Being both a Quaker and unmarried, I tend to miss out on family-oriented occasions connected with religious festivals, so it was particularly enjoyable to join Battersea and Tooting LibDems this evening for their annual Shrove Tuesday pancake event. I’d forgotten just how delicious a thin English pancake can be, straight from the pan, accompanied by maple [...] 
So if Tony Blair starts to look younger, we will know why. It is the portrait in the attic! Hat tip to Oscar Wilde.
Alex Willcock has queried how Boris can spend £1.25m on his campaign for London Mayor when there is a spending limit of £420,000. Alex surmises that the Johnson campaign are plain stupid, which is a reasonable conclusion. There is, however, more to it than buffoonery. The subliminal clue is the response, quoted by Alex, of a Johnson campaign [...]
Bath & North East Somerset Councils Conservative administrations budget is unravelling and we are starting to see the extent to which they are punishing the motorist. But the biggest bomb shell of all is to see that the Tories are looking to close the hole in their budget by raising a whopping £44,000 by charging disabled motorists to park in areas that have until now been free to...
Jonathan Yeos famous portrait of the former Prime Minister is to be locked away for 10 years… the Recess Monkey blog can tell you why.
Two really good meetings today - the sort that make a difference. (Two not so good ones as well but we'll gloss over them). The Fairtrade group met at lunch time and although we were missing a number of our usual members we had a fruitful run through what we've planned for Fairtrade Fortnight. The Town Centre management team have planned a fun Fairtrade event for Feb 22nd in the High Street.
Well you can't really vote, but you can register how you would vote HERE. It's "just a bit of fun", but Obama has a commanding lead at the moment.
Nick made a very important speech on YouTube today - further outlining his position on social mobility and the part that education must play in it. So what is social mobility It's not equality per se...yes Nick acknowledges inequality and that who your parents are is a better indicator of achievement in life than how talented you are, but the issue is one of achievement based upon intelligence. This is partly due to the way our curriculum is organised and used to label pupils as academically bright or dull. Vocational or entrepreneurial intelligence is ignored...at least until the age of ...
It most upsetting day in Little Sicily today. Little Billy O'Scrote, local ragamuffin who run the numbers for me in the Slums, come running into Territory Office. "Signor Liberali, Signor Liberali, must come quickly the Gobblers are snatching dad's house..." "The Gobblers" "There's a strange glamourous lady on the street with a gang of of thugs who say they from the Labouristi General Obligation Board. They say they going to make our home disappear." I very disturbed to hear that this happening on patch that command my protection so I gather the boys and head to Slums. (And by 'boys' ...
The race between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama is proving to be a big draw for television viewers. Their debate on January 22nd (with John Edwards) was the most-watched presidential primary debate in cable news history. It seems that the screen writers strike is leading to lots of repeats which people turn off in preference for Presidential reports and debates. I am still pinching myself... 
Residents will be aware that I have had a lot of correspondence exchanges with the media regulator OFCOM recently - mainly about Freeview provision in the West End and the issue of a local TV feed for Dundee. From my contacts with OFCOM, I have become aware of Audio Description, something I think is well worth giving a mention. Audio Description (AD) is a free TV service available on over 70 channels for people who have difficulty seeing what is happening on the screen. Like a narrator telling a story, an additional commentary describes body language, expressions and movements - ...
Nick Clegg has got a new video on You Tube - below. This time it's about education. Once again, Nick shows his passion to make sure that children from better off families don't get left behind. He talks about the Netherlands where they give money to schools for children from less well-off families. He emphasises the need to avoid selection: Greater justice in the way money is administered,
I note today that Labour minister Caroline Flint has come in for some deserved criticism of labours announcement that they may wish to make people homeless if they fail to get jobs. This is a slightly odd situation as presumably when they become homeless the council would then be forced to find them a home, but that is not the point. What Carolin Flint has announced is unworkable and does not make sense on a number of levels. What about carers What about people who are on incapacity benefits I could go on, but there are all sorts of people ...
The last time the smacking ban was discussed in the Welsh Assembly there was a small but vocal minority who spoke and voted against it. There has been a fuss recently about whether the Assembly should have the power to introduce such a ban itself, however not all AMs on the government's side appear to be in favour. This extract from the transcript of the Assembly's Finance Committee on 17 January suggests that not only does a leading Plaid Cymru member still believe in old fashioned punishment but also he has a rather unusual view of the way that social ...
