadowed Us in the sense that it's 97 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:16,080 easy to sell 98 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:20,160 nationalism 99 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:23,000 chanism xenophobia racism it's easy to 100 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:26,039 sell that to the simple-minded it's much 101 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:29,319 more difficult to sell uh the Socialist 102 00:05:26,039 --> 00:05:32,759 idea to people in the current uh 103 00:05:29,319 --> 00:05:35,560 condition current political uh climate 104 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:38,800 so njel farage has been much more 105 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:41,919 successful than me uh although he's not 106 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:44,080 a member of Parliament and I am and ukip 107 00:05:41,919 --> 00:05:49,039 uh for a long time had no members of 108 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:51,360 parliament uh now have too um but that's 109 00:05:49,039 --> 00:05:54,680 because uh not necessarily because he's 110 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:56,759 any uh better than me but because he's 111 00:05:54,680 --> 00:06:00,280 selling something 112 00:05:56,759 --> 00:06:03,680 eminently more easy to sell 113 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:06,160 uh but it's a false prospectus why it's 114 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:09,680 easier to sell well because there's a 115 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:12,880 predisposition amongst people in uh 116 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:15,880 Imperial countries like ours to believe 117 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:18,880 that Johnny forigner is a problem uh 118 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:21,960 Johnny forigner over there or Johnny 119 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:23,599 forigner in our midst you can easily 120 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,680 especially with Rupert Murdoch in the 121 00:06:23,599 --> 00:06:29,000 sun and the Daily Mail and so on at your 122 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,360 uh site you can easily get the drum 123 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,000 beats going 124 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:37,039 people have real problems in this 125 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:40,280 country and it's relatively easy uh to 126 00:06:37,039 --> 00:06:44,199 uh turn their attention to a scapegoat 127 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:47,400 to uh uh to a whipping boy that can be 128 00:06:44,199 --> 00:06:51,520 blamed for these problems in the past in 129 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:54,800 the 30s nationalists blamed the 130 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:57,879 Jews uh today's nationalist blame the 131 00:06:54,800 --> 00:07:00,599 Muslims uh blame the immigrants blame 132 00:06:57,879 --> 00:07:02,400 the blacks blame the other 133 00:07:00,599 --> 00:07:06,960 even if the other actually looks just 134 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:10,759 like you someone from Poland or lattia 135 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:13,000 is relatively easy to turn your uh turn 136 00:07:10,759 --> 00:07:16,879 people's attention to to them but does 137 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:19,479 your party have S sustainable stance on 138 00:07:16,879 --> 00:07:23,319 uh on the United 139 00:07:19,479 --> 00:07:26,039 EU well we support the EU uh we think it 140 00:07:23,319 --> 00:07:27,560 would be a catastrophe for Britain to 141 00:07:26,039 --> 00:07:30,720 leave the 142 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:34,240 EU uh which is is not to say we support 143 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:38,039 how the EU Works how it runs who leads 144 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:41,639 it the uh perspectives that they have we 145 00:07:38,039 --> 00:07:45,319 don't we oppose all of those but the 146 00:07:41,639 --> 00:07:48,759 idea of a European Union ever deeper 147 00:07:45,319 --> 00:07:52,240 Union ever uh more profound Union is one 148 00:07:48,759 --> 00:07:55,319 that we support in fact we wish don't 149 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:59,240 expect to see it anytime soon but we 150 00:07:55,319 --> 00:08:02,879 would wish for a United States of Europe 151 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:06,520 uh which we think is the way forward for 152 00:08:02,879 --> 00:08:10,360 all uh all regions of the world a United 153 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:12,440 African States a United Arab states a 154 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:15,199 United Latin American states and a 155 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:18,759 United European States that's the way 156 00:08:15,199 --> 00:08:22,360 forward but um as you have always been a 157 00:08:18,759 --> 00:08:25,720 leading orator in British politics also 158 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:28,120 conservatives like um sir Peter tapsel 159 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:31,759 they they always said so have you ever 160 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:33,680 requested a debate to with Nel farage 161 00:08:31,759 --> 00:08:36,880 yes I've been pursuing him publicly for 162 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:39,240 a debate for a long time uh in fact I 163 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,440 think we could sell out the Albert Hall 164 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:44,000 and I've proposed to him let's do it 165 