Not Little England

A week's worth of posts

2006-09-25T00:54:00.000+01:00

OK, maybe I won't link here for every post, some of them are simple link/discuss anyway.

I fixed the template (bloody flash menues hidden in a javascript file), took the piss out of the pope, linked to this excellent post by Rachel, did a bit on blogging generally, partizanship and the New Tory Labour promo that Tim is running for the Lib Dems. Then I found some cool wallpapers and turned a question from the tactical voting post into an explanation of how STV could work in Britain, with some advantages. I've actually got a speech from Lord Trimble saved, planning to go through it, he went through a massive set of reasons why STV is bad, all of them are reasons why I think it's good. A genuine case of YMMV on that one.

Ended the week with a story that repeats from this time last year; they've banned Walter Wolfgang from the Labour conference delegates area, despite him being elected to their NEC. Off to London tomorrow for the week, should be fun.

Tactical Voting: Myths and reality - Voting TaKtiX

2006-09-18T02:37:00.000+01:00

I've finally broken the block, here's the promised article on tactical voting:

When you vote, do you vote Expressively, or Rationally? Most party activists and committed partizans will vote expressively, and assume that voters do likewise. However, many voters will vote rationally, seeking to maximise the impact their vote will have on the result. It is this tendency, that most activists find hard to relate to, that leads to the phenomena referred to as “tactical voting”. Still with me? Good, let me explain…

Tactical Voting: Myths and reality - Voting TaKtiX

Technorati tags: voting, democracy, Coalition, tactical voting, rational voting, expressive voting

New blog home - Voting TaKtiX

2006-09-13T23:55:00.000+01:00

Right, it's not like I haven't been saying I was going to do it for months, but the new site is up and, sort of, running:

Voting TaKtiX: Because democracy needs an informed electorate

Still lots of work to do, and the template is giving me a headache, I've been styling it nicely all afternoon, it was beginning to look about right,t hen I looked at it in Internet Explorer. I mean, it still needs work, but, well, it's FUGLY in IE. Bill Gates must die for the horrors he inflicts on web coding. Anyway...

I need to change the feeds over, and do a few more tweaks, so in the meantime, I've set the feed from hereto 'full', and will link to any new posts, for a bit. When it's all up and running, I'll finally set this site down, delete the blogroll from here, etc. But for now, we're good. LJ users will find the new syndication here

Why change?

Well, I always did want to blog at my own domain, it makes a lot more sense and gives more control. Also, while I had planned to use the new blogger beta, I did a test install of Wordpress (I need to test it for work) and, well, it's so good.

Those promised substantive articles will follow, promise, I just decided to get re-started at the new place.

Technorati tagsearch: blogging

British politics after Blair

2006-09-08T22:16:00.000+01:00

From new blogger Sammy Morse:

Personally, I doubt Blair will last 12 months or anything like it. Until he goes, civil war will reign in the Labour Party. Unlike Blair, too many people in the Labour Party have an interest in not losing the next election for that to happen. Unless they're really, really stupid. And I don't think they are. ... Brown will be a disaster as Labour leader. If Brown really had the capacity to be leader, he would have become so after the Granita restaurant, after Blair was clearly out of step with the country on the war, after Labour lost 50 seats at the General Election, etc., etc. He didn’t because he has no killer instinct and no real leadership skills. Brown likes to skulk in the corner and avoid difficult issues

He goes on to analyse the state of the parties, the poll rankings, the likely effect on the next election, etc. It's one of those "I wish I'd written that" posts, well worth a read.

In addition, Caramel Betty asks "what's Charles Clarke up to?" and has re read his resignation speech:

However, I do not think it would be appropriate to remain in government in these circumstances and return to the backbenches, where I will be a strong and active supporter of this government and the leadership of Tony Blair for his full parliamentary term.

Do we detect a note of "well Gordon'll never give me a job" in the Safety Elephant's behaviour? In the meantime?

Keep an eye on Jack Straw over the weekend. Have fun in the Middle East Tony...

