A Conservative Blog Aggregator

Extremist? Moi?

O'Neill — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Plaid Cymru’s top boot-boy obviously hasn’t seen the latest memo: THE Tory party must apologise for the flooding of the Tryweryn Valley if it wants to be forgiven, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price declared today...The Tryweryn valley was flooded in 1965, one year before David Cameron was even born, so quite why he and the present day Conservatives should be asking to be “forgiven” by Price is a mystery.

Quote of the day

O'Neill — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Paul Bew in The Spectator:So is it business as usual in Ulster politics? Not quite. The DUP visibly fears the prospect of a Cameron predominance in British politics to the point of actually demonstrating against him on his visit to Ballymena. The party privately hopes that somehow New Labour will survive and leave the tramlines of local politics — the protracted fractious community psychotherapy

Fighting the BNP online

O'Neill — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:57:00 +0000

I got an email yesterday from the "There’s Nothing British about the BNP" team regarding a link, alerting me to this story and looking for support:A problem facing opponents of the BNP is that your comments are quickly over-whelmed with crazed fascist trolls so any support you can give us would be greatly welcomed.Very happy to give them my public support and I'd urge you, from whatever political

A fine catch!

O'Neill — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Excellent news indeed to finish the week, Ian parsley has joined the Conservatives.Chekov has more.

When government makes a difference

Floreat Aula — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:56:00 +0000

Political scientist Philip Cowley has been presenting an interesting series of radio programmes which show that government intervention can make a positive difference to people's lives: Cowley

Hard times for poor old oneill…

O'Neill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Not really hard, more very, very busy hence the lack of blogging so far this week.The main disadvantages of long weekend breaks is that your work doesn't do the decent thing and disappear on your arrival back, but yes, I know, I shouldn't complain, lucky to have a job etc etc.I've also been preparing a piece for what promises be an interesting new collaborative project starting next week; more on

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

Jackart — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:17:00 +0000

Every now and again, when I talk to coppers about drugs (socially, not professionally), I have noticed that the older the cop, the more likely he is to favour legalisation.My rationale is this: young men think they can change the world. Old men know th...

A blogging Prisoner

Jackart — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Iain Dale points us to Prisoner Ben, who's doing time for Murder, and asks "should prisoners be allowed to blog?" A question posed by Prisoner Ben himself.I think you know that I cannot see a reason why not. Especially as there is no "think what lags w...

5000

Jackart — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:16:00 +0000

So... the FTSE 100 has done it, and just a few short weeks after the left were masturbating themselves to the thought of the death of capitalism, it transpires that the private sector (which is more than just the banks) is quite capable of bouncing bac...

A Question for the Blogosphere

Jackart — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:36:00 +0000

Does anyone actually read 'Bloggerheads' and is Tim Ireland as much of a twat as he appears? Does he ever post anything other than witterings about how unfair Iain Dale is? One might almost say he's obsessed. How is a blog so repellent to look at and s...

Sir Humphreys preparing for conflict and confrontation?

O'Neill — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:51:00 +0000

The concept of the Civil Service being "a politically neutral body, with the function of impartially implementing the policy programme of the elected government" has obviously fallen by the wayside in Scotland:THE operations of Scotland's secretive top civil servants have been laid bare in new documents that show they believe "conflict and confrontation" should be at the heart of their dealings

Britblog Roundup # 238

Jackart — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:27:00 +0000

Is up over at Suz Blog...

Who speaks for the politicians?

Floreat Aula — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:23:00 +0000

This question was raised in discussions at the British Politics Group meetings at this year's American Political Science Association conference (held for the first time ever outside the US in Toronto).It was argued that the contrast between a virtuous ...

The Logic of Drug Prohibition

Jackart — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:48:00 +0000

In a recent post I made the assertion that "Every argument in favour of retaining drug prohibition can be shot down by anyone prepared to apply logic." Anonymous took issueEvery argument except that the purchase of drugs funds terror all over South Ame...

