The document that proves Michael Gove is unfit for high office - accessible copy

Whilst the article published by JOE is important, it bothers me intensely that it takes time to challenge Michael Gove, quite rightly, on disabled rights but utterly fails to meet its own obligation to provide that content in an accessible format. All the quotes in the original article are as images, without any alt text.

It bothered me, so I have made a copy here, simply as text. I may later add the images.

If JOE don't like their article being copied, then make your article accessible.

The document that proves Michael Gove is unfit for high office

Conservative leadership candidate Michael Gove said the peace process in Northern Ireland is a 'moral stain' and 'humiliation'

By Oli Dugmore

Michael Gove authored a 58-page document attacking the Good Friday Agreement, likening it to the appeasement of the Nazis and even managing to attack the rights of trans people, women and the disabled in the process.

'The Price of Peace' was published by the Centre for Policy Studies in 2000 and written by then home editor of The Times, now candidate to be prime minister, Michael Gove.

Gove described the peace process as a "moral stain," "humiliation," "denial of our national integrity" and "indelible mark against [our Government.]" The pamphlet represents the peace process as a capitulation to the IRA.

The positions argued by Gove are not fitting of a man who desires high office and would be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the union, civil peace of the nation and beneficial relationships with our closest neighbours.

Attacks on disabled and trans rights are also present. Gove worried emergency services will "no longer be able to discriminate in favour of the able-bodied" and that trans people would be able to "marry, adopt and enter any job of their choosing." He also lamented a human rights culture that prevented women from being fired if they fall pregnant.

During the BBC's televised leadership debate host Emily Maitlis put the comments in 'The Price of Peace' to Gove. In response he said: "I was critical of Tony Blair because of the way he handled the peace process at certain points."

The document's full text shows that to be patently false.

Opposition to the peace process and ceasefire

"IN NORTHERN IRELAND, THE MAIN AIM OF BRITISH POLICY IN THE 1990S HAS BEEN THE SECURING, AND MAINTENANCE OF AN IRA CEASE-FIRE AT A VERY HIGH PRICE INDEED PRINCIPLES ONCE PROCLAIMED AS INVIOLABLE AND DEMOCRATIC SAFEGUARDS ONCE CONSIDERED NON-NEGOTIABLE, HAVE BEEN PROGRESSIVELY CAST ASIDE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE IRA ON SIDE."

Opposition to decommissioning

"THE HISTORY OF HOW DECOMMISSIONING HAS BEEN HANDLED DEMONSTRATES MORE CLEARLY THAN ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE PEACE PROCESS ITS PROFOUNDLY APPEASING CHARACTER, AND ITS LACK OF ANY PRACTICAL OR MORAL BOTTOM LINE."

The Good Friday agreement threatens our way of life

"THE BELFAST AGREEMENT POSES A THREAT NOT JUST TO THE BRITISHNESS OF NORTHERN IRELAND BUT THE BRITISH WAY OF DOING THINGS IN LAW, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, POLICING AND HUMAN RIGHTS, IN EVERY AREA IT CREATES UNHAPPY PRECEDENTS, LIKELY TO DIVIDE OUR SOCIETY, BURDEN THE TAXPAYER AND BLOAT THE STATE,"

A rigged referendum

"WHAT IS MORE, IT WAS IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS OF A RIGGED REFERENDUM IN WHICH ALL THE POWER OF THE STATE AND THE CO-OPTION OF CIVIL SOCIETY WAS USED TO MAKE OPPOSITION UNRESPECTABLE."

Attacks human rights and anti-discrimination rules

"THE SIMPLE ACT OF ACCEPTING THE IRA'S OFFER OF "PEACE" ON ITS TERMS IS SUBVERSIVE OF THE BASIC LAW OF THE IRISH REPUBLIC, AND SUBVERSIVE OF THE POSITION OF NORTHERN IRELAND WITHIN THE UK. FOR, IN RETURN FOR THE IRA'S "CONCESSION", THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT INVITED SINN FEIN BACK INTO EXECUTIVE POWER, PLEDGED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH THE DISMANTLING OF THE RUC, PRESS AHEAD WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY AGENDAS WHICH ADVANCE REPUBLICAN ASPIRATIONS, ACCELERATED THE DEMILITARISATION OF NORTHERN IRELAND, AGREED TO PRIVILEGE THE IRISH LANGUAGE AND EXPEDITED THE REMOVAL OF THOSE SYMBOLS WHICH AFFIRMED NORTHERN IRELAND'S CONTINUING BRITISH IDENTITY."

