11:46 pm
Fairly quiet meeting of the Bermondsey Community Council tonight, officer reports, a few questions from the public and a bit of an engagement session on what people wanted to get out of the Community Council over the next four years. The lap dancing protesters made an appearance again, although the club has already opened and due to the actions of the landlord, Network Rail, can't offer lap-dancing. The campaign has therefore moved on to ensuring they don't breach their licence or tenancy agreement and the Council's review of licencing policy. The crux of the debate between the campaigners ...
11:01 pm
I wonder if Police dip-sticks target drinkers will apply in Uttoxeter, Rocester and Alton too. If so twenty five years ago and it could have been me. Maybe not anti-social as such, but yes, while every so often someone would chunder, getting into the local town to get some booze (especially at the ends of terms) was a school tradition as I am sure it was everywhere else (remember young Prince Charles and the cherry brandy incident?). I'm not sure I agree with these sorts of intrusions into teen life, but sometimes I guess, they want to be ...
10:45 pm
Carbon Offset time again! This month's mileage for me and my wife totals 1153 miles at 32mpg gives an offset tax £2.84. So have just been online to CLIMATECARE to pay-up for this years car miles to date £8.75. My next payment will be year end so just to record car miles - mine is at 40682 and my wife's is at 28339. Last week attended the LGA conference in Bournemouth. Very good week of...
10:44 pm
This article from 1997 gives some background on Levy's career in the record industy. Alvin Stardust, Pete Waterman, Chris Rea... they are all there.
10:09 pm
I finally got to ask the First Minister about the Home Office's National Respect Squad yesterday. In particular I wanted to know what input his government had had and how well equipped it is to deal with Welsh circumstances. Rather predictably he had not heard of it. What had started off as a straightforward question degenerated somewhat when North Wales Conservative member, Mark Isherwood, brought his own peculiar brand of rhetoric to the issue: Mark Isherwood: As you know, anti-social behaviour damages the lives of many, and often leaves older and more vulnerable people living in ...
10:04 pm
Lord Levy is innocent until proven otherwise. But this is an enormous issue for Labour - far more significant than the Prescott stories. Nick Robinson has some of the reasons for this. Levt is a personal friend, the man who breaks the financial dependence on the unions. But this goes deeper. If Labour existed for anything it was for the idea that wealth and privilege did not belong together. Political power was to be opened up to labour (ordinary working people) and wrenched from the hands of the rich and of the middle classes. This was the historic purpose of ...
9:52 pm
I've solved the world's energy problems. Well, to give due credit, my boss and I did out on our lunchtime "health walk" (yes me!). And no, it doesn't involve harnessing the steam coming off my shirt after a quick perambulation round Headington Hill Park! For a few years now I've been dimly aware of some statistic that the energy from the sun that reaches the planet's surface is so enormous overall that just a few hundred square miles of hot desert covered with the right kind of solar panels/collectors/converters could supply every drop of the world's current ...
9:43 pm
Nick Clegg is playing a blinder on the Nat West Three. Here is his appeal for help: Today we won an unprecedented victory against the Government in a debate on the lop-sided Extradition Treaty with the United States. Three former employees of Nat West bank, together with south Londoner Babar Ahmed and up to 20 more British residents, face extradition to the United States under a treaty signed in 2003 that grants fewer rights to British citizens than to Americans. Just four Labour MPs voted in favour of the treaty in the symbolic vote called by the Liberal Democrats ...
9:36 pm
The Guardian says: The former home secretary Charles Clarke yesterday sharply criticised his successor, John Reid, for postponing the programme of police force mergers, describing it as a "weak and damaging" decision that will seriously hamper the fight against terrorism.Yes, Charles Clarke is basing his campaign for political rehabilitation on an appeal to people who believe John Reid is a wet liberal. He may find that they are a rather select group.
9:32 pm
I see that the energy review suggests outlawing "standby" buttons on consumer electricals. Good thing too. Because if they're there, as they are in nearly all cases in my little hovel, they are going to get used. I don't know if they really drain as much electricity as they say, but am prepared enough to believe so and feel guilty about having them, however convenient they are when watching "Science Shack" on the TV at 3am to help me sleep (I mean - there's no point really if you have to get out of bed again and ...
