Waiting for the Etonians by Nick Cohen

I do like reading Nick Cohen.

His latest book, Waiting for the Etonians : Reports from the Sickbed of Liberal England , opens with a stunning indictment of New Labour's failure to curb the excesses of the City of London, condemning New Labour for not being left wing enough when it came to the wealthy and powerful.

Cohen's columns also chronicle the British National Party and those opposed to it in Upper Beeching, critiques the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament for their attitude towards Iran compared to the USA, and attacks West Midlands Police for its attempted censorship of Channel Four.

He deliciously takes New Labour to task for their vile promotion of gambling and at the end muses on the irony of the most likely next prime minister, David Cameron, being an Old Etonian along with his Chancellor.

Cameron will be the first upper class prime minister since the ill fated Sir Alec Douglas Home in 1963, who lost to Harold Wilson.

His writing is lively, honest and unafraid to state controversal viewpoints.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Waiting for the Etonians : Reports from the Sickbed of Liberal England and highly recommend it, along with Cohen's earlier What's Left (which he signed for me at the 2007 Oxford Literary Festival after he spoke alongside Christopher Hitchens), Pretty Straigh Guys and his writings in the Observer.

British army officially withdraws from Iraq

Today control of Basra airport was handed over to the Americans, meaning that the British army is now no longer in charge of any part of Iraq.

Most of the 4,100 troops will leave by May 31. 300 will stay to stay to train the Iraqi military.

Lucky for Gordon Brown. The Iraq invasion did huge damage to the electoral chances of the Labour Party. It started the slow decline of Prime Minister Tony Blair, and did not help Brown.

Now Brown can boast of being the Prime Minister who removed British troops from Iraq, albeit very slowly.

Iraq was costly both in money and lives. While Gordon of Harry's Place felt the war was the right thing, many including me disagreed, and still disagree. Some, including many Tory MP's, became wise after the event.

And troops from across the world are still fighting in Afghanistan, while hell continues in the Congo.

Jasmina Tešanović's moving story of living in Serbia during the NATO bombings reminds us how terrible war is.

Although I disagree with Tony Benn on a few things (though he's still somewhat of a hero), I agree with him when he attacks those who have no ideas of the horrors of war.

With death and destruction brought by suicide bombers, brutal regimes such as North Korea and the feral, I also remember his quote "A faith is something you die for, a doctrine is something you kill for. There is all the difference in the world."

G20 schedule won't tax the powerful

Times journalist Sam Coates has an excellent political blog, which recently revealed the schedule at the G20.

It's not too taxing. 4 hours and 35 minutes of talking plus two meals. One hopes that under five hours is enough time to save the world in between powerful people stuffing their Botoxed faces while demonstrators chat outside.

There are also reported problems with the ExCel centre for broadcasting.

Nick Cohen at the Orwell Prize shortlist debate

Journalist and social commentator Nick Cohen speaking at the Orwell Prize debate on the failure to include Martin Bright after he was allegedly sacked for a Dispatches documentary on Ken Livingstone.



"There are journalists in this country being fired, being closed down, being shut up, by [the] liberal establishment, and you can't even say what the f*** is going on."

He also attacks Peter Oborne and the vile Peter Hitchens for their alleged lack of risktaking, saying that no one who attacks the left on the Mail on Sunday will get fired. Hitchens is in the room and the two have a debate.

I've just finished Nick Cohen's Waiting For the Etonians, which I was given for my birthday.Excellent book. I'll try and blog on it sometime.

Disclaimer: I did enter for the Orwell Prize, but I'm not bothered about not winning. I just thought this was an interesting part of the debate.

Vince Cable at the Oxford Literary Festival

To the Main Hall of Oxford Town Hall in St Aldates to hear Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable speak on his book and the recession.

Cable described the problems facing the UK, and said that the house price bubble would have had a nasty effect even without the global recession.

He said that boom and bust was a natural part of our current financial system, and ridiculed Gordon Brown for proclaiming "an end to boom and bust". However, more should have been left in reserves in the boom times to allow for the bad times.

Vince Cable held Norway up as an example of a country which would not suffer as much, due to oil reserves "and the fact it had some degree of economic competence).

He was highly critical of the Financial Services Authority and felt that all British banks would have to be nationalised soon, although he did not want to see them in public hands forever. Vince Cable felt that they would take a decade to return to private hands.

He was very concerned about Britain's position due to how large our financial sector is, and said that unemployment is "rising rapidly".

When asked if he felt that Tony Blair was aware of the likelihood of a financial crisis when he stood down, Cable said he did not feel he left by choice, and he did not want to get drawn into why Gordon Brown does want to say sorry either.

Cable feels that much of the money for the International Monetary Fund loans will come from China, and that the Chinese will be angry at having to pay so much.

The speech and the question session were well received by the audience, which packed the hall.

I didn't pick up Vince Cable's book The Storm: The World Economic Crisis And What It Means, but I will read it sometime. It's out now at £15.

Incidently, my father, who I attended the talk with, saw Denis Healey speak at Cheapside when he was Shadow Chancellor.

Denis Healey was Secretary of State for Defence (1964-70) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1974-79) in the years of Harold Wilson and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in the early eighties.

Thinking of you David

Hi David

It's been just over two years since you died and we're all missing you.

I know that you would have had so much to say on the recession, on greedy MP's and the G20 demonstrations in Central London.

I know you would have a lot of wise comments to make on politics, and on the state of our media and culture.

I also know that MCS would provide more good material for you, including the news that our former Chaplain won't leave money to the school now we're taking girls in the sixth form, and that Facebook groups have been formed for both sides of the argument.

We're all thinking of you, even as we use the knowledge you gave us to succeed in life. I know I would not have completed two degrees and found an interesting job if it wasn't for your guidance.

Thank you

Earth Hour needs to go further: Businesses must be forced to keep lights off after office hours.

The idea of Earth Hour, where people across the world turn their lights off for an hour, is nice but I wonder if it will achieve anything.

Far more important is that businesses stop wasting electricity by leaving their lights on after closing time.

Many times I have walked across London, Oxford or Brighton and noted with disgust the number of shops that have left their lights on when no one is there.

In Leytonstone, the decaying unit that once housed a Woolworths has had some of its lights on for weeks. This is a disgraceful waste of money. One presumes the letting agent pays for this.

Waltham Forest District Council should tell them to turn the lights off. Do they really think people will smash it up if the lights are off?

I would like to see a political movement that targets people who waste power. They should produce a free newsletter naming and shaming businesses who leave their lights on.

If cleaners need the lights on in office blocks to clean buildings, they should be turned off when they have finished by a designated security guard.

I would like to see local councils cracking down on businesses who waste power, as well as people who leave their engine running while talking to someone in the street (a problem down my road), a noise and environmental hazard/

An anarchist group planned to switch off lights at "landmarks" such as Canary Wharf , according to the Daily Telegraph.

They should go round Central London taking photos of businesses with lights on and posting them on Indymedia. Then we would know who the climate enemies are.

More greedy cabinet ministers exposed and a porn film farce

Gordon Brown's government is starting to look like John Major's during the early Nineties.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been forced to apologise after her television bill, part of her broadband package was submitted as part of her expenses. She claims this was done as a mistake.

