Guardian Gagged From Reporting Parliament!

The Guardian newspaper has announced it has been gagged from reporting parliamentary proceedings, on legal grounds, for the first time in living memory. It has said in its report:

Today's published Commons order papers contain a question to be answered by a minister later this week. The Guardian is prevented from identifying the MP who has asked the question, what the question is, which minister might answer it, or where the question is to be found.

The Guardian is also forbidden from telling its readers why the paper is prevented – for the first time in memory – from reporting parliament. Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret.

The only fact the Guardian can report is that the case involves the London solicitors Carter-Ruck, who specialise in suing the media for clients, who include individuals or global corporations.

The action against the paper appears to call into question the privileges that guarantee free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights.

The Guardian has vowed to immediately go to court to overturn the decision.

For the sake of our free speech and our democracy let's hope they succeed!

Sympathy For MPs? - Not Even Slightly!

OK..Ok it's time to own up...aren't you feeling just a little bit of sympathy for that dysfunctional group of society called MPs?

After all, they have just returned from weeks and weeks on an expensive summer vacation (working in their constituencies, of course, and not holidaying in their second homes or travelling the world) to find that most of their number are receiving letters demanding they pay back expenses they have 'mistakenly' claimed in the past, not knowing they had never incurred them in the first place.

Of course, they are not guilty of having abused the system, they are just the poor persecuted victims of an unjust media world. Their only crime, in reality, was to get caught!

So....do you own up to feeling sympathy? I would guess not!!

Arse Kicking At Parliament Buildings!

For a country that has so many surveillance cameras the authorities can virtually see the state of your colon as you walk down the street - and all in the name of anti-terrorism - it comes as some surprise to learn that 50 Greenpeace campaigners (protesting against global warming) have been able to climb onto the roof of Westminster Hall, part of the Houses of Parliament, without being spotted by police officers guarding the high security building.

Even more amazingly, the demonstrators used ropes and ladders to climb the perimeter fencing - hardly items that can be concealed under everyday clothing.

Perhaps, the police guarding Parliament, are like the MPs they are supposed to be protecting - still on their annual vacation.

With everyone returning to work tomorrow, it seems likely that the arse kicking that will be sure to follow, will be increasing global warming even further!

Support World Mental Health Day - You Would Be Mad Not To!

Today, is World Mental Health Day.

It has been organised to try to stimulate discussion on what seems to be one of the most stigmatised areas of modern medicine: mental illness.

Most people would rather own up to having a serious sexual disease than admit they suffer from the most common form of mental disorder - depression.

It is a disease that brings a feeling of isolation to the sufferer but then feeds off the darkness of that same isolation. It is so easy to sink into the dark fog of loneliness, but to put it all into perspective, one person in four is likely to suffer from some sort of mental illness in their lifetime - governments have been elected with a smaller percentage than that!

More importantly, the percentage amongst children is growing, so it is even more essential we remove the taboo surrounding mental illness as soon as possible.

Almost as worrying, according to recent surveys, only about 25 percent of employers say they would give work to someone they knew had a mental illness. In most cases that just does not make sense and combined with the negative reporting in the press of people who suffer with extreme mental problems, it seems the quicker we all educate ourselves and tame our fears, the quicker the stigma attached to the disease will die.

I am going to start by admitting to the world that I have suffered from depression and received medication to control the imbalance in the chemicals that make up my thought processes. I feared people knowing about it - even though I have not been in such a bad way ever since I sought out medical advice. I was lucky, I had a superb and understanding GP who supported me throughout the whole slow healing process but I know some people are not so lucky.

Nowadays, when the 'black cloud' starts to descend, I go for a long walk and take action to reduce the stressful parts of my life that I know fuel the fire of my problem. I find it therapeutic to write about the things I used to think about; that is one of the reasons I maintain this blog.

I know it is manageable but I still fear that one day it might not be.

It is for all these reasons, I applaud and support any attempt to make such an illness socially acceptable, for sufferers need to be able to discuss and, thereby, share the burden that is mental illness.

