LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Wednesday 8th August 2007

The BBC's not so neutral portrait of Mark Oaten.

Mark Oaten doesn't like prisons. They're smelly, yucky and apparently don't work. Thing is the BBC seems to have a bit of a problem with this viewpoint. In this article there's a suspiciously large amount of irrelevant counterpoints to Mark Oaten's comments. Perhaps I am being paranoid, but it doesn't exactly seem like a particularly neutral article especially when they have the word 'Naive' printed in bold in the middle of the article under a quote from Oaten.atom.xml

Official notice: I was never in LA

I, the hereinafter undersigned Pink Dog, hereby swear and publicly attest that I have never been in LA, USA. Woof woof, Pink Dog (I have been forced to make this public statement because of rumours surrounding me and this. I would have hoped the public would look closely at the ears and see it wasn't me, but standards of ear-ology are so low these days).

Brand Spanking Really Really New Liberalism Deluxe, or the great naming contest for new new liberalism

THIS YEAR, THE WORLD WILL TREMBLE, EMPIRES WILL FALL, IN WHAT BLOGGERS ARE CALLING 'something that I actually quite agree with, a little.' LIBERALISM IS BACK!!! WITH A VENGEANCE AND THIS TIME, ITS PERSONAL (add further hollywood cliches here) Well David Boyle has the story, he has managed to sum up the core principles of the new liberal consenus, its unique, its different and its something all liberal democrats can unite around. One problem though, it doesn't have a name yet. Seriously though how many more names for differing forms of liberalism can there be, we already have neo, classical, ...

The ONLY top ten list of political blogs you need EVER read in the world

Enough of this nonsense outbreak of lists of blogs that everyone is doing. There is only one list you need. It's this list. My list. My very own top ten. So sit back, relax and enjoy safe in the knowledge that you need never look at another top 10, top 50 or top 100 list. Pink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogPink DogJob done. Case closed. Woof woof.

Iraqi translators - thanks but no thanks

A good email received today from 'HQ' which I think speaks for itself: The Government’s decision to review the cases of 91 Iraqi translators who have worked for the British may be welcome but their plight needs to be treated with far greater urgency. You can back our campaign at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/interpreters The sad fact is that all these people’s lives will be at great risk when the British concentrate all their resources at Basra air base and then, eventually, leave the country altogether. There is no doubt in my mind that Britain has a moral responsibility towards them and it ...

Your 20 top blogs: A reminder

A reminder that Iain Dale is seeking nomination for your 20 favourite political blogs. You have until 15 August to vote. A number of lists inspired by this poll have recently appeared. And Iain has also asked some people to help produce the new edition of his Guide to Political Blogging in the UK by ranking the Lib Dem blogs. All these may help you in compiling your own list. And they give me a chance to show off. Paul Linford has listed his top 20 political blogs. Liberal England is at no. 3. Stephen Tall has listed his top ...

Ming weighs in on Iraqi interpreter issue

If you’ve been following the more political blogs recently, you will have seen information about a scandalous situation where Her Majesty’s Government has been refusing asylum to people who have served HMG as interpreters in Iraq. It’s not hard to see how working with the Americans and British in interviewing insurgents could lead to [...]

Why motorists can't read road maps

The rise of the satnav has had an alarming effect on the average motorist's abilty to read a map. The Evening Standard reports: Research shows that almost 50 per cent of Britain's drivers - an astonishing 15 million - are unable to identify simple map symbols and that about 11million admit they "cannot read a basic road map".Does it matter? Sometimes it does. Just ask the Shrophire Star: The owners of a 400-year-old ferry across the River Severn in Shropshire are being inundated with baffled drivers being directed across a non-existent crossing by their sat nav systems.Faulty instructions have flummoxed ...

Iran’s Media Crackdown

{iran-press.jpg} The Iranian government has shut down one of the country’s leading moderate dailies, Shargh ‘East’, because it published an interview with the expatriate poet Saghi Ghahreman, whom they accuse of being lesbian and of promoting her ’sick sexual identity, dissident views and porno personality’ on her weblog. The article itself, entitled ‘Feminine Language’ said nothing more outrageous than that ’sexual boundaries must be flexible’ and that ‘the immoral is imposed by culture on the body’. Shades of Oscar Wilde. The West is forever getting its knichers in a twist over Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons, but in general pays ...

