LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Wednesday 9th January 2008

First London Mayoral TV Debate on ITV

The London Mayoral contest has now officially kicked off. This evening I went along as a studio guest, in my capacity as GLA candidate, for the filming of the first TV debate between the three main candidates- Ken Livingstone, Brian Paddick, and Boris Johnson. It was a fairly strange event in that the studio audience where all supporters from the 3 main parties, and we were to put our questions to the candidate from the rival parties. Chaired by Konnie Huq, former Blue Peter presenter, it was an interesting and rather enjoyable event. I got to sit next to Jules ...

Clinton interview

The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric is showing an interview with Hillary Clinton tonight, recorded earlier today. Being shown on Sky News at 12.30, repeated at 3.30am for those who have their body clock screwed up by watching the New Hampshire primary.

Jacksons Lane Community Centre: action needed to secure its future

I've {Lynne Featherstone MP with Cllr Bob Hare and Cllr Neil Williams at Jacksons Lane Community Centre} just demanded a meeting with Arts Council London to try to secure the future of Jacksons Lane Community Centre - one of our much-loved local resources that has provided so much to residents of Highgate, Archway and beyond. Organisers at the centre were told in December that its �125,000 annual grant may be cut this year. And without that grant the centre, which has already endured nearly a year of closure, may have to close permanently. Not good! The problem is that Arts ...

Nick Clegg and the price of fuel

Nick Clegg got through his first PMQs unscathed and the commentators have been quite complimentary. For instance, Michael White writes: How did he do Quite well, I thought, watching it on TV like most people do, though colleagues actually in the chamber report that his voice is too soft to allow him to overcome the background hubbub with ease. Plenty of time to sort that out, important though it is. Sharp-eyed students of the weekly drama might also have spotted that he moved three seats along from the traditional leader's corner seat, so he appeared surrounded by colleagues - "doughnutted" ...

So Nick ignored me...

So Nick did ignore my call and decided to move down a few seats and there was no comment from the Tories or the Labour party. Why are they being so nice to us

What do you think of the Gender Balance Blog Awards

Jo’s Jottings has a new poll up asking readers what they think of the Gender Balance Blog Awards (or, as I prefer to call them, the Patronising the Little Women Awards). You might remember my rantings on the awards got me a slap on the wrist from a certain feminist blogger (as well as a [...]

Politicians in tears

When I went to bed last night Barack Obama was going to win the New Hampshire primary by 10 per cent. When I woke up he had been beaten by Hilary Clinton. One factor in her victory, the pundits all say, was her almost appearing to cry when interviewed a couple of days before the contest. But tears do not always help American Presidential hopefuls. In 1972 Senator Ed Muskie was the early favourite to win the Democratic nomination and he headed the polls in both Iowa and New Hampshire. However, his emotional response to newspaper allegations that his wife ...

Why can't men lift the toilet seat

I went out with my friend Andrew Dangerfield last week. It was over a year since I saw him last. It is always a laugh when we meet up. I have known Andrew for over 22 years now (god I sound old), having met during year 1 at infants school and staying in the same class until Andrew had enough of me and moved to Abingdon (strong Lib Dem town) at the age of 13. And before anyone asks, no we didn't

Half an hour in the company of Gordon Brown...

...oh sweet joy! I've managed to avoid extended news coverage of Gordon Brown so far as I genuinely cannot stand the man. I feel nothing but hatred and loathing towards him. The flash smoother more attractive older brother has run off to the catholic church leaving his weird ugly permanently-disgruntled sibling in charge. He must be hell to work with. So, to our Nick. He played it safe and low key. We didn't look too flash. We didn't look too plain - just steady, solid and safe. The issue of the day - electricity meters - is one very close ...

Iain Dale's at it again

Oh dear. Iain Dale seems to getting a little bit hot under the collar about Chris Huhne's press release calling for the reclassification of cannabis. Iain quotes something from a Lib Dem conference six years ago (apparently Iain thinks policy is carved in tablets of stone that must remain in place for several decades), where the party appeared to be arguing mainly for the de-criminalisation of drugs under certain circumstances. Obviously Iain is unaware that since 2002, leadership of the party has changed (Kennedy, Ming and now Clegg), and with a change of leadership a change of priorities and focus. ...

