Georgia on my mind.

I've just listened to the Georgian Prime Minister outlining how by moving to lower and flatter tax rates they have enjoyed a fourfold increase in revenues and that they are hoping to reduce their footprint from 30% of GDP to 25%.

To much to hope that George Osborne will get the message.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

40 years ago yesterday, Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia because they were unhappy about the liberalisation policies of the "Prague Spring". Today, Russian forces continue to occupy Georgia, and the Russian government have rejected a French resolution at the UN on the grounds that it called for their removal.

In both cases, the Soviet/Russian government have taken the internal policies of a tiny neighbour, in no position to threaten them, to be inimicable to their interests and invaded to impose their will by force.

In 1968 as in 2008 there was criticism, although notable silence from the left (Has anyone heard from Tony Benn or George Galloway on this). It would be over twenty years however before Eastern Europe enjoyed freedom.

The agreement between Poland and the USA over the missile defence system, which was undoubtedly accelerated by the Georgia crisis, is a welcome step, and there are mutterings about accelerating the admission of the Ukraine and Georgia into NATO. It is to be hoped that this happens.

While it is not always possible to directly and militarily confront an aggressor such as Russia, the lesson of the cold war is that we must always stand firm. The people of the countries under threat had to wait decades to enjoy their freedom, and we must do everything we can to ensure that they don't lose it.

Cameron steps up.

It would be something of an understatement to say that I have not been David Cameron's biggest fan. I have often found him to be a bit frothy and am sufficiently ideological that I do not consider poll ratings to be sufficient to justify anything.

The past few days however have seen Mr Cameron come into his own. At a time when the British government have dithered over what should be an easy call, Cameron has acted decisively and unequivocally. In flying to Georgia and stating his support for them so categorically, he has planted the Tory Party firmly on the right side of the argument.

The contrast between Cameron going to the scene and Brown and Miliband's dithering and mealy mouthed response is striking. Keep it up "Dave", you might not be so bad after all.

Russian Troubles.

The ongoing Russian invasion of Georgia poses problems for the west.

The Georgiian president, Saakashvili, is an ally in a region where Russia is increasingly flexing its muscles, and he is the elected leader of a free country.

Set against this is the fact that the people of South Ossetia have voted in favour of independence, although we don't know how freely that referendum was conducted.

The idea of western military intervention is frightening, but it is difficult to see any other way to prevent the Georgians being completely overwhelmed. It is imperative that the utmost diplomatic pressure be brought to bear, but I fear that yet again the United Nations will prove to be utterly ineffective.