This included two porn films watched by her husband,Richard Timney, as well as Ocean’s 13 and Surf’s Up.

Jacqui Smith has also claimed £116,000 in second home allowances, and is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after claiming her sister's London home as her main home.

Brent East MP and junior Whip Dawn Butler has also been attacked for claiming £23,000 for a house in in Wembley, even though she could live in her family home in Stratford, East London.

Just in case this post is becoming rather biased, I should also mention Conservative Eric Pickles MP, who recently appeared on Question Time defending claiming expenses to avoid a 37 mile journey.

Why don't their party members bring them to task? Do they really want to lose these seats at the next election? I predict that Smith, Butler and Pickles will have their majorities reduced.

I wonder what porn films Richard Timmey watched (not because I want to see them, but because some of their titles are so ridiculous).

No media has named them but the Daily Mail has helpfully listed the kinds of porn films he could have seen,"films with explicit titles such as Happy Husbands and Willing Wives, Dirty Debutantes, and Sweaty Sex"

To be honest, they sound dire. Who wants to watch a film called Sweaty Sex?

No doubt the media will dub this Porngate, misunderstanding that the Watergate was the name of the hotel, not the scandal.

I haven't seen the tabloids this weekend, but I wouldn't be surprised if one used the phrase.

New creepy adverts from the City of London Police

I saw one of these anti-terrorism adverts at Leyton tube station and have just found the press release for them.

Are the Home Office and anti terrorism police seriously proposing that anyone looking at CCTV cameras should be reported to them? Or that chemical containers in a bin are a reason to contact the police?

Deputy Assistant Commisioner John McDowall, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and Senior National Co-Ordinator Counter Terrorism, has come up with such gems as "Terrorists use chemicals. Do you know someone buying large or unusual quantities of chemicals for no obvious reason? Handling chemicals is dangerous, and maybe you've seen goggles, masks or bottles dumped somewhere?" and "Meetings, training and planning for terrorist attacks can take place anywhere. Do you know someone who travels but is vague about where they're going?"

How many calls are the City of London and Metropolitan Police going to recieve a day if each person who spots chemical containers in a bin rings them? How many people will ignore the hotline number and just contact their local police station?

Last weekend I finished reading Perverting the Course of Justice by police blogger Inspector Gadget, a scary account of rural policing.

Gadget's force are understaffed and having to spend ages dealing with people who contact them with minor complaints. These adverts will add to them.

Are terrorists really going to walk around staring at CCTV cameras or dump their chemcials in their green bin and leave the lid open for people to see?

Most people do call the police if they see something that does look like terrorist activity as opposed to people being vague about where they are going (so most people out for a stroll at the weekend then).

All these anti terrorism adverts do is waste money and keep people afraid, like that CCTV advert with the eyes above a red bus.

Boris Johnson's cycle hire plans are flawed

Today's Times reports that Boris Johnson plans to introduce a cycle hire scheme similar to the Paris Vélib or Berlin's Call-a-Bike.

However, there are a few major flaws to this scheme, starting next May.

The bikes will have no locks, and people who want to fit their own locks may find them cut off by the hire company's staff, as Tfl are worried about spoiling the appearance of the street.

This is the problem with Tfl. It gets involved with things outside its remit. It is a transport authority, not a conservation group.

Personally, I think preventing people from stealing bicycles is more important than keeping streets free from parked bicycles. In Oxford city centre, there are loads of bikes chained to railings, and they look fine.

Not only are people using the cycle hire scheme not able to prevent the bikes they hire from being stolen, they will also be fined.

The £150 charge will not be refunded if the bikes are taken.

So if someone is attacked and their bike is stolen, it seems they'll be charged for it.

In a further example of idiocy, there will be no bike racks close to rail terminuses, as queues would form and "racks would almost always be empty, damaging the image of the scheme."

So this scheme seems to be based on how it looks, not how it benefits Londoners.

I can't see why anyone would use a scheme where they cannot secure the bike they hire and are responsible if it is taken.

If people were allowed to lock the bikes and were only charged £10 if it was stolen, I would support Boris Johnson's idea.

And Tfl wonder why so many people use cars in London.

£57 million of public money will be used to set this crazy idea up, and the operating costs will be covered by usage fees and sponsorship.

There will be 6000 bikes, 300 cycle stations and 10,500 spaces. The scheme will operate in Central London, Islington and Hackney.

Twitter lessons and shooting the messenger

BBC News reports today that a review of the primary school curriculum in Britain will recommend more time spent studying Twitter, podcasting and Wikipedia and less time studying history.

Pupils will be asked to study two periods of history that have significance to their local area, as well as "the movement and settlement of people in different periods of British history."

While I broadly support the former, I'm dismayed by the latter. History is a fascinating subject, full of epic changes throughout life on a macro and micro scaling.

How can future politicans, social commentators and journalists understand the world if they do not understand how to learn from the mistakes of the past?

As for Twitter and Wikipedia, Shadow Children's Secretary Michael Gove might dismiss them as "the latest technological fashions", but the world is changing.

Children need to know how new forms of communication and research work, and potential points to be aware of. Shouldn't children be aware that Wikipedia can be altered by anyone? Shouldn't they know how to create an audio recording?

Instead of removing history for lessons on new media, the school day should be longer so they can accomodate both.

This would also mean that there would be less time for a small minority to hang around causing trouble.

I was also shocked to read that the General Teaching Council conduct committee has suspended teaching assistant Alex Dolan, who exposed children misbehaving in the classroom for Channel Four's Dispatches.

This follows teacher Angela Mason being banned from teaching for a year in 2007 after filming pupils disrupting lessons for a Channel 5 documentary.

If I was a child trying to educate myself while all around was chaos and disruption, or a parent wanting the best for my children, I'd be very glad that Alex Dolan and Angela Mason had the guts to expose vile behaviour in the classroom.

For one, Chris Woodhead has done the right thing and backed Ms Dolan.

Chairman Ralph Ullmann said: "We do not accept that there were no other means by which they could have been brought to the attention of the public."

How, Mr Ullman? If Alex Dolan had come to you, what would you have done?

I wonder if Ralph Ullman has ever had to face a pupil firing a fire extinguisher at classmates.

British education needs reform, not defeatism or bureacrats trying to hide the problem.

Goodbye Entrecard

I removed my Entrecard widget tonight. I've been using Entrecard since September, and feel that it's time to leave.

There are several reasons for this. The first is that it slows down my blog loading time. A fast loading blog is important as many people do not want to spend time waiting for a blog to load when they could read something else.

The second is that I do not have enough time to contribute properly to Entrecard. Most Entrecarders drop 300 times a day. A drop is when someone clicks on the yellow rectangle next to the Entrecard badge.

Last year I only had time to drop 8 times a day. This resulted in around one visit a day from Entrecard members.

Some members have found ways to drop Entrecard faster, but this means that they will not be spending much time on each blog. And if people are only dropping to get a return visit, how much benefit will it bring.

It's unfair on other Entrecard users if they drop and I fail to drop in return for a few days. Some people have dropped several times before I was able to drop my Entrecard on their blog.

The final reason is a small one, having to move my widget two screens from the top. This would mean it would have to be above the Blog Archive panal, as it can extend below the second screen if there are many posts there.

