British MPs Conor Burns (Conservative) and Thomas Docherty (Labour), who are the chairman and one of the vice-chairman of the UK-Bahrain All-Party Parliamentary Group, a group that is dedicated to “develop friendship and understanding between our countries and to promote mutual economic and political aims” have written to The Times saying that postponing the Grand Prix would be a bad idea. This means that the event is politicised in both Britain and Bahrain.
“We note with concern calls on these pages to cancel the planned Grand Prix to be held in Bahrain,” the pair wrote. “Bahrain has been conveniently lumped together with other nations and labeled part of the “Arab Spring”. Yet the response of the government of Bahrain has been notably different. Bahrain invited independent human rights lawyers, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), to investigate and has started to implement its recommendations.
“In addition to elections that have led to a four-fold increase in women elected to parliament, Bahrain has also asked John Timoney, the former New York police chief, and John Yates, the former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to overhaul policing, Sir Daniel Bethlehem, the FCO’s former principal legal adviser, to review judicial processes, and opened detention facilities for inspection by the Red Crescent.
“Those who want Bahrain to continue on the path of genuine reform will do the cause no service by cancelling the Grand Prix this year. Indeed, surely the presence of thousands of Western visitors and journalists in the run-up to and during the event will act as an additional incentive to the authorities in Bahrain to show the international community its sincerity in the cause of reform and that their support for Bahrain is well placed.”
It is hard to imagine that there will be thousands of Western visitors as tourism in Bahrain has been in the doldrums (at best) since the problems began.
It is worth noting that there is also an All-Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Bahrain, which has the goal of promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Bahrain.
joeblogsf1 
Yeurgh… this Bahrain situation is making me sound like the ‘Indecisive Dave’ character from ‘The Fast Show’. Everytime I form an opinion on it based on somebody’s perspective, another bod speaks up and I sway to see their point.
In this case, I’ve come to agree with the opinions noted on this site that going there could be a disaster if the event is used to promote further violence in order to make a point to the outside world.
Yet, these guys mentioned in this article have a point as well. They could use it as an incentive to do things right to show that they can.
I have no connections to what’s going on out there and rely solely on other people’s opinions to guide me. But it can get very confusing when you’re being fed so many different lines.
Who the hell are we meant to believe?
I know the feeling. I have a lot of different sources and all are arguing different things. In the end one trusts the most credible sources: proper news organisations, TV footage where one can see what is happening with one’s own eyes. There are also people in Bahrain at various levels. And there are international human rights organisations with long established records.
Actions like this (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/bahrain-us-relations_b_1272934.html) by the Bahraini government certainly don’t help.
Footage like this (from Sunday 12th)?
http://rt.com/news/bahrain-police-britain-help-349/
[video src="http://rt.com/s/swf/player5.4.swf?file=http://rt.com/files/news/bahrain-police-britain-help-349/ib6d014a7594b5f18469eb9a4c64d4e23_bahrain-london.flv" /]
6 US Citezens from the group ‘Witness Bahrain’ were part of those arrested on Valentines day and are to be exported.
https://witnessbahrain.org/category/press-releases/
Machiavelli wrote in 1505 about how ‘The Prince’ can put down dissent by being brutal then blame his enforcer for being too brutal, appologising and then replacing him… you can repeat that process until there are no more dissenters and still survive in power. At least that’s the idea and it does work, once or twice….
…but having said that, I’m waiting on an update from Damon Hill before I’ll really understanding the situation.
Check out The Mole’s view. http://f1mole.wordpress.com/
Joe: The possibility of “thousands of Western visitors” is, as you mention, highly unlikely this year. And besides, these visitors will also be viewed by the opposition and anti-government forces as the perfect opportunity to re-energize their protests…I sincerely hope that the Grand Prix is canceled for 2012. I am but a four or five hour drive to Bahrain from Riyadh and would gladly attend under normal circumstances; these are not normal circumstances.
“surely the presence of thousands of Western visitors and journalists in the run-up to and during the event will act as an additional incentive to the authorities in Bahrain to show the international community its sincerity in the cause of reform and that their support for Bahrain is well placed.”
