Apologies - I failed to crosspost the poll to world_cup_2010 yesterday and instead posted it here twice. This would explain why there were only 40 responses rather than the usual 60 or 70. View Poll: #1582980 Current FIFA rankings: chefted - congratulations! especially on forecasting the Australia win which was very much a minority opinion.
The Lib Dem-Con coalition agreement states: "We will seek ways of taxing non-business capital gains at rates similar or close to those applied to income, with generous exemptions for entrepreneurial business activities." The Treasury's budget report states: "Effective from 23 June 2010, capital gains tax will rise from 18 to 28 per cent for those with total income and taxable gains above the higher rate threshold... Basic rate taxpayers will continue to pay an 18 per cent rate on their gains. The 10 per cent capital gains tax rate for entrepreneurial business activities will be extended from the first £2 ...
Bethany cycled to and from school every day, a route took her past Gotham U, and that was how she started seeing the same crowd of college students every day. It was pure coincidence that caused her to have to stop and puff on her inhaler just as she was passing one particular student one afternoon. Her book bag sprawled on the sidewalk and it was this that caused the older girl to stop. "Need a hand with that bag?" It was possible the question wouldn't have occurred to her had the bag not been in her way. Still, Bethany ...
There will be an open event from 5pm - 8pm on Thursday July 1st at Consett Community Sports College (use the Community Centre entrance) where officers from both Sport & Leisure Services and the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) team will be available to explain/provide more detail on the plans for the new leisure centre that are on display and answer questions you may have. This is part of the phase 2 public consultation process for the new leisure centre and is intended to gain feedback on its proposed content. The plans are currently on display across six locations ...
In the library of the Treasury, there is an ancient copy of one of Keynes' pamphlets, and it has been scrawled over by Treasury officials with the words 'bankruptcy' and 'insanity'. Keynes was challenging the Treasury idea, which seems to have been in their DNA since time immemorial, that the way out of recession is to get people to save not spend. The money has to be in the banks, ready to lend. Keynes' view was that, in the end, this kind of puritanical retrenchment led to death - "a peregrination in the catacombs with a guttering candle". But we ...
I *was* going to write about Batman 700 today, but I'll leave it til I review Return Of Bruce Wayne 3 this week, and deal with both simultaneously, because DC have announced that they're releasing digital comics in partnership with Comixology. This has good and bad aspects: The good: Creators get royalties from the comics, ...
With annual borrowing of £160bn and a massive blank where Labour's plans for deficit reduction should have been, this was always going to be a tough Budget - arguably the toughest since the 1980s. Some extraordinarily difficult decisions have been made to avoid an even worse crisis. Foremost amongst these was the decision to raise VAT from 17.5 to 20 percent. Through the election campaign, all three prospective Chancellors were asked about VAT, and we all answered in exactly the same way: we have no plans to raise it, but we cannot rule it out. In fact, that was my ...
I realise I'm not loved by all, one cheeky contributor today dared to suggest that this blog is all about me (why are they always anonymous) plus hinting that I might be a neo-nazi, if only I'd know I could have saved that contribution to Lib Dem funds last week. Anyhow I'm prepared to acknowledge the more minor charge of being self obsessed and plead guilty, having stumbled across this little list wrote out on my phone gizmo a during a break TEN THINGS I'VE DONE - as a result of blogging (yes I am that self obsessed). Number one ...
Wed 23rd
21:18
This is what a famous US politician looks like when he realises that a crucial goal by his country h...
From Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer
A stunning performance from a 12 year old on America's Got Talent, which has, so far, received over 11 million hits on YouTube.
[IMG: The squatter house on Stapleton Hall Road] I've been demanding action after a second derelict council house in Stroud Green has been taken over by squatters. Residents of Stapleton Hall Road have contacted me to complain about anti-social behaviour from some of the squatters, with concerns about aggressive dogs and damage to cars and gardens. The house, which is at the top of Stapleton Hall Road by the junction with Mount View Road, is owned by the Council and was left derelict awaiting conversion to a hostel. This is the second derelict Council home to be taken over by ...
Well the first school I'm aware of has published a consultative paper on changing status and becoming the first of the Governments new Academies in Cambridge. It's good that the school is undergoing a consultation, as one of the few (6?) outstanding schools in Cambridgeshire there is no requirement on the school to consult and yet the Governing Body and the Head have decided that a public consultation is the best way forward. The door has now been opened - let's see how many follow. The document sent out is available here.
