Gordon, gonna have a pop at Bush too
Gordon Brown - in the US to cuddle up to George Bush. The George Bush who, according to this ABC report, thinks waterboarding is OK. Hmmmm, Mugabe, Bush..............much to choose Wednesday 16th April 2008
11:32 pm
Gordon Brown - in the US to cuddle up to George Bush. The George Bush who, according to this ABC report, thinks waterboarding is OK. Hmmmm, Mugabe, Bush..............much to choose 
11:31 pm
Labourhome: Shhh! Dont mention the Economy!
Been dying to read what the bloggers at Labourhome think of the economic fiasco - guess though it’s not allowed! Nope, not a dicky bird about what’s going on about house prices etc. Has the Politburo caught its tongue! 11:15 pm
Shout out for Peter Black!
I am just home from a very interesting evening at Lambeth Palace (more later) and happened upon this piece about Peter Black's proposed Private Members Measure, to quote "He could have a good chance with his Private Members Measure, which would oblige local authorities to meet the demand amongst young people for leisure and education-based facilities". Well done Peter! I wish you the very best of luck. I was one of those people in 1997 who naively believed a Labour government would make a difference to young people's lives. All I saw was a government presiding over the further decimation ... 10:39 pm
So why a teachers strike
Last week I was elected (or the only person who would do it) to be the National union of Teacher rep in my school. We hadn't had a rep for some months and with decisions to be made about strike action it was felt we needed a rep in the school. The interesting thing was that as a group of teacher we had a long and interesting chat behind the reasons for and against strike action and, in the end, we all decided to support the strike despite us all having some misgivings. Ultimately, from my point of view, recent ... 10:34 pm
Peter Black does an assembly double
Our local Assembly Member, Peter Black, has won both the National Assembly's Legislative Competence Order (LCO) ballot and the Private Member's Measure ballot. He could have a good chance with his Private Members Measure, which would oblige local authorities to meet the demand amongst young people for leisure and education-based facilities. However, his bid to secure a LCO to enable the Assembly to decide on the best electoral method for voters in Wales is probably doomed. Along the way, however, Peter should be able to generate a useful public debate. 
10:20 pm
Gordon Brown and the Pope: Ouch
A quick glance at the New York Times front page illustrates how thoroughly our Prime Minister has been overshadowed by the Catholic Church’s geriatric former Nazi. I’ve had to circle the single mention of Brown in case you miss it: Apparently Brown is contemplating an apology for child sex abuse to grab headlines. If that doesn’t [...] 9:58 pm
Gareth Epps and his radical vision
My old Liberator colleague is planning wonderful things for Reading. And he works hard. 9:54 pm
Local Rag
The Salford Advertiser is publishing a poll that puts the Lib Dems in a very poor position. The done some rather unscientific convenience sampling in key Labour and Conservative battlegrounds and in Labour heartlands, and largely ignored where we are strong. From this sample they’ve extrapolated the result across the whole of the City. This [...] 9:50 pm
Is now a good time...
to read that article I saved six months ago I think it might be... 9:47 pm
Editorial conferences in Sainsburys
I left Cowley St tonight at 9pm and headed up to Victoria Street. For most of the route I was on the phone to Jane Smithard, chair of the editorial board of Parliamentary Campaigner, as we decided the issues to be included in the next edition. I was still on the phone as I wandered around Sainsburys trying to find something for dinner that was vaguely vegan. So between discussions on the failure 
9:45 pm
How to cheat at chess
gulfnews.com reports: A chess player from Iran, who cheated using his mobile phone to try and win a game, was chucked out of the Dubai Open Chess tournament.M. Sadatnajafi, with an Elo rating of 2301, while playing against Chinese Grandmaster Li Chao, made his moves based on the text messages he received on his mobile phone ...Sadatnajafi is alleged to have followed instructions from some top player in Iran while playing against Chao. This match was relayed live on the internet and his friend, closely following his moves on the web, guided Sadatnajafi accordingly.These things used to be handled so ... 9:41 pm
Picture of the Day
Click this link to see some funky German street art. 9:25 pm
Home care call-in remarks criticised
The Cabinet member for Adult Social Services and Housing is facing criticism for his statement last week that he does not plan to take any notice of the O&S panel's conclusions from the call-in on home care charges. The Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny panel will meet this week to consider the call-in on the decision taken by the Cabinet member to raise home... 9:05 pm
"Box" our Boxes!