It struck me today, speaking to a work collegaue who has no particular interest in politics, least of all American politics, that even she was wanting a Barack Obama win in the big "Super Tuesday" primaries today. If he has this effect on UK citizens, why is he not having the same effect on Americans I'm not saying for one moment that he is not picking up support, and he does seem to have the momentum at the moment, but it is astonishing that it is still so close between him and Hillary Clinton when the whole world and his ...
The Harborough Mail had high hopes of: Farm blaze wrecks mulching equipmentBut it had reckoned without the Shropshire Star: Rogue pie seller sentenced
The Lancashire Telegraph tells us more: Stephanie Booth, who is married to Cherie’s father, actor Tony Booth, was confirmed at the weekend and will contest the seat which has become vacant because sitting Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Townley has decided not to seek re-election. She faces an election on May 1 with Hilary Myers being chosen [...]
As the Sky News breaking news tickertape rolls along my TV screen - revealing that Gordon Brown is to agree, in principle, to the use of intercept evidence in court its worth recalling the following exchange between former Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. It took place at Prime [...]
Thanks to No Right Turn ("New Zealand's liberal blog") for pointing us to European Tribune: As rumours circulated concerning Tony Blair's interest in the post of President of the European Council (newly created by the Treaty of Lisbon), a number of posters here at European Tribune expressed alarm. It was quickly clear that, on this collaborative site which includes members from all over Europe, opposition to Blair's candidature was unanimous, and the idea of a petition was mooted.Over the last few days, on the basis of Melanchthon's initial draft, the text of the petition was discussed and translated into, in ...
As the US primary elections dominate the news agenda in many parts of the world (I sometimes feel we know more about Clinton, Obama, McCain, Romney et al than we do our own politicians) e-Voting is again coming under scrutiny. It must be really irritating for election administrators to have people poring over their plans and equipment and pointing out every potential security flaw. But I hope they will take time to reflect on the criticisms that are being made. The people doing the criticising both in the US and the UK are, in the main, well-meaning people who are ...
Much excitement at the house this morning as a team of plasterers and a skip turned up. We've also had meetings with the building people and the kitchen people and expect to meet the flooring people and the decorating people soon too. It should just be a month or so before we can move back in. Having mastered the art of assembling flat-pack furniture (well, okay, 'mastered' is perhaps overstating things) I have also started on building some shelf units for the kids' room too. In other news I am just about over the bout of pneumonia I had over ...
Another wave of confusion in the drugs debate today. The Association of Chief Police Officers has called for cannabis to be reclassified as class B. Horizon this evening talks about the science of drug classification and says that the current 'ABC' system is, basically, bollocks. I have to say, the scientists have it. If you're not watching Horizon tonight, I don't think you'll miss much: the science probably hasn't got far beyond what I blogged about last year. The current drug classification system is based on prejudice - not science, and not medicine. So what do the Police think reclassifying ...
Over at the Libertarian Alliance you Sean Gabb has put up some interviews made in 1991 for a documentary about Liberty. One of the interviews is with Ian Anderson of the National Front. In it, he espouses a very socialist and Marxist view of liberalism. The free market, he states, allows for accumulation of wealth which [...]
This mornings Womens Hour carried a fascinating piece about Emily Wilding Davison. Whether or not she intended to kill herself under the Kings horse at the Derby well never know, but the extent to which she was prepared to suffer for what she believed in still amazes me. Theres a cupboard in the depths of Parliament which has a link to Emily Davison she spent the night of July 13th 1911 hiding in a tiny room next to the Chapel. This was the night of the census and it enabled her to give the House of Commons as her residence. ...
It is remarkable for Prince Andrew to issue what has been described as a "rebuke" to the USA for not listening to British advice during the Iraq invasion. It seems unthinkable that he would have embarked on such an interview without the green light from the UK government. Which leads me to consider that perhaps Gordon Brown should be fighting his own battles. Why isn't Gordon Brown saying what 
Shami Chakrabarti, voted by LDV readers as our Liberal Voice 2007, has just been on Radio 4’s “A Good Read” - a programme where a host and two guests nominate a paperback each and discuss whether they liked each others’ choices. Chakrabarti’s choice was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a book she said [...]
In the past it has been very difficult for any administration at the Guildhall to develop a medium-term financial strategy. This was because the Council would only be told in December of each year how much it would be getting from central government to supplement Council Tax from the following April. The good news is that councils are now being given three year figures -...
