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labour | party | liberal | election | gordon brown John Kampfner supports Li...
simon wilson

Today the well-respected political commentator John Kampfner launched the pamphlet, Lost labours, with Nick Clegg.He comments, "As somebody who has a long involvement with the Labour party, including editing the New Statesman magazine, I have been a...

street view | google street | view coverage | google maps | streets Google Street View Covers...
Technology Blog (UK), Hi-...

Initially, Google Street View was fairly controversial with many people complaining about invasion of privacy and such issues. However, those concerns have not stopped Google from expanding the service, because as of tomorrow (11th March 2010), you ...

apple ipad | micro four | four thirds | panasonic g2 | playstation move Apple iPad Steals the Lim...
UK Gadget and Tech News, ...

If you thought this year’s Oscars was just a place for movie awards and celebrities touting their posh frocks down the red carpet, then think again. This time it was tech giants, Apple, that were stealing some of the limelight … [visit site t...

sex abuse | benedict xvi | pope benedict | christoph schönborn | cardinal christoph Technology News For 7th M...
Jason Slater Technology B...

Sun, 7th Mar In this article we’ll take a look at some of the key technology news stories and headlines, from around the world, for Sunday, 7th March 2010. Today’s Hot Topic: The latest news is that Microsoft Office 2010 will be availabl...

march 2010 | ed balls | buddhist geeks | 9 march | lottery admissions Links for 9 March 2010
Created in Birmingham

Job listing for Apples & Snakes: Programme Coordinator “Apples & Snakes, England’s leading organisation for performance poetry requires a Programme Coordinator – West Midlands” Call for Artist to Exhibit at Lickey Hills Country ...

jon venables | james bulger | prison | james bulger's | identity Venables revealed identit...
The Guardian World News

Prison staff fear an attack by other inmates as it is revealed that pressure of keeping his name and background secret led James Bulger's murderer to fights, and drink and drug abuseJon Venables, one of the killers of the Liverpool toddler James Bul...

climate change | climate science | review errors | scientists | loss carbon No answers in the soil
EU Referendum

In The Observer is a report on a fascinating scientific dispute which provides a graphic illustration of the uncertainties of climate science and the unreliability of predictions offered by disparate scientists – to say nothing of the utter shambles...

every dog | dog owners | dangerous dogs | government | responsible dog New Labour are barking up...
The Lone Voice

Alan Johnson and Hilary Benn have produced a report which proposes that all dogs in this country should be micro-chipped and that dog-owners should have compulsory third-party insurance. Story Dog owners face a new pet “tax” in a government in...

world cup | old trafford | uk donates | nation builds | gives condom Ferguson backing bid for ...
The Guardian World News

• Support would boost Red Knights• Manager denies claim over buyoutSenior City financiers allied to the wealthy consortium planning a takeover of Manchester United claim Sir Alex Ferguson is supporting the controversial bid.Several key sources have ...

best director | sandra bullock | blind side | bigelow | best actress Cultural battle at the he...
The Guardian World News

Rightwingers have championed Sandra Bullock's portrayal of a Sarah Palin-esque woman transforming a youth's life, but liberals want Gabourey Sidibe's gritty debut rewarded tonightOne film celebrates the courage and generosity of a white middle-class...

indigenous british | racist | bnp rules | members | still discriminating BNP plans to vet would-be...
The Guardian World News

Party's revised constitution would require all applicants to submit to a two-hour home visit, court is toldThe British National party plans to send officials to vet all would-be members in their homes, a court heard today.A clause in the far right g...

amorth | lars vilks | alleged plot | swedish cartoonist | prophet THE BOY CHOIR SANG : HE A...
CALEDONIAN COMMENT

The Roman Catholic church is being plunged into a renewed crisis over how it has dealt with the sexual abuse of children by its clergy after it emerged that the brother of former Hitler Youth and Nazi anti-aircraft gunner Pope Benedict XVI, Monsign...

international women’s | against women | international womens | men | violence against International Women’s Day...
Though Cowards Flinch

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day.   Today, the Observer asks whether it’s needed. Good question. The brief answers from an Anastasia de Waal, a Barbara Gunnell and a certain Sunder Katwala are perfunctory, to the extent of not reall...

