Latest news with #SamuelJohnson
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Don't believe Starmer when he says he's angry about the small boats
In the week that the Prime Minister vowed to increase defence spending and solemnly averred, 'My first priority is the safety and security of the British people', the British people scratched their heads and gestured crossly in the direction of their southern coastline. 'Hang on, Keir,' they muttered. 'What about those 1,195 men from God-knows-where who broke into our homeland on Saturday to access the all-you-can-sponge benefits buffet that's 15,000 of the blighters this year so far, a record. How are you making us safe and secure?' You could tell the PM thought he was making a historic speech; the hair gel gets heavier and greasier along with the sententious, slippery phrases. It didn't help that he was speaking at the Govan shipyards in front of a group of workers who appeared to have been taken hostage during their break, wrestled from their Twixes and builder's tea to provide a stirring backdrop for this tinpot authoritarian dictator. All credit to the Scots, they looked either bored or openly hostile. Samuel Johnson's observation that 'patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel' never rang truer. A hugely unpopular Labour leader, who acts against the national interest at any given opportunity, was suddenly asking the country to pull together because his party risks coming a humiliating third, behind Reform UK, in the Hamilton by-election on Thursday. Don't get me wrong. I welcome any rise in funding for our beleaguered armed forces, but the PM's promise to make the UK 'a battle-ready, armour-clad nation' sounded absurd. Not least because he called committing to spending 3 per cent of GDP an 'ambition' when highly-respected generals (and now Nato) say 3.5 per cent on defence is the bare minimum. The damage has already been done as a result of years of underinvestment, lack of purpose, partly through constant change of leadership in all three services, lack of political will and an increasing number of civil servants without any military experience who hold down jobsworth appointments resisting change and threats to their position. But it wasn't just the lack of a firm financial commitment that felt evasive. Starmer avoided any mention of the clear and present danger, which is by far the biggest threat to our national security. There are currently more illegal male migrants of fighting age in the UK than there are soldiers. The British Army, once among the world's best, is now 71,000-weak and can no longer put an armoured division in the field, yet the state somehow finds a stupefying £8 million a day to place 'asylum seekers' in pleasant hotels beyond the means of any squaddie. The 1,200 invaders who came ashore on just one day last weekend are roughly the equivalent of two infantry battalions. One estimate has numbers reaching 50,000 by the end of the year, although if we have a good summer, it could be much worse. It's frightening. To add to the jeopardy, in 2020, MI5 said that nine-tenths of the 43,000 suspects on its terror watchlist were jihadists. More potential terrorists from Iraq, Iran, Syria and North Africa are ferried ashore every hour by the RNLI and Border Force; they are so busy transporting unwanted arrivals that last week they asked trawlers for help. (When Keir Starmer promised to 'stop the boats', little did we realise the boats he planned to stop were British fishing boats! The PM sold our fishermen out to the French as an incentive to prevent migrant dinghies setting sail. Curiously, for our 500 million quid, the numbers being 'prevented' are going down not up. Tant pis, Monsieur Keir!) If you or I were the prime minister or home secretary, the numbers above would be giving us sleepless nights. Who knows, maybe Keir Starmer in the wee small hours frets a little that the multicultural experiment is fast approaching breaking point and no amount of jailing 'far-Right thugs' like Lucy Connolly or clamping down on free speech is going to keep a lid on civil unrest. I doubt it somehow. It is an article of faith for the Left that Western countries have no moral right to control their borders and keep out unfortunate people from supposedly exploited places. In 1988, Starmer even said that 'a racist undercurrent… permeates all immigration law'. Nowadays, living in fear of Farage's turquoise tsunami, the hypocrite tweets: 'You have every right to be angry about small boat crossings. I'm angry too.' Don't believe him. Sir Keir is a member of