...and one more thing!

Fern BLOODY Britton

2012-02-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

It was a terrible night’s sleep. The tinnitus was raging and piercing into my night-time soul and left me in a constant state of REM. The drifting dreams of the sub-conscious. Many of my dreams are surreal (are not all of ours?), from flying to underwater breathing, to many a sexual liaisons with…..well that would be saying. However, at my age I am well past the teenagers’ wet dreams. Do dry dreams count?

The most disturbing dream I had though was a ‘Trumanesque’ reality one. Every aspect of my life was being commentated on, analysed by and criticised by Fern Britton. How did she get into my sub-conscience? I never liked the woman. Fern BLOODY Britton.

This sums it all up

2011-06-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Nothing more to add.

Tinnitus Hell Part 1000

2011-04-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Was interviewed on The Jeremy Vine Show today with reference to the tinnitus...yes I sound depressed: that is because I am!!!

Gary Moore

2011-02-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

Just heard that guitar legend Gary Moore passed away this morning. I have been a fan of his since the late 70s; though I must admit to being somewhat out of touch with his later work.

His outstanding contributions to not only Thin Lizzy (Black Rose) but also Greg Lake and the blues, means his work will be remembered for a very long time.

Check out Back On the Streets; Corridors of Power; Still Got The Blues; After Hours; Thin Lizzy's Black Rose and G-Force.

The Artful Dodger

2011-01-06T03:14:00.001-08:00

Pay yer Taxes ....Mr Chancellor!!!!!

Cameron's anti BBC bias

2010-11-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

"Is it frustrating that Panorama's doing this programme a few days before? Of course it is," said Cameron.

So, it is fine for the Sunday Times to expose the corruption in FIFA, but for the BBC to show an investigation into it, it is unpatriotic. Or could it be that the BBC are not on Cameron's Christmas card list and Murdoch is???

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9099326.stm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wfl8t

We're all in this together. Oh yeah!!! Really!!!

2010-11-26T05:59:00.000-08:00

A little late with this, but have had a major relapse over the past few weeks.

If ‘We’re all in this together’, as the bastard child of Tory and Lib Dems ( The Coalition) claim we all are; why is it that the hardest hit will be the most vulnerable and weakest in society who are taking the hit the most? Regressive taxation in VAT to rise to 20%, benefits cut, and student university fees increased and legal aid sliced away.

From a personal perspective, I am worried. I am actually sick with worry. I shall clarify. I suffer from chronic depression, after 5 ½ years it has refused to shift. I have completed CBT, therapy, group therapy, relaxation modules, psycho this, that and any other. All to no avail, I am chronically unhappy, sad and depressed. I have hypertension and progressive hearing loss, teeth – grindingly, loud and intense tinnitus, as well as limited mobility and now type- 2 diabetes to contend with. I am very easily stressed and anxious about events in my life that I am not in control of. I like to be in complete control. I should be taking time to recover, to re-wire my brain and work my way through the dark demons that haunt my every living hour. Instead, I endure the day-to-day stereotype the media claim to all those on disability and incapacity to be as a scrounger and wastrel. Forced to watch, listen and shake my head resignedly at, as I understand the full implication of the unfairness the cuts that are going to be required on the poorest in society.

Housing Benefit: – For myself, I live in a modest one bed roomed flat. I pay from my Incapacity Benefit £10 to cover the shortfall in my Housing Benefit already. The expectation is that I will have to conjure an additional £10 from next year. This is not isolated; many have to make up the shortfall.

Glenda Jackson: “In my constituency, private landlords are increasingly reluctant to accept tenants who can pay only through housing benefit. For an increasing number of people, there is a shortfall between what the local rent office deems a property to be worth and what the landlord actually charges. Not one single claimant of housing benefit in my constituency-and they number thousands-has money to take home from the local housing allowance. In many instances, they have to make up the shortfall themselves.”

(http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101109/debtext/101109-0003.htm)

The Coalition claim, that these cuts, will force property owners to reduce their rents, this is a little like voodoo economics, there is no evidence this will happen. Instead, they will cut, and see what happens in their economic experiment. It is they claim, to make those that cannot afford a luxury, as a roof over ones head to seek cheaper accommodation. Trust me; this is the cheapest I can find. But also, in the private rented sector, one has to produce a deposit and administration fee, approximately (£1200), I am not sure about you, but even when I was in well paid, professional employment ( qualified teacher) finding that disposable liquidity would have been difficult. When one is only on Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance; well, one does not get rich on such meagre morsels. As for reducing a persons JSA if they have not found work in 12 months, is not only mind bogglingly mad, but also shows a cruel heartless streak that lies at the underbelly of the right – wing conservative philosophy. It also show a complete lack of basic maths: there are, depending on whose figures you trust 1.46 m (Office of National Statistics) or 2.47 (International Labour Office) claiming Job Seekers Allowance[1] and there are only 453,000 job vacancies available.[2]

Moreover, there is the underlying stench of social cleansing here. No matter how much the government deny this or how much they claim thee emotive phrases as being hyperbolic – it remains that if the government remove the safety net from those unable to pay the market price for rent, the government are intent on ridding and forcing them out of an area. Remember Dame Shirley Porter, my how she must be laughing now! You will end up with polarised communities (C. Spellman MP – Hansard )[3] . Glenda Jackson (again) exposed many myths espoused by The Prime Minister, the Coalition and right wing media. Namely;

Glenda Jackson “The most interesting thing to emerge from today's debate is the fact that Government Members have swallowed hook, line and sinker the myths that were originally used in the proselytising of their Prime Minister, who stood on the Floor of the House and castigated housing benefit for paying people £1,000 and £2,000 a week. He attempted to present that as the median for people claiming the benefit, and I was so intrigued that I tabled a question on the issue. There are, in fact, no claimants receiving £2,000 a week, and there are precisely 90 families, in London exclusively, whose housing benefit pays them rent of £1,000 a week, because those are extremely large families.”

“The other myth that has been propounded by Government Members today is that these changes are essentially fair. I distinctly remember the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister-who has proved himself to be the Maréchal Pétain of his generation-saying that the changes were not only fair, but made at a time when the Government were having to make extremely difficult choices to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Throughout the afternoon, it has been clear that Government Members do not regard pensioners as vulnerable. Nor, apparently, do they regard them as being taxpayers. They do not regard people with disabilities as being vulnerable, and they do not regard people on low pay as actually working.”

(http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101109/debtext/101109-0003.htm)

Incapacity:- I have yet to see how the changes will affect my circumstances, but I have a dreaded foretelling of doom and black despondency about it. That, the ESA is removing some disabilities into the able to work category is worrying. Firstly, are employers actually going to employ someone, with a large break in their employment record? There is the disability act, yet it is hard to prove one has been turned down for a position, because of a disability. Even if one wanted to fight it, they would find it difficult now that legal aid will no longer cover this. Secondly, there are the horrendous reports of ATOS – who are the contractors for disability assessment.[4]

Colin Hampton Unemployed Workers Centres Coordinator at the TUC 'Ministers clearly want to get as many sick and injured people off benefit and back into work to save the public finances. As a result the Government are shamelessly giving people '0 points' denying them benefit knowing that they are too ill to go back to work. It's a sick way to treat the sick.'

On a third note, I remind fellow Lib Dems, that in our own policy papers, and as recent the Summer Conference that the following would be ensure fairness. The “Ensuring Fairness in a Time of Austerity”[5] motion that carried in September stated several measures that protected the most vulnerable.

4 ‘…….redressing the situation left by the last government in the need for more social rented housing, while acknowledging the need to put in place measures to protect people who are vulnerable, including children and elderly people, from the threat of homelessness and other effects of a reduced income because of proposed housing and other benefit changes’

8. Safeguard universal child benefit in conjunction with progressive taxation in order to provide a reliable source of income protection throughout childhood.

9. Ensure that any cuts to welfare benefits are progressive in nature: reducing benefits enjoyed by the most affluent before cutting benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable.

The implicit reasoning is that all those on benefits, whatever benefits they are time wasting, money grabbing scum, living off the state. There are those of us wishing, hoping and determined to get well again, but time has no meaning, you cannot put a time limit on it. In fact, it will increase the levels of stress and anxiety for many.

Instead of chasing tax avoidance and evading, instead of a higher bank levy, instead of holding back the cuts until a stable recovery, the coalition are treading into dangerous waters by making the poorest in society poorer, dismantling the welfare state and reducing the public sector to the bare minimum. I am ashamed to be a Liberal Democrat; but I refuse to leave. I want the party back to its social liberal philosophy, back to the reason why I became a Liberal Democrat in the first place.

We know that the Tory ideology and now therefore the coalition’s ideology that fairness is not a government remits. [6] Theresa May, has scrapped the equality for fairness law. Stating that is was a ‘political’ clause; a ‘socialist’ clause. Well, fairness and equality are slightly alien concepts to the old nasty party of the 1980s – 1990s; but one had hoped that with the Lib Dems involved in this coalition, the influence of our fairness and equality philosophy would have permeated through. Alas, that was and appears to be a false hope. This is turning into the worse form of monetarist anti – state government neo - liberalism. Friedman and Schumpeter would be proud of this. In fact, it would appear that the parities hierarchy were preparing for a hung parliament and were ready to ditch key policies on which they were basing our election on. For a brief summary and links to other sites on this. [7]

We hear Nick Clegg, ‘Dear Leader’, stating that the cuts are an opportunity to create a fairer society. I am perplexed and somewhat cynical of this rhetoric, when the very policies we see coming from the Coalition would suggest otherwise. We see the demonising of the poor, the ill, and the old and single parents. It is as if, these sectors of society were the causes of the recession. The public are paying the price of the recklessness of financial institutions reckless casino capitalism.

It is all far too depressing. To see our MPs defending what is essentially the indefensible in the name of new politics and the coalition, to defend policies we would have argued against in opposition. Thankfully, there are those Lib Dem Mps with their moral compasses and principles still intact; Bob Russell, Mike Hancock and Charles Kennedy to name but three. I see the coalition staying the course, but I also predict that it will probably rip the party apart. As we are not getting out the message that not all the coalition policies our taste and approval, we will be tarred with that brush. Where a policy is so far removed from our philosophy, we should have the backbone to say so.

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/interactive/2009/jun/22/unemployment-and-employment-statistics-recession

[2] http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=12

[3] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101109/debtext/101109-0003.htm

[4] http://newsonnews.co/politics/5050-tuc-unfair-benefit-rulings-are-another-attack-by-government-on-the-poor.html

[5] http://www.libdems.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?pPK=a290c41b-1e59-475c-aacc-6a4ea72e7fdf&title=Ensuring_Fairness_in_a_Time_of_Austerity_-_carried

[6] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/17/theresa-may-scraps-equality-for-fairness

[7] http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/david-laws-nick-clegg-discreetly-preparing-for-hung-parliament/

Paul O'Grady - even he hates the cuts

2010-10-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Who's to Blame?

2010-10-24T04:01:00.000-07:00

Blame: the Bankers or the vulnerable, disabled, children, one parent families, the out of work, the old, the frail, the poor........................