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,560 let's take the Albert Hall fill it raise 166 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:50,800 a vast amount of money for your party 167 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:54,360 and ours we'll split the proceeds uh but 168 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:58,079 uh he's not uh uh accepting my challenge 169 00:08:54,360 --> 00:09:00,200 because I think he uh realizes that he'd 170 00:08:58,079 --> 00:09:02,800 get a much tougher time from me and from 171 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,440 any of the other political leaders 172 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,320 before going to Middle East as you are 173 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,279 an expert on Middle East just lost 174 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:12,560 Christian British politics is that um 175 00:09:09,279 --> 00:09:16,880 now David Cameron said that he would do 176 00:09:12,560 --> 00:09:20,040 dog at the TV debates lead um leadership 177 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:23,320 so but some people they said no if if 178 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:26,560 the green party are not included in that 179 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,680 in those debates so if we actually 180 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:30,279 include the green party in those debates 181 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:32,720 as well would would you like your party 182 00:09:30,279 --> 00:09:34,800 to be in it in those debates well we'll 183 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,760 we'll take a legal action to stop the 184 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,480 debates if we're not uh because the 185 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:43,680 greens have one Member of Parliament and 186 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:47,320 so do we and moreover I've been uh 187 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:50,760 elected six times to Parliament and the 188 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:54,519 green MP has been elected once uh I've 189 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:57,560 been elected as a respect MP twice the 190 00:09:54,519 --> 00:09:59,959 green party MP has been elected once 191 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:03,519 I've been in Parliament almost 30 years 192 00:09:59,959 --> 00:10:06,519 she's been in for almost five so uh 193 00:10:03,519 --> 00:10:07,880 there's no argument at all in our view 194 00:10:06,519 --> 00:10:11,640 if you're going to have the greens in 195 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:16,320 the debate then you have to have us and 196 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:18,560 I pray to God over and over uh to be 197 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,959 included in such debates because I I 198 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:23,519 think that we would win 199 00:10:19,959 --> 00:10:26,519 them and now on the Middle East you you 200 00:10:23,519 --> 00:10:29,320 became very um familiar figure to the 201 00:10:26,519 --> 00:10:31,200 public of your Infamous statement to 202 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,880 Sadam Hussein when you said I salute 203 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:36,600 your courage Your courage so at that 204 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:40,120 time do you think that was it the only 205 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:42,440 leader who could stand up to West I 206 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:44,200 wasn't actually uh addressing him with 207 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:48,600 those remarks I was addressing the 208 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:50,639 people of Iraq as a whole uh and I have 209 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:54,200 explained that many hundreds of times so 210 00:10:50,639 --> 00:10:56,399 you'll have to forgive me if I uh if I 211 00:10:54,200 --> 00:11:01,519 excuse myself from doing so all over 212 00:10:56,399 --> 00:11:04,399 again uh I was not a supporter of Saddam 213 00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:06,720 Hussein I was an opponent of Saddam 214 00:11:04,399 --> 00:11:08,760 Hussein when British and American 215 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:11,480 governments and business people were 216 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:14,839 doing a roaring trade uh with Saddam 217 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:19,680 Hussein for example I was one of the uh 218 00:11:14,839 --> 00:11:24,160 few opponents uh of saddam's attack 219 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:29,440 against Iran uh I was on Iran side in 220 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:31,639 the War uh I believed that building up a 221 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:33,760 Ator like Saddam Hussein would would 222 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:36,240 backfire just like the building up of 223 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,920 al-Qaeda types all over the world has 224 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:43,800 turned out to backfire another of the 225 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:48,639 predictions that uh we made but uh when 226 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:51,920 it came to uh starving to death hundreds 227 00:11:48,639 --> 00:11:55,959 of thousands of Iraqi children uh by 228 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:57,560 sanction uh still more when it came to 229 00:11:55,959 --> 00:12:01,399 hundreds of thousands of Western 230 