I have little sympathy for expats in Libya

mike

Absolutely agree!!!!

Rhoda Klapp

I have less sympathy than Rod. But I have been wondering why Brits abroad are considered worth spending large amounts on, while British citizens who live here get no special treatment at all, and the protections of our legal system are extended to dodgy foreigners who passed through on their way to Guantanamo.

If you live in a shithole in England, presided over by nutters or religious maniacs or oppressive forces in general, can you expect HMG to get you out of it? Some hopes.

Austin Barry

"Shit-holes presided over by nutters, or Stalinists, or religious maniacs or all three. So don’t blame us when things get a bit nasty."

Bang goes my trip to the Vatican then.

Fred Taylor

Go on, Rod. Fess up. You're after William Hague's job, aren't you?

Andrew

Exactly my sentiments. It is like those people who put their money in Icelandic banks earning a high interest rate and then want to get compensated when their investments disappear. I think we should have sympathy for the Libyan people they got very little choice where they can live and no place to run too

W

Rod - you're an idiot.

Forest Fan

Glad to know it’s not just me then.

Also…and this really gets to me, how many people are moaning on about how we do business with these countries, yet never said anything before?

If we feel that bad about it then let’s just chuck all our electrical gear out the window and all the other materialistic pap which is supposed to make life so wonderful, because the last time I looked China didn’t score that highly when it came human rights.

On another point…big win for the mighty reds tomorrow…hopefully.

C Powell

Quite.

But what can you expect when even members of our Royal Navy start blubbing when they lose their iPods while on duty?

Time for people in Britain to take responsibility for their own lives and only in extremis when all else fails start looking to the government for help.

anne allan

What is it about Libya and household pets?
There was a hoohah some years back when the British Ambassador and his family had to abandon their pet rabbit.

Hexhamgeezer

Hear Hear Mr L!

As I said elswhere being a Brit abroad doesnt mean you've got a get-out-of-jail free card whenever the shitehole you're in gets smellier.

John Lea

Completely agree! Did you see that awful woman on channel 4 news the other evening? She was the wife of one of the tax-dodgers stranded over there. She was telling Jon Snow about how useless the Uk govt was, and how they had let down 'our boys' - as if these people were soldiers serving on the front line in Helamnd. And of course, it being C4 News, Mr Snow let her vent her spleen without interruption.

Alexander Pelling

One imagines that they may also have avoided our Socialist taxation system by going there. If so, the right to rely on our government's services would surely be commensurately reduced?

Saltirethinking

W ..... Y.

RCE

"..everywhere in the middle east." Apart from Israel, that is.

exile on euro street

@W - would you care to share a little of the sophisticated analysis behind your comment. You know, in the same way that in exams of days gone by if you got the answer wrong but showed your working you still got some credit.

Archibald

I couldn't agree more.

A suitable analogy would be of a man screwing someone's mother, stealing from his sister and working with his uncle who has abused him since childhood, saying to you: "mate... this guy's a bit annoyed and I think he's gonna kick my arse... any chance of you stepping in?"

A MacAulay

And what about the fantastically idiotic comments from American diplomats as to how Britain was "too close" to Gaddafi. What a bunch of utter hypocrites.

Baron

am usually of the same view, remember New Orleans? A camera shot from the helicopter captures three muscular blokes who look as if they just came out of a gym, two sitting down, deflated, one standing, shouting ‘help us, help us…’

here, it’s different though, lawlessness in a country where law and order is a rare commodity when things go smoothly would put the fear of the lack of God into anyone. Trust me, I know, I’ve got the taste of it. The escapees have my sympathy, more so because it’s the bloody duty of the consular staff to assist when troubles arise in foreign lands. They don’t get paid to attend cocktail parties only.

and another thing. What TF have you got against ex-pats in holes of shit or gold for that matter, ha? They got on their bikes, are earning a living, make no claims on the taxpayer. Good on them, I’d say.

Rhoda, it’s hard to see how one would expect HMG to get us out of our shitholes when it was our giving the politicians the licence to create the shitholes in the first place.

WetherspoonThree

I would have thought that the 'Irish' teacher would have been quite familiar with the concept of 'despair'...according to numerous press reports, its a state of mind that those who fly Ryanair frequently have to endure.

Apparently she was 'abandoned' by her hosts, which admittedly was not very gallant but in the circumtances, entirely understandable, given her irritating sense of entitlement. I am curious to know on what topic she lecturing - I hope it was water purification techniques rather than military assistance to the civil power. Perhaps it was something to do with overseas aid or Western imperialism.