Dirty washing smells of fish

Back in December I commented on people doing their dirty washing in public - especially Chris and Ingrid Tarrant, who I had known through work. It saddens to see the dirty washing getting quite so filthy as it now is.

Mark Oaten: Abolish all the prisons

Mark Oaten is back in the news thanks to his taking part in the BBC Radio 4 programme Hecklers. The first broadcast was at 8 p.m. this evening, but you can catch the repeat at 10.15 p.m. on Saturday 11 August. The idea of Hecklers is that someone puts forward an unpopular argument in front of a live audience. According to the BBC website, Oaten's case is that we should demolish all our prisons and replace them with education and training centres, mental health facilities and drug rehabilitation units. According to Oaten, he desperately wanted to put this idea forward ...

56 people now on the Facebook group

I jokingly said to colleagues today that I will go onto Facebook when the 100th person joins the Get Jonathan Wallace onto Facebook group. I understand it now stands at 56. I discovered this whilst looking over the shoulder of my colleague George Crozier as he joined the group. I also noticed that a certain Dave Hennigan has been posting up my not so serious emails about forthcoming videos I am

The Dark Arts: a tutorial

I'm a novice at the game of politics, I really am. Over the years, I've tried to appreciate the subtle techniques deployed by seasoned maestri (of all parties), but I still couldn't pass Grade One. I realise there are ruses and legerdemains which help your path of action, or hinder your opponent's. But I'll be damned if I can remember them... This comes to mind because there is a local issue creating some heat at the moment. I won't give details, for the sake of the cosmopolitan audience of this blog. But let's just say that a course of action, ...

Continuing SDP - have you seen this man?

When I was Bexley & Bromley GLA candidate in 2000 a chap called Laurence Williams joined the local party in Sidcup. He seemed a pleasant person (and I have met him once since, he still is). He left the party within the year. But the posting by Hot, Ginger and Dynamite today about the continuing SDP has thrown him into the spotlight. In 2002 he bobbed up as a candidate for UKIP in the local

2012 logo or pissing elephant - a loser either way

Several bloggers have commented on the press story today on the green tory tree turning blue. It was Steve Bell in the The Guardian who pointed out that the logo is "A berserk green elephant pissing on everything". Interestingly on line the Tories are distancing it from the 2012 logo - and you know what I think of that - but in my printed Evening Standard a "party official" says "it is a very

Ken Bates sets out the case to show that Leeds United have not broken any rules

Ken Bates has published his letter to league chairman on the club's website. His explanation of the facts is quite convincing. Clearly the Inland Revenue don't like the League's own ruling about paying football creditors first and their legal action is more to do with that than anything else. I detect too that Macwhinny is seeking to punish Leeds for their clever move into administration before the end of last season, which the League admits was legal and above board. If Ken Bates is correct then Leeds have not broken any rules and the actions of the Revenue amount to ...

Vote Blue get....er....Blue

Thank you to Barcharters Anonymous for spotting this one. When the Tories unveiled their quick sketch green tree logo last year, I did think it was an extraordinary logo for a party with a membership with an average age of 99. After a year, a retreat has been sounded. The Clause Four moment with grammar schools resulted in the complete volte face of Cameron in sacking David Willetts from his

Crazy horses

Exceptionally busy at work, so I'm very glad for the council's equivalent of parliamentary recess. Basically, we don't have any council meetings during August, which means far fewer evenings taken up (although still ward surgeries and political group meetings etc). Not been much time to think about anything interesting to blog about. The best I can come up with is the photo below, which I took today. Quite often I walk to Liverpool Street area at lunchtime and today was in Broadgate Circle where they had... some horses riding around. Along with the croquet lawn at Broadgate Exchange, it seems ...