uup | northern ireland | justice powers | policing | assembly Stormont votes to take ov...
The Guardian World News

• Power-sharing finalised as assembly agrees to first justice minister since Troubles• Ulster Unionists oppose measure but Hillary Clinton welcomes assembly's yes voteA 15-year search for a political settlement in Northern Ireland cleared its final ...

facebook | ashleigh hall | social networking | peter chapman | convicted Facebook threatens to sue...
The Guardian World News

Social networking site fears reputation permanently damaged by false claim that it let older men pressure teenage girls for sexFacebook has threatened to sue the Daily Mail for damages after the paper wrongly claimed in a piece published on Wednesda...

junk mail | royal mail | workers | royal junk | postal reforms Return to Sender: Royal M...
The Spicy Cauldron

The Royal Mail is to start delivering unlimited quantities of junk mail to British homes after reaching a peace deal with the Communication Workers Union to end their dispute after the wave of national strikes last autumn. Buried in the small print ...

nick hogan | old holborn | hogan freed | jail | wife denise Nick Hogan Released -Offi...
Libertarian Party UK

It took the blogosphere just four days to raisethe near £10 000 to secure the release of Nick Hogan, imprisoned forsix months for flouting the smoking ban in his own premises and failingto act as the States unofficial Policeman.It took a further fiv...

6 music | rex featuers | mirco toniolo | drops bruce | dickinson mirco Opinion: The BBC – Snog, ...
Liberal Democrat Voice

It has been open season on the BBC of late. We all have our reasons for criticism: the incompetent decision to close 6 Music, the failure to manage budgets, the excessive salaries of performers and especially of senior managers create a climate of ...

afghan | political settlement | jirga | political engagement | insurgents prepared Start Afghanistan peace t...
The Guardian World News

Foreign Office officials believe elements of Taliban ready to talk but fears grow of long Afghan conflict, and growing casualtiesBritain will today urge the Afghan government to put more effort into the pursuit of peace talks amid fears that the war...

polar bears | bluefin tuna | tuna trade | atlantic bluefin | international trade US throws weight behind p...
The Guardian World News

Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the US says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worseIt is a familiar story in the climate change debate. The US government is at odds ...

preaches apocalypse | persuasive scientist | overwhelming terms | missing ingredient | gory detail Wanted: an eco prophet
The Guardian World News

People are drifting into a lethal slumber on climate change. More of the same won't wake them upIt's an exceptionally inconvenient truth. Only one American in three believes that human beings are responsible for climate change: a polling result 10% ...

thames tunnel | tunnel tickets | rotherhithe | tunnel tour | original brickwork London's eighth wonder of...
The Guardian World News

Thames tunnel, created by Marc Brunel and son Isambard in 1843, reopened to walkers for first time in 145 years"How they got the performing horses down here God only knows", says Robert Hulse, as he leads visitors into the gloom under the Thames for...

violent crime | row reopens | reopens amid | statistics soviet | rise revealed Bringing The Law Into Dis...
Burning our money

Free to killSo let's get this straight. At God knows what expense, Jamie Bulger's killer was given a new identity and freed into society after just seven years simply because our costly forces of law and order decided he was a reformed characte...

west bank | us vice | jerusalem | backs west | settlement US team to kick-start Mid...
The Guardian World News

Indirect negotiations mark first return to peace process since Gaza warhe US vice-president, Joe Biden, is due in Israel tomorrow for an American diplomatic initiative to start indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.The new round ...

iraq | iraq's | nouri | turnout iraqi | vote turnout Iraqi Fed. Election Pound...
Rhod on Public Affairs

Martin Chulov in BaghdadThe Guardian, Sunday 7 March 2010 13.24 GMT A barrage of early-morning rockets that killed at least 25 people across Baghdad has failed to deter voters from turning out in solid numbers in Iraq's pivotal general election.Up t...

mini 5 | dell streak | 5 beta | opera mini | android Opera Mini 5 Beta Android...
Technology Blog (UK), Hi-...