Redbridge Council do not provide door-to-door collection of card and cardboard for recycling (eg cereal packets, greetings cards, toilet roll tubes, corrugated cardboard boxes). Many other councils do provide this, but Redbridge say their central Recycling site is not big enough for another cardboard baler. I am calling on Redbridge Council to: · Provide regular doorstep collection of card and cardboard, via the existing recycling box system. · Obtain an additional processing unit to separate and bale cardboard. · Expand or add to the Ilford Recycling Centre, to accommodate the above unit. · Give recycling in Redbridge a higher priority ... 7:09 pm
Cyprus, Turkish EU accession and the future
If you have time I advise you to read Perry Anderson's article on the history of Cyprus in the post war period. You'll need some time (its over 14,000 words) but is well worth the effort. Anderson expertly cuts through the inaccuracies peddled by vested interests on all sides. He obviously, due to his own philosophical positions, greatly favours the left and as such AKEL get a very soft ride. With this in mind, have a read. P.S. I won't be blogging much in the next couple of days as I have exams. I hope to be back this weekend ... 6:16 pm
The past is another country...
Albania is a country that tries, quite exuberantly, to live in the present. The youngest country in Europe in terms of demographics also has a special reason to ignore history. In Albania history is too unspeakable and too near to be discussed objectively. Take this morning, I was taking some potentially significant Western investors to visit various companies, and as we broke up a meeting, we adjourned to the nearest coffee bar. That coffee bar was in a rather ugly 1960's house that, unusually for that part of Tirana, sits in its own grounds. When I first visited the country ... 6:13 pm
Is Ros Scott set to appear in Torchwood
Ros Scott has posted an update catching up on her activities over on her "Because Baronesses are people too" blog. But I smell a rat, and expect her to soon be appearing in Torchwood. You see Ros describes her activities in the House of Lords (and Ladies), her delivering of leaflets in the council by-election on her home patch, and various other escapades - and all while preparing for the 5:36 pm
Evidence on databases making people unsafe
The link is to a story in The Sun. A RUTHLESS rapist found victims by getting a job as a care worker and trawling a councils database for vulnerable young girls. Simeon Kellman, 43, used computer records to identify teenagers who had just come out of the foster care system. The Government now want to make this possible on a national scale. 5:26 pm
How to crack someones computer password
A new survey claims: Women are far more likely to give away their passwords to total strangers than their male counterparts, with 45% of women versus 10% of men prepared to give away their password,to strangers masquerading as market researches with the lure of a chocolate bar as an incentive for filling in the survey. Hat-tip: Guido [...] 4:46 pm
What should be done about the credit crunch
Nick Clegg sets out his answers over on Comment is Free. 4:34 pm
Who is really working for you
I have just received a list of all the Accolaid requests made by Councillors since the election last May. I have to say it makes interesting reading. The Accolaid system is a way of assessing how much casework your Councillors are doing. In Redlands we have Daisy Benson (Lib Dem) 266, Kirsten Bayes (Lib Dem) 64 and in Katesgrove Gareth Epps (Lib Dem) 181 showing as putting in a lot more work that our current Park Ward Councillors. Here in Park we have Jon Hartley (Labour) on 37, Shirley Merriott (Labour) on 13 and Wazir Hussean (Conservative) on 22. This ... 4:17 pm
And just who is paying for this nonsense
A retired teacher who claimed that he was discriminated against because he was bald has lost his Industrial Tribunal hearing where he was claiming compensation from Falkirk Council. Sixty one year old James Campbell who used to teach art at Denny High School had claimed that he was discriminated against because pupils would shout "baldy" at him. The three person Tribunal Chair ruled: "If baldness was to be regarded as an impairment then perhaps a physical feature such as a big nose, big ears or being smaller than average height might of themselves be regarded as an impairment under the ... 4:16 pm
What would you call yourself on the ballot paper
The “description” column in the list of candidates nominated for an election is where you normally find the name of the party that a candidate is standing for, or a close variant of it. It’s also what is then used on the ballot papers themselves. Sometimes too people are down as independents or have no [...] 4:01 pm
Carter trials robot strategy