Nick Cleggs first PMQs

The nearer it got to 12 today, the more nervous I got.� Eventually I just couldn’t concentrate on my work anymore.� Would Nick pull off something spectacular, or would he fluff it PMQs is just such an unnatural thing to have to do, it achieves little and yet it is crucial to how you are perceived [...]

I'm your girl

Why is a Tory blogger praising the Lib Dems and a Lib Dem blogger praising the Tories

A few weeks ago I was asked by Iain Dale to submit my 8 wishes for 2008. Amongst them I said that I wanted Justin Hinchcliffe (aka Hunter and Shooter) to say something nice about the Lib Dems. I then tagged Justin to continue the wishes for 2008 and and he asked for me to be nice about David Cameron. So it was odd, and completely uncoordinated and unplanned that yesterday I should write this offering some praise to the Tories plans, whilst Justin wrote this in praise of the Lib Dems. A thaw in relations Not likely, I still ...

The combination of factors that gave Hillary Clinton Victory in New Hampshire

New Hampshire, the state that launched Bill Clinton's comeback 16 years ago when he came a dramatic second in the primaries in 1992, again proved to be good territory for the Clinton's last night after Hillary Clinton's dramatic two point win over Barack Obama. The result seems to have confounded the pollsters, but is there any one factor that decided it The press are putting it all down to Hillary Clinton's honest near tearful episode, which they say went down well with undecided voters and with women in particular, but there are other factors in play. What abut the opinion ...

What Should We Discuss

Two hours to go until Richard and I record the first Realpolitik podcast of 2008, a weekly look at the world of politics across the divide (Richard is a conservative, I’m a liberal). There’s so much to discuss: the opening rounds of the US primaries, Clegg’s first performance (and it is a performance, not serious [...]

New Year's Resolutions of an Eco Activist

1. Stop buying newspapers. This will be hard. I'm an ex-journalist. I love reading newspapers. But they use too much paper. I shall read the online version instead. 2. Use the solar-powered Blackberry charger I got for Xmas (see photo left) Someone was having a laugh when they bought this for me. Well, I shall endeavour to make it work and stick to using it. That's certainly moving on from last year's resolution - to only use rechargeable batteries. 3. Buy a place and make it completely eco friendly I've wanted to do this for ages. Hopefully property prices will ...

Hmm

Am I turning up on Lib Dem Blogs My latest hasnt. Oh, now it has (7.39), minus the question mark. I'll see if it stays there, and then delete this appendage...

Nasty Nice Tories Latest: Back to the Workhouse

In the rosy glow of post-Christmas overindulgence, the Tories have hit on a bonkers brilliant Neanderthal new idea to prove they are the nasty nice party, inspired by the nasty nice workhouse patrons in Oliver Twist. So, to bring welfare back to the Nineteenth Century forward into the Twenty-first Century, they would help the poor by making them toil for gruel. Meanwhile, the Chancellor and Prime Minister are offering their very best snake oil to public service workers as good for you when what they mean is good for themselves. Both parties are bringing the word patronage back to basics. ...

Workfair

I've seen yet another person proposing that people be forced to work in order to collect benefits. Oh, and this chap too, more worryingly. Question - is the work that benefits-seekers are to be drafted into going to pay them the minimum wage It doesn't seem so, since net benefits (for a single adult) don't add up to the same as the minimum wage. If that's the case, surely by forced labour one is essentially supplying a huge pool of labour who can (unwillingly) give their labour for less than the cost of a regular worker. If that's the case, ...

Licenceiousness

I'm pretty proud of that one. Thanks. Before Christmas (topical blog, this) we had Harriet Harman claiming that we need to make prostitution illegal in order to protect trafficked sex slaves. This week, Fiona McTaggart attempts to make a feminist case for making buying sex illegal (and is thoroughly thrashed in the comments for doing so). What I don't really understand is the mindset that prostitution is bad per se and thus should be criminalized. Of course there is a lot of danger and misery surrounding prostitution in this country and most (if not all) others, but it is not ...

Is Your New Years Resolution to Sort Out Your Finances

This time of year can be particularly challenging for people struggling with debt. However, free confidential debt advice is available at Neighbourhood Offices across Birmingham, by telephoning 0121 303 2087 or online at www.birmingham.gov.uk/debtadviceteam. The Debt Advice Team has also produced a list of simple rules people can use to minimise distress. ~ Do not bury your head or ignore the

In which I cling to Nick Cleggs ankles and weep for justice

Nick Clegg’s performance at PMQs�today�was all very fine and splendid and a jolly promising opening show and all that business, and it is therefore unfortunate that�he also�accidentally�managed to make me cry, which I am sure was far from the intention. My flat is on a prepay meter. It costs a bloody fortune. We’ve phoned British Gas [...]