So, please show your support for World Mental Health Day, for if you don't ... you really are mad!!

London's 'Mayor Boris' Tries to 'Stuff' Paxo

I have only just caught up with this interview between London's somewhat eccentric Mayor, Boris Johnson and BBC Newsnight's 'Rottweiler' frontman Jeremy Paxman. It was recorded at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on October 5th.

I am not sure if it is really about politics or is just an audition for the lead roles in a situation comedy. Judge for yourself - and weep!

Second Class Service For A First Class Postal Strike!

Postal workers have voted by a 3 to 1 majority in favour of an all out strike. If it goes ahead, it will be the first UK-wide walkout since 2007.

However, I am not really feeling much sympathy towards either side in the dispute.

Postal workers are seeking to protect their job security and working conditions, while the management of the Post Office are trying to preserve their right to maintain large profits from a declining service.

Both concepts, are in today's world at least, rather out of touch with reality.

On one side, the workers are claiming they are now being overworked and undervalued, while their management are claiming workers are overstaffed and under modernised.

According to their latest management computer 'toy', which works out the theory of how fast a Postman should walk and therefore, how long each round should take, the staff are capable of doing more in their day. Sadly, I don't think that computers have a first hand knowledge of snapping dogs, inclement weather and the time if takes to chat with certain members of our smaller communities.

Both sides need to wake up and realise that the world has changed dramatically and how we choose to communicate with each other has become far more urgent than in times past; for most things we want instant contact and not next day.

Strike action is an outdated method of resolving a dispute and will not settle anything. Ultimately, it will cause an even greater decline to the postal service and its associated workforce.

For my part......I am going to start breeding pigeons!!

Is Harriet Harman More Equal Than Anyone Else?

"I'm Harriet Harman, you know where you can get me."

Those are the words of Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman.

They were not the reassuring words of an MP to a worried constituent but, instead, are alleged to have been made to a witness, who saw a parked car hit by Ms Harman's vehicle, while she was apparently driving and using her mobile phone.

Ms. Harman denies the allegation and that she left the scene of the accident without supplying details of her registration or insurance.

The accident is said to have occurred in Dulwich, South London, on 3rd July and the police are waiting to question Ms. Harman. The reason for their delay is said to be because officers wanted to wait until after Labour's party conference last week. By anyone's calculations, that seems to be a long time to delay such an enquiry and we can only wonder why.

Ms. Harman is of course best known for officially promoting the case for women's equality.

It seems, though, that she sees herself, as being far more equal than anyone else.

I await with interest, the result of the police investigation!

Conservatives Try To 'Benefit' From Cheap Votes!

At times of financial downturn in the economy and when politicians are having to justify the bad news about raising taxes and cutting public services to refill fiscal potholes, it is always the easy option to highlight those in our country who are unable to defend themselves. I refer of course to those who are receiving benefits.

An article in today's Sunday Times has reported that the Conservatives would force the jobless back to work by stopping their benefits, if they do not enter into privately run training schemes.

Of course, forgetting for a moment, the obvious point that training is about as much use as a cat flap on a submarine, when there are not the jobs available for the newly 'trained' to fill, it is insulting to brand, by implication, that all of those who are receiving benefits are a drain on public funds and scroungers.

It is no fun to be unemployed and the people who target them are usually those who have never themselves had to suffer the indignity of entering a job centre. They have never been unfortunate enough to need the help.

Most of them watch programmes and read papers that sensationalise the actions of the minority who abuse the system and then tar all other claimants with the same brush.

As we have found out recently, however, where there is a system to be abused, there are always those who abuse it. I refer, of course, to the MP's expenses scandal.

Most people who have received benefits over a long period do not want to be in that position. They want to work but have often lost all self belief and confidence in any ability they may have for finding a job. Single mothers are unable to afford the childcare that will enable them to work even part time. Many do not have the help of immediate families. They are not living the high life, they are trapped by the same system they are accused of abusing.

