Former London mayor publishes report showing women are much more heavily affected by the cuts than men

London mayoral hopeful Ken Livingstone has accused the government of declaring "a war on equality" as he published a report showing that women in London are paying twice as much as men for the government's cuts in public spending.

Livingstone, who is hoping to be selected as the Labour candidate for the 2012 mayoral election in a two-horse race with Oona King, has drawn together evidence that shows women are more heavily affected by cuts in housing benefit and pension changes.

Even if cuts in child benefits and family-related tax credits are discounted, women are paying for 66% of the cuts in London, the report claimed.

The document, A Mayor for Equality, suggest women are more heavily affected by cuts in housing benefit and the switch to the Consumer Price Index for calculating the additional state pension and public sector pensions.

Livingstone also cited planned cuts in public sector jobs, where women represent 65% of the workforce, often in lower paid jobs.

The reality of women's lives would mean they would end up filling more of the gap left if public services are cut, he warned, such as caring roles for children and other family members, he added.

Livingstone has made protecting Londoners from government cuts a key feature of his campaign, as he seeks to tie planned government cuts with Boris Johnson's Conservative mayoralty.

As ballot papers for the mayoral selection begin to arrive at the home of Labour's 35,000 party members and 392,000 London party affiliates, the former London mayor, who was ousted by Boris Johnson after eight years in office, honed his message to women voters in a bid to secure a place at the 2012 mayoral election.

Promising to place equality at the heart of his mayoral programme, Livingstone outlined measures to improve the quality of life for the 3.8 million women living in London, including improving skills and training support through the London Skills Board, giving priority to tackling the growth of the sex industry and trafficking, and supporting a new London Carers Alliance to support London's 600,000 carers.

"Women in London are just over 50% of Londoners but the evidence now shows they will bear the majority of the cuts and higher fares of David Cameron and Boris Johnson," said Livingstone,

"The most cautious estimate shows women are paying for more than two thirds of the housing and pensions cuts. It is clear [the chancellor] George Osborne has not given any regard to the impact on women of his savage budget cuts."

Livingstone gave his backing the Fawcett Society, which filed papers with the high court last month seeking a judicial review of the government's recent emergency budget.

Under equality laws, the government should have assessed whether its budget proposals would increase or reduce inequality between women and men. Despite repeated requests, the Treasury has not provided any evidence that any such an assessment took place.

It emerged last month that Theresa May, the home secretary and equalities minister, had warned the chancellor that cuts in the budget could widen inequality in Britain and ran a "real risk" of breaking the law.

The letter was sent to Osborne on 9 June, less than a fortnight before his emergency budget, and was copied to the prime minister.

Last month Mark Hoban, the Treasury minister, stonewalled questions on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about whether the government had carried out a statutory assessment of the impact of the budget on women, ethnic minorities, disabled people and the elderly.

Livingstone claimed Boris Johnson, who succeeded him as mayor in 2008, has made his own attacks on equality, citing as one example a reduction in the number of women in senior positions at the Greater London authority.

A spokesman for the mayor hit back. "London is now greener, cleaner and safer than when Boris took up the tenure as mayor and he is tirelessly fighting to protect London's financial settlement and crucial transport infrastructure during the worst recession since World War II.

"We now have the lowest murder rate in the capital since 1978 and this year's Annual London Survey tells us that people feel happier and safer with 83% of Londoners satisfied with their city as a place to live which is the highest level recorded under any mayor."

Livingstone's rival in Labour's mayoral selection, Oona King, will unveil her policy on women's equality at an event in Westminster tomorrow evening.

This will include appointing an equalities adviser to work across the GLA, a kite mark for businesses that carry out equal pay audits and a drive to reduce prostitution and sex trafficking in the runup to the Olympics.

King, a former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, said: "There's a mountain of evidence to show that men and women don't have the same life chances. This problem is worse in London than anywhere in the country, and will worsen further as the Tory cuts start to bite.

"I'm the best candidate to be mayor because I have a track record of delivering for women - my first legislation helped low-paid women, and increased workplace equalities.

"We have to make London's streets and transport safer for women, help pull women and their children out of poverty, improve jobs training, and get more women into jobs as representatives. Boris isn't interested in this."

The results of the mayoral selection will be announced just ahead of the Labour party conference later this month.

Reducing funding for household generation of renewable energy will jeopardise job creation and energy security, Huhne is told

A coalition of green, countryside and housing groups has warned energy secretary Chris Huhne not to cut subsidies for green electricity and heating as part of the government's spending review. The 22 groups, including green energy trade body RenewableUK, the National Farmers Union and the Federation of Master Builders, said in a letter to Huhne that cutting schemes that subsidise household generation of renewable energy would jeopardise job creation, energy security and greenhouse gas targets.

The move was sparked by comments from the Department of Energy and Climate Change's minister of state, Charles Hendry, who recently said he was "closely reviewing" the £27bn renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme due to start in April next year to encourage the take-up of green heating devices such as heat pumps, and the £8bn feed-in tariff (FIT) launched in April which pays small-scale generators of green electricity.

"We inherited a situation where we could see who was going to benefit commercially but we couldn't really see how it was going to be paid for and that it would create pretty substantial bills," Hendry told the Telegraph in an article that suggested both schemes could be "slashed". Justine Greening, economic secretary to the Treasury, also recently attended a launch of a report by the right-leaning Policy Exchange thinktank that was highly critical of the FIT and the RHI. "...We will focus on the most cost-effective approaches [to tackle climate change]," said Greening at the event. "In fact, the more you care about climate change, the more value for money counts. We have to make sure every penny saves the maximum emissions possible. And we will put a stop to the last government's obsession with equating high levels of expensive inputs with high impact."

The rate paid for the feed-in tariff is currently due to be reviewed in 2012 and its introduction has caused a solar gold rush in the UK as a record number householders and business installing solar photovoltaic panels to earn the tariff. But the groups behind today's letter are worried such language from senior government figures indicate the FIT and the RHI could be victims of the comprehensive spending review, the results of which are due to be published on 20 October.

"As you know, heat is responsible for 47% of UK emissions and 49% of UK energy demand, so no government serious about climate change or energy security can ignore half the problem," wrote the signatories, including Howard Johns of the Solar Trade Association, William Worsley of the Country Land and Business Association and David Caro of the Federation of Small Businesses. The letter continues: "Costs come down when the industry can plan and invest with confidence, and economies of scale are achieved - that is one of the simple aims of these policy mechanisms."

Ed Miliband, shadow energy secretary and Labour leadership candidate, also warned today of cutting the schemes. "This government promised to be the greenest ever but it is already betraying this promise," he said. " Unless we go ahead with the feed-in tariff and renewable heat incentive as planned, we will never achieve the greening of our energy supplies that we need. Instead of creating uncertainty and delay, the government should reaffirm the commitments made by the previous Labour government."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said accusations that the RHI was going to be "slashed" were speculation. "The government is doing what people would expect any responsible government to do, especially in the current economic climate," she said. "That is looking across all our policies and inherited spend, which includes the not insubstantial costs associated with the proposed renewable heat incentive and the feed-in tariff scheme, to ensure that what is being spent is being spent in the best and most efficient way." Climate minister Greg Barker recently also wrote that feed-in tariffs were "at the heart of our efforts to 'green' Britain".

Labour MP and sustainability adviser for Friends of the Earth, Alan Simpson, said that mixed messages from government would scare off investors: "You have government scaring the living daylights out of local authorities and businesses, but also the investment community who look at long-term signals. So you risk all investment decisions being put on hold, because different ministers are saying 'maybe we will, maybe we won't' - it sends completely the wrong messages."

In a separate development today, M&S became the latest household name to offer solar panels to consumers. Following British Gas's launch of solar photovoltaic products last week, the high street retailer said it had partnered with Scottish and Southern Energy to offer solar photovoltaic panels and solar thermal systems.

Former Labour minister writes to Downing Street calling for investigation with subpoena powers after New York Times story

The Labour MP Tom Watson has called for a full judicial inquiry into allegations of widespread illegal phone-hacking at the News of the World.

Watson, a former minister, has written to No 10 asking David Cameron to set up a wide-ranging inquiry into the relationship between the Metropolitan Police and News International, which publishes the News of the World. The letter is addressed to the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, because Cameron is on paternity leave.

A judicial inquiry has the legal authority to subpoena witnesses and would enjoy similar powers to those handed to the Hutton inquiry into the death of the weapons scientist David Kelly in 2003.

Watson's intervention follows a New York Times report published online late on Wednesday which alleged that the Met failed to pass evidence of phone-hacking to the Crown Prosection Service.

According the New York Times: "The officials didn't discuss certain evidence with senior prosecutors, including the notes suggesting the involvement of other reporters, according to a senior prosecutor on the case. The prosecutor was stunned to discover later that the police had not shared everything. 'I would have said we need to see how far this goes' and 'whether we have a serious problem of criminality on this news desk,' said the former prosecutor."

Referring to this allegation in his letter to No 10, Watson wrote: "The testimony given to the NYT is that the police did not share all the relevant information with the CPS. And that if they had done, the CPS would have reached different conclusions. These are clear grounds for a judicial inquiry. Please can you confirm your intention to recommend one."