I was wondering, given the furore over the bugging of a meeting between a Labour MP and a constituent, whether it is something that should happen more often After all, if we were able to here what they say away from the cameras we might be able to discern more clearly whether the do tell lies all the time or whether is is just for the press. Just a thought.
Is now over on the lovely Colin Ross site. Knowing my particular interest, he asked me to write a guest piece a few weeks ago, but since then the Primaries news just hasnt stood still and let me settle on a view, dang-nabbit! Ive titled it The US Primaries, Super Tuesday and Chris Rennards Ideal Retirement Home, so do toddle over and have a look to celebrate Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Tuesday. See if you can guess which candidates will be flatter than pancakes by the end of it (groan). Meanwhile, for other opinion on the US elections, why not try out the ...
This is a further stage in my pursuit of scientific excellence, a course called S104: Exploring Science from the Open University. The first experiment is making a rain gauge. Once again my intrepid assistants, Ruffles and Ollie, are on hand. I got two bottles of Waitrose sparkling water - the only bottles I could find with smooth straight sides. I was just back from seeing Sweeney Todd when I started making the rain gauges, so Ruffles and Ollie stood well back. The finished products. I'm rather proud of the centimetre gauge I created on my computer. I couldn't get it ...
My favourite half-American - Alex Wilcock - writes for www.colin-ross.org.uk on his take on the US Presidential Elections:
Should pensioners and disabled people be allowed to travel free of charge on local buses Thats what Taunton Deane Borough Council want to know. Yes, I think they should. Should pensioners and disabled people be able to board any local bus in England and travel for free irrespective of where their pass was issued and where they wish to travel to, as long as it is within the country'. Yes, I think they should. Should people in Taunton Deane have to fork out a fifth of their Council Tax, to pay for this and other free bus fare schemes No, ...
It was great to see over 200 members of the public turn out to the Multi faith gathering in the Guildhall on Sunday 3rd February. It was good to hear all the speakers of different faiths tackle my theme this year of Caring and looking after other members of families when they are not in the best of health. It seems that I gave them a tough subject although they all got to...
A reminder for Liberal Democrat members: as previously mentioned, the online question and answer session with Norman Lamb is taking place this evening (Tuesday), 7:00pm - 8:30pm on http://forum.libdems.org.uk
I was a great pleasure to visit Tumble tots at All saints Centre Weston on Monday 4th February for the Eat Fit Keep Fit week where I distributed fruit to the young children that were there. Tumble Tots was launched in 1979 and I have attached a link to their website so that you can take a look at the activities that they get up to http://www.tumbletots.com/ On my visit we...
The trial of Wang Yam for the murder of author Allan Chappelow has begun, and, because of an earlier order by the judge, it will be heard partially in secret. The following juicy snippets emerged from the public session yesterday, however, courtesy of his defence counsel: "This is not a normal case, far from it. [...]
I thought this news item was some sort of joke when I heard that Diane Abbott and Keith Vaz, accompanied by 2 other MPs from the Home Affairs select committee, had gone for a late night stroll on the mean streets of Hackney, escorted by about 20 photographers. Then of course, I realised that it was a photo opportunity and publicity stunt for the shy and retiring MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington. Instead of going to the bits of Hackney that even the Home Secretary's body guards would feel nervous about, like the Clapton 'murder mile', they took ...
So Alan Johnson is saying we ought to have flouride in the water supply everywhere.. and the North West health services are looking into it. Surely there is a way of improving children's teeth that doesn't involve forced medication!
With thanks to Jonathan Morgan AM.
Mark Kearney, the former police officer who bugged MP Sadiq Khan, has told the BBC: "I would like to say that I am shocked and disgusted by this leakage to the media; I believe it puts my life and safety at risk" Well, you shouldn’t have bugged an MP then, should you, you devious cunt. I realise [...]
About twenty years ago, when I was Leader of Somerset County Council, I remember a councillor colleague of mine telling a story about a conversation he had in his local pub. He asked people in the bar how much they thought he was paid as a councillor. Their answers varied, but the consensus drifted to [...]
While the Super-Duper Tuesday jury is out, the brilliant American political columnist E.J. Dionne jr. assesses Barack Obamas political narrative. Dionne finds Biblical archetypes in the rhetoric that Obama uses and suggests that his talk of salvation and liberation is precisely what Democrats are yearning for. "Barack Obama has surged to rough parity with Hillary Clinton in the national polls not because Democrats reject her carefully thought-out solutions to the central public problems but because he has created in the party's rank and file a feeling of liberation -- from intimidation by Republicans, from old divisions, from history itself. " ...
