Thursday, 12 July 2007

The Poliblogs 12th July 2007

Everyone is Backing Boris
Despite the fact that Guido rarely meets anyone who doesn't want Boris to run, the issue is troubling Guido, with less than a week to go before nominations close things are still unclear. The Backing Boris Facebook group has gained over 500 members in a few days, a small but telling indicator of his popularity.

Guido Fawkes


Norris v. Boris
Err, something I'm not quite getting here. Is the position of candidate for the Conservative Party in the London Mayoral elections something which is reserved solely for serial shaggers?

Tim Worstall


Place Your Bets on an Autumn Election?
I have to be honest at being a little mystified by Gordon Brown's statesment about the Queen's Speech. It was dressed up as being a grand gesture at allowing more scrutiny of planned government legislation, and for all I know it was genuinely that. But something has been gnawing away at me over the last hour and it's finally dawned on me what the true agenda might have been.

Iain Dale


The Great Polluter
And so, at last, to Alastair Campbell's Diaries. Gordon Brown said he didn't know why they were being published, a pretence at incomprehension which is a well-known and very effective political technique. Campbell himself said in the course of a 30-minute interview on the Today Programme of the type ususally reserved for serving Prime Ministers that he hoped the diaries would provide "the first chapter of a record that I intend to put into the public domain about an amazing prime minister, a great leader in my view, who was responsible for taking Labour into power and taking Britain forward."


To which I have only two words to say. My Arse.

Paul Linford


Family Misfortunes
With David Cameron aiming the "Family" Howitzer into the “equally valid lifestyle “ Left I have been thinking about justifying giving the traditional family special treatment. I stress that we do not start from zero .The disincentive to remain together is high . A couple on £18000 per year pay a penalty of £8588 per year of their pre tax income when they live together. Even a couple on £50,000 would be more than £7000 per annum worse off . It is entirely beyond argument that children in two parent families fair, far better, and as only one in twelve married couples part within the first five years of a child’s life marriage is obviously key. For unmarried couples that figure is one in two .One in two!

Islington Newmania


Sandwell Councillor Suspended For Publishing Racist Content On The Internet
The suspension follows a Standards Board for England investigation into allegations that the councillor had breached the Code of Conduct by publishing material on his web page that was both party political in nature and also 'hateful and abusive' towards ethnic minorities.

Prague Tory


The Lab-Con Hokey Kokey
You put your right leg in, your right leg out, in, out, in, out, shake it all about…

There is a serious side to all this. The degree by which the Tory and Labour camps in Ealing Southall are attempting to manipulate the Sikh and other communities is truly breathtaking. More to the point, I’m not sure it is all that effective.

Quaequam blog

My Two Cents...on environmentalism
The environmental debate in Britain is already beset by exaggerated claim and counterclaim. Those who dare to question whether climate change is either happening or is a man-made phenomenon are decried as climate change deniers or, in the words of RFK Junior in Washington this weekend, “traitors”. That said I detect a changing shift in attitudes.

Enough is Enough


Gordon Brown and housing

The number of housing starts in Britain last year hit the lowest since 1924. The currently total only half the figure for France, a country with a similar population.

Yet the UK’s housing stock is the oldest in Europe, with a quarter of dwellings built before world war one. At the current rate of replacement, it will need to last 5,600 years - longer than the pyramids, in fact.


Dave’s Part



Magic numbers

Parents must be allowed to choose how many children they have without being guilt-tripped about their effect on the environment.


Joanna Moorhead



Scrapping super-casinos?

Wow. Gordon Brown has just signalled the scrapping of plans to build super-casinos. He announced a review of other ways to regenerate towns and cities. I understand that this review will include the decision to grant the first licence to Manchester.


Nick Robinson



Fruit Fiasco
Nanny's simple-minded attempt to get school children eating more fresh fruit and veg has been a total flop.

The idea was that school kids only eat crisps and sweeties because they aren't given the alternative of fresh fruit and veg. Give them that alternative free, and hey presto, the problem's solved.

Burning Our Money


Smoke-on-Trent
Apparently, owing to an oversight, Stoke on Trent is not enforcing the smoking ban. One in the eye for the bureaucrats and snoopers.

Stoke-on-Trent has been renamed Smoke-on-Trent by mischievous publicans after council workers failed to get enforcement powers in time for the July 1 ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces. Addicts are now flocking to the city's 400 pubs and bars, as well as lighting up in enclosed spaces such as bus shelters, without fear of a £50 on-the-spot fine.”

A very British Dude


Nanny Bans Booze
Having banned fags, Nanny is now intent on banning life's other little pleasures.
Don't believe me?
Well, doctors are calling for the nationwide adoption of bylaws banning people from drinking in the streets.
The British Medical Association (BMA) wants to see them used much more widely.

Nanny Knows Best


Lembit must resign!!!
Seriously, although I am of course referring to his leadership of the party rather than is status as MP for Montgomeryshire. It’s nothing personal, but as I said last week, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats can’t be a separate post from the party’s Shadow Welsh Secretary in the Commons and the Leader of the Assembly Group.

Quaequam blog


Timescale truths
More details have emerged about Alastair Campbell's manipulation of intelligence assessments on Iraq.

Chris Ames


Brown will need to change more than the mood music
If Labour is to be re-elected, there will have to be pressure to shift it from its unpopular neoliberal course

Seumas Milne


A snitch in time ...
Why should we keep quiet about other people's wrongdoing? Let's inform on them and be proud of it.

Andrew Mayers


Some Light Hearted Policy Ideas
1. Tax relief for anyone entering the World Beard and Moustache Championships
2. Road tax dependent on the diameter of your exhaust, automatically doubled if you drive a Vauxhall Nova
3. 100% duty rate on sovereign rings / hoop earrings
4. Law against wearing hoods over baseball caps and men wearing ankle-length socks
5. Introduce a national holiday during World Darts Championships

Political Wonk

No comments: