Target pavement cyclists, say MPs

 

There is a lot of legalese and moral talk here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8319630.stm

Of course it is illegal for cyclists to ride on the road. It puts pedestrians in danger. Some, I know ride on pavements because they are afraid to ride on roads because of the volume of traffic and speeding and inconsiderate motorists.

I do it very occasionally myself. When one considers that round here, the council's idea of cycle paths is a white line drawn down the middle of the pavement, it is not too surprising that cyclists stay on the pavement or assume pavement cycling is o.k. When one considers that pedestrians rarely accommodate cyclists by keeping to the pedestrian side of these paths one can see a cyclist's frustration at being targeted as anti-social.

On the rare instances I do ride on the pavement, I go slowly, slow down to walking pace when passing a pedestrian from either direction and resume road riding as soon as practical. I also ensure my bike is roadworthy- another legal requirement rarely enforced.

I think I have a solution to this. Reintroduce the cycling proficiency test. Make it a requirement for cyclists to ride a bike. Charge a small fee, which could be waived should genuine hardship be shown. And then enforce the laws we already have and prosecute those that refuse to obey them.

 

Nick Griffin on Question Time?

Nick griffin, leader of the BNP has been asked to appear on Question Time. A lot of people are upset and some intend to protest.

There are two schools of thought here. One, that the protesters, both verbal and those who will travel to the studio are giving the BNP the oxygen of publicity.

The other, that a man with very similar views achieved power democratically in 1930's Germany because people did nothing.

I'm not sure, myself. The British people can be somewhat naive when it comes to politics. But surely, that is the essence of democracy. An assumption that the electorate have the intelligence to decide their own future and government.

We could have an Uncle Joe (Stalin) telling us we don't know what's best, but he does.

We could have an anarchistic system of devolved government so that each town or collection of towns decides for itself.

Neither sounds too bad- as long as we pick the right Uncle Joe or the right neighbours to collude with.

But then we are back to democracy, because we want the right to kick out the leaders if we don't like the way they lead.

So I think I have to say, let's see Nick Griffin on Question Time. Let's see how he answers questions about economics, education, benefits, unemployment and Britain's place in the world. I am quite sure when he reduces each answer to immigration and the inferiority of some races, we will see him for what he is.

I think, though we might see him squirming, unable to answer and uncomfortable with the truth.

But if we prevent him from appearing there will be many people who will see it as martyrdom.

Acer Aspire 6930z

In March I bought an Acer Aspire 6930z laptop for £399.

It's a pretty robust machine and has some good features. It's pretty powerful with an Intel T3400 2.1 gig processor and 3 gig of ram.

After a couple of months, the touchpad stopped working- the pad and the left and right click buttons. I was sure this was hardware related, but went through the usual procedures such as update the driver, system restore, back to factory defaults etc.

Contacted Ebuyer and they didn't try to run through lots of fixes, but immediately arranged a return. They confirmed the fault was a hardware failure and said a new laptop had been shipped, which I received within a week of returning the faulty machine.

What a fantastic service! Can't fault them. I have shopped with Ebuyer for a number of years, never had an issue before and when I did, got a fantastic service.

Then, a couple of months later, the touchpad failed again. Contacted Ebuyer who said I needed to send it back to Acer because they had no replacements and if they attempted a repair it would void my Acer warranty.

Now I know under UK law I could have insisted they deal with the issue since my contract was with them and not with Acer. But Ebuyer have never let me down and I didn't want to get all legal and bolshie with them. So I contacted Acer. A return was arranged for Monday. My laptop was beck today. In fact, about half an hour ago. I haven't unpacked it yet, but assume that it is repaired. (I'll soon let you know if it isn't!) Once again, can't fault the service. I was a little worried since I had read horror stories on the 'net where Acer had held laptops for months, were unable to locate them etc.etc. So I thought let's show the other side- the stories that are rarely reported, where the service is excellent.

Just a couple of issues I have- so let's hope somebody from Acer reads this.

First, the helpdesk seems to have been outsourced to India or some similar country. I had some difficulty understanding them and making myself understood. This of course meant the cost of calling them will be greater than calling a UK helpdesk who would not have needed to repeat, nor me repeat to them almost every statement and comment.

Also, the fact that this is twice the touchpad has failed. It suggests that the touchpad may be poorly designed. Which means it will be an ongoing issue, beyond the warranty. I do hope not!

Bereaved Treated Badly by Banks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8311552.stm

 

It appears that bereaved partners, wives and husbands are having difficulty gaining access to funds when their spouse dies, even if they if there is a will in place. The banks, who one would think have had enough bad press, are holding back payments, claiming it is training its staff.

Well, do they put staff in charge of investment without proper training? How many staff are allowed to deal billions on the money market without proper training? So why is it that staff dealing with customers or their deceased family is in need of training? I'll hazard a guess. The longer they can hold on to your money, the more they can make from your hardship and distress.

The banks have learned nothing. Their sole aim is to make money. Any customer benefits derived from that aim are purely coincidental.

And don't forget, it is virtually impossible to do anything financial today without using a bank. From benefits payments to buying a house, a bank is involved somewhere.

BNP to consider non-white members

According to this BBC report the BNP are to consider non-white members. As I read it, the law says they must.

There is a very interesting video on the page I suggest you watch in which BNP spokesman Chris Roberts appears to be very uncomfortable discussing the issue.

The rights and wrongs I do not intend to discuss. Immigration is a problem, I don't believe the UK has got it right but do not adhere to the view a person should be discriminated against purely on the basis of his or her colour, any more than on their age, weight or political affiliations.

I would suggest, however the Mr. Roberts and Mr. Griffin have the courage of their convictions, state their case clearly and if it is opposed to current legislation be strong enough to take the consequences. The discomfort shown by Mr. Roberts serves only to support my contention that whatever they believe, they will present themselves in a manner designed to persuade the electorate differently. Well, they are politicians (sort of) after all.

Finland makes broadband a legal right

Finland makes broadband a legal right for its citizens. Uruguay gives a laptop to every primary school pupil with plans to extend the provision to older schoolchildren next year. What are we doing in Britain? Arguing over whether formal education should start at five or at six years old.

I have theory about education in Britain. That there is a state conspiracy to see its people less well educated to better suit them to the totalitarian state the major parties seem to be inching toward.

While more and more of us go on to college or university, the quality of education seems to be falling. At the same time, the cost of higher education is being put beyond the reach of ordinary people. And this is done by the people who got where they are through free higher education paid for by the taxes of our parents and grandparents.

There have only been two major and successful revolutions in the UK. In 1215 when the Barons forced King John to sign Magna Carta and the English civil war. This is because the rulers, be they king or commoner, elected or appointed have known not to push too hard. Because the British people are essentially loyal, forgiving and accommodating. But the two instances stated show we will not be pushed too hard or too far.