that human rights legal elite who have set themselves up as defenders of the international 'rules-based order', rejoicing in their principled stand against their less enlightened and bigoted countrymen. (That's us, folks.) Irreversible change to the population and culture of our country is not an accidental by-product of their love for open borders; they won't rest until every last vestige of despised Britishness and patriotic feeling is erased. No one better personifies that sanctimonious, canting breed than Sir Keir's old mucker Attorney General, Lord Richard Hermer. Last week, Lord Hermer caused uproar when he said that politicians threatening to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) were basically Nazis 'echoing 1930s Germany'. It is that very same wretched ECHR which all the human rights zealots love to exploit. Immigration judges regularly place some Islamist maniac's right to a family life above the right of British people not to be blown up, or raped, successfully blocking the deportation of thousands of dangerous foreign criminals. Imagine hating your country so much that you dedicate your life to representing those who hate it even more. Gerry Adams, Shamima Begum, five brutes linked to al-Qaeda – all were represented by Lord Hermer. So I was disgusted, but not surprised, when The Telegraph disclosed on Sunday that Lord Hermer personally signed off on the prosecution of Lucy Connolly for a single, deeply unpleasant tweet. At the time of the fast-tracked show trials around the Southport riots, the Attorney General warned: 'You cannot hide behind your keyboards – you will face the full force of the law.' (Looks like he and the PM both approved the draconian crackdown on free speech to cover up the cracks in their multicultural project.) The Telegraph also discovered that Hermer's office had declined to review 'unduly lenient' sentences handed to a convicted rapist, a paedophile and a terrorist fundraiser – all of them received shorter terms than Lucy. What a sick, ideologically-warped society it is where a convicted rapist is sentenced to 28 months and a devoted mum and childminder who typed one bad thing (swiftly corrected) is sent down for 31 months. Thank goodness for Robert Jenrick, who perfectly summed up the grotesque two-tier justice meted out to Lucy in an excoriating question in the Commons, and for Baroness Kate Hoey, who demanded compassion for Lucy in the Lords. In Scotland, the Prime Minister asked the country to 'work together' to confront the threat from Russia. I don't know about you but, right now, I'm less worried about Vladimir Putin than Richard Hermer. Even if the Royal Navy and the Army get the funds they need and deserve, there is no way the current Attorney General will permit our forces to repel or repatriate the thousands of undocumented males who present such a danger to the UK (particularly to women and girls). Unless we leave the ECHR, the hands of our soldiers and sailors are forever tied. Imagine trying to explain that mortifying impotence to those who died protecting this island from actual Nazis. Confronting the enemy within is every bit as important as bolstering our defences to engage the enemy abroad. Make no mistake: uncontrolled migration is by far the biggest threat. Starmer, Hermer and their ilk are not to be trusted with our nation's security; they owe their loyalty to international human rights law. Not to the men, women and children of Britain. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Hilde Hinton's home for the temporarily defeated
Hilde Hinton's upbringing was marked by the shocking death of her mother when Hilde was just 12 years old. Despite the great grief, there was also a sense of relief for Hilde. She shielded her younger siblings, Samuel and Connie Johnson, from the truth of how and why their mother died. But when Connie also died, decades later of cancer, Hilde was propelled into writing her first novel, in between shifts as a prison officer. Her debut book, The Loudness of Unsaid things, was intensely autobiographical. While Connie never got to read the book, Hilde's brother Samuel finally 'met' their mother through Hilde's writing, and learned all that his big sister had done for them growing up. Now, from her home in Melbourne, where people who need solace freely come and go, Hilde explores in her writing the ordinary things that make life extraordinary. Further information The Opposite of Lonely is published by Hachette. You can watch the episode of Australian Story, which features Hilde's brother, Samuel Johnson, online at ABC iview.