Via Dick Puddlecoate the following question in the European Parliament has been brought to my attention: There has been an explosion in the usage of this online social networking tool across Europe: unfortunately many people have crossed the line from social networking to social dysfunction. This is a real health issue and I am calling upon the Commission to take action. Visiting your Facebook page frequently actually causes what psychologists refer to as 'intermittent reinforcement'. Notifications, messages and invitations reward you with an unpredictable high, much like gambling. That anticipation can get dangerously addictive. Many people access their Facebook page ...
Digital Memory and a Massacre, a beautifully written piece by Sarah Kendzior.
Hampstead has it's fair share of historical and famous people and few greater in reputation than Gracie Fields. More usually connected with Rochdale, Hampstead was the London bolt hole/base for Dame Gracie. I wandered past this the other day and realised I hadn't featured the house and so reminded myself to do so. It also drew into my mind the nature of past singers and actresses who I sense might (and this may be a heresy for some) fade from public perception. I mentioned the Gracie Fields house to a pretty clued up friend and it clearly meant nothing to ...
With annual borrowing of £160bn and a massive blank where Labour's plans for deficit reduction should have been, this was always going to be a tough Budget - arguably the toughest since the 1980s. Some extraordinarily difficult decisions have been made to avoid an even worse crisis. Foremost amongst these was the decision to raise VAT from 17.5 to 20 percent. Through the election campaign, all three prospective Chancellors were asked about VAT, and we all answered in exactly the same way: we have no plans to raise it, but we cannot rule it out. In fact, that was my ...
Following a request from a resident we have organised for the sweeper to go into the cul-de-sac ins Ambleside Road.
Parking on Oolite Road and the junction with the Wellsway and Upper Bloomfield Road Parking on Bloomfield Rise at school times ASB and underage drinkingThese were agreed last night, and will direct the community police team
This is the statement and question that will form the referendum ballot paper, as announced by the Wales office today. What do you think of it? And more importantly, would you agree or disagree if this question was asked to you? "At present, the National Assembly for Wales (the Assembly) has powers to make laws for Wales on some subjects within devolved areas. Devolved areas include health, education, social services, local government and environment. The Assembly can gain further powers to make laws in devolved areas with the agreement of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Parliament) on a subject ...
I woke up yesterday to the sound of chain saws in the cemetery behind my house and later on went out and took this picture - if you look carefully you can see a man harnessed to the trunk of what had been a 70ft poplar in full stately maturity. (I say 70ft but I'm not good at measuring by eye but it was VERY tall!) There has been a group of poplars - almost an avenue- in the cemetery probably ever since it was built - I reckon they were at last 150 years old - maybe more if ...
Cross-posted from Liberal Democrat Voice Prime Minister's Questions started to get back to normal today. A question is asked and there is a bellow - not an answer - in reply. But sometimes it is a question of "ask a silly question - get a silly answer". Take Harriet Harman's opening sally: "Could the Prime Minister tell us how much has been set aside to relink pensions to earnings in 2011?" After Cameron spoke about the "triple lock" (we LibDems thought of that phrase first) on pension rises, Harman replied that the government haven't set aside a single penny for ...
Local Councillors in the ward have been contacted with details of the Bury Conservative plans to impose car park charges on the Fairfax Road car park in the centre of Prestwich. The charges will mean people paying £1 for up to three hours and £2 for more than three hours. These charges were vigorously opposed at the time of their suggestion by Lib Dems, and have been opposed by us ever since. The amount of revenue that they'll generate is estimated at only £30,000 but the symbolism of losing a free car park and replacing it with a pay car ...
Prime Minister's Questions started to get back to normal today. A question is asked and there is a bellow - not an answer - in reply. But sometimes it is a question of "ask a silly question - get a silly answer". Take Harriet Harman's opening sally: "Could the Prime Minister tell us how much has been set aside to relink pensions to earnings in 2011?" After Cameron spoke about the "triple lock" (we LibDems thought of that phrase first) on pension rises, Harman replied that the government haven't set aside a single penny for the promise. What a remarkable ...
On Wednesday last week Parliament had a Westminster Hall debate on the subject of electoral administration, triggered by Meg Munn, the Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley. Sheffield was one of the areas particularly badly affected by the problems with people queuing to vote at 10pm on polling day, and it was this issue which dominated her opening remarks. Citing the Electoral Commission's views on the matter, she urged the government to change the law to enable those who are still queuing at 10pm to be allowed to vote in future. This proposal received support from other MPs during the debate ...
