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."

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.

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.

]]> http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/if-new-labour-is-dead-what-replaces-it/ http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/in-2010-tony-blair-was-so-unpopular-that/ 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.

]]> http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/in-2010-tony-blair-was-so-unpopular-that/ http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/how-much-tony-blair-hated-the-left-and-labour-party/ 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".

]]> http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/how-much-tony-blair-hated-the-left-and-labour-party/ http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/tom-watson-declares-second-pref-for-ed-miliband/ 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.

]]> http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/tom-watson-declares-second-pref-for-ed-miliband/ http://millenniumelephant.blogspot.com/2010/09/day-3532-finally-some-recognition.html http://millenniumelephant.blogspot.com/2010/09/day-3532-finally-some-recognition.html http://norfolkblogger.blogspot.com/2010/09/camerons-judgement-and-coulson.html http://norfolkblogger.blogspot.com/2010/09/camerons-judgement-and-coulson.html http://lansonboy.blogspot.com/2010/09/up-to-number-5-in-total-politics-blog.html http://lansonboy.blogspot.com/2010/09/up-to-number-5-in-total-politics-blog.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinkDog/~3/DkJvi36_Z4Q/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinkDog/~3/DkJvi36_Z4Q/ http://neilbradbury.blogspot.com/2010/09/is-labour-thick-or-misleading.html http://neilbradbury.blogspot.com/2010/09/is-labour-thick-or-misleading.html http://davesmithson.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/knowsley-block-conference-costs-question/ http://davesmithson.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/knowsley-block-conference-costs-question/ http://www.libdemvoice.org/nick-clegg-writes-about-his-visit-to-afghanistan-and-pakistan-20968.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/nick-clegg-writes-about-his-visit-to-afghanistan-and-pakistan-20968.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Liberalsmithyblogspotcom/~3/fWRVwlnTAU4/vettels-antics-all-but-cost-him-another.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Liberalsmithyblogspotcom/~3/fWRVwlnTAU4/vettels-antics-all-but-cost-him-another.html http://cameronrose.blogspot.com/2010/09/front-gardens-annual-awards.html http://cameronrose.blogspot.com/2010/09/front-gardens-annual-awards.html http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2843 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

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2843 http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2842 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

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2842 http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2841 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

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2841 http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2840 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?

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2840 http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2839 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

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2839 http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2838

The old stereotype of the gold-digging hussy who gets pregnant to trap a man into marriage seems to have faded, probably because women are not as economically dependent on men as they once were. But that's not to say that pregnancy is no longer being wielded as a weapon: researchers who work in family planning and with victims of domestic violence say it is women who are now being threatened with pregnancy by their partners.

Reproductive coercion, as it's known, takes several forms. Partners may verbally or physically threaten women if they use birth control or seek abortions, or they may throw away or damage birth control and remove condoms during sex. It usually takes place within an already abusive relationship, especially those that are emotionally abusive.

"It's another way a male partner tries to control a female partner," says Elizabeth Miller, associate professor of pediatrics at the U.C. Davis School of Medicine, who has led much of what little research there is on the issue. "Women say their partner tells them he wants to leave a legacy or have them in his life forever."

In a study Miller published in January, involving about 1,300 female patients ages 16 to 29 at family-planning clinics in Northern California, about a third of those who reported being in violent relationships said they had experienced reproductive coercion. But while the problem seems to be most acute among the young, it isn't exclusively so. In a study Miller co-authored in April, as many as 75% of women between the ages of 18 and 49 who had a history of being in an abusive relationship also reported some form of reproductive coercion.

More: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2014901,00.html#ixzz0yNVZtvRB

]]> http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/?p=2838 http://pauledie.blogspot.com/2010/09/blair-gets-his-retaliation-in-first.html
Their publication comes in the week that Chris Mullins  latest set of diaries are serialized on Radio 4. Mullin's diaries are really interesting and very well written. He wrote "A very British Coup" in the 1980's so can turn a phrase  and has an eye for a plot.

Prime Minister,Churchill excepted, rarely make good diarists. Churchills "My Early Years" is a rip roaring read I would recommend to anyone and has an account of his involvement in the last British cavalry charge  at Omdurman.

Great political diarists  like Chips Channon, Dick Crossman or Alan Clark have usually been bit part players in government but who have all had the ability to capture the essence of an age and explain that to the wider public. PM's rarely have that ability or the objectivity.

I am  sure Brown will  feel obliged to put his case before the public in due course. I recall Roy Jenkins, a statesman who really could write, saying that he felt sure that Gordon Brown would be Prime Minister but that he shouldn't want to be. Every time a PM from the same party takes over from some one who has been in a long time it is a disaster usually for their party and often for the country. Brown thus  joins the list of failed PM's of  Major, Callaghan, Douglas Home, Eden, Chamberlain, Balfour and Roseberry. Lloyd George was competent enough but fatally split the Liberal Party! 

]]> http://pauledie.blogspot.com/2010/09/blair-gets-his-retaliation-in-first.html http://mole45.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/from-my-good-friend-cllr-w/ ]]> http://mole45.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/from-my-good-friend-cllr-w/ http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2010/09/threat-to-seed-banks-local-company-goes.html http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2010/09/threat-to-seed-banks-local-company-goes.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-11159793 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-11159793 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-wales-11165118 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-wales-11165118 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-11165381 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-11165381 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/bUee/~3/7dlEiy-STno/todays-non-story_02.html

A new study suggests that, when given a choice older people prefer to read negative news, rather than positive news, about young adults. In fact, older readers who chose to read negative stories about the young actually get a small boost in their self-esteem, according to the results.

Lead author of the study at Ohio State University, Professor Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick (what a mouthful) said younger people, who are less certain about their own identity, prefer to read about other younger people to see how they live their lives. Older people have greater certainty regarding their identity. The Professor conducted the study with Matthias Hastall of Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen in Germany.

Results showed that younger people showed no differences in self-esteem based on what they had read while the more that older people read negative stories about younger individuals, the higher the older person's level of self-esteem tended to be.

What a lot of erm... drivel, although it does make me wonder if a few hip flasks were involved the day the 98 older adults (aged 50 to 65) went to the computer laboratory for the test. You may be interested in 'destination amnesia' though. It often happens to me these days.

source

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/bUee/~3/7dlEiy-STno/todays-non-story_02.html http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/independent-has-rupert-murdochs-paywall-gamble-paid-off/ http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/independent-has-rupert-murdochs-paywall-gamble-paid-off/ http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/the-british-tabloid-phone-hacking-scandal/ http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/the-british-tabloid-phone-hacking-scandal/ http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/rory-brown-the-michaelmas-itch-%e2%80%93-and-a-new-beginning-in-business-media/ http://www.martinstabe.com/2010/09/02/rory-brown-the-michaelmas-itch-%e2%80%93-and-a-new-beginning-in-business-media/ http://sluggerotoole.com/2010/09/02/general-election-2010-the-tuv/ 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.

]]> http://sluggerotoole.com/2010/09/02/general-election-2010-the-tuv/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-draw-line-controversy-special-adviser

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.