Watson also called for a full investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the paper's allegations of collusion between News International and the Met.

"The New York Times also suggests direct police collusion with a commercial media organisation, an investigator alleging that a Metropolitan Police press officer attempted to suppress investigation in order to protect the police's "long-term relationship with News International," he wrote. "Please can you confirm that the Independent Police Complaints Commission will investigate this serious allegation from a highly reputable source without delay."

The New York Times alleged last night that Andy Coulson, the Conservative Party's director of communications, actively encouraged reporters to obtain information by hacking into mobile phones and listening to voicemail messages when he was editor of the News of the World.

The paper quoted an ex-News of the World journalist, Sean Hoare, a former friend of Coulson, saying he personally played recordings of hacked voicemail messages for him when both men worked at the News of the World's sister title The Sun. Later, according to the paper, when Hoare worked for Coulson at the News of the World, he "continued to inform Coulson of his pursuits. Coulson 'actively encouraged me to do it', Hoare said".

The paper also quotes an unnamed former editor who worked for News International claiming that Coulson talked openly about illegal phone-tapping techniques.

Coulson has always maintained he know nothing about the activity and said in response to the New York Times story: "I absolutely deny these allegations."

News International executives told the Commons culture select committee that Clive Goodman - the paper's former royal editor, who was jailed for intercepting voicemail messages in January 2007 along with a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire - acted alone. Coulson resigned as News of the World editor after Goodman was jailed.

The New York Times also alleged that the Met had not passed full details about how many people were victims of the illegal practice to the CPS because it has a history of cooperation with News International titles. It quoted an unnamed prosecutor who expressed surprise that the Met had failed to alert it to evidence that suggested other News of the World reporters had indulged in the practice on Coulson's watch.

The New York Times report, which be published in the paper's weekend magazine on Sunday, revealed that three people - including Brian Paddick, a former Met commander - are seeking a judicial review into Scotland Yard's handling of the case.

Watson is a member of the Commons culture select committee, which reopened its investigation into press standards after the Guardian revealed last year that News International had paid off three victims of phone-hacking, including the PFA chief executive Graham Taylor, in exchange for their silence.

Paul Farrelly, the Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, who is also a member of the committee, criticised the Metropolitan Police today and called on them to make more evidence available. "The police must come clean on all the evidence they collected, why much of it was not shown to prosecutors and why all suspected victims have not been alerted," he said. "For one of the most senior of its former officers [Brian Paddick] to request a judicial review of the police investigation is unprecedented and the Met needs to let the public know its response."

Farrelly added that MPs were likely to consider the fresh revelations when parliament reconvenes next week. "With Andy Coulson our inquiry hit a brick wall of silence and amnesia. There is plenty more in the NYT article, however, which suggests illegal phone-hacking was rife and not limited to just the former royal editor and one private investigator," he said.

"The select committee will, no doubt, want to discuss the NYT article and any further developments or responses. The NYT article further shines further light into this murky affair, in which both News International and the Metropolitan Police have so far been evasive, to say the least."

The Met issued a statement today denying that it failed to pass on key evidence. "The Met does not consider that the issues raised by the New York Times accurately reflect how the investigation was conducted, constitute new evidence, or lead us to change our position", it said.

"The CPS had full access to all the evidence gathered and the final indictment appropriately represented the criminality uncovered.

"The case was the subject of the most careful investigation by very experienced detectives and has been subject to extensive independent scrutiny by the CPS, director of public prosecutions, and the House of Commons culture, media and sport committee.

"The Met has considered whether matters raised by the media or elsewhere constituted new evidence that merited further investigation. We considered then, and we remain of the view, that no new evidence has emerged to justify re-opening this inquiry. Independently, the CPS, leading counsel and the director of public prosecutions reached the same conclusion."

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o Internal inquiry dismisses 18 complaints of undue violence
o Force faces civil action over 2008 street clash

Community groups in a formerly troubled area of Manchester have warned of serious damage to relations with the local police after an investigation cleared officers of undue violence at a street fracas.

But while 18 complaints against officers were dismissed by an internal inquiry supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the force will still face a civil action from a peace campaigner who witnessed the trouble outside Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in May 2008.

Raymond Bell, whose wife Erinma was described as a "national hero" by Gordon Brown for her work against gang violence, said: "We've waited for justice all this time, and now they are saying that it never happened."

The police said that the inquiry had been bedevilled by a lack of co-operation, because most complainants had refused to speak directly to the force's investigators.

A former chair of the Greater Manchester police authority said today that the delayed and inconclusive findings of the investigation's report, which cited a lack of clear evidence and directly contradictory accounts, "make it feel as though we have gone back 20 years".

The inquiry was conducted by the GMP's internal investigation department, managed at arm's length by the IPCC, following anger at the incident and six arrests.

Police became involved after a report of shots being fired from a car which was then traced to the Bridgewater Hall, as families were leaving a children's talent contest. Officers searching the car were surrounded by large numbers of people and called for back-up.

Accounts then differ completely, with 18 complaints about alleged over-reaction by officers, while police involved denied any abuse. The report admits that it has proved impossible to decide who was telling the truth, with CCTV and other film and photographic evidence lacking or of poor quality.

Naseem Malik, an IPCC commissioner, said: "We cannot absolve individual officers in relation to allegations of using excessive force, nor can we absolve audience members from claims they used violence and deliberate resistance against the officers.

"The simple fact is any independent evidence is of such poor quality that a definitive conclusion cannot be reached. Many of the incidents revolve around the word of an officer against the word of a complainant."

The report also accepts the damage caused by the incident and "unacceptable" delays over whether to prosecute those arrested - charges were eventually dropped - and in the providing of evidence by complainants.

Gabrielle Cox, a former Moss Side councillor and chair of the police authority in the 1980s, said: "It feels like we have gone back 20 years. The Bridgewater Hall incident undermined years of work to improve relationships between the police and the community in Moss Side.

"The report will do nothing to repair those relationships, and is likely to compound the sense of frustration and powerlessness felt by the community. The finding of 'insufficient evidence' seems to damn every enquiry into inappropriate police actions. The system of the police investigating themselves, even if under IPCC management, remains a key barrier to community confidence."

Detective Superintendent Mike Freeman, of GMP's professional standards branch, said: "Our investigation found that the policing operation surrounding this event was very carefully planned to enable it to go ahead peacefully. The problems arose when a member of the public reported that shots had been fired from a car and officers responded to search the car. This attracted a lot of attention from people leaving the event and a number of people complained about the police response."During the course of the investigation the majority of complainants have not been prepared to speak directly to us, causing significant delays and affecting our ability to gather evidence. After investigating all of the information available to us, we have not been able to substantiate any of the complaints."

The release of Tony Blair's memoir, A Journey, settled some old scores and propelled the former prime minister back into public life. One of his former ministers and author of a second volume of diaries,Decline and Fall, Chris Mullin is in the studio to discuss Blair's legacy.

Martin Kettle had the only print interview with Blair this week. He says that he found Blair as defiant as ever on questions of Iraq and the direction in which he took the Labour party.

Polly Toynbee says sections of the book will be quoted gleefully by members of the government and describes how Blair's politics have changed since 1997.

And with an extraordinary statement from the foreign secretary, William Hague, this week, the panel discusses how rumours on the blogosphere gain currency in the mainstream media.

Leave your thoughts below.

Labour leadership contender says he wants to lead 'a government not a gang'

Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband today sought to distance himself from the party feuding reignited by Tony Blair's new book, declaring that he wanted to lead "a government not a gang".

As ballot papers went out to eligible voters, Miliband sent an email to all party members in which he said he was "sick and tired" of seeing the leadership race characterised in terms of a choice between rejecting or retaining New Labour.

Instead, the shadow foreign secretary pledged to "change the way we do politics" and said he was "ready to lead".

Miliband dispatched the email to members after the publication yesterday of Blair's autobiography, which charted the former PM's deteriorating relationship with Brown.

Urging members to give him their vote, Miliband said: "I respect both Tony and Gordon deeply. But their time has passed. Their names do not appear on the leadership ballots. And now we need to stop their achievements being sidelined and their failings holding us back."

He said those who presented the Labour leadership contest as a choice between rejecting or retaining New Labour were doing a disservice to all of the candidates and to the thousands of members who have participated over the last few months.

The leadership election was about "pulling together all the talents of our party" rather than "tired old Westminster games", he said.

In a nod to the warring Blair and Brown camps during Labour's first 10 years, Miliband said: "I want to change the way we do politics. Because I want to lead a government not a gang, a movement not a machine, where honest debate can be a source of strength, not a sign of weakness."

In the book, Blair describes David Miliband as having "clear leadership qualities".

Last night, Miliband sought to distance himself from his old political patron by insisting that if he became leader, he would stick to the "Labour way" of tackling the deficit, which was to halve it over four years.

In his book, A Journey, the former prime minister issued a stark warning to the party not to drift to the left and said he believed Labour lost the general election in May because it "stopped being New Labour" under Brown's leadership.

