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I am a Theologian by training which is a posh way of saying thats what my degree is in. I specialised in Church History. I ceased reading serious books when I was 26 and discovered trash TV and Star Trek repeats. However anyone with an academic qualification in the subject had better take some Valium and a stiff Gin before watching this film. I surpressed the urge to run to the front of the cinema and shout "This is a historical TRAVESTY!" for the requisite two hours. I once lived with a Physicist who used to shout at the TV ...

I watched my first episode of Big Brother last night, having put it off as long as I was able. I was, as I knew I would be, instantly hooked. (I've analysed my reasons in as much depth as I intend ever to do here.) Tonight's breaking news is that Shahbaz ("a huge fan of Kylie Minogue and knitting") has walked. Which is, I suspect, a relief for all concerned: for him (because he's proven to

Part II: Why? Because the exams are over and I'm a bit bored. Part I

Tonight I joined a group of Tower Hamlets petitioners against the Crossrail Bill when the first of our number was called to give evidence at the Select Committee. We had wanted to see what how petitioners are treated and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how approachable the Committee members were. It remains to be seen whether the Select Committee has any teeth, and after hearing...

David Aaronovitch makes the point in today's Times that the bipolar left/right divide in British politics no longer applies: For years, of course, these allegiances have been breaking up, but the essential divide has been thought to remain. It’s there in the common-place that Tony Blair is right-wing for a Labour man, or that David Cameron is left-wing for a Tory. But the truth has been dawning on many of us for some time now that this way of dividing the political world is an anachronism. It no longer fits the facts. When I ...

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned, favourably but in passing, that the independent Belvedere School in Liverpool was planning to enter the maintained sector as an Academy. Today's Guardian has an article about this. The Belvedere has already taken part in an "open access" scheme which is "designed to open up its teaching to all on the basis of academic merit rather than ability to pay". The person behind this scheme and the move back into the state sector under Academy status is Sir Peter Lampl. The Guardian says: Lampl set up the Sutton Trust in 1997. At ...

I've been busy giving out sports medals and cups to our Borough stars. On Sunday it was to the winners of the Borough's Swimming Gala. Apparently a lot of them swim at 5.30am every morning! That is extraordinary commitment to their sport and we have some very talented swimmers in Kingston. Then today the Junior Gymnastics Festival took place at Tolworth Gym Club. The club...

This hot out of the inbox from Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn: "Some happy Canadians have set up an aggregation site for left-wing blogs - the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy. So far its mostly Canadians, Merkins and Kiwis, with a surprising lack of British blogs. It would be rather nice to see some other voices on it as well, and I was wondering whether you'd be interested in signing up. The web-form is here. Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn - New Zealand's liberal blog" (Note: I checked that Brit Lib Dems would be welcomed as ...

First, Mark Oaten is on some reality fitness TV show, now he is on Newsnight tonight and is reported to have said he had "fallen out of love" with Westminster life before the story (of his rentboy affair) broke. He says: "There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think 'actually, I don't want to do this' but I wasn't brave enough to give up, but because of what happened to me, that decision's

I now have my author's copy of The Little Red Book of New Labour Sleaze. Reading it reminds you just how much New Labour sleaze there has been. My entry covers Downing Street's attempts to muscle in on the arrangements for the Queen Mother's lying in state. I fully expect it to bring the government down any day now. The book has its own website and should be available from Waterstone's and other good bookshops. It is a superior version of the sort of thing they keep by the till and you keep by the loo.

Mark Oaten shows no signs of taking my advice and concentrating on being MP for Winchester for a few years. He is appearing in a Newsnight report tonight. The BBC says: In the film to be broadcast on Tuesday, Mr Oaten interviewed a psychiatrist, a journalist and another MP caught up in a scandal, to find out why politicians like him "come off the rails". He said former Education Secretary Estelle Morris was one of the few people who admitted she did not want to do the job any more and resigned. "The rest of us, it seems, carry ...

It is a matter of some regret to many of us that due to a family bereavement Mick Bates' short debate has been deferred from tomorrow to late June. The title of his debate is "Supermarkets - Jolly Green Giants or Incredible Hulks?" A serious topic with a fun title.

If you want to laugh your eyeballs out read Stone Junction by Jim Dodge (ISBN 1-84195-488-8 no link to Amazon, go buy it at your local bookshop). A random pickup in the oasis in hell that is Borders in Teeside Retail Park, it gets off to a promising start when a pregnant 16 year old locked up in a convent breaks the jaw of a nun who calls her a slut. It really catches fire when the hero

Turn 9/11 rubble into a killing machine? Hello? - Comment - Times Online Interesting story in the Times... "On August 28, 2002, Mr Pataki’s wish was granted with the result that 24 tons of steel from the stricken buildings was taken to New Orleans and put to use by Northrop Grumman Systems in the construction of an amphibious assault ship." The writer, Martin Samuel highlights the irony very well when he says, "In this way, the 2,800 souls that perished as an indirect result of an interventionist foreign policy that achieved the exact opposite of ...