00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:05,079 soldiers invading and occupying Iraq we 231 00:12:01,399 --> 00:12:08,200 stood with Iraq and since 2003 you've 232 00:12:05,079 --> 00:12:11,959 been a leading figure of stop Coalition 233 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:13,440 war and uh so my question is do to what 234 00:12:11,959 --> 00:12:17,040 extent do you think that you're being 235 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:19,440 hurt because um uh in September the 236 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:22,079 House of Commons voted for the second 237 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:26,079 intervention in Iraq so are you being 238 00:12:22,079 --> 00:12:29,560 head at all well the previous year uh we 239 00:12:26,079 --> 00:12:32,680 stopped not just a British but their by 240 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:36,320 a British and American attack on Syria 241 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:37,839 under the pretext of Believe It or Not 242 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,279 weapons of mass 243 00:12:37,839 --> 00:12:44,880 destruction uh we defeated the 244 00:12:40,279 --> 00:12:47,199 government by 13 votes in the uh chamber 245 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:49,800 that was a very significant Victory and 246 00:12:47,199 --> 00:12:52,440 was a victory not just for our 247 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:55,800 parliamentary performance and tactics 248 00:12:52,440 --> 00:13:00,320 though that was impressive I think uh 249 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:04,680 but the opposition to war the skepticism 250 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:06,680 about the case being made for war the 251 00:13:04,680 --> 00:13:08,880 lack of credibility of the British 252 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:13,000 political class and 253 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:15,000 Leadership uh is all directly related to 254 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,720 the stop the war coalition's long 255 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:20,839 campaign against British involvement in 256 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:24,839 these wars so uh you can say we didn't 257 00:13:20,839 --> 00:13:27,639 stop the Iraq War that's true uh we 258 00:13:24,839 --> 00:13:29,639 probably did stop 259 00:13:27,639 --> 00:13:30,680 uh not 260 00:13:29,639 --> 00:13:34,079 ourselves 261 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:37,079 alone of course the local conditions 262 00:13:34,079 --> 00:13:39,519 were not uh good for it but we probably 263 00:13:37,079 --> 00:13:43,199 did stop British governments committing 264 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:47,199 themselves to further invasions of Syria 265 00:13:43,199 --> 00:13:50,720 of Iran uh and even of Iraq you make the 266 00:13:47,199 --> 00:13:53,160 point that Britain is bombing uh in Iraq 267 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:55,279 again that's true uh but they're not 268 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,360 going to send their soldiers there and 269 00:13:55,279 --> 00:14:00,440 so far they're not prepared to bomb 270 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:03,360 Syria either so we have placed if you 271 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:06,800 like parameters around the British 272 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:09,800 government's ability to act in a way 273 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:12,160 that it might have wanted to act and I 274 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,759 think that's a tribute to the millions 275 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:17,759 in Britain who marched behind our 276 00:14:13,759 --> 00:14:22,680 banners and you w said that it's not our 277 00:14:17,759 --> 00:14:26,480 war and um it's it's not our um it's we 278 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:29,399 should not go and fight in Syria in Iraq 279 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:33,240 or in Libya and it because it's not 280 00:14:29,399 --> 00:14:37,720 fight so uh whose war is it whose fight 281 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:41,000 is it well what happens uh in uh Libya 282 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:44,040 or Mali is a matter for the libyans and 283 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:48,079 the malians I give those two just as an 284 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:50,560 example uh the British have no right 285 00:14:48,079 --> 00:14:53,079 whatsoever to dictate the outcome of 286 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:55,079 political conflict or struggle inside 287 00:14:53,079 --> 00:14:58,160 these countries we have a right to 288 00:14:55,079 --> 00:15:02,279 defend ourselves against any attack that 289 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:06,560 comes against us from them or anyone uh 290 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:08,920 we have a right to defend the rights of 291 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,000 uh British citizens to go about their 292 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,399 lawful business and so on but we don't 293 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,600 have the right to interfere in other 294 00:15:12,399 --> 00:15:18,920 people's countries and this is an 295 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:22,639 imperial hangover no one in Norway sits 296 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:24,880 at night wondering what they should do 297 00:15:22,639 --> 00:15:29,399 in uh in 298 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:32,440 madesu uh or in uh uh uh