Bit of an embarrassing moment for No 10 strategy chief Stephen Carter and his comms team has popped up quietly on Guido. I and a few others noticed the bizarre comment on Guido's prattle on Mayoral hustings: "chaucer Quango said... I think that Gordon brown was terrific at PMQ'stoday.He pummeled Cameron over his poor grasp of thereal economic situation. The Tory Toff leader was weak and ineffective andfailed to land a single blow. Brown has really got a grip now, and is more thana match for him. Clegg was just insipid. A total waste of aquestion.Make no mistake, Labours fortunes ... 3:49 pm
Stock transfer, anyone
Nearly a third of the rents paid by council house tenants is syphoned off by the Government as 'housing subsidy' and given to other councils around the country. I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, and exposed Harriet Harman's appalling ignorance of the true problems faced by Kingston in trying to improve the condition of council housing. Oddly enough, the housing subsidy only... 2:50 pm
BNP cash to go to charity
Archant, the owner of the Ham and High, which caused a bit of a stir last week when they published a British National Party advert, will donate the BNP money to charity. My favourite comment on this mountainous molehill has come from James Graham: The paper appears to have confused the two concepts of “freedom of speech” [...] 2:41 pm
Reforming the way we deal with rape
Yesterday an open letter from the Fawcett Society was presented to the Home Office, pleading for immediate action to be taken in delivering better support and recourse to justice for women who have been the victims of rape. Britains rape statistics are tragic. Figures from 2005-6 suggest that of the 14,443 rape cases that were reported that year, there were only 796 convictions. Shamefully, Britain has the lowest rape conviction rate of any leading European country, David Cameron told the Conservative Womens Organisation in November 2007, with conviction rates at 50% in Italy but just 5.7% here. This also represents ... 2:38 pm
"Slasher" Swinney
So Finance Minister John Swinney reckons that he's found £600 million of savings in this years budget. Well has he Not quite - around £400 million has still to be identified by Councils, Health Boards, Crown Office, Police, Universities and Colleges will all be attacked by "Slasher" Swinney. Councils will have to find £174 million in savings and the NHS boards will have to save £154 million. Councils on the worst settlement will be hardest hit and lets hope the NHS savings/cuts come from bureaucracy rather than front line services. I don't know about you but take a Council Tax ... 2:30 pm
Your chance to be in Who's Who in the Lib Dems
Jo Christie-Smith has taken on the daunting challenge of Editing the next edition of "Who's Who in the Liberal Democrats" and is actively encouraging all party members to have an entry. If you would like to join me in having an entry in the next edition, which is being published online, then drop Jo a line to: info@whoswholibdems.org.uk In Jo's own words: Were looking to increase the number of entries from Liberal Democrats like never before; you may think youre a small cog in the big Lib Dem wheel but youre really interesting to us and to our Who's Who ... 2:15 pm
VW Vans Newark
On Lincs FM at the moment there is a radio advert for Volkswagen Vans in Newark. At the end of the ad they say find us by searching for VW Vans Newark on the web. Yet doing this doesn’t result in any expected websites like www.vw-vans-newark.co.uk or similar. Instead at the moment the top result is a Shop Locally (Yellow Pagesish) website. So if you are looking for them, I can’t seem to find a local website, just this national one. Altenatively you could go old skool by visiting them in person at: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, 2 Northern Rd, Newark, ... 2:05 pm
Double Top
I am feeling a bit apprehensive at the moment because I have just won the ballot for private member's legislation. However, it is not just a measure I am tasked with producing but a Legislative Competence Order as well. It seems that I have won both ballots! My LCO will seek to take powers for the Assembly to change the electoral arrangements of local Councils. This would enable a future Government to bring in proportional representation for local elections. My Measure will put a duty on local government to provide facilities for young people. It seems to me that we ... 1:56 pm
Is Dr. Who welsh enough
The Western Mail carries an interesting article today in which Merthyr Tydfil-born actor Richard Harrington alleges that Doctor Who doesnt reflect Wales. Mr. Harrington alleges that The show could have been made in Birmingham and it would not have looked any different. On this issue I agree with Dr. Who producer, Julie Gardner who says that, Doctor Who has made a significant impact on broadcasting, the creative industries and the wider arts in Wales. Through its huge success it has put both Cardiff and Wales on a global map." It uses local talent both on screen and behind-the-scenes, with the ... 1:36 pm
Blood, Blood, Glorious Blood