9:22 pm
When Tony Blair came to Downing Street, it was on an almost euphoric wave of public goodwill. Blair promised to clean up politics, and oh how we wanted him to succeed. How ironic that the issue that will probably ensure Blair goes sooner rather than later is that of sleaze. The arrest of Lord Levy [...]
9:18 pm
All this rumpus (quite rightly I might add) about the UK->US->? extradition treaty puts me in mind of something an American acquaintance said way back when cartoonists favourite image of our Tone was as Dubbya's pussy, oops, puppy, no, try again....poodle, that was it - remember all that? I don't remember whether he was in favour of the Iraq war or not (I suspect so - he was of the US libertarian right persuasion) but when he saw George and Tony doing their "shoulder to shoulder" tango he thought that Tony had rescued George. The "coalition of the willing" ...
9:06 pm
The BBC reports: Tony Blair's chief fundraiser Lord Levy has been arrested and bailed in connection with the "cash-for-honours" inquiry by the Metropolitan Police. Guido Fawkes has been on Levy's case since March. Today he has published an invaluable summary of links to all his postings on the man. This is the place to go for the inside story.
9:03 pm
8:45 pm
I had a work meeting near Euston today. On the way back I stopped at the British Library to look at their bookshop and have a cup of tea. Next to the cafe there is a philatelic display. And guess what is at the heart of it? Thomas Tapling's collection. It is particularly strong on stamps from Wurtemburg, incidentally.
8:38 pm
On Monday BDC’s Planning committee rejected the application by Tesco’s for a second store in Bridgnorth. This is a victory for the vitality of Bridgnorth as a market town. Tesco’s would have posed a serious threat to the local traders in Bridgnorth. If the Planning Committee had approved the plan it would have undermined a host of retailers [...]
5:33 pm
Despite the debate in parliament today, it appears that the NatWest 3 will be rendered, I mean extradited, to the USA. The American authorities accuse the NatWest 3 of fraud in connection with Enron. The fraud they are accused of happened on British soil and to a British company. The NatWest 3 are all British. Why, you may ask, aren't they being tried here? If you do ask that, you are not alone. The Liberal Democrats want to know the answer, as do the Conservatives, the CBI, Liberty, The Independent and Ken ...
5:24 pm
Regular readers of this blog will have noticed a new template is in use. This is not to say that The Liberal is going through some kind of re-branding exercise. It was just time for a change. The templates on offer from blogspot vary and might not be what one would choose if one had a budget to employ a designer. But blogspot kindly offer this service for free and I, for one, am very grateful. I have looked at other templates before and wondered if they might look better and be easier to read. ...
5:13 pm
It has been announced today that Lord Levy has been arrested in relation to a police investigation regarding loans to the Labour party and nominations for peerages. Lord Levy has not been charged and is of course innocent until proven guilty. For any New Labour readers, innocent until proven guilty means that until it is proved beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law, you are innocent. That's
5:07 pm
This news is bound to be overshadowed by the terrible news from Lebanon, and the long-awaited, but still shocking news on Lord Levy. But the Liberal Democrat adjournment debate has resulted in a vote and a decision to adjourn the House of Commons - which is to say a defeat for the Government. According to the BBC MPs have signalled their anger at Tony Blair over the extradition to the US of three bankers to face a fraud trial. They voted by a majority of 242 to adjourn the Commons early in symbolic protest at the government's extradition ...
5:06 pm
I only just heard this - link Long overdue and definitely significantly close to Tony Blair. The evidence that has come to light about Sir Gulam Noon is very serious indeed. The long term abuse by the Labour Party of the position as our government is now beginning to truly unravel and the only way in which straight answers are ever going to be achieved is through police intervention ... as opposed to self appointed inquiries. I will be watching (along with the rest of you I am sure) how this unfolds with great interest. The repercussions of ...
5:03 pm
Wednesday's Birmingham Post has a selection of photos from the University of Birmingham's degree congregations. Amongst them is one of me leaning on the Mace prior to leading the Chancellor into the Great Hall (pic 5). The mace was used in the first congregation in 1901, and little has changed in terms of the ceremony, except maybe the number and size of them.