Technorati tags: Brown, Blair, Leadership, Infighting, NuLab

Taking Power - Tired Tony

2006-09-06T23:08:00.000+01:00

I'd forgotten this, oops. Um, online conference involving some bigwigs, cross party, looks like a good idea, started today.
Taking Power - Have your say about how Britain is run

Worth giving a look and getting involved in methinks.

I, um, spent the day with my grandmother, not even mobile phone reception in South Pool, 'tis a lovely place. We didn't turn the radio on in the car on the way back either. So, I'm currently catching up with the news. Initial reactions?

Go Tom! Agree with Bob's assesment. Tired Tony on his way out? Good. However, and this is important, look out for buried news. Blairwatch is already on the case.
I might be able to put together a more coherent reaction, but in the meantime? Yay!

Technorati tags: Reform, POWER, constitution

Brian Coleman AM: 'tedious cock'

2006-08-31T23:38:00.000+01:00

Well, Mark Thomas' demo seems to have gone ok, shame I couldn't make it. I'm so looking forward to moving to London. Anyway, how about this as a reaction?

But the protest has had its critics, with Tory London Assembly member Brian Coleman calling them "sad, mad and bad".

"Is this really the image we want to give of London - tourists whose income we rely on for the jobs and prosperity of our city?"

Well no you fool. That's the whole damned point!

Ye gods, this sort of thing is bad for the image of London because it highlights the absurdity of the laws that affect London. Remove the stupid law and you're fine. Gah!

As Liadnan puts it:

"Bugger civil liberties, think of the tourist trade?" And in what universe would the tourist trade be adversely affected?

What a tedious cock.

Still busy, distracted and not in the mood for serious blogging. Week off next week, might, hopefully, clear my head. In the meantime, I await the reports of the event from those that were able to attend.

Technorati tags: freedom, liberty, socpa, exclusion zone, lone protest

Book censorship on planes

2006-08-23T00:04:00.000+01:00

Craig emailed about this earlier, today, I just got around to following the link chain. Murder in Samarkand… Confiscated

Don't bother picking up a poiltical book if you're going flying now, they'll confiscate it. Can we hear it for exceeding authority? I think we can. I suspect the days when I could read Michael Moore on a transatlantic flight are gone (as are the days I could afford a translatlantic flight but that's another issue), we're only allowed populist pulp on board to read now, anything else makes us a security risk?

Or is this a case of idiotic airport staff in need of a good ~~kicking~~ disciplinary hearing?

Technorati tags: freedom, travel, censorship, craig murray

Amar Ashraf: Asian pilot banned from plane

2006-08-22T22:53:00.000+01:00

This is getting ridiculous. He works as an airline pilot, he checks in to his company's parnter airline, gets on the plane, falls asleep in business class. Then he gets woken up and told to leave the plane. Now, of course, he may be being paranoid, but when he gets off the plane, the police are there to question him.

He believes his removal was down to having a "Muslim-sounding name".

Mr Ashraf, 28, a British Pakistani who was returning to his job as a pilot for one of Continental's partner airlines in the US, will lodge a formal complaint with Continental Airlines, with whom he was travelling, as well as with the US authorities.

Mr Ashraf? Good luck. Told a friend in Canada about it. His reaction is here. Summary:

That's right, they dragged a guy WHO FLIES *THEIR* JUMBO JETS FOR A LIVING off a plane because THEY WERE AFRAID HE MIGHT DO SOMETHING BAD WHILE HE WAS A PASSENGER ASLEEP IN BUSINESS CLASS.

Hey, everyone who's afraid of brown people: Remember the terrorists?

They won, and you helped them do it.

Good job!

Tomorrow, when I go back into the office, I have to find accommodation for two lawyers planning to come study English with us for 6 months on an executive course. Normally, not a problem at all, executive long term bookings are sought after by our host families. Problem? They're from Kuwait. I shouldn't need to have to persuade people to let me pay them money, just because the client is from a muslim country; Kuwait is one of our major allies out there, right?

The politics of fear. I was bored of it. Now I'm getting fucking scared of it. One side wants to kill us "because of our freedoms". The other wants to deny us our freedoms in order to protect us. Excuse me? Why are we letting the terrorists win by default?