I have every sympathy with Entrecard needing to make money, and it will be difficult for them to do so if people place their widgets (which will now sometimes be showing paid-for ads) near the bottom of the blogs.

However, I'm afraid that I don't want a widget near the top and so feel that it's time to leave Entrecard.

I'm sure that Entrecard will do fine. If you have the time to drop on a number of blogs each day and are happy with a widget near the top of your blog, you'll get a lot of traffic.

I wish the site's owner, Graham Langdon, all the best.

Be careful in Central London next week: G20 protests

I'm going to be avoiding Liverpool Street station next week and going to work via Whitechapel.

The G20 will be in London during 1st and 2nd April (as opposed to a quiet part of Britain where no one would bother them) and protests are planned in Central London on these days and 28 March.

According to reports, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Cannon Street and London Bridge stations will have protestors gathering outside them on 1st April.

This could mean disruption to several tube lines. There are also reports of plans to blockade the Blackwall Tunnel in South London, and cause a scare on the Underground by leaving bags unattended.

I advise you to leave early and check Tfl's status as much as possible. If you have a mobile, subscribe to Tfl's travel alerts.

Also avoid the Custom House area as protestors will be targeting the ExCel centre on Wednesday 2nd April.

Although I have a lot of sympathy with the protests against the bankers, I hope they remain peaceful like in France.

Jobseekers allowance debate in the Guardian: Matt Kennard is right

Freelance journalist Matt Kennard has written what I thought was a wonderful article in the Guardian, commentating on the problems facing jobseekers and calling for critics to try living on this sum.

Matt also compares British JSA to the French state benefits and condems Tory opposition to Labour's plans to raise JSA by £15 a week.

Some of the comments are, to quote Chris Morris, "Rabid, pig ignorant and stultifyingly ill-informed."

For example, Winthope sneers "£60 = Xbox Game and plentiful amounts of processed cheese.Quit whinging." Oh, Winhope! You're such a wit, or at least a word that rhymes with wit.

thetrashheap judges two million people by his social circle, saying "Most of the guys I knew lazying about on job seekers, supplemented their income with drug dealing. The women got pregnant", while Heresiarch says "A mobile phone is not a necessity. People have managed for hundreds of years to live perfectly satisfactory lives without one. It may come as a shock to you, Matt, but many people - including many who could happily afford one - still do manage to survive without the damn things."

Let's pick up on that last point. Potential employers and recruitment consultents will ring you back when they are free, not when you are free. Is it better for Matt to sit all day by the landline telephone (if he has one) or better for him to go shopping or to the park with his mobile phone, pen and notepad in pocket?

And what if he is delayed while on the way to a job interview? Should he jump off the bus and try and find a phone box that isn't smashed up or flooded with urine?

R3Van, who seems to be trying to parody Matt in his first moronic post, says "You dont need credit on a mobile phone to receive calls, and you can use the phones in the jobcentre for free."

Really? Are people allowed to enter a jobcentre every time they want to ring someone? What happens if the employer wants to call them back? What happens if Matt did use a mobile phone without credit and was asked to call an employer back?

NapoleonKaramazov, who is spot on regarding America and the IRA, apparently can tell Matt Kennard's social status through his writing, wagging his finger and saying "£60, That's too much. Obviously you are nice and comfortably middle class, not living on a council estate", before descending into a standard right wing rant "Many unemployed spend their money on cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, video games, widescreen TVs".

James Purnell's crazy idea that people should work for free while on benefit, while not explaining how they would have time to look for jobs, is echoed by the aptly named thetrashheap, who burbles "Thing is there should be no long term money for free, we need roads repaired, river banks re-enforced, estates cleaned, fences mended. Make those unemployed for longer than 6 months work for the dole." Or how about paying people a decent wage to do these things?

Ilikedthe80s also regards Matt Kennard as some kind of layabout, saying "You have a Masters in journalism from US University and you can't find a job? Or do you mean you can't find a job in journalism. or a job you'd like, or at the salary you'd like. Or in the area you'd like. But you could get a job this morning if you really wanted one...You just have a poor attitude son. Get some balls and go and get yourself a job today. and stop bloody whingeing."

Number of points here. Firstly, Matt Kennard has no doubt spent a large amount of his money on university, which as well as educating himself was meant to help his career. Why should someone who has worked hard at two degrees settle for a low-paid job?

Some people on Comment is Free complain that Matt will never pay back his student loan while unemployed. He wouldn't pay it back if on a minimum wage job either (assuming he studied in the UK for his first degree choice). He'd need to be earning over £15,000.

Secondly, graduates are struggling to find jobs. Many are being turned away with the nonsensical excuse "you're over qualified". I know people with Masters degrees who are still unemployed.

To sum up:

We are facing one of the worst financial crisis that the world has known. Unemployment is soaring all over the world, due to the actions of politicans and bankers. While a small minority may not want to look for jobs, and I've never met anyone on JSA who doesn't want a job, most people are.

None of the people criticising Matt Kennard have any idea what it is like to look for a job when most of the jobseekers have a degree and recruitment is being frozen.

They don't understand how most people like Matt are spending eight hours a weekday looking for jobs, how they are travelling all over the country, speaking to sometimes incompetant or unpleasent recruitment consultants, trying not to turn to despair.

These commentators, who never state the job they do, have no idea at all.

Labour ministers, on high salaries, claim there are jobs out there. Yes, for those with five years' experience, six languages, three degrees and the ability to live on a rubbish wage. With so many redundancies, employers can pick the most experienced.

ThomasReturns makes a good point:

I couldn't live on £60 a week. I'd die. But this government are always labelling the unemployed as workshy scroungers, whilst crooks like the **EMPLOYMENT MINISTER, TONY MCNULTY**, and the **HOME SECRETARY, JACKIE SMITH**, are claiming public money to buy houses for their relatives.And if being a politician isn't a good description of being workshy - then I don't know what is! Even Brown's been claiming a free TV licence at the public's expense.It's one set of rules for politicians, and another set of rules for the public.Arrest the lot of 'em, I say. Lock 'em up and throw away the key! ;o)

,while fedrightup mentions grants that the Royal Family recieve.

I wish Matt Kennard all the luck in the world.

On a seperate point, I had no idea that the Tories voted against an increase in JSA. They really do seem to hate the unemployed. I'd never vote for them.

Was dismissed post office master Deva Kumarasiri right?

Interesting story about post office boss Deva Kumarasiri being dismissed for ordering his customers to speak English.

On the one hand, people living in England should be able to speak English. I'd argue that most people unwilling to learn English should be forced to, except that opens up a can of worms on how to do it.

I feel there is too much public money wasted on translating leaflets instead of offering free English classes, which one could argue should be made compulsory for those recieving benefits who cannot speak English.

On the other hand, how does Deva Kumarasiri know that some of his customers aren't tourists or in England visiting a relative, as local Labour MP John Heppell says? What about people with learning difficulties or those who have only just arrived and signed up for classes.

One could argue that people ought to learn English before settling here. This is a fair point, but some of Mr Kumarasiri's customers may be asylum seekers, who had to flee quickly.

Strangely, the Liberal Democrats have ejected Mr Kumarasiri from the party, which he represented as a local councillor, using the fact that he was a year and a half behind on membership subscriptions.

This seems overly drastic and I am disappointed with this action by the party I vote for.

