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It used to be that when someone made a statement, then made another statement that implied something completely different, we had a name for that. We called it a contradiction. And it wasnt considered a good thing. Not too long ago, contradictions could end political careers in this country. When Tim Murphy said publicly that he was pro-life, but then privately told a woman to kill her baby, he had to resign from Congress. Al Franken met the same fate, after he bought into the #MeToo hysteria, then fell into its crosshairs himself.

But a lots changed in the few years since Tim Murphy and Al Franken were forced out of Congress. All of a sudden, contradictions are everywhere, particularly in the political world. The only way to ensure world peace is to fund a war, foreign policy experts tell us. Were a sanctuary city or state, but we dont want any more illegal migrants, say Gavin Newsom and Eric Adams. Men can turn into women, gender studies professors shriek. Euthanasia is healthcare, the Canadian government insists. All of these statements are contradictions, but youre hearing them all the time now.

In revolutionary periods, this is nothing new. Mao even wrote an essay entitled On Contradiction a century ago. Mao understood well that contradiction drives social change. Maybe the most important contradiction that revolutionaries must embrace, Mao argued, is the relationship between construction and destruction. On their face, these two concepts are polar opposites. Tearing something down means ruining it. Building something means creating it. If you want to build something new, you lay a foundation and get to work. You dont wreck what you have. Thats how the bourgeoisie saw it.

But Mao didnt see it that way. A half-century ago, Mao famously explained, There is no construction without destruction. In other words, theres a logical relationship between the two concepts. Creating a new society one totally unlike whatever came before requires wrecking the old society. Creating new symbols requires wrecking the old symbols.

Maos teachings led to, of course, tens of millions of deaths, the destruction of historic artifacts, and mass starvation. The last thing you would ever want our political leaders in this country to do is follow his ideology and try to emulate it. But thats exactly whats happening. This weekend in Albany, the capital of New York state, we saw maybe the clearest example in recent history of both construction and destruction happening simultaneously. Under the cover of darkness, at 5:30 in the morning, the city removed a statue of Revolutionary War hero and U.S. senator Philip Schuyler. And at the very moment that workers took Schuylers statue away, the so-called progress Pride flag was waving in the background, for the first time in Albanys history. Heres what it looked like. One of the defining images of our era

City Hall removes Revolutionary War hero General Philip Schuyler

Pride flags wave in the background pic.twitter.com/0hkhl4bHL8

End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 11, 2023

Notice the multiple Pride flags flying proudly as the statue is hoisted away, including the brand-new nonbinary/BIPOC/trans flag.

Now, if that seems like a carefully engineered juxtaposition, it is. Its choreographed to deliver a very clear message. Maos disciples in the New York state government know that if they want their new flag to have any kind of legitimacy, then Philip Schulyers statue cant remain. You cant have construction without destruction. If you want a revolution, you cant introduce a new idol without erasing the one that came before. So thats exactly what the local government did, as explicitly as they possibly could have done it.

If youre not trying to engineer a revolution if youre just an average person living in New York, with reasonable political views then none of this really makes sense. What was wrong with that statue, exactly? As far as we can tell, no one ever bothered to ask a significant number of New Yorkers that question. No one ever ran a poll on this, at least not one that we could find. There was certainly no statewide referendum on whether people actually wanted Philip Schuylers statue removed.

A few bureaucrats in New York just decided to do it a few years ago, and this weekend, they cut through the red tape and did it.

A local news station did conduct a man-on-the-street-style interview with a couple of residents to get their perspective. None of them could explain why this statue was being removed, even the people who said they supported removing it couldnt explain why:

Yes, a century-old historic artifact memorializing a Revolutionary War hero was not only taken down, it was taken down at the behest of a group of teenagers. The primary reason, as we heard in the clip, is that the absence of the statue will make city hall more welcoming. But welcome for who? If the standard is that any unwelcoming statue needs to go, then why exactly cant we destroy the monument of George Floyd that sits outside city hall in Newark?

But George Floyd didnt own slaves, you might say. Thats true. All George Floyd ever did was break into a womans home with five other people and hold a gun to her chest. And then, after getting out of prison, all George Floyd did was take enough opioids and meth to kill a horse, before trying to rob a store and fighting with several police officers.

Despite all that, youre not allowed to even criticize the George Floyd statue. Youll lose your job if you do. Under the new rules, George Floyds statue is welcoming. The Revolutionary War general is unwelcoming. Understood? Probably not, but then you arent supposed to understand. Part of the point behind these arbitrary decisions is that they make no logical or moral sense. You are meant to go along with it whether you understand or not. We might ask why? but The Powers That Be will treat us like were children and theyre our impatient parents: Because I said so, they respond.