Blair also came close to endorsing the economic strategy of the Conservative-led coalition government.

Miliband rejected the accusation that he was the "heir to Blair" when it was put to him during last night's leadership debate on Channel 4 News.

"I am my own person. I look forward to the day when Tony says he is a Milibandite rather than people asking me whether I'm a Blairite," he said.

But he added: "Whoever becomes the party leader will become the heir to Gordon Brown's leadership of the Labour party. Few people would say I was the continuity candidate with Gordon."

In what will be seen as a thinly-veiled attack on his older brother, Ed Miliband said during the debate that Blair "along with others" was stuck in a "New Labour comfort zone".

He said: "The truth is that unless we change our attitude on a whole range of things that New Labour took for granted, like flexible labour markets that mean low pay and bad working conditions for people, tuition fees and ID cards, unless we change we are not going to win again. So Tony was a great servant to us in the past, I don't think he's right about the future."

The shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, claimed New Labour was seen as "hollow and disconnected" and said: "When Tony Blair says we don't need to move a millimetre away from New Labour I think he has not been on doorsteps recently and he has not recognised how we came to be seen."

Leftwinger Diane Abbott issued a broadside on the Blair-Brown era by saying New Labour had "frayed" some of the community ties because of its obsession with markets.

In a speech on how Labour should respond to the government's "big society" agenda, delivered today, she said: "I believe that it is time issues around family and community took centre stage in the debate about what the Labour party is for," she said.

"New Labour regarded mutual organisation and co-ops as dusty and old fashioned compared to the bright shiny world of the free markets and international financial services. But now unfettered free markets have nearly crashed the world economy, maybe it is time for the Labour party to rediscover some of those old models. They might provide appropriate structures going forward for banks like Northern Rock currently in government ownership."

As contenders bid to succeed Brown, the former premier revealed he going to work on projects including promoting global access to education and boosting internet use in Africa.

Sunder and Left Futures do a good job of rebutting Blair's claim that Labour lost the election because it was insufficiently New Labour.

But there's something to add.

Despite what its left and right critics say, New Labour was not just a marketing ploy. It was also an intellectual project intended to put new life into social democracy. New Labour thought that top-down managerialist policies – such as tax credits, the minimum wage, increased spending on education – could achieve both economic efficiency and greater equality.

Labour's problem is that this conception of social democracy has just run its course, just as post-war social democracy had in the 1970s. I mean this in five ways:

1. The banking crisis has shown us that top-down managerialism can fail catastrophically. Bosses do not – cannot – control large organizations. They are (in some/many cases) not the "courageous leaders" and "wealth creators" of New Labour fiction, but charlatans and plunderers.

2.  New Labour's promise of macroeconomic stability – which it hoped would stimulate investment and job creation – was a false one. Macroeconomic stability was mere good luck which has passed, not something which it is in the power of governments to create.
The challenge for an intelligent left is to ask: how can we protect the worst off from macroeconomic fluctuations, given that macro management is insufficient? This requires either more use of insurance markets, or a welfare state that puts a higher weight upon reducing risk than upon incentives.

3. New Labour's redistributive policies were just about sufficient to offset the increased inequality generated by private sector forces. They were not enough to increase equality, and did nothing to rein in bosses' rent-seeking.

4. New Labour's belief that education and upskilling were necessary to get people into work might have made sense in good economic times, when the labour market faced supply constraints. But this less the case now. The labour market problem is more a demand-side one than a supply-side one.

5. The inefficiencies in the public sector generated by top-down management might have been tolerable when no-one worried about government borrowing. However, even though concern about the deficit is grotesquely overblown, this is not the world we'll live in in the foreseeable future. Governments will have to pay more attention to value for money. This requires that public sector workers be empowered, as they know best where inefficiencies really lie. But New Labour's managerialism prevented it from seeing this.

My point here is simple. New Labour – whatever merits it might have had in the 90s and 00s – is in no position to tackle the challenges we face now.

But do its leadership candidates sufficiently appreciate this? I fear not, as they all seem still in thrall to the New Labour myth that "leadership" is enough. As Paul so rightly says:

I've not seen anything conversational in any of the candidates. I've not seen any pretense that the party itself may have more brains or experience as a whole than any of these Sonnenkind can draw upon from within their small circle of temporary allies... We need the concept of leadership – as it is currently understood – to be contested and defeated.

Reading Tony Blair's analysis about why Labour lost the election, I was reminded of a piece of post-election analysis done by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research:

They asked, amongst other things, the following question:

I'd like to rate your feelings toward some people and organisations, with one hundred meaning a VERY WARM, FAVOURABLE feeling; zero meaning a VERY COLD, UNFAVOURABLE feeling; and fifty meaning not particularly warm or cold.

You can use any number from zero to one hundred, the higher the number the more favourable your feelings are toward that person or organisation. If you have no opinion or never heard of that person or organisation, please say so.

The Labour Party got an average score of 44.8, with 38% positive and 47% negative.

Gordon Brown got an average score of 39.3, 33% positive, 55% negative.

David Miliband got 41.9, 21% positive, 37% negative.

Ed Miliband 39.9, 15% positive, 36% negative.

Ed Balls 35.6, 14% positive, 43% negative.

The European Union scored 41.4, immigration to Britain scored 37.5, Israel scored 38.7, and the Palestinians scored 45.6.

Tony Blair scored 36.2, with 25% positive and 60% negative.

So more people who voted in the 2010 election had negative views of Tony Blair than of Gordon Brown, either Miliband brother, Ed Balls, the European Union, the Labour Party, immigration, Israel or Palestine.

It was always obvious that Tony Blair hated the left. His recently published book said nothing new on that front.

What's staggering is how easily he dismisses even close Labour colleagues and ministers.

Jon Cruddas
Jon made quite a name for himself. It was clever political positioning. To his overall political analysis – New Labour had deserted the working class and thus our base – he added a programme for the party. It was clothed in some modernist language, but was ultimately an attempt to build a left coalition out of Guardian intellectuals and trade union activists. However beguiling – and he was smart enough to make it beguiling – it was, in effect, reheated and updated Bennism from the 1980s.

Douglas Alexander
Douglas was and is a very clever guy indeed. I had tried to wean him off membership of Gordon's inner circle; but to no avail. It was a real shame ... But the Gordon curse was to make these people co-conspirators, not free-range thinkers. He and Ed Balls and others were like I had been back in the 1980s, until slowly the scales fell from my eyes and I realised ir was more like a cult than a kirk.

Ed Balls
He has guts and he can take decisions. But he suffers from the bane of all left-leaning intellectuals. As I have remarked elsewhere, these guys never ‘get' aspiration ... He added a truly muddled and ultimately very damaging party critique. This was the view – I fear tutored by Gordon's inclination in dealing with the party – that I deliberately chose confrontations with the party in order to demonstrate my independent credentials with the public.

John Prescott
At Cabinet, he would occassionally sit like a grumbling volcano ready to erupt at any moment. The proximate cause of the eruption would more often than not be one of the women intervening. Patricia Hewitt was certain to get him moving ... John would make some slightly off-colour remark if he was in a sour mood. I would then bring her back in again, just for the sheer entertainment of watching him finally explode ... He genuinely made me laugh. It was a bit like ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?' In The Sound of Music, though the similarlity ends there...

Perhaps his most alarming trait was his habit of starting a conversation in the middle – no beginning, no context, no explanation of what the problem was. I remember a time when it looking as if I was going to bring the LibDems into the cabinet ... In storms John. ‘Where's fookin' Menzies?' he begins. It wasn't a promising start...

John Smith
Of course, I had no knoweldge that John would die prematurely. Except that, in a strange way, I began to think he might... I said to (Cherie): ‘If John dies, I will be leader, not Gordon. And somehow, I think this will happen. I just think it will.' Is that a premonition? Not in a strict sense; but it was strange all the same. On Saturday afternoon we went to see Schindler's List...

* * * * *

WTF was the last one about?

And then there' his dismissal of...

recalcitrant union leaders, bolshie MPs, lefty activists and assorted intellectuals whose main contribution was to explain why nothing should change in the name of being real radicals

What does it say about Tony Blair's loyalty to the party and the movement? What does it say about his committment to pluralism within the party?

Even the Spectator Coffeehouse blog admits (which reproduced the quotes) that Tony Blair did "not like the Labour Party one bit".

West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson yesterday declared that his second preference would go to Ed Miliband.

Tom Watson has been a key ally and supporter of Ed Balls from the start of his campaign.

He tweeted yesterday:

I want a society where Freedom of Information Act is just the start. Thought long and hard. Am backing @Ed_miliband with 2nd preference.

He later added:

It's a tough call but he's open minded, good with people and proved his strength.

The mention of FOI is likely to have been about Tony Blair (who implicitly endorsed David Miliband yesterday) declaring that he regretted the FOI Act.

The population of England and Wales took a record leap upwards last year, official estimates showed yesterday. The number topped 55million  -  a rise of more than 400,000 on the 2008 figure. The 0.74 per cent rise was the highest percentage annual increase since the Sixties. It also meant that the population for the UK as a whole will have surpassed the 62million mark.