It is a difficult one. I have every sympathy with Mr Kumarasiri, described by the red tops as "Postman Patriot", and in the majority of cases he is right to be angry. Moving to a country and not learning the language is morally wrong and lazy, whether you have moved to Britain, Spain or Iran.

Besides, it makes his job very difficult, and Post Offices are always crowded. Why should Mr Kumarasiri have to work in a hectic environment?

What does anger me is people who get in a lather about this story but seem to only care about leaving Britain as they say they hate it.

If they hate it so much, why get so riled in the first place?

From Sky News

If in Britain, do as you please, our government will help you, with cash grants, just dont speak english, you will get nothing from them.

Time to get out chaps, the best thing about Britain in the 21st century?

THE ROAD OUT.

Good to see the usual policy of Daily Mail readers marking negative any comment they disagree with and positive any comments they agree with, rather than how well argued it is, by the way.

Overall I think Mr Kumarasiri has the right to refuse service to people he cannot understand, however I would hope that he would base this one whether the individual person seemed like a tourist or not. I do not think he should have been moved to another Post Office.

I also think it's very sad that some Polish migrants have been boycotting the Post Office. Why shouldn't they learn to speak English? Most Polish migrants do.

Employment minister Tony McNulty claims expenses on parents' home

Another minister has been accused of claiming expenses that he did not need.

This time it's Harrow East MP Tony McNulty, who claimed up to £14,000 a year in parliamentary expenses for a house where his parents live, as revealed by the Mail on Sunday.

Mr McNulty said that the house allowed him to do his job more effectively, according to the BBC. The home is eight miles from his main one in Hammersmith.

Yet if his parents are already paying the mortage, and they also pay the bills, what need is there for McNulty to recieve taxpayers' money towards the house? He should pay this money back and apologise to the House for his greed.

In a pathetic defence of his conduct,McNulty told the Telegraph "There are senior shadow frontbench figures who live five miles further away from Westminster than me who claim the lot."

If that is true, these people should be named as well.

According to the Telegraph, the taxpayer would save £2 million a year if all MP's who lived within sixty miles of Westminster did not claim the additional costs' allowance. 105 currently do. Tony McNulty, who has now stopped claiming money for his parents' home, says they should all stop claiming.

The total cost of Jobseekers Allowance fraud is £2.6m, which the Government scream about on horrible posters. Yet on the waste of £2 million by well paid MP's, they are silent.

McNulty is Employment Minister. Earlier this year he defended the amount of money that Jobseekers Allowance paid out after fellow Labour MP Brian Iddon had the courage to mention how low the £60.50 a week (for those who have worked for a certain period) is.

Saying that JSA will go up "by 5% or 6.3%", he also stated that many people were given other benefits to live on.

People on the dole don't get the chance to claim thousands in expenses for a home eight miles away from their own. People on the dole have to justify why they are on the dole and are subject to sanctions.

Low-paid public sector workers, such as the brave police officers, firefighters and nurses who work hard, don't get to claim a second home allowance.

But the person in charge of people seeking jobs and trying to survive on benefits has up until now been claiming thousands of pounds on his parents' home on his salary of £63,291.

While Tony McNulty has not broken any rules, this does not mean that what he has done is morally right. To paraphrase Tony Blair, the rules must change.

There is a stench of venality around the House of Commons as some MP's claim money they do not need while people outside make do as jobs and public services are cut.

I reckon most state schools in Harrow would have loved to have recieved £14,000 a year, money that could have gone to them and not their MP.

Not sure why he couldn't just move to a house in Harrow either. I used to live in the area and it's not expensive to live in or crime ridden. He's been MP for Harrow East for years, I do not understand why he has stayed in Hammersmith.

In two weeks, thousands of protestors will march on the City of London and the ExCel centre near the Docklands where the G20 summit is taking place (and why they have to hold the G20 in the centre of London I do not know. Why not hold it in the country and drive politicans to it?).

I wonder if there will be a march on the Houses of Parliament in the near future.

The rules of politicans must change if we are to avoid chaos. Currently, the British have little faith in our representatives.

Red Riding Episode Three

Final episode of the Red Riding Trilogy last night.

The focus was on Detective Superintendent Maurice Jobson, who was also in episode two briefly.

A slower moving episode, and confusing on occasion. I thought John Dawson was dead, yet he is alive in this episode, set nine years after the first.

When another child goes missing, Maurice believes that the man charged with their murder, Michael Myshkin, who was tortured by West Yorkshire Police, was innocent.

Meanwhile, solicitor John Piggott wants to help Michael Myshkin but discovers that someone close to him is responsible for horrific crimes.

Not the best synopsis, but the drama was confusing and rambling, nowhere near as good as the first two episodes.

I did like the way that the catchphrase "To the North, where we do what we want" looked pathetic being said by several conniving senior police officers, as opposed to scary in episode one where Eddie Dunford is being chucked out the van.

There was little excitement, incoherent plot structure and I found the episode boring, unlike the tragic Episode 2 and scary Episode 1.

A sad ending for Red Riding. I wonder what the Damned Utd, released later in March, will be like.

Israeli army soliders wearing offensive t-shirts

Rather disturbing story from Sky News (not regarded as a source biased towards the Palestinians) of some Israel Defence Force soliders wearing t-shirts mocking the killing of Palestinian women and children.

While some of those depicted in the crosshairs are carrying guns, some are unarmed, including a mother weeping next to the body of her child.

The Israeli Defence Forces told Sky News the t-shirts were printed on the private initiative of the soldiers and their designs "are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless".

We have no idea how many soliders wore the t-shirts (one suspects a small minority) or who printed them for the soliders.

This will provide ammunition for antisemites throughout the world.

Times are difficult, and extremism is rising. An hour or so from where I live, a BNP leader has been nominated as a school governor.

While people shouldn't avoid doing things because they will upset extremists, wearing offensive and vile tshirts is not going to help the image of Israel around the world.

One commentator on the Sky News report, Steve Cole, says "I did have respect for the Israelies, but seeing this has made me have a completely different view. It's disgusting."

Many Palestinians who died in the Gaza conflict were innocent people. Their deaths, from whatever cause, do not deserve to be celebrated.

The soliders must be punished.

Investigation urged into death of Iranian blogger Omid Reza Mirsayafi

Human rights organisation Article 19 has called for an investigation into the death of Iranian blogger Omid Reza Mirsayafi, who died in Evin prison, Tehran, yesterday.

Mirsayafi was sentenced to two and a half years in November last year under Articles 500 and 514 of the criminal code, which state that "anyone who insults the Supreme Guide Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or the country’s leaders, is liable for six months to two years in prison"(Article 514) and "anyone making propaganda against the state is liable to three months to one year in prison" (Article 500).

According to Article 19, unconfirmed reports coming out of the Evin prison seem to indicate that Mirsayafi’s death may have been caused by an incorrect dose of the prescribed medications he had been taking.

Human rights activist Dr Firouzi alleges that prison doctors ignored pleas to give him proper treatment and that officals made little attempt to save his life.

Article 19 Executive Director, Dr Agnès Callamard said: "Article 19 is shocked at the news of Omid Reza Mirsayafi’s death in prison, especially on the eve of Norouz.

"We call on the Iranian authorities to launch a thorough and urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death."