Missed PMQs

Watch it on Sky News at 8.30pm. I won't read any of the analysis until I've seen it for myself - a bit like hiding under a cushion when the footie results come on the telly...it'll just spoil the surprise & drama I think...

Opinion: Change needed

As Lynne Featherstones article on this site suggested, the Wednesday half hour of Prime Ministers Questions is simply a mock medieval jousting tournament, appropriate for a mock medieval palace. As an MP, I only had to stand in for the Leader once, but I was a horrified observer for too many years. For serious scrutiny, and [...]

Moved to tears

Tears are in the news, Hillary Clintons choked moment credited with turning around the result of the New Hampshire primary. Im not sure I believe that. More likely that the media need a quick explanation for a result so different from all their predictions. When were you last moved to tears It nearly happened to [...]

Gary Hart is Barack Obama

Post on similarities of the two forthcoming.

Gordie steals a sofa moment with a half-baked idea

After a weekend PR offensive, Gordie had his "sofa moment" with Fiona on GMTV on Monday. Gordie deigned to inform us plebs that he wants the NHS to focus on preventative measures. Brilliant. So as Fiona gently pointed out, forget about all this nonsense about people picking up hospital-based infections, cancer cure rates being one of the worst in the civilised world and people having to wait

US Primaries - the dynamics of South Carolina

Well done Hilary Clinton on her win in New Hampshire. I've made no secret that I am carried away with Obama fever. But it is good see Clinton clawing her way back with some good old-fashioned campaigning and support from honest-to-goodness blue collar types and women. Of course, as that wise owl Duncan Borrowman points out, everything before Super Duper Tuesday is "noise", but it will be

Policy by smoke signal

The confusion over whether the government is or isn’t going to support moves to scrap the blasphemy libel laws has reminded me of the ongoing debate over the government’s plans to make it illegal to incite hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation. In a bad case of wanting to have it both ways, Peter Horrocks of the Evangelical Alliance told the Today programme this morning said that while he accepted that “everybody knows it’s not really going to be used again,” he was concerned that scrapping the law would “send out a signal.” Much of the debate over the ...

Thailand photos (3)

I found this fascinating little figurine on the rooftop area of our hotel

On driving and reporting

Another in my very occasional series of news reports headlined with the opposite of what the news actually says. A new charge of causing death by careless driving will entail sentences of up to five years in jail. Its effect will be to apply harsher (I would say more appropriate) sentences to people who cause death by driving carelessly. Most people convicted under this charge will be more heavily penalised than they would have been before. So why do all the headlines say "Killer drivers could avoid jail" - BBC, "Killer drivers could escape jail" - Independent, "Killer motorists may ...

Letters from America

A kind of guest feature, this is. A friend in America has kindly offered to report back and feed some of our insatiable interest in these 'primary' things. The friend is Dominique Lazanski. The photo is Hilary. This is Letter One: Well it has happened. The first primary is over and already everyone is focusing on the second one - Michigan on Jan 13. The race for the White House has begun. The news here is incredible in its attention to detail and its analysis. In case you don't have time to catch up on everything concerning the primary here ...

Leaving the executive but not local politics

Today, I have written to the Leader of the Council informing him of my intention to� resign my post of Executive Member for Regeneration on 22nd February in order to take up full time employment with a public affairs and communications firm. �I have greatly enjoyed my six years on the Councils executive. It has [...]

Going to the dogs with Barack and Hillary

Like everyone else I’m enjoying watching the US Presidential race. However also like I suspect a lot of people I’m not really following it closely enough to know what the different candidates really stand for so all I’ve got is how I feel about it. I definitely (and have always done) feel more a Democrat than a Republican, and at the moment I feel Obama could really be something different for America, while Hillary’s been around too long, but this not a very informed view(there’s plenty of those around the internet you can find!). However as a member of a ...

New hampshire shows the way forward for america

Great result in New Hampshire. Not because Hillary Clinton won or because some unnamed Republican old fart came second but because the result completely and utterly confounds all the slavish devotion to Barack Obama and all the other nonsense being spouted about this pre pre-election election in another country. For once this morning I bought the Independent - normally I don't get time to read it - and it splashed Obama all over its first five page coverage. The later reports on the website clearly had to be hastily rewritten to recognise the actual result. The key points I hope ...