The latest population estimates published yesterday by the Office for National Statistics brought warnings from MPs and critics of immigration policy yesterday. Tory MP James Clappison said: ‘These are alarming and unsustainable figures which imply that a UK population of 70million will be reached sooner rather than later. The Government must address this issue as a matter of urgency, and bring the population under control by controlling immigration, which is the major driver of population growth.'

Sir Andrew Green, of the thinktank Migrationwatch, said: ‘This is yet more evidence that the population of England is growing at a completely unacceptable-rate, two-thirds of it due to immigration. It is time that the political parties came out of denial about population and took serious measures to get its growth down to a sensible level.'

Last year's 404,000 jump in the population of England and Wales is greater than that recorded in other recent years of fast growth. Until 2000, the annual rise was below 200,000. A spokesman for the Home Office said yesterday: ‘Introducing a limit on those from outside the European Union who come to work is one of the ways by which we will reduce net migration back to the levels of the 1990s, to the tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands. While it is necessary to attract the world's best talent to the UK, we need to balance the needs of business with the impacts and costs of migration.'

It was confirmed last week by the House of Commons Library that England has become the most crowded country in Europe, barring only Malta.

More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308190/Record-population-increase-biggest-Sixties.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0yNcyLnYg

Look out wildebeest, here come the cars. Tanzania's government plans to build a commercial road in the north of Serengeti National Park, cutting through the migratory route of 2 million wildebeest and zebra. The road would cut the animals off from their dry-season watering holes, causing the wildebeest population to dwindle to just a quarter of current levels, says the Frankfurt Zoological Society in Germany. It could also be a collision zone for humans and animals, leading to casualties on both sides, and there is a risk that transported livestock would spread disease, the society adds.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has written to Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete to voice its concerns. While praising Tanzania's commitment to conservation, noting that 38 per cent of its land is already protected, the IUCN recommends carrying out a full assessment of the road's environmental impact. Meanwhile, the African Wildlife Foundation is campaigning for the road's path to be altered so that it passes south of the park, avoiding the migration route.

Despite the ongoing campaign, the road is set to go ahead, with construction kicking off in 2012. In a recent speech, Kikwete said the best he could do was to leave the part of the road that crossed the migratory route unpaved.

More: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727763.800-road-to-cut-off-serengeti-migration-route.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=environment

When students return to the classroom at Bopolu Central High School this year, there will be something not seen at the school since it reopened after Liberia's long civil war: senior-class women. Marking a milestone for a school struggling with a gender gap, eight girls are expected among Bopolu's 24 seniors. While Bopolu's primary grades are more gender-balanced, school attendance falls sharply after the mandatory first six years of instruction, most drastically among young women. "I'm telling you that a single female has not graduated from this school," said John V. Lombeh, the vice principal for instruction. "The good thing is that we are proud to announce to you that we will be having our first batch of females graduating from secondary school this new academic year."

In a nation with Africa's only female president, Liberian girls are outpaced by boys in educational enrolment, retention and completion rates from the earliest grades through university. Nationally, for every 10 boys in primary school there are nine girls; for every 10 boys in high school, there are fewer than seven girls, and in some rural high schools like Bopolu, there are none at all. Only 18 percent of girls who make it to high school graduate, compared with 25 percent of boys.

Girls also have few role models in school. Just 12 percent of primary school teachers are women, and they account for five percent of junior high and three percent of high school educators, according to the Ministry of Education.

The Liberian government and international donors such as the UN children's agency, UNICEF, are trying to improve educational conditions and opportunities for girls through special learning opportunities and inducements. Female education is listed as a priority in the government's 2010 Education Sector Plan, with calls for erasing gender disparities within a decade.

More: http://allafrica.com/stories/201009010008.html

A global fund to help poorer countries switch to green industrial technology is vital in any new international pact to battle global warming, Switzerland's top climate change negotiator said on Wednesday. The official, Franz Perrez, was speaking at a news conference on the eve of a two-day gathering of environmental ministers and experts from some 45 countries to discuss how to reach agreement on a funding deal. "An agreement on viable long-term financing is one of the very important building blocks for a new convention to combat the challenge of climate change," said Perrez, whose country has organised the informal meeting together with Mexico. 

In December, Mexico is to host a new formal effort to clear the way for a convention. A United Nations summit in Copenhagen at the end of last year ended in serious disarray. Developing nations say billions of dollars are vital to help them start acting to slow global warming by shifting from fossil fuels, and to cope with challenges created by climate change ranging from droughts and floods to rising sea levels. Big emerging economies like China, India and Brazil say they should not be hog-tied by environmental rules unless the West - which they blame for global warming - helps pay the cost.

 It was agreed in Copenhagen that what Perrez dubbed a "fast-track" financing of some $30 billion was needed for the years 2010-2012 to create confidence, but the larger goal is to ensure by 2020 that $100 billion a year can be mobilized.

 Environment ministers hope for progress on financing when they gather in Cancun from November 29 to December 10, despite austerity programmes adopted by rich nations in the wake of the world economic and financial crisis of 2008-09.

More: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6803YP20100901?

Photo: Nomadic Communities Trust

In the remote and rural district of Samburu, northern Kenya, where paved roads are scarce and motorised transport hard to come by, reaching the mostly pastoralist and nomadic inhabitants with HIV/AIDS services requires an unusual approach.

John Lokolale, 21, a Samburu Moran (warrior), said he did not know what the word condom meant until recently. "Now I know a condom because I have seen it," he told IRIN/PlusNews. "These days, when I get a girl I tell her I will use a condom because I have a stock in my house. They brought it here with a camel, and I kept many for myself."

The Nomadic Communities Trust (NCT), a community-based health services organization, started using camels to reach the Samburu people with mobile clinics in 2006.  "We realized we had to be innovative ... and we looked around; we are glad camels have come in handy in [delivering] not only condoms but also drugs and other reproductive health services," said Rose Kimanzi, an NCT field coordinator.

The camel clinics offer family planning services, antenatal care, palliative care, HIV testing and condoms. NCT has trained 45 local people to provide information about HIV and condoms and they have so far reached more than 68,000 people. According to the 2007 Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey, Samburu district has an HIV prevalence of 6.1 percent, slightly lower than the national average of 7.4 percent. "When people come to places where we have set up camp they can receive all the services," said Kimanzi. "We have witnessed comparatively wide acceptance of condom use and family planning services."

More: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=90351

Right, moving on to the TUV. 2010 represented the first General election to be fought by Traditional Unionist Voice. How did they do?
A total of 26,300 votes over the 10 seats fought split:

North Antrim
Jim Allister – 7,114 (16.8%)
East Belfast
David Vance – 1,856 (5.4%)
North Down
Mary Kilpatrick – 1,634 (4.9%)
Strangford
Terry Williams – 1,814 (5.6%)
East Antrim
Samuel Morrison – 1,826 (6.0%)
East Derry / Londonderry
William Ross – 2,572 (7.4%)
Lagan Valley
Keith Harbinson – 3,154 (8.6%)
Mid Ulster
Walter Millar – 2,995 (7.3%)
South Down
Ivor McConnell – 1,506 (3.5%)
South Antrim
Melwyn Lucas – 1,829 (5.4%)

So three real categories:
1) Allister on 17%
2) Ross, Harbinson and Millar – 7-9%
3) The rest – 3.5-6.0%

The real disappointing outcome for the TUV is that a similar performance next year will not come close to a quota outside wherever Allister stands as the Category B base is just too small. Parodoxically a similar performance would seem to eliminate the prospect of a Nationalist First Minister as DUP would need to lose half a dozen or so seats before SF have a prospect of overtaking them. Two losses to the Alliance a possibility, boundary changes might mean another net 1 loss and 1 going to Allister should see Robinson returned...UCUNF next....
P.S. Entirely intuitively I suspect TUV candidates in West Tyrone and FST might do better than average in the Assembly elections.

No 10 says Hague enjoys PM's full support as foreign secretary says he wanted to 'put the record straight' about his sexuality

David Cameron declared his "100% support" for William Hague today, as the foreign secretary said he had decided to speak out about his private life because he could no longer put up with allegations about his sexuality.

Hague also received the backing of his local constituency party chair after issuing a statement yesterday in which he denied having had an "improper" relationship with his special adviser, Christopher Myers, who resigned as a result of the "pressure" put on his family due to the "untrue and malicious allegations" circulating on the internet.

At a press conference this morning with the German foreign minster, Guido Westerwelle, Hague refused to be drawn on his decision to appoint Myers, or respond to the suggestion that he had exercised "poor judgment" in sharing a hotel room with his assistant.

Downing Street said today that Hague enjoyed Cameron's full support, after the foreign secretary denied having had any relationships with men and revealed details about his wife's miscarriages to dispel rumours that he had made an "improper" appointment in hiring Myers.

Government sources stressed that the statement was Hague's idea and that it was fully supported by his wife. But Andy Coulson, the Downing Street director of communications, was said to have been heavily involved.

At the press conference, Hague said: "Yesterday, I made a very personal statement, which was not an easy thing to do. I am not going to expand on that today. My wife and I really felt we had had enough of the circulation of untrue allegations, particularly on the internet, and at some point you have to speak out about that and put the record straight."