Man 31 Give 3 Year Old Cigarette

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8308946.stm

While the reported facts of this case are themselves appalling there is no suggestion of the relationship of the 31 year old man to the 3 year old or the 14 year old.

I would like to know what a 31 year old man is doing in the company of young girls, apparently encouraging inappropriate behaviour. One has to wonder where this encouragement might lead.

Another Manufacturer Gone

LDV's machinery is to be stripped out and sent to China. So along with the loss of skills that made us manufacturing capital of the world, we are also losing, piece by piece the means of production.

If you're an engineer, I suggest you re-train. Because even if the will was there, the means to resume British industry is not.

And don't suppose the money men will invest heavily in manufacturing when they can sit back and make just as much, if not more merely by shuffling money and goods around on a computer screen.

Underage Drinking

I have just read - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8309827.stm - how the problem of underage drinking and thus related problems are being dealt with. It is successful the article appears to claim, because of the numbers involved. Well, when we are talking thousands of underage drinkers, amazingly from 10 to 17 years of age being effectively 'told off' one must suppose it's not working.

As with many aspects of criminal and anti-social behaviour there are solutions already prescribed by law to deal with such incidents. It is illegal to sell alcohol to minors. Use the existing law. Remove the licences of those that refuse to comply- do it once, be warned, do it twice be prosecuted. No excuses.

Now, hand on heart, and somewhat familiar with the intricacies and contradictions of British law, I am unsure whether it is actually illegal for a minor to drink. I suspect the crime is in the sale, not in the drinking. This to me is ridiculous. If minors wish to pretend to be adults by partaking in adult behaviour, let the law suppose them to be adults. I agree there should be some leeway, aid them in correcting their behaviour but we need consequences in the event their behaviour cannot be modified by helpful intervention.

Watchdog to get tough on Health Service

I am heartily fed up of this government, and its predecessor introducing quangos, watchdogs, monitors and other sundry employment agencies for their pals. While they remain above investigation, or as the recent expenses scandal shows, above consequences they pass laws, introduce working practices and force unnecessary, inadequate and untrained managers onto services that by definition cannot be run on monetary disciplines. Then blame the services, not the restrictions introduced by the managers for failing to meet the targets imposed on them.

The Postal Strike

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the BBC the union's decision to strike "amounts to a death wish".

Well, Lord Mandelson, if the postal workers were on just a half of an MP's salary maybe they wouldn't want to strike. Maybe if they felt their jobs were secure they wouldn't want to strike.

It is an argument as old, if not older, than the industrial revolution. What's the point of striking if your jobs are already at risk? Of course, the reverse argument is rarely considered by the right-wing media or the rich factory owner or MP's that might consider their roots and the roots of their party. (Are you listening New Labour?) The argument that we have little to lose, yet much to gain.

 

 

Hello, Reader

Hello, reader. (Who am I kidding? I know nobody reads this!) However, it is quite therapeutic to get my thoughts down somewhere.
It is about a month now since my last post. It just seemed so pointless. I made a decision at the beginning of June that I would post every day. It seemed in that month there would be plenty [and there was] to post about. Time, other responsibilities and lack of funds [means seeking work] and repetitive political and economic decisions by our ‘masters’ left me feeling that my responses would be equally repetitive. But hey, what the hell? If they [politicians] can be repetitive, why can’t I?
So watch this space. I’ll be back soon. Once my ‘responsibilities’ will let me be!

Can Britain succeed in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is we are told a terrorist (Al Qaeda) base. The Taliban is our enemy. That is why our young men are dying there.

Rubbish.

The Afghan people have never been defeated. Not by the mighty USSR. Not by the mighty USA who tried their hand in 2001. Now they bring us into a war that cannot be won. And we follow, like the 51^st state we have become.

Leave the Afghans to run their own country. If they become a discernable threat to us, hit 'em hard. Until then, back off and use the money you are wasting to help English people in England.

And leave the USA to spend the billions they charged us for helping out in WWII.

MG Rover’s Phoenix Four Must be Beyond Reproach

Why, after four years of investigation is it only now that there are to be questions asked about the demise of MG Rover and the so-called 'Phoenix Four'?

Couldn't a QC and a forensic accountant see there was something wrong?

It might be argued they saw the evidence but wanted to investigate thoroughly before any public announcement. But surely it is/was their duty, even their legal responsibility to call in the Serious Fraud Office?

Whatever the outcome (and I suspect it will be the 'old boy network' cover up) the impression is that something is wrong.

It is not enough to be above suspicion- as Caesar's wife, all involved must be beyond reproach.

BT Offers Holidays for Pay Cuts

This seems to be a growing trend. Save your jobs by wage cuts. For those earning high wages, this might not seem so drastic. But what happens when this filters down to minimum wage earners? How will we stop unscrupulous employers using creative book keeping to reduce their wage bill? (For this read 'increase their profits').

I'm sorry, but this has all the hallmarks of a well thought out con. Use the recession to put money in our pockets.

How many industry chiefs have had to sell their mansions and country houses and move into a five bed roomed detached house? (An unattainable luxury for many of us- whether we are working or not.)

Will directors work for nothing?

Shouldn't a socially responsible employer be offering term-time employment for parents anyhow?

And what's innovative about cutting wages, making people (not jobs) redundant and short time working?

How is it progressive to blackmail workers with redundancy or pay cuts?

Leaving those left to work harder to cover the jobs of part time, short time and redundant employees.

And what happened to the Thatcherite privatised capitalist utopia we were all promised?

And don't blame New Labour. They've done nothing to change anything. Even the things they promised to change in their manifesto.

I cannot believe some of the BT employees' comments. Being grateful for wage cuts, short time and redundancy!

We might no longer wear a cloth cap to doff every time a wealthy industrialist raises his voice. But it is reincarnated in the form of the baseball cap. So grease the rim that it might slip off more ably. You never know when you might need to.

Booth Hails Scottish Penal Reform (or Crime and (Lack Of) Punishment)

Cherie Booth QC (Mrs. Tony Blair) has praised Scottish penal reform. MS. Booth chaired the Commission on English Prisons, in which she singled out aspects of Scotland's prison system for praise.

The gist seems to be that short prison sentences don't work, so don't hand out short prison sentences. I agree. What I do not agree with is the conclusion that those who would have been dealt with by shorter sentences should be dealt with by using community punishments; unpaid work, tagging, probation and ASBO's. The sort of 'punishments' criminals laugh at and see as nothing more than a minor intrusion into their lives- when they can be bothered to follow the orders.

I say give 'em longer sentences- and make sure the prisons are so uncomfortable most won't want to go back.

I'm not suggesting we stop attempts to rehabilitate through education and training. But those that opt to train or learn should not see it as a soft option to working. Those that have no inclination to learn should be made to work and work hard. The work must be constructive- none of your rock breaking and moving rocks from one side of the yard for no other purpose than to make an inmate work hard.

The workshops to which prisoners are assigned or volunteer should be run on an industrial basis where the products can be sold at a profit, thus contributing to the costs of running the prison system. One might even consider paying a proper wage the bulk of which could be sent to families and thus remove the need to pay benefits.

Governments can use statistics to tell us prisons don't work. They can produce statistics to show community sentencing reduces offending and re-offending. But statistics can be manipulated. ("He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts' for support rather than illumination."-Andrew Lang (1844-1912)) Many of the people who make penal reform decisions are statistically less likely to be the victim of 'low level' crime. The sort of crime we or our friends and relatives and our communities become victims of every day. Most of the people I know are in agreement. Prisons should be harsher and sentences longer. Most of what I read and see in the media from ordinary folk is in agreement. Prisons should be a place to which offenders do not wish to return. In our presumed democracy (which is actually a plutocracy) why are the minority sitting on these quangos and our supposed representatives able to ignore the wishes of the majority and continue the liberalist policies of community sentencing?

We might see some change when MP's and the wealthy are regularly the victims of burglary. When it is their sons who are meaninglessly attacked in the street and their daughters are assaulted.

Along with these proposed changes I believe there must also be a change of social and economic policy. While there will always be those who prefer to take rather than earn, we must ensure that ordinary people have well paid secure jobs. The balance should be quick, easy money with the risk of severe penalties and a real chance of being caught against a respectable well paid job with security. Most reasonable thinking people would choose the latter.

With these social and economic changes we should encourage employers to take on released prisoners if they have shown a commitment to change. Jobs to take when they leave prison not straight back on the dole, with the temptation to reoffend.

We need a complete rethink, accepting parts of the old penal system were reasonable and effective and that parts of the modern system are equally reasonable and effective. But neither system has a monopoly on effectiveness and we must accept that no system ever will. As with most things, we can only hope for the best penal system while we retain our humanity when dealing with those for whom we may temporarily wish to suspend that humanity and at the same time punish and rehabilitate effectively.

Rogue Traders

A rogue trader at London oil broker PVM Oil Futures has cost them $10m (£6m).

First, these traders make billions off the backs of consumers, keeping prices artificially high by sitting on oil (or any other product) until the price is right.

Second, one might argue that these futures investors are fraudulent themselves, since they never physically hold the product. PVM could not take a prospective buyer to a thousand barrels of oil and say 'here's what you're buying'. It's all done on paper.

And finally, they lose $10m and there is no suggestion of financial difficulty, never mind bankruptcy. How many real businesses that actually produce something besides profits have $10m to lose, never mind stand the loss!

That's what I want to be when [if]I grow up!

One ‘Flu’ Over the Cuckoos Nest

 

The Welsh Assembly Government has many devolved powers, one of which is their health service. Yet they want the UK treasury to foot the bill for the swine flu vaccination program.

The Welsh wanted devolution. They got devolution, as far as I am aware essentially on their terms. Yet at the first sign of trouble, they run back, charity tins rattling for help.

I am an Englishman with a Scots and Irish heritage. My Irish ancestors originally settled in Wales early in the 19^th century.

Now, I believe in devolution. I really believe the Irish, Scots and Welsh are a different race being of Celtic descent as opposed to Saxon. As such, they should have home rule and be treated as individual nations. But if they want it, and have it they have to live with it, taking the rough with the smooth.

There may be an argument to say England's imperialist expansionism, however long ago has left them unable to function as a separate country without a transitional period. But let them say that, not claim the flu issue is an exceptional emergency situation.

Because let's face it, swine flu is flu. Each 'new' flu is a genetically modified version of a previous flu. There is no emergency. The problem lies not in the new flu being particularly virulent, but in the lack of new, effective vaccines. The new flu is dangerous during the period a vaccine is being developed.

Gordon Brown - Dishonest or Misguided?

Gordon Brown may be honest about his spending plans, but is he right? He says "making big efficiency savings in government and selling state-owned assets" could meet targets for cutting debt and still improve frontline services.

Well, how does selling services (state-owned assets) improve them? The mythical efficiency the Tories told us about throughout the 1980's? Just look at the private water companies.

If a private company can run these services efficiently, pay shareholder dividends and make a profit, why can't government run them and use the dividend payments and the profits to reduce costs to the consumer or further increase efficiency?

We need to turn away from the privatisation and the myths associated with it and re-nationalise the utilities, major manufacturing and stop the ingress of privatisation through 'partnerships'.

And we need to do it now.

Doctors want right to talk faith

Doctors and nurses want the right to discuss spiritual issues with patients. I think this is wrong. The National Secular Society has said "If we say it is ok for doctors and nurses to provide spiritual care and pray for patients it can all too quickly get out of hand and we will have staff preaching on the wards". I agree.

Reading the article the emphasis seems to be on Christians discussing Christianity. Doctors and nurses should stick to medical care. If we allow this will we see patient care suffering because a nurse is discussing religion with a patient while I wait for medical attention? Do I want a doctor telling me how I should be a Christian? (Or a Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist for that matter?) And what about atheist doctors and nurses? Will the same doctors and nurses who want this right be happy to have a colleague telling a dying patient there is no God, no afterlife?

I can envisage major conflicts when a Christian nurse tries to tell a Hindu patient to convert, and might this lead to segregation according to faith?

And besides, don't hospitals have chaplains of various faiths to satisfy the religious needs of patients?

I go to my doctor for health care and if I were religious I would go to my church or temple for spiritual guidance. Keep the two separate or we will be entering a moral minefield.

Cancer in the NHS

Patients in England suspected of suffering from cancer are to have the right to see a specialist within two weeks; and quite rightly so.

However, primary care trusts will be required to pay for private consultations if the timescale cannot be met.

There could also be financial penalties for failing to keep to the two-week limit, described at the moment as 'only a target'.

So, the underfunded, ailing NHS is given another target it has to meet. Failure will result in financial penalties, not just once but twice. Effectively the NHS will have to pay for its own demise, backdoor privatisation, and be fined to do so!

I believe the funding issue for the NHS has two root causes.

First, a significant proportion of the NHS budget pays managers and book-keepers whose focus is (financial) efficiency and cost cutting. This is not compatible with a non profit, state owned institution and is morally indefensible where healthcare is concerned.

Second, direct taxation, particularly for the wealthy has fallen significantly over the last 30 years resulting in less money to spend on the public services most of us, and in particular the poorest of us rely on. Hence the introduction of managers and book-keepers trying to cut costs but actually contributing to them through bloated salaries with no advantage to treatment.

These issues did not exist pre 1980 when hospitals were run by doctors and nurses and funding was adequate.

What the government should do is sack the managers and book-keepers and let the doctors and nurses run the hospitals on clinical grounds and direct employment of cleaners and other ancillary staff who will be directly accountable to the NHS.