Nothing more needs to be added to this.....

Dear Dr Mander
We made a fortune gambling with other people's money. Then we raided the Treasury for a bailout when our bets went wrong. So we've been feeling a bit bad about the economic downturn. Is there anything we can do to help?
The City of London
Dear City
Don't worry. There was a terrible misunderstanding. It turns out that, in fact, disabled people in social housing are to blame for the deficit and will now be punished accordingly. You are off the hook.
Dr Gerry Mander shares his consulting rooms with Rafael Behr

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/oct/24/gerry-mander-sarkozy-rooney

I am still fighting my conscience too, Nick. Do I remain inside the Party 'Pissing in the tent' or on the Outside 'Pissing In'? A comment I received on SLF has made me a little more determined, but not by much.

As a protest against such cuts , I have come across this :-

The full article is here, http://www.disabilityartsonline.org.uk/?location_id=6&item=773 , I would go, but am so afraid of travelling too far from my 'home' that I am physically sick. A few choice quotes are worthy here however;

“Further, that instead of targeting bankers’ bonuses and rich people’s profits, they are hoping to make huge savings by attacking the welfare benefits of vulnerable people unable to work, including people with severe mental health problems.
“In particular, they would like the public to think that people with depression, anxiety disorders and other mental ‘illnesses’ are malingerers and scroungers – when in fact all of us find it a terrible day to day struggle just to get by.”

This will put lives at risk. Already, 6000 people are thought to have committed suicide a year in the UK, although the true figure is definitely far higher. The stress caused by the threat of welfare benefits cuts, as well as the impact of the material deprivation that will result, will undoubtedly lead to a huge increase in suicides amongst people with mental health problems – an outcome that members of MAD PRIDE and other survivor support groups wish to prevent through campaigning and giving each other one-to-one support.

Yes, I speak as one with a vested interest in this. I am chronically depressed, it is long term and it refuses to shift. The more stressed I am the blacker it gets. The more I think of my long term future as a mentally ill person, the worse it gets. The beginnings of middle age have started to take its toll, I have progressive hearing loss, my eyesight will not improve, I find it nigh on impossible to walk for more than 10 minutes without my back going into spasm, my knees burning hot and I start to feel dizzy. I need more help than I am getting and that leaves me worried, but I value my loneliness & independence. These cuts bode for a very bleak future. And to think I voted and campaigned for a Party that is supporting it.

I Wish To Register a Complaint, about this Party I voted for and supported, it's dead.

2010-10-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

It has ceased to be, it has expired and gone to meet its maker.........

It is not often I get to update my blog, I am far too ill at present and these cuts have made me worse. When I should be concentrating on trying to get well, I find myself stressed and worried about my future. I certainly didn't support, vote, help fund, canvas and even serve as a councillor for this party over the past 15 years to see it destroy the lives of the most vulnerable sections in society.

I am on the verge of leaving, this has left me totally demoralised with the Party. If only someone in parliament would speak against these cuts, but they all seem to be impotent or accepting of them. On a personal note, they will leave me bankrupt and homeless. It is not a prospect I look forward to. I suffer from chronic depression, I often forget to take my meds o time, I cannot walk far and I am now suffering from progressive hearing loss. Yet according to Gorgeous George, I have 12 months to get well. Sorry mental illness does not work to a timeframe, as for hearing loss, except for hearing aids; hearing has yet to return miraculously, as was.

The regressive nature of the Welfare cuts certainly go against the recent motion passed (as above) 'Ensuring Fairness in a Time of Austerity': particularly Item 9:

"Ensure that any cuts to welfare benefits are progressive in nature: reducing benefits enjoyed by the most affluent before cutting benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable."

The weakest, the poorest and the most vulnerable in society are paying the price for the Credit Crisis and Labour's mismanagement of it.

On a final note: if this budget was one of such seriousness and one of austerity: one in which 'we are all in this together...for the good of the nation', why exactly did the majority of Tories laugh, cheer and bay for more (cuts) when Osborne completed his statement? It was not so much that the cuts were necessary (are they?) but they were received with zealous greed by the right-wing Milton Friedman, Chicago Economics. This neo-liberal monetarism, landed us in a mess in the 1980s, do we ever learn? Monetarism has never been proved as a workable economic model, in fact in all cases it has failed to deliver a FAIR society, only enriching the upper deciles of income in society.

What sticks in the craw more than anything else were the smiling faces on the front bench and then the backslapping of Gorgeous George, led by Danny Alexander and Nick Clegg. What sticks in the craw is that whilst Clegg was happy to praise the IFS during the election he is now against them. What sticks in the craw is that whenever Clegg or Alexander are asked whether these welfare cuts are fair, they avoid answering the question hiding it behind a response of smoke and mirrors claiming that all these measures are necessary and they are clearing up the mess from Labour. I expected Cameron & Osbourne et al to be evasive, as Lib Dems I had hoped and expected more honesty from our representatives.

Where to now?

BHA Reacts to Pope's first remarks on state visit

2010-09-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

So I'm a Nazi, am I??? How bloody ridiculous!!!!!!!!

BHA Reacts to Pope's first remarks on state visit

Spending Cuts or Ideological Cuts?

2010-09-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous George hacks away the elderly, poor and infirm.

There is no point getting all steamed up with outrage and clouded by judgement before the announced spending review. Nevertheless, there are many reasons to feel worried. As far as this Lib Dem is concerned, the coalition has failed. It has failed to stem the free market orientated small statist, “I’m all right Jack” Tory party of the 1980s – 90s. The forthcoming cuts, we are led to believe are necessary, they are inevitable and what is more they will make public services and the welfare state more efficient. Is this rhetoric all about saving money to balance the books or is it more to do with the right-wing Tory orthodoxy of the Von Hayek’s and Freidman’s of monetarist policies.

Do not think about getting old, ill or disabled. From now on, you are on your own. Already planned and budgeted for are cuts in incapacity benefits, disability allowances and housing benefits. A leaked document from George Osborne(Chancellor of the Exchequer) otherwise known as the Tories answer to Leatherface to Iain Duncan Smith
(Secretary of state for Work & Pensions) http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/11/george-osborne-slash-sickness-benefits - that plans to cut 2.5bn from those already deemed by the government and its agencies unable to work. This is not about ‘nudging’ those ‘lifestyle’ unemployed into work, but cutting vital monies to those unable – not unwilling, to work. I know of what I speak. I am in this category. Deaf, limited mobility and clinically depressed, I am one of those people the Daily Mail screams at you about who claim benefits for no reason. If that was not enough, they are also discussing the amount of time someone can claim incapacity or the employment and support allowance (ESA) as it is now. I can see it now; you are in the assessment room with the agency medic –

“ Mmmmm you appear to have only one leg young man…..Well, we’ll give you six months to regrow it then back to work for you!”

The ideological zeal with which Osborne wields his axe is disturbing; the somewhat acquiescent nature of the Lib Dems in the coalition to it is beyond disturbing. There were worrying aspects to 'The Orange Book' Eds Paul Marshall & David Laws (available through Amazon), but nothing on this scale. As Mike Hancock MP (Portsmouth South) put it, “I didn't get elected to punish the poor and the less well off” Whilst the Chancellor hammers the unemployed, the poor, the ill and the elderly there is an idleness within the Treasury about the banks and the bankers who play no small part in this mess. It seems like it is the same tac-tics of old, they refuse to penalise their potential donors and the rich; so all of societies ills financial and otherwise is all the responsibility of the stupid people who become unemployed, who get old and have the misfortune to become ill.

Moreover, it will start earlier too, now that money diverted into another ideological mess in education policy. With each new government a new policy, a new way to fuck it up for future generations from Primary education through to Higher education, more so than in the past it will be what property parents can afford from age five, or what religion parents are or claim to be, so they can place their offspring into the best school. With free schools and academies now allowed to follow their own agendas and without the ‘interference’ of the Local Authority, one can only assume how the educational standards shape up in the future. Schools/academies promoting Christian values and creationism, businesses (Murdoch seems interested in an academy in Wapping) with dubious moral ethics and ill judged but well meaning parents thinking they can go it alone, leads not only to a fragmented educational policy that is destined to fail our children, but will increase the poverty divide it supposedly is trying to close.

Further to this, The Guardian on 13th September 2010 reports that the retreat by Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Education) from Labours school rebuilding programme, by the DfE's own assessment those in the most disadvantaged areas will take the hit the most. Whilst the overriding bureaucracy with the programme, it was necessary and i important t to bring up our existing schools to a 21st Century standard. The removal of this in favour of supporting Free Schools and Academies is plain wrong and indefensible. Our (the Lib Dems) only concession to the education policy is the inclusion of the Pupil Premium which fine as it is, won't improve the teaching and learning facilities of the teachers and pupils.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/sep/12/school-building-programme-scrapped

It does not stop there, if a child from a poorer background is lucky enough and determined enough to succeed and wishes to go to university, he is already at a disadvantage, as the requirements are higher and the entrance more elitist than the past. That is not to say that elitism and high standards should not be accounted for, but when that elitism and high standard is usually dictated by the school you came from and admissions are being cut back year on year and with fees increasing we are pricing the poor out of higher education.

There is also a case to highlight here the validity and mandate the coalition have in this Texas Chainsaw Massacre of hacking and chopping cuts. Let us do the arithmetic:-

10 726 614 votes for the Conservative = 36.1% of the vote

8 609 527 votes For Labour = 29% of the vote

6 836 824 votes for the Liberal Democrats = 23% of the vote

(figures BBC)

Both the Liberal Democrats, whilst not dismissing the need for cuts were explicitly against harsh cuts in such a short time span. So, one would imagine / assume that those who voted for either party would have supported them on this very important issue: therefore 15 446 351 voted for cuts, but not now - later when the economy is stable.

If we take into account those that may support Tory cuts from other parties such as UKIP we are looking at an extra 3.1% of the vote, which would still come in under 50% of the popular vote. The majority of voters (who could be bothered to exercise their right) did not vote for this blood bath. In addition, blood bath is what it will be. Worse than cheap slasher movie where the limbs fly across the screen and buckets of blood splash the walls.

This is not a way to promote or enhance an equal society. The implementation of cuts seem now to be universally acknowledged, even the Sainted Cable during the election admitted so, but it was case of when the country was in a financially healthy position to do so. Recovery is in a perilous position, economists argue over how strong or weak the economy is. Many warn of a double dip, I am inclined to agree. The IMF warns the road to recovery is far from assured. Yet, this coalition cuts with impunity and cuts those on the lower levels of financial security and lower levels of society – we can be assure however, that ‘We’re all in this together’ and they ‘feel our pain’.

Yeah right…….

Normal Service Will Resume As Soon As I Know What Normal Is

2010-08-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

When the fire in my belly returns: and the current black cloud clears for a sunnier outlook, I shall return. The old demons are a little harder to control of late. It isn't as if there isn't much to get fired up about, but for now the only constant is despair. The tinnitus gnaws away like a ravenous sanity eating worm. The depression locks you away and shuts everyone else out.