• William Hague
• Conservatives

Hélène Mulholland

Nicholas Watt

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-draw-line-controversy-special-adviser http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2010/sep/02/playwrights-political

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.

• Theatre

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2010/sep/02/playwrights-political http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/gordon-brown-announces-priorities-future

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.

• Gordon Brown

Polly Curtis

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/gordon-brown-announces-priorities-future http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2010/sep/02/tony-blair-remaking-image

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.

• Art
• Tony Blair

Jonathan Jones

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2010/sep/02/tony-blair-remaking-image http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/02/kosovans-blair-true-hero

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.

• Kosovo
• Serbia
• Tony Blair
• United Nations

Hashim Thaçi

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/02/kosovans-blair-true-hero http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/ministerial-special-advisers

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

What is a special adviser?
The so-called spad is a minister's principal political confidant, advising, liaising and most famously spinning the party view. When you read in the newspaper comments by an "aide" to a minister or "sources close to the minister", that's usually the spad talking.

What do they do?
They hold a special role in government: like civil servants they are paid by the taxpayer and employed on similar contracts but they are exempt from the mandarin's requirement to be politically neutral. The official code of conduct for special advisers adopts legalistic terms to describe their key role as "devilling", or squirrelling away at all government policy and communications to ensure it toes the appropriate political line.

How many spads do ministers have and how much do they earn?
With the exception of the prime minister and his deputy, cabinet ministers generally have just two spads each. Additional spads may be authorised for ministers with additional responsibilities - Myers was justified because of Hague's role as first secretary of state (though his responsibilities spanned his connections with the north of England, the UK's overseas territories such as the Falklands, human rights, Africa, embassies, the UK Border Agency and parliamentary relations). David Cameron approves the appointment of every special adviser and promised to have fewer than the last government. In June the Tories published an official list of the 63 government spads and their salaries. In his biography, Tony Blair admits to having accumulated 70 at one point - "considered by some to be a bit of a constitutional outrage", he adds.

How much do they earn?
Andy Coulson, the Downing Street communications chief, earns around £140,000 - controversial only because he reportedly earned £400,000 at the News of the World. In the most dominant government departments - Treasury, Ministry of Defence and Home Office - they typically earn around £60,000 but in smaller departments the salary is between £40,000 and £50,000. Myers's reported £30,000 salary is relatively low - only one other spad in Whitehall earns below the £40,000 mark.

How are they appointed?
There is no merit-based process. Ministers can simply choose who they feel is best for the job - the only proviso being that the prime minister must approve the appointment. In the civil service nearly all appointments must follow an open competition, with only a very few exceptions where it can be argued that there is no one else fit for the job. Civil servants must not engage with any political activity that could be interpreted as compromising their independence and must promise to act impartially. Spads must wear their politics on their sleeves but cannot override advice from officials that they don't find palatable.

What is the career path of a spad?
Straight to the top. Four of the five Labour leadership hopefuls were special advisers. If one of the four wins the race then all three party leaders will have been political advisers at some point in their career. The main complaint about the rise of the spad is that it is now seen as the predominant route into politics, meaning ever fewer new MPs are elected with experience of the "real" world outside Westminster.

• William Hague
• Civil service

Polly Curtis

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/ministerial-special-advisers http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/tube-strike-to-go-ahead

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."

• Trade unions
• Transport

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/tube-strike-to-go-ahead http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-christopher-myers-list-special-advisers

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.

• William Hague

Polly Curtis

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-christopher-myers-list-special-advisers http://www.libdemvoice.org/wolverhampton-south-west-marked-register-20962.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/wolverhampton-south-west-marked-register-20962.html http://richardbaum.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/new-111-service-replaces-nhs-direct/ http://richardbaum.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/new-111-service-replaces-nhs-direct/ http://birkdalefocus.blogspot.com/2010/09/contact-point-load-of-cobblers-sefton.html http://birkdalefocus.blogspot.com/2010/09/contact-point-load-of-cobblers-sefton.html http://pauledie.blogspot.com/2010/09/blair-gets-his-retaliation-in-first.html http://pauledie.blogspot.com/2010/09/blair-gets-his-retaliation-in-first.html http://chrisjerrey.blogspot.com/2010/09/better-mid-sussex-advisory-group.html http://chrisjerrey.blogspot.com/2010/09/better-mid-sussex-advisory-group.html http://jeremyrowe1.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/william-hague-why-should-anyone-give-a-monkeys/ http://jeremyrowe1.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/william-hague-why-should-anyone-give-a-monkeys/ http://mreugenides.blogspot.com/2010/09/your-scribe-is-humbled-to-be-placed.html

Your scribe is humbled to be placed 86th in the annual survey of the Worst Political Blogs in the UK.

Given some of the garbage that's churned out around the internets these days, I consider that a highly impressive showing - but no room for complacency: that bastard Obnoxio is number 5... (and deserved, sir! Very well deserved indeed!)

]]> http://mreugenides.blogspot.com/2010/09/your-scribe-is-humbled-to-be-placed.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MarkPack/~3/EpyrQMndio0/ 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.

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MarkPack/~3/EpyrQMndio0/ http://www.libdemvoice.org/wolverhampton-south-west-marked-register-20962.html 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.

]]> http://www.libdemvoice.org/wolverhampton-south-west-marked-register-20962.html http://stevebeasant.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/gearing-up-for-freeman-street-regeneration/ 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."

]]> http://stevebeasant.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/02/gearing-up-for-freeman-street-regeneration/ http://holyroodchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/09/music-of-week.html http://holyroodchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/09/music-of-week.html http://thethirdestate.net/2010/09/hague-and-myers-tory-cowardice-in-the-face-of-homophobia/ 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.

Related Posts:

• Nadine Dorries, and the rubbish she talks.
• Curb on shared housing: government allows councils to push out the young and less well off
• On the Parliamentary Labour Party
• Access to Oxbridge – the most overegged issue of our time
• Talkin' 'Bout My Generation

]]> http://thethirdestate.net/2010/09/hague-and-myers-tory-cowardice-in-the-face-of-homophobia/ http://1169andcounting.blogspot.com/2010/09/aitheasc-uachtarain-ruairi-o-bradaigh.html
Aitheasc an Uachtaráin Ruairí Ó Brádaigh don 85ú Ard-Fheis de Shinn Féin in Óstlann an Spa , Leamhcán , Co. Atha Cliath , 21ú agus 22ú Deireadh Fómhair , 1989 /
Presidential Address of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh to the 85th Ard-Fheis of Sinn Féin in the Spa Hotel , Lucan , County Dublin , 21st and 22nd October 1989.....

" In the coming year we must present to the whole Irish people our framework of a federation of the four provinces of Ireland - in a post British withdrawal situation - with maximum devolution of power and decision-making to local level , with the complete separation of church and state and the building of a pluralist society and with neutrality and non-alignment in foreign affairs as the best hope for all the people of this island.

This requires massive political and structural change on both sides of the Border in order that all of us may escape from the political strait-jacket North and South designed for us in the Westminster parliament and imposed on us by the English ruling class to our detriment. Such a solution remains our only hope of growing and developing naturally as a people and enjoying our cultural heritage. God speed the day !