Mongolia they 299 00:15:29,399 --> 00:15:35,160 rightly uh have concluded that that's 300 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:37,560 really not their business uh the problem 301 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:41,759 is the British haven't wholly concluded 302 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:44,399 that it's not their business uh from uh 303 00:15:41,759 --> 00:15:47,279 the 19th century Britain has been 304 00:15:44,399 --> 00:15:50,399 invading and occupying and looting other 305 00:15:47,279 --> 00:15:53,839 people's countries uh and it's got to 306 00:15:50,399 --> 00:15:55,759 stop uh sometimes they dress it up in 307 00:15:53,839 --> 00:15:59,040 you know Evangelical clothes or 308 00:15:55,759 --> 00:16:01,279 humanitarian clothes uh but as the 309 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:03,639 Archbishop Desmond Tutu put it they came 310 00:16:01,279 --> 00:16:06,079 here with their rifle in one hand and 311 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:08,800 their Bible in the other they taught us 312 00:16:06,079 --> 00:16:11,720 to pray with our eyes closed and when we 313 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:14,440 opened them they'd stolen our country uh 314 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:17,040 that's the role of uh imperialism and 315 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:20,399 that's been the role of Britain in the 316 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:24,959 imperialist uh age so uh you ask me 317 00:16:20,399 --> 00:16:28,120 whose war is it not ours uh neighbors 318 00:16:24,959 --> 00:16:30,519 can sometimes have and I argue this in 319 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,639 my my book that I see you have I'm not 320 00:16:30,519 --> 00:16:36,839 the only one I argue the conditions that 321 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:40,000 would be would need to be present before 322 00:16:36,839 --> 00:16:42,279 uh intervention by anyone in conflicts 323 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:46,319 abroad would be 324 00:16:42,279 --> 00:16:49,800 legitimate uh and they are this uh if uh 325 00:16:46,319 --> 00:16:53,279 if a conflict inside a country has 326 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,959 spilled over uh into neighboring 327 00:16:53,279 --> 00:16:58,560 countries clearly the neighboring 328 00:16:54,959 --> 00:17:01,279 country has uh a right maybe a duty to 329 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:03,399 inter me I give you two examples uh 330 00:17:01,279 --> 00:17:04,720 Julius Neri got rest his soul when he 331 00:17:03,399 --> 00:17:08,679 was the leader of 332 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:13,280 Tanzania uh invaded Uganda and brought 333 00:17:08,679 --> 00:17:15,240 down uh ID Amin the dictator there uh 334 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:19,319 who had declared himself the last king 335 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:21,760 of Scotland and who had massacred the 336 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:23,959 local people but his massacres were 337 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:27,480 beginning to impact on 338 00:17:23,959 --> 00:17:30,640 Tanzania uh and so nari was right to 339 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:35,679 invade a second example was when Vietnam 340 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:39,280 invaded Cambodia in order to destroy the 341 00:17:35,679 --> 00:17:43,320 uh unbelievably extreme government of 342 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:45,520 paulp and the so-called K Rouge uh you 343 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:48,240 may or may not know that Britain and the 344 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:51,320 United States continued to recognize the 345 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:54,520 kar Rouge to recognize Paul pot and 346 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:56,400 insist that he kept his United Nations 347 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:58,360 membership and seat at the United 348 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,400 Nations they don't like to remember that 349 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:01,880 now 350 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,960 but uh the Vietnamese uh armed forces 351 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:08,080 were right to intervene in Cambodia and 352 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:11,280 bring down the kar rou regime because 353 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:15,000 Vietnam was being affected by the 354 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:18,559 nihilistic uh genocide that paulp had 355 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:20,400 Unleashed in in neighboring uh Cambodia 356 00:18:18,559 --> 00:18:23,559 so I'm not saying I'm against 357 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:26,919 intervention in all uh 358 00:18:23,559 --> 00:18:30,240 circumstances there are very few if any 359 00:18:26,919 --> 00:18:31,240 circumstances in which it can be right 360 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:35,640 or 361 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:38,200 productive or successful uh for the big 362 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:41,480 Imperial powers to return to the scenes 363 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:44,080 of their former crimes uh but sometimes 364 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:47,200 there are uh there are grounds for 365 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:49,880 Neighbors uh to combine the African 366 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:53,640 Union being a very good example where a 367 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:55,120 conflict is causing havoc in neighboring 368 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:58,280 uh countries but there are three 369 00:18:55,120 --> 00:19:02,559 conditions that have to be uh satisfied 370 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:07,400 first the action has to be powerful 371 00:19:02,559 --> 00:19:13,000 second it has to be uh proportionate and 372 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:16,640 third it must do less harm than not 373 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:18,720 intervening now on those three counts 374 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:21,120 all of Britain's 375 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:24,840 recent uh by which I mean over the last 376 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:26,840 20 25 years all of Britain's recent 377 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,720 military interventions in other 378 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:31,280 countries have been not just unlawful 379 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:35,000 not just 380 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:38,039 counterproductive uh but have caused a 381 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,520 multitude of other problems that didn't 382 00:19:38,039 --> 00:19:42,440 exist 383 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:45,039 before and you said that it's up to the 384 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:48,440 neighbors to fight this war but for 385 00:19:45,039 --> 00:19:51,080 example I take Saudi Arabia as example 386 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:55,720 they've got 387 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:57,200 F PL fire planes because Mar Michael 388 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:59,720 potillo when he was the defense 389 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:02,000 secretary he sold to Sou Arabia to fight 390 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:05,080 planes but they haven't taken any 391 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:07,679 actions to fight terrorism well Saudi 392 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,200 Arabia is deeply implicated in the whole 393 00:20:07,679 --> 00:20:13,679 Isis 394 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:16,240 story uh the takiri wahhabist uh 395 00:20:13,679 --> 00:20:19,480 mentality which they which keeps them 396 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:23,760 going which is their fuel uh is an 397 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:26,360 export of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabians 398 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:28,480 maybe not the state maybe individuals 399 00:20:26,360 --> 00:20:32,039 although where one stops and the other 400 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:34,840 uh begins as a moot point uh has been 401 00:20:32,039 --> 00:20:38,720 responsible for the early funding of 402 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:42,600 al-Qaeda and its uh offshoots Al-Qaeda 403 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:45,080 itself was founded by a Saudi Usama Bin 404 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:49,760 Laden uh Saudi 405 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:53,799 Arabia's fear of hatred of its 406 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:54,799 neighbors uh is a fundamental part of 407 00:20:53,799 --> 00:20:58,919 this 408 00:20:54,799 --> 00:21:01,760 narrative uh and it seems to me that 409 00:20:58,919 --> 00:21:06,200 Saudi Arabia can only 410 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:10,080 dispel the widely held suspicion that 411 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:13,919 they and Isis are one and the Same by 412 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:18,559 decisively intervening to defeat them 413 00:21:13,919 --> 00:21:22,240 their neighbor Iraq if it is overrun by 414 00:21:18,559 --> 00:21:24,760 uh Isis which is an offshoot of 415 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:29,480 al-Qaeda uh then Saudi Arabia will be 416 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:33,039 next uh so they have every incentive 417 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:37,400 to become involved uh but they're not 418 00:21:33,039 --> 00:21:41,880 involved uh there are no Saudi soldiers 419 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:44,760 helping the Iraqis to defeat Isis as far 420 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:48,200 as I know there are no Saudi airplanes 421 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:50,720 in the air bombing Isis if there are 422 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:54,120 they're almost certainly in Syria rather 423 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:58,919 than in Iraq so uh Saudi Arabia should 424 00:21:54,120 --> 00:22:02,360 be held to account 13 of the 19 hijack 425 00:21:58,919 --> 00:22:05,120 on 911 were Saudi citizens none of them 426 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:08,640 were Iranian none of them were Iraqi 427 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:11,840 none of them were Afghans 13 of the 19 428 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:16,039 were Saudis and Bin ladin's family as 429 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:19,320 many now know were horridly facilitated 430 00:22:16,039 --> 00:22:24,440 in their exit from the United States in 431 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:28,039 the 2 3 days after the mass m of 911 so 432 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:33,200 Saudi Arabia is a deeply Sinister entity 433 