11:21 pm
There is a good article by Munira Mirza on Spiked. It takes a line I have not seen argued elsewhere: What we see in these videos are not soldiers in a war, but self-righteous young men who believe that their own moral certainty absolves them of the need to explain themselves properly. Nobody elected Khan or Tanweer. As far as we know, they did not have relations with anyone in Palestine, Bosnia or Chechnya. Indeed, these two men did not even bother to ask their family, friends or neighbours what they thought. At the local mosque near where three ...
10:19 pm
...and households on average incomes will be able to afford to get on the housing ladder again: From the Guardian House prices suffer biggest fall in 5 years as mini-boom stalls: Rupert Jones and Angela BalakrishnanFriday July 7, 2006The Guardian House prices fell by their largest monthly amount for almost six years in June, lopping £2,200 off the value of an average home, according to Britain's largest mortgage lender. The 1.2% decline reported by the Halifax yesterday was blamed in part on householders feeling the pinch from higher utility bills and fears that interest rates were set to rise. ...
10:07 pm
Two oddly dissonant events. Yesterday I attended a terrific performance of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, presented by the Kingston Music and Arts Service. The full strength of the Kingston Youth Concert Band gave a thrilling interpretation in Leatherhead Theatre. H G Wells' tale of survival in the face of an external threat in the Home Counties and London...
9:15 pm
Tonight I met up with a friend from school for a few after work drinks at The Porterhouse in Covent Garden. The tube ride down there from work was a lot more comfortable as it has cooled down a lot in London today and at work it's casual on Friday. We ordered some pizzas, they add a barbecue flavour to the pizza sauce which works really well. By far the best though were the beers. I tried the Belgian apple and honey beers and I definitely want to go back so I can have the chocolate one which they'd run ...
8:07 pm
Again, (much) closer to home, the Oxford Mail/Times reports that: Residents near Plater College in Headington, Oxford, have expressed concern about a new influx of students after the college was sold for £5.6m to an international language school. Though I know and respect all those mentioned in the story, I am a little perplexed by this "fear". Plater College was, as the name suggests, a place of learning with students in residence and an ambition to expand, already taking in weekend residential courses and the like before they collapsed. ...
7:53 pm
I guess I have to own up to some level of responsibility for John Prescott becoming Deputy Prime Minister: I voted for him in 1994 to become Labour’s deputy leader. When Mr Prescott was last assailed by his critics, I stuck up for him. Whether he has had one extra-marital affair, or simply worked his way through the Labour Party’s membership list, is a matter for Mr and Mrs Prescott to resolve.
7:50 pm
Just a possible alternative headline for this story in today's Oxfrord Mail/Times - Trap Grounds Bill Tops 159k
7:36 pm
The Independent today reports criticism of Lib Dems' ideas for switching some of the burden of taxation off incomes, especially lower incomes and onto wealth accumulation, predominantly by the already well off and well paid, in the form of capping the tax relief on pensions contributions to the basic rate. I seem to recall the story will probably disappear from view for non-subscribers but you can still read it at the moment. Of course regular readers will know that I'd prefer to tax only real property - the occupancy and ownership of scarce natural resources that we all depend ...
7:13 pm
Today's House Points from Liberal Democrat News. Parks posers An exchange from Monday’s culture questions. Nicholas Soames complained that an excess of commercial events is damaging London’s royal parks. The minister, David Lammy, replied that Soames’s tastes “may well not be the same as those of Londoners” and that the Prince’s Trust concert and Live8 show that the Royal Parks Agency has been very successful. We know what to make of this, don’t we? The forces of reaction took on modern London and were vanquished. Soames fits that script admirably: the grandson of Winston Churchill, he has the look ...
5:58 pm
Two months ago, I blogged-up the current exhibition being hosted by the British Library, Front Page: 100 years of the British newspaper, which runs until 8th October. Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, my fave - the then-broadsheet Indy's blank 'Whitewash?' splash on the Hutton Report - failed to make the cut. Tim Gardam* has reviewed it in the TLS, observing the transformative effect wreaked by teh internets: How quaintly self-important the newspapers of the twentieth century now appear. As the click of the mouse allows us to snack on ...
5:48 pm
Something I overlooked yesterday was that the Commander-in-Chief of the entire world has turned 60, so let me ask you to join me today in celebrating the fact that George W. Bush has taken another step towards death.
5:43 pm
The Sun today highlights John Prescott's unbelievable Today answer about his ranch stay: “I was in America and he (Anschutz) said ‘would you like to see my cattle ranch?’ I was curious about it. I saw the cowboy films over my young years, I was interested to have a look at it.” I discussed this yesterday. "Son of a dumb" is The Sun headline with a "Is that a gun in his pocket?" thought bubble
1:47 pm
Brain Monteith MSP, former of the Conservative Party, raises just that interesting question in today's Edinburgh Evening News. He looks at the relative strength of the pro-independnce vote in Scotland over the recent pass it looks unlikely that any referendum in the near future would be successful. The SNP would say that every vote for them, the SSP and the Greens is a vote for independence but
12:20 pm
Why do people in my office feel that it’s acceptable to whisper in French or attempt to type quietly when they’ve been asked to spend just 120 seconds in silence? Is it that difficult to stop for two minutes? Not a huge fan of minutes silence, but when scores of your fellow Londoners have been murdered a year to the day, and your colleagues genuinely want to be able to spend a few moments in reflection, you could at least do them a favour and shut it.