I rather liked the American who upon boarding the HMS Cumberland declared that he never thought he would ever have been pleased to see the Union Jack. Maybe the sentiment was lost in translation but I thought we had a special relationship...

Baron

Andrew @ 1.12:

many Landsbanki’s depositors, mostly ex-pats, didn’t invest in the bank, but Cheshire Bldg Society that the Icelandic outfit took over, and only because they couldn’t open an account on the mainland, regulations, you see. Some of these depositors couldn’t withdraw in time, the money was tied up in term contracts. You reckon then it was fair and proper they should have lost their life savings, do you?

Tron

From the Left we always hear "it's all about oil" whenever dealing with the Middle East is discussed. It's always said with a sneer. Oil is bad they say and then phone for a taxi.
Our whole economy runs on oil and will for a long time. (whatever the eco-watermelons say) No oil, no economy. No nothing. Shut the petrol stations for a month and see what happens.
There are three things worth fighting for; Food, Water and Oil. Without these we die.

David Ossitt

Rob asks, “I hate to sound mean-spirited, but does anyone else feel as bereft of sympathy for the British ex pats whining about how ghastly it was in Libya and how useless was our government in getting them out of the place?”

Yes, yes a thousand times yes, I agree but I would go even further.

With uprising to the west in Tunisia and then the demonstrations in Egypt to the east, anyone with even half a brain would have started their annual leave early and would have been on the first flight out weeks ago.

All of this moaning about how the government has let them down is just another example of how successive governments have infantilised much of the adult population.

Rhoda Klapp

Baron, point taken, but they promised us otherwise..

David Ossitt

W
“Rod - you're an idiot”

Oh no he is not, quite the contrary and he shows us the courtesy of using his own name.

Just what does the W indicate? Weirdo? Wanker?

David Ossitt

anne allan

“There was a hoohah some years back when the British Ambassador and his family had to abandon their pet rabbit”

Hello anne that is what they told their children, in fact it was one of the ingredients in a stand-pie served at a leaving party.

David Ossitt

anne allan

“There was a hoohah some years back when the British Ambassador and his family had to abandon their pet rabbit”

Hello anne that is what they told their children, in fact it was one of the ingredients in a stand-pie served at a leaving party.

old fogey

There seem to be an awful lot of teachers out in Libya, I've long observed that the biggest whingers in Britain are teachers--you only have to watch Question Time on Thursday's to gain the same impression. it seems English Language teachers are just as needy.

Another Rod

I wish someone would put drugs in my Nescafe.
Viagra, preferably.

David D

As they will mostly have been well paid for working in Libya, and paying no tax to the UK Exchequer, they should all have paid the full cost of their rescue...but no doubt they will all have been repatriated at the expense of the Taxpayer so they can fly off to some other well paid job outside UK and continue their lack of contributions to the UK exchequer. It's a funny old world we live in.

Noa

Rod

By all means be a grumpy old Sun reading sod on this issue.

Whether or not expats (gold chain wearing, sid drinking, tax dodging bar stewards one and all of course, fancy going abroad and earning foreign exchange!) are entitled to any help from UK Government if they don't get themselves out is a distraction from the real issue emerging.

That is of course Britain's impotence to intervene in much anyway.

After all, if you got stranded in some dangerous foreign islamic shit hole whilst doing some cutting edge investigative reporting, Peckham, for instance, they'd be entitled to take the same view on your plight and leave you to your fate.

But it's a fact that the option of helping them, or stranded tourists, diplomats or missionaries, in similar circumstances, is already vanishing.

In a month there would have been no no frigate to call into Benkhazi, already the potential air cover for any rescue has gone.

In the meantime delusional Dave is swanning around flogging arms and preaching a democratic benediction to the unfaithful, whilst the senior fag perfects the 6 day weekend.

Doppelganger

Rod

Which countries do you think we can visit/work in and still legitimately expect HMG's support if things go wrong? Or should we all stay at home?

David H.

Kinda mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, you takes yer chances to an extent if choosing to reside in a volatile land. On the other, as has been said, these folk got 'on their bike', and up until now haven't been a burden on anyone. I'd maybes see the arguement more for not helping them when we stop paying millions of our home-based crowd to sit and do sweet FA all day.

John Steadman

Wotcha tryin' to say, Rod?

Cameron says he was "incredibly" sorry about not being able lift them all out in a trice.
There's a PR man who knows the value of prostrating himself even when he's done nowt wrong.

eyesee

My problem is that they seemed to wait rather too long and that is the reason for their 'plight'. How much warning did they want? Maybe they were positive that their nice host, Gadfly, would shoot the number required to put things back to normal so they could carry on their lives unimpeded.