This will mean more funding going to treatment rather than non-clinical staff and any shortfall should be paid for by those most able to pay, the wealthy through direct taxation.

Pontcysyllte aqueduct

At last, some good news to comment on. The Pontcysyllte aqueduct has been given World Heritage status.

This is a magnificent piece of engineering, carrying the Llangollen canal over the valley of the River Dee. Built of cast iron and caulked with flannel dipped in boiling sugar and then sealed with lead!

The amazing thing is, as far as I am aware, this original and inventive caulking is still what holds the water in to this day, 204 years later.

Built by Thomas Telford and William Jessop it is over 1,000 feet long and stands on 120 foot tall masonry piers. Again, amazingly it is a mere 11 feet wide!

Some of today's engineers and architects would do well to take a leaf from their book and stop building concrete and glass horrors that might last 50 years.

More Power for the Bank of England?

George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor and MP for Tatton suggests that a Tory administration would give more powers to the Bank of England to oversee financial institutions. Mr. Osborne says "The tripartite system between the chancellor, the Bank of England and the FSA has simply failed."

That may be so, but giving more control to the Bank of England will in my view create more problems. The Bank of England is a financial institute and quite rightly is wholly or at least mainly concerned with financial affairs. (Quite advantageous to rich Tories, I suggest.)

Better the Bank of England should be given control over financial considerations, but where these financial considerations have an impact on the social structure and the poorer members of society who have no means of controlling the decisions that impact on them, a body of politicians (multi party), charitable institutions, sociologists and independent thinkers should be a party to those decisions with a power of veto if the majority disagree with the Bank of England.

Each member of this committee should show they have no personal interests in the policy and decisions of the Bank of England over and above those of the ordinary citizen. To declare an interest should not be enough.

I consider that this committee should consist of volunteers who will not benefit from being a committee member. No wages, no expenses, merely a commitment to fair play and policies to benefit the people, not the rich people.

To prevent the super rich commandeering the committee, being the only ones who can afford to do it for free a reasonable allowance could be allowable for those that can show genuine hardship.

And how about a sub-committee of us plebeians, elected to the job by local people to whom the committee report and take a remit?

This is my suggestion for a fair system of financial and economic decision making. The mechanics of how it might work must be decided by those more able than I in such matters.

£16m Rover Report

An independent report into the collapse of MG-Rover has been handed to the government. It cost £16m and took four years.

In 2005 Andrew Johnson and Steve Bloomfield for The Independent asked MG Rover Closure: 'What happened to all that money?'

The cost of support packages had £171m allocated and a projected likely spend was £146m. (Figures are from the National Audit Office. (Download Links in PDF format.)

It seems while the workforce were working overtime, seven days a week to try to make the plant and the company profitable and save their jobs, the 'Phoenix Four' were busy lining their pockets as quickly as possible in advance of the collapse.

When you look at the amount of money spent on closing the plant with the loss of 6,000 jobs, at least £187m (not counting the extra costs to the NHS treating depression and related problems, neither the lost revenue from 6,000 taxpayers or the impact on local communities, both financial and social.) it really doesn't seem to make economic, political or social sense. Even if they all got a job at Tesco's (suggested by Margaret Hodge, work and pensions minister at the time) the difference in wages, and therefore the tax they would pay would be considerable.

It seems to be just another case of the workforce making all the effort, the bosses taking all the credit and profit and the workforce paying the price. Oh yes, while the government stand back, with their gold-plated unassailable wages, expenses and pensions doing nothing but spout rhetoric and commission expensive 'independent' reports that give their pals a 'raison d'être'.

And I ask, what good will the report be? Will it highlight how things might have been done better, perhaps saving jobs? Probably not, but too late if it does. Will it highlight the failings of the Phoenix Four? Maybe, but will anything be done? Doubtful. Will it change government attitudes or produce a different strategy to save jobs in future? Well, ignoring the fact that this was the last big employer, certainly in the car industry, definitely in the West Midlands and so a similar situation is unlikely it won't change government attitudes until there is a change in political, social and economic thinking. The recent closure of LDV with a refusal to help from New Labour proves this. The banks got billions, changed little though this was a requirement of the funding and are now shedding staff. Yet the relative pittance LDV asked for as a bridging loan while takeover negotiations continued was refused.

This country was once great because of the industrial revolution; because of its strong manufacturing base and because of engineering skills this manufacturing base produced. This country is now collapsing socially, economically and politically because we are allowing these strengths to fail Lack of investment has led a decline (often blamed on unions and the workforce). In the 1970's I was milling cylinder heads on pre-war milling machines, drilling sumps on pre-war radial drills. We need to reverse this trend by injecting money into engineering and manufacturing alongside new technologies. It will be expensive and painful. But we might once again lead the world and make a better future for our children and our children's children.

Michael Jackson R.I.P. (Please!)

I am fed up of it. Every time I turn the TV on or go on the internet it's all Michael Jackson. Somebody has just likened his death to that of Elvis or Diana.

Now I didn't like the bloke. I didn't like Elvis or Diana. I accept there are those who do and they feel a loss at their passing. Grieve, but don't force it down my throat. But it isn't really news. It certainly isn't news now. We've all heard, now move on and do some real reporting and give us the news!

Smoking Ban

Birmingham MP John Hemming is calling for the smoking ban to be relaxed. It seems to be because of the number of pubs closing which has been associated with the ban.

I agree. The law as it stands is draconian. Much better, as was suggested would be smoking only rooms with staffed by employees who smoke themselves. One could also make it an option with the final say going to the landlord/lady.

If the government wants to ban something, ban chewing gum. It is everywhere, sticks to everything that comes into contact with it and probably harbours a plethora of bacteria and viruses.

Business Managers for Schools

Schools minister Vernon Coaker says a business manager could help schools ride out the recession, claiming they could save schools thousands of pounds per year.

The claim is that they can save head teachers up to 20% of their time to devote to teaching.

Well, I think it is just another bureaucrat creating bureaucracy to give jobs to the boys.

Margaret Thatcher did this in the 1980's. While she destroyed manufacturing, she created thousands of non-jobs paying intellectuals huge salaries to sort out finances and to manage in the National Health Service. Most weren't worried about people. The onus was on cutting costs. We've all seen the result of that.

Not only is this an issue, but also the move to privatise public service industries by the back door by introducing such jobs. Once the principle of 'business management' is accepted, we are on our way to privatising education. And isn't it odd that this idea has been thought up at a time when the government is meeting strong opposition to their attempt to introduce private academies?

Here are a few figures I have put together. Not scientific or statistically accurate. But accurate enough, I believe to give some idea of what we are heading towards. I got my figures by a Google search any one of you could try.