Technorati tagsearch: freedom, terrorism, air travel, politics of fear, Amar Ashraf, Islam

Deadly Baby Bottles and other liquid "threats"

2006-08-18T23:28:00.000+01:00

Still on the "it doesn't add up" schtick I'm afraid. This email sent to Interesting People is a good analysis, and Craig Murray has more on some of the other elements:

One aspect of the alleged bomb plot which has provided a tremedous boost to the atavists, is the so-called "Baby bottle bomb" ... there is nothing uniquely Islamic about infanticide. Indeed, in the last two days the news bulletins have covered prominently the stories of a British man who allegedly jumped from a balcony clutching his two children in Crete, and the inquest on a woman who threw herself under her train with her nine year old child.

Horrible? Yes. Have Muslims wreaked more horror on the World, either historically or in the last five years, than those professing other religions? No.

The leaks and spin coming from various "sources" bother me as well. If there is actually a plot, if there is evidence, have these guys got a chance of a fair trial? No. You know what that means? No conviction, we can't get the bastards. If they're actually guilty (and every day that if gets bigger), then we need to get them jailed. Trial by media is a bad idea, right?

Technorati tags: terrorism, arrests, islam

Blogging and stuff

2006-08-18T00:19:00.000+01:00

Busy, in case you hadn't figured. In the meantime, I've linked a few times to Steve, who it turns out is randomly a friend of a former housemate of mine and Paul's, although we've never met, small world. Anyway, he now writes for new blog/news site, The Slant, which I'm plugging because, well, it's good. His first article:

Thousands of pupils received their A-level results today, and amazingly the UK seems to be getting more intelligent than ever!

In the spirit of the occasion, the rest of this article will be multiple choice:

Seriously, go read the rest. For the record, he thinks even less of Ruth Kelly than me. Seriously, it is possible. Anyway...

What should I write next?

I've been busy at work (see terror alerts and false flags, all over the newspapers and below), but it's about time I wrote a decent, substantive article. I've got 3 in my mind, fleshed out to a point where I just need to find time to type them up. Which d'you want first?

The Cameron Project: What he's up to and why it should work
Tactical Voting: It's a myth, it doesn't exist (seriously)
House of Lords reform: I missed Lords Reform day on here, but put up a few links on my journal (Blogger went down), I could flesh that out a bit?

Anyone got a preference? Also...

Blogger Beta

I've been playing around with the new version of Blogger (via) here, it does actually seem rather good, so even though there isn't a 3-column option (yet), I'll likely switch when they'll let me, the good bits more than outweigh the bad. Category tags for a start, and easy feed displays &c. So expect a few weirdnesses as I do silly stuff to get it to work. I'm so not looking forward to going back to label every post.

Technorati tags: The slant, blogging, blogroll

Terror arrests timed under US pressure?

2006-08-13T16:28:00.000+01:00

MSNBC:

A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.

In contrast to previous reports, the official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.

(via)

Massive disruption to our travel industry, terror alert to "critical", airports at a standstill. Why? Because the US intelligence community wanted to arrest people early when there is no immediate threat.

The British official said the Americans also argued over the timing of the arrest of suspected ringleader ***** in Pakistan, warning that if he was not taken into custody immediately, the U.S. would "render" him or pressure the Pakistani government to arrest him.

British security was concerned that ***** be taken into custody "in circumstances where there was due process," according to the official, so that he could be tried in British courts. Ultimately, this official says, ***** was arrested over the objections of the British.

So, that could even cover arrested without due process and with the possibilty that a trial may not now be possible. I've deleted his name from the US based report as UK law is very strict about possibilities of prejudicing a trial.

I'm at work (see disruption to travel industry, above), so no analysis. Not sure I can be coherent about this one at the moment anyway.

Threats, attacks, terror and freedom

2006-08-10T23:34:00.000+01:00

Not in the mood to write about todays news. Not in the mood to analyse what's happened. I share Nosemonkey's cynicism about the timing of todays arrests and yesterdays speech by Reid. He knew it was happening. Bush got in on the act, making a blatent anti-Islamic speech, to which James L. Grant responded:

Almost 3000 people died September 11th.