Brighton Charter Hotel j’accuse

Mike points us to Overyourhead and a flickr photoset all there to heap shame on the festering cess pool that is the Brighton Charter Hotel. I’m pretty sure I have stayed in the very room depicted, during conference season a number of years back. It was a second year running at Brighton, and I’d had a bright idea. The year before, I had spotted a number of top notch looking sea front hotels with signs in the window offering rooms at very low rates. So my plan was to turn up at Brighton and trundle my wheelie suitcase up and ...

Foot & Mouth Distortions

The Univsity of Exeter conducted a study into the cost of the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak to the Devon economy and came up with a figure of £60 million. The Economics Department of the Universi...

A new football season - time for Ferguson, Allardyce and Redknapp to grow up ?

When people criticise professional footballers in ability to speak to the media they ought to look at who these footballers learn from and be more critical of the terrible attitude that some senior managers have towards the press, and in particular, the BBC. Alex Ferguson, a great manager, but totally unable to take criticism from some BBC reporters or commentators, has refused to do BBC interviews for a number of years as a punishment to the BBC. Instead he sends out his number two, Carlos Queiroz, to speak to the press. With Sam Allardyce, a regular on Match of the ...

Mark Oaten: I don't remember it that way...

Apparently, all Mark Oaten really wanted to do was abolish prisons, but those nasty Lib Dems wouldn't let him. I don't know the full story behind Mark's appointment a few years ago as our Shadow Home Secretary, and I don't know what went on when he occupied that position. Being Lib Dem Home Secretary is a difficult job which requires you to show a steely glint in your eye in both defending civil liberties from the Government and defending ordinary people from crime. However, I do remember Mark talking a lot about 'tough liberalism', and pulling the Party to the ...

SNP demands for 9% of Broadcasting budget will cause a backlash

The SNP wants 9% of the BBC's budget to be spent in Scotland, and is looking at plans to draw up a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation to rival the BBC. This SNP plan is ludicrous in the extreme and will only cause a backlash. How many Scots are employed by the BBC in London ? How many presenters, actors, technicians, support staff and cameramen from Scotland earn a good living in London or Bristol or Cardiff where the BBC make their very best dramas and comedies ? SNP demands for 9% of the budget might seem okay, but in truth it ...

Tanned, rested and ready

Is it just me who thinks the short summary of this article makes it sound as though David Owen’s planning a political comeback? Former foreign secretary and SDP co-founder Lord Owen believes voters are attracted to leaders with dangerous levels of self-confidence, writes Ros Taylor

Finally…

Brown may do something about the Iraqi interpreters seeking UK refugee status. But not enough, as Chicken Yoghurt explains. As Nick Clegg said last month, there’s got to be a fairer way to treat aylum seekers, hasn’t there? It seems worth repeating his call: We need a fair, effective and compassionate approach to asylum. Every case should be decided on its individual merits. We should find ways to accommodate some of the refugees we have helped to displace in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we should be flexible about halting temporarily deportations to countries that are manifestly dangerous, instead of exploiting ...

We have a moral obligation to our Iraqi translators

Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell has written to party members about the plight of Iraqi interpreters seeking asylum in the United Kingdom: The Government’s decision to review the cases of 91 Iraqi translators who have worked for the British may be welcome but their plight needs to be treated with far greater urgency. You can back our campaign at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/interpreters The sad fact is that all these people’s lives will be at great risk when the British concentrate all their resources at Basra air base and then, eventually, leave the country altogether. There is no doubt in my mind that ...

Another boring Iain Dale post

Rather ironic for a Conservative to start showing concern about such things don’t you think?

Lies, Damm Lies & the American election, Part 1

Ive written quite a bit about the presidential election taking place in america, and it looks like there are already front runners, But what do people in Britian and elsewhere think of the canidates? So with only 15 months to go until polling day, in America, takes place here is the first of serveal polls i will do on here (unless this one doesn't work). This Week its the democrats candidates in a week or so i'll do one for the republican candidates View Poll: Democrat Nominees

The Fifth Modernisation

I've added a link here to explain what I mean by the Fifth Modernisation for those of you who perhaps are not completely up on Chinese political discourse. Wei Jingsheng (魏京生） is someone I greatly admire for his courage in standing up for freedom and democracy in China. Sadly he has had to spend rather a long time in jail and subsequently in exile in the USA. Although steeped in some of the rhethoric of the time his sentiments remain timeless. Ming and his ghost writer would do well to talk to him about the situation in China.