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, Peter Black, has criticised the actions of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Welsh Office, David Jones in insisting on changes to the Welsh Government's Housing Legislative Competence Order before he is prepared to allow it to proceed. Mr. Black argued that this insistence on changes is contrary to the UK coalition agreement which guarantees the passage of this order unchanged. The Housing LCO is a key piece of legislation seeking to transfer powers to the Welsh Government that will enable them to legislate to suspend the right to buy in areas of ...
Joyce Ollerenshaw from Stockport Council came to our Cheadle Area Committee yesterday to give us an update on recycling. Joyce has been monitoring use of the blue and brown bins in Gatley (blue for paper, card and tetrapak cartons, brown for glass, plastic and cans). She's found about 75% participation which, we were told, is good. She's out encouraging people putting out large amounts of rubbish to recycle more, and offering additional bins if needed. Recycling containers at Massie Street car park and Cheadle Royal have been replaced. The new ones match the bin recycling, so they can be emptied ...
Last weekend I attended a couple of community events in the constituency namely: Love Burnage on Saturday at St Margaret's, Burnage Lane & Chorlton Meadows Summer Solstice Picnic on Sunday. Love Burnage is a family fun day put on by St Margaret's Church in Burnage and completely free for local people. It is now in ...
I used to work at the Refugee Council and have been interested in refugee and asylum issues ever since. I was glad to see this post from them (On Liberal Democrat Voice) which I think raises some important issues.
One of the ideas floated by Simon Hughes to help sustain policy generation and keep a distinctive identity for the party during coalition was the creation of a team of shadow spokespeople. Shadowing a government you are a part of raises some obvious issues, and as a result the party has decided instead to create a series of new backbench committees, bringing together both MPs and peers. Their focus will be much more on policy generation, consultation and internal communication than on shadowing Conservative ministers. Parliamentarians are currently expressing interests in which committees they would wish to serve on, with ...
Given the tone of my last couple of entries, you could be forgiven for thinking I have been a bit down the last couple of days. Well, I have. But with his usual exquisite timing and stylishness, the Duracell Bunny has sent me something to cheer me up: [IMG: [personal profile] ] innerbrat suggesting something for Tuesday, but does anyone else have any meeting and greeting suggestions? Be advised that I have to do Who Daily Monday and Tuesday, so I won't be able to be out all day like I was last time; short engagements would, however, be welcome. ...
We could go through all the Labour squealing about how no one voted for it, it's a disaster for the country, the Lib Dems let the tories in etc, etc. But what I find far more useful is actually going out and talking to people on the doorstep about what they think of the coalition and the cuts. I have been getting pretty much the same response as Jonathan Wallace when I've been out and about. People are not happy about the cuts. I'm not happy about the cuts. In fact I very much doubt even George Osborne is happy ...
It was never going to be an easy day. No-one enjoys having to make the kind of cuts the Coalition had to yesterday, but the consequences of doing nothing would have been far worse. I recall sitting in meetings of the Lib Dem Federal Policy Committee as we were costing the manifesto, and quickly realising that even on the generous economic forecasts of the Labour Government, it would be impossible to deliver every policy that we wanted, due to the incredible mess that the public finances had become. There are a number of things we can take from the budget, ...
Part of the coalition agreement commits the government to hold a referendum on the Alternative Vote (or Preference voting as it known in Australia) which enables a candidate to be elected by 50% of the overall vote. It is worth examining how it operates in practice and why adopting AV would only be exchanging one flawed electoral system for another. Supporters of AV argue that a candidate gets elected by having 50% of the vote: if no candidate gets 50% when the first preference are distributed, the second preferences of the candidate with the least votes are added to the ...
Just before England kick-off against Slovenia I thought I would reprint an open letter to Wayne Rooney from Andrew Norfolk (from the Times -
LETTER SENT TO LETTERS PAGES OF LOCAL PRESS Sirs, I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the organisers and all involved in this years Prestwich Festival.With over 40 events starting with a bigger than ever Clough Day and culminating in Sunday's bigger than ever Carnival, this years festival is a testament to the hard work and endeavours of David Curtis and the Sunshine Team, and to the Clough Centenary Team led by David Stanley. But more than that it embodies the great spirit and sense of community that we now have in Prestwich. Because outside the ...