They tell us to be afraid. I'm sure some of you recall that I often poke jibes at the bullshit society of fear here in the USA. It's been going on a long time, but it's been substantially worse since the towers fell.

They tell us to be afraid of Extremists for Allah. They tell us to be afraid of planes. They tell us to be afraid of buses. They tell us to be afraid of bombs. They tell us to be afraid of suitcase nukes. They tell us to fear death from above, fear the breown people, fear Islam, fear those who HATES TEH FREEDOM, fear the NAIL CLIPPERS and BOX CUTTERS, fear the MIDDLE EAST, FEAR MOTHERFUCKERS, BATHE IN IT, BREATHE IT, DREAM IT, BE BORN IN FEAR AND FUCKING DIE IN FEAR.

3000 people die of smoking-related disease every 3 days.

3000 people die in car accidents roughly every 29 days.

3000 people burn to death approximately every year or so, give or take some, in accidents involving smoke and fire. Every year, over and over.

And then one day you wake up and realize that you're less likely to die from a terrorist attack than you are from an infected wisdom tooth.

And you don't have to be afraid.

Right about then is when you take a look at the media and you get really, really pissed off.

Welcome to the fold, Rubix.

The Politics of Fear is getting to me. I grew up with the real and present danger of the IRA, and those nasty communists with their ICBM nukes. Now, in the absense of a new state based enemy, we're to fear "global islamic terror", and fear it so much that we're to give up a lot of the basic fundamental freedoms that make this country, and indeed much of the west.

The terrorist threats of AQ and other groups is real. But it's less of a threat to me, directly, than the threat of a car hitting me as I cross the road. I can directly control or stop neither.

That this plot has been caught, and stopped, within the existing framework of laws should show people that we don't need new laws and restrictions to catch the bastards, we need better resourced and trained officers within the existing framework. John Reid wants us to make more sacrifices in the name of security?

Fuck off John Reid. I won't give in to terrorism and abandon the basic principles of this country. That you are planning to shows that you have no principles whatsoever.

Technorati tags: Terrorism, freedom, threat levels, attacks

Threat Levels and BritBlog

2006-08-07T00:41:00.000+01:00

Following on from my aside mention earlier in the week, also worth linking to the more detailed analysis on of the Threat Levels bollocks on Europhobia. But Jack Thomas's version is much better.

Also, Tim's got the weekly roundup up.

Technorati tags: Britblog, blogging, Freedom, Intelligence, Threat Levels

Appeal Court tells Reid he's wrong

2006-08-01T22:30:00.001+01:00

John Reid? You just lost^*. Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips:

"We agree that the facts of this case fall clearly on the wrong side of the dividing line. The orders amounted to a deprivation of liberty contrary to Article 5.

"We consider that the reasons given by Mr Justice Sullivan for quashing the orders are compelling."

Putting someone under house arrest and only allowing them out between 10am and 4pm? Yup, that's deprivation of liberty. Restricting who can visit them and who they can associate with? Yup, that's deprivation of liberty as well.

Reid? Charge 'em or release them. You'd get cross party support to change the law to allow intercept evidence into court. Many other countries allow such evidence, yet in the UK, you simply want to lock away the nasty men without a fair trial. No thanks.

In related news, we welcome back The Politics of Fear (part mcmxvii). Love that domain name; Intelligence.gov.uk. An oxymoron for this lot, surely?

*I apologise to those of my readers that get that reference. Actually, I don't, but, y'know...

Technorati tags: Freedom, Liberty, Control Orders, Human Rights

What EU party should you support?

2006-07-29T21:21:00.000+01:00

Via Jon Worth, this neat little tool that he helped design a few years back. Given all the fuss over the EPP and similar for the Tory party, might be a good one to see where people stand on European issues. It's just a shame really that we don't, really, get to vote for the European groups directly, merely for the UK party that associates itself with one particular group. We know, for example, that there are some Tories that are very close to EPP policy, just as there are others who would be much closer to the UEN, etc. Unsurprisingly, I get Euro-Greens first, narrowly pipping the Liberal and Reform group, with the Socialists third...