Having set ourselves these tasks we should remember that the noblest ideals of each generation shall prevail. Let us move forward to the future and let us not demean the noble sacrifices of the past and present for the cause of 'long-down trodden man'. Sinn Fein Abú ! "

[END of 'Presidential Address'.]
(NEXT : 'An Experiment In James Street - The Death Of Niall Rush' , from 1984.)





THE PETER BERRY PAPERS. The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

Peter Berry was one of the State's most outstanding civil servants. He served in the (State) Department of Justice for 44 years , ten of them as Secretary and all but the first 8 years as co-ordinator of the State's security operations.

His memory was prodigious - he had a capacity for instant recall of incidents and precedents of decades previously. Both because of his remarkable memory and the critical nature of the role he performed for such a long period , Mr Berry's memoirs are of exceptional interest.

He wrote these papers mostly during his retirement , typing all of them himself and relying on his diaries and personal notes which he had assembled over the years. He intended initially that these would be published during his lifetime but later on he decided to leave his papers for posterity. His sharp sense of propriety was offended by the treatment he suffered in his last years in the civil service and by the failure of the (State) Government to meet a promise it made to him on his retirement.......
(MORE LATER).






WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE......

Like all career politicians - whether serving time in Leinster House 'till their pension for life comes through or living in Dublin and 'travelling' to work (sic) from Cork - Provisional Sinn Féin are no better or worse than the rest of them.
In May last year , Adams and Mcguinness had a friendly 'meet and greet' meeting with the UK Israeli Ambassador , Ron Prosor, at which , between pleasantries , 'trade matters' were discussed......






....whilst , at the same time , PSF members and supporters were condemning Israel for their continuing slaughter of the Palestinians.

Israel's Zion Evrony asked Adams to condemn his own Party , PSF , for holding protests re his visit to a town in County Monaghan - Adams refused, but this is the same Party leader who had morally contorted himself to 'meet and greet' one Israeli Ambassador and then he, and his Party , went on to compare another Israeli Ambassador to Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister - then , apparently forgetting that he had already met and shook hands with one representative of the Israeli Government , Adams called for another such representative to be expelled - "Ireland needs to send out a clear message to the Israeli government. This behaviour is unacceptable. Summoning the ambassador to talks is not enough. We asked the Government that he be expelled from Ireland."

As we said , Provisional Sinn Féin are no better or worse at this political chichancery than their colleagues in , amongst other such 'establishment' institutions , Leinster House but , unlike their colleagues, they are still trying to 'trade' as the 'outsiders/rebels' of the Irish political field: they're not. They are career-driven opportunists, willing to jump ship if they think a different 'vessel' can offer them a quicker voyage to a full-time political career.

PSF are the same as any other pro-establishment political party , as far as republicanism is concerned , and deserve to be treated with the same contempt.

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1169 And Counting : An award-nominated Irish blog on Irish history and Irish politics - from today and yesterday : all 32 Counties !

]]> http://1169andcounting.blogspot.com/2010/09/aitheasc-uachtarain-ruairi-o-bradaigh.html http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/09/balls-on-never-never.html
Has the man really learned nothing?

]]> http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/09/balls-on-never-never.html http://mole45.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/just-got-this-off-my-mate-reg-please-use-his-idea/ ]]> http://mole45.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/just-got-this-off-my-mate-reg-please-use-his-idea/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/guidofawkes/~3/XwNwNn0lOCs/ ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/guidofawkes/~3/XwNwNn0lOCs/ http://rupertsread.blogspot.com/2010/09/cruddas-exposes-himself-as-closet.html 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

]]> http://rupertsread.blogspot.com/2010/09/cruddas-exposes-himself-as-closet.html http://unlockingthepotential.blogspot.com/2010/09/sows-ears-and-silk-purses.html It's hard to believe it now, but in the 1970s when I grew up the glamour football team to support was Ipswich town. It happened to be my hometown club, but their support spread far and wide. The team was filled with well-mannered, clean-cut role-models like Paul Mariner, George Burley and Mick Mills. But if you were a bit rebellious and liked your footballers cut a bit rough, there was nobody better than Eric Lazenby Gates; a grizzled and aggressive forward who always managed to look a mess but play with astonishing skill. He was the type of man who even if you dressed him in a Saville Row dinner suit would somehow still look like a tramp.

When I was ten my parents paid for me to go on a summer football course, coached by Ipswich Town players. I found myself in a group coached by Gates. His thick Northeast accent proved too impenetrable for most of the boys, but with Geordies in the family I understood it perfectly. So did my parents who asked me to be moved into another group to get away from the torrent of smutty jokes and filthy language that were part of his coaching style.

Eric Gates disappeared back to the North East with a transfer to Sunderland a few years later and for many years I thought nothing more of him. That was until earlier this week when I found myself outside the house he was brought up in, in the ex colliery town of Ferryhill in county Durham.

Ferryhill has the curse that has befallen many so-called regeneration hot spots. Its renaissance has been put-off or petered-out. The plans were ambitious. In 2006 a ten year plan was announced by the council that would have seen 400 hundred ex miners cottages demolished and hundreds of new homes built in their place. The works started with the flattening of a chunk of houses in streets named after the great industrial men of their day Stephenson, Watt and Faraday.  But then nothing, the money ran out and with the 2008 market crash, investment slipped away. Far from regenerating the area, the talk of demolition caused, those that could, to move away. Today Gates' house stands among many others empty and forlorn overlooking a few acres of wasteland.  There is no plan B for Ferryhill, or indeed the many other similar areas where ambitious renewal plans have stalled or been shelved half way through. As we await the Comprehensive Spending Review, there seems little prospect that help will come from elsewhere, or that budgets will be replenished to enable stalled regeneration plans to start up again. The age of demolition and rebuild is, for now at least, over.    

But all should not be lost. These houses could be homes again. Creative thinking like the approaches used in Salford or Anfield can remodel terraced housing and make it appealing and attractive to people looking for homes. Regenerating an area doesn't have to mean flattening it and starting again.  The great news for places like Ferryhill is this approach is cheaper and therefore more financially viable than the plans that have been abandoned. Places can reinvent themselves, just like people. Eric Gates today earns his living travelling around the Northeast as an after dinner speaker , dressed no-doubt in a Saville row dinner suit.