AGS

Re. Austin Barry, casual bigot masquerading as a humourist. Got any good ones about Jews or Pakkis, have you?

smell the glove

It was events! my dear boy Rodney, events!

Annabel

Well said, Rod. Furthermore, many of the ex-pats working in oil do not pay tax to the UK on their vast earnings yet expect us to cough up to get them out of trouble. Shouldn't it be the oil companies' job to ensure the safety of their employees and charter aircraft etc? Another woman, rescued from Egypt was bellyaching about having to pay £300 for her ticket home!

toby

As an ex pat teacher who has been in several dodgy places over the years I can see both sides. We teach the kids of Brits who are out there. We encourage foreign kids to study in the UK. Then when something goes tits up we watch as other countries assist their nationals departure more speedily. In one instances the Brit Embassy locked up and pissed off. We are famous for getting out sharp but leaving Ms Smith in her classroom.

Mark

I agree Rod. These people bugger off to Libya in order to earn fat salaries and avoid paying UK taxes, then mess their pants at the first whiff of grapeshot and expect the British government to get them out of said shithole country toute de suite, as well as footing the bill for doing so. They want to have it all ways at no cost to themselves, the greedy bastards.

James Fisher

Couldn't agree more. The Beeb seem to be going really o t t with this as well.

Eddie

I couldn't agree more! These people go to work in these godforsaken hellholes because they can earn between £7000 and £15000 PER MONTH tax free! And that's for some middle manager!

Now they expect to be rescued by the armed forces and free government flights paid for - wait for it - by the BRITISH tax payers who have paid tax in the UK. They have not, of course.

Ergo, we should BILL THESE PARASITES NOW!

Why not? Why should we all pay taxes so these parasitic greedy wimps can get a free ride home? It must have cost millions to evacuate them - well, divide that number by the number of pity party ex-pats evacuated, and send each a bill. Why not? One could even say they are guilty of theft from the British tax payer if they don't cough up.

And how many will sell their pity party stories to the press? "Oh boo hoo hoo - we was all alone on the big desert and the really scary lootin' arabs nicked our DVD player and telly and laptops so we was like really really bored and stuff - what wiv no soaps or footie to watch, and the missus don't 'arf miss 'er loose womenand jamie' dinners an all..."

I think we should send them back actually - to Tripoli. They tolerated a despot so long as he was feathering their nests - so why not send ewm back so they can go and give the man a hug eh? They loved him before. So what's changed huh?

Most of these ex-pats are chavs and chavettes anyway - looking for a standard of living they can't get into the UK and to send their thick chavvy kids to 'private school' to try and position themselves higher than people who are actually middle class. Just look at Dubai! Chav central.

I wonder how many of these parasites ever other to learn any of the language or the culture in the countries they work in anyway? I must say, when I am overseas I tend to avoid such ex-pats - they are just as thick and uncultured and dull as those who were on army bases in Germany; I actually know a guy who grew up on a British army base in Germany - lived there 7 years; doesn't speak a word of German!

Ian Wright

This 'hugely annoying' woman, and others of that ilk, may care to tell us why they think that taxpayers (Polish or Brits) should have to pay for their rescue!

Mike Towl

Spot on Rod. I am a 35 year veteran, now retired from the Hydrocarbon game. I've worked all over the world, usually tax-free and never thought for a minute of calling on HM Gov to get me out of a "shit hole" and I've been in a few. If doing a runner was required the company would deal with it and usually came through. We took the money, so took the chances. Working upstream in this game is about risk and remuneration and "hard times in bad stations." Whatever happened to the days of wooden rigs and iron men?"

Donald Fraser

In Jeddah 1979 two people fell to their death at a party given by Dr Richard Arnot and his wife, Penny. They were sentenced to a public flogging for serving alcohol and deported back to the UK. Later Richard publishes his story in "Arabian Nightmare". The book mentions he moves to Australia to begin a new life. But where? Is it to a pleasant suburb of Adelaide? No, Alice Spring! Hot as hell. Desert loving ex-pats might think to copy his move to The Australian Outback. Hell holes can be presided over by the good, relatively speaking.

Francis eXavier

At last, some honesty and common sense. if you work in Libya for lots of money and pay little tax, you will understand the risks when the country is ruled by a Dicator. As a country, we can't have HMS cruising every potential disaster throughout the world. Sensibly, a couple of BA and BMI pilots and crew refused to fly in under expected cross fire.

Richard of Moscow

Yes, zero sympathy for the blubbering expats. Only a nutter would expect help from the UK embassies. In Moscow, only the US and Irish embassies match our own for muppetry, and if the country went tits up, we know we'd be on our own.