Technorati tagsearch: europe, parties

Open letter to John Reid re Rachel North

2006-07-26T21:31:00.000+01:00

Update

From the comments, mission succesful; although whether we had any influence I don't know. Regardless, excellent news.

Original post

At Justin's suggestion, I have just sent the following email to John Reid, Home Secretary:

Dr Reid,

I know that you've met the author of the Rachel in North London website, a victim of the July bombings and organiser of Kings Cross United. You may or not be aware that her passport was either lost or stolen at the memorial commemoration, and she is due to be leaving the country at the end of this week.
http://rachelnorthlondon.blogspot.com/2006/07/lost-my-passport-losing-it-generally.html

If you are able to use any influence whatsoever in your position, given her status, a large number of people around the country would very much appreciate it; I'm sure that I will personally still disagree with you politically, but it would certainly up my respect for you personally.

Best regards, Mat

(full name, full address, full contact details as per formal letter)

Please write something similar to:

homesecretary.submissions@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

A few minutes of your time. A much needed break saved. Special treatment? Who cares, she's gone through enough.

Technorati tags: Rachel North, John Reid, Passport renewal

Alibhai Brown - missing the point and conflating the issues?

2006-07-26T00:13:00.000+01:00

Swamped, again, so a little behind. Yesterday at lunch I read my Independent as usual. In it, a rather, well, mis-informed and ill conceived rant by a certain Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. I'm never quite sure where to place her as a commentator; sometimes I find myself agreeing, other times she simply wants to make me scream in frustration. Yesterday was such a day.

I thought at the time that by the time I got home it would have been given more than a few fiskings, but I was only able to start looking for them tonight. The best? This shouldn't surprise anyone; Dave at the Ministry.

first we really ought to see what Yasmin’s whining about…

… which, sorry, doesn’t really amount to much.

His analysis is spot on, go read. I'm not sure I buy into Tim's opinion that it's a conspiracy, I suspect it's more a case that, as Deek Deekster observes, the proverbial chattering classes have noticed that the internet is allowing us poor normal citizens to share our opinions with each other, debate, deconstruct and critique opinion columns, etc.

Are we simply "wasting our time"?

I think not (obviously). We may not get the biggest readerships compared to columnists, but what is Yasmin's opinion peace from yesterday? The cause of a bit of discussion, and now, mostly, the proverbial chip wrapping. I can read, get to know, debate and discuss ideas with people across the country, most of whom I've never met. We can come to a consensus, agree to differ, work together on issues of common import and, at times, continually, vehemently, disagree.

It's a bit like the days of the pamphleteers of yore, but I can do it all from the, ahem, comfort of my pokey little flat. I can even share my opinions on Ms Brown's column draped in a towel and dripping wet from the shower.

Isn't free debate and democracy wonderful?

I think so, anyway. As does Deekster, a blog new to me:

In the past these true journal-ists would have been writing in isolation, but we contemporary writers are blessed with the modern miracle of interactivity - and frankly this is something that scares the Gucci pants off most hacks, whose idea of interactivity is submitting to an axe-wielding editor.

The beauty of "blogging"? (and what is a blog if not simply a style of managing a website, a different type of publishing tool?) Interactivity, commenting, discourse, analysis.

I can read an article elsewhere, challenge the views put forward, add cogent facts to the debate, link in extra points, question the author on points. And others can do the same here. By being questioned, we analyse. That analysis both improves our ideas and our ability to explain them. I've certainly learnt a lot in the 10 months we've been running this place.

"Waste of time"? Perhaps. But then, some people waste their time watching Eastenders, reading the DaVinci code or even, *shudder*, writing opinion columns on national newspapers. In 3 months time, my opinion on Yasmin's article will be there, on this site, cached in Google, found in search engines. Her article on blogging? Locked behind a subscription firewall on a piss-poor website and, being recycled.

Bloggers may have little legs Yasmin, but we have a much longer tail. Besides which, a number of your colleagues on the paper are also bloggers. Some of them are quite good. Maybe, y'know, you could find out more about what it's really about from them?