Asked to comment on a claim made by fellow Tory MP, John Redwood, that he had exercised "poor judgment" in sharing a room with his assistant, Hague insisted that the work of the Foreign Office "has not missed a beat, and will not miss a beat, at any stage. I have not spent many minutes away from all duties of the foreign secretary."

Questioned about Myers's eligibility for the job, Hague claimed this had been covered in his statement of yesterday. However, that statement made no mention of why he had given Myers the job despite already having two special advisers.

There had been unease in Downing Street at Hague's judgment in appointing a 25-year-old graduate with little apparent expertise in foreign affairs.

But asked today whether Hague continued to have the support of Cameron, a spokeswoman for the prime minister said that he was not making any new statement on the issue but had given the foreign secretary his full backing throughout.

The spokeswoman said: "We have always given William our 100% support. That was the case yesterday and it is the case today.

"The prime minister totally understands why William made the statement he did and he backs him 100%."

Ed Balls, one of the candidates for Labour leader, sympathised with the Hagues, but said he did not think making the statement was the "wisest" way to respond to the internet rumours.

Balls said that together with his wife, shadow work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper, he had "put up with" smears and lies from rightwing blogs rather than respond publicly.

The shadow education secretary told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show: "I'm not sure whether going out and making a public statement in that detail is the wisest thing to do. I think it probably gives more credibility to some of these websites and to allegations which aren't true.

"I've no reason to think that there's anything other than complete integrity in what William Hague says and I feel sorry for him and for Ffion in going through this."

Hague's decision to issue a statement was described as "very brave" by Christopher Bourne-Arton, the chair of the Conservative Association in his North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond.

Bourne-Arton told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "Rumour has been created by somebody who makes a living out of blogging and has nothing better to do and so he had to nail it once and for all. The tragedy is that it was made necessary by this media feeding frenzy."

Hague confirmed yesterday that Myers had resigned as a result of the "pressure" put on his family due to the "untrue and malicious allegations made about him".

In his statement Hague said: "Any suggestion that his appointment was due to an improper relationship between us is utterly false, as is any suggestion that I have ever been involved in a relationship with any man."

Hague admitted to "occasionally" sharing hotel rooms with Myers during the election campaign.

But he added: "Neither of us would have done so if we had thought that it in any way meant or implied something else. In hindsight, I should have given greater consideration to what might have been made of that, but this is in itself no justification for allegations of this kind, which are untrue and deeply distressing to me, to Ffion and to Christopher."

Hague acknowledged that releasing the statement would cause "distress" for their families but insisted he had to reveal the "straightforward truth".

Myers was employed by Hague during the general election campaign as a constituency aide and had worked for the foreign secretary as a policy adviser on a salary reported to be £30,000.

Athol Fugard is right: too many playwrights are under pressure to give the audience a good night out

In Monday's Guardian, political playwright Athol Fugard voiced a concern that dramatists are "failing to confront issues of injustice, writing instead for attention spans of 10 minutes between adverts". Monday was also the first day of rehearsal for my play Ugly, which deals frankly with the issue of climate change - it's set in a future where food and water are scarce - and is the most political work I've ever done. So part of me wants to disagree with Fugard. Only, in my heart, I think he's got a point.

I don't think there is enough seriously engaged or oppositional theatre being made. But why does it feel so difficult to do political work when we're living through one of the most critical periods of human history? I suspect the answer may have something to do with a desire (of audiences and theatre-makers alike) to look for distraction rather than reflections of our frightening reality. And, I recognise an urge to self-censor, too. I found writing Ugly difficult because, while I've come to a point where I believe that the only way to confront climate change is to work for radical, systemic change, I'm fearful that by admitting this, I'll be closing my writing career down - that I'll be suspected of being too intense, and not a good laugh. I guess other writers may also sense the prevailing mood out there is: "Keep it light: if you must be informed, be ironic, and most importantly be non-committal about everything, other than the fact that paedophilia is evil." Writing Ugly became a battle against those self-censoring urges.

How to talk about issues without preaching? No audience wants to be handed a manifesto when they come to the theatre. But if political theatre doesn't produce some kind of action, what's the point? I had to remind myself that I don't have to have the answers: writing a play is about creating a drama, which in its unfolding makes space for questions. The stage is one of the few places left where it is still possible to inspire challenging and exciting conversation. Writing this play became about attempting to chew on some big questions, while hoping that I wouldn't choke during the process.

But isn't theatre about giving people a smashing night out? Shouldn't writers entertain? Is it possible to do that when you're writing a dark-as-night comedy about - among other things - a disgraced home economics teacher who survives by selling her body and her memories of the meals she once cooked, when food was not scarce? After a lot of soul-searching, I realised the answer is yes. The bar is not lower when we make political work, it is higher. Entertainment and engagement is my aim for Ugly. As for finding hope in all of this? I believe that lies with the audience. One of the things I love about working with Red Ladder theatre company is that their shows always have a forum for discussion after the performance. During these, I hope people will feel inspired to share their thoughts. I also hope that some will feel inspired enough to take those thoughts back into their lives and turn them into action. But, I have no interest in telling people what to do. For me, the show has done its job if it gets people thinking and discussing.

I think Athol Fugard has a good point, for all that he overlooks plenty of examples of provocative and political work. For writers and theatre companies everywhere, perhaps his words are a wake-up call. Not only do we need to do this work, but maybe we need to get better at letting people know about it.

Former prime minister issues statement explaining how he and his wife, Sarah, are to embark on a number of charitable projects

Gordon Brown today broke his silence to set out his plans for the future announcing that he is to embark on a number of charitable projects and will set up an Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown to coordinate his work, paid for by a string of lucrative speaking engagements.

In a move designed to rise above the furore surrounding the avalanche of criticisms contained in Tony Blair's memoirs, Brown issued a statement setting out his "priorities for the future" and how both he and his wife plan to contribute to public life in the future.

He confirmed he had spent the summer finalising his book on global economic affairs and visiting local schools, businesses and charities. He announced three new appointments: as convenor of the Global Campaign for Education working with Queen Rania of Jordan, working on a new programme to bring the internet to Africa and joining the board of Tim Berners Lee's World Wide Web Foundation.

 The statement said: "Each of these positions are pro bono and Mr Brown will not accept any remuneration.

 "He will continue to write on global issues, as he has been doing recently with articles on the desperate plight of those in Pakistan and Niger. 

"To facilitate their ongoing public policy work, the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown has been set up to employ a number of staff to work on the projects they are committed to. 

"Gordon and Sarah have always made clear they are determined to continue to make their contribution to public life and these latest initiatives are a sign of Gordon's priorities for the future."

A spokesman confirmed Brown has put his name on the books of the Washington Speeches Bureau in order to fund the salaries of his staff, which has been cleared by the advisory committee on business appointments.

The former prime minister wearing a poppy in Jonathan Yeo's portrait was no coincidence. It was the first step in a deliberate plan to influence his political legacy

In January 2008, a portrait of Tony Blair by Jonathan Yeo was unveiled in which the former prime minister wore a poppy. Reviewing it for the Guardian, I was skeptical about the notion that, somehow, the artist had subversively caught his subject off guard or conned him into wearing this unmistakable reminder of the wars that have bloodied his reputation. Blair is an experienced manipulator of his own image, I opined: if he wears a poppy it is because he wants it that way. Would Blair, I wondered, one day find the words to match this apparently guilt-stricken image?

Well, here come 700 pages of them. The quotations already published from his book, and the reactions to it, should remind us that Blair is one of the most virtuous - in Machiavelli's sense of the word, meaning effective - politicians of modern times. On the front page of yesterday's Daily Mail, a photograph homed in on Blair's eyes. Making them look icy, it seemed to unconsciously ape the "Demon Eyes" poster the Tories used against Blair in the 1997 election, in which he is portrayed with a gash cut through his face to reveal the devil within. The interesting thing about this visual echo is that the Tory campaign poster failed to damage Blair, back in the day.

Words and images match - the Mail front page headline attacking Blair's "crocodile tears" seems hysterical and forced. The fact is Blair, in the quotes published from his memoir underneath the picture, sounds like someone who knows the enormity of ordering soldiers to die in a war. They are dead and he is alive. He knows that. At least admit these are articulate words: "I feel words of condolence and sympathy to be entirely inadequate. They have died, and I, the decision-maker in the circumstances that led to their deaths, still live". Where is the comparable quote from Margaret Thatcher about the Falklands, from Lyndon B Johnson about Vietnam, or even from president Obama about Afghanistan?

I have no idea if Blair means these words, if his charitable gesture is sincere or tactical, if he really loses sleep, or if it makes a difference that he does. But Blair is remaking his own image faster than critics can deface it. I think you could already see, in Blair's decision to wear a poppy for his portrait two years ago, how he was going to get to grips with history.