Opera Mini 5 beta became available for download on the Android Market earlier today, and after a long hands on, I believe it shows a lot of promise as a mobile browser on Android. Opera has good history on mobile devices such as their Opera Mobile ...

pentax 645d | 40 megapixel | format camera | x 33mm | dual sd Pentax 645D 40 Megapixel ...
Gadget Venue

Pentax have launched their latest digital SLR camera called the Pentax 645D. The 645D is a medium format camera that has a 40 megapixel CCD sensor along with a 3.0 inch LCD that can display 921k dots.The new 645D is also compatible with existing 645...

apps marketplace | google apps | applications | installable apps | users MyERP joins the Google Ap...
TechCrunch Europe

[France] France’s MyERP has just announced a partnership deal with Google, in which the company’s platform will be one of the first available in Google’s new Apps Marketplace. MyERP, which was founded in 2000, provides an all-in-one cloud-based busi...

hadron collider | large hadron | guardians main | editorial cartoonist | bell’s cartoons Links and stuff from betw...
Chicken Yoghurt

Just what tickled my fancy in the last few days… David Miliband – The War in Afghanistan: How to End It – '…only politics will end the War in Afghanistan'. And to think it only took Miliband eight years and countle...

nld | suu kyi | held later | aung | prohibits anyone UN calls for war crimes i...
The Guardian World News

Special rapporteur on human rights details 'pattern of gross abuses' as junta unveils restrictive electoral lawsA senior UN official has called for Burma's military rulers to be investigated over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes...

 

Party political games via EU Referendum March 12th, 2010 at 13:18

image The heads of the Armed Forces cannot escape their share of the blame if soldiers do not have the right equipment, writes Vernon Bogdanor in today's edition of The Times. He is not popular for saying so if the limited number of comments are any guide, but he is right. And it is about time somebody said it in a mainstream newspaper and, despite other calls on my time, I felt impelled to post an analysis.Writing under the headline, "Generals must keep their noses out of politics", Bogdanor is responding to that "disingenuous" remark from Lord Guthrie on 6 March that sparked off a major row, culminating in the jibe from David Cameron last Wednesday during PMQs.In an attempt to explain the background, however, Bogdanor displays the usual MSM trait of carrying out shoddy research and only...

So, who said British journalists aren’t nuts? via Tony Blair March 11th, 2010 at 17:00

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 11th March 2010 WHO SAID OUR JOURNALISTS ARE SANE? Not guilty, m’Lud. My contention is that, with a few notable exceptions, they need to be buttered crackers to join the nutters & tappers. As evidenced here not so long ago: This one  – the Editor of the Press...

Beck/Hannan/Varney video: freedom from attack, liberal democracy, Islamification of Europe via Tony Blair March 9th, 2010 at 16:19

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 9th March 2010 Glenn Beck/Daniel Hannan/Stuart Varney (2:39) Glenn Beck, Daniel Hannan and Stuart Varney on freedom of speech and the viability of liberal democracy. (Uploaded June 2009.) TALKING TO ONESELF Video opens with Glenn Beck to Daniel Hannan, MEP on Beck’s concerns...

It’s time to be radical, Dave via Neil Clark March 9th, 2010 at 09:06

image This piece of mine appears in today's First Post.Where has it all gone wrong for David Cameron? Considering the desperate record of the present government, the outcome of this spring's general election should be a foregone conclusion. But instead, it's the Conservatives and not Labour who are in disarray as a series of polls show their lead continuing to shrink – culminating in today's Populus survey for the Times which suggests the two parties are neck and neck in 100 key marginals where Tory strategists expected to be well ahead. What seemed unthinkable a few months back - the re-election of Gordon Brown and Labour - now seems distinctly possible. The reason why Cameron has failed to capitalise on New Labour's unpopularity is simple. It's because on the issues which most concern the...

Neck and neck in the marginals via EU Referendum March 8th, 2010 at 23:53

image Through the run of declining polls, the Tories have relied, almost as an article of faith, on their internal polling telling them that they were doing better in the key marginals.However, a Populus poll in 100 key seats currently held by Labour and targeted by the Conservatives gives the lie to that optimism. According to The Times, Labour and the Conservatives are neck and neck, "raising doubts over David Cameron’s ability to win a clear overall majority".The poll has the two main parties on about 38 percent in the seats it polled, giving the Tories a 6.7 percent swing in their favour since 2005.What the polls cannot measure very easily – if at all – is the UKIP effect, where very small numbers of voters can exercise a highly localised effect and rob candidates of seats they might...