]]> http://unlockingthepotential.blogspot.com/2010/09/sows-ears-and-silk-purses.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/entertainment-arts-11168080 http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/entertainment-arts-11168080 http://www.annaraccoon.com/politics/wikio-general-blog-ranking-preview/ http://www.annaraccoon.com/politics/wikio-general-blog-ranking-preview/ http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2010/09/a-low-stakes-election.html

I've got three questions for anyone thinking of voting in the Labour leadership contest:
1. What is the probability of Labour winning under your preferred candidate, relative to the probability under your second preference?
2. How much superior would be a government under your preferred leader to that under your second choice?
3. What are the confidence intervals surrounding answers 1 and 2?
I suspect that honest answers to these questions would be: small, little and wide. But in this case, the outcome of the election just isn't that important.
Instead, the result of the next election, and the shape of the next Labour government, surely depends more upon circumstances outside of Labour's control than it does upon the character of the leader.
Take, for example, Paul's endorsement of Ed Balls, on the grounds that he prioritizes economic growth over deficit reduction.
His support would be entirely reasonable, if we were looking for a new government today. But we're not. The next Labour leader will - at best - only determine policy after 2015. And in this context, Balls' words are less important. Let's say he's right, and that Osborne's deficit fetishism does clobber the economy and - in doing so - leave a big deficit. It will then be clear to everyone that a change in policy is needed. Whoever the leader is will therefore adopt a Balls-style policy - because this will be the only option. Balls' support now for such a policy will make him look perspicacious - though no more so than any other Keynesian - but it does not greatly affect the course of the next Labour government.
In this sense, fact, I fear that the leadership contest is reinforcing the widespread fundamental attribution error that gives us the over-personalization of political issues. This is an especial danger, given that the Labour party has a bad record in judging the character of its future leaders: few of those who think Blair a lying warmonger today thought this was part of his make-up in the 1990s, and most of the party were over-optimistic about Brown's ability to be PM.

]]> http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2010/09/a-low-stakes-election.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PeoplesRepublicOfSouthDevonThePeoplesRepublicOfSouthDevon/~3/ONWd0YpQ32w/

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!

After the innuendo and various challenges on Guido 's blog this week William Hague denied having had an "improper" relationship with his special adviser, Christopher Myers, who had resigned earlier
He cited "pressure" put on his family by the "untrue and malicious allegations" circulating on the Internet.
 Today David Cameron declared his "100% support" for,Hague;who  also has had the backing of his local constituency party chair
At a press conference this morning 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.He 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."
He was still being pushed on  Myers's eligibility for the job, and why he had given Myers the job despite already having two special advisers.Apparently 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.
Was the statement the wisest way to respond to Guido's rumours. Somehow I think he would
have been wiser to keep quiet. 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.
Is this sort of death by pen the way we want to see society being steered. I certainly don't.
Mr Hagues sexuality is his business.His lack of judgement is another ,and as Foreign secretary a matter that he needs to reflect on.
What about Ffion Hague in all this, is she really the sort of woman who would be a front for her husband if he was gay.I wouldn't have thought so .She is a significant author, businesswoman and broadcaster in her own right, she's nobody's second fiddle.

She  was born in Cardiff. Took her first degree, in English Literature, at Jesus College, Oxford and her second (an MPhil) at the University of Wales.Worked as a policy civil servant, a director of a national charity and, since 2000, has been a headhunter specialising in main board appointments and board evaluation.She holds a number of advisory positions in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors and has recently published her first book,

The Pain and the Privilege, on the women in Lloyd George's life.
It will be interesting to see if Guido backs off,especially as some big name bloggers have had a go at him over this.Or will it just spur him on.

]]> http://merchmerthyr.blogspot.com/2010/09/will-guido-add-another-scalp-to-his.html http://toque.co.uk/royal-bank-scotland-creates-jobs-scotland 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.

]]> http://toque.co.uk/royal-bank-scotland-creates-jobs-scotland http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/02/news-of-the-world-watchdog

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.

o To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.

o If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".

• News of the World phone-hacking scandal
• Press Complaints Commission
• Newspapers & magazines
• Newspapers
• News of the World
• National newspapers
• New York Times
• US press and publishing

Jason Deans

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/02/news-of-the-world-watchdog http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-christopher-myers-list-special-advisers

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.

• William Hague

Polly Curtis

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/02/william-hague-christopher-myers-list-special-advisers http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/02/scotland-minimum-price-alcohol

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?

• Alcohol
• Scotland
• Scottish politics

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/02/scotland-minimum-price-alcohol http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/wintour-and-watt/2010/sep/02/william-hague-john-redwood

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.

• William Hague
• Conservatives

Nicholas Watt

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]]> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/wintour-and-watt/2010/sep/02/william-hague-john-redwood http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-the-alternative-vote-what-about-the-house-of-lords-20943.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-the-alternative-vote-what-about-the-house-of-lords-20943.html http://sarabedford.org.uk/is-blair-a-very-naughty-boy/ http://sarabedford.org.uk/is-blair-a-very-naughty-boy/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/VrQv/~3/zyR0KOeg85U/presidential-visit-to-toronto.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/VrQv/~3/zyR0KOeg85U/presidential-visit-to-toronto.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/daniel-radcliffe-on-nick-clegg-he-still-has-the-magic-touch-20966.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/daniel-radcliffe-on-nick-clegg-he-still-has-the-magic-touch-20966.html http://carons-musings.blogspot.com/2010/09/lib-dems-rise-in-total-politics.html http://carons-musings.blogspot.com/2010/09/lib-dems-rise-in-total-politics.html http://sarabedford.org.uk/big-boys-fantasies-and-the-land-of-make-believe/ http://sarabedford.org.uk/big-boys-fantasies-and-the-land-of-make-believe/ http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/will-the-web-always-be-a-hive-for-conspiracy-theories/ contribution by Carl Miller

On Sunday, Demos released a report, The Power of Unreason. We looked at the role conspiracy theories play in extremism, violence, and terrorism.

Extremist groups use conspiracy theories to recruit, to justify violent acts and to maintain an ideology that sees violence as the answer to the world they find themselves within.

Conspiracy theories can therefore be dangerous.

They have an important functional value for extremist groups and they play into the social dynamics of radicalization. They create 'the other' that the group defines itself against. They inspire something we call a 'self-aggrandizing siege mentality': where the group sees itself as a tiny colony of true believers pitted against an entirely hostile world.

Overall, they divide and isolate, and it is in these conditions of alienation that extremism and violence find fertile soil. Outside of extremist groups they also drive a powerful wedge of distrust between communities and their elected governments.

This kind of disengagement is not just a problem; it is a danger. Today.

One of the big culprits for the spread of conspiracy theories is the internet. Of course, conspiracy theories like JFK and the moon landings long pre-date the digital age, but the recent explosion of conspiracy theories does coincide with widespread internet use, especially the latest revolution of social media.

Conspiracy theories live in these lawless arenas where peer-review, journalistic standards, and source attribution are largely absent. They are the creatures of youtube, chat rooms and discussion groups.

What to do? Any kind of censorship, or information campaign is wrong and will not work. We can't and shouldn't restrict the information that people encounter. It's a given that we all will be daily bombarded with thousands of pieces of 'counter-knowledge', misinformation packaged to look like fact.

But, although we can't tell people what to think, we can teach people how to think better for themselves.

One of the most important ways to increase our resilience to conspiracy theories is to equip young people with the skills to tell the different between credible claims, and their many imposters. Education must move into this vacuum: what are their sources?

What is the evidence, and how can we tell good evidence from bad? What evidence is being missed out? These are questions every young person must be educated to habitually ask. If people really want to get to the truth, bypassing the basic standards of journalism and open argument is not a good route.