But, rightly or wrongly, every country tries to rescue its citizens from foreign shitholes, and every country does it better than we do.

It's your money, dear non-expats, which pays the wages of the useless cretins in the Foreign Office, so someone should be kicking up a fuss. One day it may be blameless families on holiday that need help, instead of fat, whining tax-dodgers.

Baron

Jo Keene @ 9.59:

a cold shower may help, you mustn’t believe everything young Liddle writes, you read. It’s to get us going, clock up more hits than the next door competition, just ask yourself could there be much better subject to get outrageous about than the British abroad?

and another thing: for my money, the best entry so far comes from Another Rod @ 4.48. am waiting to find out whether anyone has or hasn’t, what happened next.

Professor Bongo

Just guessing.. but those posting ''absolutely agree'' or ''completely agree'' or ''hear hear'' to Liddles ranting are probrably jealous of those that work overseas and earn big tax free salaries. Don't yer really wish it was you.?

james Murphy

Right on the money Rod! It's a revolution not a bourgeois board-game. Radio Four rules do not apply. Bullets will fly, blood will flow, people will die: this means you.

Santorum

I feel sympathy for a lot of people in Libya at the moment and I wish them the best. I also think it's this country's duty to look after the security and interests of its citizens wherever they are. So I'm afraid I disagree with you Rod. I'd be happy to discuss further if I see you in Dulwich Sainsbury's tomorrow. Now there's a shithole.

Eddie

I couldn't agree more. These people could and should have left after the events in Tunisia and Egypt. Instead they sat tight in their well-paying tax-free jobs (£7-15k a month for a middle manager) - and then, when the predictable happened, expect the British government to bail them out - despite the fact they haven't paid a penny of tax here.

I say: send them a bill. Why should the poorest people in the UK pay taxes to help these parasites? Also, when some of them sell their stories to the tabloids, name and shame them.

Ditto with anyone who gets rescued after some mountain climbing attempt or some attempt break a world ballooing record... Mentioning no names, your Sir Bransonness...

Times is hard. People should pay tax in the UK - if they do not, they should not expect the benefits that come from that tax. Ditto for all foreigners in the UK.

As my mum would always say: Fair Play too!

rod liddle

Jo - why should you be rescued by any embassy? What did you think Libya would be like? If I decided to carve out a lucrative career in a foreign country I knew to be dangerous I wouldn't expect my government to bail me out when, predictably enough, things geta bit rough. So, fuck you too. And I hope the Poles send you a bill.

Dino

rodney liddle you are a liar! you do not "hate to sound mean spirited" at all. you bloody love it! rock on bigboy!

bongo bongo

Excuse me.. what do you have to do to get a comment to appear on this site.??

i have posted several over the last few days.. all lost in cyberspace.?

What's going on.?

bongo bongo

Wait a minute.. that 'hugely annoying' woman was working for the British Council, i.e. British Government. Surely expecting to be rescued by your 'employer' is not too much to ask.

I assume it was HM Government that sent her there. Ignore the abusive comments Jo.

DeeJay

Surely, given the opportunity by our faint-hearted politians, our chaps would relish the opportunity to pick up the Brits still left in desert, sort out that local difficulty in Tripoli and still be back in time to watch the rugby?

By the way, I don't think our Home Secretary is having a very good time of late. Forgotten his name for a moment but the fellow seems strangely disconnected from events and otherwise pre-occupied...

Eddie

Looking forward to you paying the bill to Poland, Jo. Well, you have lots of cash - after living tax free in Libya! Ditto for all the other tax exiles whose whining moany pity party of the last couple of days has been vomit-inducing. Personally, I wouldn't have bothered rescuing any of you for free and would have demanded cash up front.

Eddie

I'm thinking of planning a working holiday in Somalia later this year, or maybe North Korea. Or Iraq maybe, or a Taliban stronghold in the hills of Aghanistan. I want to teach dem da English, innit though...

So, when the place explodes and I am in danger of being kidnapped, could the British government send a multimillion pound big pretty helicopter/plane and ship to rescue me? The SAS maybe? If not, why not? I might be 'in despair' and ever so upset at my trauma! My self-esteem may well never recover.

So what if I don't pay tax in the UK and thus contribute nothing to the British state or armned forces - they should still rescue me. Why? Because I'm worth it, innit?

By the way, the British council has something of a reputation for employing rather 'out there' English teachers, many of whom are probably more left-wing than Gadaffi! The Morning Post and Guardian are well-thumbed in British Council offices for sure - and the BC seem to get through so much cash - spending millions or...er...like really important stuff, like...er...mounting exhibitions of diversity in Britain and Mary Seacole....and...er....other really crucial stuff! Yeah baby!