4:24 pm
Tony Blair's chief fundraiser Lord Levy has been arrested. His arrest is in connection with the "cash-for-honours" inquiry by the Metropolitan Police.... He has been a high profile fundraiser for Labour since Tony Blair's election. Lord Levy is understood to be being held at a North London police station. Asked if he had any reaction to the news that Lord Levy had been arrested, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "I cannot comment on that, it is a party matter." He confirmed the peer was still the prime minister's Middle East envoy. A Scotland Yard spokesman ...
4:15 pm
A few moments ago the House of Commons decided to close up for the day. That is the only way a vote can be recognised as to the views of the House on the current extradition arrangements. It is a symptom of the way in which the executive has power over the legislature. It is interesting given that it was 13 days ago on a Thursday when only 2 MPs turned up for the demonstration about the
3:00 pm
Barely a couple of hours after Nick Clegg’s (brilliantly secured) emergency debate on the ‘Natwest Three’s’ extradition to the US, it appears that Neil Coulbeck, a former RBS banker connected with the scandal has been found dead in East London. Curious and curiouser…
2:50 pm
Death Certificates Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to audit death certificates. (John Hemming) A:The Government are considering what else might be done to strengthen the overall system within which deaths are certified and investigated, to complement the draft Bill on coroner reform published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs on12 June
12:48 pm
The Pentagon yesterday said that prisoners at Guantánamo and elsewhere in US military custody around the world would be granted the protections of the Geneva convention.
11:20 am
The claim by a Civil Service Trade Union that the Assembly Government plans to cut 1,200 jobs over the next three years came as quite a shock to many people yesterday. This was especially so as it was backed up by minutes of a private meeting within the depths of Cathays Park. The Government was having none of it however even though they refused to deny it. I tried to raise it in Plenary yesterday during the Business Statement. The Business Minister said that she does not intend to respond to a press story based on a leaked document. ...
10:44 am
Simon Heffer is upset with David Cameron. Nothing new there, one might add, and the Heffalump even admits that he knows that Cameron is deliberately trying to tweak his tail: Mr Cameron seeks to say things that will have me fulminating, and have my beloved readers writing in to the editor in their legions, for the simple reason that (as he sees it) there is no finer way to prove his party has changed than to have us foaming at the mouth. It is not for me to point out that this is a high-risk option, but I ...
10:02 am
Went along last night to a production by children at Banks Road School, in Garston. They were doing a version of Hamlet. Now I remember wrestling with this play for english A level and wondered how the primary school would make it more accessible. But they managed it really well. First there was a Yorrick figure who narrated every now and then with comments about what had happened, what was coming up, what the characters really thought and so on. Then the text had been changed so that some more modern phrases were added in.. ...
10:02 am
Went along last night to a production by children at Banks Road School, in Garston. They were doing a version of Hamlet. Now I remember wrestling with this play for english A level and wondered how the primary school would make it more accessible. But they managed it really well. First there was a Yorrick figure who narrated every now and then with comments about what had happened, what was coming up, what the characters really thought and so on. Then the text had been changed so that some more modern phrases were added in.. but a lot of the ...
9:48 am
'You Matter' is a handbook for parents and young people. So far, so good. But what makes this one different is that it is two handbooks in one. Starting from one cover you can read through the parents section, then turn it upside down and you can read the young people's section from the other end. Both sections cover the same topics, but presented in language and with graphics to...
9:46 am
Last night in the pub, I got onto the topic of political websites with a guy who works for politics.co.uk. He proceeded to ask me if I was Guido. I found this very disconcerting. How should I take it? Should I be flattered or offended? Or perhaps just put it down to the amount of alcohol consumed? Tags:pub guido blogging
9:38 am
Greenpeace protest on top of Admiralty Arch, within metres of John Prescott’s grace and favour flat. See Greenpeace scale london landmark and government office on Flickr.com Spotted on the way to work this morning, Greenpeace protest on top of Admiralty Arch, within metres of John Prescott’s grace & favour flat. What I like about this is the exact [...]
9:36 am
Much coverage yesterday of problems with the Home Office plans to merge police forces into larger regional - or sub regional - units. It seems the one which did look like it was going ahead first now can't. Lots of speculation that this means that the Home Secretary will just dump the merger plans. It'll be all to the good if he does. There's been loads of opposition to the plans as people on the whole want their police to be more locall run rather than run from further away. I suppose we'll have to ...