Yesterday I blogged about the appearance in our regional press of the story of how Blaydon Labour MP David Anderson had taken two completely contradictory positions within the space of two days on foreign footballers coming to the UK. I also pointed out that his own website explained why, in his own words, he was "facing both ways at the same time". I rather like the term he used and suggested in
She said on Today prog this morning how so many people in social housing were unemployed - yeh well divvy it’s because you carried on the Tories policy of allowing people to buy up council housing so reducing the stock. Thus only the unemployed etc have access to it. Oh my giddy aunt and this [...]
"MPs on the Standards and Privileges Committee were tight-lipped after their meeting which ended a short time ago. They admitted that they HAD discussed Derek Conway, but would say no more, except that there will be "a press statement later." Even normally friendly committee members (by which I mean the ones that at least give me a hint of what is to come) were saying nothing. Total Purdah."
www.think-differently.org.uk
Some of the subjects that Councillors are offered briefings on are somewhat esoteric. Yesterday there was a briefing on the Eastern Transport Corridor, which, given that it's almost complete, must have been mainly about the effect on traffic flows when the link to the Haughton Road is built. No need for a briefing: the answer is absolute chaos on all roads coming into town from the north and east
It’s about social mobility and education: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=nzVSKsvyNGM
Michael Martin, Speaker of the House of Commons, has pledged a thorough investigation into all aspects of MPs' finances. As the chair of the Estimates Committee, he's appointed three members - one Labour, one Conservative, and one Lib Dem - to report back later this year. The problem is, the Tory representative is one David Maclean MP. The same David Maclean who last year tried to exempt Parliament from the Freedom of Information Act, and who might even succeed if his snotty rag of a private members' bill makes it through the Lords. The Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill was ...
Not got this in convenient electronic format - so here's a photo of one of the signs explaining what is currently happening: {Parkland Walk sign}
As you may be aware, some Council staff are on strike today. If your rubbish or recycling collections were due this morning and did not take place as normal, then I have been assured that the Council will make every effort to collect rubbish and recyclable materials left out for collection as soon as possible. The Council website has an update on the effects on local services of the industrial
This evening I am heading to the Town Hall to take part in a focus group for Councillors as part of Bury Council’s Corporate Assessment. The Corporate Assessment forms part of the overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) score, which all Councils receive. The Corporate Assessment only happens once every four years, so this is a really important fortnight for the Council, as its ability to manage and improve services is judged by inspectors from the Audit Commission. In my days as a Council officer with Oldham MBC, I experienced first hand the stresses of these inspections, and I know that ...
"With local pressure for him to resign immediately, sources within the constituency say there is speculation about whether Mr Conway will be able to hang on as MP for another two years."
Today's Guardian front page sees a huge piece of signal sending by the Government. The story, from a pre arranged interview with housing minister Caroline Flint, has them talking tough again about people on benefits. This time its those who are also in social housing who need to be taken to task. The suggestion is that if you are a tenant in "council housing" you tenancy will be conditional on your actively seeking work. Hmmm. Leaving aside the fact that if you are on Job Seekers Allowance the government tells you to actively seek work anyway, what does this mean ...
like most sad politicos I am up and watching the 24 hour news channels to see what the result of Super Tuesday is. I will not go on about why we should care who wins some political battle in the US - ...
Further to the recent news that the Ministry of Defence will amalgamate Squadrons 43 (F) and 56 (R) based at RAF Leuchars on 22 April 2008, North East Fife parliamentarians Sir Menzies Campbell MP and Iain Smith MSP have written to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, asking if there are any other changes due which will affect the base. Commenting on the news, Sir Menzies and Mr Smith said, As the Typhoons come on stream it is inevitable that there will be structural changes involving Tornado F3. We have written to ...
One of the main purposes of my work is convincing people that democracy and human rights are universally applicable, anywhere in the world. What I write is very black and white - because that is what my job demands. Propaganda isn't propaganda otherwise. However in private I have always -been slightly suspicious of the 'democratisation agenda': partly because it has been hijacked by American neo-cons in their quest for world dominance and partly because of an instinctive dislike of 'universalisms' which I have come to associate with thinly veiled cultural imperialism. I don't think that makes me a cultural relativist ...