Many bloggers in Iran recieve prison sentences, including Shahnaz Gholami, a women rights activist and editor the blog A Woman’s Rights are Human Rights, arrested in November 2008 for posting articles deemed to be damaging to national security on her blog.

Gholami, who also experienced harsh prison conditions, was released on bail of 200 million Tumans (approximately £140,000) on 17 January 2009 after going on hunger strike.

Alleged Barclays Bank tax avoidance documents can be viewed on Wikileaks

The excellent site Wikileaks has copies of the documents that the Guardian was forced to remove from its site, which claim to show Barclays Bank helping its clients to evade tax they should be liable for.

Wikileaks quote a commentator as saying "I was lucky enough to read through the first of the Barclays documents.I will say it was absolutely breathtaking, extraordinary. The depth of deceit, connivance and deliberate, artificial avoidance stunned me.

"The intricacy and artificiality of the scheme deeply was absolutely evident, as was the fact that the knew exactly what they were doing and why: to get money from one point in London to another without paying tax, via about 10 offshore companies. Simple, deliberate outcome, clearly stated, with the exact names of who was doing this, and no other purpose."

Incidentaly, if Blogger was hosted in Australia I might be fined $11,000 dollars a day by the Australian Communications and Media Authority for linking to a Wikileaks page.

However, all I am doing is linking to content in the public domain and not doing anything wrong.

The documents were sent by an anonymous whistleblower to shadow chancellor Vince Cable.

Campaign against Internet Explorer 6 by Danish and Nowegian media websites

Poynter Online reports that a number of Danish and Norwegian media sites have joined a campaign against Internet Explorer 6, Drop IE6.

According to Danish website Version2, Internet Explorer 6 problems take up 25 per cent of web development time.

DropIE6 wants users to upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or use another browser.

Security advisory site Secunia reports 142 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer 6, 22 of which are unpatched.

According to the Wired blog, sites in Sweden, Indonesia and Australia have joined in while an international wiki has been set up as well as a Facebook group.

Icelanders are not terrorists campaign presents petition to British politicans

Today the organizers of the "Icelanders are not Terrorists" campaign presented a petition with over 80,000 signatures to the British-Icelandic All-Party Parliamentary Group at the Houses of Parliament, protesting at Iceland's citizens being labelled "terrorists" by the British government.

The petition was presented in the Palace of Westminster's Jubilee Hall by a group of Icelanders including a woman wearing a “skautbuningur,” traditional Icelandic costume, and Orri Páll Dýrason of the internationally acclaimed post-rock band, Sigur Rós.

The presentation's intention was for members of the All-Party Group to bring the issues involved to the attention of Parliament and to the people of the United Kingdom.

Austin Mitchell MP, Chairman of the British-Icelandic All- Party Parliamentary Group, stated, "I welcome this petition and those who are bringing it. Government was too quick to act against Iceland when we should have helped them. Though I'm sure it was not the intention to label them terrorists, that was an unhappy consequence of the legislation they used."

Mitchell added, “Time now to draw back together and rebuild the close relationship we've developed since the cold war. We need each other."

The petition, which can be signed online, was created after the British Government invoked the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act of 2001 to freeze the assets of the Icelandic bank Landsbanki, the Central Bank of Iceland and the Government of Iceland in the United Kingdom on Oct. 8, 2008.

This action led to Icelanders being placed by the HM Treasury on a list of "regimes" subject to financial sanctions, along with Al-Qaida, the Taliban, Belarus, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar, Zimbabwe and others.

The European Small Business Association has also criticsed the decision to invoke the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act of 2001, saying that "No consideration was given to the devastating consequences these actions would have on the
small business community in Iceland."

London party to raise money for homophobic bullying campaign

PinkNews.co.uk reports that a party will be held next month at the top of Centre Point Tower, 103 New Oxford Street, to raise funds for a campaign to target homophobic bullying in schools.

The Paramount Club will play host to some of London's favourite DJ's such as Adamix, as well as a charity raffle and an auction on April 24th from 8pm to 2am. Tickets are £25 each.

Enjoy panoramic views and do your bit to help children get through the school day without breaking down in tears.

Nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road.

Manchester HOPI demonstration in solidarity with Iranian students

Manchester HOPI (Hands off the People of Iran) has organised a demonstration outside the University of Manchester Students' Union on 25th March from 1pm to 3pm (دستها از دانشجویان ایران کوتاه) against the Iranian regime and its detention of students, as well as Iranian sanctions.

HOPI will be collecting letters to be sent to the Iranian Embassy calling for the students' immediate release and collecting signatures for a petition against sanctions to be sent to the Foreign Office.

This seems to be a rare example of a left wing group opposed to war with Iran that also criticises the Iranian regime and mentions its homophobia and repression.

The demonstration also highlights Amirhosein Mohammadifar, Mohammad Poorabdollah, Sanaz Allahyari, Alireza Davoudi, Bahman Khodadad, Hosein Sarshoomi and Arsalan Sadeghi of the Students for Freedom and Equality group, who have been arrested and tortured by the Iranian regime.

47 have joined the Facebook event, and let's hope more people turn up. Nice to see a group that looks at both sides.

Minimum alcohol price is the right way forward

Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's top medical advisor, has had the excellent idea of a minimum alcohol price, where no drinks could be sold for less than 50 pence per unit of alcohol they contain.

Given that cheap offlicence and supermarket alcohol is a key fuel of binge drinking, and a reason why so many pubs are closing across Britain, I think this is an excellent idea. You can get a can of Strongbow cider for under £1 in some offlicences!

For those who say that pubs closing down is simple economics, should we allow something to fail if it costs jobs, destroys communities and ruins people's evenings out?

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, is against the idea. He's concerned about losing votes no doubt, and told the BBC that ministers had no intention of going ahead with something that would punish the responsible majority of drinkers.

This from a man who has no qualms about getting tough on the majority of unemployed who are looking for work.

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, is terrified that people will have to pay more for their alcohol. What a nice man Mr Beadles is, concerned about the welfare of ordinary people.

Mr Beadles also feels that extended licencing hours have helped combat alcohol-fueled crime, and insults those who support a minimum alcohol price by saying "Perhaps it's time to move the brain out of neutral."

He says that raising the alcohol prices will hit the poor - but most of the changes will only apply to supermarket and offlicence drink. Is £5 for a bottle of wine really a lot? Alcohol is not an essential item, it is a drug which should be drunk in moderation.

To be honest, I'd be more interested in hearing the views of those opposed who don't directly benefit from low prices on alcohol. Since Mr Beadles regards anyone who disagrees with him as stupid, I feel that his comments have as much relevance as Henry VIII has to Battlestar Galactica.

While David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, a foundation set up by drinks manufactures to "promote sensible drinking", agrees with Mr Beadles, doctors have backed the plans, although they feel they will be only a part of the solution to binge drinking.

I'd be interested to hear what local residents plagued by anti-social behaviour think about people being able to drink themselves stupid on cheap booze and cause havoc. No doubt they'd support a minimum alcohol price.

I'd be interested to find out if the area where Mr Beadles lives is anywhere like Leytonstone, dotted with empty beer cans. I hear shouting and screaming throughout Friday and Saturday night.

I'd like to see Mr Beadles help out at an accident and emergency unit one Saturday night and then try and tell us that we don't need minimum alcohol prices.