Huhne on Drugs - "I wuz wrong" says Jock

Much to my surprise, Chris Huhne has in fact commented on the story I linked to earlier today about Brown and Smith preparing to over-rule any recommendation from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs if they do not recommend castrating and hanging cannabis users on the spot . Of course it doesn't actually say a great deal - not even reiterate our own very good policy on the issue - but it's a welcome intervention.� I do take issue with this bit though: "The advisory council must take on board the increasing reports of the mental health effects ...

Nick Clegg's first PMQs

Nick Clegg pressed the Prime Minister to act over Fuel Poverty that will claim an estimated 25,000 lives this winter Nick Clegg performed well for his first Prime Minister Questions today as party leader. Unlike his predecessors, he's now sat further away from the speaker, so no longer perched on the end of a bench, but surrounded by his colleagues. I think this looks like he's speaking "from the crowd" rather than picked up from a lonely perch, and does look more like he's part of a bigger team. He also strides out, almost to the middle of the aisle, ...

Opinion: America - a sense of proportion

The American Primaries are in full swing, and the race is on for the next President of the United States who will be, as the journos will constantly remind us, the most powerful person in the world. Assuming of course the Chinese Government doesn’t call in the mortgage! As soon as a few middle-class, middle-aged Americans [...]

My late eight for '08

At the end of December I was named by Liberal England in the 'eight wishes for 2008' meme. It's a little late, but still early enough in the new year to give my list. 1. Success for the Liberal Democrats in the May local elections in Watford and elsewhere. 2. Success too for the various sports teams that I follow - promotion for Watford, Montrose and Dundee football teams and London Scottish rugby, and some sign of emergence from the doldrums for Coventry City FC and at rugby for Coventry and Nuneaton. 3. Scotland to win the Calcutta Cup. 4. ...

Louder than Bombs

In the past, the West sent Chris du Burgh, to taunt the already downtrodden Iranians. But now there is hope for our Farsi friends, with news that Morrissey wants to play in Tehran.

Would the LibDems Save Theatre

The Arts Minister James Purnell the other day declared that Britain is on the verge of a New Renaissance. But the spin of ‘New Labour, New Renaissance’ was unfortunately timed to coincide with the announcement of proposed funding cuts to a wide range of artistic and literary bodies by Arts Council England, not least several [...]

Energy bills: stop charging the poorest most

Nick Clegg has used his first Question Time to highlight the impact of rising energy prices on the poorest families and pensioners across Britain. He asked the Prime Minister ”With 25,000 people predicted to die this winter alone from the cold, I think we need a more specific commitment from the prime minister. Will he [...]

Why Hillary Won

I, like most of the self-professed experts, pollsters and talking heads, was wrong. Hillary pulled it out against Obama, and the question has to be asked.....How did she do it At least the certainty of Obama's predicted victory is not mirrored in the diagnosis of his defeat. Some are citing the Bradley Effect, others the miracle-working ability of Michael Whouley in getting the vote out so spectacularly in New Hampshire, while others think that Hillary's tears turned to electoral gold. Of all of the people that I have read on this, Duncan Borrowman seems to be inching towards what seems ...

Hillary finds her voice (and what else)

Following her win in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, Senator Hillary Clinton told her supporters that I have found my own voice. What Senator Clinton may really have found is the outline of a new political narrative. Rather than being the best qualified candidate, she is the agent of the people against the powerful the rot at the top. Karen Tumult of TIME says: "One of the things Clinton learned from her defeat in Iowa, those around her say, is that her emphasis on experience and readiness was missing its mark. Her speech Tuesday night was less about her and ...

PMQ performance caps a very impressive start for Nick Clegg

At the risk of repeating myself, I am again prompted to observe that Nick Clegg really is making a great start as LibDem leader. We've had a flurry of media appearances and releases over the festive period. His announcement yesterday of a Party Reform Commission is absolutely superb. In particular, I am impressed by the use of Chris Bones of Henley Management College to facilitate this process.

Clinton and McCain win in New Hampshire

The race for the nominations for both the Democrats and Republics has been turned on it's head by Clinton and McCain winning in New Hampshire.

