YOUR PICTURE OF THE DAY Our Premier’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia
Crocus at The Stray, Lightcliffe, captured by Michael Halliwell.
MUCH has been said and written about Boris Johnson’s visit to Saudi Arabia in an attempt to secure a viable alternative for part of the
UK’s crude oil needs, rather than having to even consider Russia as an option, for obvious reasons.
As usual, the virtue signallers are out in force, including an opposition spokesperson on GMB on Wednesday morning.
In the face of the appalling events in Ukraine, it is sickening to see petty party politics coming out yet again.
For sure, no-one with any sense of morality would condone the dreadful human rights record, both past and present, of Saudi Arabia and some of its oil rich neighbours such as Bahrain and Kuwait.
But, guess what? We fuel their economies as, every day, we purchase fuel at our petrol pumps!
Footballers and pundits express abhorrence at the rulers of Qatar.
But still they will be earning whatever they can when the World Cup comes around in November.
Any imports of ‘Putin’s petrol’ must cease as soon as possible, which is what the PM is trying to do by securing an alternative supplier.
Saudi Arabia alone is one of our most valuable export markets and we also import a lot of electronic equipment, including vital medical equipment from them.
China’s treatment of the Uyghur people has been knocked off the headlines but I’ll wager my pension that between them these same ‘voices of morality’ all own Chinese-built phones, and every known electronic gizmo known to man.
The world is what it is.
And, by consenting, wittingly or otherwise, to purchase goods and services from ‘unacceptable’ sources does not make you a bad person.
Having said that, the civilised world must unite to bring Russia to its economic knees, so that Putin can be ousted and brought to justice.
I am more than happy to play my part and would encourage others to do likewise.
But please, no more party politics and virtue signalling.