The Awkward Squad Part II

2010-08-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

...are they heroes or villains?
I am now getting used to our back bench MPs criticising the government, where it is warranted, which is most of the time. I am used to the general feeling of alienation some in the rank and file membership and the 'floating voters' I talk to, and the sense of betrayal some of the 'floating voters' feel about the coalition. This is never going to be an easy alliance - and it will get a lot more fraught, fragmented and fragile (whoops alliteration) as the parliament progresses. I believe there will be many battles to come and none of them pleasant; as I fear we shall not have the influence in the government as many in the party believe we should have or do have.

It doesn't help when the PM (our senior partner) floats issues and policies that have yet to be discussed with his junior partners (us), as in the case of the "council houses for life" issue. I must say Simon Hughes has snapped back pretty sharpish.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10869044

Wikileaks and Murdoch

2010-08-04T04:33:00.000-07:00

A quote I found particularly pertinent and scathing of the Murdoch 'profit making' press:-

....There's a school of thought, to which a leading article in the Times gave voice, that he is playing a dangerous game. He says he hasn't read it, so I quote a chunk: "The sanctimonious piety of the man is sickening."
"Oh sure," he says. "Because it would be better to be a ruthless media mogul just in it for the money. That would be then be acceptable. We can't actually have people doing something for moral reasons. It's only acceptable if we do it just for the money."

Full interview and the links to the data

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/01/julian-assange-wikileaks-afghanistan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/afghanistan-the-war-logs

Nick Clegg and U Turns

2010-07-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am finding it difficult to defend some of the decisions Nick Clegg and the those Lib Dems whose flattery and obsequious behaviour to their governments' senior partners at every utterance from the frontbench coalition. The stance on the VAT rise, the schools programme, the dreadful changes in Incapacity and Housing benefits as well as the Disability Allowance; all these sure to please the blinkered Daily Mail brigade that anyone with an illness is a benefit scrounging wastrel, and anyway aren't there workhouses for them?

But when it comes to his 'Road to Damascus' on The Cuts, we now discover that it was earlier than the coalition negotiations and before his 'meeting' with Mervyn King. This I find worrying as a Lib Dem and one who firmly believes these cuts to be not only unnecessary but damaging to the economy. We are at serious risk of a double dip recession. As a party we fought our main battle on the fact we believed in making the cuts when the economy was on the road to recovery. I find this all very worrying and difficult to defend. Why did the leader of the party fight on a policy he no longer believed in?

Black Clouds and Silver Linings (battling depression)

2010-07-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

July, what a terrible month. The humidity and stifling weather has affected my ability to do even the smallest of tasks. The lack of energy I guess is linked to the diabetes, but the depression has been very very dark this month. It never goes away, I always have a self loathing and anger at myself that never seems to improve. This month though, the deepest pit of dark despair. I have the Three Ds: Depression, Diabetes and Deafness. The ever decreasing amounts I can hear without the amplification of either my hearing aids or headphones is taking its toll on my morale. I love music as much as I love anything in life, and the ability to hear music without headphones on is nil; and listening to music with hearing aids is like listening to music on a crappy old transistor radio, badly tuned. That has really brought my general low mood to an ever greater low.

With the depression and hearing loss comes the tinnitus: now that is as a debilitating as anything, those who have never suffered its invasive nature, the loudness of its drilling high pitch detuned wailing have difficulty in understanding how it reduces you to a quivering wreck - lying on the sofa drenched in sweat as you put on the loudest music you can to avoid hearing its squealing. Laying in bed at night with the acoustic aid in the ear to negate the shrillness of the tinnitus - but it still pervades and invades over the top to conquer all sound but its own. I may lost a great deal of my hearing, but the tinnitus - the noises in my head are louder than ever. And quite frankly I am fed up with being told by so called friends and health professionals I have to deal with it. I don't want to deal with any of it!!

In Praise of Mike Hancock's Five Issues

2010-07-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday during the Summer Adjournment Debate, Mike Hancock MP (Portsmouth South) raised five issues of note for the coalition. He stated that whilst he was an advocate of the coalition deal and did so believing that is was the only realistic deal and that they could introduce a fair way to deal with the issues the country faces. He added however, a caveat to this which is his fifth point. The first four points deal with housing and business rates, housing benefit, Building Schools for the Future and Portsmouth Football Club. The issues are in bold lettering: my views/opinions in orange (how apt and normal lettering).

Charging business rates on those very successful businesses that make a huge amount of money out of student lettings. Portsmouth. like many other cities is a university one. The flats that students lease (rent) are obviously taken out of a pool of accommodation that could otherwise be used for the local population. But, the university raises much in inward investment to the city. However, it deprives the City of appropriately £3.5Bn a year in council Tax, as students are exempt from this charge. Private landlords make an exceedingly good profit from the students, and it would seem to be only fair that the standard business rates were applied to what is in effect a business for these 'entrepreneurs' .

The changes to housing benefits needs to be reconsidered. It is not just London and its inner city areas that will face this regressive welfare move. Portsmouth's latest jobless figures show that is it higher than the national average of 3.8% at 4.2% for Portsmouth South.

Some people whom I represent are being told that if they do not get a job within 12 months they will lose 25% of their benefits, and I do not know how they will be expected to live with that, or even pay their rent. (Hansard)

On the building schools for the future review. In Portsmouth South there are 11 schools affected by the recent changes, schools that are in dire need of repair and updating. The mainly inner city schools of Portsmouth have had recent damaged reputations from Ofsted - and as a teacher by profession, I realise that a 'healthy' building is and provides a 'healthy' teaching and learning environment. Mike demands a a positive message:

....to the many disappointed parents, teachers, governors and, most of all, pupils throughout the country, stating that it will not only set the record straight on the fallacy of believing that all projects could be afforded, but give some hope to schools, such as those in my city, that have been swept aside in a rather cavalier way. I want some justice to prevail. (Hansard)

On Portsmouth Football Club. I only briefly if ever mention my favourite team, if only because most of the news is even more depressing than the current coalition. I firmly believe (conspiracy theory No1) that the Premiership and FA , have had it in for the club since we lifted the FA cup two years ago, that such a a momentous event should be won by an upstart team that was not in the top five, was to them unforgivable).

...the shabby and awful way in which that club and, mainly, its supporters have been treated by the premiership. An organisation awash with money has allowed a great club, with a huge history of support from local residents over more than 100 years, to disintegrate. Next week in the courts, it will be trying to get Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs off its back so that it can at least hold on to its position in the championship, having been demoted from the premiership. I want some action to be taken. I know that Ministers will say, "It's not our job," but this is our national sport. It is Portsmouth today, but it could be many other clubs tomorrow. It seems that such action is okay when people are taking money out, but they do not want to put anything back in order to support the loyalty that fans have shown. (Hansard)

Which leaves us to the first remark and Mike's last issue. Here he lays down the gauntlet to his government colleagues. This is what marks some of the 'backbench' Lib Dems from the backbench Tories, our innate belief in equality and fairness and the resulting consequences of the policies being enacted in the name of the coalition.

I was not elected to see the poorest in our society suffer, and I want to put a big marker down to my colleagues in government by saying, "Please, please, please think seriously about the consequences of some of the things that the coalition is going to do over the coming months." (Hansard)

These issues raised are very important, not just on the local level, but also nationally. They need to be addressed not only on the equality and fairness side of the equation but to those Lib Dems who view this coalition with increased scepticism and suspicion. As is known I fall into this category. Mike has the title according to The Public Whip of being the most rebellious MP in this current Parliament, with a 48.4% record of voting against the coalition. For one, I am proud that he is sticking to principles over the seduction of power. How long it can last with him voting against coalition policy remains to be seen, yet knowing him, he has always been independently minded, and one can only hope Mike continues to be so.

The full speech and debate at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100727/debtext/100727-0003.htm#10072741001079.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

2010-07-22T04:49:00.000-07:00

So, who or what are the Police accountable to? According to the CPS not only will there be no prosecution in the case of the appalling hammering Ian Tomlinson received from a bully boy policeman during the G20 protests last year, Keir Starmer, the Director or Public Prosecutions states,

"After a thorough and careful review of the evidence, the CPS has decided that there is no realistic prospects of a conviction against the police officer in question for any offence arising from the matter investigated and that no charges should be brought against him.
"In the face of this fundamental disagreement between the experts about the cause of Mr Tomlinson's death, the CPS embarked on a detailed and careful examination of all the medical evidence and held a series of meetings with experts in attempt to resolve, or at least narrow, the areas of disagreement.
"This inevitably took some considerable time," he added.

The video evidence obtained and shown across the world by The Guardian, shows clearly a man causing no trouble being pushed violently to the ground by a policeman in riot gear.

Courtesy of you tube and The Guardian

Along with Jean - Charles de Menezes and many other cases of abuse of power and a failure in the duty of care entrusted to the authorities there will be no justice for the friends and families of those caught on the receiving end of a baton or truncheon in the interests of security.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10723274

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/apr/07/g20-police-assault-video

Scientology and Eamonn Holmes

2010-07-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

So, you can't call a bonkers, pseudo religion (well I think all religions are bonkers - but I am trying to be objective here), made up around the fantasies of a third rate sci-fi writer......... actually I have given up the will to live here. Of all the lunatic religions we have made up in this world, this is one of the most harmful and potentially dangerous to the mental stability of individuals who have been snared by its embrace. I don't claim this lightly, for all the faults of the Egyptian god of the Nile (Winwood Reede) and the fundamentalistic devotion to its many strands - there is at least some basis to philosophy and a beauty to its original texts. Scientology offers nothing but an emptying of wallets and the snaring of the gullible and naive. So to the Lib Dem Councillor referred to the Ombudsmen, I support you fully - Scientology and Scientologists are STUPID STUPID STUPID! And by the way, you're not even a 'real' religion. And I'm an atheist.

Eamonn Holmes, like me Mr Holmes you are a tad overweight - I have kept up my humour over the barbs I have received over the years and I even join in or instigate it. you're in the public sphere, if you can't take a joke, perhaps you should consider a less than ego pricking career. The only reason the BBC or John Culshaw should apologise for is for it not being that funny, not for it taking the piss out of a humourless man who happens to be a little porky.

The Liberal Democrat Journey by Richard S Grayson

2010-07-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

The Liberal Democrat Journey to a Lib-Con Coalition: and where next? by Richard S Grayson.

The Liberal Democrat Journey to a Lib-Con Coalition – and Where Next?; Is a very informative and interesting pamphlet by RICHARD GRAYSON. I am left wondering though Where Next? Since Nick Clegg became leader, and I am as guilty as other Lib Dems here, we have collectively stayed loyal, as you correctly point out, for fear of yet another leadership crisis. But we have had to swallow some bitter pills, especially in the small state/ public services run on market based policies espoused by Clegg and the 'Orange' brigade. There was always however our distinct economic policy through the current recession, our stance on civil liberties and electoral reform.