P. Drake

Absolutely no sympathy at all, they chose to be there, no one forced them to go there, did they?

rod liddle

what, including her abusive comments?

Saltirethinking

Jo. I didn't see you on the 'tele, but you are hugely annoying nonetheless.

Eddie's mum

As his mum I can assure you that, whatever he says, I'll be writing to my MP and that David Cameron if you don't rescue him from those Somalis he's been working with, doing public readings from Samuel Smiles and showing them how to build shebeens from old heineken bottles.

He's a British citizen and that passport entitles him to free and unhindered passage. He did pay tax before he went there, not a lot I know, but a bit, and that foul mouthed woman from the British Council who handed out the free lesbian pamphlets in arabic got out on PolskiAir.
So before the emmodium will never work again, free Eddie now!

Ian S.

Wholly agree. Many years ago, I worked in an African country which was experiencing a nasty civil war. I was fully aware of this before I took the post. What did I get out of it? An exciting expat life, a high salary and many perks. I did not expect the UK government to be at my beck and call. This is yet another depressing instance of UK citizens expecting the state to intervene on their behalf on every occasion.

Mrs HighTea

Here here. I thought it was just me who felt these expats were behaving in an incredibly 'entitled' and ungrateful manner when it was their choice to work in Libya. No-one was holding a gun to their heads when they made that decision.

john G

... and talking of the malodorous, thieving BBC, anyone else notice how they are completely ignoring the Tunisian masses as they attack Jews, prostitutes, gays and anyone else who challenges the Islamist future? Hmmm, wonder why?

David Paterson

Must agree with your comments. It annoys me when I have to listen to idiots ranting on about the inaction of HMG to get "our people" out of danger zones. Do they do wonder why the big salriesw are being paid to them. Its not because of the bright sunshine and lack of alcohol!

Professor Bongo

As far as i know, nobody is working in Libya for the booze and the birds. Unless you're into camels and goats you're out of luck.

Definately no picnic and thats why the dough is pretty good.

No.. they are in Libya to ensure that you self-righteous tax payers can continue drive around in yer ford fiestas or whatever.

You mug taxpayers undoubtedly inhabit the high ground having the satisfaction of paying your taxes to keep an army of scroungers and illegal immigrants in a lifestyle to which their human rights entitle them.

But my thoughts go out to the brave men now stranded in the desert who make it all possible.

Professor Bongo

john G

right.. 'anyone else notice how they are completely ignoring the Tunisian masses as they attack Jews, prostitutes, gays and anyone else who challenges the Islamist future?'

No.. you won't know if you only watch the BBC or read the guardian.

The same will happen in Egypt and wherever these so called 'peoples democratic' revolutions take place.

i'm not sure that they are completely ignoring the masses
though. It seems to be what arabs want and get off on.

Ian Walker

A shit-hole presided over by a maniac?

Why didn't I get extra money for working in Britain under Blair then?

les

Thank you - I thought it was just me,I have been keeping my thoughts to myself.

The Mail is morphing into the Mirror with it's hysterical headlines.

Baron

Eddie @ 2.22:

how about, when you’re next booking your North Korean break, you go for a one way ticket, boosting visibly the tolerance level in both countries and, judging from the feeble ‘worth it, innit’ quip, enhancing the level of wit available here and there, too.

Edna Bii

I'm planning to teach abroad next year, and I research each country carefully before applying. Doesn't leave me much outside the EU, mind.
There's a classic scene in 'Clerks' about whether the maintenance staff working on the second Death Star were wrongly killed or whether they shouldn't have worked for a dictator in the first place.

Although I'm not sure how 'pure' you have to be - are Jordan and South Korea ok?

John birch

Christ rod, we haven't heard much from you recently but this one is like chucking a handgranade into a small room!.
Super.

Pot Head

Or have little sympathy when members of the Armed Forces are killed in some Middle East shit-hole. After al they knew the risks when they signed on.

rod liddle

John Birch - no, apologies for non-attendance. As you'll see from the above thread I've been away for a bit. More regular henceforth.

WetherspoonThree

I suppose a State Visit to the United Kingdom by Colonel Gaddafi is slightly less likely now?

Noa

What's really depressing reading these posts is the sheer small minded socialist jealously of so many of the supposedly Conservative posters about people who are British citizens, will be mostly remitting their salaries back here to spend and work for mostly, UK companies.
Such attitudes would do credit to Bob Crow or Brendan Barber!

No wonder our national self-esteem, wealth and creativity is so minimal when we begrudge helping our own kith and kin!

Michael S

Spot on Rod Just wish the spineless populist-pandering media (or at least some of the media) would have the courage and sense to see things this way too.