Its all so contrived. Philip Schuyler is an iconic figure of the revolutionary era. Hes one of the reasons this country exists today. Multiple towns and forts are named after him in New York. And curiously, no one had a problem with him until very recently. Ten years ago, in an article, the Albany Times Union described Schuyler this way:

Philip Schuyler was a leading American statesman and a key general in the American Revolution who served at the pivotal Battle of Saratoga. He was named a representative to the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia and an adviser to Gen. George Washington, who stayed at Schuylers mansion in Albany.

The Times Union went on to describe Schuyler as:

instrumental in the victory of the American colonists at the Battle of Saratoga in the fall of 1777, a turning point of the Revolutionary War. Residents of Albany, fearful that their city might be occupied by British soldiers, instead celebrated an unexpected victory at Saratoga. It was the first major win for the colonists and the residents of Albany rang church bells, fired cannons, roasted an ox and gathered around a large bonfire. Schuyler returned to the city of his birth as a hero.

You can read that whole article. Its still on the Times Unions website, from 2013. Theres not a single mention of slavery or slaves in the entire piece. Guess how the Times Union describes Schuyler now? Heres a recent article from the paper, from this year.

While noted as a politician and Revolutionary War hero, Schuyler enslaved over a dozen people at his Saratoga and Albany homes.

The Times Union of 2023 goes on to cite and this is not a joke a report by five high schoolers who say that Schuyler is a bad man, and his statue has to be removed. Thats the report you heard referenced in that news clip, as well.

Heres how the Times Union describes the findings of these high school students:

The report, titled, What To Do with Phil? A 2022 Report from the Young Abolitionist Leadership Institute, was created by five Albany High School students who met between October 201 and June with two adult facilitators. While the report notes Schuylers accomplishments as a Revolutionary War general and politician, his legacy is still marked by owning human beings, it says.

This is also the report that the Albany government relied on to justify removing the statue.

Facile does not begin to describe this. In the 18th century, no one had the same attitudes towards slavery that we do now even the people who opposed it. Which relatively few people did back then. Its not surprising that a bunch of dumb, arrogant kids would lack the proper historical perspective and think themselves qualified to pass moral judgments on historical figures who lived 250 years ago. But thats where adults are supposed to step in. The problem is that there arent very many adults left in this country.

Whats really going on here is that Schuyler like Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt, and all the other historical figures whove had their monuments destroyed is a hero of a different nation. One that the city of Albany considers to be a foreign enemy. And they know they have to erase him if they want their revolution to succeed.

The Biden administration understands this as well. Look at this grotesque display currently hanging at the White House: Today, the People's House your house sends a clear message to the country and to the world.

America is a nation of pride. pic.twitter.com/ZZS9oTpDww

President Biden (@POTUS) June 11, 2023

Thats a Pride flag hanging on the White House, in between two American flags. There are similar displays all over the country, at 30 Rock and so on, but putting this flag at the White House, just like the flag at Albany City Hall, has particular implications. Most conservatives are saying that its horrific and evil for the White House to not only fly the Pride flag but to give it a place of primacy in between the two American flags. It is, of course, both of those things, but what they dont understand is that the White House is also properly representing its own nation, which is not our nation. We are two nations in one. There is the old United States that conservatives still cling to and cherish, and theres a new country with its own flag, its own traditions, its own heroes and foundational myths.

Thats the nation that the Biden regime, the media, academia, Hollywood all speak to and represent. Why do you think the city of New York took down Teddy Roosevelts statue? Liberals used to love him. He was one of the greatest presidents this country ever had. He broke up the big monopolies. He was well-read. He saved the middle class. He established national parks. He was an explorer and a pioneer. They took down Teddy Roosevelts statue in New York for a specific reason which was to replace it. Instead of Teddy Roosevelt, New York recently put up a horned statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Thats now happening, at scale. The nation we had before is being replaced. Its not just the demographics that are changing. The activists who are leading this revolution, like all totalitarians, understand that to take full control, they need to erase our shared history. Theyre executing their plan right in front of us, as obviously as they possibly can. While conservatives are debating the proper positioning of the American flag in relation to the Pride flag at the White House, the government is going out in the middle of the night and destroying the symbols they dont like. Theyre not asking your opinion on it. Theyre just doing it.

With that in mind, its not hard to wonder: What else will they take away before you even realize it? A lot more than statues. Soon the government may be able to kidnap your children if you dont subscribe to the cult of gender ideology. Thats an actual bill in California right now. Theyll label you a child abuser and likely put you in prison for wrong-think, so the state can raise your child. Thats the ultimate goal of this push for inclusion, which of course is fundamentally about excluding anyone with traditional views (and in particular religious views). The totalitarians running the government, like all totalitarians throughout history, are obsessed with using their power to make future generations subservient to their rule. Thats the reason theyre sponsoring Pride parades that expose children to deviant sexual fetishes. Thats the reason theyre destroying and replacing everything they can.

It took the single deadliest famine in world history to stop Mao. What will it take to stop the revolution thats taking place right now in this country? The longer this goes on the longer sane people stay quiet and watch as all this happens the more likely it is that, unfortunately, were going to find out.

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National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families ‘gaslit’

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National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families 'gaslit'

A “rapid” national investigation into NHS maternity services has been launched by the government.

The announcement comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting met families who have lost babies and amid the ongoing investigations at some NHS trusts into maternity care failings.

The investigation in England is intended to provide truth to families suffering harm, as well as driving urgent improvements to care and safety, as part of efforts to ensure “no parent or baby is ever let down again”.

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The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) welcomed the government’s announcement and said maternity services were “at, or even beyond, breaking point”.

Last week, the NHS regulator said maternity and neonatal services at two Leeds hospitals had been rated inadequate over safety issues.

Mr Streeting, who was speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) conference in London, apologised on behalf of the NHS for what families had been through and said it was “clear something is going wrong”.

He added: “For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives.

“What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened.

“Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now.”

Mr Streeting said families have had to “fight for truth and justice” and had described being “ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated and damaged further by the inability for a trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong”.

Health secretary doesn’t want any deaths on his watch

This was a powerful speech from the health secretary who is clearly troubled by the scandalous state of maternity services in this country.

Wes Streeting has spent the past year meeting bereaved families who have been failed by the NHS.

He said he “was kept up at night” after listening to their harrowing testimonies.

Announcing a national investigation into NHS maternity services, this review is modelled on the Darzi report into the NHS, commissioned by the health secretary almost as soon as he came into office.

It will be “rapid”. The terms of reference for the investigation will be known by July. The actual report is expected to be published by Christmas.

Mr Streeting accepts this is an ambitious timeline but is driven by the fear that mothers and babies are still being failed and he does not want “any deaths on his watch”.

Read the full analysis here.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting speaking during the RCOG World Congress 2025.
Pic: PA
Image:
Wes Streeting speaking during the RCOG conference. Pic: PA

The investigation will consist of two parts.

The first will investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including Sussex, in the coming weeks to give affected families answers as quickly as possible, according to the Department of Health.

The second will be a “system-wide” look at maternity and neonatal care, uniting lessons from past inquiries to create one clear set of actions designed to improve NHS care.

A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will be chaired by Mr Streeting and made up of experts and bereaved families.

The investigation will begin this summer and report back by December.

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From 2024: ‘The joy was sucked out of having a baby’

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: “This rapid national investigation must mark a line in the sand for maternity care – setting out one set of clear actions for NHS leaders to ensure high quality care for all.”

Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the RCOG, said: “The maternity workforce is on its knees, with many now leaving the profession.”

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RCM chief executive Gill Walton said: “Everyone involved in maternity services – the midwifery community, obstetricians, anaesthetists, sonographers and, of course, the women and families in their care – knows that maternity services are at, or even beyond, breaking point.

“This renewed focus and commitment by the health secretary to deliver change is welcome, and we will do everything we can to support him in doing so.”

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Palestine Action ‘to be banned’ as terror group, home secretary says

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Palestine Action 'to be banned' as terror group, home secretary says

Palestine Action will be proscribed as a terrorist organisation, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said.

The action has been taken after the activist group claimed responsibility for breaking into RAF Brize Norton last week.

Footage released by the group showed them vandalising aircraft – with reports of damage totalling millions of pounds.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said “the disgraceful attack on Brize Norton” on Friday was “the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action”

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Damage to planes at Brize Norton
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Some of the damage to planes at RAF Brize Norton

She said a draft proscription order will be laid in parliament next week and if passed, it will make it illegal to be a member of, or invite support for, Palestine Action.

Proscription can lead to prison sentences of up to 14 years for some offences, although some breaches are punishable with fines.

Read more: What does proscription mean?

Saeed Taji Farouky, a member of the group, told Sky News the proscription was “completely irrational” and “without precedent”.

He branded it a “knee-jerk reaction from the government” because the group “was able to humiliate them and show serious flaws in the defences of the RAF base”.

People take part in a demonstration at Trafalgar Square in London in support of Palestine Action. Pic: PA
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A supporter of Palestine Action in London. Pic: PA

Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said a “full review” of security at military bases was under way, and the government was working alongside counter-terror police to find the activists who broke into the Oxfordshire base.

The group has also claimed responsibility for several incidents involving red paint being sprayed on businesses.

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Who are Palestine Action?

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A protest in support of Palestine Action was taking place on Monday in London.

Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, said he was “shocked and frustrated” that the action was going ahead.

He added that he had limited powers to stop the demonstration until proscription takes place.