Community Council Meeting

An interesting West End Community Council meeting last night, with useful presentations by Tayside Fire & Rescue and Tayside Police. Amongst the other issues discussed, I raised the proposal a few of us are keen to progress (with assistance from the University of Dundee) of a youth football group for the West End and the concerns about Freeview provision I raised in my Community Council update (click on headline to view). The Digital UK Scotland Manager, with whom I have recently been in contact, is to be asked to address a future West End Community Council meeting about the issues. ...

Nick off to a safe start

Allthough technically based from home its rare that I am actually there so having the opportunity to see the leadership announcement and Nicks for PMQ is a bit if a shock to the system. So how did it go Personally I thought rather well. Camerons digs about 4 leaders is not unexpected and the joke about Nick putting some distance between them by moving two seats down I think was helpful as it

Making UK Poverty History

A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION- LETS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE UK POVERTY HISTORY BY OPENING DOORS AND OPENING HEARTS 2008 will see a series of local, Diocesan, regional and national events across the UK, putting issues of poverty and homelessness on the agenda for churches and policy makers everywhere and to press all political parties to sign up to a goal to end poverty in our nation by 2020. Opening Doors, Opening Hearts is about opening hearts to hear the stories people have to tell about being homeless, badly housed, and poor. It offers opportunities for dialogue, springing from the conviction ...

Clegg's first Prime Minister's Questions

Well - Nick did well! As readers will know, I think too much attention is given to PMQs, but given that it is - certainly better to do well than not, and Nick did well. He played it straight with a question about the sort of real issue that hits so many people - home fuel costs - rather than going for a Westminster hothouse story. Keeping your home warm, and being able to afford it, is a big issue for many of my constituents - so good on Nick for picking that topic. He moved a few places in ...

Women come out for Hillary!

So, it would seem, from a quick review of what's being said, that Hillary's win in the New Hampshire primaries is as a result of women coming out for her in the last few days. This is confirmation that in politics gender certainly matters. And once again, I ask myself in a country where women make up 52% of the population why we don't take more electoral advantage of those women who do put themselves up for a selection; particularly in target, by election and vacated held seats. As Lib Dems we may not think the gender of the candidate ...

Construction begins in Rainsough and Carr Clough

Construction work will begin in the next few days on houses in Rainsough and Carr Clough. There will be a variety of re-roofing works, including new soffits, fascias, rainwater pipes, guttering, renewal of�slate tiles and, for some, new roof insulation. The works will finish by the end of March, and will take place on most of the properties in Carr Clough and Rainsough. If you’d like more information, please get in touch! Rick

Who to scrutinise when nobodys there

So last night was the first�Performance and Resources scrutiny of the calendar year, and what seems like the eighty-seventh of the municipal year. There was lots on the agenda, but the biggest success story was the Disability Services Review - There have been big improvements in the last few months as the action plan has come into force. Waiting lists have come�down from 32 weeks, and look likely to be eradicated by April. Equipment is now delivered quicker too, and recycled more. This is great news and the service should be congratulated I think. I must say though that it ...

PMQs becomes OQs

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, seems to be trying to turn Prime Minister’s Questions into Opposition Questions. Three times now he has asked David Cameron "Does he support ID cards for foreign nationals" rather than answer some perfectly reasonable questions on his position on ID cards. Welcome back to Parliament everyone. Share This

Cleggs first PMQs (UPDATED)

Prime Minister’s Questions has just started. Use this thread to post up your comments… Brown and Cameron play the ID cards shuffle: Brown is in favour, but Cameron quotes Darling having been against them; Cameron is against, but Brown quotes one of his Shadow Cabinet (Pauline Neville-Jones) having been for them. No prizes for guessing which [...]

Tories confused over whether Peter should rob Paul or not

Last week, you may remember David Cameron defending his plans to fine hospitals for superbug infections on their turf: “We have got to make sure every hospital, every service, is prioritising this and the best way to do that is to make it part of the payment by results system. “That will mean that every doctor, every nurse, every ward sister, the management of the hospital will be absolutely thinking of infection control first and foremost.” As I’ve already suggested, replacing targets with incentives is to fundamentally miss the point about what is wrong with targets which is that they ...