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MP Menzies Campbell has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling to again highlight his concerns about the failings of the tax credit system. Commenting Menzies Campbell said Ever since Gordon Brown introduced this very complicated tax credit system it has caused severe problems. A typical problem is a demand for an alleged overpayment which because of the amount has caused many of my constituents considerable anxiety. The system needs to be simpler and more user friendly and until it is problems will remain. Ends Follows is Menzies Campbells letter to Alistair Darling ...
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MP Menzies Campbell is backing a new campaign to make tackling disability poverty a top government priority. Menzies Campbell has backed a Parliamentary motion supporting a new report from Leonard Cheshire Disability which found that disabled people are twice as likely to live in poverty as non-disabled people. The report, Disability poverty in the UK, also found that on average disabled peoples basic day-to-day living costs are a quarter (25%) higher than those of non-disabled people, because of extra expense on essentials such as mobility aids, care and transport. Commenting Menzies Campbell said Leonard Cheshire ...
I'm slightly bemused with the numerous angry response to the proposal by the housing minister that people in council houses should be encouraged to work. 'Encouraged'. There's a good word and one we should focus on. I have always held as one of the core beliefs - if not the core belief - of the LDs that we support equality of opportunity. To me that means giving everyone the same life chances so that we can all 'start the race' from the same line. We will all still finish at different times, to continue the metaphor but we will all ...
What a difference a year makes. Last season, in Division 2, the All Blacks had a tough time against sides like Blackheath. Now it just seems all too easy. The 61-15 win was every bit as comprehensive as it sounds. If this were football then a cup match between a side rooted to the bottom of the Premiership and one in the play off spots of the Championship would be considered a fair bet for your pools coupons. The pundits might not even think of it as too much of an upset if the lower league side won. But in ...
Well obviously this story was going to run... The 'prison intelligence oficer' involved claims to have been forced to do the bugging by the Met. That gives the lie to any notion that they didn't know who Sadiq Khan was. And apparently officials at the Home Office knew fairly early on in the piece but didn't bother to tell the politicians. IF all that is true (and we have so many rogue elements involved in this story that it is a huge caveat), then clearly the politicians are off the hook. But the Wilson Doctrine (about not bugging MPs) is ...
Brian Paddick’s autobiography Line of Fire is due out next month. According to the publishers: From early days on the beat, including searing experiences such as the Brixton riots, he went on to gain successive promotions despite what many in such a traditional organisation would have perceived as the ‘handicap’ of his sexuality. And yet he himself would [...]
A cross-party parliamentary committee has recommeded that the government appoint a climate change minister to ensure that green policies are properly coordinated across Whitehall. That's good. I think we need the same thing at Camden Council. An Executive portfolio that looks specifically at climate change. The Treasury Select Committee also expressed concern that the government's policy mix is insufficient to meet its internationally agreed climate change targets, which it is, and called for a greater use of green taxes to effect behavioural change, and criticised airlines for dragging their feet on reducing carbon emissions.
No-one came particularly well out of Panorama’s Bursting the House Price Bubble programme last night (though arguably better than the People’s Republic came out of University Challenge with an all-time low of one correct answer, and certainly not as badly as the cute little baby deer came out of David Attenborough’s new Life in Cold Blood series. Or [...]
Caroline Flint, former pot-smoker and current minister for housing, has been whoring herself around the media world selling her new idea of kicking out council house tenants who don’t work (for a particularly harsh criticism, see Linda Jack). One sign of her new-found popularity: The number of hits I’ve received from people looking for this [...]
Written by Madsen Pirie on the Adam Smith Institute blog today: “Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has a real problem. Last week one of his MPs tabled a bill in Parliament to force pubs and bars to sell wine in small measures only, while one of his party’s MEPs called for a ban on patio heaters. Greg Mulholland, Lib-Dem health spokesman, wants to make it illegal for bars and pubs to sell wine in anything other than the little 125ml size popular over a decade ago. These were the tiny little glass bowls that didn’t allow the wine’s aromas to ...
Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton is asking members of the public and staff to suggest names for the new Cancer Centre currently being built on the Musgrove Park site. The new £20million centre is scheduled to open in May 2009 and will include an 18 bed inpatient ward, 22 chair/bed haematology and chemotherapy day ward, two linear accelerators, a CT simulator and outpatients facilities and will employ around 100 staff. The new service will make Musgrove a centre of excellence in Somerset for cancer services and end the need for patients to travel to Bristol for their planning and radiotherapy treatment. ...