We have been suckered into this 'no alternative', Shock Doctrine of Osbourne and King and the resulting slash and burn policies that is damaging and severe to our public services that even the IMF are concerned about it. I still have the punched in the guts feeling that we are nothing but a fig leaf and taking all the hits for all the nasty policies the coalition dish out.

Grayson, points out several ways for the social liberal to move forward from the unpalatable (my view) coalition.

Confront free market orthodoxy which led to the current crisis
Confront the acceptance of social class that is still as prevalent in this country as it was in the 20^th Century
Developing policies on the new economy and more radical policies on climate change.

Some of this gives a sense of hope. As does recent civil liberty issues that have been discussed or passed within the past 10 weeks. A list compiled by Henry Porter for The Observer on the 11^th July 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/11/coalition-cameron-clegg

· Ending the child data base

· Withdrawal from Sangin and determining a date for complete withdrawal from

Afghanistan

· Ending the detention of children of asylum seekers

· Examining the necessity of taking and storing photographs of protesters

· Number Plate recognition to be regulated and put under scrutiny

· CCTV camera of Muslims in Birmingham now disabled

· IPA (Investigatory Powers Act); so often used by councils to spy on its residents to only be used for its prime purpose in counter terrorism

· Section 44 (Stop and Search) to be suspended

· A judicial inquiry into allegations of torture against terrorism suspects

All this and the fact ID cards have been scrapped; Ken Clarke is rethinking prison and sentencing policy and Nick Clegg has a Freedom Bill in the autumn. These are positives.....something to cling onto hope for.

I still believe we will be hammered in the forthcoming local elections, which makes me sorry for the hard working diligent councillor being affected not by local issues but by a simmering hatred the press and Labour have been keenly espousing since the coalition deal, and a hatred for the Lib Dems for being the face of the cuts. As for the general election (whenever that may be), well, I think we’ll be down to 20 or fewer members in parliament as it currently stands maybe a few more with AV if it passes a referendum.

We need to work on distinct policies away from the coalition, rethink some of our pro market – less state stance, return to Keynes, Beveridge and Hobhouse. Try to find a way to gain media space for Liberal Democrat Policies as opposed to Coalition ones. Many backbench Tories are allowed on screen to show their disregard for the new order, why should we play the nice guys?

So, whilst the article is good and summarises our situation and future dilemmas, I think it raises more questions than any specific answer. Many in the party will stick their heads in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening, or carry on shouting ‘there was no alternative’, or ‘at least we’re getting some of our policies on the table’. Others I suspect are seriously worried about the shift in policies to the right and the consequences this has on our local councillors and our national standing.

"Ayn Rand and Hanging Judge Jeffreys"*

2010-07-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

I am quite a fan of Simon Hoggart's Sketch in The Guardian. They are usually all very witty and invariably cruel; however the cruelty can sometimes cut deep. As his comments on Liberal Democrats today did in his "Coalition government is a nest of liberalism" Sketch. He makes the claim that all Lib Dems are now as 'liberal' as Ayn Rand and George Jeffreys, the so called Hanging Judge.

As Liberal Democrats across the country now understand, we have to expect such denunciations from the press and opposition. but it still cuts deep. As a social liberal, I am worried that these comments will stick. As for being as liberal as George Jeffreys, well, I will point to a comment I made previously about some of this coalitions achievements in its first 10 weeks, especially on civil liberties.

I still like Hoggart and his sketches, and will still read them. Yet, it makes me now so much angry as frustrated that this party is now being seen as Tory Lite. And somewhat less 'liberal' we really are.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/21/liberalism-coalition-justice-simon-hoggart

2010-07-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

Many might have forgotten this....but I have just found this again on the net - courtesy of C4

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/exclusive+alastair+campbell+interview/262148

DON'T BUGGER WITH THE BBC

2010-07-19T04:34:00.000-07:00

I'm worried about Jeremy Hunt's threats to cut the BBC’s license fee this weekend. The BBC isn’t perfect, but I'm sure it’s worth protecting. I’m worried this government may be putting ideology and the interests of rival media barons like Rupert Murdoch before the interests of ordinary listeners and viewers.

Please will you:
1. Raise my concerns with Jeremy Hunt and tell him I don’t want cuts forced on the BBC
2. Tell me what you’ll do as my MP to stand up for the BBC and protect it from cuts.

The BBC like or loathe it - is a jewel; a part of our cultural heritage. It has many faults, but its positives outnumber them. The drama, investigative journalism, news, radio and entertainment in general are far superior to the commercial sector, and I very much doubt that this quality would be regarded by the commercial sector in the same manner or would be filled if the BBC had to reduce this output. The commercial sector regards its ability to raise revenue for its share holders and invariably it does not equate to quality.

It is well known that Rupert Murdoch wishes to see the BBC extinct, but when you view the schedules on his own stations the 'bias' on his news channel, I'd say his very notion of taste, quality and culture are as far removed from 'British' as he is to any form of social liberalism and rational broadcasting.

More info and the main 'bone' of this letter found at http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/bbc-license-fee - I have added my own little bits (in italics).

The empty rhetoric of Labour

2010-07-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of the coalition. Somehow I think I have written that line before; call it a sense of deja vu. I have found recently the vitriolic bile and hatred from The Labour Party not only staggering but in the main intellectually bankrupt. We also find out that the Labour Party are morally and politically bankrupt. From Peter Mandelson's diaries and according to the lead editorial in today's The Guardian 'The sorrow and the pity':

That Gordon Brown's cabinet saw and knew of his deficiencies, but instead of confronting him or trying to change the leadership, they carried on with failed coups and gossip awaiting an election defeat when they could navel gaze for months and criticise the coalition without any political intellect or philosophy as a basis to their central tenets.
That the cabinet entered into talks with the Lib Dems with no real view of forming a coalition or government in the interests of the country but were more concerned with the above months of navel gazing to come, and trying their damnedest to shift the blame of the economic mismanagement to others.

So, instead of all the vacuous criticism that comes from the opposition benches - perhaps they ought to consider their own political cowardice and lack of a philosophical argument for their future policies. Criticism where it is called for is acceptable, but just criticising the Lib Dems for all the woes in Britain is somewhat lame, low rent and grubby.

A glimmer of hope in the coalition

2010-07-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

For all my antipathy of this coalition; and my gut feeling that it will in the end be the ruin of us as a party. Putting aside the budget and the impending savage cuts to the public sector there have been some positives form an old left leaning Lib Dem like me. As Henry Porter points out in today's article in The Observer , many of the issues he and the paper have campaigned on in the recent Blair/Brown years are now being addressed by the coalition.

Ending the child data base
Withdrawal from Sangin and determining a date for complete withdrawal from Afghanistan
Ending the detention of children of asylum seekers
Examining the necessity of taking and storing photographs of protesters
Number Plate recognition to be regulated and put under scrutiny
CCTV camera of Muslims in Birmingham now disabled
IPA (Investigatory Powers Act); so often used by councils to spy on its residents to only be used for its prime purpose in counter terrorism
Section 44 (Stop and Search) to be suspended
A judicial inquiry into allegations of torture against terrorism suspects

The full Henry Porter article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/11/coalition-cameron-clegg

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

2010-07-10T04:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just cannot be bothered to fight; awash with ever more depressing news the anger merely simmers as other issues engulf the already clouded mind. The recent temperatures have not helped, I am by nature more an autumn/winter person than a long hot summer. So the heat has made my already lethargic malady worse, that and the total refusal of my body clock to adjust to BST and its inability to sleep when required.

It is not that there hasn't been things to comment on this week:-

The Schools Rebuilding Programmes scrapped
The proposed date for the AV referendum
The Supreme Court's decision to allow gay asylum seekers (and the obvious right - wing papers reaction to it)
The Church of England stating that they may be looking 'absurd' (well chaps look in the mirror and take a look at your 'uniform')
The continued irrelevance of the monarchy.
The BBC Trust saves Radio 6 (hooray)
And the continued fracturing of the Party's grass-roots as a fall out from the coalition.

Yet, when the 'Dark Tea-Time of the Soul' takes you, as it so often does with me, you just don't have the will, energy or joie de vivre to get animated or particularly emotional about much at all. My battle with clinical depression is a long one and one I fear I shall not win in the end. It is exhaustive and lonely but it is mine and one deals with it the best way one can.

Normal service resumes when the dark clouds lift.

The Ox - 8 years gone

2010-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday 27th June marked the 8th year in passing of one John Alec Entwistle; known to 'Oo fans as The Ox or Thunderfingers. Probably THE best bassist in the world of Rock music and definitely one of the most influential. But it wasn't just his prowess on the bass that made him stand out, he also had a terrifically warped humour and wrote some of The 'Oo's more humorous and dare to say heaviest songs. In fact on Heaven & Hell, My Wife (live) and the Quiet One, it can be said that Pete Townshend really rips it up and shows the world what an underrated guitarist he really is.

The reason I am a week late?, I forgot.
The reason for this? I dug out a tribute CD I compiled of some of his major contributions to The Orrible 'Oo; which I entitled: 'Wot, No Boris?" I think you can guess why I named the CD thus.

I'd draw your attention to his sublime fingering on the video below, from the Royal Albert Hall, during 5:15

He also released a fairy strong set of solo releases: quite often a mixed bag, but they did show a wonderful gift for the absurd. Check out Roller Skate Kate and Peg Leg Peggy. For me though, there is one track that makes me cry from the album of the same name ; 'Too Late The Hero', no bombastic bass solos, just good songwriting. I hope you enjoy.

Proportional Representation

2010-07-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

I will campaign on this; it isn’t perfect and would have much preferred STV, but we’re in a coalition and that means compromises. But the message we have to deliver maybe hampered by many Labourites and Tory backbenchers before it even starts. Bernard Jenkins has already stated that the threshold should be akin to an over 80% turnout.*

Now forgive me if I find that slightly hypocritical and maybe I am off beam here, but; if we are wanting a voting system that is fairer and more proportional would Bernard Jenkins – who only achieved a 46.9% of the vote and from that a 69.3% turn out** – have been an MP under his own rules? Would many an MP be elected under the rules he wishes (with the backing of the 1922 Committee) to impose? Whilst we all wish for high turn outs in elections and referendums, surely the fairest method is to say if a majority vote yes to AV, regardless of turnout, then future elections should be held that way?

By the way – I found it curious that Andy Burnham yesterday referred That PR is a fringe issue for The Guardian Reading classes. ***

* www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/02/conservatives-labour-bid-disrupt-voting-reform
** figures from http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/constituency/1498/harwich-and-essex-north
*** http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/01/voting-reform-ballot-planned-for-may

Two Lib Dem Mps vote against VAT rise

2010-06-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

Being a constituent and a member of the Lib Dems in Portsmouth. I have to say how proud I am of Mike Hancock in not letting principles cloud the Lib Dems grasp for power in this matter. Mike is a very ‘social’ liberal, whilst he understands the need for measured cuts and budgets, he correctly sees the increase in VAT as very regressive and ‘nasty’, affecting those on lower incomes more than others.
This doesn’t address however, our appalling status now in the polls nor the opinion with many activists and the ‘quiet’ MPs that we are heading into political oblivion in this coalition. Answers? I have none. I am trying to find positives, this has given me a little glimmer of hope, that all is not lost.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Portsmouth-MP-joins-rebellion-against.6388680.jp

With Bob Russell from Colchester Mike voted against this regressive tax rise. Can this be the humble beginnings of the Lib Dem awkward squad?