Day 2562: Conservatories we will make the Unemployed do Morris Dancing(*)

Monday: (*) Other forms of public humiliation also available. Now Mr Balloon claims he can cure the sick and make the unemployed walk. Terms and conditions may apply. I thought that Mr Balloon SUPPOSEDLY did not believe in making it HARDER for people to get benefits. After all, he FAMOUSLY wants to give ALL married couples a twenty quid bribe, regardless of whether they need or deserve it. Just for LOVE. So, why does he want to give freely like a Liberal Conservatory with the one hand while going all NASTY PARTY and snatching back greedily with the other The ...

Richard Thompson Band - Hard On Me

This morning’s musical inspiration comes from the man I consider to be one of the greatest guitarists and song writers ever, Richard Thompson. This is part of a performance from his set at 2007’s Cropredy Festival. Unfortunately its missing a guitar solo and a double bass solo from Danny Thompson (no relation), but the solo which [...]

So what happened in New Hampshire And does it matter

I have already said both on my blog and in private forums that the pre 5 February primaries and caucuses are just about sorting the wheat from the chaff, they aren't about picking the winner. That will come on Super Tuesday. Hilariously at least one person who said I was talking rubbish in a private forum now has egg on his face. His only point was that US politics is "all about the big Mo". Well

New kids on the block: Lib Dem blogs you may have missed

Perhaps spurred on by the party’s leadership contest, there has been a flowering of new Liberal Democrat blogs over the last couple of months along with several former bloggers starting up once more. In no particular order, here are the five new or renewed blogs from the last two months that have most caught my eye: Jo [...]

Post Office Closures - despite all the hard work, almost all closures to go ahead

Well now we know… After all the effort people made across Hampshire to argue for their local post offices, almost nothing has changed. Only one Post Office (Goodworth Clatford, near Andover) managed to get a reprieve. A branch in Whitbury which had been planned for outreach is being closed instead. Here in the new Winchester constituency, all the efforts by local people have had some effect: the Littleton Post Office has managed to get a three month stay of execution until April 9th, 2008 to discuss whether some form of local funding could be arranged in order to keep the ...

Camerons Welfare to Work proposals explained

From Beau Bo D’or, who explains Cameron’s latest welfare to work proposals in the following terms: Community service at a fraction of the minimum wage putting workers on the dole who end up doing their old work for a fraction of the minimum wage. PS. Yes, I know what I said about focusing on Labour and [...]

Saliva and snake-oil

The Department for Education, Skills and What-Have-You today announces the launch of a public consultation into the ethical issues surrounding use of�the police DNA database, which contains 4.5 million profiles of both convicted criminals and innocent people. I merely flag this up because the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it consultation will only last six weeks, by which time objecting liberals [...]

Time for 'Plain English'

Thursday 10th January 2008 is a big day in the calendar of the South West Regional Assembly. For thats the day an independent government appointed panel will deliver it's verdict on the South West Regional Assembly's Draft Regional Spatial Strategy - a 20 year blueprint on plans for development in the South West. Once the panel has delivered its verdict Hazel Blears, The Secretary of State for Communities, will consider the panels report, and publish her proposed changes in the spring. Now, according to the reports I have read, the Strategy has been designed following consultation with local businesses, the ...

How did Clinton pull it off in New Hampshire

The answer may well be: by bucking the male political pundit stereotype of how a Presidential candidate should act. Peering through the New Hampshire entrails is likely to go on for some time, and throw up more evidence as time goes on (particularly when the pollsters who were predicting a large Obama win starting trying to [...]

Goodbye blasphemy

I hope today's move in parliament marks an end to the blasphemy laws. As a faithful Anglican, I have long thought it is ridiculous that the Church of England has special protection under the law. I see that even Lord Carey agrees with this. If there are going to be any blasphemy laws, then they should protect all Christian denominations and all religions. Or there should be no blasphemy laws at

Blogless

Just before Christmas I accidentally stumbled into running my own business. It turns out, much to my surprise, that I do in fact have a marketable (if niche) skill and I’m trying to make the most of it. So, yes, blogging has been very very light I’m afraid. Thankfully, my first big job is complete and so I can start doing something other than eating, sleeping and working so that’s nice! PMQ’s today though, which means politics must have started up again after the Christmas break - and that’ll prompt a post. Then there’s yesterday’s scurrilous adventures of Labour announcing ...

Conservative Mayor apologises over comments about Muslims

From the BBC: A town council mayor has apologised after sending an email saying Muslims “cause mayhem with explosives”… Mr Bennett sent the email after a request by the Huddersfield-based Ahmadiyya Muslim Association to appear before the town council to ask for funding. It said: “I am aware Islamic organisations are keen to promote a view that they [...]