Robert Payne has been selected to contest Summer Lane Ward in Weston-super-Mare for the Liberal Democrats. The by-election follows the decision by Mick Harley (Lib Dem) to stand down as a member due to ill health. Following his selection Mr Payne said; "I am delighted to have been chosen as the candidate for this ward, and I am determined to continue to work towards safer streets and good facilities for the residents here." He added: "Like many other people who live in this area, I have to commute out of Weston to go to work, facing the misery of this ...
The front page of todays Daily Post has a story about tunnel tolls, a big issue for people travelling between Liverpool and the Wirral. The story is illustrated by a picture of six councillors who, as part of a meeting at Merseytravel, voted for the tolls. The story is about the tolls - but the picture raised another issue for me. This is a picture of six men. The quotes from non pictured councillors on Merseytravel are also from men. And in fact I know that the councillor membership of Merseytravel is heavily male dominated. Now I don't have anything ...
Quite a lot if you agree with Alex or James. The cause of their ire is Labour’s plans to give the government the right to remove the jury from coroner inquests, and replace the coroner with an appointee of central government’s choice. As the BBC reports: The government is facing a backlash over controversial proposals to remove [...]
Since the 1988 US Presidential elections only a Bush or a Clinton has sat in the Oval Office. Hillary Clinton wishes to extend this run for at least another four years or even eight. 28 years of Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton! Yet these are Presidents who have not actually been very successful. The policy mistakes of Bush one, the integrity mistakes of Clinton one, the policy catastrophy of Bush two, and then what would Hillary Clinton bring What a council of dispair, that American politics is reduced to the dynastic machinations of two families. So, as the Republicans, for the time being, look ...
|CONSTITUENCY OFFICE |OPEN | | | | | | |LEISURE | | | |------------
I am unexpectedly angry this morning. This Labour government, with its attacks on civil liberties, its compulsive centralism and slavish desire to placate the Daily Mail, has long irritated me for the sole reason that it could do so much better. But now it finally dawns on me that not only can't they, they don't want to try. Caroline Flint, the new housing minister, purports to be surprised that
Attended the River Crescent Residents' Association yesterday evening, where a number of local issues were discussed, including the long-running saga of a pathway that runs down from Perth Road to the railway (between Riverside Place and River Crescent). It is not adopted by the local authority and, having written to both Network Rail and the British Railways Residual Board last year about it, I was advised that neither were in ownership. Having then written to the City Council's Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) on the matter, she is kindly writing to adjoining property owners to see if any of the ...
This morning I am back in spitting blood mode. The news that Caroline Flint has come up with a novel idea of throwing people out of their homes if they don't look for work has left me dumbfounded. Clearly the New Labour strategy for taking on the Tories is to be even more Tory, playing to the Daily Mail/Express gallery. So why do I think she is wrong Now I am not defending those who just don't want to work, but firstly, those on "Job Seekers Allowance" are already supposed to be seeking work, the clue is in the name, ...
The Register reports that South Wales police force has published a list of top time-wasting 999 calls during the past year in an attempt to convince people not to pick up the phone unless it's really necessary. Some of the examples they give are horrendous: The highlight of 2007 came when one woman demanded officers come and cuff her boyfriend because he'd put her hamster out in the rain. Another caller explained: My husband has the TV remote and wont let me watch EastEnders. The list continues with the anxious citizen who admitted: I dont have £1 for a supermarket ...
Two words: sports hurt.
One of the problems I have with blogging or writing letters to the press, is that I need to be wound up and sent off spinning. This is why I have been uncharacteristically sparse over the past few weeks, unbelievable as it may seem, if I don't have anything to say.............I find it hard to say it! (OK Mr/s anonymous I am sure you will disagree!). I have even managed to get a couple of letters in the Telegraph (one about Iraq the other about the outing of Simon Hughes), both written when I was spitting blood and deciding the ...
The row brewing within the Labour Party over whether or not to withdraw the whip from the IWannaReferendum Three is an interesting one. Predictably, over at Iain Dale’s gaffer, the cries are all “Stalinist!” even after I pointed out that the only party to withdraw the whip over a vote on a treaty referendum is the Conservative Party and FedUp reminded them about Howard Flight. Field, Hooey and Stuart are being hailed as giants and giantesses of political stature. But hang on a minute. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their stance, they are supporting a campaign that ... | < | February 2008 | > | ||||
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