There is a suggestion by one commentator that the plans could be illegal under European Union laws. This needs checking.

However, I drink alcohol and would be happy to see minimum alcohol pricing. It would mean less binge drinking, more people using pubs and no effect on supermarket and offlicence jobs as they are already raking in money anyway.

No doubt many of those annoyed that they couldn't get wine at £4 are the same who complain about binge drinking and disorder (rightly).

Well done, Sir Liam Donaldson.

Red Riding Episode Two

Much more topical an episode this week, set during the hunt for Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe.

Manchester police officers are sent in to examine the investigation into the Ripper murders after his twelth victim is found.

Paddy Constantine plays likeable Assistant Chief Constable Peter Hunter who investigated the Karachi Club killings that took place at the end of Episode One.

ACC Hunter, with a team of two talented coppers, examines the conduct of the West Yorkshire Police, and with help from the rent boy B.J. discovers that one of the Ripper's percieved victims, barmaid Clare Strachan, was murdered by West Yorkshire Police officers.

The officers, including Superintendent Bill Molloy (the wonderful Warren Clarke) from Episode One, killed Strachan as she and BJ were witnesses to the killing of John Dawson by journalist Eddie Dunford.

Despite having his house burnt down and pictures of him and fellow officer Helen Marshall sent to him, Hunter proves to be a worthy opponent for the venal police officers.

Sadly, ACC Hunter's right hand man was one of the Karachi Club murderers and he shoots Hunter dead.

It is not explained how Hunter's right hand man came to be mixed up with Molloy's men, although it seems he is a West Yorkshire police officer himself.

Much better than the first episode. Meatier, darker and much more fun (and sad at moments).

There has been some criticism of the way the story treats the Yorkshire Ripper murders, with Ian Jack writing in the Guardian about how David Peace's fiction should be interpreted.

It's also important to remember that Red Riding is an interpreatation of David Peace's novels.

Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi sentenced to three years in prison for hurling a shoe at President Bush

So Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi, who threw a shoe at President Bush at a press conference last year, has recieved three years in prison for assaulting a foreign leader.

This seems stupidly harsh. Although it's up to the Iraqi courts what sentence they give al-Zaidi, it is reasonable for those outside Iraq to criticise it.

Is this sentence intended to prevent further protests where missiles are hurled? Although Bush could have been hurt during the protest, I don't believe three years is a reasonable sentence. I would have said a fine and a few weeks in jail. And I'm usually a fan of lengthy prison sentences if the crime warrants it.

Many on the left are trying to portray him as some kind of hero for throwing a shoe at Bush. However, it's not as if people around the world haven't protested about Bush's actions. Was al-Zaidi opening people's eyes or revealing some shocking secret? No. He was angry and threw something at a foreign leader.

I think al-Zaidi was wrong to throw a shoe instead of doing his job. I think it achived nothing and simply gave millions of people a cliched incident to bring up again and again.

It's also important to investigate the allegations of mistreatment during his captivity, even if they turn out to be unfounded. There have been reports of an investigation but I have heard nothing conclusive.

These are the points made by Iraqi blogger Salam Pax in an excellent article for the Guardian, which a number of commentators then attack by smearing him as a tool of the occupation.

While one has every right to disagree with Salam, the patronising lecturing towards Salam Pax (many of which are now deleted but were visible Thursday) by people who have little idea of Iraq other than through the media is rather disgusting.

I've read some of his blog, and it is critical both of the coalition and the "Iraqi resistance".

On the other side, the blog Little Green Footballs attempts to smear all those opposed to giving a man three years for throwing a missile at a foreign leader as "people who think it's cool to assualt the President of the United States", before quoting his defense attorney.

Harry's Place have also accused al-Zaidi of having planned the hurling in advance, linking to a quote by Kurdish journalist Zanko Ahmed describing him as "boastful".

The Harry's Place article seems to be implying partly that al-Zaidi is bad because of those who admire him, which seems rather bizarre, and it also claims that he could have been mistaken for a suicide bomber. However, unlike the Little Green Footballs post, it makes interesting points.

Here is another view opposing the action of al-Zaidi, from someone actually from Iraq.

As for Iraq, I opposed the initial invasion (which according to Harry's Place makes me a supporter of Saddam Hussain's regime and the Iraqi resistance, two things I am not) and am still unconvinced the military intervention was right.

However, it seems as if some gradual improvements have been made in Iraq, and the way forward is to criticise the coalition when they do wrong, to understand when they do the right thing and to keep the Iraqi people in our thoughts at all times.

Let us hope that one day soon British soliders will be able to return from Iraq.

Chris Mullin in conversation with Iain Dale at Stratford

To Stratford Circus, two stops away, on Thursday to hear Labour MP and former minister Chris Mullin, who has recently published his diaries A View From The Foothills, be interviewed by blogger and Tory activist Iain Dale.

Dale was a good interviewer, asking some pointed questions as well as painting a picture of Mullin's life.

He asked Mullin if he felt he had some responsibility for the 18 years of Tory rule, with Mullin blaming the 1983 election loss on the Falklands War.

Dale also asked Mullin how Gordon Brown could have been selected given the comments about him in A View From The Foothills, including a story of Brown ringing a colleague up and swearing at him because his report didn't reflect the Treasury's viewpoint.

Mullin said that there had been "water under the bridge" since the Diaries were written between 1997 and 2005, and that he had been impressed by Gordon Brown since the financial crisis.

When asked why he was retiring, Mullin said that it was always better to do so when people ask "Why?" rather than "When?", and that his wife wanted to work as an interpreter, which would require her to travel.

Mullin was very upbeat about New Labour and blamed the Tories for a "benefit culture" problem

Questions from the audience included what note Mullin would leave for the next Sunderland South MP, whether there would be a full inquirey into the Iraq War (which Mullin believed there would be when troops are withdrawn) and whether the Cabinet minuites on Iraq would be released (which Mullin thought would be uninformative and bland) .

When asked how history would have turned out if Tony Benn had become Labour Party leader or if John Smith had lived beyond 1994, Mullin said that the party would have been more united than in 1983 and the loss in 1987 would have been smaller, and that a Labour Government led by John Smith would have been less radical on education and health, but there would have been less emphasis on spin and style (at which several people cheered).

Mullin also mentioned that many people believed the pamphlet he wrote "How to Select Or Reselect your MP" was called "How to Deselect Your MP", and claimed that many Labour MP's in the pre-Bennite days had been in their jobs for many decades.

Several people local to Chris Mullin's constituency of Sunderland South were also in the audience.

Afterwards, Mullin signed copies of A View From The Foothills, including my own. I've read about 100 pages so far.

It's a great read, full of revelations about the problems of being a minister (including the encouragement placed on Ministers to use their official cars) and the Labour governments of 1997-2001 and 2001-2005. Out now in hardback at £20.

Guardian launches application building service

The Guardian has launched Open Platform, an application building service that allows web developers to use the paper's content in return for advertising it.

The platform has two components, the Content API, allowing web developers to obtain content, and the Data Store, a collection of data sets collected by various Guardian journalists.

5,000 API queries are allowed per day, and content from the Guardian can only be stored for twenty four hours.

Tools already developed using the Guardian's Open Platform include API Maps.

More information. Apply for a key.

