Times: “Army chief fights for the beaches”
AS head of the army, his job is to defend the realm against any incursion. Now General Sir Richard Dannatt has taken up arms against a new invader – the North Sea, which under a bureaucratic plan may be allowed to take over swathes of his beloved Norfolk Broads.
Dannatt, chief of the general staff, has warned of the “tragedy” threatening the area if the scheme is put into effect. It would see the defences holding back the sea retreat four miles from a stretch of East Anglian coast, surrendering 25 square miles of territory – including five villages – to rising sea levels.
Read the full story by Roger Waite on the Times website
Before our Government commits billions of pounds of tax payers money to be spent in other countries it should fulfill its obligations to its own people who elected them in the first instance. Surely we are entitled to be a) consulted prior to schemes which directly affect us being discussed behind closed doors and far more importantly b) fully compensated for any loss incurred as a result of decisions made ‘for the greater good of the country’. The abandonment of rural coastal communities without implementing social justice contravenes the Human Rights Act in every shape and form and it would be interesting to see how quickly this would be applied if the occupant of an affected property would happen to be a Minister! After all, money seemed to be suddenly available for flood defences when Hilary Benn’s family home was under threat.
Comment by doc — April 21, 2008 @ 7:39 am
Also now featured in the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/04/21/eabroads121.xml
Comment by jaydublu — April 21, 2008 @ 8:54 am