Update

Justin on the same subject, rather good in an overall blogging analysis kind of way.

I promise to try and write a substantive article soon. Maybe Thursday. Not sure which Thursday. In the meantime, linkage good, right?

Technorati tags: Yasmin Alibhia Brown, Blogging, The Independent

A warning to bloggers when commenting...

2006-07-23T23:53:00.000+01:00

Mat gets comment notification. Mat replies, then realises he hasn't looked at said commenters frontpage for a bit, so clicks the link commenter has left. Ends up here:
Mega site of Bible studies and information

Andrew? Better be careful with that url, some, um, interesting types have register blogPSot.com

Enterprising, innovative. Can't design a website for shit, but, y'know, can't have everything. Ye gods, if you're going to go to the effort of trying to hijack bloggers like that, at least design a site that doesn't make me want to scream at you, that's worse than my first efforts, and I suck at web design...

Technorati tags: Andrew Bartlett, blogpsot, religious loons, very bad web design

The Monarchy -reform or replace?

2006-07-23T20:12:00.000+01:00

At The Sharpener, Andrew has an interesting idea as to what could replace the Monarch as ceremonial head of state. This follow on from an excellent discussion at Robert Sharp's a few weeks back, but rather than rehash my old posts, might as well simply link to them. Why I converted from Republicanism to constititutional monarchism, and why we need a constitutional convention to sort this, and all the other messes, out.

Why is it all the interesting stuff happens when I've been busy?

Technorati tagsearch: reform, Monarchy, Constitution

Following the money - Blair, Levy and Dromey

2006-07-23T17:08:00.000+01:00

On the subject of the Lords as an accident waiting to happen, we have two interesting post. Garry Smith shows that the loans were probably not, really, on commercial terms, and were really donations in disguise.

In fact, the loans are actually only repayable six months after the lender specifically asks for them to be repaid. If the lender does not do so, the loan might conceivably never be repaid. It's almost as if the terms of the loans have been specifically written so that they could be turned into donations at a later date.

In the meantime, Shaun Rolph has all the evidence pointing that Levy and Blair acted illegally if they did withhold details of the money to the elected party treasurer, Jack Dromey (via).

anyone who, with intent to deceive, concealed from Jack Dromey (i) the amount of any donation made to the party, or (ii) the person or body making such a donation, has committed a criminal offence.

It's probably a good thing for tired Tony that he knows a few decent lawyers, right? When I wrote that post, I didn't even think to dream he'd be out because he broke a law he himself wrote.

Technorati tagsearch: Blair, Levy, Dromey, party funding, corruption, NuLab

Pledgebank- Jack Straw, the House of Lords, reform and accountability

2006-07-23T15:28:00.000+01:00

Jack Straw - Cretin?

Right, it's fairly well established around these here parts that we don't think much of the current Government. However, we now have conclusive proof that Jack Straw is an idiot:

we have a problem in the House, which is called researchers trying to prove a point and the result of these websites called TheyWorkForYou which simply seem to measure MPs' work by quantitative rather than qualitative measures.

Apparently, that MPs are getting their researchers to make themselves look good is the fault of a website dedicated to informing people what MPs get up to. On the face of it, he may have a point, but the site itself makes it clear the best way to judge an MP is to get to know them, stats are simply a metric not an end in themselves.

Tom Steinberg, head of MySociety, in a comment at RecessMonkey:

For anyone who wants to help us tweak and improve the data that TheyWorkForYou publishes so that it makes MPs do more good things (like answer constituency mail) and fewer dumb things (like table pointless questions) we’re holding a public meeting on November 7th to discuss the options. Please email beta@theyworkforyou.com to reserve your place, as space is limited. Someone please ask Jack if he’ll come to say something more constructive

Both of which leads us to this new pledge. As Guido puts it:

TheyWorkForYou, PublicWhip and WriteToThem.com shine a spotlight on what our parliamentary shysters get up to. You can see what they say, how they voted and who is giving them bungs. In addition what freebies they take, what vested interests they are close to and where they have been are all in the register of interests online. The websites also enable you to communicate with your representative easily. They are tools for democracy.