Iraq Inquiry: Miliband to “pejorative” Lyne – “UN… feeble follow-through” via Tony Blair March 8th, 2010 at 23:16

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 8th March 2010 It is suggested that no-one was listening to David Miliband’s evidence to the Iraq Inquiry today. Probably because he is not the man whose neck fits here. But I suggest people should listen. Listen, watch and read. Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaks in an...

The dance of the seven veils via EU Referendum March 6th, 2010 at 14:37

David Cameron, we are told, has promised to "make things better without spending more money" as he ramps up his general election campaign.Attacking wasteful government spending, he pledged that a future Conservative administration would "get more for less". However, hopes that Mr Cameron would begin to spell out how and where he would cut spending were dashed for now. He is expected to unveil his proposals to cut expenditure in the coming weeks.Instead, all we get it the rhetoric. "... the question in 2010 is this: who do you trust to make things better without spending more money? Today we certainly cannot afford more waste, more bureaucracy and more overspending from a Labour government," says the Boy King. "At a time like this you need the people with the grit, the determination and...

To The Hypocrite Mugabe: Keep Your Black Nose Out Of Our Affairs via Tony Blair March 4th, 2010 at 22:53

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 4th March 2010 “MUGABE’S BLACK NOSE” Oh, I can’t say that, can I? Naughty, naughty me. And I’d repeat it except that it’d drag me down to Mugabe’s racist level. MUGABE – HYPCRITICAL, UTTERLY DISHONEST, LYING, RACIST – AND...

Today’s political ‘left’ says – I Love You To Death via Tony Blair March 4th, 2010 at 18:55

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 4th March 2010 Does the left of every civilized nation love its country? I Will Only Love You, If You Kill Yourself Now and again I find articles online that are worth repeating in their etirety. It doesn’t always mean that I agree with every word, more that there are elements...

‘The Journey’ to publicise Tony Blair’s memoirs (to be published September 2010) via Tony Blair March 4th, 2010 at 13:29

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 4th March 2010 Tony Blair’s official website with the news on his memoirs release The cover of Tony Blair's memoirs - 'Tony Blair, The Journey', to be released in September 2010. The photograph below is used at his office website on the announcement regarding his book - From...

Why Michael Foot would have made a good Prime Minister via Neil Clark March 4th, 2010 at 10:14

image This tribute piece of mine to the former Labour Party leader Michael Foot, appears in The First Post. On Michael Foot's death, Neil Clark remembers not a woolly old dreamer but a shrewd political operator.The popular image of Michael Foot, the former Labour party leader whose death at 96 was announced today, is of an intellectually brilliant but rather dreamy political incompetent: a sweet and immensely loveable eccentric, who despite his great gifts, was silly enough to wear a donkey jacket to the Cenotaph and whose romantic attachment to old-fashioned socialism caused his party to suffer - in 1983 - their heaviest electoral defeat for 50 years. The reality is rather different. Far from being a hopeless dreamer, Foot was in fact a shrewd and pragmatic political operator whose career was...

There were TWO Ian Paisleys, and Blair uncovered the second one via Tony Blair March 4th, 2010 at 01:25

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 4th March 2010 PAISLEY – THE NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! MAN STANDS DOWN First, a couple of video reminders: Ian Paisley Speech – ‘Ulster Says No’  – Rally Belfast City Hall November 1985.(1:21) And Paisley’s attitude to the ‘Irish...

Michael Foot’s death. Why the silence from Tony Blair? via Tony Blair March 3rd, 2010 at 21:54

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 3rd March 2010 UPDATE – He would, wouldn’t he? I just posted this a few minutes ago, and now on the BBC Radio4 10:00pm news, TONY BLAIR HAS PAID TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL FOOT, praising him as “an inspiration for many many people.” What kept him? (So, I suppose I...

Tony Blair’s despair – a study of a picture that paints a thousand words via Tony Blair March 2nd, 2010 at 21:37

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 2nd March 2010 THE PAINFUL TRUTH IS IN THE EYES Photograph by Dan Chung – Referenced at The Guardian – if this is the right Mr Chung! Tony Blair at his lowest ebb, 2004, as the Iraq war repercussions and Brown and allies close in for the kill. (Pic: Dan Chung) Click here...