00:22:28,039 --> 00:22:35,400 uh with uh uh a dark past uh and our 434 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:39,360 ongoing productive profitable 435 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:42,360 relationship with it is a very very dark 436 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:45,159 mark and stain on the reputation of our 437 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:48,000 own country now only two last questions 438 00:22:45,159 --> 00:22:50,200 on uh the Charlie ABDO attack in Paris I 439 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:54,159 that we can't ignore those attacks so 440 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:57,200 would you condemn um those attacks that 441 00:22:54,159 --> 00:22:59,039 happen uh occurred in Paris and those 442 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,520 provocations 443 00:22:59,039 --> 00:23:02,400 and would you say that I'm rather 444 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,360 offended that you should ask me that 445 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:09,320 question what uh what sane person would 446 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:12,720 not condemn uh the uh cold blooded 447 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:15,559 murder of unarmed people the murder of 448 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:19,320 police officers three of them the murder 449 00:23:15,559 --> 00:23:22,240 of uh Shoppers in a kosher uh 450 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:26,200 supermarket in Paris these are 451 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:29,000 despicable acts of coldblooded mass 452 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:31,640 murder uh they are crimes 453 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,640 and as the people involved in them claim 454 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,960 to be religious it's worth pointing out 455 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,400 they're not just crimes they are sins 456 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:40,960 they are mortal sins for which the 457 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:43,640 perpetrator will surely uh receive 458 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:45,640 condemed punishment on the Judgment day 459 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,760 and do you think that do you agree that 460 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,520 they say multiculturalism has fell 461 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,480 especially in this country well I'm not 462 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,600 sure there is multiculturalism it's a 463 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:56,400 strong man that's erected in order to 464 00:23:53,600 --> 00:24:00,559 knock it down anyone who's walked around 465 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:04,440 the poor suburbs or of Paris and seen 466 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:06,919 the teeming poverty in which the uh 467 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:09,520 immigrant uh families and the Immigrant 468 00:24:06,919 --> 00:24:13,480 population live anyone who's experienced 469 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:18,120 the racism of the French uh CRS the riot 470 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:21,799 uh police anyone who has lived in France 471 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:24,919 uh and been from a minority uh ethnic 472 00:24:21,799 --> 00:24:26,799 Community uh knows that multi 473 00:24:24,919 --> 00:24:29,960 multiculturalism is not quite the way 474 00:24:26,799 --> 00:24:33,600 you would describe living as a black or 475 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:37,600 Muslim or even worse black Muslim uh 476 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:39,840 person uh in France look we have no 477 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:43,960 alternative there is no choice involed 478 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:47,000 in this we are all mixed together in all 479 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:51,360 these countries uh we 480 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:55,399 cannot uh exter Pate even if we wanted 481 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:58,039 to uh any of the minorities that live in 482 00:24:55,399 --> 00:25:01,200 our midst so we have no choice but to 483 00:24:58,039 --> 00:25:03,760 get along uh in a harmonious way and 484 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:06,799 that means an end to bigotry and 485 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:09,200 discrimination and racism London for 486 00:25:06,799 --> 00:25:13,039 example has the minorities are the 487 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:16,880 majority in London 53% of the population 488 00:25:13,039 --> 00:25:19,880 of London are from the minority ethnic 489 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:22,799 communities uh so we have a right for 490 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:26,880 that to be reflected in the police force 491 00:25:22,799 --> 00:25:30,559 in the uh political class in the media 492 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:33,840 and so on so far it is not uh there's a 493 00:25:30,559 --> 00:25:36,000 problem in Britain with racism but if 494 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:37,240 you think Britain is racist you've never 495 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:40,159 lived in 496 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:42,840 France and um do you think that we 497 00:25:40,159 --> 00:25:44,640 should you you talked about Harmony do 498 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:47,720 