Parties as Brands

Jackart — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:25:00 +0000

Raedwald has noticed that party memberships are falling below 1% of the electorate. The barrier for new parties is brand recognition. Is the political 'market' like Cola, with brand loyalty owed to the incumbent market leaders being all but inpenetrabl...

Libya, Al Megrahi, Hypocrisy and ‘the Right’

Jackart — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:31:00 +0000

Oooh. The pinkos do love their charge of Hypocrisy don't they? But I hate to break it to them that there is more to the 'Right Wing' than Iain Dale. I for example have never ever been described as a lefty, and I think the release of Al Megrahi was the ...

Gdzie stadion? Oh…right then…prosn dwa piwa.

O'Neill — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:15:00 +0000

There'll be no blogging round these parts until at least Tuesday next week as I'm off very shortly to Berlin and the post-industrial, social-realist Disneyland that is Chorzow, Silesia, Poland*. So, yep, another away match with Northern Ireland and hopefully it'll be my first away points ( never mind victory) since Leichtenstein which seems almost a decade ago now (March 2006?). Though to be in

The Irish Language- is there a Conservative & Unionist Policy?

O'Neill — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:55:00 +0000

From the UUP site:Ulster Unionist member of Newry and Mourne District Council, Danny Kennedy MLA, has said that attempts to impose bi-lingualism on the new council for Newry and Mourne and Down District would "do little to benefit community relations"."The use of the Irish language by Newry and Mourne District Council to date has been controversial and has not taken account of cross-community

Who speaks for Scotland?

O'Neill — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:21:00 +0000

From The Economist's Letter page SIR – The only thing more excruciating than watching the release of Mr Megrahi to a hero’s welcome in Libya was the truly toe-curling performance of Alex Salmond, Scotland’s nationalist first minister, proclaiming that this decision had not impaired Scotland’s relations with America.Gathering from the calls that I received at my desk from irate Americans I would

Commonwealth expels Fiji

Travelgall — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:01:00 +0000

My favourite Military Ruler Commodore Frank Bainimarama (Not that I’m a fan of the Skimmers I hasten to add, but Commodore just rolls of the tongue better than His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshall Al Hadji Doctor, Conqueror of the Briti...

Germany invades Poland! The 70th anniversary.

Benedict White — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:21:00 +0000

70 years ago today Germany invaded Poland, which started the second world war, the most destructive in history. One fifth of Poland's population would be dead by the end of the war.Of course, the events that led to this point were already in place, lik...

The First Day of the New Term- resolutions based on thin air?

O'Neill — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:30:00 +0000

From the BBC:An independence referendum and minimum pricing for alcohol are among the bills to be introduced at the Scottish Parliament in the coming year.The Scottish Government confirmed they would be among 13 bills brought forward in the SNP's third legislative session. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the people of Scotland had a democratic right to have their say on the issue of

Are tax credits cost effective?

Floreat Aula — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:26:00 +0000

Theresa May, whom I have met, may be best known for her choice of shoes, but is actually one of the smarter members of Dave Cameron's team who tries to do some original thinking about important issues.In a speech last week she made it clear that any go...

For you, Herr Councillor, the freebies are over.

O'Neill — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0000

The English Democrats first *Super* Mayor:By his own admission, Peter Davies would make a dreadful Foreign Secretary. Aside from the fact that he has never been in a plane and has been abroad only once (a four-day break to Paris in 1988), diplomacy is not his forte. This is, after all, a man who proudly proclaims his contempt for 'diversity'. So the week after next it is going to be interesting

Another problem solved

Jackart — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:49:00 +0000

Have any of you ever thought "I would love to play golf AND have a couple of beers in the 19th, but I have to drive, so I'll drink coke instead"?If so, it is possible to get Golf clubs on the back of a Brompton so you can get squiffy in the bar. I like...