Welcome to Rue Britannia.
Everything you see here is done by (Paul Toner) and everything means from site design to ideas, illustrations and cartoons. More, such as working drawings, stuff about me and downloadables is being added when he has time.
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The arrogance of politicians
Gordon Brown isn't alone in making such grand annunciations and he'll not be the last.
Keep a watchful eye out for the next politician attempting to woo us with promises of a bright and untroubled future... whoever it's going to be will be prey to the same deluded arrogance all too many politicians suffer and is probably penning their speeches even as we speak, so I doubt we'll be long waiting.
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: Bear market, Bull market, cartoon, editorial cartoon, Gordon Brown, market, political cartoon, RueB


Saturday, 20 September 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
Lloyds HBOS Merger... Who's being saved?

I'm going to taking my time before I send my thank you letter to the government for negotiating this particular solution... I think I'll wait until I have a clearer idea of exactly who's being rescued here.
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: Alistair Darling, caricature, editorial cartoon, HBOS, Lloyds, political cartoon, TSB


Thursday, 18 September 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
New Labour's Current Priorities

I'm struck by the lack of advice to the very people who are going to end up paying the bill for the 25 year long feeding frenzy engendered by the likes of Alan Greenspan, as chairman of the Federal Reserve 'till 2006.
Everyone at Westminster seems to be keeping their heads down until various courses of action becomes screamingly obvious, at which point they will ALL jump in and say it was what they'd been suggesting all along.
New Labour have their minds on something of far more importance than the slide of the UK into recession and possibly worse... Who's going to lead them into defeat at the next election!!
PS: It's been a while since I put time aside to make any comment, but today is the day (well night really). Thanks to everyone who has nudged my conscience periodically to urge me continue. I will work on a pictorial inclusion but I didn't have the time here, so in the meantime, TQG, GB, Helga, et al... Cheers!
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: cartoon, editorial cartoon, Election Campaign, Gordon Brown, Leadership Campaign, Party Leader, Recession, Rue Britannia


Wednesday, 17 September 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
Ian Paisley to quit as first minister

Ian Paisley, until recently the long standing face of intransigence and bigotry in Britain, now stands down as Northern Ireland's first minister and leader of the DUP, thinking his work done. What does he leave in his wake? Certainly NOT a more united Britain. He congratulates himself on the quieting the demands for a united Ireland, but this is the result of the passage of time and the ascendancy of the European Union but no victory of his.
For many, his was the face of British Unionism. Is it any wonder that Britain disintegrates into smaller and smaller assemblies, when to call oneself a British Unionist, one feared association with this angry, blinkered and bellicose man?
I am grateful to have watched a softening of this man's tone as he approached old age, but I shall not be looking back on his times with any fondness or nostalgia.
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: British Unionism, caricature, cartoon blog, devolution, editorial cartoon, Ian Paisley, Ireland, political cartoon, Ulster


Wednesday, 5 March 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
God gives Gordon Brown a breather

I guess Gordon needed a bit of a breather. That’s exactly what God has granted him while the press and the chatterati get their knickers in a bunch over the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams’ seemingly feebleminded whitterings on Islamic Sharia law and its impact on the future of the British legal system.
I find it hard to believe that the good Doctor didn’t know exactly what would ensue following his pronouncements. I’d like to know what his real agenda is. I doubt it’s simply that he wants to bring the issue of religion’s relevance to today’s legal system into the arena of public debate... that’s too obvious... isn’t it?
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: Archbishop of Canterbury, British legal system, caricature, Dr Rowan Williams, editorial cartoon, Gordon Brown, Sharia Law


Thursday, 7 February 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
Gordon works to preserve Liberty

Gordon Brown has backed the limited use of intercept evidence in court, after an independent review. In parliament he spoke of the dilemma we face as a free society: "that of preserving our liberties and the rule of law, while at the same time keeping our nation safe and secure".
Will the patient survive the treatment when it threatens so many liberties?.
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: caricature, cartoon, civil liberties, editorial cartoon, Gordon Brown


Stiffing the taxpayer the Con Way

Tory MP Derek Conway tells us he's no crook and gets the Tory whip withdrawn and a damn good ticking off for himself. (exactly WHERE does David Cameron withdraw the whip from?)
That'll certainly stop any similar Parliamentary hanky panky in future.... not!
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: caricature, Conservative MP, Derek Conway, DWP, editorial cartoon, Sleaze, Tory


Monday, 4 February 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
Rock on 2008!


Monday, 28 January 2008 posted by Paul Toner at
US most important UK ally - Brown

Just a quick pencil one today brought on by Gordon Brown's speech at the Lord Mayor of London's banquet where he said Britain's "most important" relationship is with the US. Of course it is. We sold the family jewels to survive the Twentieth century and if we want to play a part on the world stage we have to deal with New Rome accordingly. In the meantime the EU federalisation keeps tapping at the back door.
Would he be saying the same thing if we had been allowed the EU Referendum we were promised?
Again, don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: cartoon, editorial cartoon, Gordon Brown, John Bull, Uncle Sam


Tuesday, 13 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at
Too much on at the moment

Hi good people, and thanks for looking in. As you might have picked up, Rue Britannia is a labour of love until I work out what to do with her. At the moment I have a body of work that needs my every waking hour, so unfortunately RueB will have to go by the wayside for a bit.
I'll try to post something, perhaps some scans from the working drawings I do, but the world will have to try to keep turning without my commentary .
Your loyalty is HUGELY appreciated, so please continue to come back and see what I post. Don't forget to recommend RueB to your friends.
I've also turned on the 'comments' function in the hope that you'll add your thoughts on the work that I've already done and the issues I've covered. Many of them are still hot. President Musharraf seems to have changed his tune a bit and is reluctantly sidling up to meet the expectations of the democratic world. It's a hard job he faces and he seems to be rising to the occasion. Let's hope he delivers.
PS: The saint who helped me out with the late night consultation on Excel... THANKS LOADS... you know who you are :)
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: cartoon, editorial cartoon, President Pervez Musharraf, Rue Britannia, RueB


Monday, 12 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at
British armed forces world stage presence on a shoestring
Labels: British Armed forces, budget, cartoon, Defence, Defence Spending, editorial cartoon, ID Card


Friday, 9 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at
British Children's TV
Labels: British Culture, Children, Rue Britannia, TV


Thursday, 8 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at
Prince Harry and the hawks
Labels: caricature, cartoon, Fancy Dress, humour, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Royal Family


Wednesday, 7 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at
al-Qaeda recruiting from youth organisations

Perhaps Jonathan Evans, the head of MI5 since April was pitching for a larger slice of the defence budget pie by inferring that he's spending so much money chasing Russian and Chinese spies that he can't fully monitoring at least 2000 extremists posing a threat to UK national security.
He expressed concern that extremists were methodically and intentionally targeting vulnerable young people and children.
Click here to see a larger version of the cartoonLabels: al-Qaeda, cartoon, extremists, Jonathan Evans, MI5, police, political blog, Security, spies, War on Terror


Tuesday, 6 November 2007 posted by Paul Toner at