The system is broke via EU Referendum March 2nd, 2010 at 14:08

image I would not be so bold as to assert that I am the only writer in the world who can see links between the death of Sarah Bryant and her colleagues in her Snatch Land Rover, and the proceedings in parliament yesterday over the "Climategate" e-mails.Nevertheless, links there are at several levels and drawing them together provides graphic illustrations of the fundamental flaws afflicting crucial parts of our society.In short, what binds Snatch Land Rovers and climate change together are four egregious failures – a failure of government, a failure of parliamentary opposition, a failure in the crucial system of select committee scrutiny and a complete failure of journalism.To explore these in any great detail, however, would take far longer and require far more prose than the average reader...

Rawnsley & his rounds with the Clunking Fist (egged on by Brown’s ‘colleagues’) via Tony Blair February 28th, 2010 at 02:52

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 28th February, 2010 Depressed Tony Blair told Gordon Brown he would quit after Iraq war Nov 2006, Parliament: What did the normally serious Brown find SO amusing as all around him, especially Blair, seemed lost in thought and the sobriety of the moment at the final Queen's speech...

“Entryism”, as claimed by a Labour minister. Nothing new. Ask me. via Tony Blair February 28th, 2010 at 01:21

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 28th February, 2010 Following on from my previous post – Islamic terrorism: All About Iraq, isn’t it? – and as mentioned there briefly, I thought it was worth letting you know that ONE BRITISH POLITICIAN has finally spoken out about his concerns over Islamic...

Vote for change via EU Referendum February 28th, 2010 at 01:15

image "My patriotic duty is to get rid of Brown and sort out his mess", David Cameron is to say in Brighton – according to The Daily Mail. What was that about patriotism being the last refuge of the scoundrel? This is the man who sold us out on his EU referendum pledge – hedged with weasel words as it was. And he has the nerve to talk about "patriotic duty"?And, in nearly 400 comments on another Mail piece, where Cameron tells us its "make your mind up time", it seems an awful lot of people have indeed made up theirs. At a rough estimate, more than 90 percent are hostile. Again and again, there is reference to the referendum. If that is any guide, it has done Cameron far more damage than even I anticipated.Then we have The Sunday Times which tells us that this is "a big moment for David...

Islamic terrorism: All About Iraq, isn’t it? via Tony Blair February 27th, 2010 at 23:47

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 27th February, 2010 Deniers deny … people die Today’s terrorism is all about Iraq, isn’t it? That’s right. It isn’t. Want to link this graphic to your site? See simple directions, to the left. This graphic is usually updated each day. If it is linked...

Joined-up commentary via EU Referendum February 27th, 2010 at 16:39

image One used to enjoy the periodic rants from Simon Heffer, especially when they are directed at the putative chancellor, little Georgie Osborne – although the constant repetition is now getting a little tedious.Nevertheless, amongst the many sins which Heffer lays at the door of this political dwarf is his timorous approach to public expenditure cuts, the only firm commitment being to shave a mere billion from the total, even when Heffer identifies £72 billion being spent under the category "other" expenditure.Heffer, though – like so many who brand themselves "political commentators" - seems to have as narrow a vision as the very politicians of whom he is so scornful. He is locked into a somewhat outdated paradigm where he sees government spending as representing sum of the costs...

BBC on Binyam: Was I hearing things, or did the Beeb describe it right for once? via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 18:37

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 26th February, 2010 Just dashed downstairs for a quick coffee, switched on the BBC TV news and heard this at 6:15pm-ish: “… in the treatment of former terrorist suspect Binyam Mohamed” WHAT? No “British resident” or “former Guantanamo Bay...

MI5. Guess what, Gordon? I agree with you entirely. And so will the public. via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 17:34

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 26th February, 2010 Brown: “We Do Not Torture” Got it? Good. Now kindly put a sock in it, Chakrabarti, Clegg and mates. We KNOW who is protecting our country’s security, liberty and democracy and it ain’t YOU. Article follows: ‘GORDON Brown today...