Tony Blair's achievements may be undervalued in Britain, but his role in our independence makes him a political giant in Kosovo

"The king is dead, long live the king" is an expression about monarchy, but it rings true in modern democracy. Some in Britain appear to have forgotten that Tony Blair led their country on the world stage for 10 years and that moreover, that they gave him a large mandate to do so on three occasions. As the prime minister of Europe's youngest country, I have been fortunate in feeling the UK's unshaken support under the governments that have succeeded Blair, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron. But, on a personal basis, I cannot help feeling that Blair's own extraordinary energy and considerable achievements are now being undervalued at home.

Given the tremendous role that Blair played in helping my country forge its independence, I hope his book will not only bring a personal perspective to some important global events but remind people why they admired the man in the first place. Political power is not really aggrandising at all. There is something deeply humbling about public service and the trust that a nation places in the individuals it charges to lead. Blair knows this. Meanwhile, as Kosovo seeks to consolidate its position on the European stage, Tony Blair's conduct and commitment is a powerful example to me personally - and all of us in Kosovo owe him and British people a considerable debt.

Although we declared independence two years ago, it was only last month (22 July) that the international court of justice finally ratified Kosovo as a sovereign, independent state. The decisive 10 to four majority concluded that our declaration did not violate international law or UN security council resolution 1244, nor did it compromise the constitutional framework established by the UN to guide the interim stabilisation of Kosovo. Crucially, the court reaffirmed Kosovo's place in the international community, something which 69 countries have already recognised.

Since we need more recognitions to achieve our seat at the UN general assembly, I am calling on those states that have not yet done so to recognise Kosovo. I am grateful to the current British government for its constructive efforts in allowing Kosovo to take its place among other nations. In addition, Tony Blair is making similar representations to the same countries on our behalf.

Kosovans did not arrive at the decision to declare independence lightly, or by default through political vacuum. Indeed, as the ICJ acknowledged, the circumstances that led to Kosovo's declaration of independence were unique. The narrowness of the court's ruling on this issue should reassure any country reluctant to recognise Kosovo to date. Our declaration did not set a precedent, and any suggestions that the court's ruling opens a Pandora's box are wrong. Countries still opposing our sovereignty, typically because of secessionist concerns within their own borders, should accept this.

Today's Serbian government has a different complexion from the one that terrorised my people 11 years ago. All the same, some influential elements within it are still trying to pick holes in the ICJ's decision, hoping to open another UN general assembly resolution to contest Kosovo's status. The legal question about Kosovo's independence was asked and the court's answer was unambiguous. The Serbian government may not have liked the answer it received from the court, but if it maintains aspirations of its own to be part of the greater European family, it must surely accept the rule of law.

Frankly, Kosovars see the ruling as an opportunity to put the past behind us and move forward with all the countries of the Balkans, including Serbia, towards true Euro-Atlantic integration. My country looks forward to working with Serbia and discussing practical issues that would improve the lives of all of our citizens. We are neighbours and we face common challenges. Our police forces must work together to combat the ravages of international crime. Our two countries need to co-operate on practical issues such as energy, telecommunications, and education. We have a common interest in working together to identify the fate of missing persons - both Albanian and Serb - from the sad period of the war we both experienced.

Our Serbian neighbours may not recognise Kosovo's independence just yet, but co-operation between the two independent states is inevitable. Meanwhile Kosovo will continue to build on the firm foundations it has laid since 2008. We will complete implementation of the Ahtisaari plan - now enshrined in our new constitution - with its far-reaching guarantees for a secular society that protects the rights of members of all ethnic groups in Kosovo, including Serbs. We will continue to strengthen our democratic institutions and we will take the decisions necessary to promote long-term, private sector-led economic growth.

There is much to do, but Kosovo is already open for investment, business and tourism. As Tony Blair declared in his speech to our parliament in July: "There is a dream for you now. That one day, Kosovo takes its place as a member of the European Union, a proud independent state, not just directing its own affairs, but playing its part in those of the largest political and commercial union in the world."

Yes, Kosovo will continue the reforms necessary to secure its rightful place in the UN, in Nato and the EU, and we are delighted that Mr Blair continues to champion our cause. His role in Kosovo's history will be recognised as an important example in a great legacy. Kosovo has honoured him with the Golden Medal of Freedom, and Kosovans will forever remember him as one of their heroes.

Polly Curtis explains the role of the confidants and spinners at the heart of government

Industrial action on London Underground to start on 6 September in protest against plans to cut 800 jobs

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by London Underground workers from next week have broken down and the industrial action will go ahead as planned, union leaders said today.

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said LU had failed to remove the threat of cuts to safety and safe staffing levels that would have allowed "meaningful discussions" to take place.

Thousands of Tube staff are due to launch the walkouts from next Monday evening, 6 September, in protest against plans to cut 800 jobs, threatening travel chaos in the capital.

The RMT accused LU management of "sabotaging" talks today at the conciliation service Acas with officials from the union, and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association.

The RMT's general secretary, Bob Crow, said: "LU management knew very well that meaningful talks could not proceed while the threat of cuts to safety and safe staffing levels hung over our members' heads - their failure to remove that threat sabotaged any prospect of making progress.

"RMT and TSSA negotiators completely demolished the LU line that the cuts are simply about new technology and the Oyster card. The planned cuts are part of a multibillion black hole facing the mayor due to the costs of the failure of Tube privatisation and an attack on funding levels from the ConDem government.

"Not only are ticket offices and ticket staff jobs threatened but hundreds of other station staff posts are also on the line. It was the presence of those very staff that averted potential disaster in recent incidents involving fires at Euston and Oxford Circus.

"RMT and TSSA have been presented with a stark choice. We could sit back and wait for a major disaster while safety cuts are bulldozed through, turning the Tube into a death trap, or we can stand up and fight for passenger and staff safety.

"On Monday we will be making a stand on safety and safe staffing levels on behalf of all Londoners."

Myers was appointed on 24 May but the official list naming all special advisers and their salary brackets did not include his name when it was published on 10 June

Downing Street failed to include the aide who has been at the centre of the row over William Hague's private life when it published an official list of special advisers in June designed to demonstrate how the coalition was cutting back on political appointments.

Hague's office today confirmed that Myers, who yesterday quit citing the pressure of speculation surrounding the nature of his relationship with the foreign secretary, was appointed on 24 May. But the official list naming all special advisers and their salary brackets did not include Myers when it was published on 10 June.

The cabinet office said that Myers's name was not included because although he had been appointed, he had not started the job by 10 June.

Hague spoke out as David Cameron's office confirmed that the prime minister had full confidence in his foreign secretary. Hague said he had made yesterday's "very personal statement", in which he denied allegations that he was gay, that his marriage was in trouble and that he was romantically linked to Myers, in order to end the speculation over his private life.

The statement also revealed that he and his wife Ffion had suffered a series of miscarriages. However, that statement - including the admission that he and Myers had shared twin bedrooms during the election campaign - drew new criticisms from Tory colleagues who questioned his judgment.

Hague told a Foreign Office press conference today: "Yesterday, I made a very personal statement, which was not an easy thing to do. I am not going to expand on that today. My wife and I really felt we had had enough of the circulation of untrue allegations, particularly on the internet, and at some point you have to speak out about that and put the record straight."

Asked about his colleague John Redwood's suggestion that Hague himself now acknowledged he had exercised "poor judgment" in sharing a room with his assistant, Hague said that his work "has not missed a beat, and will not miss a beat, at any stage. I have not spent many minutes away from all duties of the foreign secretary."

Lord Tebbit, the former Tory minister, said that Hague had been "naive at best, foolish at worst".

Redwood wrote on his blog: "His [Hague's] statement confirms that he has shared hotel rooms with a young male assistant, and argues that this assistant was well qualified to become a special adviser to the Foreign Office. Mr Hague has now accepted the resignation of this special adviser, Mr Myers. Mr Hague tells us he did not have an inappropriate relationship with this young man.

"Let us hope this is now an end to the matter. Mr Hague himself now seems to believe that it was poor judgement to share a hotel room with an assistant."

Hague was forced to issue yesterday's extraordinarily personal and detailed statement yesterday under mounting pressure from reports in political blogs and investigations by newspapers over the past few weeks speculating about the appointment of the 25-year old graduate.

More problems with the general election administration have come to light in Wolverhampton South West, with the news that one of the marked registers has gone missing. An investigation is already taking place into a mismatch between the number of ballot papers counted and the number issued, with more having been recorded as counted than were officially issued.

The latest news has been reported by the Wolverhampton Express & Star:

A register containing the names and addresses of hundreds of Wolverhampton voters has gone missing...

It contains names and addresses of up to 500 voters along with a mark to say whether or not they received a ballot paper.
Park ward falls in the same Wolverhampton South West constituency, where it appears more than 200 extra people voted than ballot papers were issued.

That discrepancy is still unexplained more than three months since the elections. It emerged today the register was revealed to be missing after Liberal Democrat campaigners asked to inspect it.

Colin Ross, the Lib Dem candidate in Wolverhampton North East, said: "We asked to see it so we could get a picture of which areas had voted.

"I am not suggesting that it is connected with the discrepancy in the number of votes compared to ballot papers, but I am concerned that it is missing and would like it to be found as soon as possible."