Photos of the commemorative event at the Barnet Multicultural Centre in Hendon on Sunday (courtesy Rosalind Izard:
Once upon a time I used to have a bit of time for David Miliband. He seemed to be something of a sensible social democrat. He could put forward a coherent case for what his then Labour government was doing. He appeared to be interested in reforming the UK. Well, change of government and change of posture by Miliband The Older.Today I read in our regional newspaper, The Journal, that Miliband
So I noticed this piece on Labour Uncut and thought I'd sum it up very quickly so you don't have to read it. "Lib Dem's have no principles or any roots, especially not in the centre left cos they don't like unions. They're just opportunists and will now really suffer." Credit to the author he uses Lib ...
The hand of Va Va Voom may have helped get the French to the World Cup finals with its extra time activities in Paris last November. But the feet of Henry only managed a total of 54 minutes on the park in South Africa 19 minutes at the end of the opening game against Uruguay and 35 minutes in the second half last night against South Africa. The highlight of the tournament for Henry watch was him complaining about a Uruguay handball in that first game. It seemed to indicate that the footballing gods were against the French. Therefore it ...
Vince Cable writes in today's Guardian with his thoughts on the emergency budget. It should be no surprise that this is such a tough budget. Last summer, in pamphlets and speeches, Nick Clegg and I both prepared the ground for these difficult choices... Now, to put it bluntly, Britain is much poorer than we thought we were two years ago but we have public spending levels that assume we are richer... For me a key test of the budget is whether it is fair as well as tough. The budget is shot through with commitments my party fought for: a ...
Last night I asked the internets whether they would rather I did a post about self-harm, or one about the coalition government. Predictably, the consensus was both, so I'm going to do the more difficult one first, and hope that once it's done I still have the energy to do the other. I suppose the reason I am posting this is to try and illustrate that people who self harm are not dangerous freaks - at least, not dangerous to others - and that people who perhaps you wouldn't expect to be are self-harmers. For a long time I didn't ...
I am constantly feeling that I am turning into Wonko the Sane - So it is with a sense of pride I state the following. Read the blog with care as I am liable to sudden outbursts SANITY; and this may cause offence
You really do need to watch all of this video from the Christian Broadcasting Network: A couple of years ago, while giving a lecture at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I was astonished when a lecturer told me that half of his students would agree with the proposition that a war in the Middle East would lead to Armageddon, and that would be a good thing. In Ann Arbor, bot the Deep South. The extent to which US support for Israel is driven by these christian violent religious extremists should not be underestimated. They are a major force ...
In the run-up to yesterday's UK budget, the left wing of the internet – a cocoon that I comfortably inhabit – made merry with its buzzphrase du jour. No shock doctrine for Britain! we hear from such twitterlectuals (and Green Party luminaries – many of the most vocal Green activists have been really going for the Lib Dems of late – but that's another post) as Sian Berry and Adam Ramsay. Now, look; the budget was painful. We all got hosed, the poor proportionally more than the rich. And the government spin hasn't been even remotely coherent; even the usually ...
We've had a bit of a rash of advertising signs going up on lamp posts and railings recently. The Council are aware of it and one of the culprits - Pink Limos - have been spoken to. If you spot any others, please let Pam or myself know (along with the location). It's not legal and makes the villages look messy.
Yesterday I wrote regarding the move by Labour to focus their attacks on the Lib Dem's rather than the Conservatives. Whatever the reason for this tactic, and it's possible effectiveness, there is the distinct possibility that this will achieve what the conservatives failed to do in the last election. That is to unwind the tactical ...
No, I didn't either. But that's what Polly Toynbee says: ... it does nothing for the 62% of adults who earn too little to pay tax. Oh hang on, what's this Lord Bonkers is saying? It's not that 62 per cent of people don't pay tax, it's that 62 per cent do pay tax. How out of touch with the lives of ordinary people do you have to be to make a mistake like that and not spot it? It hardly encourages you to have faith in Toynbee's judgement as a columnist. You think someone at the Guardian would have ...
Last night I was lucky enough to attend the One World Media Awards, held at the amazing King's Place in London. One World Media aims to increase global understanding through effective use of the media. Running through their work is the belief that the media can offer a unique means of highlighting development issues, and ...
So, Boy Geroge did his first budget yesterday, and it was nasty. But I somehow suspect the nastiness was inevitable, and it was a lot less nasty than it would've been if it'd been a Tory-only administration. Labour have decided to spend their political capital attacking the Lib Dem junior partners for the nasty, instead of the senior party, and there's no sign whatsoever from them of what they'd do instead. I agree, completely, with Sunny on this one, their attacks are misplaced. One of the leadership candidates, currently rated as "second least awful" on my scale, has even set ...