A strange and ugly place via EU Referendum February 26th, 2010 at 14:41

image Sky News is by no means alone amongst the media pundits suggesting that the Cameron experiment is about to crash and burn, his party not even being the largest in the next parliament.This is, of course, just fluff based on a run of bad polls. The election campaign has yet formally to begin and, as we are constantly reminded, a week is a long time in politics. Anything can happen.However, prediction in politics is as much a black art as it is a science. Reading the mood and "gut instinct" has as much to play as does the number-crunching and all the rest. As a "player" who campaigned in both the 1997 elections – as a candidate for the Referendum Party – in the 2001 elections, as an agent for UKP, running a troika of candidates, and in the 2005 elections for the Tories, alongside a...

Protected: The British Press should hang their heads in shame. (Press Gazette ad to ‘Ban Blair-Baiting’) via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 13:28

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Binyam Mohamed 1 – MI5 & Britain’s Security – Nil. Happy now Siddique? via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 11:45

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 26th February, 2010 From Haroon Siddique at The Guardian Live blog: Criticism of MI5 to be restored to Binyam Mohamed judgment Haroon Siddique follows reaction to court ruling that criticism of MI5, removed from judgment in Binyam Mohamed case at behest of government, is to be...

Brown in denial: I didn’t shout “you ruined my life” to my dear friend Tony via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 01:00

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 26th February, 2010 This story won’t die while they rise to the bait. Reported here and here. Tony Blair showed them how to respond to this here the other day - Interviewer: Does good governance extend to behind the doors of the offices of leaders? Should presidents and prime...

‘Liddle Against the War’ (and Chilcot) – via Rentoul via Tony Blair February 26th, 2010 at 00:15

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 26th February, 2010 John Rentoul wrote about fellow Blair ‘devotee’ Rod Liddle’s wierd article today. It’s about this article of Rod Liddle’s in the American Conservative magazine. Will use Rentoul’s take on it – to save time. (Am...

“Apparent bombers” apparently killed 52 people – Our PC courts (and country) – WRONG again. via Tony Blair February 25th, 2010 at 22:13

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 25th February, 2010 Apparently, this is how it goes … 7/7 BOMBERS c/w… 7/7 Bombers: Hasib Hussein, Germaine Lindsay, Mohammad Sidique Khan & Shehzad Tanweer, at Luton train station, 7th July 2005 … THEN PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR Tony Blair speaks at the...

Britain has been central for Hamas for more than ten years via Tony Blair February 25th, 2010 at 15:47

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 24th February, 2010 “FOR MORE THAN A DECADE”? That is BEFORE 9/11 & THE AFGHANISTAN & IRAQ WARS Excerpt: For more than a decade, Britain (especially London) has been a focus for Hamas’ political, propaganda and even legal activities in Europe. As far as Hamas...

EXCLUSIVE: BBC Denies Another Question Time Panel ‘Unbalanced’ via Love and Liberty February 25th, 2010 at 15:35

image The BBC today* denied accusations (again) that stuffing Question Time with five authoritarian egomaniacs (again) displayed a jaw-dropping lack of political balance (again). ‘We apportion panellists according to the votes political parties receive,’ a spokesperson said. ‘By winning about one in four votes, the Liberal Democrats get one place in four. Hang on, does that say one place in four weeks? Shit! I mean, no comment.‘With Peter Hain, Liam Fox, Elfyn Llwyd, Nigel Farage and Janet Street Porter [see our EXCLUSIVE advance photograph] representing, er, Liberal Democrat-run Cardiff, the audience can be assured a full range of political colours.’Mr Dimbleby is in the chair (again). ‘As you can see, this is a completely different panel to any previous one this month that...

Shameful Farage – less class and courtesy than a feral mutt or an alley cat via Tony Blair February 25th, 2010 at 02:23

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 24th February, 2010 UK’s – UKIP’s Disgrace – Nigel Farage to EU President Van Rompuy: “I don’t want to be rude, but — who ARE you? … nobody in Europe has ever heard of you” Farage: “We were told that when we had a...