Abortion Rights and Time Limits

2010-06-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

They will be many on the lunatic religious fringes and the mainly misogynistic dogmatists who will argue black is white, the earth is flat and that climate change is not man made. Many will argue against the new rise of science as fact whatever the outcome. It is welcome to many that The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' review has stated there is no evidence of foetal pain before 24 weeks.

This obviously won't please the above people, because they still believe that a woman has no right to deciding what happens to her and her body. I am awaiting a comment from Nadine Dorries and her acolytes on this; but so far 'tis all rather quiet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10403496.stm

The Cuts and Health - BMJ

2010-06-25T04:48:00.000-07:00

As if the impending cuts are not bad enough for the weak, ill, disabled and aged; a report from the British Medical Journal states that welfare cuts can lead to an increase in poor health and increased alcoholism. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10403797.stm. The social costs to cuts in certain benefits can lead to people already heightened sense of hopelessness to ever greater feelings of despair. As one sinks lower in health and status as valued by ones peers the attractiveness of alcoholic oblivion seems a medication that will numb your emotions and senses.

To the already ill and disabled the rigour of another reform to their benefits can be a turning point, even the most intelligent and eloquent of disabled people may just give up in hopeless resignation. I speak from personal experience, filling in these forms are already a nightmare. To those on the lowest rung of the ladder, without the life skills and education I was fortunate to have, I can see the lure of alcohol and drugs dependency. If we add up these social costs the added bill to the NHS will increase.

Caution - Read With Care!!!

2010-06-23T04:18:00.000-07:00

I am constantly feeling that I am turning into Wonko the Sane - So it is with a sense of pride I state the following. Read the blog with care as I am liable to sudden outbursts of pure SANITY; and this may cause offence.

The Budget - Comments so far....

2010-06-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

We must remember that this is neither a Lib Dem Budget, nor is it a Tory Budget. It is as Simon has stated a compromise coalition budget. there are some positives to take way from this, some of our pledges have been addressed, if not met straight away. It is not as bad as it could have been if the Tories were a majority and this was solely their Budget.

The 2.5% increase in VAT is very regressive, I think the bank levies proposed are a little too lenient (considering they are a major factor to this mess), The Public Sector pay freeze at 20K is quite unpalatable; I know many PS workers earning just over that amount and are struggling now.

I think the main judgements however have to be reserved as Simon Hughes states, when the Spending Review is published. If our partnership in this ‘dreaded’ coalition amounts to anything, then it must be seen as cuts that will not affect the front line or the low paid. That the cuts can be seen to be as a way of streamlining services. When I was in the retail sector in the dark days of the 80s/90s – we learnt how to do more for less. there are ways to do this without cutting the nurses, teachers, emergency services and other public services.

One positive – although not in the money in ones pocket sense, is the change from GDP to GDP per capita as a means to well being – and how they can incorporate the Stiglitz, Sen and Fitoussi report. the two figures are strongly correlated but show a marked lowering of output. And an increased disparity between GDP and GDP Per Capita since 2004; with a major dip in both since 2008.

Box 1.2 pg 10 of Budget Report.

Part Two

I am not convinced by this budget at all. The more you look into the minutiae of it, the more you can see the underlying monetarist/neo-liberal ideology at work. The increase in VAT is particularly worrying, what have yet to see mentioned in forums is the rise from 5% to 6% in the lower band - you're electric and gas supplies. with costs still unpredictable and many already on the poverty line young, old or middle aged, this added burden is going to hit some families hard.

You also have to consider that many of these families or elder people will live in some form of social housing or privately rented accommodation, which the landlord will insist on having a key or card meter, to pre pay your energy costs. these are usually much more expensive than normal meters.

The pay freezes are as was admitted by Cameron yesterday in effect pay cuts in the public service; I know we all need to 'cut our cloth' so to speak, but the cut off point of 20K, is hardly an above average wage these days. Add to that the reduction on child benefit and tax credits, who exactly is taking the 'HIT' here?

We again have the DWP using the disabled and weak as the scapegoats. Another reform on DLA and Incapacity (as it is I have two 50 page books to fill in each year and usually a medical assessment every 24 months. the rules get tightened every year, sorry but my hearing, eyesight, diabetes and depression don't improve over time, they get worse (hey ho!!!). The forcing single parents of school aged children to seek work (if there is any work to find).

Corporation Tax reduced by 4% to 24% ( as James say, this is regardless of the benefits to the economy the businesses are). the bank levy is in itself farcical article 2.78 on page 50 of the budget it states '...the levy will be st at a rate of 0.07 % (jan 2011), with a lower rate of 0.04% 2011- 2011-12 ;which according to table 2.1 page 40 of the budget report yeids the following
* 2011-12 +1,150 m
* 2012-13 +2,320 m
* 2013-14 +2,500 m
* 2014-15 +2,400 m

So, the blighters whose mess this mostly belongs to get off with barely a slapped wrist and a message of carry on as usual, whilst the weak, old and below average in pay take the brunt of the cuts in benefits and increases in taxation. Seems fair if you're a Telegraph reader I guess.

With this and a broad 25% cut in all departments except Health and Oversea Aid, where exactly do we as Lib Dems stand? How can the ordinary member get their voice heard? I was vocal against this coalition to begin with I am not convinced by the budget that I was wrong in my initial assessment.

The ONLY thing that I can hold onto is that this is not a Liberal Democrat Budget, but a coalition one.

Part Three Amendment(s)

I appear to have got that wrong about 5-6% in reduced VAT. But there are conflicting reports:
“the standard rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) will increase from
17.5 per cent to 20 per cent from 4 January 2011. VAT is a
sustainable source of revenue and is less distortionary than other major tax
bases. The incresase will raise £13.5 billion a year, on a scorecard basis, by
2014-15. Following this increase, the main rate of VAT will remain below
the European Union average. This Budget makes no changes to the VAT
zero rating for household essentials, nor to the reduced rate of VAT; and…”

1.44 page 25 of budget report
http://hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_complete.pdf
http://money.uk.msn.com/ report this:-
VAT
The headline tax on consumer goods will increase on 4 January from 17.5% to 20%. However, there was another rise. Items currently charged at the 'reduced rate' of 5% will be taxed at 6% from January. Within the list of "reduced rate" items are such essentials as domestic electricity and gas payments and many household hygiene items.
As a result, expect your gas and electricity bills to rise as the measure hits in the depths of winter.
http://money.uk.msn.com/emergency-budget-2010/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=153886765
(thanks to SB on Social Liberal Forum for pointing it out).

And, thisismoney.co.uk report this:
“What is the UK’s current VAT rate?
There are three different VAT rates that exist within the UK. The first is the standard rate which is currently at 17.5%; the second is the reduced rate which is 5% and the third is the zero rate.
From 4 January 2011, rates will be 20%, 5% and 0%, respectively.”
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/tax/article.html?in_article_id=506807&in_page_id=11&position=moretopstories#ixzz0rmPgJdWU
That however doesn’t detract from the main argument of the article. Thanks to Forgone Conclusion (again on SLF) for the tip off. But as for being clear, this budget is clouded in as much fog, smoke and mirrors as all previous budgets, and I nearly gave up the will to live after page 35……..

Humpty Dumpty and a White Jesus

2010-06-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am having a rather childish giggle at the blind faith and the stubborn attitude of a Christian Nazi (U.S of course) who blights a tweet hash on atheism. I pointed out to him in my usual polite manner (looks around to see if anyone is looking over my shoulder) the following

How do you reconcile your obvious Nazism with your 'faith'? Jesus,if he existed wouldn't have been white, would he?

The reply was;

The Bible is infallible. My bible has a picture of a white Jesus in it.

To which I retorted with;

I have a picture of Humpty Dumpty doesn't mean he existed

His reply;

Humpty Dumpty's book is not magic.

Now, here I was a little flummoxed and taken aback, did he mean he believed in Humpty Dumpty, but his book was not a magic book? Did he mean that the bible is a magic book? I did however reply with this, I admit I should have referenced Vanini, but as the characters in twitter only account for 140, it was not possible. I include a link here though “De admirandis naturae reginae deaeque mortalium arcanis”

And neither is The bible - in fact it is a spurious collection of feeble tales used by rulers and priests to control others

I am still awaiting a follow up...

Those voices you hear, they aren't 'god'; they're just in your head!

2010-06-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

When I was at my lowest point. Which resulted in me huddled on my sofa humming loudly to myself to counteract against the never ending ring of tinnitus. The all pervasive and debilitating tinnitus that still ruins my life; when I was so weak and tired through lack of sleep yet too tired to fall asleep and madness was only a short step away. The pills crushed up and the bottle ready, the half bottle of bleach I swallowed then threw straight back up, The blackness that falls and sometimes you think you hear someone talk to you. Delirium and sheer sense of hopelessness that suffocates you.
Desperation.

My mother suffered the same, her younger sister too. Both spent time in what was then termed 'mental institutes', both for hearing voices and imagining events that were not actually happening.Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Manic Depression. Both were sent to hospitals for awhile to get better. I remember the white, pasty looking skin taut on my mother face after ECT. I carry that weight with me, the fact I had to hide her illness from my peers at school, that I had no one to confide in.

I don't hear 'voices' as my mother or aunt did, but I am sure if I did, I would be on stronger medication than I already take to control my nerves and depression. And I am sure they'd give it an impressive medical name. The point of this rambling post is, if I hear voices they'd be worried about me medically, If some religious person hears 'god' it is a message. Who is kidding who?
Either they are a dilettante charlatan or just plain old liars. The only voices you hear are those in your head, telling you want you wish to hear, or in the case of mental illness disturbing you.

Satire and weak faith.

2010-06-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

I have been debating whether to show this or not; in the end I decided as an atheist with a disregard for faith, that not to show it would be an hypocrisy I could not face. I would like to draw attention to the wonderful website http://www.mediawatchwatch.org.uk/ for bringing it to my notice in the first place.

Background (me) - I am religiously intolerant. For far too long the religious hijacked the political agenda to their own ends. Creating schisms and wars, trying to dictate how ones life should be led. I am a Social Liberal by philosophy, yet how can my liberal values and my sense of justice be equated to the social injustices and illiberal nature of the worlds three main religions? That they are the same 'god' is of no coincidence, but their arguments are about as based in reality as The Life of Brian sketch where one sect follows the shoe the other the gourd. How society/ies has allowed itself to be led into following ancient text that were the fairy stories of their day

When I had faith, when I was a Christian, did 'the Life Of Brian' disturb me? No! In fact as a church group we went to see the film and we all discussed it afterwards, during the showing most of us were laughing like drains. Why some people see an image and think it holy, or why they see their religion as so sacred that it cannot be criticised, lambasted or satirised. To that end this cartoon speaks volumes, and to say I'd never do it to the Christian Faith here is a link to one I posted in the past and another for good measure.

http://www.zapiro.com/scripts/Zapiro/hfclient.isa?A=Zapiro_Live&AE1

Cuts Cuts Cuts

2010-06-18T03:15:00.000-07:00

We are being led, some blindly, into a right-wing cut in public services that will be so severe as to make the public sector almost an irrelevance. the myth that public sector workers have stacks of cash thrown at them is one propagated by moneterist and neo-liberal think tanks. Tell the street cleaners, the teaching assistants, the Nurses the Teachers, the Librarian, the front line workers they are highly paid. When I was teaching we were locked into a 1.5% pay deal for 3 years, by the Labour government. Many others in the civil service, the 'ordinary' workers were also starved of pay rises during Labours 13 years - all this when supposedly we were drowning in cash.