Surely a stage-managed display of law and order in a contained environment is the least sincere way to demonstrate reform?
The spectators, teams and journalists all need to stay somewhere. The hotels are largely in Manama, or in the Seef district. In either case, one travels up and down the Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway. This goes into Manama by way of Sanabis, where much of the trouble has been in recent days. The alternative eastern route goes through Sitra, where there this is also permanent trouble. There is no way that the authorities could guarantee the safety of everybody at all times. It is just not possible.
ah they’re gonna bring in the Met and NYPD to stop brutal suppression of legitimate protest. Isn’t that a bit like putting Howard Marks in charge of Customs & Excise?
No kidding. I have no knowledge about the Met, but in our last presidential election, the NYPD was one of several U.S. metro-area police forces which confined protestors to distant “Free Speech Zones” which were well apart from where any candidates were.
Of course, the entire USA is supposed to be a Free Speech Zone, but the NYPD preferred to limit it to a fenced-in parking lot in an obscure location.
More recently, they have prevented journalists from covering their public activities, beaten a NYC Councilman, and locked up journalists who were in public areas where the NYPD preferred they not be.
yeah the Met are just as bad, if not worse. Any protest that takes place in London they send in agent provocateurs who go in and start violence, so the huge riot police presence can run in and start cracking skulls.
its pretty disgraceful to be honest, and makes comments from British MPs about Bahrain disgustingly hypocritical at best
Let the race go on, and let any recriminations from a problematic event fall on the shoulders of those who blithely say, “No problems, let’s go on with the Bahrain show”.
Principally Damon and these two chaps, not to mention Bernie. Is it just me or does this have the potential feeling of Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burns?
From this Monday, just translated, Interview with the King of Bahrain:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,814915,00.html
I read your prior post and the blog link regarding difficulties entering the country. I read about the poor Briton in Bahrain who was hacked. I read reports that protesters are heading back to Pearl Square.
All of which makes me exceedingly sad, and in no mood for a phony celebration of Bahrain if the Grand Prix takes place. All the orange-flavored fizzy water in the world wouldn’t make me watch, to be honest. And as a fan, I’m starting to think of a boycott of watching the race, in support of the people of Bahrain.
A bit rich MP’s extolling the virtues of John Yates, the former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to overhaul policing in Bahrain as if that is meant to be a progressive, reassuring move.
The reason he had to quit the Met was that he had failed to investigate the criminal actions of those at the News International with whom he had become rather too close.
I’m sure there will be many opportunities to not investigate in Bahrain too and that his career will go from strength to strength.
Despite the propaganda, I’m sure Bahrain will be cancelled.
What has changed substantially from the situation last year when the race did not go ahead?
How would it be possible for the race to proceed now without it being highly politicised?
Who is taking decisions within F1 that are influenced by motives other than financial considerations and reflect the best long term interests of the sport?
I’d like F1 to go back to Bahrain, eventually, but only if these questions can be answered satisfactorily.
I have clear memories of Munich 1972 when politics violently took centre stage in sport. It was emotionally devastating even without actually knowing the athletes. I can’t imagine the horror I would feel should any of the F1 road show be killed in a planned Mumbai hotel style attack.
I would prefer if F1 skip the places in the world where there is violent civil unrest. The amount of confusion over the security in Bahrain is enough reason not to go.
If the British government is encouraging F1 to go as a show of support for the Bahrain rulers would that not make F1 the natural target of the opposition in Bahrain?
Your logic is very hard to argue with. We have amateur uninformed parliamentarians of no obvious credentials politicizing a race, but sounding like apologists, which very thing will enrage any genuine opposition whether violent or not. Munich took a generation to fade into distant memory. Maybe our MPs bought the societal change rot hook line and sinker and were reborn as 20 somethings. This is starting to become a nonsensical gamble. Are they trying to inflame violent elements to take a shot at the race, to excuse the elimination of orderly dissent? My BS meter needs a new needle. F1 needs new governance. Or minimum a right sharp slap and wakeup. I had hoped to like JT, but he is being cavalier not chevalier.