—-
Carl Miller is co-author of the Demos report: The Power of Unreason

]]> http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/09/02/will-the-web-always-be-a-hive-for-conspiracy-theories/ http://andershanson.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/labour-leadership-vote-match/ ]]> http://andershanson.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/labour-leadership-vote-match/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PT/XNdP/~3/UUkkvZsKHzo/ict-professional-david-tosh-swansea-city-council “We are at the bottom of the barrel, as are most local authorities.” That's the grim conclusion reached by David Tosh, head of Information & Customer Services at Swansea City Council as he contemplates the increasingly prominent role of ICT professionals in the public sector: looking for savings. 

read more

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PT/XNdP/~3/UUkkvZsKHzo/ict-professional-david-tosh-swansea-city-council http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-the-alternative-vote-what-about-the-house-of-lords-20943.html The debate on whether to replace First Past the Post with AV for elections to the House of Commons certainly seems to be warming up. Both sides are seeking increasing media coverage, bloggers from both sides are debating on the internet, and public interest seems to be growing on the issue.

Yet there seems to me one thing missing - an appreciation of the role of the House of Lords, and how it might be reformed.

The reason for this is quite important - the House of Commons does not exist in a vacuum. The AS-level course I teach on Government and Politics stresses the importance of a second chamber as a revising chamber. In particular, there is a constitutional principle that the second chamber should not be a copy of the first.

This raises several questions.

The first is an obvious question for the Liberal Democrats. Having advocated STV for the House of Commons, they appear to also advocate the STV for the House of Lords. Such a position is untenable in my opinion. An elected Lords should not simply be a copy of the Commons, with some different electoral boundaries or different terms of office.

This is where the Alternative Vote (AV) could be useful to the Lib Dems. A logical compromise position would be AV for the Commons, and STV for the Lords (sorry, Senate!). The strength of such an arrangement would be the constituency link is kept in the lower chamber. Meanwhile, the Upper Chamber would have a wide diversity of opinion, with more Lib Dems, and Green and UKIP groups.

Yet this raises an interesting second question. We're about to have a referenda on the alternative vote for the Commons. Why not the Lords at some stage as well?

There seems to be a consensus amongst the political parties about having an elected House of Lords. However, there is also a constitutional consensus that major constitutional changes should be put to the British people It's difficult to argue when the North-East gets a referendum on a regional assembly, there shouldn't be one on Lords reform.

Which leads me to the third question - what happens if we vote in a referendum to keep first past the post but then make the Lords elected by STV with no referenda? Those in favour of First Past the Post will argue that they've won a referendum, and so the system should not be changed, and the Commons remain dominant. Those in favour of STV will argue that a Senate elected by STV is more representative than the Commons, and therefore the new Senate should be the more powerful of the two chambers. Constitutional deadlock could well then ensue.

There seems a sensible balance of power here between two revised chambers, which the Liberal Democrats could sell to other parties. AV in the Commons plus STV in the Lords might just be the right balance of power for a reformed Parliament.

Simon Foster is a Lecturer in Politics in the West Midlands, and the author of several citizenship textbooks.

]]> http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-the-alternative-vote-what-about-the-house-of-lords-20943.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/daniel-radcliffe-on-nick-clegg-he-still-has-the-magic-touch-20966.html Harry Potter star, actor Daniel Radcliffe, was one of the Lib Dems' star supporters in the lead-up to the election — and it seems he's sticking by Nick Clegg and the party in government, according to the Voice's favourite online political read, ShowbizSpy.com:

"I'm a very big fan... I don't agree with everything he says, but of all the party leaders, he was the one I voted for," Daniel said. "I thought he was a great speaker and very charismatic and very statesmanlike.

"I'm glad that he is still in a prominent position in British politics because I think he could make a great contribution. He comes from absolutely the right place in terms of what his values are."

It's nice to know the sorting hat still reckons Dan belongs in the Lib Dem house.

]]> http://www.libdemvoice.org/daniel-radcliffe-on-nick-clegg-he-still-has-the-magic-touch-20966.html http://www.libdemvoice.org/andy-coulson-phone-hacking-2-20967.html So says the New York Times in its detailed report on what the News of the World got up to with phone hacking during Andy Coulson's time as editor:

A dozen former reporters said in interviews that hacking was pervasive at News of the World. "Everyone knew," one longtime reporter said. "The office cat knew."

One former editor said Coulson talked freely with colleagues about the dark arts, including hacking. "I've been to dozens if not hundreds of meetings with Andy" when the subject came up, said the former editor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The editor added that when Coulson would ask where a story came from, editors would reply, "We've pulled the phone records" or "I've listened to the phone messages."

Sean Hoare, a former reporter and onetime close friend of Coulson's, also recalled discussing hacking. The two men first worked together at The Sun, where, Hoare said, he played tape recordings of hacked messages for Coulson. At News of the World, Hoare said he continued to inform Coulson of his pursuits. Coulson "actively encouraged me to do it," Hoare said.

You can read the full story here.

]]> http://www.libdemvoice.org/andy-coulson-phone-hacking-2-20967.html http://malburns.blogspot.com/2010/09/youtube-his-holiness-karmapa-technology.html
His Holiness the Karmapa talks about how he was discovered to be the reincarnation of a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism. In telling his story, he urges us to work on not just technology and design, but the technology and design of the heart. He is translated onstage by Tyler Dewar.

]]> http://malburns.blogspot.com/2010/09/youtube-his-holiness-karmapa-technology.html http://jimjay.blogspot.com/2010/09/diary-dates.html
Organising for the Coalition of Resistance
Tonight, 2nd Sept: 6.30 pm
ULU - head for Malet St entrance

Demonstration action deportations of Roma from France
Saturday, 4th Sept: 1 pm to 2.30 pm
French Embassy,58, Knightsbridge, London.

Protest to demand action on global poverty
18th September: 1 pm
London
Old Palace Yard, outside Westminster

People are asked to bring drums, bells, whistles, pots and pans to make a noise for the Millenium Development Goals. The mobilisation will take place just two days before world leaders meet at the UN Millennium Development Goals Review Summit.
Called by Global Call to Action against Poverty and the UN Millennium Campaign.

Green Party, London Fed AGM
Sunday 26th September: 10am-4m.
Seven Dials Club
42 Earlham St, Covent Garden.
Obviously you need to be a party member to come - worth the membership fee on its own!

Joking for Justice (WMD)
October 7th: 7.30 pm onwards
Dingwalls, (Lock 17), Middle Yard, Camden Lock, NW1 8AB

Lineup: Tony Law, Andrew O'Neill, Liam Mullone, Francesca Martinez, Kent Valentine, Hils Barker, Markus Birdman, Matt Kirshen, Charlie Talbot.
Entry fee £15

National Demonstration: troops out of Afghanistan
November 20th, 12 noon
London, (details)
Full assembly details, etc. do not appear to have been finalised.

Coalition of Resistance: National conference
November 27th, 10 am until 5pm
Camden Centre, Bidborough St, London. Details.