The deficit is a worry, but we have to be careful where to cut, and how to cut. Many leading economists including Stiglitz, have reiterated time and again that massive cuts in public spending would be '...a risk not worth taking'. For the orange wing/bookers the cuts seem as necessary to us Keynesian's demand side would appear to be the way forward in this current crisis. During the past three years it seemed fine for the Labour Party to support a Demand Side policy toward the banks but little if nothing in the public sector, so their arguments and posturing now seem somewhat disingenuous and hypocritical. The Tories we know want in their heart of hearts a small state, low taxes that favour the more wealthy. If we have any real influence in this coalition we have to shout loud and ensure the cuts are made with care (to quote Laws's letter to Alexander).

I am left with a sinking feeling , of dread and hopelessness - I seriously think we're heading toward a double dip. I agree with Liberal Neil's last sentence "I am absolutely certain that the impact on the less well off will be far less with us as part of this compromise, than if we had walked away from it."

We have to prove that we as a party can work in a coalition, that means compromising some of our cherished principles, it sticks in the craw...but. The budget next week will give us a clearer picture and the autumn statement after the spending review an even clearer one. Already the right-wing 'think tanks' are lobbying for that small state /low taxes and privatisation of many public sector services. Charging for GP appointments for instance - http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/17/spending-cuts-thinktanks-politics.

On the issue for the £80m loan to Forgemasters, I think on one hand the Liberal Dems maybe pleased as it is not contributing to a possible nuclear future ( which I am for - sorry Simon) on the other it surely flies in the face of the rhetoric of both Cameron and Clegg during the leadership debates about building a better diverse and rounded economy not based solely on the services and financial sectors.

I think it would be to the benefit of all Lib Dem members to clarify our position and policies as distinct from the coalition. We need to be seen as to not blindly nod our heads like 'Churchill' in the back of a car going 'Oh Yes!' whenever one of our MPs step up to the Despatch Box.

Elephants

2010-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Web Elephants

Slow-moving - Web Elephants like you browse the internet at a stately, methodical pace - just like real-world elephants who rarely see a reason to rush things.

Social - Real-world elephants and Web Elephants are both highly social. Real elephants are able to keep track of their own extended family trees and may even mourn love ones. As a Web Elephant, you often use social networking sites to keep track of your friends of family and are happy to rely on information from sites whose content is created by its users.

Adaptable - Real-world elephants owe their adaptability to their large brains and versatile trunks. As a Web Elephant you are similarly adaptable and are well-suited to carrying out several different tasks at the same time.

How we worked out your web animal

Our web animals are just for fun, but the test is based on solid and rigorous science, so your results should tell you something interesting about your web behaviour.

Three aspects of your web behaviour were used to work out your web animal.

Adaptable or specialised?

We aren't always as good at multitasking as we think we are

The internet allows us to do lots of things at the same time. You might be listening to music and updating your blog while receiving news alerts and chatting online with friends. Then an email arrives. Can you switch seamlessly between different tasks? Or are you actually less efficient?

Indeed, a study from Stanford University in California suggests that people who spend their time multitasking might actually be less good at juggling tasks than non-multitaskers.

If you are an ‘adaptable’ web animal, then you scored highly on our tests that measured your ability to multitask. If your web animal is ‘specialised’, then you are probably better suited to taking on one task at a time.

Fast-moving or slow-moving?

Slow and steady sometimes wins the race

The internet helps people find information fast. Practice makes perfect, and its possible to learn techniques for getting to the information you need quickly. But speed isn’t the same as accuracy. The first answer you find isn’t necessarily the right answer.

We measured the time it took you to complete a series of search tasks. If you are a fast-moving web animal, you took less time than average. This maybe because you know exactly what you’re doing, but could also mean you missed important information. If you are a slow-moving web animal, this could be because you're less confident, that you focused on getting the right answer rather than the first one.

Social or solitary?

An online social life could influence the way you trust people

The internet has radically multiplied the ways in which we can meet new friends and stay in contact with existing ones. (Internet guru Clay Shirky once said that before the internet came along, the most recent technology that affected the way people sat down and talked to each other was the table.) So how social are you online?

If your web animal is social, you probably told us you spend quite a lot of time on social networking sites and that you tend to trust sites whose content is created by its users. If your web animal is solitary, you probably don’t socialise as much online and are inclined to trust sites whose content is produced in a more traditional, ‘authoritative’ way.

Social behaviour online is a fascinating area of study for our scientists. They would like to understand the relationship between time spent online and the type of information sources users choose to trust.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/webbehaviour

David Laws the last comment (until he returns)

2010-06-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

Simon Hogarth, The Guardians sketch writer and Saturday Diarist:-

May I be the 475th journalist to say that David Laws's departure was a disgrace? A month ago we were being told that if Britain didn't have a credible government within three days of a hung election, the markets would go mad, the pound would collapse and our credit rating would be on a par with Greece, Portugal and Del Boy.

But now, when it turns out that the chief secretary to the Treasury – one of the men whose intelligence and determination created the coalition that calmed so many hysterical fund managers – received from taxpayers a legitimate amount of money for the second home he required to do his job, it appears that none of that matters at all.

We must be bonkers. Mr Laws should return to his desk after a suitable interval – say, after this weekend.

The Salmon Of Doubt

2010-06-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

Previously titled 'Apparently tinned salmon contains fish'

I look at the world at odd angles; I sometimes wonder if I am easily depressed by situations and things beyond my complete control. Or is it just that the world is mad and I am sane? Wonko The Sane; from So Long and Thanks For All The Fish, which is the fourth book in the Hitch Hikers Trilogy by Douglas Adams ; is to put it mildly either bonkers or sane:

"When Wonko saw instructions on how to use a toothpick on a packet of toothpicks he became convinced that the world had gone crazy and so built the house as an asylum for it, hence the reversal of the interior and exterior."

Pic Courtesy of http://homepage.ntlworld.com/doklands/images/toothpicks2.png

So when I bought a tin of salmon for my lunchtime sarnies (a particular favourite of mine, especially since I have had to give up corned beef sarnies) does it come as a surprise when I find on the label under allergens 'Contains Fish'?

It's a tin of salmon of course it contains bloody fish!! What next, KP nuts 'may contain nuts' or Sirloin Steak "may contain beef'? Maybe we'll go the whole hog, instructions on loo paper on how to wipe your arse, eggs 'may come the arses of fowl' or .well you get the idea. I think I better call for the nurse as my blood pressure seems to be rising somewhat.

NURSE!!!!

...and one more thing (about David Laws)

2010-05-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

"When I grew up, being gay was not accepted by most people, including many of my friends.

"So I have kept this secret from everyone I know for every day of my life. That has not been easy, and in some ways it is a relief not to have to go on misleading those close to me about who I am."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8712383.stm

The above quotes make it clear....we're roughly the same age. We grew up in the same climate of outrage and horrifying prejudice against the gay community. That someone of my age in a position of trust should find it difficult to be open about his sexuality and reticent to even be open to close friends is of no surprise to me. In fact, it seems the most natural form of defence. I feel very very sorry for Laws at this present time. To be forced to admit ones sexuality is not the same as carefully considering it and telling friends and family in your own time and in a manner of ones choosing. this is not a case of expenses, it is blatant opportunism from the Daily Telegraph. It shows that they wish to destabilise someone from office not because of their political philosophy or ideology; but because of their sexuality. Reasoned debate of a persons ability to do a job should be based on their relevant experience and qualifications - not upon their wish to keep their private life private - or their sexuality a secret.

One day, it will become a non issue. you won't have to say hey I am a gay man. We can say I am a man who happens to be attracted to other men; a man who is gay. There will come a time when the gay community (I include LGBTI) will be an irrelevance, because it won't matter what sexuality you happen to be, you'll be seen as a person, not a label.

This episode has got me so irked....There are elements of the press that have yet to catch up with the 21st Century - there is a proportion of the population that need to accept that homosexuality is not a life choice, it is not an illness (Phillipa Stroud take note), it is not against nature, (That's Rich ...), it is not like religion: it is a part of the rich tapestry of evolution and life.

I wish David Laws the best.

David Laws and the Torygraph's right-wing agenda

2010-05-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

With depressingly undue haste and sneering Conservative ‘morality’; the Daily Telegraph have forced David Laws to admit his homosexuality. Of course they claim it is all to do with expense claims. The reality of it though is that the Telegraph wish to derail ASAP the coalition, they want a Lib Dem head on a pike first and they believe that their readership are against CGT (probably they are) and are deeply entrenched in 1950s style homophobia (again, they probably are).

As a gay man I can see the human side to this. It wasn’t until my father died I felt able to even admit to myself as gay it took a further 6 months for me to ‘come out’ and a further 3 years to tell my mother. The way people hide their sexuality and the means by which they do it varies. Mine I did through alcohol and plenty of ‘beards’.

I am sure that if David Laws wished to rip off the public, he could have secured more lucrative ways of doing so. This to me seems more a case of hiding and brushing his relationship under a carpet, than a purposeful act of deceit. Yet, rather grubbily members of the Labour Party smell a dying corpse and circling around it like a pack of Hunting Dogs. Nothing about this reeks as bad as their house flipping or the Tories duck houses and moat cleaning. He was paying rent (a share of housekeeping) to the person he was living with. End of.

I hope Cameron and Clegg maintain their nerve as I wish David Laws to. Not that I agree with anything he is doing as Chief Secretary of the Treasury (I don't) in fact I am still coming to terms with coalition; but because no one should be brow beaten into submission by the press; either left or right wing.

Recent twitter tags show much disapproval to this ‘outing’

#isupportlaws

#trialbytelegraph

Full Telegraph story here :- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/7780642/MPs-Expenses-Treasury-chief-David-Laws-his-secret-lover-and-a-40000-claim.html

LDV stories here:- http://www.libdemvoice.org/david-laws-issues-statement-on-his-expenses-and-sexuality-19728.html

:- http://www.libdemvoice.org/david-laws-what-should-happen-next-19731.html

Simon Hughes for Deputy Leader

2010-05-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

Simon Hughes has declared his candidacy to be the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, replacing Vince Cable, who is busy doing other things. To the left of the party and much more in tune with my beliefs in liberalism, I think Simon would be the perfect choice to steer the party through this coalition. Whilst I still have many reservations about this (the coalition) Simon in his own words has said his "strength and breadth of experience to make sure that our party is a strong, supportive but independent voice within and around the coalition".