Dealing with personal debt

The level of personal debt in this country is a matter of great concern. A report from financial consultants Grant Thornton last year suggested that collectively we owe the grand total of �1,335bn, which is �5bn more than the economy is worth. There is a clear case for the government to take action to prevent credit mis-selling by the High Street banks and financial institutions so as to ensure that people are not suckered into deals they cannot afford. My main concern though is the impact on younger people. Rising house prices are forcing them to borrow ever-larger multiples of ...

Evidence based morons

So much for evidence based drugs policy .� Was there any purpose at all in the government consultation late last year Cannabis is to be reclassified as a Class B drug after an official review this spring, The Times has learnt. Gordon Brown and Jacqui Smith are determined to reverse the decision to downgrade the drug when the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs completes its report in the next few months. While its recommendations are not yet known, ministers are already making plain that the Home Secretary is prepared to overrule the expert body if necessary. Reclassifying cannabis ...

New Hampshire score: polls 0, public 1

Hillary pulls it off! I thought she might lose New Hampshire. Well - so did the polls. But that's what makes politics so exciting - for all the polling predictions and pundit pontification, in the end - it's the public who get their say. I came across a conversation last night in Central Lobby (in Parliament) between three men - all from ethnic minorities. Two were for Clinton and one for Obama. The conversation was interesting in that there clearly was a feeling (not hugely strong - but enough to make this discussion happen) about being black and not supporting ...

Brown tries to reassure on ID cards

Despite his planned comeback having been derailed slightly by Peter Hain's problems, the Prime Minister has moved today to try and reassure us all that ID cards are not some evil big brother device. The BBC report that he has suggested that ID cards may not become compulsory for all Britons: Anyone getting a passport from 2010 will have to get a card, and ministers had said they would be compulsory for all if Labour won the next election. But, in an apparent softening of that line, Mr Brown described compulsion only as an "option" which is "open". In reality ...

The real "Liberal Conspiracy" starts here

So, last night saw the first meeting of the "editorial board" of a new project initially being sponsored by Lib Dems ALTER , the party's only affiliated group focussing solely on radical economic issues, to publish a book of essays, in a similar vein to "The Orange Book" or "Re-inventing the State". We will set out the case that the "Liberal Economic Tradition " holds the key to the permanent eradication of poverty and the freedom to chose one's own path through life. We hope to publish in time for the end of August this year, which will be the ...

Where is the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association today

The MDF&CTA [The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association] When was such a association established and when was it wound up Or is todays Council a successor body from the association, to alderman, to the GLC etc etc down the decades Any clues

Why are old signs better

I've been noticing just how much better, more attractive, more stylish the old features of the local area are - it's really curious - I saw an old picture of the first Ian Drury and the Blockheads first album cover (apparently taken outside Woolworths on the Kilburn High Road) and even that makes the shop look better than it does now! So I caught these two images - one is a small label road sign above a road name in Hampstead and the other is a old street frontage from Kilburn Lane, Brent. The first (first pic) is a stret ...

Breaking news

MSNBC is reporting the Senator John McCain has won the Republican New Hampshire Primary. On the democrat side it is currently too close to call with both Senator Clinton and Obama fighting for top place

New Hampshire: will it be Obama and McCains night (UPDATED)

The polls are pointing to triumphs for Democrat presidential hopeful Barack Obama, and his Republican counterpart, John McCain, in today’s New Hampshire primary. The final Reuters/C_SPAN/Zogby tracking poll shows Obama widening his lead over Hillary Clinton to 13 points, 42% to 29%, with John Edwards at 17%. For the Republicans, McCain has also pulled away from Mitt [...]

Day 2561: Mr Frown, the Bettabuys Prime Monster

Sunday Well, that is what he told Mr Andy Marmite: "We can do Bettabuys Police; and we can do Bettabuys Nurses!" "What about the Army" "We can do Bettabuys soldiers too!" It's about the people working in our public services. Typically, the Prime Monster is trying to cut corners as he cuts costs, by nipping off to the made-up, lo-cost supermarket from Consternation Street! Of course, he was BUTTERING them up with JAM tomorrow because he was also telling them that they weren't getting any jam TODAY. Or in fact TOMORROW either under Mr Frown's new Three Year Plan plan. ...

Wednesday 9th January 2008

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