]]> http://jimjay.blogspot.com/2010/09/diary-dates.html http://drseansdiary.blogspot.com/2010/09/post-communist-democratization-is-your.html Late at night I've been sitting up reading: reading Democracy and Authoritarianism in the Postcommunist World (Cambridge University Press) edited high-powered US specialists on communism and post-communism. McFaul is now a senior advisor to the Obama presidency at the National Security Council. This new collection - available in paper and hardback and Kindle - basically tries to regime change in the former communist world into a new perspective by linking the collapse of one-party rule in 1989-1991 with more recent episodes of democratisation in Eastern Europe and the former USSR. As the editors argue in the opening chapters in Part I we should think of postcommunist democratisation as three overlapping phases: 1) the breakdown of Communist Party rule in the late 1980s; 2) democratisation processes in 1990s driven by the prospect of EU membership, which prevented some new democratic states in Central and Eastern Europe sliding into semi-authoritarianism; and 3) more recent 'coloured revolutions' in the former Soviet Union triggered by electoral fraud, which occurred without any clear EU membership perspective.

And what's more Michael McFaul suggests, the three phases underline the importance of the international system as a missing (or at least, under-appreciated) variable shaping the different waves: the collapse of Soviet power and subsequent re-assertion of Russia under Putin; the EU's decision to enlarge Eastwards; and the growing US preoccupation with the 'War on Terror' after 2001 and so. However, contributors differ as to precisely how - and how strongly - international influences came to bear. Writing in Part II Milada Anna Vachudova sees EU leverage on CEE problem states as a key driver of liberalisation and reform, whereas - despite saying quite similar things in a different language - Alina Mungiu-Pippdi at bottom claims that the EU's formal political conditionalities were easily evaded by anti-reform elites and suggests that horizontal economic integration and broader European norms were important factors. Sadly, this is the type of domestic vs. European factors arguments that no one has convincing really worked out how to settle. Similarly, in his finely-researched chapter on Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution, McFaul finds himself unable to conclude more than that US and international influences were indirect, although here one detects a certain politically inspired pulling of punches. There seems plenty of evidence in McFaul's thoroughly researched chapter for arguing the case one way or other and if I was in the opposition in a semi-authoritarian state, I surely as hell would want USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy training my youth volunteers and election monitors and bunging a bit of cash to friendly NGOs.

As Valerie Bunce and Sharon Wolchik note, changes geo-political in environments mattered most because they changed incentives for domestic actors and changing patterns of diffusion between states. Diffusion mechanisms - while always present - evolved over time. Would-be democratic revolutionaries in Eastern Europe have been copying tactical innovations; drawing parallels between national contacts; and forming of collaborative networks since at least 1980, if not 1848. As various subsequent case study chapters on 'electoral revolutions in Part III on Slovakia (1998) and Serbia (2000), Georgia (2004), and Ukraine (2004) show, by the turn of the millennium the creation transnational activist networks and election monitoring had increasingly become the key vectors for change.

However, post-communist authoritarians too have been learning lessons. As chapters in Part IV by Kathryn Stoner-Weiss and Vitali on Putin's Russia and Lukashenko's Belarus - and Lucan Way's discussion comparative post-Soviet authoritarianisms - show, an effective formula for blocking democratisation is at hand: well trained, well paid security forces; the re-extension of control over the media and the economy; a well organised new ruling party backed by some semblance of an ideological claim to legitimacy seem to be the key ingredients. Nevertheless, extreme weakness of post-Soviet state institutions can be a still greater obstacle to democratisation: as Scott Radnitz notes, Kyrgyzstan's repeated 'electoral revolutions' are indicative less of pressures for democratisation than failed statehood.

As the book makes clear, despite the weight of annus mirabilis in 1989 in the West;s historical memory, post-communist transition does not boil down to 1989, but has most often been a story of failed or partial democratisation generating semi-democratic 'hybrid regimes', whose closed politics, open societies and corrupt states set the scene for further democratic contestation. The net effect of successive waves, however, has been a gradual bifurcation of weak democratisers into consolidated (if poor quality) democracies (Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Slovakia) and stable autocracies (Russia, Belarus, Armenia).

As you would expect, Democracy and Authoritarianism in the Postcommunist World offers a wide-ranging and sophisticated comparative overview of South East European and post-Soviet democratisation In linking Europeanisation, 'electoral revolutions' and transitions from one-party rule in 1989-1991, it offers an original perspective highlighting the unfolding of a kind of Kondratievian long wave of democratisation across a single region. However, call me a structuralist if you will, but I found explanation and description are too often blurred. Many of the causal factors highlighted beg more questions than they answer. Why were some authoritarian elites more united? Why were some security apparatuses more cohesive? Oil, victory in neighbourhood wars and timing are all seem to be part of the story. Too often, however, we are left at bottom with accounts of wily authoritarians like Putin or Lukashenka appearing Rumpelstiltskin-like at the wrong moment, If only they would disappear as easily.

]]> http://drseansdiary.blogspot.com/2010/09/post-communist-democratization-is-your.html http://bigtommygspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/09/conservativehome.html Here it is.

BTW, this is post number 701 on my blog!

]]> http://bigtommygspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/09/conservativehome.html http://bigtommygspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-now-for-something-rather-more.html

]]> http://bigtommygspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-now-for-something-rather-more.html http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/2010/09/trouble-with-pope.html Pope challenged - Channel 4 TV, Mon 13 Sep at 8pm

...Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell presents an hour-long examination of Pope Benedict XVI...three days before the Pontiff's State Visit to Britain.

Summarising the documentary, Peter Tatchell said:"The programme questions the Pope's policies on a range of issues including his opposition to contraception, condom use and embryonic stem cell research, as well the Pope's mishandling of the child sex abuse scandal, his distortions of the life and ideas of Cardinal Newman and his readmission to the church of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson.

"It examines the impact that Benedict XVI's pronouncements have had on both the developing and western world - with filming in the Philippines, plus Italy, Germany and the UK.

"Interviewing both critics and supporters of the Pope, many of them Catholics, the programme explores Benedict's personal, religious and political journey since the 1930s, from liberal theologian to conservative Pontiff. It shows how he was once a supporter of the liberalising, reforming Second Vatican Council but has since undermined it, including by the appointment of many ultra-conservative bishops.

"In the film, we go back to the 1960s, when the Pope was a young theologian and lecturer, then known as Joseph Ratzinger. We hear from fellow theologian, Hans Kung, who was with him at university in Tubingen, Germany, and discover the events that led him to become an arch conservative.

"The documentary also includes interviews with British sex abuse survivor, Sue Cox, who was raped by a priest at the age of 13, and the Catholic historian, John Cornwall.

"During his visit to Britain, the Pope will beatify the nineteenth century English theologian Cardinal Newman. We discover the way the Pope is manipulating and distorting Newman's relationships and ideas to serve his own autocratic, homophobic leadership.

"The documentary interviews Chris Olly who is dying of motor neurone disease and Chris Denning, a Nottingham University scientist, who is using embryonic stem cells in a bid to develop new medical procedures to help combat a range of terrible diseases. We also hear a defence of this research by Professor Colin Blakemore. The Pope has condemned embryonic stem cell research and wants it banned.

"In the Philippines, we discover how the Pope's teachings have a social and political impact, restricting contraception, sex education and condom distribution. We hear from a poor Filipino family, headed by Wilma and Ramon, whose following of Papal teaching against birth control has resulted in them having more children than they can care for adequately.