I see that the news of handing in of a petition at Holyrood against the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service's policy of refusing blood donations from gay and bi* men simply on the basis of sexual orientation rather than their actual practice has caused a little debate to get started in the Scottish Blogsphere. I did post about this issue shortly after my Lib Dem colleague in Wales past a 12:55 pm
Non-traditional engagement gemstone
Now, I've heard of some novel ways of making a marriage proposal special before, but this takes the biscuit. What if she had never got a high enough score 12:49 pm
Free for all
It appears that the number of people registered with GPs in Wales amounts to three million, a whole 100,000 more than those resident here. Is this the lure of free prescriptions encouraging the English to cross the border in search of a doctor The Western Mail clearly thinks that may be the case. On the other hand those who support free prescriptions dismiss the suggestion of health tourism and say that the disparity is down to students and people looking for work. Personally, I don't think that explanation is credible. There may well be a perfectly credible reason for the ... 12:20 pm
Total Politics Website Update
The Total Politics website has been updated, giving more details about what the magazine will be like when it launches in June as well as showing off the team and the advisory board that will advise and guide Total Politics’ development and direction, as well as ensuring the magazine’s political neutrality. The board includes the [...] 12:16 pm
Fascinating purdah hits the headlines
I would blog about whether Jacqui Smith is in breach of purdah but I'm not sure whether I would be in breach of purdah blogging about Jacqui smith allegedly being in breach of purdah. However... The origin of the term purdah is: "Purdah or Pardaa (Persian: , Urdu: , Hindi: , literally meaning "curtain") is the practice of preventing men from seeing women. This takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes, and the requirement for women to cover their bodies and conceal their form." (Wikipedia) Could the conservative accusation actually be another case of the Conservative leadership pandering to ... 12:00 pm
For THIS you get me out of bed
We have been busy in the People’s Republic with internal affairs of state. Unfinished articles, undelivered leaflets and distinctly under-exercised flab litter the land. Some people even expect us to do some work! So we were working up a nice head of steam to finally blast away at the disgraceful 10p tax band business, now crowned with its final [...] 11:06 am
Temporary Traffic Order - Douglas Street
Just received from the City Council : Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating building works. The Order is expected to be in force for ten weeks from 21 April 2008. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Douglas Street between Ash Street and Park Street. Pedestrian thoroughfare and vehicular access to premises will be maintained. An alternative route will be available via Ash Street. Please forward ... 9:54 am
Roflmao, legernds!!
Oh dear. So Charlie Brooker writes one of his amusingly splenetic pieces for The Guardian, in which he rather accurately lampoons a certain breed of Boris fan. The right, particularly right-wing bloggers, always congratulate themselves for their crude cavalier humour and fuck-you attitude, and not without reason sees socialists as dull and miserable lumps. So when blogs like this, and like the usually excellent Devils Kitchen get all hetty, it is revealing. Because for all their joyfully sweary machismo, the righties really can be as po-faced and humourless as the sad lefties they so exhaustively take this piss out of. ... 9:23 am
Opinion: It is not enough to survive, you have to be worthy of survival
Battlestar Gallactica, the cult science-fiction television show, starts its fourth and final season this week. Since 2004 it has won some critical acclaim and a cult following despite being confined to satellite TV. Although reading too much into what remains a fictional show produced for entertainment is tricky, it’s hard to avoid the imprint made [...] 9:17 am
Update on residents' parking consultation
The City Council is this morning releasing the following update on the impending parking consultation : Plans to help ease parking problems experienced by residents in various areas of Dundee are set to take another step forward. Following agreement by the city council's planning and transport committee, surveys are about to get under way to gauge support for residents' parking schemes in the West End, Dudhope, Hilltown, Princes Street and Invergowrie Drive areas. Planning and transport convener Councillor Fraser Macpherson said: "People living in these areas very often experience parking difficulties, mainly because of problems caused by motorists who live ... 9:01 am
Stinging indictment of the sub-Prime Minister