Eddie

Baron - you seriously think your post is witty or funny? (Funny in the head maybe - perhaps you can sod off to North Korea where you can be mental to your heart's content.

Noa - you seem to misunderstand forums like this. Posting here does not mean that one is a 'conservative' or votes Conservative. And anyway, what you are saying is that people have the right (under your right wing ideology) to get all benefits from the British state without paying any tax to it! I think you'll find, the Queen will not give a knighthood to tax exiles either unless they pay back taxes. Is she the new Bob Crow then> Is Brenda a card carrying socialist for having that rule? (cf David Niven and Rex Harrison's cases).

Me, I am not a conservative; I am truly independent and a TRUE liberal (not one of those self-declared 'liberals' who supports Hammas and Ismalists in the UK) who supports freedom of speech and expression against both lefties and righties in thrall to the Gaddafi-esque oppression of political correctness we toil under in the UK now

Peter West

For once I agree with you, primary responsibility was surely with the companies that sent them.

Noa

We'll have to agree to differ Eddie.

I happen to think that if UK citizens and interests abroad are unduly threatened by a breakdown of law and order they're entitled to reasonable and proportionate help and assistance from their government.

Unlike you apparently, I wouldn't be content to see 400 or 500 Brits murdered in some foreign craphole when we could do something about it.

Of course we won't be able to anyway in the near future, unless Foreign Minister Baroness Ashton deigns to intervene.

Noa

Eddie

Some of your comments merit deserve further consideration:

"what you are saying is that people have the right (under your right wing ideology) to get all benefits from the British state without paying any tax to it"!

No I'm not, they don't for example get NHS, police or medical cover when they are abroad, chances are they have homes and families in the UK, and remit money which is spent here in taxes and goods. who pay tax and intend to come back after they've finish working abroad.

"I think you'll find, the Queen will not give a knighthood to tax exiles either unless they pay back taxes.

You seem to think most expats are tax exiles in the Lord Ashcroft class rather than ordinary Brits who work abroad rather than at home, many of whom are on company secondments for a couple of years. To call them tax exiles is simply wrong. They remain British citizens who perfectly legally, are not resident for tax purposes. Of course they may or may not be paying tax in the country they work in.

"Is she the new Bob Crow then> Is Brenda a card carrying socialist for having that rule? (cf David Niven and Rex Harrison's cases)..".

Thankfully, you lose me from hereon in...

Richard of Moscow

Eddie

"By the way, the British council has something of a reputation for employing rather 'out there' English teachers, many of whom are probably more left-wing than Gadaffi!"

They are not only left-wing, but also semi-literate at literate at best. The British Council is as much use as a chocolate teapot and should be swiftly put to death

James

Spot on - I hope that we're charging these people for their ticket out. Or at least charge their firms for rescuing their employees.

Mr Sponge

Earning good money in a shit-hole, avoiding UK tax and then.......WE get to pay for the armed forces to send in a frigate, the SAS, helicopter gunships and Hercules transporters to get them out of said shit-hole.

Surely they or their employers should foot the bill.

Nele Schindler

@Mike Towl:

I love you. Reading your missive, I smell Old Spice and feel the rugged edge of your stubbly chin against my cheek.

Entirely agree with you of course. Can we meet and smoke Marlboros by a campfire in the Nigerian bush?

Gordon

Quite right that you can't exactly complain about the speed with which the Govt reacted; they are, after all, in the clear now... which is more than can be said for ordinary Libyans.

But if it's a bad thing that there are British Citizens living abroad, the majority of whom still own a home in the UK and spend most of their foreign made dosh back in Blighty, rarely costing a penny to the taxpayer through use of public services etc. ... well, if that's a bad thing, I'm seriously confused.

dave scott

Sounds like you're just one of those 'unsympathetic' creatures that pontificates from a secure Coffee Bar but never sees the real world.

There are many people who are prepared to take some risk to make a difference. This brings tangible benefits to the UK and enhances our reputation, which in turn creates opportunities which benefit the coffee-bar pontificators. When things go wrong, all are entitled to support.

Dave Scott

ROD.... if you hate to sound "mean-spirited", why did you write a mean-spirited article?

British citizens are free to travel subject to immigration agreements with foreign countries. And British subjects are entitled to the protection of the British Govt wherever they go, even (indeed especially) if they break the law.

That is the kind of country Britain is, and what makes us different.

All those who support this idiotic pusillanimity should write to FCO indicating they wish to abdicate their rights to support when travelling.