Attacks disabled rights

"CREATING NEW RIGHTS TO ERADICATE "DISABLISM" WOULD MEAN THAT INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE POLICE, FIRE SERVICE OR ARMY WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE IN FAVOUR OF THE ABLE-BODIED."

Attacks trans rights

"CREATING NEW RIGHTS FOR TRANSSEXUALS AGAIN ALLOWS COMMON SENSE TO BE SUPPLANTED BY LEGAL INTRUSION, WILL NEW RIGHTS TO MARRY, ADOPT AND ENTER ANY JOB OF THEIR CHOOSING BE EXTENDED? AND IF SO, AT WHAT COST TO THE DIGNITY, STABILITY AND DURABILITY OF OUR TESTED NOTIONS OF MARRIED LIFE?"

Attacks women's rights

"THE HUMAN RIGHTS CULTURE IS ALREADY SPREADING IN OUR SOCIETY, UPROOTING CONVENTIONS ON WHICH OUR
STABILITY HAS RESTED, ALLOWING FEMALE SOLDIERS TO SUE FOR UNFAIR DISMISSAL WHEN PREGNANT AND PRISONERS TO SUE FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN ESCAPE ATTEMPTS, IT SUPPLANTS COMMON SENSE AND COMMON LAW, AND ERODES INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY BY ENCOURAGING CITIZENS TO SEE THEMSELVES AS SUPPLICANTS AND VICTIMS TO BE PENSIONED BY THE STATE."
 
"CAMPAIGNERS AGAINST SEX DISCRIMINATION HAVE ALREADY ENSURED THAT THE FIRE SERVICE CANNOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WOMEN. THE PRICE, HOWEVER, OF THIS EQUALITY, HAS BEEN THAT THOSE IN DANGER ARE FORCED TO DEPEND ON FIREFIGHTERS WHO LACK THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES, IT IS A SITUATION WHICH CAN ONLY GET WORSE." 

Attacks diverse police force

"ONE OF THE CONTENTIONS OF THIS PAPER IS THAT, EVEN AS THE AGREEMENT LEVERS NORTHERN IRELAND OUT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, IT ACTS AS A LABORATORY FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENTS WHICH NEW LABOUR WISHES TO INTRODUCE ACROSS THE UK. AND IN ARGUING THAT THE VALIDITY OF A POLICE FORCE DEPENDS ON ITS ETHNIC COMPOSITION, THE PATTEN REPORT IS OF A PIECE WITH THE MACPHERSON REPORT, IT IS PARADOXICAL THAT MR PATTEN, WHO NOW SUPPORTS APPOINTMENT TO THE EU COMMISSION ON MERIT AND NOT ON NATIONALITY OR ETHNICITY, SHOULD WISH THE RUC TO ADOPT THE METHODS THE COMMISSION HAS HAD TO ABANDON BECAUSE THEY ENCOURAGED CORRUPTION."

"It is a humiliation"

"THE BELFAST AGREEMENT HAS, AT ITS HEART, HOWEVER, AN EVEN GREATER WICKEDNESS, IT IS A CAPITULATION TO VIOLENCE, A VALIDATION OF TERRORISM WHICH HAS LED "DEMILITARISATION" - THE REMOVAL OF THE BRITISH ARMY FROM OUR SOVEREIGN TERRITORY - TO BE RENDERED AS THE EQUIVALENT TO "DECOMMISSIONING" - THE PLACING BEYOND USE OF ILLEGALLY-HELD CRIMINAL ARSENALS. THE MORAL STAIN OF SUCH A PROCESS WILL PROVE HARD TO EFFACE, IT IS A HUMILIATION OF OUR ARMY, POLICE AND PARLIAMENT. BUT, WORSE STILL, IT IS A DENIAL OF OUR NATIONAL INTEGRITY, IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. SURELY, IS THE BELFAST AGREEMENT NOT THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS GOVERNMENT, BUT AN INDELIBLE MARK AGAINST IT?"

"THE MEN WHO OPPOSED MUNICH FOUND THE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR TIME CAPABLE OF MANIPULATING THE ROYAL FAMILY TO BESTOW A SPECIAL SANCTION ON A FLAWED POLICY. THOSE WHO WARNED OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF APPEASEMENT IN THE THIRTIES WERE DERIDED AS GLAMOUR BOYS, RENEGADES AND WAR-MONGERS, BUT IF IT WERE NOT FOR THEIR OPPOSITION THEN WHO WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN TO RESCUE THE NATION FROM FOLLY."