11:34 am
As mentioned earlier in the week the Regional Campaigns Committee agreed to set up a West Midlands Liberal Democrats Activist Network to help in Local Government by-elections in the West Midlands and Parliamentary by-elections across the UK. Below are more details. Two names have been suggested the Winning Team and the Active Regional Campaigners or Lib Dem ARC.
11:26 am
Comrade George Galloway MP has admitted what we all know that Respect has "no ideological core" and is an organisation that was "fragile". Now most RESPECT-watchers know this it is a very odd coalition of the left-wing socialist workers and other failed communists along with some quite right-wing reaction Muslims. Tower Hamlets RESPECT look like they are about to collapse accord to the Weekly Worker (not my normal read I must admit) at http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/632/respect.htm
10:24 am
The link is to "points of order" from about 12.30 Yesterday lunchtime. The text is: Julian Lewis (New Forest East, Conservative)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Secretary of State for Defence is present while I raise the point of order. I know that you have previously advised disgruntled Members on a number of occasions that the Chair is not responsible for the adequacy or
10:15 am
Will the government instruct the Casino Advisory Panel to reopen the shortlisting process for the allocation of casino licenses?.
9:39 am
An excellent and thought-provoking piece by a guest contributor over at PoliticalBetting.com. Read it.
9:22 am
Only a few days ago it was revealed that the Secretary of State for Wales had allowed his membership of CND to lapse. Rather conveniently this allowed him to defend the Labour manifesto promise to replace Trident at a cost of around £25 billion. Now, Mr. Hain has done another u-turn and admitted that Labour might build a new nuclear power station in Wales. This is despite his own opposition to such an idea as well as that of the Welsh Assembly Government. Presumably, if Peter Hain is overruled by the Prime Minister on such an important point of ...
9:16 am
John Prescott conducted his last stand at Little Big Horn yesterday by claiming that he visited the ranch of US billionaire Philip Anschutz's because he liked cowboy films and it had nothing to do with details of an application by Mr Anschutz to build a super-casino in the Millennium Dome. Yeah, right! Like Custer before him the Deputy Prime Minister may well find that the odds are overwhelming and he cannot survive.
9:12 am
On the 15th July I scoffed a bit at the fact that the post-London bombings vigil had had branded signs created for it, and a branded podium. But then and now I think that the mayor delivered a speech that was perfect for the moment - irrespective of who wrote it. I kept the BBC London [...]
9:01 am
That is the question that is posed by The Hearld this morning. The Labour peer and former Hearts chairman is top of the Labour list for the Lothian region, a position that no MSP has thus far been elected to Holyrood. The reason being that in 1999 they secured 8 of the 9 FPTP seat and in 2003 that dropped but only to 6 when David McLetchie won Edinburgh Pentlands for the Tories and Mike Pringle
1:17 am
The repaving of Brecknock Road and clearance of the street drains is to commence 1st August. That's official. It was confirmed by Martin Holland, Islington council's head of Highway Services at the Northern Area Committee meeting last night (Residents from Hillrise, Tollington, Junction and St georges ward attend these meetings to find out about issues concerning their locality) . Seems miracles do happen. Shortly after my posting Islington: Round one sorted now starting round two info about the meeting arrived in the post. Noticed the agenda had a presentation on the Archway development (not to be missed - hot ...
12:47 am
The Amplifico Webathon with www.nexuslive.com! Amplifico are a fantastic talented band from Scotland. I admire their attitude to by-passing the record companies and promoting themselves. They played at a small bar in Leamington last year and after the gig went round collecting email addresses and selling their home made CD's and have stayed in touch. These guys are building and engaging with their fan base themselves. They do not wish to be shackled to a record deal that would cramp their creativity. They started work on their first properly produced album and unfortunately ran out of cash, so they ...
12:10 am
...as an enduring political hot potato. From Hezza, to Mandy, to Prezza, it has been, if nothing else, the best investment in screwing politicians of the millennium so far! Nonetheless, it was *our* investment. And should never have been passed on to rent seekers for nothing. Whoever made that decision and survived deserves hanging from its fancy roof structure.
12:06 am
The last debate on tonight's Question Time was over votes at sixteen. Most of the panel, gratifyingly, supported this Lib Dem policy. I know Sam Coates, erstwhile near neighbour of mine here at Brookes and deputy-editor of ConservativeHome, doesn't like the idea and his arguments on his own blog did give me pause for thought for a few seconds. But the overwhelming feeling I was left with from that audience of under-21s tonight was that they are no different at sixteen than at any other age as regards ability to take on board an argument and make decisions ...
Thursday 6th July 2006,
Wednesday 5th July 2006,
Tuesday 4th July 2006,
Monday 3rd July 2006,
Sunday 2nd July 2006,
Saturday 1st July 2006