News.com.au
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Samuel Johnson in tears as he shares emotional confession about near-fatal accident
Australian actor Samuel Johnson has endured numerous tragedies, with one in 2021 coming harrowingly close to ending his life. When he and his partner Em pulled over on a dark night so he could answer the 'call of nature' behind a tree, Johnson was struck by a car. In the moments that followed, Em kept him alive by holding his head together until the ambulance arrived. Ground glass in his lungs; he had endured multiple fractures to his neck and skull; and doctors were clueless as to whether he would ever be himself again if he regained consciousness. In a heartfelt new interview with Australian Stories, Johnson shared his surprising outlook on the night that everything he had ever built in his life was almost taken away within an instant. 'When I woke up. I couldn't believe how much Em cared for me,' he told Australian Story as he broke down in tears. 'I was just. I woke up and went 'Wow, I'm not awful'. She really cares for me. And I just realised that I was all right and that I needed to make sure that I cared for her as well as she cared for me.' 'He realised he was deserving of love,' added Em. 'He put the whip away and stopped being so hard on himself.' What followed was seven weeks in hospital, followed by 18 months of painful rehab. But he was determined to return to his life and he put all his remaining strength into recovering. 'Even though I nearly died, a little knock on the head balanced everything out nicely,' he shared. While he managed to get back on his feet, the impact of that fateful night still lives on in his body. 'I've got no sense of smell. My vestibular system, which controls my sense of space and my balance, is a bit wonky. 'When I get tired my behaviour starts to change — so if you interview me for too long, I'll start talking funny. But apart from that, I'm all right.' 'A lot of people don't come out of it, and a lot of people come out of it seriously compromised,' continued the actor. 'I've got no sense of smell. My vestibular system, which controls my sense of space and my balance, is a bit wonky. 'When I get tired my behaviour starts to change, so if you interview me for too long, I'll start talking funny. But apart from that, I'm all right.' Johnson has endured more tragedy than most, from losing his mother and a former partner to suicide, to losing his sister to cancer, and he admits that he's sometimes leant on unhealthy ways of coping. 'The problem is that I really love alcohol. It's fun. But I like it a little too much,' he confessed. But as he's understanding of his limits, and how crucial it is for him to remain as healthy as he feels nowadays. 'I've got a personal life I would never insult. And I've got a professional life I cannot jeopardise,' insisted the star, who has since dedicated his life to raising money for cancer research. 'I'm not trying to paint a picture that's not true. It's just my life now. It's like a rainbow life,' he said.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Australian actor Samuel Johnson breaks down as he reveals he 'couldn't believe' his girlfriend cared about him until he suffered near-fatal head injury
Samuel Johnson has paid an emotional tribute to his girlfriend Em Rooke in a new TV interview. The 45-year-old Secret Life of Us actor was discussing the appalling injuries he suffered when he was hit by a car while crossing a country road at night in 2021 when his composure crumbled. 'When I woke up from accident I couldn't believe how much Em cared for me,' Samuel said in Monday's episode of the ABC's Australian Story. During the program Samuel said that he did not remember the accident, which left him with injuries to the skull and ground glass in his lungs. At one point the Molly actor said Em had 'held his head together' while the pair waited for the ambulance to arrive. Sam also confessed he has lived with problems of self worth throughout his life and the accident altered how he saw himself. After seeing Em by his side after he regained consciousness Sam said he thought 'wow I'm not awful'. 'She really cares for me and I just realised when I woke from the accident that I was alright' he said. 'And I needed to make sure that I needed to care for her as much as she cared for me.' Elsewhere in the episode Em appeared and talked about how Sam had changed after the accident. 'He realised that perhaps he was a good person and was deserving of love and he put the whip away... And stopped being so hard on himself. 'He is a good person and he does deserve love.' It comes after Samuel revealed the bizarre symptoms he experienced after the accident left him near dead. Two years ago he discussed how he 'spoke with a Russian accent for several days' and then thought he was a 'Japanese schoolgirl'. 'Admittedly, I was a bit wonky straight after the accident. I had a Russian accent for three days. I was a Japanese girl, aged eleven, for a day and a half,' he wrote in a column for the Love Your Sister website. And there was a pseudonym on my wrist. I just knew my name wasn't Alexis. My name was Sam, and I was a cancer fundraiser. It was a confusing time.' 'I was convinced I was in a doughnut factory, then I thought I might be in an insane asylum. It's called Post Traumatic Amnesia, or PTA.' Samuel was driving to a relative's house on June 19th, 2021 with Em when he pulled over and crossed the road to relieve himself, because he was 'bursting' and didn't think he could wait an extra half hour. As he went to return to his vehicle, he was hit by a car. He later confirmed he had broken his skull, suffered bleeding on the brain, injured the ligaments in his neck, partially dislocated his jaw and endured deep bruising down the side of his body as a result of the accident. Samuel's brush with death was another tragic blow for his family, who lost their sister Connie in September 2017. She had suffered from bone cancer at age 11, uterine cancer at age 22 and breast cancer at age 33. Connie died one day after being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia at age 40. Samuel started the Love My Sister cancer charity in 2012 alongside Connie. Currently the actor is a volunteer postman in Tallarook, Victoria. He announced in July he would be working for Australia Post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Golden Logie winner Samuel Johnson reveals how being the town postie has helped him with his battle with alcohol