If Simon is elected by his peers into this role, it would almost certainly stay my hand. Knowing that his independence, his media savvy and his passionate liberalism will act as a counterpoint to the coalition, even though we are, as a party engaged within it.

National debt by country

2010-05-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

Transatlantic Shepherds Bush

2010-05-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

Transatlantic Shepherds Bush O2 - Lee H Photo off MySpace - click pic for link

What can I say? Gritting through the pain until the pain became a heavy numbness and leaning heavily upon my walking stick I saw the most amazing gig I have seen in many a year. Also one of the longest gigs with only 6 songs played, I have ever seen. Hang on, it is the longest gig I have seen with only 6 songs played. But what a GIG!!!

Opening with The Whirlwind (all of it, 77 + minutes) in the first set alone. the second set kicked off with the familiar intro the their first epic, All The Above. With a sandwich filler of We All Need Some Light then Duel With The Devil to close the set.

An encore of Bridge Across Forever and Stranger in Your soul, made for a gig packed with musical wonder. The solid and inventive drumming of Mike Portnoy, the beautifully underpinning of Pete Trewavas bass ( very very underrated bassist, always solid always sublime), the quirky and jazzy guitar of Roine Stolt and his quirky vocals too; and the main man....Neal Morse, this is a group, but it is from his pen the basic songs evolve. He was fantastic switiching from keyboards to guitar to vocals and even drums (whilst MP crowd surfed). All these ably supported by Daniel Gildenlow on guitar/keys/percussion/vocals and headbanging.

I witnessed a show that lifted the spirit. Yes it was long; too long for those that consider 3 minutes to be long for a song. It was musical, all these musicians are at the top of their game. It was value for money £30 for over 3 hours.

The Whirlwind, Depression, Diabetes and Travel.

2010-05-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

What a title eh? But all connected I assure thee. Tomorrow is a very big day for me. My first proper trip to London in what seems years. Since being diagnosed with clinical depression five years ago, I have hardly travelled outside of Portsmouth. Making very occasional trips off the Island to the QA Hospital, one trip to Chichester which lasted 20 minutes before a panic attack so severe I had to come home and one trip to Southampton (that was a mistake!).

In the summer of 2006, I saw an outdoor gig from The 'Orrible 'Oo, I froze and had a massive panic attack and from that day onwards my fear of travelling escalated. It's all down to the depression say the experts. So small steps. I managed two gigs last year - one does get funny looks when I walk into gigs with my walking stick, but hey ho! - Dream Theater, in a packed Southampton Guildhall and Them Crooked Vultures in Pompey Guildhall. Both excellent gigs and I wouldn't have missed them at all, but the whole planning of travel scares me shitless. I hate it. I manage to go out, have a coffee in Costa's, do a little shopping, then I crawl home gasping for breathe and in an exhausted heap I fall onto the sofa; safe and secure in my cage.

To add to it all, I was diagnosed last week with diabetes type 2; it came as no real surprise as I had been borderline for a few years, still on top of everything else it is a yet another darned thing to deal with. Hey ho! Deep Joy!

So to tomorrow, I head to the Capital with a couple of friends, we shall be heading to Shepherds Bush, to see the reformed Transatlantic on their first date in almost 9 years. The Whirlwind, their new opus released last year has prompted and pushed me to this point. The travelling part will be quite edgy for me to say the least. But I am sure the gig will be worth it.

One too many Dragons to kill

2010-05-17T04:03:00.000-07:00

Ronnie James Dio

July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010

I can't think of what to really say, except I am choking up. As you get older you find all your childhood rock n roll heroes passing away one by one. When Ronnie was diagnosed with Stomach Cancer last year he vowed to Kill this dragon, maybe it was one too many dragons to kill. His list of epic songs will continue to be enjoyed and inspire many; he will be deeply missed.

Tony Iommi sums it up best via his website
http://www.iommi.com/index.php?story=69

Yesterday 16^th May my dear, dear friend Ronnie James Dio passed away at 7.45am LA time. I’ve been in total shock I just can’t believe he’s gone. Ronnie was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, we had some fantastic times together. Ronnie loved what he did, making music and performing on stage. He loved his fans so much. He was a kind man and would put himself out to help others. I can honestly say it’s truly been an honor to play at his side for all these years, his music will live on forever. Our thoughts are with Wendy Dio who stood by Ronnie until the end, he loved her very much. The man with the magic voice is a star amongst stars, a true professional. I’ll miss you so much my dear friend. RIP - Tony

Here's Holy Diver from Dio. you can find many more of his masterpieces on You Tube.

Libcon - ConDem

2010-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Approval rates high for coalition

(crown copyright)

"The British public broadly approve of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition that, under Tory David Cameron, now forms the Government at Westminster. 60% of the British public say they approve of the Conservative-LibDem coalition, following an unprecedented week in British politics. This is more than double the percentage of those who disapprove (33%), and it seems that, Labour supporters excepted, the majority of those across the nation either strongly approve or tend to approve of the controversial union between these hitherto political rivals.

The approval rate among Labour supporters is at a less positive 25% in comparison to a huge 87% of Conservative supporters, and 69% of Liberal Democrat supporters" You Gov

I wouldn't smash the champagne against the boat yet. We have 5 years (if it lasts) tied to this deal and with George's 'Age of Austerity' yet to bite, those polls can dive so far and rapidly down we'll never bounce back up.

My prediction is this; it will be the only time Cameron is PM, he will be as tainted by this as Nick Clegg will be. The Tories may get re-elected with a majority in 2015, whether they do or don’t the rabid right - wingers will quickly and effectively rid themselves of Cameron. They may even air brush him from their history. A Tory bounce back is possible due to the millions poured into their funds and their ever friendly mates in the media.

Nick will be the leader of a small party, with possibly few MPs, that is of course if he gets re-elected himself. Our stock will be low and our morale lower. The reputation the party has built up over many years will plummet into single figures. This maybe a coalition to lead us through a crisis, but what of the crisis that awaits the activists on the door step, the local hard working councillors, those who dared to believe and said 'I agree with Nick', those who were persuaded to vote Lib Dem as it was different and progressive? We shall then be faced with navel gazing as we construct a new future a new leader and identity. On the plus side, the party will have plenty of time to do so, seeing as we'll possibly irrelevant and in the political wilderness for a generation.

We have been part and parcel of a rather shoddy and squalid pact of convenience. As a party we should have been bold and said a plague on both your houses. A golden opportunity has been missed; if an alliance had to be made a rainbow alliance of progressive thought could have been made. The will of the Labour party in this is as short sighted as our supposed long game is. The basic fact will be we’re the poor cousin in a very big family and we’re the ones going to be in the firing line, whilst the shiny Tories slope their shoulders.

Game Over! To paraphrase David Steel, ‘Go back to your constituencies and prepare for oblivion’

Pip Pip

Bloater Boulton Explodes in front of Ali Campbell

2010-05-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

My utter loathing of all thing Murdoch, is very well known to my friends and peers (it sticks in my craw whenever I buy a DVD from 20th Century Fox) so it is no surprise that I loathe Sky news for its skewed bias. Adam Boulton, always a lightweight even though ....well let's not be personal, loses it totally in front of Alastair Campbell. Now I have no love for him either*, but WELL DONE Alistair.

* Actually I do respect him for his openness about his depression. An illness I have suffered and still suffer from.

Open Letter to all Lib Dem MPs

2010-05-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I am a member of the Lib Dems and have been on and off since 1994; I served four years as a councillor. Nick, has given us a reason to hope and a reason to believe that things could be different and things can change. Our results have been a big disappointment, especially when you consider we have increased our vote and our share of vote. This very reason is an example of why we don't need another committee on electoral reform, we need a referendum. Nothing less would appease the majority of the country.

Ideologically, I am very opposed to the majority of Tory Policies; their stance on Blood Sports, Abortion Rights, Gay Rights and our relationship in Europe, and their thinly disguised xenophobic stance on immigration. Their acquiescence and obsequiousness toward Murdoch and the Right Wing Press is a worry for democracy and The BBC (leave the Beeb alone).

I dare not think about my future under a Tory Government, I am disabled and unable to work; my sort of 'people' do not register on Tory policies and are marginalised in Tory Right Wing press. Being an atheist, I am also concerned with the alliance many of their backbenchers have with the evangelical Christian Right; Nadine Dorries & Philippa Stroud for example.

The right decisions have to be made for the nation, but, electoral reform, our main principles on civil liberty and fairness must be paramount in any discussion with any party. As must our economic and environmental stances: these are very important aims and policies for many Lib Dem members. The issue of Electoral Reform however must be a non negotiable policy.

Please don't give in on electoral reform. The lib dems may not have got the result we hoped for yesterday, but the hopes of millions of us rest with you today. Please don't let us down. Just remember the queues of voters unable to vote last night; never again should we disenfranchise those people or those whose votes are lost in the safe seats that the gerrymandering of both the Tories and Labour Party over the years has cost us a voice in Parliament.

The Daleks Vs Graham Norton

2010-05-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Tory Hypocrisy

2010-05-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

In my undue haste in yesterdays post I forgot about Tory hypocrisy. Well this illustrates it fully an article by Gerald Warner for the Daily Telegraph, usually the Tory House paper of choice.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100037711/why-is-philip-bad-but-philippa-ok-and-are-the-tories-accusing-our-troops-of-atrocities/

Let me count the ways

2010-05-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Over the past 65 years the Tories have supported the following ideals

· Latin American dictators (Pinochet)

· The dreaded Poll Tax

· The avoidable Falklands War

· Section 28

· Increasing VAT from 8% to 17.5% in their 18 year rule

· Supported apartheid in

South Africa

· Led us into Suez

· Voted against the ‘repel of homosexuality act’

· Led us into Bloody Sunday

· Abolished the right to silence for criminal suspects

· Appeased ethnic cleansing in

Bosnia

· Against the Social Chapter (EU)

· Against the Human Rights Act

· Against Gay Adoption

· Against devolved power in

Wales

and

Scotland

· Sold of our utilities

· Dismantled our Welfare State

· 1986 Police Act (the right to demonstrate)

· Death on The Rock

· Abolished the ‘Public Interest’ defence of Whistleblowers (even though in opposition they have relied on this source for many of their pronouncements)

· Broke the link between State Pensions and earnings

· Supported the

Iraq

War

In addition to this, they continue to marginalise us in Europe and sit with MEPs so darned right bonkers as to defy belief (homophobes, climate change deniers, xenophobes etc). They scare voters into believing that a possible hung Parliament would be bad, as Chris Hulme points out in his article for the FT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/7199b834-4e3d-11df-b48d-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7199b834-4e3d-11df-b48d-00144feab49a.html&_i_referer= the majority of Nation states with AAA ratings have minority or coalition governments. Only 4 have a single party government, the

, the

Singapore

and France.