General Stanley McChrystal has tendered his resignation (not necessarily accepted) as the rows about his crazy surge and plans to make Jalalabad a second Fallujah spill out into the public domain. UK Special Envoy Sherard Cowper-Coles - who is less keen on killing people but believes we should occupy Afghanistan for at least a generation - has been sent away on extended leave to lie down for a few weeks in a darkened room. Meanwhile the activists of the Democrats are finally getting their arses into gear in a serious way. This is just one of scores of examples: ...
Something keeps happening regarding the political discourse in this country since the election. Both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems keep being accused of having "broken" their pledges. We saw it again yesterday. The compromises that were reached by both sides regarding the budget in the coalition government are described as "U-turns" or abandonment of pre-election pledges etc. I saw Bob Russell, the Lib Dem MP being interviewed talking about how he had been elected on a platform that was in some ways quite different from what had been announced yesterday. I also heard a Tory MP on the radio ...
The one way traffic trial around central Keighley starting at the end of July may or may not show some up useful information. It will simply be around the "inner routes" of East Parade, Hanover Street and Cavendish Street rather than around the roads which have the most frequent traffic hold ups. However it may show that traffic can flow more freely if vehicles are not crossing over each other's paths. We shall have to see when the time comes.
For some people and organisations Twitter has become, at least in part, simply another way of sending out timely news. Issue a news release? Check. Put it on website? Check. Send out tweet with headline and link back to site? Check. All sounds fairly typical and unexceptional and if you'd asked me a few days ago I wouldn't have added an exception or caveat to that sort of process, even if it didn't involve a formal press release or link. If you treat Twitter as an outlet for official, timely news then that's how you use it. I say "a ...
With all the emphasis on the economy over the last couple of days it is easy to forget what effect other government actions can have on real peoples lives. We should never forget the disgusting abuse of civil liberties under the last Labour government. If anyone doubts that things like control orders don't have an effect on real people then I suggest you watch this video. Government means more than just the economy and the abuse of government power that happened under new Labour should never be allowed to occur again.
Here's a cheerful content-free post to help take everyone's mind off Mr Soggy Biscuit's behaviour at the despatch box yesterday now that he has been given his prefect's badge and use of the KANE, and "cheerful" is the operative word because it's written in the rider that the subject of this post is never to be referred to as a goth[1]. eBay is wonderful, as most of you know, and there's nowhere quite like it for finding things you never knew you'd want, let alone that anyone else would. Anyone for a Lego Andrew Eldritch action figure? Anything else you've ...
We've had many pro-business budgets in the past, but this one truly went out of its way to suck it up to them. After all, when was the last time you heard the CBI gush with such force about a government: The Chancellor has achieved his twin objectives of setting out a credible plan for ...
Interesting figures from YouGov, who have updated their "party I.D." figures, that is the proportion of people who say they are a supporter of a particular party as opposed to what their current voting intention is (e.g. they may be a Labour support but have a current voting intention of Green): Labour 32.5% Conservative 28.5% Liberal Democrat 12% Other 3% Don't know 24%
Here's the Summer 2010 edition of Keighley Town Council's magazine. Keighley, Capital of Airedale ...
Yesterday's budget was a difficult one. Before the election we campaigned on a platform of Fairness - Fair taxes among them. No-one, not the electorate nor any of the parties, expected to have a coalition government trying to cope with a deficit as bad as Labour left us. Interest of £80,000 per minute - yes, per minute - beggars belief. No wonder we ended up with a budget that's tougher than
The public finances will be a challenge over the next 5 years. Apart from the tax and benefit changes in the budget yesterday there are also the cuts in public spending.All of these arise from the mismanagement of the economy by the previous government. We should have been in the situation of Germany (who went into the recession in surplus) rather than Greece.The situation is straightforward.
There is no denying the fact that yesterday's budget was difficult. It was difficult for the Liberal Democrats who never envisaged that their first taste of power at a UK level would be so tough, but above all it is difficult for the country and the many people who will have to tighten their belt so that we can get the country back on track after the last few disastrous years of Labour government. The situation facing the new government was dire. It inherited a £155 billion deficit and debt of near £800bn, whilst the independent Office of Budget Responsibility ...
The Police have been active in Diamond Jubilee Park, Cheadle, which has suffered from anti-social behaviour recently. Three individuals have been identified and are being pursued with the possibility of ASBOs. Additionally, because it's not all stick, the police have been speaking to a charity - Ambassadors for Sport - about putting on football activities over the summer. Pam and I will be keeping an eye on the situation, so please let us and the police know if you have problems in the area.