 

	Average Salary	Minimum Salary	20% of Salary
Head Teacher	£ 100,000.00	£ 70,000.00	£ 20,000.00	£ 14,000.00
Business Manager	£ 50,000.00	£ 25,000.00

 

So you can see that even paying a business manager the minimum salary of £25,000, while saving 20% of the average salary of £100,000 of a head teacher (£20,000), the difference is £5,000 which presumably the business manager will have to save (cut) from the budget just to break even.

Pupils are already buying their own books. Where will it come from? Education is non-profit making and one of the most important public services we have. Do we want to see it brought to its knees like the health service?

So is this just another 'jobs for the boys' and/or a 'make it look like we're doing something' exercise?

Either way, we have seen what managers did to the health service. Do we want it to happen to our schools?

 

BNP... Banned or Marginalised?

There is talk of the Government banning teachers from being members of the BNP. Police officers are already not allowed to be members of the BNP. But I think this is a very dangerous road. While I do not agree with much of the opinion of this group, or their methods we are a democracy and like it or not they are a legitimate political party within that democracy.

If we are to ban certain groups from party membership then it must be across the board. Teachers and policemen should be banned from being members of any political party.

It is that or remove legitimacy and legal status from the party in question. Effectively, ban the BNP.

The problem is there are no legal grounds to do so. And so, in my opinion, there should be no grounds to ban certain groups from membership unless the ban extends to all political parties.

This leaves us in a paradox. Allow the BNP to use the democracy they despise to gain ever greater electoral gains, or destroy that democracy by banning a group because we don't like what they say.

However, I have a third way. The British people are rarely extreme in their views. So if the other political parties listen to us, curb immigration and remove undesirables I honestly believe the BNP will fade back into the obscurity they came from.

Iraq War Inquiry

It has been decided the Iraq War Inquiry will held in private and suddenly senior politicians are saying they would be happy to have a public inquiry. I ask why they didn't make their feelings public earlier. Why, now the decision is taken they are willing to speak publicly?

I suspect this is another attempt to undermine Gordon Brown. While not enamoured to the man or his politics, neither do I like underhand tactics from those that might wish to take his job.

MP Beaten by thugs

Tobias Ellwood, Tory MP for Bournemouth East has been beaten by thugs. Will we see a change in policy and an end to kid gloves when dealing with yobs?

Or more likely a new law to protect public servants.

EU agrees Irish treaty compromise

Political wheeling and dealing knows no bounds. Not moral bounds or physical boundaries. Not even political boundaries. Both left and right of the EU conniving to get a second referendum in Ireland for the Lisbon treaty they have already rejected. Concessions, called 'protocols' by the EU that guarantee Ireland freedom from EU interference in military neutrality, tax and abortion policy. This will only apply to Ireland but it is thought it will likely be attached to Croatia's EU accession treaty.

This must stand as one of the most manoeuvred and manipulated pieces of legislation in the history of politics. The EU were determined this would go through. The promise of a referendum for the British people was removed by renaming the Maastricht Treaty. They knew the vote would be against so they renamed it and denied us a vote, claiming it is a different treaty.

When the Irish valiantly insisted on a referendum and the referendum went against the treaty (remember, all member states must ratify the treaty) they asked the Irish to have another referendum. They refused so we see the latest manipulation to try to get the Irish on side.

This also highlights the lack of democracy in the EU.

My hope is that the Irish people reject the treaty in their second referendum in October.

The Failing of Democracy through the Expenses Scandal

The elections are over and we see New Labour thoroughly thrashed in the European and local elections. And once again we see the gullibility of the electorate and the big flaw in democracy,

Starting at the beginning, we saw the Telegraph exposing the expenses scandal. What few people noticed was the Goebbels style propaganda coup- where the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth was told. But that truth was represented in such a way that the reporters and the newspaper editor knew would manipulate public opinion.

In the first week of the exposé we heard about the New Labour politicians (I use the term loosely!) inventive claims. Now as you will probably know from previous posts I am no lover of New Labour, or for that matter any of the three 'front runners' of the political spectrum. But why the emphasis on New Labour? Anybody with a modicum of intelligence would immediately realise politicians from all parties would have their snouts in the trough. In fact, I suspect there is almost a club culture where experienced politicians educate their newly elected brethren in creative claiming. The second week we began to see politicians from other parties exposed. Yet still most of the anger was directed at the Labour Party.

Most people might reasonably suppose that this is because they are the Government and as such carry the onus of responsibility. Yet this or some similar situation has probably existed since our modern parliament was conceived.

Let me explain by example. Hopefully, it will show how the truth can be manipulated and the next time a scandal is exposed or a headline misleads, you might be able to better understand the machinations of the media and how they manipulate us using psychological techniques- propaganda. In the early 1970's Ted Heaths' Tory government was brought down by two miner's strikes, one of which included the mass picketing of the Saltley coking plant.

I know it well. I was born almost next door in Cranby Street. At the time I still lived in Birmingham. We had the Evening Mail delivered every evening and one of the front-page headlines read "Policeman Hurt on Picket Line". This had the immediate effect of inflaming emotions and angering the average man in the street- even those who while not wholeheartedly supporting the miners might have felt some sympathy for their plight. It turned borderline opinion against the miners. How dare they picket and attack our policemen?

My father, on reading the headline but before reading the article immediately began a diatribe condemning all miners and trade unionists and suggesting they should be shot. I suspect this was the reaction of most people not educated in the expertise of manipulative journalism.

Reading on, the piece described how a policeman, not even on the picket line had been walking towards the coking plant and as he crossed the road, slipped on the kerb and twisted his ankle. This made no difference to most people. The emotions had been aroused by the headline and opinion had been formulated that all pickets were violent and that they had attacked the clumsy policeman.

One might argue that without the pickets there would be no need for him to have been there and he wouldn't have been hurt. Fair enough, that is an opinion. But why didn't the Mail report it so? Because it would not have been inflammatory. No, the Mail knew what it was doing and knew that regardless of the following story opinion would be formed by the headline and some would believe what they wanted to believe and ignore what was contrary to that belief.

And the same is true of the Telegraphs series of revelations. People read that Labour politicians were on the take. It was fed to them for a week and irrespective of subsequent revelations, the mould was set and New Labour was the cause and propagator of every conceivable ill.

Then came the elections. And what do the electorate do? Either didn't vote or chose a protest vote for an independent or minority party, the main result of which let the Tories in all over the country.

This is one of the big flaws in democracy. People using their vote as a form of protest. A free, secret vote is a very precious thing, hard won by the blood, sweat and tears of ordinary people. It should be used according to ones conscience and beliefs, not to stick it to a party that has offended – particularly when that party is not guilty in isolation, but part of a much wider conspiracy. And if you think that voting for an independent that is free of corruption is the answer, they are no purer in thought or deed than the politicians we have ousted. Granted, they are unlikely to stick their noses in the expenses trough, but how many politicians who have been caught with their fingers in the till do you think would risk continuing to deceive? And then there are those who remembered the New Labour corruption and voted Tory, forgetting they too were guilty as charged thanks to manipulative reporting.

