Embed from Getty Images I may be reverting into my sandals here, but I can't see why Damian Green should be sacked – unless his employer investigates his case and deems a dismissal is appropriate. We're assured (by, oddly enough, retired Detective Lewis – I can imagine John Thaw saying "LEWIS!" as I write) that there is no chance that Mr Green has broken the law. The pornography allegedly found on his computer may or may not have got there due to his actions – Mr Green strongly denies any wrong-doing. But the alleged images were, apparently, not illegal, and ...
Embed from Getty Images In October 1961 Peter Cook opened The Establishment, a nightclub and cabaret venue in Soho. As he later explained, it was inspired by "those wonderful Berlin cabarets ... which did so much to stop the rise of Hitler and prevent the outbreak of the Second World War". There is currently a radio documentary on the BBC iPlayer that tells the story of the club, explaining how university satirists were no match for the gangsters who ran Soho in those days. It was made in 2004 by Harry Thompson, comedy producer and author, who was to die ...
At the official buffet dinner reception at the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Congress in Amsterdam this evening the results were announced for the President and Vice-Presidents of the Board. As Hans Van Baalen, a Dutch MEP, was the only candidate for the former, it was no surprise that he won re-election, with [...]
MPs and their Lordships must move out of their uncomfortable debating chambers in London while billions of pounds are spent repairing the long neglected Palace of Westminster. What can we do with a homeless cannon of nearly 1,500 MPs and Lords? I think democracy should return to its roots in Shropshire, where the first parliament was held nearly 750 years ago. Our county was not just the heart of the industrial revolution but also right up front of the democratic forces that created the "mother of all democracies." I think it is worth the money for the repairs to Westminster ...
In the introduction to his second book on the financial crisis, Vince noted: "...one of the main tasks of opposition parties [is] to redesign the archaic, inequitable and unpopular system of property taxation... to make council tax more closely proportional to the value of property. A more radical and far-reaching reform would be to give practical substance to long-mooted ideas for the taxation of land... The practical problems of valuation and making the transition from a land market massively distorted by planning have so far frightened away reformers. But such a reform is now long overdue." In concluding he wrote: ...
Mutiny on the Bounty won the Academy Award for Outstanding Production in 1936, the first year in which the trophies were officially called the Oscars. There were eleven other nominees, and again I'm not going to bother to list them. It got nominations in five other categories but did not win any, making it the third and so far last film to win the equivalent of Best Picture and nothing else - the other two were Broadway Melody and Grand Hotel. In four of the other categories it was beaten by The Informer, which sounds like it's right up my ...
It's not your imagination; hold music on phones really did sound better in the old days. Here's why, as we talk about old telephone exchanges and audio compression.
Fri, 12:43: Surely some mistake in @ALDEParty competition? Where is @MalmstromEU 's picture??? Fri, 12:56: Progress of the UK's negotiations on EU withdrawal report released https://t.co/n9qKWp3HGj Parliamentary report realistic on Border. Fri, 15:28: RT @BradStaples: A public affairs mindset is the best navigator in today's shifting global business landscape. It was a great session talki... Fri, 16:34: RT @Five_Rights: .@guyverhofstadt: calls in Poland for racial purity remind us of Europe's worst years #ALDECongress Fri, 16:35: RT @Five_Rights: .@guyverhofstadt: we must not return to the murderous ideologies of the past #ALDECongress Fri, 17:14: RT @Five_Rights: .@vestager: as citizens, we have the ...
InstagramInstagram photo: I am the saddest git So, you want to get really depressed? Read this.In which Andrew predicts what will happen in the next 18 month's in politics... And then points out that every time he's done this in the past what's actually happened has turned out to be worse than his prediction. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
On Wednesday this week, Layla Moran held a debate in Westminster Hall to highlight the issue of period poverty and the need to provide sanitary protection for those most vulnerable. It was an interesting debate, but there's no good the minister making sympathetic noises and everybody agreeing with each other if the Government doesn't do something about it. Layla pointed this out. Here is her main speech but you can read all the interventions and the rest of the debate here. I am delighted to have secured this debate on an important topic that—let's face it—remains taboo and is still ...
Back in September the Guardian reported that the European commission is examining the increased detention and deportation of EU citizens from Britain and has warned it will take "appropriate action" against Theresa May's government if it believes the rights of EU nationals are being compromised. They add that detentions and enforced removals of EU citizens from the UK have risen sharply since the Brexit vote, prompting critics to claim the Home Office is deliberately targeting EU nationals as part of the "hostile environment" May promised for those she believes should not be in the country. In addition as the Migration ...
MSN news has the story on its web site – see link above Sobering indeed but frankly no surprise as our care homes have been struggling for a long time now. Our Government and indeed the official opposition are happy to spend £45b+ on leaving the EU whilst care homes, the NHS and Police suffer funding cut after funding cut. What on earth is going on in this mad world of Brexit where essential services are decimated so that money can be spent leaving our biggest trading partners? With thanks to Roy Connell for the lead to this posting ...
The Federal Policy Committee met again on 29th November 2017. The agenda comprised draft proposals from two of the main working groups in train at present and two further items on strategy. Update on Education Working Group Lucy Nethsingha attended the meeting to talk through the preliminary proposals of the Education Working Group. There was an accompanying paper. This group was originally to report to Autumn Conference of this year but was delayed because of the snap General Election. It will now report to Spring Conference 2018. The committee went through the proposals set out in some detail. I am ...
I suppose I should post something about Justice League. I mean, I write a blog of which commentary on superheroes films is a staple. It would seem like a missed opportunity not to, but dear reader I struggle to muster the enthusiasm. It's not that I didn't enjoy the film. I did. Indeed I can't [...]
Commenting on the statement by tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney that Brexit talks cannot move forward until the Irish border problem is overcome, Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson, said: "Following the Tory Brexit U-turn on the divorce bill and (disputed) indications that a deal has been reached on citizens' rights, the Ireland - Northern Ireland border is now the major obstacle this government faces "The government has failed to convince anyone that a frictionless border solution exists. And they have ruled out the obvious answer which is remaining in the Single Market and Customs Union. "Their ideological ...
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