Guido thinks we need to play closer attention to Jack Straw and what he is trying to keep out of the picture.

Go sign up.

Reform the House of Lords

James, it seems, is on a roll, for he's also got another pledge going that has me interested; a year ago, I signed the first Elect the Lords Pledge, the results of which are here (and looking back, boy has my writing improved over the last year of blogging), so the new one is welcome. I restate my belief that direct election isn't the answer, and prefer a hybrid chamber made up partially of representatives from lower levels of elected representation such as Holyrood, County Councils, the London Assembly, etc and also partially of citizens selected by lot from the electoral register. It seems I'm not alone in this preference, and it even has a name, Sortition:

In 1998, Anthony Barnett, a Senior Research Fellow at London University, wrote a pamphlet in connection with the ongoing reform of the House of Lords entitled The Athenian Option, in which he advocated random selection as a method of election to the new upper chamber.

The current House of Lords is an accident waiting to happen, and the corruption scandals surrounding the Prime Minister at the moment are largely linked closely to the way it is composited. Change is needed. As I said before:

I've already argued here and here, we don't need an elected Lords, we need an effective Lords. We need to sort the constitution out.

Pledge to reform the lords

Technorati tags: Pledgebank, Jack Straw, TheyWorkForYou, Parliament, House of Lords, ElectTheLords, New Politics Network, Charter 88, Constitution, Reform

Israel Vs Lebanon: Ceasefire now

2006-07-20T00:23:00.000+01:00

When we set up here, we decided we'd avoid foreign policy. Partially because we wanted to focus on domestic + EU, partially because, well, quagmire. Especially when our Government seems intent on invading the entire Muslim world and supporting Israel regardless of circumstance. Generally, I agree with Garry (as usual). Specifically, I agree with Ming Campbell.

On domestic policy, I still have disagreements with the Lib Dems. On foreign policy, I've been broadly in agreement for as long as I can remember. On this, Ming's approach seems spot on. Shame the US is intent on giving Israel all the time it needs to (re)destroy a struggling, nascent state.

As I said in a comment on Garry's post:

If faced with similar circumstances, there's not a country I can think of that wouldn't pursue a legitimate armed response. Why should Israel be expected to behave any differently in that regard?

It shouldn't. Thing is, it isn't.

this isn't a legitimate armed response. It's overkill and then some. The Lebanese Govt is new, barely established and far too weak to control the militants directly. Israel knows that.

Legitimate reponse fine. Disproportionate overkil?

No way.

And, although I disagree with some of his take on it, Richard at Leninology has a good selection of coverage not being picked up by certain elements of the media. Given I don't actually watch TV, how are the various channels managing tog et all sides across?

Technorati tags: Israel, Lebanon, Conflict, Campbell

What was John Prescott's greatest achievement?

2006-07-18T22:20:00.000+01:00

Further to my earlier question (thus far unanswered), 24dash.com has a rather amusingly biased poll on PRescott's acheivements. Apparently, he was responsible for:

Creating more affordable homes

Delivering sustainable communities

Urban regeneration

Tackling poverty and social exclusion

Apparently, anyway. They provide no evidence there, but the results of the full poll are worth a look.

Yes, it's nasty. I've seen comments elsewhere that the constant Prescott attacks are "classist" or "snobbery". Bollocks, the man's a pathetic failure without a decent policy success to his name. That's not snobbery, it's fact.

Technorati tags: Prescott, John Prescott, NuLab, failure

Presidents Vs Parliaments - Accountability wins

2006-07-18T01:35:00.000+01:00

At some point, I plan to write a nice article on how Parliamentary Governance is far superior to Presidential (and other directly elected Executive) systems. I did a fairly big case study on it once, and my opinion has only hardened since then, despite the abuse Blair has put to the UK system. But, as I'm still swamped at work*, this article in the New York Times is a good start:

a leading scholar on democratization, warned of the “perils of presidentialism.” Presidents, he argued, made for a “winner take all” politics and tended to see themselves in dangerously “plebiscitarian” terms as the living embodiment of the nation’s will and deepest interests. Linz’s special concern was Latin America, which (like the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea and much of Africa and Central Asia) has followed the model set by the United States. To his mind, Europe’s more accountable prime ministers — and their parliamentary counterparts in countries like Canada, Japan and Australia — represented a safer institutional alternative.