Blair “ruined” Brown’s life? – aka – “allowed him to work next door for far too long” via Tony Blair February 25th, 2010 at 01:39

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 25th February, 2010 In the middle of the coup, the former welfare minister Frank Field went to No 10 to plead with Blair not to give way to Brown. “You can’t go yet. You can’t let Mrs Rochester out of the attic,” he said. Rawnsley writes: “Blair roared...

Working for the enemy via EU Referendum February 24th, 2010 at 19:48

image Luce Jacovella (pictured) is a very important person in British politics. Based in London, she is at the hub of an international network, working with a multi-million budget on developing an aspect of policy which will decide the actions of our next government. It will have a significant effect on our lives and most likely cost taxpayers and businesses hundreds of millions over term.Yet Luce will never stand for election. She is not a politician. She does not work for any political party. She is not even a civil servant. She is not even British.Dr Jacovella is in fact an academic, a trained project manager who took her PhD studies at Florence University, in the country where she was born. Her specialism is agricultural science but she now works for the European Research and Development...

Getting angry is not enough via EU Referendum February 24th, 2010 at 16:48

image Delingpole over on his blog tells us that it's "time to get angry" over global warming. And if you needed any more reasons than you have already, then the story in The Register is a good place to start.There, we learn that DECC, the fatuous department of climate change has spent £361,700 in the last 12 months on search keywords such as "climate change" and "global warming" to target Google users with government publicity urging them to cut their carbon emissions. The Energy Saving Trust, meanwhile, had spent more than £270,000 on similar advertising in the last 12 months, with the two agencies bidding against each other for the key slots, thus driving up the cost to the taxpayer.Personally, I don't know whether I should be angrier at the stupidity of government agencies, or the fact...

David Cameron, PMQs – “Any closer and they’ll start kissing” – (Brown/Darling) via Tony Blair February 24th, 2010 at 12:32

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 24th February, 2010 David Cameron at PMQs – “Any closer and they’ll start kissing” Yes, I did laugh. David Cameron hit the spot in Prime Minister’s Questions in his reference to the “forces of hell” coming down upon the chancellor Alistair...

The “forces of hell”!!!? Whooops, sorry Darling via Tony Blair February 24th, 2010 at 01:39

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 24th February, 2010 Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in name anyway (when Gordon lets him get on with his [Gordon's] old job,  has described the forces of hell coming down on him from Brown’s office. Alistair Darling said it wasn't just Downing Street that...

Prescott Vs Rawnsley – another “bully” defending the “bully”? via Tony Blair February 24th, 2010 at 01:03

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 24th February, 2010 For what it’s worth – and you will have to do the searching yourself – I am sure I recall Rawnsley saying some time ago that he was no longer in Tony Blair’s camp over Iraq, possibly no longer even a “Blairite.” He received...

Blair (transcript): “good governance” in Africa; “nothing to say” on Brown’s difficulties via Tony Blair February 23rd, 2010 at 21:10

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 23rd February, 2010 BBC World Interviewer: Does good governance extend to behind the doors of the offices of leaders? Should presidents and prime ministers treat their staff well? Blair (pauses):Yes, of course, and I’m sure in the vast majority of cases that happens....

Vote Dave – get Brussels via EU Referendum February 22nd, 2010 at 14:11

image Dave "yes we have no referendum" Cameron has despatched the trusty Europhile Ken Clarke (pictured) to Brussels for a secret tête à tête with EU commission boss José Manuel Barroso.The talks, we are told, are to assure the EU president that the EU "has nothing to fear from a Conservative government." And sending the most pro-EU member of Dave's cabinet-in-waiting is seen by European officials as a signal that a new Conservative administration will work with the EU "executive" rather battling against it.It would be rather nice to think that the Boy Dave might spare a little time from his hectic schedule to reassure potential voters that they had nothing to fear from the Brussels government, but since that ain't so, it is just as well that he keeps his mouth shut and avoids uttering yet...

Just cos you’re… er… slightly bemused Gordon, doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you via Tony Blair February 22nd, 2010 at 00:42

image Original Home Page Current Latest Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 22nd February, 2010 BROWN MUST BE THUMPING THE PILLOW TONIGHT Just as Labour’s poll numbers start to recover, separated from the Tories by only six points, and proving that Cameron has not yet sealed the deal with the electorate – this happens. Andrew Rawnsley’s...