"The Pope provides a serious assessment of the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office and examines the conflict between some of his key values and those held by people in Britain and the world, including dissent from his policies by many Catholics.

"We hear from Benedict's defenders in the Philippines and the UK.

"Our programme is not anti-Catholic. I have great sympathy with grassroots Catholics who want a more open, democratic, accountable, liberal and inclusive church. The We Are Church movement is admirable, as is the UK group, Catholic Voices for Reform. I salute them.

"Some of the inspirations of my own human rights campaigns have been Catholic humanitarians, including the editor of the Catholic Worker, Dorothy Day, US anti-war activists, Fathers Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador and theorists of Catholic liberation theology such as Gustavo Gutierrez and Leonardo Boff," said Mr Tatchell.

Explaining some of the difficulties that arose during the making of the documentary, Peter Tatchell added:"Most of our interviewees are Catholics; some are supportive of the Pope, others critical.

"Our aim was to include all viewpoints, so we made great efforts to seek the participation of leading Catholic figures.

"When we went to Rome, we requested an interview with Pope Benedict or a senior Cardinal. We were told that such an interview was not possible.

"Alexander DesForges of the Catholic Communications Network in the UK was approached to facilitate an interview with Archbishop Vincent Nichols. Our request was turned down.

"This is very disappointing. We wanted to give the Catholic leadership in the Vatican and in the UK an opportunity to present their perspective. Sadly, they declined our offer

"Although the Catholic Communications Network did put up a spokesperson at the last minute - Fiona O'Reilly, from the pressure group, Catholic Voices - this is not the same as having Catholic leaders defend the Pope and his teachings.

"It strikes me as a sign of weakness that neither the Vatican nor the Catholic Church in Britain was willing to be interviewed in defence of the Pope.

"When church leaders see the programme I suspect they will be surprised by its tone and content. They will probably regret not taking part.

"This is a very thoughtful documentary. Many of the voices we feature are Catholic ones," said Mr Tatchell.

When announcing the documentary in June, Channel Four said:"Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, a long-term critic of the Papacy, will challenge Pope Benedict XVI's beliefs and positions on a range of issues - including condoms, homosexuality and fertility treatment - and examine the impact his policies have had on both the developing and Western world. The programme will give voice to a range of views on the Pope - featuring interviews with both critics and supporters."

Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual programming at Channel Four, said: "The Papal visit in September provides an ideal opportunity to examine the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office. In keeping with Channel 4's remit to provide a platform for diverse and alternative perspectives, equality campaigner Peter Tatchell will assess the effect of the current Pope's teachings throughout the world and the conflict between some of his values and those held by modern Britain."

The programme, due to air in a prime-time slot in the autumn, is being made by Juniper TV. Samir Shah is the executive producer and the director is Chris Boulding.The film's production company, Juniper TV, said: "Juniper TV is making an hour long documentary for Channel 4 on Pope Benedict XVI to coincide with his State visit to Britain in September. The programme will be presented by Peter Tatchell and be an exploration of the Pope's life - exploring his ideas, values and thoughts. It will provide a thoughtful perspective on the Papacy's present condition, and make a serious assessment of the impact of Pope Benedict's views and policies on Catholics and non-Catholics around the world. To ensure this, we currently plan to film in the UK, Europe and South East Asia."

Further information:
Marion Bentley, Channel 4 - 020 73063747 mjbentley@channel4.co.uk
Peter Tatchell - 0207 4031790 peter@petertatchell.net

]]> http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/2010/09/trouble-with-pope.html http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2010/09/nine_more_thoug.html http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2010/09/nine_more_thoug.html http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2010/09/the_tea_party_m.html http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2010/09/the_tea_party_m.html http://www.nickbarlow.com/blog/?p=896 http://www.nickbarlow.com/blog/?p=896 http://twitter.com/GregMulholland1/statuses/22795393497 http://twitter.com/GregMulholland1/statuses/22795393497 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pitsnpots/~3/zvp4FXFyssw/stoke-trent-city-council-reduce-number-directorates Top officers in Stoke-on-Trent City Council were the first casualties in the Authorities bid to save £30million.

14 of its 37 directors and heads of department are to be axed as a part of a major rationalisation programme enabling a saving of some £1million.

The number of Directorates will be cut form 6 down to 4 and they will encompass regeneration, children and young people's services, business services and adult and neighbourhood services.

Cabinet members and councillors were briefed by Chief Executive John van de Laarschot. Council staff were informed by email.

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pitsnpots/~3/zvp4FXFyssw/stoke-trent-city-council-reduce-number-directorates http://leninology.blogspot.com/2010/09/tony-blair-must-die.html Bless the former PM for reminding us why we despise every sordid molecule of him. Few British leaders apart from Margaret Thatcher have been so completely loathed. He has left his party in a wretched, miserable state, panhandling for votes from people whom its has previously shown contempt for. He has driven the country further and faster to the right than most of his predecessors. He has participated in the international adventurism and vandalism of the most right-wing American administration since WWII, with no regrets. And he has come back with his memoirs, his shitty self-serving redacted diatribe about his kampf, to remind us just exactly what it is about him that is so emetic. To his war crimes, he adds crimes against language and taste.

It is appropriate, perhaps, that one of the monsters of our age should communicate his de profundis to us in a style befitting the morning television chat show. The matey populism, the chattiness, and the familiar cliche-riddled inarticulacy, is surely the fitting idiom for a thoroughly modern serial killer. In another age, a moralist, Whig and Gladstonian imperialist of Blair's class would have adopted a manner of expression displaying the fruits of a classical education. Literature would have supplied the dominant tropes of even his extemporary remarks. Today, advertising and public relations are the supreme genres. But there's something else - the discursive style suggests that Blair probably made use of a ghost writer who transcribed his waffling while the former premiere gurgled from the shower or expatiated from the back seat of a limo. Blair would deny this, and has complained that Robert Harris was a 'cheeky fuck' for suggesting that he was such a lightweight as to require a ghost-writer. A plausible alternative is that he used a team of monkeys with typewriters and some unfortunate editors had to piece together the smarmiest copy.

Blair's fat little compendium of pseudo-revelations, attacks on personal acquaintances and colleagues, self-justifying circumlocutions, political polemic, and narcissistic reflections, comes with its own self-destruct button. Comparing himself to the 'people's princess', he says: "We were both in our ways manipulative people, perceiving quickly the emotions of others and able instinctively to play with them." Elsewhere, he informs astonished readers that sometimes politicians must "conceal the full truth ... bend it and even distort it". This being the case, you might suspect that he is not always being honest with his readers, and that the impression he tries to give of opening up and being fully frank is as counterfeit as his 'intelligence' on Iraq. You might wonder what is the point of your parting with a portion of your spending power even for one of the thousands of half price copies that your local WH Smith will be shoving in your direction, if all that's going to happen is that Tony Blair lies to you. Again. When all he's ever done is lie to you, at taxpayers' expense. Will there come a time, you might wonder, when we will stop paying Tony Blair to lie to us?