Tara Hays

You know what? After being out of work for six months I took a job in Libya, because it was a job and I would much rather work than claim benefits (unlike a large percentage of the UK). As a secretary I didn't make any more than I had previously been paid in the UK, so to suggest that all of us made a crap load of money shows just how uninformed you are. I don't blame the UK government for things getting 'nasty', I do however hold them responsible for standing for sixteen hours in the rain with no shelter when we had been promised it, no access to toilet facilities for nearly twenty hours, and forty hours of mostly waiting to get home, only to get into Gatwick to be told that we needed to hang around for yet another few hours while we were debriefed and individually interviewed. Oh, and for the record, I HAD a ticket booked on a commercial airline which was cancelled when the airline decided to fly. Funnily enough, I decided to follow THE GOVERNMENT's advice to head for the evac flight, which, when I was informed I would have to pay for, I really didn't care as I would much rather be paying for a flight than having a machine gun pointed in my face. Get your facts straight before you offer your petty and blatantly ill-informed opinion.

Stu

Rod, where is your sense of humanity?

People do not work in Libyan desert oil camps to "live an ex-pat lifestyle". They go because they wish to work and earn some money to send back to their families, rather than be on the dole in the UK. As others have pointed out, most of that money is likely to be sent back home to the UK and will support the UK economy.

It makes me sick that journalists like you in their cosy offices whinge about people trying to make an honest living under extremely difficult circumstances. Or is it that you are one of those lefties who simply hate the oil industry full stop, despite the fact that it is a major contributor to the UK economy, hence supporting the welfare benefits of those who are not prepared to "get on their bikes" and find work?

another of those "tossers" that are supporting your cushy life in Britain

Rod
I would love to see you survive without yout frozen chips, peas and a cold pint of lager!

Its all very well berating British Expats working overseas...but please be aware without some of us stepping outside the confines of "jolly old England" and getting stuff done, the oil that flows into Europe’s lap wouldn't happen!

NO ONE who has lasted more than a few months living in Libya had any expectation that things were easy or stable...every chore, every day was a challenge! Now, I agree that people in compounds in the desert working for operators were likely to be as well treated in the eastern desert as an offshore rig anywhere in the world.... but that’s not the case as working day in/ day out in the Libyan community!

If you can get repatriated from Goa or Thailand cos you got your hand slapped for buying or dealing drugs, then why not get a bit of support from old blighty when something as unexpected as Ghaddaffi going under happens!

Malak Ramadan

ps, thanks Andrew, Libyans have no where to run...

Malak

just one more thing darlings...they all pay bloody tax! their companies are based in Europe or wherever!! oh and the ones in Libya pay tax there as well! some 40 bloody %. get the damn facts straight!

Angela

Don't take it so personally Rod Liddle, it was just a bad day at work for us! We all let off steam, have a little moan or whinge, give us that at least. I worked for a Libyan oil company there as was certainly not on mega money, only slightly more than I earned in the UK, but hey that's down to me I know and I'm not complaining. But for people like us, working and helping alongside the Libyan people, where would Europe get oil and gas? Because of our good relations with our companies and our colleagues we are the ambassadors for our countries. Have some humanity, I went through the airport and saw things I really didnt want to see, but it hurts me more leaving people behind to any fate that awaits them. I'm not moaning, but it sounds like you are - did you have a bad day at work?!

Bruce

Mr Liddle, your an idiot, some of us trying to help, some people have worked here for years, pets become part of the family. If it wasn't for us "nutters" working in "shit-holes" you would have no Oil to run your car and run your mouth of in this rag. Dispair is seeing people beaten & shot for trying to get out, come over, we'll show you whats going on. Until you have experienced it, shut the fuck up you cock...

J D Bryan

"[I]t’s a shit-hole presided over by a maniac".

Ron not a phrase one would use in a dinner party but actually a concise description I find hard to challenge. You do have a point.

James Gourlay

So, don't you think your statement that the Middle-East as a whole is a shit-hole is firstly, offensive, secondly, divisive and, finally, untrue. I have lived in the Middle-East for a large majority of my life in some far from shit-holesque countries. I do not deny the fact that some of the Middle-Eastern countries are far from ideal places to live but this is far from true for a large proportion, and your over generalisation displays your obvious naivety. Another point of contention is your statement that the said "shit-holes" are presided over "nutters, Stalinists or religious maniacs". Yes, in some examples this is true but in many examples as much as they are autocratic, they have made progress towards more democratic systems and really developed their countries. Far too often people do not realise that it was the British Empire in many cases that imposed and cemented autocratic regimes in this region; thus you should hardly be launching into a generalised attack on the whole region as it is undeserving of your scorn. Also do you not think something more eloquent would have got your point across as opposed to the word shit-hole being used over repetitively???