Interestingly, the simplistic view of the Conservative policy announced today makes no mention of those who have entered our country from abroad and used the UK as a benefits 'cashpoint' and then sent the money back to their families abroad.

Neither, is there a mention of the billions of pounds being lost by those who are able to exploit loopholes in the tax system and deprive the revenue - and the rest of the country - of the benefit. These cheats are not treated with the same scorn as benefit claimants and instead are often feted and admired.

Perhaps, this is because funding of our political parties is largely received from such donors?

It is regarded by many as a socially acceptable fraud but, in reality, it is just as much of a fraud as that perpetrated by the minority who abuse the benefit system.

I was lucky enough to have a friend who has been trapped as a long term claimant of benefits. She has fought to bring her two children up as respectable, intelligent, responsible and much loved individuals. She has struggled and her children have missed out on the things that most children take for granted, but they are neither bitter or envious; they are grounded.

I have gained far more respect for her, than I will ever have for the politicians who seek to make cheap political capital by attacking those who cannot afford a voice!

Don't Predict The Next Government Just Yet!

Six months is a long time in politics and we have even longer than that until the next general election takes place.

Of course, all the parties are now, unofficially at least, campaigning to capture the imaginations of the voters and predictably, the Conservatives are the most popular party in the polls at this moment in time.

Before they get to be too complacent, though, it is worth remembering that its main players have little experience of running anything more complicated than the tuck shops in their various public schools and their leader had a career in public relations - a profession where you gain the ability to persuade people that even a turd can be a 'must have' product.

They keep telling us they have great ideas but they have yet to reveal exactly what they are; they are promoting theory, rather than reality.

Now that The Sun newspaper has announced it is switching from being a Labour supporting rag to Conservative blue, there will be many more who will soak up all the promises made by David Cameron and his posse. The problem is they are the same readers who believed that Freddie Starr ate his hampster and that they all have a chance at copping off with the topless models on page three. They are gullible!

This might sound like I am a Labour supporter or I am anti Conservative but I am not. I was brought up within a Tory voting family and have been raised to hold beliefs about country, personal morality and honesty, which I have tried to incorporate into my everyday life - of course I have failed but I did say 'tried'!

The problem I have now - and I believe there are many others like me - is that I am disillusioned by all of the parties, as they all seem to be just mimicking each others presentation and policies.

Just like the buttocks on a Sumo wrestler, there is not a lot between them!

Therefore, we should not write anybody off, or vote anyone in, just yet!

Roman Polanski Must Go Back To The US

Roman Polanski is an acclaimed Oscar winning Film Director. He is the man responsible for films like Chinatown and The Pianist.

He is also the man who admitted the drugging and sexual abuse of a thirteen year old girl, while he was photographing her for a magazine in 1977. He fled the USA before he could be sentenced and has been openly 'on the run' ever since, living mainly in France.

Last weekend, he was detained in Switzerland while travelling to the Zurich Film Festival where he was expected to receive a Lifetime Achievement award. He now faces being extradited back to the USA.

Polanski is now 76 years old and has lived what can only be described as an eventful life. He was the son of parents with both Polish and Jewish backgrounds and he was forced to run from the Germans, when they sealed off his Jewish Ghetto in Krakov, in 1940. His mother died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz.

In later life his wife, the actress Sharon Tate was murdered by the infamous Charles Manson cult while she was eight months pregnant.

With this background, it is hardly surprising that Polanski has lived his life in the headlines.

His thirteen year old victim was plied with drugs and champagne before Polanski had unlawful sex with her at the home of the actor Jack Nicholson. Of course, despite admitting his guilt, he maintains that the girl was sexually experienced and her participation was consensual.

So, should Polanski be dragged back to the US after 32 years, to be sentenced for his crime?

The answer has to be yes.

He may well be a famous old man but he is also a self confessed child abuser. The passage of time does not erase the act that took place over thirty years ago, or change it's status in law.