you think that we should all unite 499 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:50,840 alongside each other Muslims Jews 500 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:53,080 Catholics and Christians to combat 501 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:56,200 extremism well Catholics are Christians 502 00:25:53,080 --> 00:26:00,080 too so there's no need for that uh false 503 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:02,039 dichotomy uh of course extremism of any 504 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:05,520 kind is 505 00:26:02,039 --> 00:26:10,279 Despicable Jewish extremists Christian 506 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:15,120 extremists Muslim extremists Are all 507 00:26:10,279 --> 00:26:19,080 pedling uh a philosophy of Despair uh a 508 00:26:15,120 --> 00:26:22,399 council of Despair and if we uh don't 509 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:26,080 defeat them they will tear us apart and 510 00:26:22,399 --> 00:26:29,799 we'll all be sunk uh I'm encouraged that 511 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:32,760 most Muslims most most Christians and 512 00:26:29,799 --> 00:26:35,240 most Jews turn their back on that kind 513 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:37,000 of extremism and my last question how do 514 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,840 you foresee the future of the United 515 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:41,039 Kingdom as a whole after the Scottish 516 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:46,279 referend well the there's a real danger 517 00:26:41,039 --> 00:26:48,880 of the uh State breaking apart uh if God 518 00:26:46,279 --> 00:26:51,360 forbid the conservatives were to be 519 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:53,679 reelected for example in May for another 520 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:56,559 5 years there would there would almost 521 00:26:53,679 --> 00:26:58,799 certainly be another referendum uh on a 522 00:26:56,559 --> 00:27:01,919 Scottish Breakaway 523 00:26:58,799 --> 00:27:05,200 and and it would almost certainly be 524 00:27:01,919 --> 00:27:09,679 lost uh and then Britain would no longer 525 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:12,520 exist as a state uh now there are some 526 00:27:09,679 --> 00:27:16,120 who find that proposition attractive I 527 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:18,799 don't myself because what would happen 528 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:22,200 is that the English state that would 529 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:25,440 remain would continue to play 530 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:28,720 the um uh 531 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:30,799 pernicious perfidious role which the 532 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,799 British state has played the English 533 00:27:30,799 --> 00:27:34,120 state would carry on playing that role 534 00:27:32,799 --> 00:27:36,159 it would still have a seat on the 535 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:39,279 security Council it would still be a 536 00:27:36,159 --> 00:27:41,159 nuclear armed power it would still be in 537 00:27:39,279 --> 00:27:43,640 NATO it would still be a key American 538 00:27:41,159 --> 00:27:46,960 Ally all these things would continue so 539 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:50,000 nothing would be gained in that regard 540 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:52,360 uh but the state the English state that 541 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:55,919 would be left behind would be almost 542 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:59,000 certainly a perpetually right-wing State 543 00:27:55,919 --> 00:28:03,760 and it would create an economic 544 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:07,559 environment for private profit 545 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:10,159 capitalism uh that the Scottish state 546 00:28:07,559 --> 00:28:12,279 would have to replicate or die because 547 00:28:10,159 --> 00:28:15,159 no one's going to locate their business 548 00:28:12,279 --> 00:28:19,840 in a high tax High 549 00:28:15,159 --> 00:28:22,559 regulation uh Social Democratic Scotland 550 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:24,640 if they can do so in the opposite 551 00:28:22,559 --> 00:28:27,559 conditions in England so there would 552 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:30,080 then be a race to the bottom uh with 553 00:28:27,559 --> 00:28:32,279 Scotland and and England in a Dutch 554 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:35,720 auction of how many regulations they 555 00:28:32,279 --> 00:28:39,799 could burn how many taxes they could cut 556 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:43,080 how they could make life even easier for 557 00:28:39,799 --> 00:28:46,279 exploiters uh and uh as each did the 558 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:49,080 other would uh respond and before long 559 00:28:46,279 --> 00:28:51,840 you'd have uh the lowest regulation 560 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:56,120 lowest tax lowest public services that 561 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:58,679 is possible to imagine uh so I hope that 562 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,840 Britain will not break up uh but there's 563 00:28:58,679 --> 00:29:03,120 a real danger that it will thank you 564 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:05,120 George Gallow for the clarity in order 565 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:07,620 of you I'm very grateful to you thank 566 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:10,670 you much thank you 567 00:29:07,620 --> 00:29:10,670 [Applause]