Jump Around - Room 2 Launch

Last night’s launch of the new back room at Jump Around was quiet, but it gave me a chance to get back into the swing of things. My thanks to Joe and JP for coming down to support me! Despite the lack of numbers we got some great feedback, which leads us all to believe the back room will grow and be successful after a few weeks. Fingers crossed.

Helping in Warbreck

Had a good evening yesterday in Warbreck, where there is to be a by election. The by election's been caused by the death of Cllr Joan Lang. Warbreck is in North Liverpool but is surprisingly easy to get to for me by train, so I imagine I will be there quite a bit. We knocked on some doors in a load of terraced streets. A good reception, lots of people willing to talk. Richard Roberts is well known here and got a good response from the people we were able to speak to.

Do you have any views on PFI?

If so, Vince Cable wants to know them.

David Cameron’s glossy ’style over substance’ looking tarnished

The since David Cameron’s Conservatives came a poor third in July’s by-elections, the media (including the traditionally Tory friendly ones) have turned against project ’style over sustance’, leading to bickering amongst supporters, Councillors and MPs. On a daily basis Dave has faced wave after wave of negative press and declining poll ratings. Only yesterday Conservative donor Sir [...]

PRISON DOESN'T WORK

Here’s an interesting phenomenon: finding oneself agreeing with Mark Oaten! In an interview to be broadcast on Radio 4 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6935370.stm) he has made the case for prisons to be abolished, to be replaced by secure ‘rehabilitation centres’ to deal with the root causes of offending, which he suggests include mental health problems and drug addiction. This is a very strong case and one which the usual arguments of the right wingers can’t really challenge. To ape Michael Howard, let’s make one thing clear: prison doesn’t work. Locking people away for hours every day with a few hundred other bored and ...

My top ten blogs from across the blogosphere

Iain Dale asked people for their top 20 blogs. However, I am not posting my top 20 here as it will leave some people wondering if they are in the top 20 and will stop people being upset if they are not. So if your blog isn't listed below, you might be in my top 20, but my top ten. 1) http://www.iaindale.blogspot.com/ Agree with him or not, there is always something interesting to read or learn. 2) http://www.paulwalter.blogspot.com/ Incisive, witty, funny, a proper liberal, can't be faulted in any way. 3) http://www.dizzythinks.blogspot.com/ A Tory, but fair, with a real in ...

Well done Cannock Chase!

Five years ago Cannock Chase Council and local people was the subject of ridicule when it came to recycling. With a record of recycling just 1.5% of its waste, The then Labour run Council was listed by Friends of the Earth as one of the 10 worst Councils in Britain, and the local evening paper ran a derogatory article comparing the district as the worst in the country with Lichfield "next-door" which was then the best in the country.

Heil Mavis!

{Mavis Cruet as Adolf Hitler} With apologies to the late Kenneth Williams, I offer you my interpretation of an unsettling mental picture that Paul Walter has unleashed on an unsuspecting blogosphere. Share This

Tyrants and the Olympics

Yesterday I complained about an article on the Beijing Olympics, allegedly written by Ming Campbell. At one point it says: I for one welcomed the news that China would host the games precisely because I hoped and believed that this, among other influences, could lead to an opening up, a strengthening and modernising of this great nation. It still can.What is the basis for this hope or belief? Berlin 1936 certainly did nothing to mellow Nazi Germany. Nor have I ever heard it suggested that hosting the 1980 Olympics played any part in the collapse of the Soviet regime a ...

Ranked and rated

This is blog has come 53rd (jointly with 4 others) on Stephen Tall's list of "My top 100 Lib Dem blogs". Not bad really considering the other blogs that are out there. I'm quite pleased. :-)

HP Sauce - spot the difference

It is naughty to continue to market HP Sauce with the Houses of Parliament when it is now no longer made in the UK, but in the Netherlands. I have written to various people about this and we will see what happens.

The Continuing SDP continues

Or rather clings on. In Bridlington. Hot Ginger and Dynamite points us to the party's website. The select few who want to know more should consult an article from the New Statesman. Talking of Bridlington brings to mind this anecdote.