Police officers remove people taking part in a demonstration at Trafalgar Square in London. Pic: PA
Image:
Police officers remove people taking part in a Palestine Action protest. Pic: PA

The Metropolitan Police three people had been arrested at the Palestine Action protest in Trafalgar Square – two for obstruction and one for a “racially aggravated public order offence”.

In her statement to parliament, Ms Cooper said Palestine Action “publicises and promotes its attacks involving serious property damage”.

She said the group had claimed responsibility for an attack on a Jewish-owned business in north London, as well as causing millions of pounds of damage to defence businesses.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Pic: PA
Image:
Yvette Cooper announced Palestine Action will be proscribed on Monday. Pic: PA

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The home secretary said, however, that if parliament supports the proscription, the right to “peaceful protest” will remain unaffected.

“It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the UK’s foreign policy, can continue to do so,” she added.

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Tulip Siddiq: Labour MP accuses Bangladesh’s leader of ‘orchestrated campaign’ to damage her reputation

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Tulip Siddiq: Labour MP accuses Bangladesh's leader of 'orchestrated campaign' to damage her reputation

Former minister Tulip Siddiq has accused the leader of Bangladesh of conducting an “orchestrated campaign” to damage her reputation and “interfere with UK politics”, according to a new legal letter seen by Sky News.

The Labour MP also said comments made by Professor Muhammad Yunus in a Sky News interview have prejudiced her right to a fair investigation, meaning the ongoing corruption inquiries into her should be dropped.

In March, the chief adviser – who is effectively the country’s interim leader – told Sky News that Ms Siddiq “has so many (sic) wealth left behind here” and “should be made responsible”.

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Bangladesh’s leader talks to Sky News

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq alleging corruption in connection with the government of her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the country’s prime minister last year.

In the new correspondence sent today to Professor Yunus and the ACC, lawyers for the former minister write: “The time has now come for the chief adviser and the ACC to abandon their wholly misconceived and unlawful campaign to smear Ms Siddiq’s reputation and interfere with her public service.”

Sky News has approached the chief adviser and the ACC for comment.

The Bangladeshi authorities have previously said they have evidence to back up their claims of corruption and will pursue action through the country’s courts.

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The Tulip Siddiq accusations explained

Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Ms Siddiq said: “I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority, which is representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate.

“So they need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning.”

The MP had requested a meeting with the Bangladeshi leader during an official visit to the UK earlier this month to “clear up” any misunderstandings.

But this was turned down by the chief adviser, who said he did not want to “interrupt a legal procedure”.

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MP says arrest warrant is ‘smear campaign’

In the new legal letter, lawyers for Ms Siddiq say the interim leader had already unfairly influenced the inquiries through previous comments.

“The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation,” reads the letter.

The correspondence also sets a deadline of 30 June 2025 for the Bangladeshi authorities to reply by, stating that “in the absence of a full and proper response… Ms Siddiq will consider this matter closed”.

A former Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor Muhammad Yunus became interim leader of Bangladesh last August after weeks of deadly protests forced Sheikh Hasina from power.

He has pledged to root out corruption and recover alleged stolen wealth before holding votes to elect a permanent administration.

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Tulip Siddiq questioned over Bangladesh corruption

Last month, Professor Yunus banned the Awami League – the political party still led by Sheikh Hasina – from standing in the coming elections.

That led to criticism from those still loyal to the former prime minister, with protests also sparking in the country over jobs, pay and planned reforms.

Earlier this year, Ms Siddiq attracted criticism over newspaper reports alleging property links to individuals connected to the Awami League.

She referred herself to the prime minister’s standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus who said he had “not identified evidence of improprieties” but added it was “regrettable” Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the “potential reputational risks” of the ties to her aunt.

Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be “a distraction” for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong.

Sheikh Hasina is currently standing trial in absentia in Dhaka over alleged killings during last summer’s civil unrest.

Asked by Sky News if she had any regrets about links to the Awami league, Ms Siddiq said: “The main thing I would say to you, I’m very proud to be the MP for Hampstead and Highgate. I was born in London, I grew up in London. I went to school here and now I’m an MP here.”

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Sheikh Hasina pictured in 2023.
Pic: AP/ Yomiuri Shimbun
Image:
Sheikh Hasina pictured in 2023. Pic: AP/Yomiuri Shimbun

In March, Sky News revealed that UK investigators could assist with probes into alleged grand corruption during Hasina’s time in power.

Staff from the National Crime Agency visited Bangladesh in October and November as part of initial work to support the interim government in the country.

Last month, the NCA confirmed it had secured a “freezing order” against a property in north London linked to Ms Siddiq’s family.

She denies all the allegations – and sources close to the MP say the authorities have been sending correspondence to an address in Dhaka that has no connection with her.

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