Although marked registers should provide an important safeguard against electoral fraud and the law lays down specific rules for their safekeeping, the 2005 general election saw many marked register problems and during the last Parliament the complete Glentrothes by-election marked register went missing. For more on both of those see my post from 2009.

More problems with the general election administration have come to light in Wolverhampton South West, with the news that one of the marked registers has gone missing. An investigation is already taking place into a mismatch between the number of ballot papers counted and the number issued, with more having been recorded as counted than were officially issued.

The latest news has been reported by the Wolverhampton Express & Star:

A register containing the names and addresses of hundreds of Wolverhampton voters has gone missing...

It contains names and addresses of up to 500 voters along with a mark to say whether or not they received a ballot paper.
Park ward falls in the same Wolverhampton South West constituency, where it appears more than 200 extra people voted than ballot papers were issued.

That discrepancy is still unexplained more than three months since the elections. It emerged today the register was revealed to be missing after Liberal Democrat campaigners asked to inspect it.

Colin Ross, the Lib Dem candidate in Wolverhampton North East, said: "We asked to see it so we could get a picture of which areas had voted.

"I am not suggesting that it is connected with the discrepancy in the number of votes compared to ballot papers, but I am concerned that it is missing and would like it to be found as soon as possible."

Although marked registers should provide an important safeguard against electoral fraud and the law lays down specific rules for their safekeeping, the 2005 general election saw many marked register problems and during the last Parliament the complete Glentrothes by-election marked register went missing. For more on both of those see my post from 2009.

THE council is working in partnership with Shoreline Housing Partnership and The Freemen of Grimsby in finalising a plan for the regeneration of Freeman Street. 

A Neighbourhood Development Framework, providing exciting plans for the area is currently out to consultation. 

The framework identifies four projects that will kickstart the overall regeneration. These are the development of the Freeman Street district shopping centre, the creation of a public park, housing renewal around Thesiger Street and a Freeman Street Business and Enterprise Zone. 

Discussions will soon be taking place with the partners and the Homes and Communities Agency to look at funding opportunities for these and the wider future regeneration of Freeman Street. 

Councillor Geoff Lowis, portfolio holder for regeneration and housing said: "This is a very exciting time, we are confident that that we will soon see the start of what will be a long term, but worthwhile, project. The regeneration of Freeman Street is a main priority for North East Lincolnshire Council and our partners. We hope the gradual transformation will make the borough a better place to live, invest, work and visit."

There is not much that would bring me to feel sympathy with a professional Conservative. However the treatment of 25-year-old Christopher Myers – who this week resigned from his post as special adviser to William Hague – has been utterly appalling.

To cut a long story short, the delightful Guido Fawkes set off a huge wave of gossip when he posted some innuendo-stuffed articles querying Myers' qualifications post for his special adviser post. Initially he said it was odd that Durham Graduate Myers "should go from driving William Hague (49) around his constituency during elections, where according to the Mirror, "although he never worked at Tory HQ in London... they became close during campaigns", to become his third Special Adviser at the Foreign Office." Above he posted a picture of his FOI request asking, amongst other things, whether Myers had joined Hague on any foreign trips involving "overnight stays.

Next he explicitly mentioned that Myers was young and gay before deliver the killer punch: that Hague and Myers had "at least once".... shared a twin hotel room. Iain Dale has done a fairly good job of illustrating how ridiculous all this speculation was. Yet the frenzied atmosphere was such that Myers felt compelled to resign, (understandably) citing pressures on his family. Hague, meanwhile, released a deeply personal statement discussing his longstanding marriage, and categorically denying any relationship with Myers.

It seems clear that this frenzied atmosphere – with which Myers felt unable to cope – was drenched in homophobia. It is difficult to imagine such flimsy speculation creating such a stir, had it not tapped into the widespread misconception that gay men carry an air of salciousness and impropreity wherever they go. Or to put it very bluntly, this wouldn't have mattered if more people fully understood that a gay man can share a room with another male without fucking him.

What is dissapointing, then, is how reticent the Tory party have been about defending one of their own in the face of such homophobic crap. William Hague released a statement in which he stood his ground impressively. On the subject of Myers he defended his right to a private life. But nothing more. No assertion that it is OK to be young, gay and involved in high politics. No condemnation of homophobia. Not even the use of the word gay. Todays statement from number 10 follows the same form.

But what is most disconcerting is the number of people who seem to be backing Hague, while saying that it was naive or ill-judged to share a hotel room with Myers. This line has beeen taken by a number of unnamed Tory sources along with John Redwood Since it is perfectly normal for (straight) men to occasionally end u sharing sleeping quarters with other men, such criticism effectively asserts that young gay men should be treated as social lepers, that intimacy and proximity with them should be limited to avoid giving off the "wrong idea".

By accepting the resignation of Myers, and by failing to properly speak up for his right to be gay the Tory Party have sent out a grim message to young gay men who have aspirations of getting involved in politics.

My opinion of Cruddas has gone thru the floor, with his backing D.Miliband. Thank heavens Cruddas didn't stand for the Labour leadership himself: with such poor judgement, he wld have made a terrible Leader, evidently!
Cruddas says he is backing DM because of some warm words DM has uttered concerning communitarianism. Well, I'm a communitarian too - but that is no reason to prefer DM to the only two remotely leftish and greenish candidates in the race, namely EM and Abbott.

For all things Rupert, goto
www.rupertread.net

Helloo there lovely peeps! It's nice to be back writing again, hope you've had a really great summer and managed to enjoy at least a few rays of sun.

Life for me has been very manic, lots of music (yay) and lots and lots of travelling around (not so yay lol). I've been to Germany, Bristol, back to Germany again (lol), then it's been Woking, Oxford, Bristol, Plymouth, Witney, Cheltenham, Bath, Bournemouth, Brixham, Bath (outside in the pouring rain!!), Newton Abbot, Bristol and Honiton... phew!

As many peeps who know me know I love being so busy, especially with oodles of lovely musical type stuff. I'm one of these odd creatures that get a real buzz out of playing one venue, having about two hours sleep and then whizzing off to the next musical adventure. Having not much sleep would usually make me pretty cranky, but for musical purposes it's perfectly fine with me.

Doing so much travelling has also allowed me to do lots of thinking, which with me is not necessarily a good thing! I'm one of these peeps who's a real worrier. I worry about the craziest of things. If I've nothing to worry about then I'm worried. And yes, it is as annoying as it sounds.

So during my travels I was pondering about all sorts of things. But there was one major thing that was playing on my mind more than usual - and that was the question, am I really good enough? It's something that I've never properly thought about before, because I've always been so driven by my love and passion for music that I've not stopped too long to think about it.

I'm really proud of everything I've managed to achieve over the years and I'm also so grateful for all the amazing peeps I've met along the way. But how do you know when you're good enough? I learnt long ago that music is a never-ending journey and a very steep learning curve that you will never, ever reach the end of. Sounds slightly depressing, but I actually find it a real positive thing as there will *always* be new lessons to learn and new musical stuff to play!

‘But are you good enough?' My mind kept asking. ‘How do you know you're good enough? Hmm??' Actually, I'm not too sure now I think about. What if I'd become so driven by my passion and love for the process of doing and playing music that I'd not actually stopped to think about whether what I was doing was any good or not? It appeared my mind had opened up a whole fresh can of stupid scary thoughts and was having lots of fun emptying the entire contents out me. Bugger.

About a week or so went by and I still couldn't come up with a suitable answer to my question. ‘Just because I am' didn't seem like a good enough response to put my mind at rest. So I carried on my day-to-day stuff, hoping that I'd either find the answer or that the question would just fade away and I'd find something far more constructive to think about... sadly neither happened.

Just at the point where I thought my poor little head would explode off my shoulders, I had a gig with Nicky Swann in Plymouth. The venue where we played was really lovely and we had lots of fun. Even though I was talking and playing and drinking the question was still lurking in the back of my mind and it really did seem like nothing at all was going to make it go away.

At the end of the night we packed up all our things and loaded up ready to depart. Nicky and I were walking up the hill towards the car, chatting about various episodes of TV programs when from out of the blue this very very (very!) drunk woman grabbed my arm and said, ‘I heard what you were saying, about not being good enough!' After I'd got over the shock of being grabbed by some crazy drunk lady in the dark I just laughed as I could see she was a bit worse for wear (to say the very least).

She released her grip around my arm and began to point like her life depended on it. ‘You don't think you're good enough do you?' She then wobbled about a bit and continued, ‘Stop thinking you're not good enough because you're amazing at what you do.' Then the reality of what she was saying suddenly hit home. ‘Holy crap,' I thought, how on earth could this apparently bonkers and hammered woman know so much?

I just starred in amazement that she seemed to know what was playing in my mind. ‘You need to let go of the fear and stop worrying about whether you're good enough or not,' she carried on, still struggling to keep upright. ‘You're a star and if you let go of you're fear and just focus on your passion for what you do you'll really go far.'

I thought it only fair to help her get back to her flat, which luckily was only a few steps away (but for her I think it seemed like a few miles!). I thanked her for all she had said, but she was so pissed I don't think she'll remember any of it, hey ho.