Towards Liberal Environmentalism

Some weeks ago I wrote this post in response to an article by John Dixon asking whether environmental challenges demand a massive illiberal state intervention in people's lives. I argued that this was not the case because the solutions to the problems we face exist, but we are failing to face up to a moderate increase in costs. I am a little unsatisfied with that answer, because there are two

Bring Julie Home

People living in the streets around my house are really rallying together to try to help poor Julie Hudson, who I mentioned in an earlier post. She's the lady stuck in Tunisia. Posters saying "Bring Julie Home" have gone up and there's a fundraising event next week. Anyone with things to donate to be sold can drop them off at 66 Lincoln Street (I am sure the lady won't mind my giving out her address)

Cameron's Conservatives No Longer 'Green?'

From the Daily Mail David Cameron's Tory tree has turned blue in what appears to be the latest olive branch to traditionalists. A year after the squiggly logo was unveiled to snorts of outrage from the party's old guard, it has lost its environmentally-friendly green leaves. Another triumph for substance of style for David Cameron's Conservatives It's official, this really must be the silly season.

What should I include in the local information page?

I've started compiling some links to local information, mainly aimed at South of the Borough Neighbourhood. It's definitely work in progress, and I'd welcome suggestions for things to include. Please use the comments box at the bottom of the page to suggest additions and amendments.

They Want This Now?

The US have sought assurances that 5 former British residents that the UK wants released will be dealt with humanely once they are back on British soil. Dignified: Waterboarding - an approved CIA interrogation technique. The thought strikes me - why is it only now that they are worried about treating these people humanely? Or is "humane" just a code-word for something more sinister?

Too Much Time - part 2

Another example of what can happen if people have too much time on their hands... especially if that is combined with that dangerous cocktail of youtube access and a sense of humour. Minesweeper: The Movie And just in case you missed it, "This is what happens when people have too much time on their hands" part 1.

PLANNING NOW FOR THE POST CAMERON PERIOD

The spectacular fall of David Cameron continues apace and his future as Tory party leader surely rests on his ability to ‘deliver’ the results of the various policy reviews which are due to report in the autumn. If the Tories decide to commit collective Hara Kiri at their conference - which, let’s face it, they have a healthy and welcome tradition of - it seems a reasonable assumption that David Davis will step in to pick up the pieces in a Michael Howard-type coronation. Davis is likely to offer a stiffer challenge than Cameron for several reasons: He does not ...

Greetings

If you have come to this blog, my thanks. I hope to offer my untutored thoughts on the world here with a Lib Dem edge. However, as a sceptical party member, I trust my comments will make for more interesting reading that a simple paean to the Emperor Ming's Warriors.

Jam

“When I take the lid off the jam, and I put the spoon in the jam, that gives me great pleasure.” Daphne Neville in The Great British Village Show, BBC1 TV, broadcast on 15th July 2007.

The Tale Of The Boffin And The Guttersnipe

A boffin was pouring bleach into a funnel when along came a guttersnipe. “How now, boffin,” said the guttersnipe, “I am but a poor guttersnipe and for raiment I have only rags, as you can see. If I become a boffin’s assistant I can cover these rags with a fine white coat and then I shall not be spat upon by citizens as I toil along the lanes of this shining yet merciless city. Can I pour that tinted bleach into the funnel for you? Then you would be free to go and take a nap, or to think higher ...

It's Time to Get Tough on the Chinese Communist Party's Human Rights Record Ming

I've noticed that Jonathan Calder at Liberal England has criticised at least the ghost writer for this article on the Comment Is Free part of the Guardian Website. Here's my commentary on the article for what it is worth. "In a year's time the Olympic torch will enter the newly constructed Beijing National Stadium to the roars of 80,000 excited onlookers and the 2008 games will be underway. "In the so-called Bird Nest arena, one of a staggering 31 Olympic venues in Beijing alone, the world will watch the world's best sportsmen and women and cheer on their own teams, ...