Reading it requires registration, but that's free, so worth the effort. Interesting real world analysis to back up my academic interest in the subject; essentially, America set the standard for Presidential systems, but got lucky, because the early Presidents were all great statesmen with experience in government already. For most countries, especially emerging democracies, too much power in the hands of one person, especially one who can claim a rather spurios "mandate" is dangerous, as numerous coups and pwer grabs the world over have shown. Parliamentary systems may be flawed, and open to abuse, but in the long term, they're both more stable, more democratic, and contain their own checks and balances.

Time, of course, to rebalance the British system.

Liberty Central is on hiatus currently, most of us involved are far too busy*, but when it relaunches, that full article should be one of my early efforts I think.

*Today, I finished work at 6.30pm. Yesterday, I finished at 11.30pm. Yup, 11.30pm on a Sunday, in a nominally office job. It starts to calm down from now on, I'll be human in August, if the heat goes away.

Technorati tags: Governance, Executive, Presidentialism, Parliamentary Government

Alan Barrett - Innocence lost?

2006-07-15T16:34:00.000+01:00

Via DK I encounter this, worrying, story of an increasing trend in British public life; absolute paranoia when it comes to children and "innapropriate behaviour". As Chris puts it:

This is unspeakable, seriously. As we withdraw physically from one another and see dangers and threats around every corner, so we become yet more obsessed with "sharing" guilt and grief in an increasingly embarrassing manner, whilst others value the lives of others as nothing more than a punchbag for the culmination of a drunken night on the piss.

We are becoming a nation paralysed by paranoia, seeing "paedo's" behind every door and, in the meantime, our social services turn a blind eye to little girls being beaten, tied up in baths, sexually assaulted and murdered by their own relatives.

What I found most worrying was the report of the diocesan spokesman for his Bishop (Lichfield):

The conclusion that Mr Barrett had acted inappropriately is not a finding of guilt or negligence, but recognition that in today's climate, previously acceptable innocent behaviour is now subject to misunderstanding and suspicion.

"As the complaint and subsequent police investigation demonstrates, the simple act of a kiss on the cheek - a common greeting throughout the world - has potentially damaging consequences.

Right, a common greeting across the world now has "potentially damaging consequences". Let's get this straight, if a young kid, known to me, comes up to me very happy with something (s)he's done, and I, as my parents and grandparents were wont to do, kiss that child on the cheeks, it's "potentially damaging"? Because an overly suspicious parent, fed on a diet of tabloid scare stories and misinformation, is convinced that anyone who actually likes children is a potential abuser?

As Paul and I discussed a few months back, the biggest threat in all of this is fear itself. Most abuse happens away from the public eye, behind close doors, and is perpetrated by someone known, not only to the child, but to the parents as well. The idea that a vicar and school governor should be investigated by the police and his diocese for simply congratulating a young girl with a public display of innocent affection is simply wrong.

If, as the spokesman says, this sort of behaviour is now subject to misunderstanding and suspicion, then we need to do something about this. When thugs start using the Cross of St George or the Union flag as part of their racist reportoir, the correct response is not to proclaim such items as racist, but to reclaim them, and assert that they are not racist, that they are worthy symbols. When people use the word "ghay" (pronounced gay) as a synonym for rubbish, the correct response is to reject such homophobic stupidity and assert that being gay is not rubbish.

If people misunderstand public displays of affection, presumably because they are so rare, the correct response is not to promise not to do it again; it's to do it more often, and ensure that innocent affection is allowed towards children, for without it, their innocence will truly be lost, wrapped up in a safety blanket that hinders their progress.

Technorati tagsearch: Peodophilia, freedom, Alan Barrett, nanny state, Tamworth, Staffordshire, Child Protection