A series of reports in The Scotsman has already forced the MoD to admit the casualty figures presented to parliament are inaccurate and many more soldiers have been injured than has been officially reported. Last Night's Dispatches Programme combined with other media reports shows how ineffectual parliamentary questions have become. It is far to easy for ministers to avoid answering written

Now this is worth watching. Americans tell us where they should invade next. Who would have thought that Iran was on the Australiasian continent? Still, at least they didn't ask them to stick a pin in Monmouthshire.

My little piece on the Englsh Democrats seems have hit a raw nerve. I have been inundated with e-mails from their members objecting to my gentle ribbing. None of them seem capable of posting a comment on this blog and despite their protestations to the contrary do not seem willing to enter into a debate, preferring to indulge in common abuse. This latest one is typical: A fundamental part of the English Democrats' policy is to give voters a real say in determining issues. You, Mr Black (in common with many other Welsh people), seem miffed that the citizens ...

Reports in The Nation indicate that Thaksin Shinawatra is to resume his duties as Prime Minister after standing down in April. He feels that the vacuum needs to be filled. He originally stood down pending the formation of a new government. However, a new government could not be formed as the elections were not completed due to a number of unfilled constituencies. The courts annulled the election results and ordered a re-run within 60 days. The Electoral Commission has however decide the elections should take place in October. Meanwhile the court has decided that the Electoral Commission should resign and ...

According to this morning’s Times John Prescott was so affronted by Tony Blair's suggestion that he give up Dorneywood that he dug and the PM reneged. He also retained the grace and favour appartment at Admiralty House. Dorneywood is a nice 21 bedroom house set in 214 acres of Buckinghamshire and is in the 'gift' of the Prime Minister. It was build in 1920 and was gifted to the National Trust in

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victimsmay be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons thanunder omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimessleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us forour own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval oftheir own conscience. " C.S. Lewis When I left the House of Commons about 8.30pm last night on my way back to Wales Brian Haw was still there surrounded by his placards and ...

Theres a campaign running to stop the European Parliament using two buildings. I expect most people don't realise they do use two, but they use both Brussels and Strasbourg which means packing things up and shifting for a week every month. When I visited the parliament in Brussels a while ago the corridors were full of trunks, waiting to move for a few days. apart from the obvious waste of time and inefficiency, this moving can't be good for the environment. This dual site thing was agreed some time ago, but now must be the time ...

Went to a briefing last night about the Kings Dock arena which is being built. It's going to be fantastic and will be able to play host to all sorts of events - conferences, exhibitions, concerts etc. No more trekking to Manchester! Its being built with really high environmental standards too.. things like collecting rainwater to re use. The guy in charge is really enthisuastic, not just about getting it up and running.. but about getting people in Liverpool to feel proud of it too. This is the sort of thing more people need to know ...

The European Media Forum (EMF) has said that the BBC should sell of Radios 1 and 2. I cannot think of anything more ridiculous. I am sure that the move would raise lots of money for the licence-fee payer, but EMF seem to have missed the main point about the BBC. It is a public service. As well as being the "jewels in the crown" of the BBC, for many people, Radios 1 and 2 are the front-shop of the

I had another robot weekend with the excellent conclusion of the Dr Who 2 parter on the Cybermen. They seem to have injected far more emotion into the series and they have achieved what I thought was impossible. This series is better than the first. However my main televisual experience of the weekend was this box set which I had promised myself. Its a very odd kettle of fish however clearly a substantial piece of work which can't be dismissed as a trashy piece of sci fi. To all intents and purposes its an extended meditation on terrorism or just ...

The Eurovision song contest has been won by the guys from my Dungeons and Dragons group. The group I went to when I was Fifteen I hasten to add. On Saturday night I attended my friend Janes "Annual" Eurovision party which as it often does doubled up as a Norwegian Independence Day bash as well ( May 17th apparently). Being an unreconstructed Guardian reader I struggled with the mental image of the Swedish as collonial oppressors. I'm more used to Polly Toynbee proclaiming them as the answer to everything. nevertheless I didn't dwell on the details as I enjoyed ...

I had the pleasure of attending a 50th Birthday party last night for my friend/collegue/political opponent Lesley Jeffries. She is very well known locally as the Chair of Headingley Network community association and the being "head" of the local Green party (although I imagine they don't have heads). I like Lesley and have got to know here quite well over the years but I was never the less touched to be invited as it was quite a personal affair. The event its self was really nice, held in the New Headingley Club with the food (the best Italian stuff I ...