Samuel Johnson has opened up about his decision to become the town postie and how his new career has helped him keep his drinking in check. Last year, the Golden Logie winner, 47, who found fame as Evan Wylde in the TV series The Secret Life, revealed he was taking up work as a volunteer postman in Tallarook, Victoria. He announced in July he would be working for Australia Post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The rural town has a small population of 950 people and is an hour north of Melbourne. Samuel has now admitted that his new job helps him fight the urge to drink every night. 'The problem is, I really love alcohol. It's fun - but I like [it] a little bit too much,' he said on Australian Story. 'Having a postie round on Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning makes sure there's three nights of the week where I'm not misbehaving.' Despite admitting that he's on the right track, he wasn't going to peddle a 'bullsh*t narrative' about his drinking. 'I'm a work in progress. There's no neat bow on the end. It's not a cold turkey kind of thing,' Samuel said. 'I had the angel and the devil, and they duked it out and the angel won.' Samuel has long been open about his battle with alcohol following a series of tragic events. The Daylesford-born star turned to drink to cope with the death of an ex-girlfriend in 2006 which he claims 'ruined' him emotionally. Tragedy struck the Johnson family early on, as Samuel's mother committed suicide when he wasn't yet one year old, shortly after his father left her. And in late 2005, a close female friend called Heather - with whom he performed in short films at the Victoria College of the Arts - also took her own life. Tragically, just months later, Samuel's former girlfriend Lainie Woodlands committed suicide at her home at Victoria's Hepburn Springs. 'I kind of bailed on her and then she killed herself, which was charming, so considerate,' he told Meshel Laurie's Nitty Gritty Committee podcast last year. 'I was probably already not doing that well but when my girlfriend [killed] herself, the night that I left her, s*** got pretty heavy.' He previously told ABC Radio Melbourne: 'The three key women in my life have left me. It floored me. 'You know, I mean, it's still floored me. It's just ruined me emotionally and I'm very sad now.' As he struggled to cope with the grief, Samuel faced a bitter, two-month legal battle with Lainie's mother against her estranged father to have her buried in Hepburn Springs, near Daylesford. Eventually, Lainie was laid to rest close to her chosen home - but due to legal costs and not working, Samuel was forced to sell his home in Daylesford and pay off debts. 'I was going downhill pretty quickly and I was certainly going through a very self-destructive kind of phase,' he revealed in tell-all ABC documentary The Sum Of Sam in 2008. 'We all want to mask the pain somehow in some way and, you know, I had my issues there and I think I already had a problem with alcohol before it happened but it certainly accelerated my usage.' This downward spiral continued as Samuel self-medicated with drink and drugs, until he hit rock bottom in September 2007 while attending a wedding party with his partner Sarah Hallam at Star City Casino in Sydney. The Underbelly star was involved in a drunken brawl with guest Ben Benson, punching him repeatedly before stomping on his head as he lay prone on the floor, the Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time. The court heard Samuel was receiving treatment for depression following Lainie's death and magistrate Brian Maloney acknowledged that the violent attack was out of character. Samuel faced even more tragedy in 2017, when his sister Connie Johnson lost her lengthy battle with cancer. Connie was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 11, before uterine cancer at 22, before her death at age 33 from breast cancer. Earlier this month, Samuel underwent a radical transformation in a heartfelt gesture to honour his late sister Connie. He shaved his head during a recent community event for his charity Love Your Sister, which is dedicated to the memory of his sibling. Samuel took to social media to share a series of photos capturing the emotional moment he shed his locks to raise money for the charity. The event drew a large audience and marked a significant milestone in the ongoing fight against cancer, a cause dear to Samuel's heart. He expressed his gratitude to supporters, emphasising the event's success was a testament to community solidarity. 'My sister Connie would be beyond proud right now,' Samuel wrote, reflecting on the charity's enduring impact. 'It's not over until we stop losing loved ones to cancer. We vanquish cancer with joy, together we are stronger.' The event, which raised thousands of dollars, saw Sam humbly redirecting praise to the generous donors who made the achievement possible. 'Please don't hop into the comments and congratulate me,' he urged, echoing his sister's humility. 'It's YOU who need to be thanked, congratulated, loved and owed forever.'