Politics Home Index is a great website that I had recommended to me by a colleague last week, and today it highlighted this article from the Guardian which very eloquently sums up a lot of the feeling I’ve been getting on the doorstep in the last few weeks about the crushing disappointment in Gordon Brown and the Labour government. Last night, amongst the many supporters we met both old and new, a genuine feeling of disenchantment and disappointment came across. Not with local issues exclusively, although there is growing worry about nuisance crime and the closure of Post Offices, but ... 8:26 am
Catching up
After a week away, there was no choice but to lock myself in the office until the pile of papers had been dealt with and the inbox cleared. All done, I have finally got back home to Suffolk to make the final wedding preparations, as the event is now only 6 days away. As I posted before, we do have a County Council bye-election right here where I live, and in the absence of scheduled local elections here, polling day is this Thursday. The last Tory Councillor only lasted 6 months, so there is some irritation amongst the voters at ... 8:26 am
Who's Who in the LIb Dems Online
Just a quick note to tell you about Who's Who in the Lib Dems Online and the 2008 edition of the book that I am editing (Aargh!! No, no, it will be fine...proper project manager, me, not like those Terminal 5 amateurs) Seriously though, if you would like to register your interest in having an 'entry' then please do so here. Were looking to increase the number of entries from Liberal Democrats like never before; you may think youre a small cog in the big Lib Dem wheel but youre really interesting to us and to our Who's Who Readers. ... 8:20 am
Clintons Misspeaking: A more serious view
The New Yorker’s Hendrik Hertzberg* has compiled a more thoughtful linguistic analysis of Hilary Clinton’s lie "misspeak" a couple of weeks than I did when conjugating political verbs: "Along with its various derivatives, “misspeak” has become one of the signature verbal workhorses of this interminable political season, right up there with “narrative,” “Day One,” and “hope.” [...] 7:55 am
Popping pills or a balanced diet
There was an article on GMTV this morning pointing out that people taking vitamin pills may actually be shortening their life rather than prolonging it. Vitamin pills always strike me as being a bizarre way to keep healthy. Why not try a balanced, healthy diet with fresh fruit and vegetables So much easier and sensible. And by the looks of it, it will prolong your life, unlike vitamin pills. 7:50 am
A step in the right direction
Hurray! From what I have just read in today's Guardian it would seem common sense has finally prevailed in this country. Three appeal court judges have ruled that by blocking the release of prisoners, the Justice Secretary is in breach of human rights legislation. I don't know about anyone else but I have always had serious doubts about the fairness of entrusting one politician with the power to decide the fate of individual prisoners. The worry being that some of Britain's most notorious prisoners would be kept encarated simply because a politician feared there would be such a public backlash ... 7:45 am
Shredded wheat anyone
Gordon Brown may be wondering why he wanted the top job so much when the sky starts to fall in on the financial world in the coming months. He may wonder, in fact, if Tony ran off to get a tan for a reason. Not only are house prices falling and banks clawing any overdraft customers have back (which happened to someone close to me six months ago!), it seems unemployment in this credit crunch will have a huge impact too in the UK, as reported in the Times today: "Even as Gordon Brown appealed to bank chiefs to pass ... 7:18 am
Falkirk Council to Fight Climate Change
Hats off to Falkirk Council for setting out a target to reduce their own carbon footprint radically in the next 5 years. The local authority produced 38,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2005/6, three quarters of which was within the council's own propertys. In conjunction with the Carbon Trust they aim to make a 20% reduction over the next 5 years. Over that period £1.5 million will be spend, saving an 6:55 am
Day 2658: Elephant in a Bubble
Friday: Because you know you want to Bubbleshock (Hat tip: the Metro) Yes, I know that it is WRONG to exploit an intelligent and noble species for entertainment but no HUMANS were harmed in making soapy fun for Tai Elephant! You can watch the video on the BBC's oddbox it's at number eight (yes, after the mud wrestling ladies). {Posted by Picasa} 3:57 am
Biofuels a Crime against Humanity
Since I blogged about rising food prices a few days ago and referred to their link to the contest for land between food crops and biofuels, the issue has shot to the top of the international agenda. Both the IMF and the World Bank have sounded warnings that 100 million people could be pushed deeper [...] 12:08 am
I'm getting bored of Facebook - So true
I know I am not the only person who feels like this. 