9:30 am
Looking through some other blogs, I came across the news that the Department for Work and Pensions is now tryingn to claw back tea and lunch money from volunteers. People who are not working sometimes do voluntary work. It could be to help them ease their way back into working, and to get some experience. Or it could be to just do something unpaid to help their communities. Organisations with volunteers sometimes provide small amounts of money for lunch or free cups of tea etc. Now it seems unemployed volunteers are going to have to ...
9:09 am
It seems that no Tory MPs want to talk to Conservative Future at their annual ball. I can understand this back in the 1980s, when the FCS were a bunch of mentalists who smashed things up, but surely the deck-shoe tendency that make up today’s CF can’t be that frightsome? Apparently LDYS held a ball once, in 2003, to celebrate 100 years of Young Liberals. By all accounts, it was not that successful. If there were to be another one though, I’m sure an MP could be persuaded to come without too much trouble.
8:35 am
Now I know that I like big bikes. My Harley Davidson Fatboy has a 1450 cc engine. I always fancied a go on a Triumph Rocket which has a 2294 cc engine. But this beastie from Boss Hoss is just unbelieveable!! It has an 8200 cc engine!! Oh and you can get them in the UK now from here. Now where did I put that spare £42,000?
8:35 am
Catching up on two more things from yesterday. First, I went to give evidence at the Watson Road Planning Inquiry. I fight the good fight against these abominable flats. The worst thing about them for me is the size. Yes - they are just about legal - but quite frankly a bedroom that is 8' x 6' is the size of room may be ok for a baby or small child (or box room) but as the child becomes a
8:31 am
All the Focus' arrived for my ward yesterday ... we don't have the strongest delivery network (although it is gradually growing) so it is a bit daunting to begin with, but knowing that I can keep in touch with the residents (especially when it's not election time) will be worth it. I know that people will also really appreciate the effort (it's a moan everyone must hear on the doorstep "we only ever see you at election time") so I'd better get out my walking boots!! Aside of the pile of Focus' I also have a huge pile of washing ...
8:28 am
Yesterday, I had an interview with a filmmaker called Carol who is making a film about Joyce Vincent - the woman found dead in a flat in Wood Green and who had been dead for three years. Found with the television on and Christmas presents wrapped, she was relatively young. Carol wants to make a film about the woman and society and how this can happen in today's world. I run her though my take on
8:17 am
At least this is what the Guardian claims on the basis of yet more leaked e-mails. Derek Swayne reports a queue of rightwingers wanting to see Mr Cameron, including Edward Leigh, who wants "to tell you to your face that you are the anti-Christ (he does not even want me there as a witness)". If this is not enough The emails...confirm simmering tensions inside the Tory party despite Mr Cameron's smooth presentation. The friction points include Europe, nuclear power and the A-list of "preferred, centrally chosen parliamentary candidates". Mr Swayne says a key faction of the parliamentary party - the ...
4:06 am
The Beeb is reporting questions over the future of the Government’s ID card scheme. Anyone who has ever come into contact with any Government database will be aware of the utterly desperate incompetence which inevitably accompanies it, and the overarching truth that such things never, ever work. The BBC report states that: In emails quoted by the newspaper, Peter Smith, acting commercial director at the Identity and Passport Service, reportedly says the organisation is planning for the possibility that ID cards could be "canned completely". David Foord, ID cards project director at the Office of Government ...
12:42 am
I'm going to be momentarily nice about something Labour have done. Today's announcement on building a national register of bright children is a dubious headline, that smacks a little of sinister ID-card style databases. It however disguises something very positive, the work of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY). NAGTY has been operating since 2002 and has a mission to provide support, guidance and resources to the 'top 5%' of gifted (academic) and talented (skilled) pupils and the teachers and organisations that work with them. NAGTY treats intelligence and skills as a special educational need, one ...
12:39 am
I have a feeling there's more to this story from the BBC than meets the eye at the moment:World Cup official shot himself Berlin's top World Cup official shot himself in the head just hours after the tournament ended and is now fighting for his life, police say. Juergen Kiessling, 65, was rushed to hospital from his house in Reinickendorf, a suburb of Berlin, after a neighbour heard the shot. I did hear that Frank Lampard, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard tried something similar but were left completely unharmed.
Tuesday 11th July 2006,
Monday 10th July 2006,
Sunday 9th July 2006,
Saturday 8th July 2006,
Friday 7th July 2006,
Thursday 6th July 2006