A worrying number of their candidates are right wing evangelical Christians who believe they can cure homosexuality or will deny a woman the right to decide whether abortion is the correct option for her. In a recent report from Stonewall, it was revealed that a large proportion of the MPs who voted against key gay equality issues were Conservatives. Chris Grayling comes particularly low on this. For an openly Gay Tory, Alan Duncan scored very low in the poll. The New Conservatives who wish to present themselves with a glossy veneer, as a home for liberal values and a new beginning for ‘Broken Britain’; well the veneer is cheap and its gloss is fading and peeling away, revealing the ugly monetarist and knee-jerk reactionary fear mongering Tory we all know so well from the 1980s.

Let us look at recent events:-

· Cameron still advocates the First-Past the Post format for elections, regardless of its unfairness and that a majority of voters will be disenfranchised through it. PR will end this, if that means coalitions and small parities on the fringes so be it. That is democracy!

· Lord Ashcroft (‘nuff said)

· Acquiescence and total obsequiousness toward the Murdoch press and his hatred of the BBC.

· They still wish to repel The Blood Sport Bill

· Still hand in hand with the privileged (Inheritance Tax – only the richest 15000 households http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/2010/05/02/would-1m-inheritance-tax-threshold-give-200000-the-3000-richest/ would benefit from this. In this very one regard their air of entitlement is grubby and elitist.

· A leaked document claims that they intend to fund their abolition of the NI rise by increasing VAT to 19.5% http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1269677/Tories-secret-plot-raise-VAT-19-5-emergency-June-Budget.html

· Candidate Phillipa Stroud funded by Evangelical Christians claims http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/02/secret-christian-donors-bankroll-tories, that through prayer, homosexuality can be cured.

· Will give money away in a marriage tax allowance http://www.dontjudgemyfamily.com/home/Home.html

· They plan to make it more difficult, if elected, to prevent hung parliaments http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2010/05/02/do-the-tories-have-a-secret-plan-to-prevent-hung-parliaments/

That would be just for starters. I am sure if they won outright power the future would not only be bleaker than it is already; but certain sectors and communities in the

will become increasingly marginalised. Their economic policy (written on the back of a fag packet – with enough room for all the Government Health Warnings) doesn’t hold up to tight scrutiny. Which politician not only foresaw this crisis but also had the best policies to get out of this mess? Vince Cable. Which Party offers a balanced bill for equality, civil liberties and a realistic economic policy for the future? Which Party will give us a better chance for Electoral Reform so that democracy will finally reach the Mother of all Parliaments? The Lib Dems of course.

P. S

Did I mention Fox Hunting?
Did I mention Right -Wing Homophobes in the Tories EU Grouping?
Did I mention Cameron's wish for a lowering in the limit in weeks for a woman to decide whether she wishes for an abortion?
Did I mention that on the one hand the Tories want the woman to stay home and look after baby but on the other they want women to run the board rooms? (confused....read this.....http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/03/tories-women-both-ways)
Did I mention that out of the 214 MPs who voted in gay related equality issues and scored less than 50 in the Stonewall guide, 181 were /are Tory MPs, still showing their parochial and illiterate attitude toward these matters, that in broad terms is approx. 85%. Their views on abortion as mentioned above are also broadly in line with those figures.

2010-04-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

They just don't get it, do they? The rotten heart of the Catholic Church; its vile underbelly is now exposed in its glory - for all its worshippers to idolise and accept in their weak minded obliviousness.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8601389.stm

I am sure the millions murdered in the gas chambers during WWII, their families and survivors; the boys and girls buggered and raped by those they trusted in the church, will take solace and comfort from Fr.Raniero Cantalamessa. To compare those atrocities to the current criticism and controversy surrounding the Catholic Church's cover up of sexual abuse.

At a Good Friday service in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Preacher of the Pontifical Household compared criticism of the Church over abuse allegations to "the collective violence suffered by the Jews". BBC News

Repulsive and offensive - are not adequate adjectives in response to this

Series 31; Series 5 or Series 1 - who cares?

2010-04-03T03:27:00.000-07:00

And so it begins. The wait is finally over and up to 12 million people[1] will be glued to BBC One this evening to watch Matt Smith as he tackles his first adventure as The Doctor. This is no ordinary regeneration; this is an overhaul, whilst trying to retain some of the magic dust that Russell T Davies sprinkled onto the series to make it such a success on its initial rebirth. Steven Moffat, whose writing credentials are as wide and varied and as spectacular as Russell T Davies, is a good pair of safe hands to regenerate the series, but he is also facing probably the most anguished 13 weeks of his professional career. Many Whovians (Who fans), will want him to succeed, whilst many for him to fail; those in the latter category are probably the ones who would complain whoever was in charge. There are many in the industry who wishes it to fail, that it is the BBC’s flagship family entertainment drama will stick in the craw of the right-wing media, especially Mr Murdoch and his ilk. Thinking that their breed of American imports is far superior and that tax payer’s money should not be frittered away on high quality drama. But also, Moffat has the BBC itself to face, in this era of drastic cuts to budgets and where viewing figures are the guide to re-commissions, if it is a resounding success the right – wingers will complain that it is a success built of the licence fee, if it bombs they will say it was a waste of licence payers money.

The politics of success eh? The news is encouraging though, it has already been reported that there will be a Christmas Special and a full series in 2011[2]. The big question though, is this going to live up to the hype, the expense Aunty has invested in idents and red button features plus a revamped website I would imagine is no small change; yet from what I have seen so far – well, I for one am as excited now at the middle age of life (45+) as I was when I first encountered Jon Pertwee all those years ago, when I saw the filming of The Sea Devils in Portsmouth all of 7 years old. Each regeneration as a child is exciting, and with the new all spectacular regenerations even more so. This evening at 1825 hrs, the lights are out, the phone off the hook, the headphones on and I am going to indulge in Doctor Who. I think it is going to be ‘Fantastic’.

[1] Based on approx. 11.57 million viewers for The End Of Time - http://www.barb.co.uk/report/weeklyTopProgrammesOverview?_s=4

[2] http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s7/doctor-who/news/a209476/doctor-who-confirmed-for-xmas-sixth-series.html

Top Ten British Comedy Quotes

2010-03-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

The Top Ten Sit Com Quotes (personal preference); again in no particular order.

The first is from Open All Hours, starring the wonderful Ronnie Barker and David Jason.
      Arkwright: 'I can see that on the side of a lorry - Ark-Ark-Arkwrwright's Fai-fai-fai-famous
Ter ter-ter-treacle Ter-ter-ter-toffee.'

       Granville: 'You'll never get all that on the side of a lorry!'

Again this is from the master Ronnie Barker, this time in Porridge.
Fletcher is trying to convince the prison doctor that he has "bad feet", so he'll be allowed to wear his own shoes instead of prison issue ones ...
·        Doctor: “Are you now or have you ever been a practising homosexual?”
Fletcher: “What, with these feet ... who'd have me?”

I always loved One Foot In The Grave. Picking one quote is hard.

“I asked him if, for the time being, he'd put it in the downstairs toilet for me, and you know what he’s done? He's only planted it in the pan! Yes, actually in the lavatory pan, with compost and everything! I mean, how anyone can be so utterly goofy just boggles the mind... a mistake anyone could have made? Are you stark... I mean, what am I supposed to do, cock my leg against the trunk like a Yorkshire terrier?”   Victor Meldrew

This next one is a classic, the build up, the whole structure

Mrs. Richards: I asked for a room with a bath.
Basil Fawlty: [indicating] You've got a bath!
Mrs. Richards: I am not paying seven pounds, twenty pence per night, plus VAT, for a room without a bath.
Basil Fawlty: There is your bath!
Mrs. Richards: [looking at it] You call that a bath? That's not big enough to drown a mouse. It's disgraceful.
Basil Fawlty: I wish you were a mouse.
Mrs. Richards: What? And another thing. I asked for a room with a view.
Basil Fawlty: [going to window, indicating] That is Torquay, ma'am.
Mrs. Richards: That is not good enough.
Basil Fawlty: Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeasts swinging majestically...
Mrs. Richards: Don't be silly. I expect to be able to see the sea.
Basil Fawlty: You can see the sea. It's over there, between the land and the sky.
Mrs. Richards: I'd need a telescope to see that!
Basil Fawlty: Well, may I suggest that you move to a hotel closer to the sea...
[sotto]
Basil Fawlty: or preferably in it?
Mrs. Richards: Now, listen to me. I am not satisfied, but I have decided to stay here. However, I shall expect a reduction.
Basil Fawlty: Why? Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?
Mrs. Richards: Because the room is cold, the bath is too small, the view is invisible, and the radio doesn't work.
Basil Fawlty: No, the radio works.
[crossing over to it]
Mrs. Richards: What?
Basil Fawlty: See if I can't fix it, you scabby old bat!
[he turns it on; it works fine - Manuel plugs his ears]
Basil Fawlty: I think we got something, there!
Mrs. Richards: [fiddling with hearing aid] What?
Basil Fawlty: Don't think me rude, but do you by chance have a hearing aid?
Mrs. Richards: Yes, I do have a hearing aid!
Basil Fawlty: Would you like me to get it mended?

Father Ted.

Dougal is holding the front panel of a TV up to his face]
Father Jack Hackett: What's that gobshite doing on the television?

The Classic Dad’s Army

German U-boat Captain: I am making notes, Captain, and your name will go on the list; and when we win the war you will be brought to account.
      Captain Mainwaring: You can write what you like, You're not going to win the war!
      U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are.
      Mainwaring: Oh no you're not.
      U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are!
      Pvt. Pike: [Singing] Whistle while you work, Hitler is a twerp, he's half-barmy, so's his army,
      whistle while you work
      U-boat Captain: Your name will also go on the list! What is it?
      Mainwaring: Don't tell him Pike!
      U-boat Captain: Pike!

The much missed and all too brief series of Waiting For God
     Tom: If you think life is one long bath in acid, why don’t you pull the plug?
Diana: Suicide?
Tom: Mercy killing, in your case.
Diana: No. Too many people to get even with and the best way to do that is outlive them.

Red Dwarf
Cat: Forget Red — let's go all the way up to Brown Alert!
Kryten: There's no such thing as a Brown Alert, sir.
Cat: You won't be saying that in a minute! And don't say I didn't alert you!

The delightfully dark The League OF Gentlemen.

Harvey Denton: Perhaps you're a naturally slothful person, sluggish and indolent. A dawdling flaneur, content to waste his life spread-eagled on the pillows, forever indulging himself in the pleasures of the palm.

And, what would a quote list be without the irrepressible Nan Taylor, from Catherine Tate. In this case it is the Young Nan in Nan's Christmas Carol. This is a personal favourite of mine – as I actually passed out for 30 seconds because I was laughing like a deranged hyena when I heard it.

Young Nan – Huh (clears throat) a tangerine? One lousy, poxy solitary tangerine! What am I going to do with a tangerine? The greedy liitle bleeder’s wolfed me mince pie and knocked back all me milk, and he’s left me a piddly bit of fruit. Thieving bearded fat arsed bastard: what a fuckin’ liberty.