And of course JT and BE and their entourage will be traveling in government security while,as Joe points out, the teams, journalists, and support crews will all be travelling in orderly rows of cars; alot like the ducks in a shooting gallery.
Crossed fingers, Joe will be in the fun-vee . ..
What are the driver’s opinions?
Drivers are rarely allowed to have an opinion, as well as the people working for the teams.
Don’t think we’ve heard this year. Last year, it boiled down to:
* Mark Webber: “We clearly should not go, and here’s why…”
* All the rest: “I’ll do what I’m told.”
Personally I’m not sure knowing drivers’ opinions would help at all, unless they were unanimous one way or the other. They are surely all contracted to race at events comprising the championship. If, for the sake of argument, Hamilton was against, Vettel was for and Alonso was ambivalent how would that help matters?
Unless there is a unanimous view I would stay out of it if I were them…they’d probably have to clear any comments with the Team PR first anyway wouldn’t they?
What’s needed here is clear leadership from the top, not various ex-champions and MPs giving their views with an obvious self interest agenda attached.
“Those who want Bahrain to continue on the path of genuine reform will do the cause no service by cancelling the Grand Prix this year.”
Now where have I heard something like that before ? (thinks …)
Ah yes, I know, in apartheid South Africa when the cricket and rugby boycotts were starting to bite. We all know what happenend in the end, don’t we ?
Supposedly there was to be a huge uprising yesterday because of the anniversary of the protests one year ago but from reports and video it was mostly angry youth picking a fight and the riot police controlling it well.
It seems like the authorities are able to control the situation and guarantee safety so FiA and Bernie are right the race should just go ahead as planned
I suppose we will see you there then?
Will we see YOU there? Doesn’t safety concern you? Is anyone in the press corps considering staying at home?
Yes, I know at least one person who is staying at home. I am considering what to do. Am I worried about safety? Good question. I am an F1 reporter. I am not a war reporter. I am sort of ambivalent. One might say fatalistic. If it is going to happen, it is going to happen so there is not a lot of things to worry about.
I know if I had money to burn I would not go to Bahrain this year. If you have angry youth and riot police without the F1 in town what could be in the works for when they arrive. I do not want to die in the crossfire of someone else’s fight, nor do I want to lose any of the F1 world because Bahrain wanted to look worldly.
The MP’s who had their letter published are the chair and vice chair of the “UK-Bahrain All-Party Parliamentary Group” which seeks to “develop friendship and understanding between our countries and to promote mutual economic and political aims”.
Have we heard from the chair and vice chair of the “Let’s Not Be Stupid Parliamentary Group”?
Sadly not…
The decision must be taken purely on safety grounds. It’s not for any sports promoter (even the remarkably politically connected and powerful Mr Ecclestone) to play politics.
I’m guessing it will be made “purely” on insurance grounds. That way, Bernie can keep his powerful friends happy while blaming the decision to cancel the race it on the insurance people who decide they cannot be responsible should F1 travel to a dangerous place.
Well it’s OBVIOUS to all now that it’s okay and safe, the omniscient Mr. E. says so.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97527
Isn’t great that he knows the opinions of ALL the teams in regard to this matter?
I expect he will be there, on the streets with the rest of us…
….and no doubt chopper his way in and out of the paddock while the mere mortals get to run the gauntlet of protesters.
This is just kids having a go at the police. That’s what Bernie said and he’s never wrong.
I’m boycotting. Not watching, not blogging about it. The Bahrain GP ceased to exist. I enjoy my freedom of speech and I don’t take kindly to those who beat people for exercising those same freedoms. It’s a small gesture, no one cares who I am or what I am doing, but there’s nothing to celebrate in Bahrain. I’d love a driver to stand up against it, but that won’t happen because they care about money and careers more than politics (I can understand it…). So, it’s my own v-fingered salute.
I often attend races where theres Saudi tanks on the street and you have to keep one eye out for people with swords. Oh yes…
First known (to me) case of the Saudi’s using their military equipment. Am not recommending this, just observing that they buy all manner of expensive machinery from Pentagon suppliers… but when it comes time to use any of it, they have keep it parked somewhere while the Pentagon supplies uniformed Americans to do the deed…