When I got home I just sat on the sofa trying, with my mug of tea, trying to understand what had just happened. Most of the people I told this story to just said ‘oh she's just some crazy old pissed bird, don't take any notice of her!' But to be so accurate was very bizarre.

So thanks to the crazy drunken lady from Plymouth I was able to finally answer this question that had been bugging me for days on end. For me the answer is not to wonder about whether you're good enough, but to just focus on being the very best you can and to always know you can do anything you put your mind to. But I think the most important thing is to let everyone else make their own minds up as to whether you're good enough or not, don't try and guess for them - otherwise you'll end up like me and have a stupid question whizzing round you're brain for days on end.

And let's face it, there's far more important thing to do... like sitting out in this lovely sunshine. Which is exactly what I'm going to do now See ya next week!

Good news for Scotland:

The bank has told staff that up to 12 offices could close in England, with some jobs added in Greenock and Edinburgh.

The centres set for closure or downsizing in 2011 are Leeds, Bolton, Enfield and Harrogate.

The following year, Norwich, Bradford, Telford, Plymouth, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Bristol and Borehamwood have been earmarked.

The Leicester, Southampton and Nottingham centres are under review.

The English taxpayer owns the majority stake in Royal Bank of Scotland.

Press Complaints Commission confirms it was told two months ago that journalist was under investigation over new claim

The News of the World is facing a fresh allegation of phone hacking against one of its journalists, the Press Complaints Commission confirmed today.

The commission was informed by the paper just over two months ago about the allegation, and the journalist involved has been "suspended from reporting duties".

Stephen Abell, the PCC director, confirmed today that the press regulator was informed in by the paper in June "of the existence of the recent allegation of phone-message hacking against the reporter". Abell said that the PCC was prevented from launching its own investigation because the allegation was "the subject of legal action".

The new claim was revealed late yesterday in a New York Times article on the News of the World phone-hacking affair. The paper reported that the News of the World was conducting a new phone-hacking investigation and had suspended a reporter, after a "television personality" had been alerted by her phone company to a "possible unauthorised attempt to access her voicemail" and the number was traced back to a journalist at the paper.

Bill Akass, the News of the World managing editor, confirmed in a response to the New York Times that an internal investigation was under way and that a journalist had been "suspended from reporting duties".

It is understood that the News of the World was first made aware of the phone-hacking claim around Easter this year and that the internal investigation is ongoing.

"A serious allegation has been made about the conduct of one of our reporters. We have followed our internal procedures and the reporter has been suspended from reporting duties, and a very thorough and extensive investigation carried out into that allegation (involving, for example, external forensic specialists)," Akass said.

"The allegation is the subject of litigation and our internal investigation continues in tandem with that, which means I am unable to comment further. If the conclusion of the investigation or the litigation is that the allegation is proven, the reporter will be dismissed for gross misconduct without compensation.

"We have a zero-tolerance approach to any wrong-doing and will take swift and decisive action if we have proof of any wrong-doing."

Abell said: "The PCC was informed by the News of the World in June of the existence of the recent allegation of phone message hacking against the reporter. This is currently the subject of legal action, which has prevented the PCC from becoming formally involved at this stage.

"However, once the legal action has been concluded, the commission will consider the matter further. It was right that the News of the World disclosed the existence of this claim to the PCC, and we will address the issues when it is possible for us to do so. The PCC has made publicly clear on a number of occasions that phone message hacking is deplorable and that view - of course - remains."

The News of the World's editor, Colin Myler told the Commons culture select committee last year that he had introduced new procedures to avoid a repeat of this behaviour. Myler became editor in 2007, when Andy Coulson resigned over the Clive Goodman phone-hacking affair.

Myler told the committee that all staff were ordered to follow the PCC code of conduct and warned that failure to comply could result in disciplinary proceedings. Stricter controls on cash payments and sources were also introduced and all staff had to attend workshops on the PCC code, he added.

The committee called several current and former executives from the News of the World's publisher, News International, including Coulson, last year as part of its inquiry into privacy, press standards and libel.

This fresh round of hearings was prompted by the Guardian's revelation that News International had paid £700,000 to settle a breach of privacy claim from Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, after a private investigator working for the News of the World hacked into his phone.

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Downing Street and Cabinet Office unable to explain omission of man at centre of allegations over foreign secretary's private life

Downing Street failed to include the aide who has been at the centre of the row over William Hague's private life when it published an official list of special advisers in June designed to demonstrate how the coalition was cutting back on political appointments.

Hague's office today confirmed that Myers, who yesterday quit citing the pressure of speculation surrounding the nature of his relationship with the foreign secretary, was appointed on 24 May. But the official list naming all special advisers and their salary brackets did not include Myers when it was published on 10 June.

The disclosure that his name was not included will raise new questions about whether his appointment was official, or whether the list, hailed as a sign that the coalition was cracking down on spin in government, was incomplete. Downing Street and the Cabinet Office could not immediately explain the omission.

Hague spoke out as David Cameron's office confirmed that the prime minister had full confidence in his foreign secretary. Hague said he had made yesterday's "very personal statement", in which he denied allegations that he was gay, that his marriage was in trouble and that he was romantically linked to Myers, in order to end the speculation over his private life.

The statement also revealed that he and his wife Ffion had suffered a series of miscarriages. However, that statement - including the admission that he and Myers had shared twin bedrooms during the election campaign - drew new criticisms from Tory colleagues who questioned his judgment.

Hague told a Foreign Office press conference today: "Yesterday, I made a very personal statement, which was not an easy thing to do. I am not going to expand on that today. My wife and I really felt we had had enough of the circulation of untrue allegations, particularly on the internet, and at some point you have to speak out about that and put the record straight."

Asked about his colleague John Redwood's suggestion that Hague himself now acknowledged he had exercised "poor judgment" in sharing a room with his assistant, Hague said that his work "has not missed a beat, and will not miss a beat, at any stage. I have not spent many minutes away from all duties of the foreign secretary."

Lord Tebbit, the former Tory minister, said that Hague had been "naive at best, foolish at worst".

Redwood wrote on his blog: "His [Hague's] statement confirms that he has shared hotel rooms with a young male assistant, and argues that this assistant was well qualified to become a special adviser to the Foreign Office. Mr Hague has now accepted the resignation of this special adviser, Mr Myers. Mr Hague tells us he did not have an inappropriate relationship with this young man.

"Let us hope this is now an end to the matter. Mr Hague himself now seems to believe that it was poor judgement to share a hotel room with an assistant."

Hague was forced to issue yesterday's extraordinarily personal and detailed statement yesterday under mounting pressure from reports in political blogs and investigations by newspapers over the past few weeks speculating about the appointment of the 25-year old graduate.

The Scottish government wants to set a 45p-a-unit minimum price for alcohol. Is this the way to tackle excessive drinking?

How much should you pay to drink a little too much? The Scottish government has just proposed a minimum price of 45p for one alcohol unit in an effort to curb excessive alcohol consumption.

The move is the latest in an attempt to tackle Scotland's dangerous levels of drinking: a study in January found that adults in Scotland were drinking the equivalent of 46 bottles of vodka a year each, 25% more than people in Wales or England. The government claims that the plan would save the Scottish NHS £5.5m every year.

Opposition parties at Holyrood have criticised the proposal, saying that it would unfairly affect responsible drinkers. What do you think? Would increasing the price of alcohol make you less likely to drink? Is this an appropriate job for government? And why does Britain - and especially Scotland - have a problem with excessive drinking in the first place?

Former Tory leadership contender who fell out with foreign secretary over Welsh language row becomes most senior Tory to speak out about Hague's current troubles

John Redwood, the former cabinet minister and failed Tory leadership contender, became the most senior Conservative to criticise William Hague today.

On his blog, which usually covers weighty economic matters, Redwood said Hague had shown "poor judgment" in sharing a hotel room with his former special adviser, Christopher Myers.

This is what Redwood wrote:

His statement confirms that he has shared hotel rooms with a young male assistant, and argues that this assistant was well qualified to become a special adviser to the Foreign Office. Mr Hague has now accepted the resignation of this special adviser, Mr Myers. Mr Hague tells us he did not have an inappropriate relationship with this young man.

Let us hope this is now an end to the matter. Mr Hague himself now seems to believe that it was poor judgement to share a hotel room with an assistant.

Redwood then returns to high policy matters as he concludes his blog saying that the "bigger issue of judgment" for Hague is how he handles the EU.

How does he intend to win over Euroceptics to his tenure at the Foreign Office?

Redwood is reflecting the widespread feeling in the Tory party that Hague once again made an error of judgment when he appointed a 25 year old with little knowledge of foreign affairs as a special adviser.

But there is history here. Hague replaced Redwood as Welsh secretary in 1995 when the latter resigned from the cabinet to challenge John Major for the Tory leadership after the former prime minister's "put up or shut up" challenge to the Eurosceptic right.

Redwood's worst moment as Welsh secretary came when he was filmed struggling to keep up with the Welsh national anthem. The footage emerged during the 1995 the leadership contest.

Here it is in its full glory:

Hague made sure that he was not caught out in the same way. He took Welsh lessons with a bright young civil servant, Ffion Jenkins. She is now his wife.