Yesterday's budget was necessary, tough but fair. I didn't join the SDP/Alliance/Lib Dems to cut the benefits of people who need them, or to increase regressive taxation. I didn't get into politics to impose a pay freeze on public sector workers.But sadly we have no choice: the financial mess Labour got us into has to be cleaned up. If Labour were in government, they'd have had to make similarly
Polly Toynbee writes in today's Guardian: Rebalancing £2bn in child tax credits will help redress the worst effects of the VAT rise for the poorest and lifting the lowest-paid out of income tax will help all on the basic rate, but it does nothing for the 62% of adults who earn too little to pay tax.Sixty-two per cent of adults don't earn enough to pay tax? It doesn't sound very likely. A little investigation suggests that Toynbee has been reading the Institute for Fiscal Studies Election Briefing Note 13 "Taxes and Benefits: The Parties' Plans". Turn to page 34 of ...
His lordship wrote this entry just before David Laws' resignation. I once remarked to him that a week is a long time in politics. "Stuff and nonsense," he replied. "Why is a week any longer in politics than in cricket or gold prospecting?" Nevertheless it does show how long it takes to get a magazine produced and out to its subscribers when you are used to instant publishing on the web. Wednesday One of the new Conservative ministerial colleagues puts his head around my door: the poor fellow is in tears! "Can't you do anything about this Laws of yours?" ...
Earlier this month, I featured an article about the types of plastics that are collected from the 'green box' recycling facility available to some householders in the West End and elsewhere in Dundee. However, this facility has not been extended as yet to all households and a constituent recently asked about the possibility of having plastics recycling at Pennycook Lane's recycling centre. I have received the follwoing feedback from Dundee City Council : "At present within the west side of Dundee we have plastics recycling bins at Magdalen Yard/Roseangle Car Park, Riverside Recycle Centre, Tesco South Road, and also at ...
In the wake of the expenses scandal one of the closing themes of the last parliament, and then the general election, was the need to "clean up politics" and restore respect not only for politicians but for the political process itself. There was little in yesterday's debate on the budget which demonstrated any progress in this area. Calling the opposition party liars and deceivers, which is what the the coalition's claim that the outgoing government had left the nation in an even bigger mess than they'd admitted amounts to, does nothing to restore respect. Even if it is true, and ...
No, not a comment on the budget. This skunk family has been living under a neighbour's deck and entertaining us in the evenings. The mother had 7 kits, as skunk young are called. They are delightful animals as long as you or your pets don't get sprayed by them. The pest exterminator has been called in and they are being trapped. I hoped they would be released in the countryside, but no, they will be humanely destroyed and I feel miserable about it. Of course, it is the cuteness factor, if they were rats I wouldn't care.
The proposed Royal Road parking restrictions are shown below (click on thumbnail for full view). Please get in touch if you have any concerns. [IMG: proposed-waiting-restriction-design-1.png]
An emergency budget for tough times. Overall, although I was uncomfortable with some of the budget announcements there were few things in there I didn't expect or which Labour would have done vastly differently. Cuts are needed, although timing is always questionable and to some degree it has been driven by the financial markets / ...
While scooting round the comments sections of the broadsheet intenet sites it's come to my attention that there's a fair amount of doublespeak going on regarding the current economic situation. So here is my Labour dictionary: 1. Progressive a) `not condems` b) forget about us not apologising for it all and look that way! c) ...
Yesterday I gave a very simple example of how the NHS could improve dramatically and would cost nothing to change. There is plenty of room for improvement. We have a highly sophisticated computer system that makes very sophisticated mistakes. Medical technology is putting up the costs but still we have appointments sent out to people who have died. The promise that we could walk into any NHS and all are details are there at the click of a button is just not there, and if it were then would it be a great advantage. Is it really worth the huge ...
Tuesday: Yes, it's Master Gideon's first Budgie. Or, oh fluff! It's Master Gideon's first Budgie. What did we think of the SPEECH? Well, the VAT rise (equivalent to a more honest 3½p on the basic rate) was no less painful for being predictable, and the squeeze on benefits makes even MY button-eyes water. And that's BEFORE cutting spending by a QUARTER. And whose FAULT it is? Stand up Mr... oh wait he's not in the Chamber! Yes, Hard Labour loser, Mr Frown, the man who only missed his Golden Rule target by HALF A TRILLION POUNDS didn't even turn up! ...