So the protest vote has done little for British politics apart from confer power by default. It has done nothing for democracy besides expose one of its weaknesses.

It probably means that by the middle of 2010 we will have a Tory government who will win by a massive majority. They will believe, as in the 1980's that they have the mandate of the people and will convince enough of us that their economic strategies are essential for the good of the country and eventually we will all benefit. In fact the wealthy will get wealthier and the poor will get poorer and we will be repeatedly told by the White Queen 'The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam to-day.'
(Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1871))

Democracy is the New ‘Opium of the People’

Re democracy; there is no democracy. Democracy is an illusion perpetuated by those that exploit its alleged freedoms. Changing electoral policy, demanding greater accountability will not give us democracy. While we have capitalism and power and wealth in the hands of the few, we shall remain a plutocracy. If you're happy with that, go ahead and 'tweak' the system. If not, civil disobedience and non-violent revolution suggest the way forward.

Violence at G20- but it wasn’t a protester....

Another video of a policeman apparently assaulting a peaceful protester has appeared on YouTube. It seems a (hopefully) small number of officer's use these protests as an excuse to throw their weight about and attack members of the public who genuinely feel a need to peacefully protest. It's no wonder the violent hijackers of such events get away with it. The police should concentrate on these thugs, or is that asking too much?

The most disturbing thing I see here is two alleged assaults (that we know about) by officers whose identifying numbers are obscured. It does smack of a conspiracy, that there is perhaps a group of nominated officers whose role is to either quell or provoke crowd disturbance. This may be confined to a small number of officers, with or without the tacit agreement of their superiors or even the government. Or it might, more frighteningly be a deliberate course of action, instigated and supported at the highest level to give credence to banning all forms of protest.

I accept that looking at the whole video there seems to be some disturbance in the crowd, but this is quickly aggravated by the apparent assault. And in all honesty, the woman appears merely to be speaking to the officer trying to make some kind of complaint and he just isn't interested.

The officer concerned has been identified as a member of the territorial support group, who are allowed to use violence but it must be proportionate to the circumstances. A woman half your size complaining doesn't seem to me to justify a slap in the face and a whack with a steel baton.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Kevin Johnson was killed by three drunken yobs. His father's claim for criminal injuries compensation has been denied because his son contributed to his own death. How? He went to investigate a disturbance outside his home. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said if he had stayed inside he would not have died.

I have several issues with this decision. Firstly, the only way we will stop these yobs and thugs is to be pro-active. Let them know we will not sit back and take the abuse. There also seems to be some mixed messages from the authorities. CICA seems to be telling us not to get involved while the police and government appear to say we, the public must involve ourselves to help the police in their fight against crime? How would Mr. Johnson do this if he didn't go outside to have any hope of identifying the offenders?

This raises the second question. Calling the police usually means a visit hours if not days after the event. I know this from experience. Twice I have called the police when drunken yobs were smashing my windows by throwing bottles at them. Total police involvement was to issue a crime number and send a letter from the chief constable.

I think the government should take a look at how, when and why compensation is paid. Or is this another cost cutting exercise?

Benefits the Banks

It is bad enough changing weekly benefits to fortnightly payments. I know from experience the hardship this change can produce. But telling the poorest, most vulnerable people in our supposedly rich and caring society they will lose a week's benefits because of the change is beyond belief. To add insult to injury the government are offering a loan to bridge the gap! At this time of recession the government should be looking at how better they can be helped, not hindered.

And this comes weeks after government bailout of the corrupt banking system to the tune of billions. Still, they have to get the money back somehow.

I urge everybody to write to their MP, and those affected to attend their local benefits office and demand a tribunal hearing to claim back the lost week's benefit.

Honest(l)y, You Can’t Win!

Alistair Darling admits he got it wrong when he forecast the length and depth of the recession. Instead of trying to muddy the waters with political rhetoric, he has put his hands up and said he was wrong. The Tories ask why anybody would believe Gordon Browns (not Alistair's?) economic claims again.

Well, no lover of Mr Brown, Mr Darling or New Labour isn't this the honesty in politics we have all been demanding?

The State of the Nation

So MP's have called for the government to make a one off payment to for charities which lost millions in the Icelandic bank fiasco.

Personally I think they should be ashamed that a country as wealthy (so we keep being told) as Britain still needs charities to help its poorest. Maybe their time and effort would be better spent demanding sweeping changes to the socio-economic structure that keeps the poor poor and the wealthy wealthy.


 

Conspiracy Theory or Fact?

In recent years we have had conspiracy theorists telling us about the 'new world order' which is essentially a group of super-rich individuals (Illuminati) manipulating politics and global economics to bring about world domination. So far, these conspiracy theorists have been dismissed as cranks, revolutionaries and/or anarchists. (By the way, take the time to take a look at what anarchists actually want- they are not quite as subversive and violent as the establishment would have us believe.)

Now we have Gordon Brown claiming the success of the G2O summit as the creation of a 'new world order'. With New Labour's control orientated legislation and rejection of Labour's traditional socialism it doesn't seem quite so crazy, does it?

STATE (of the) POLICE

I am a socialist, an anarchist, a revolutionary and anti-establishment. I am certainly not a conservative (capital or small 'c'), loyalist, royalist or a capitalist. But for the British police to suggest innocent British workers, whatever my feelings about them stay at home rather than ensure the law is upheld and they can work suggests their role is no longer law enforcement. And if that is not their role, I worry what their role is.

Pension’s shortfalls will be paid

Retired public sector workers are to have shortfalls reimbursed. I ask what about all the private pensions that went bust or paid less than expected and still are? Considering the recipients of these pensions were and are coerced or downright forced into these schemes the government should be topping up the state pensions to what these pensioners were expecting them to pay when they were introduced and miss-sold.

The economy and The Bank of England

The Bank of England will attempt to revive the economy by cutting interest rates and increasing the money supply. This will lead to higher inflation. We should also remember that the banks and other financial institutions recently worried about going into deflation. This might be bad for them, but lower price increases is good for the consumer. So it is my contention this latest 'plan' is to stave off deflation and aid the banks at a net cost to the consumer and not to stimulate the economy.

There’s Statistics and Government Statistics

Immigration minister Phil Woolas has questioned the motives of the Office for National Statistics for publishing figures last week that showed one in nine UK residents was born abroad. He describes it as, amongst other things, 'sinister'.

Personally I find the idea of government or one of its members trying to block the publication of legitimate figures to be far more sinister and dangerous.

State School for my Children- Provided they are privately run!