Concern over Gangs

I was interested to see that the continuity SDP, currently a rather Bridlington-focused organisation, has a new website , which includes profiles of every one of its members. The site explains that “the SDP is planning to revamp its operations in 2006/2007,” so that’s something to look forward to. As long as dapper solipsist and scholar of hurbris, Dr David Owen, doesn’t re-join, the party's seats on Bridlington Town Council appear to be quite safe.

Leaked email reveals how Gordon Brown really wants to handle terrorism

If you’d been following Gordon Brown’s comments about terrorism in the media, you could be forgiven for thinking that he doesn’t want to score party political points on the matter, and in fact wants cross-party consensus. Just look at what Patrick Wintour wrote in The Guardian, what Sky News reported or what Philip Johnson wrote in The [...]

John Redwood has been 'substantially debugged'

The report from the Conservatives' Economic policy group is due out next week, as the Finanical Times reports today. It is likely to reignite tension between the George Osbourne camp, who are ruling out unfunded tax cuts, and those such as John Redwood, who chairs the policy group, who are eager for the Tory "red meat" of tax cust to be dangled before the electorate. It is interesting that this

Revealed: Hitler and the Sugar Plum Fairy

Reflecting on his newly revealed liking for Tchaikovsky and other Russian (as well as Jewish) composers, I wonder if, in secret, Hitler used to dance around his living room to the tune of Tchaikovsky's "Sugar Plum Fairy".... It's just a thought.

Ming China

Liberal England’s Jonathan Calder points Lib Dems to the article by leader Sir Menzies Campbell on the Beijing Olympics in the Grauniad. Mr. Calder thinks it’s a bit weak, and judging by the user comments most of the paper’s website readers agree. Personally, I’m surprised that Ming did not use his new ’spikiness’ to take a [...]

A New Liberalism from David Boyle?

Catching up on some reading I’ve come across a very interesting article by David Boyle in the most recent Liberator:“A way out of the 1997 trap”. David is a colleague in party policy discussions, as well as a friend, so what he says is not entirely a surprise to me but it is interesting so I wanted to comment on this piece. (more…)

Back up North

So the three hours plus journey to the National Eisteddfod faces me again today as I set off to take part in a debate on housing policy being staged by Community Housing Cymru. If you are there pop into the Sbardun tent at 2pm and say hello. I am only in Mold for today as tomorrow I set off for Ludlow on a fact-finding visit to learn more about their policies on affordable housing. Blogging will be very light for the next 36 hours or so.

When in a hole...

Methinks that the Tories protest too much. Move on for goodness sake.

The Chinese Communist Party Can't Regulate Itself and Never Could

The Chinese Communist Party somehow have this strange notion that thousands of corrupt officials turning themselves in somehow inspires confidence amongst the Chinese people and the world as a whole. This bizarre article on the Renmin Ribao (人民日报） website somehow is supposed to impress everyone that the CPC is keeping it's house in order. The reality is though that this is only the tip of a very long iceberg and frankly corruption of this magnitude leaves the CPC open to charges that it is unable to regulate itself. It is yet more evidence that it should begin the process of ...

Is the Chinese Communist Party Discovering Democracy? Hmm....

I sometimes have a look at the website of the fantastically objective Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Renmin Ribao (人民日报） to keep an eye on what the wonderful ruling elite are up to. They seem very pleased with themselves today if this report is anything to go by. Under the banner CPC promotes democracy by open elections the CPC are preening themselves. Lots of elections it seems and maybe they are starting to discover the merits of OMOV. They've even been letting non-Party members "have a say", whatever that means (not much). However, in case we got the strange idea that ...

Get a new ghostwriter, Ming

There was a strange article in the Guardian under Ming Campbell's name yesterday. I shall do him the honour of assuming that he did not write it himself. It contains echoes of the ill-judged effort to "put the zing into Ming" from his early months as leader. So we are reminded that he was an Olympic athlete himself, and he forecasts: Whatever my work commitments I won't be able to resist setting aside some time to watch the athletics in Beijing, particularly the sprints.At least that has more credibility than the thought of his watching Strictly Come Dancing, but the ...

Political Commercials in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom we don't allow political advertising on television rather we have those usually dull party political broadcasts, which usually last a couple minutes following the news.

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Wednesday 8th August 2007

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