Tom Watson, MP for West Bromwich East, describes the Open Platform as a "charasmic leap" into the future.

Red Riding Episode One

"This is the north, and we do what we want."

Loved the first episode of Red Riding (the second is shown tommorow night on Channel Four).

Cocky and hard-bitten journalists, rough policemen, a crooked and perverted property developer and lashings of terror.

Synopsis: Journalist Eddie Dunford has come back to the Yorkshire Post after working down south. Following up the disapperence of several young children, he discovers that one was found on housing developer John Dawson's land.

Corrupt members of the West Yorkshire Police are sent to warn him off, brutally beating twice and then torturing him. They give him a gun and get him to kill John Dawson, and he does.

It is not clear why the police get Dunford to kill Dawson. Maybe they are worried that Dawson is a liability.

At the end of Episode One, Dunford drives his car into two police cars that were chasing him.

Red Riding is great fun, and the Seventies look hard-bitten yet tasteful.

Has terror returned to Northern Ireland?

News today that two soldiers have been murdered at an army base in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Thankfully, both Republican and Unionist leaders have condemned the murders. It's rather ironic that Irish Republican Army supporter Edward Kennedy was recently given an honorary knighthood.

Not sure that a man who said that the Protestants of Ulster "should be given a decent opportunity to go back to Britain", according to Andrew Pierce in the Daily Telegraph, should receive any award.

I do like the Kennedy apologist who says "Yes, he has made mistakes, but haven't we all?", as if support for the Irish Republican Army and taking a one-sided view of the Troubles in Northern Ireland can be explained away as a simple mistake.

While Edward Kennedy may have done great things for America, he has not done great things for Britain.

Let us hope that the Troubles in Northern Ireland are truly over. Most people in Ireland want peace

Watchmen: A Review

Saw Watchmen, an adaptation of Alan Moore's outstanding graphic novel, at the Odeon in Brighton this Saturday.

I was pleasantly impressed by the film's faithfulness to the book, unlike the adaptation of V for Vendetta, another adaptation of Alan Moore's excellent work.

For those who haven't seen the film, or read the graphic novel, the story follows a group of superheroes known as the Watchmen. Originally formed in 1940, they passed down the cape and crime-fighting to a second generation. The film's events are set in 1985.

When the vile Comedian, a bigoted rapist named Edward Blake, is murdered his fellow Watchmen Rorschach, Nite Owl, Dr Manhattan and Silk Spectre investigate.

Rorschach is a extremely conservative man who wears a flour sack with a Rorschach ink blot on it, a brown hat and raincoat and smart trousers.

Dr Manhattan is able to control time and space, a radioactive man who ended the Vietnam War and was present at the moon landing in this alternate America, where President Richard Nixon is re-elected for a fifth term.

Nite Owl is a worried, impotent nice guy, while Silk Spectre is an attractive woman who loathes the Comedian as he raped her mother.

The superheroes discover that fellow Watchman Ozymandias, who retired from crime-fighting and now markets himself as a businessman and renewable energy supremo using his real surname Veidt, is responsible for the murder of Edward Blake.

Ozymandias' plan is to force the world to live in peace by destroying New York City, which succeeds at the expense of 15 million dead, including Rorschach, who refuses to "compromise". However, there is a hint that the election of Ronald Reagan in 1988 will cause the Cold War to resume.

I thought Watchmen was brilliant, although four people in front of me who walked out didn't share my view. It adhered to the comic book and was witty, brutal and moving. A must-see film.

My friend and I also managed to pick up an exclusive collectors' booklet with photos and art from the film.

Rorschach is my favourite character, not sure what this says about my political and social views.

Red Dwarf is coming back

The cult comedy show Red Dwarf is coming back to British television.

Next month, the digital television channel "Dave" will show three new episodes of Red Dwarf, directed by Doug Naylor.

There will not be a laugh track, as most of the show will not be shot in front of any audience.

Robert Llewelyn, who is Kryten in Red Dwarf, reports rumors that DVD's will be released in June for the UK,and where previous Red Dwarf DVD’s were released,including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

At this stage, the only original cast members announced are Chris Barrie (Rimmer) Craig Charles (Lister), Danny John-Jules (Cat) and Robert Llewellyn (Kryten), while Sophie Winkleman, who starred as Big Suze in the wonderfully toe-curling Peep Show, will also be in the new Red Dwarf episodes.

According to television website Digital Spy, the episodes will include a visit to The Rovers Return, the pub in soap opera Coronation Street.

The first episode will be shown on "Dave" on Friday 10 April at 9pm. The second will be shown on 11 April.

The final episode on Sunday 12 April will be followed by an hour long making of documentary.

National Union of Students officer Joel Braunold on antisemitism

NUS Officer Joel Braunold has written excellent blog posts on Officer Online (NUS site) and Harry's Place about the rights of Zionists not to be abused.

Of course you can protest against Israel, you can be as critical as you like, but if the person next to you at the protest has a sign that calls for the blood of Jews, or a chant starts calling to kill the Jews, or you are part of a facebook group that calls for violence, you cannot claim that you were not part of this if you did not challenge it. As my fellow NEC member Ben Whittaker said in his election speech for the NEC, “it’s not the words of our enemies that we should be most scared of but the silence of our friends.”

While I have nothing against peaceful demonstrations against the actions of the Israeli state, whether I agree with their message or not, the vile attacks on Jewish places of worship, businesses and homes must be condemned and more must be done to bring their perpetrators to justice, as should those who liken Israel to the Nazis and support Hamas.

Rhoda Koenig makes some interesting comments on middle class prejudice in the News Statesman.

Just as antisemitism is on the rise, so is homophobia, with a risible sentence of two and a half years given to 20 year old David Smith from Kent, who spat on and punched Ronald Dixon, causing him to die from head injuries.

Smith was with three other people who pelted Ronald Dixon and his partner with eggs and hurled abuse at them, for being two people in a loving homosexual relationship. I do not know what happened to the three fellow bigots.

Donors sought for North Yorkshire boy with leukaemia

Inspector Gadget blogs on 16 year old Ben, who needs a bone marrow transplant because the drugs to treat his leukaemia are not working as well as hoped.

Ben's father is a firefighter, and tests are being carried out to find donors at the following fire stations:

· 5th March – Scarborough

· 9th March – Acomb (York)

· 6th April – Harrogate

· 7th April – Richmond

· 8th April – Selby

· 9th April – Easingwold Training Centre.

Donors must be between 18 and 40 years old. To register, you need to fill out a questionnaire and give a blood sample. Session will run from 4pm until 8pm on dates given.

The Sun: Julie Burchill on Margaret Thatcher

Interesting piece in today's Sun by Julie Burchill on Margaret Thatcher.

I've never been a fan of most of Burchill's writing. To me, it seems like she's often expressing opinions that will stir people up rather than opinions she believes. I also find her dreary rants against the middle class boring.

That said, this article is well written and worth reading. Burchill writes well about her life and makes some interesting points.

Overall, the article is pro-Thatcher (unsurprising for the Sun), although there is much criticism of the destruction of the British mining industry. Even this is mixed, with Burchill attacking "public schoolboys" and "the mighty, flighty Wham!" for supporting the miners while not having done anything like worked down a mine.