D. Short

"Jo Keene
February 25th, 2011 9:59pm
Fuck you, Mr Liddle, that 'hugely annoying' woman was me and if you'd have to be rescued by the Polish embassy as I and other British Council staff were, you might be a little more sympathetic."

Sounds like you have reinforced RL's point! I didn't see the broadcast - I might have been in Tunisia at the time - but your foul-mouthed contribution does not make you more sympathetic.

Far too many people panicked and created bigger problems for themselves and others in Libya because they were out of their depth. People without internal resources, fortitude and survival knowledge should not be surprised if they get themselves into trouble in potentially unstable places.

And the organisations they work for should take some responsibility for letting them down.

Celato

Funny how sensitive some people are to bad language from Jo Keene but don't seem to mind at all when it comes from Rod Liddle. Is this a "bloke thing"?

ogover

These grubby self-serving dolts also work for the companies that provide this country's petrol. They're over there because we trade with Gadaffi's Libya as a result of our policy with it so rather than ignoring them maybe we should accept some of the blowback help our fellow Britons?

Ratib

Rod, you'd love my government. Our government, till date, is to spend a single penny to repatriate to 60,000 odd Bangladeshis working menial labour jobs in Libya, who sold all their belongings to purchase a one-way ticket, and cannot afford even a day's meal now that the factories shut down.

My mom completely resonates with you. But hey, I agree with Baron. The least our High Commission's staff in Libya can do is PRETEND to care!

Eddie

Mr Sponge - I agree entirely. We should send a bill to all the companies these ex-pats worked for, and they can pay an 8 figure sum to the government for the expense of rescuing idiot expats who were too greedy to leave their cushy tax-free jobs in January and get out - which is what any rational person would have done (ie one not blinded by taxfree dosh!).

I just LURVE the emotional blackmail of these dumb expats: 'we was like workin hard to make sure you 'ad petrol for your car mate so you can't even criticise us coz we like got the oil arrrtt!'. Pathetic! We're all used to the emotional blackmail used by parents, doctors, nurses etc - but attempts at emo-blackmail from overpaid oil workers! Good grief! GROW UP eh?

I have worked overseas for minimum wage and local wage - not the £7000-15000 a month that greedy Brits earned in Libya!

YOu are ALL spongers and parasites!

Bt the way, Gadaffi and Blair in that photo doesn't half remind me of ALL Western governments kowtowing to the Chinese - Obama being the Kowtow general! And doesn't he also suck up to the Saudis? They are crooks and brutal bandits, and 11/9/01 was done by Saudi terrorists too, but no-one ever seems to mention that!

Brian Williams

If you get paid a lot to live in a shithole presided over by a maniac, I expect we'll all get pay rises soon.

exile on euro street

I don't suppose anyone's reading this anymore, but whatever happened to Jo Keene's original post saying f*** you, Rod?

Celato

exile on euro street:

I'm still reading... Bring back Jo Keene! A feisty lady who landed a well-deserved blow, and without her comment half the others don't make sense any more.

rod liddle

Yes, good question - what HAS happened to it?

Karen

Here here. I think that when UK or US citizens choose to live in such high-risk regions, against diplomatic advice, they should be required to pay a large fee to their home government - a form of insurance to cover the cost of evacuation, should that not-unforeseen need arise.

Frances

I love you Rhoda

Noa

Karen
March 2nd, 2011 8:21pm
Here here. I think that when UK or US citizens choose to live in such high-risk regions, against diplomatic advice, they should be required to pay a large fee to their home government - a form of insurance to cover the cost of evacuation, should that not-unforeseen need arise.

They do-it's called tax which is used to fund idiotic politicos, their pet projects like international development, which involes handing out money to dictators, votes buying via benefts and NHS expenditure oh and now, less than 2% on the armed forces - which is defence insurance. Blooming cheap I'd say, and better used to extract export earners from dire straits than on vanity colonial wars in junk states like Afghanistan.

Noa

Eddie

"I have worked overseas for minimum wage and local wage - not the £7000-15000 a month that greedy Brits earned in Libya"

Should only "Brits who earn local or minimum wages" be given help then?

Is it ok to leave the "greedy" ones to be murdered?

Whats the criteria for UK G assistance? The ability to hire your own private jet to fly out?

Ken Bishop

Please could we have a libk to the story about the "cretins with a sense of entitlement" who went to Lebanon?

Teacher

I was one of the teachers there - we were paid approximately the equivalent of the UK minimum wage, and also paid UK taxes. Up until very recently, Libya was one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. Part of the foreign office's job is to look after Brits abroad. Am I allowed some grounds for complaint?