David Cameron says he will send his children to a state school. He has pledged to send his children to state schools - as long as they offer a good standard of education.
But will they be state schools? His plan to create comprehensives outside local authority control can only mean they will be privately run. Shadow education secretary Michael Gove said there will be a “superb new school in every community".
You can bet Cameron’s kids will be at this school, whether there is room for your kids or not.
It will be another case of dual standards, based not on academic ability but on ability to pay.

Horse Feathers

A Professor David Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has said ecstasy is no worse than horse riding..
To quote him in full
"Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy."
The professor said horse-riding accounted for more than 100 deaths a year, and went on: "This attitude raises the critical question of why society tolerates - indeed encourages - certain forms of potentially harmful behaviour but not others such as drug use."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7876425.stm

He seems to have forgotten (not taking his own advice, is he?) that horse riding is a legal activity and horse riders rarely set out to injure themselves or attack others. Drug users hurt people to get their drugs, hurt people through taking their drugs and the money they spend contributes to other organised criminal activity.
Our once envied and proud British society is now a laughing stock and is tearing itself apart. Thanks to the opinions of a small number of academics such as Professor Nutt that give licence to unacceptable behaviour on the grounds of freedom and inaccurate association with legal forms of enjoyment. He forgets that with freedom comes responsibility and that responsibility is sadly lacking because in recent years we have chosen to remove the penalties that controlled such irresponsibility.

Back to the Future?

I see David Cameron has Kenneth Clarke back on the front benches. I remember the destruction of our manufacturing base by him and his party in the 1980's. Just goes to show, for all his rhetoric, Cameron is True Blue.

The Recession Claims Another....‏

I am fed up of hearing the ‘news’ that the recession has claimed another large chain store. Chains like Woolworths and Adams must surely have had difficulties long before the onset of the recent recession. They have been in business for almost a hundred years and came through the 1930’s depression. I accept it may have been the last straw, but not the sole cause.
The media should be more responsible and stop scare-mongering. And, just for once report accurately.

Tough on Crime, Soft on the ‘Causers’ of Crime.

I’ve just read the Government is to get tough on caught those carrying a knife. As I continued the story, I thought ‘About time’. What would they be doing? Five years for carrying a bladed weapon? Re-introduce hard labour for violent crime? Maybe consider corporal punishment? No. 18 month’s community service and a curfew.

That’ll scare the pants off anybody prepared to stick 8 inches of cold steel into someone.

Eye For An Eye

So offenders have been abused and threatened wearing high visibility vests. Good. What about the victims they abused and threatened? If it makes just one offender less likely to reoffend, it should be encouraged. Let the system continue, and look at the figures in a couple of years.

But I suppose the liberal brigade will get their way and the poor darlings won't be made to wear them.

 

Royal Prerogative

Not satisfied with shooting at mutilated birds that have been caged and frightened by beaters so much they fly against instinct into the gunfire, the Prince beats a dog that makes a mess of his 'catch'.

If this was me or you, we would almost certainly be arrested and interviewed. As it is, the RSPCA (ROYAL Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is not investigating, but conducting a 'review' of what happened.

Disgusting. The Royals and their ilk would have little kids back up chimneys if they thought they'd get away with it.

 

Damian Green

What's the problem over the arrest of Damian Green? Either he committed a crime or there was evidence to suggest a crime had or may be committed. Or he hadn't and there was not sufficient evidence, in which case the police and not the New Labour (who I abhor) government have a case to answer.

The truth about inflation.

The current wave of price cuts in high street stores supports my position that high prices and inflation are not caused by reasonable wage claims but by greedy businessmen charging excessive prices to maintain obscene profits just because 'they can afford it'.

Never mind wage restraint, the government should introduce price constraint. Or are obscene profits 'good business' while high wages are greed? We are, after all selling our labour.

Inflation Solved

Greedy businessmen, not pay rises fuel inflation. (Or why don't the big businesses rises and bonuses fuel inflation?) The greedy 'they're going to need this, charge what they can afford, not what it's worth', profit for profits sake so-called entrepreneurs are the ones to blame and should be reigned in through similar draconian legislation the poor were subjected to throughout 17 years of Tory and 11 years of New 'Labour' misrule.

Divide and Conquer

The politicians, lawyers, employers, financiers, speculators and sundry other interested parties must be rubbing their hands with glee. Talking to colleagues, friends and neighbours it seems they're on the road to victory again. Instead of uniting against the financial 'elite' we're spending our time arguing with ourselves, scoring cheap points about who is better off while they continue their policy of divide and conquer.

Tories Tax Ideas- Nothing New.

Re the Tories tax ideas. Once again they are saying 'benefits to businessmen will trickle down to the workforce'.

Secondly I can see this becoming another tax loophole. Take on one long term unemployed, get the tax cut then sack him/her. Do the same at the start of each tax year. Businessman benefits, unemployed figures stay the same and income tax goes up to pay for it.

Iraq or Afghanistan? Does it Matter?

While I was pleased to hear Barack Obama had won the US election, believing it might be a new beginning and usher in world peace, I have now revised my opinion. The day I discovered his opinion that when troops were moved out of Iraq, they should go to Afghanistan. Nothing changes, really.

Economy in a Recession? But what about X-Factor?

Never mind the economy, unemployment, lack of housing. Parliament is busy discussing the Brand/Ross fiasco and worrying about X-factor contestants being voted off. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7720144.stm)

Yep. We have to get our priorities right!

Tax Cuts

So Gordon Brown wants tax cuts for ordinary working people but they will probably be paid for by more public borrowing. Here's a revolutionary idea for you, Messrs Brown and Darling. Pay for it by taxing the super rich, individuals and companies and obscene profits of the energy and petrochemical industry.

By the way, how does that help the poorest who don't pay tax?

Fuel Poverty

Friend's of the Earth and Help the Aged have gone to the high court to try to force Government action on fuel poverty.

Government lawyers argued there had 'been no breach of legal responsibility'.

And there was me thinking governing a supposedly democratic, free society had a moral aspect. You live and learn.

Dumb Policy Department

Where does this government get its ideas from? Does it have a 'dumb policy department' hidden away? They now want to teach sex education in primary schools. Apart from allowing children to be children for a few years at least, can't they see that when sex education was made compulsory for 11 year olds we saw an explosion in teenage pregnancy to the point it is now the norm?

Cloud Computing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing


“The concept, is that vast computing resources will reside somewhere out there in the ether (rather than in your computer room) and we'll connect to them and use them as needed.”

Personally I am of the opinion that this is just another way to get more money from us. Cost of computers is constantly falling, software vendors are extending special offers to buy or upgrade their software. A niche has been seen, a possible multi billion pound (or dollar, if you prefer) niche. No matter what, if ‘cloud computing’ becomes mainstream, that is where the development money will go and licensed software will become obsolete and probably unusable eventually.