The oft-repeated claim that Thatcher was treated differently because she was a woman is hinted at hear when Burchill comments on a recent BBC drama about the former PM "Don’t you just love the icky, sexist, instant intimacy of that first name use — that play about Blair wasn’t called Tony, was it? And imagine that film Frost/Nixon being called Dave/Dick!"

However, no-one would have understood what Frost/Nixon was about if it was called Dave/Dick! Tony Blair is just called Tony lots of times when parodied by journalists.

Burchill also comments "She has done harsh things and had a great deal of faith in herself — and, being a woman, this more than anything is why she remains so unforgiven by certain sections of society." As if the miners and the unemployed and the Labour Party were saying "If only she was a man, it wouldn't matter so much.

As for the "1982 war over the Falklands, in which she managed to give a fascist regime a bloody nose AND remind her BBF Ronald Reagan that a “Special Relationship” didn’t include the little one sucking the big one’s BTM 24/7.", it was the Conservative government's withdrawal of Britain's naval presence in the area that helped encourage the junta to attack.

Burchill's father died from asbestos poisoning, and she makes an interesting point about the downside of British heavy industry. However, other countries still have heavy industry and managed to reduce the rate of illness. The service sector, which grew like a rash, can have poor working conditions and low pay as well.

I don't like the way that Julie Burchill dismisses criticism of Thatcher by "luvvies" as well as implying that middle class people who criticise her are "snobs".

Apart from the regeneration of the Docklands area in the 1980's, I can't think of much good that Thatcher and her government had done. The "Big Bang" deregulation seems pretty unfunny now and her policies encouraged greed and destroyed communities.

Aberdeen airport shut down by Plane Stupid protestors

Indymedia reports that nine Plane Stupid activists shut down Aberdeen airport this morning, setting up a golf course on the tarmac and placing security fencing around it.

Carrying a banner emblazoned with "Nae Trump Games with Climate Change", the activists entered the runway by cutting the fence and scaled the roof by climbing ladders.

The protest was opposing the airport's expansion, which will increase visitors to Donald Trump's proposed new leisure resort on the coast, with a hotel and two championship golf courses.

Sky News claims that seven protestors halted the demonstration at 9am, while nine more were arrested. An emergency flight was allowed through after Grampian Police claimed it was to save an ill baby, although Plane Stupid claim that the hospital said they had their own helipad.

Glasgow social worker Tilly Gifford said "Alex Salmond wants to let the Spanish shareholders of BAA, Donald Trump and his super-rich American friends concrete over Scotland and its efforts to stop runaway climate change.

"Arctic ice is melting, the sea is already rising and experts warn the world’s rainforests could collapse. Our generation is already starting to feel these impacts as the warming kicks in so it’s obvious that it’s going to need to be us that urgently puts the brakes on expanding unnecessary airports."

Former Sussex University students' union president Dan Glass, who last July glued himself to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said "We’re here to say it cannot happen, and our generation won’t let it happen. The scientists tell us we've got seven years to make emissions peak then drop, and if we fail, the people on this runway and their entire generation, and our children, willl live with the consequences. That's why we’re doing this."

BAA told Sky News "This action is dangerous and highly irresponsible, not least because Aberdeen is one of Europe's busiest commercial heliports and a major transport centre for the north of Scotland, used by tens of thousands of people every day."

Photos of the airport occupation can be seen via Flickr.

Gordon Brown seeks support from Barack Obama for "global new deal"

British politicans have been wetting themselves with the possibility that President Barack Obama might not value the "special relationship".

Well, Gordon Brown was delighted to be the first European leader to be granted access to the White House, although Japan's prime minister Tara Aso was the first world leader into the White House, suggesting Obama didn't want to place too much of an emphasis on the bizarre diplomatic situation between two countries.

Sky News reports that Obama said "Great Britain is one of our closest and strongest allies and there is a link and bond there that will not break.

"Any suggestion that there is any lessening of the relationship is misguided."

Although I'd rather Britain was working with Barack Obama's America than George Bush's America, Obama's hints of protectionism and his recent actions against Pakistan are a cause for concern to me.

However, Brown stated cause to secure Barack Obama's support for a global new deal is a laudable one.

Brown's plan, which Nick Robinson describes as "involv[ing] cross border co-operation on financial regulation, the closing of tax havens and the reform of financial institutions like the IMF", impresses me. Maybe this is one time the "special relationship" could work for good.

When Gordon Brown gets back from America, I wonder what he will do about members of parliament changing Green Book rules to allow MP's to claim their main home is their second home and vice versa, as well as removing the rule that "any allowance for overnight costs arising from Parliamentary duties in London may not be used for accommodation expenses in respect of a residence designated by an hon Member as his main residence for tax purposes".

The Daily Mail, meanwhile, claims that there is a rift between Brown and Chancellor Darling, which reminds me of former Prime Minister John Major and former Chancellor Lamont post Black Wednesday, which this crisis dwarfs!

Call for smaller police forces from think tank Reform

PC David Copperfield links to an interesting report from the think tank Reform that calls for the creation of smaller police forces.

The report, A New Force, claims that the 43 forces currently operate as "fiefdoms", run by Chief Constables who are only accountable to weak Police Authorities, and also alleges that there is a lack of coordination on serious and organised crime.

Reform call for The Metropolitan Police to have a mandate to lead on national and regional serious and organised crime, while they suggest that regional police forces should be split into up to 95 city, town and county forces.

The report, released last Thursday, also claims that the Home Office micro-manages policing, obliging forces to spend money on particular items, while each force has had to pay to develop its own IT system.

A New Force was written by Dale Bassett, Andrew Haldenby, Laurie Thraves and Elizabeth Truss, and launched last Wednesday at an event with , Shadow Police Reform Minister David Ruffley MP.

It can be read as pdf via here.

Amnesty Internation call for Web 2.0 action on International Women's Day

Amnesty International are calling for all social media users to broadcast the message "Each year, 1 in 10 women in Britain experience rape or other violence. Act now. http://www.oneten.org.uk." at 1:10pm on Friday 6 March in reflection of International Women's day on Sunday 8 March. You can also download Facebook or Myspace avatars

The Map of Gaps allows users to enter their postcode and find out how many services for protecting women (such as Rape Crisis Centres and domestic violence refuges) exist in their area.

For example, Tower Hamlets where I work has 5 such services. While the website gives the number of women in London (almost four million) it does not break it down by borough, so I do not know how many women rely on the 5 services (nor what they are).

However, five services seems very low for a larger area. Users are encouraged to contact their MP to call for more services to protect women.

According to Amnesty International, one in ten women in Britain experience domestic violence or rape.

Map of Gaps was created by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the End Violence Against Women coalition. Research was carried out by the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit and the Cities Institute at the London Metropolitan University.

The campaign calls for a national funding strategy to improve services to protect women (as well as safeguard the exisiting ones) and for local authorities and other public bodies to ensure there is dedicated funding for independent, specialised, women-only services to support women who are the victims of violence.

Please use your social media to help highlight violence against women at 1:10pm this Friday.

Oh dear

Am feeling tired and run down again and have had a mostly awful week. Why are some people so annoying?

New Facebook fad

Has anyone else who is on Facebook noticed a fad of people uploading pictures of the Mr Men or suchlike and tagging a different friend for each one? I wonder if a Facebook application could be made for this.