You would also expect, from the foregoing, that Blair's testimonial should be a masterful display of button-pushing, noodzhing, heartstring-plucking and tear-jerking. At the end of which, the former Prime Minister should emerge as an heroic liberal reformer stoically facing down the forces of conservatism, triumphing against the odds, vindicated by history and the big man upstairs, though privately nurturing a wounded soul. So, roughly, it turns out. From his earliest political and legal education at the hands of Derry Irvine, the eminence grise whom he has described as a 'tyrannical genius', to the scuffles with Gordon Brown, whom he cheerfully patronises, Tony is almost always right, or on the right path. He's macho too. We hear all about COBRA sessions and 'ticking clock' scenarios in which, for example, he came close to blasting a passenger jet out of the skies. White-knuckle negotiating sessions with Ulster's natives are duly described with a certain amount of colonial panache. The tough guy, swaggering, iron-in-the-soul stuff that is de rigeur for former statesmen of his ilk, is all there. But so is the love-me-tender vulnerability. He says he hit the bottle to manage the stress of his job. Boo hoo. Millions of people do that all the time - it's called alcoholism. Like the walrus, he says he cried for his victims in Iraq, before mercilessly consuming every one. He admits to a few 'small' errors here and there, of course. He is mortal after all, like Jesus or, his other role model, Diana.

Even when confessing to errors, though, what is most eminently on display is Blair's cynicism. When he cheerfully admits to lying through his teeth, manipulating everyone around him, he is sure to let us know of the effect this had on policymaking. On the freedom of information act, he tells us that it was an 'imbecilic' mistake because of the way journalists used it to ask questions about what the government was doing. Oh well, never mind our civil rights, Tony, if it inconveniences you in any way. On the fox-hunting business, he says he deliberately sabotaged his own legislation to let some forms of hunting continue, to the ire of Labour colleagues. At the end of these triangulations, he complains that he "felt like the damn fox". Poor thing. Hunted by mad dogs and mounted forces of conservatism, chased through the thickets of political intrigue, always on the brink of capture - but miraculously...

The PM's Tory instincts are also prominent, as he again attempts to whip his party, the public and the world into shape. Having given his support to the coalition's austerity programme, which even the right-wing of the Labour Party is now shying away from, he orders Labour not to 'drift to the Left', as if the big problem for Labour is that it might start representing some of the millions of working class voters that it lost under Blair's watch. And he's pleading with 'the world' not to rule out the possibility of war with Iran. He hasn't had his fill of blood crimes yet. David Cameron, who has falsely alleged that Iran has nuclear weapons, would probably agree. Blair is not only a logical ally of this sham of a government, but is on its right-wing. To Clegg's right on war, to Cameron's right on identity cards, civil liberties and even immigration, Blair has never had any business as part of this country's organised labour movement. That he was ever its leader is a shame and a disgrace. Labour's members, supporters and affiliates should look at his memoirs, look at the way he's conducting himself in the press, preening himself, spouting his ridiculously reactionary opinions as if he hasn't been comprehensively discredited, and say to themselves: "never again".

Protest at his book-signing at Waterstones Piccadilly, next Wednesday, 8th September.

Copyleft of Lenin's Tomb

]]> http://leninology.blogspot.com/2010/09/tony-blair-must-die.html http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/38269 A UK government's decicion to use ODF (Open Document Format) for its electronic documents, would help public administrations overcome vendor lock-in for office applications, says Liam Maxwell, councillor for Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.

]]> http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/38269 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PollingReport/~3/Ms2R_XE6wBY/2792 The Sun this morning has some polling from YouGov on attitudes towards Tony Blair three years after his departure. 47% of people think that Blair was a good Prime Minister, 46% that he was a bad one – probably not a bad record. On balance, people tended to think that Blair was likeable (by 57% to 35%), principled (by 43% to 39%) and a good representative for Britain abroad (by 50% to 37%), he fell down on honesty – 44% thought he was dishonest as PM.

Asked what his greatest achievements were as Prime Minister, the minimum wage and bringing peace to Northern Ireland came top by some distance (interestingly, the minimum wage was seen as Blair's greatest acheivement even by Conservative voters, whereas things like his record on the economy and public services were mainly picked by Labour supporters). His greatest failures were seen as failing to tackle immigration and, unsurprisingly, the invasion of Iraq.

Finally, in the context of the leadership election, we asked whether Labour should distance itself from Blair's legacy to get back into power, or whether it would be a mistake for them to turn their back on the legacy of a PM who won three elections. It was a pretty even divide, 30% said Labour should distance themselves, 34% it would be a mistake. Amongst Labour supporters, 59% said it would be a mistake for Labour to turn their back on Blair's legacy.

Meanwhile, there were mixed results on the daily trackers. Government disapproval was the lowest yet for the coalition on minus 4 (38% approve, 42% disapprove). However, voting intention was far more positive for the Conservatives, CON 43%, LAB 37%, LDEM 12%. 6 points is the biggest Tory lead for a fortnight.

Also worth noting is the AV referendum voting intention question from yesterday, which I overlooked at the time. NO is now ahead by 39% to 37%. Still within the margin of error and a huge distance to go, but it suggests the YouGov poll a fortnight ago showing No ahead for the first time was not just a blip.

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PollingReport/~3/Ms2R_XE6wBY/2792 http://TheJusticeofthePeace.blog.co.uk/2010/09/02/complaints-against-police-9297437/ Anyone whose career or job involves direct contact with members of the public, [ and I include myself in this group] as opposed to being hidden away in the corner of an office with a keyboard his/her only contact with the outside world, is well aware of the pressures that can arise when confronted with irrational, bad tempered, depressed, ignorant or violent people and that`s on a good day.

When that job is as a police officer the temptations to use the authority of the uniform when, as is a major part of policing, in a confrontational situation, must be considerable. More than once I have encountered rude police officers who have adopted a threatening attitude because I have politely questioned an instruction whether sitting in a car whilst somebody is emptying the boot or some other equally innocent and seen to be innocent activity. It is when in contact with law abiding citizens that a police officer is most likely to be perceived as unnecessarily aggressive. The trouble is that when the job requires dealing with villains who could be peaceful one moment and uncontrollably violent the next a distinction between them and the rest of us must be difficult.

And so it seems for 2000 of the men in blue. According to reports in today`s Belfast Telegraph and the BBC that is the number of police officers who have had three or more complaints made against them in the last year. There are about 160,000 police officers in the U.K. so it is a fairly small proportion of the whole.

This information was made under a Freedom of Information request. Why on earth do authorities such as the police force in general not make public this type of information without its having to be dragged out of them? That truly would increase people`s respect for those organisations complying.

I note that a certain Mr T.Blair has been quoted from his newly published memoir that of his time as Prime Minister the F.O.I. Act is one of his regrets. He says it is not practical for good government. Given that most libertarians would assert that the F.O.I. Act was one of the most significant innovations of recent times for the ability of the individual to challenge an authority gone awry this revelation is quite amazing for a Prime Minister who presided over the most authoritarian government since 1945 that Act being a notable exception which did not prove the rule.

Comments

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