Regardless of the reasons vendors and or developers take this tack it takes away our choice. I just had a look at google docs for the first time and I can see me using it sometimes, when convenient and when the work is not critical. I would also point out that google docs have an offline option, which appears to allow google docs to be used offline. Presumably that means they are synchronised (I haven’t tried it yet) and if google or your internet connection goes down, you can still access and work on your docs.

I think in all probability it will be many years before ‘cloud computing’ becomes commonplace. There will probably be several years of licence based applications running alongside ‘cloud computing’ before we see the demise of licensing. But if ‘cloud computing’ becomes popular, then we certainly will see it pushed by the vendors and once there are few alternatives we may well see the end of cheap, maybe even home computing.

Another possible issue is who will supply these applications in the ‘cloud’? Almost certainly, apart from the current software vendors ISP’s will offer ‘cloud computing’ as part of its package. This could result in difficulty leaving an ISP (we all know how difficult it has and still can be to get a MAC number from your ISP) if they withhold your documents or make it difficult to access them. There are many ways such a system could be used to make document retrieval difficult.

Then there is the government. Living in the UK and seeing some of the draconian laws being introduced in the name of security, how long before they (or some future government with few or no scruples- perhaps a Hitler II -) would demand access to everybody’s documents- in the name of ‘security’, of course?

In 1943, IBM's Chairman, Thomas J. Watson, famously said that "the World will only maybe need five computers!" we repeat this and have a little giggle at his lack of foresight. He envisaged these five supercomputers serving the billions of terminals we would have in our homes. It seems his comment, however ridiculed it may be today, may not have been so far from the truth!

Union, are we?

Quoted from Teletext:

“A trade union leader has urged Labour MPs to consider mounting a leadership challenge to Gordon Brown after the Glasgow East by-election "disaster".

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: "There's no point dressing it up. It was an unmitigated disaster.

"The MPs have got to make a strong decision as to whether they want to go into an election with Gordon Brown or have a contest," he said.”

Well let me tell you this about the General and Municipal Boilermakers Union. I was a member of this union for most of the 1980’s. I have always, since my first working day in 1974 been a Trades Unionist. I was in the Amalgamate Union of Engineering Workers until being made redundant in 1980. (I also held down the same job for the same company.) I then joined the GMB after moving and taking another position. I tore up my union card because of their attitude. I didn’t stop being a trade’s unionist. I just didn’t agree with their idea of what a trades union is.

Allow me to elucidate. I had a disagreement with the shop stupid (sorry, I meant shop steward). We discussed the role of a shop steward and the rights of union members. His contention was that if a man (and he meant a man, not a man or woman) had a dispute with his employer or the employers representative then he should argue his case alone and only call in a union representative if the dispute could not be resolved.

My contention was thus:

Any union member has a right to representation by a union official at any stage of a dispute. The official should take the complaint of a union member to the company irrespective of any private discussion. If a union member feels unable or unwilling to argue the case personally, a union official should argue his or her case for them. My grounds for this are that we are in a union and should have representation at any stage of a dispute, and the dispute should be argued by an official even if the case had not been taken up by a member on his own behalf. My reasons for this were and are that firstly we are not all capable of vocalising our disagreement. Secondly, any case argued is for the whole of the union in the first instance, and for the rights of every worker irrespective of their union membership. In essence, the union is what it says it is; a union and what is done to one of us done to us all. Also, the union representative is a witness, so that discussions cannot easily be disputed. That is the strength of a union.

He disagreed and said if you can’t go in and do it for yourself, why should I do it for you? I think I have already covered that.

We didn’t reach an agreement on this issue so I took the case to the branch office. To my dismay, they agreed with him. I asked to speak to an official, a paid representative and was told nobody was available. That was when I tore up my union card. Right there, in the office.

I am still a committed trades unionist. Unfortunately, I have not worked for several years. (Wonder why?)

That is the calibre of the General and Municipal Boilermakers Union. That is why I take the introductory quote with a pinch of salt. You can’t trust or rely on the GMB.

Long Live the Revolution!

There are reports that Gordon Brown is now the "helpless prisoner" of the trade unions. Shadow minister Chris Grayling declared Mr Brown is "vying for the title of Britain's weakest ever prime minister".

After ten+ years of Tory-New Labour rule, I do hope you are right. I do hope, not a ‘prisoner’ of the Trade Unions (something akin to the conglomerate companies that own most of Britain) but a socialist who will see the benefit to the working man of having a strong negotiating position. A man who will have the vision to see that weak trade unions are counter-productive. A man who will see that a working man who feels impotent is less productive than a man who feels able to negotiate and improve his lot.

Alternatively, we can continue the current trend to make us subservient, bereft of any feelings of loyalty, worth or importance. In that case I suggest you read your history books. Watt Tyler, the English Civil War, the French Revolution. The American war of independence and the October Uprising that gave the world the first truly socialist state.

I rest my case

Labour or labour?

There is currently some debate as to whether Gordon Brown should stay or go.

That, as far as I am concerned is not the issue. The issue is whether we actually have a Labour Party to argue about. I say not. Gordon Brown, Jack Straw or the pathetic David Miliband are all turncoats. Give me a Dennis Skinner, Tony Benn or dare I say Michael Foot any day. You may not like their politics. You may not like their appearance. But they were true to the cause and trustworthy. Politicians in the true sense of the word. In the job because they believed in it. Not career politicians. They didn’t abandon the working man to Thatcher’s idealism.

Keep It In The Family

In 1996/7 John Prescott’s support for Clause IV of the labour party manifesto was seemingly silenced with the offer of the deputy leadership.

Gordon brown was kept happy with the prospect of being PM

Now home Secretary Jacqui Smith has offered a Job to police representative Jan Berry who called for her resignation over a pay dispute.

Can anybody remember a more sleazy, manipulative administration?

A Long Eaton mother jailed before being cleared of killing her son, aged four months, has lost her compensation bid.

Lorraine Allen, 39. was jailed in 2000 but it was quashed after an expert cast doubt on how the injuries were caused.

Her compensation bid was refused by the Appeal Court on the basis it could only be paid where a newly discovered fact established a miscarriage of justice

It seems to me that having a conviction quashed without new evidence (facts) should be more worthy of attracting compensation.

It's time the rules on introducing new evidence and compensation were given a complete overall. And they should start by making sure no convicted criminal receives compensation for any reason connected with his crime, incarceration or other form of punishment.

Jacqui Smith intends to confront violent criminals (people who carry knives) with victims of stabbings.

She rejected demands that anybody caught carrying a knife should go to prison.

She said: "We know that tough community sentences including community payback, supervision and electronically monitored curfews are more likely to stop them carrying knives in future."

These 'tough' community punishments haven't driven the thugs off the streets. It's driven them to carry and use knives because they don't fear the consequences.

Politicians will introduce real penalties when knife-wielding thugs start hanging around Eton and Harrow, threatening and stabbing their children and the children of the people who fund them.