Polanski maintains that the legal process, after he was charged, was flawed and the prosecutor and judge dealing with his case had been negligent.

If he has a case to make against the legal procedures prior to the time of his escape, now is the time to challenge them.

The law is the benchmark by which all decent society survives. It cannot be allowed to suffer from alzheimers.

Polanski must go back and face his past. Celebrity, fame and wealth, cannot be allowed to re-write the truth.

Perhaps, Polanski is about to receive his Lifetime Achievement Award after all!

Andrew Marr Angers PM's Aides

Aides to PM Gordon Brown are said to be furious that he was sandbagged, during an interview with Andrew Marr, on BBC1, when asked whether he is taking prescription painkillers.

Marr said:

"A lot of people in this country use prescription painkillers and pills to help them get through. Are you one of them?”

The PM relied:

“No. I think this is the sort of questioning which is all too often entering the lexicon of British politics.”

There has been much speculation over the last couple of weeks about the subject (I wrote a post 2 weeks ago) but until today, it seemed that no-one from the mainstream media was prepared to actually ask the question directly.

Whether this is because the media machine at Number 10 had deliberately tried to suppress such an enquiry or whether it was because none of the favoured political commentators wanted to risk their controlled access to the PM, we cannot be sure.

However, it is a justifiable enquiry to make and one to which we should all have the right to an answer.

If the PM is to survive until the next election and beyond, he needs to come out fighting and forget the scripted answers that his advisers prepare for him before interviews. He needs to 'shoot from the hip' and look like he is in control.

If he does that, then we might start to think of him as a worthy leader after all!

BBC Bans The Word 'Butcher'

I am irritated!

Tonight, while travelling home from work, I was listening to the excellent Eddie Nestor who hosts the drivetime programme on BBC London 94.9FM.

Eddie is one of the few broadcasters who has the rare gift of being able to discuss any subject, however sensitive, in a fair and amiable way, while still being able to express his own opinion without causing offence.

Tonight, he was engaged in a telephone conversation with respected financial expert, David Kuo, about a new London initiative called the Brixton Pound. It is a concept that is aimed at promoting trade in the locality of Brixton and David was explaining why it might not work in reality.

To help his explanation, he was using the examples of a Butcher's shop and a Grocer's shop to demonstrate how the Brixton Pound might be used in practice.

However, half way through his explanation, he was told by Mr Nestor that he could not use the example of a butcher as it could cause offence to those with certain religious beliefs, or non-meat eaters. Nestor had been told to explain this, by his programme producer, while Kuo was talking.

Are you getting irritated yet?

Has the normally excellent BBC finally become a censor for the political correctness movement?

Surely the whole point of a phone-in show is to exploit the values and principles of free speech and to hear the views of the callers by promoting discussion? It is not to publically admonish a guest expert for describing a profession that has been the mainstay of most high streets and food stores for as long as commerce has been in existence.

Sadly and unusually, Mr Nestor did not challenge the instruction he was given by the time I arrived home. I can only hope this is because he was in a state of shock at being given such a pathetic instruction by his producer.

In reality, though, I fear incidents like this will become more common.

If you are one of those whom the BBC assume would be offended by the mention of professions to which you do not approve......tough!!

Last time I checked, the majority of us were still sane.....just!

PM Finally 'Graduates' From Business School

"We are doing the right thing to make sure that for the future as we move into a full recovery we will invest and grow within sustainable public finances - cutting costs where we can, ensuring efficiency where it's needed, agreeing realistic public sector pay settlements throughout, selling off the unproductive assets we don't need to pay for the services we do need"

The above words were spoken by Gordon Brown to delegates at the TUC conference in Liverpool today.

They describe what most students learn, in chapter one, of the guide book to running an efficient business.

So, why after all these years in power, has this government only just discovered how to run UK plc?

Time to man the lifeboats methinks!

Is Our Prime Minister Depressed Or Just Useless?

There has been an increasing level of discussion in the 'world of blogs' over the last week about whether Gordon Brown, our Prime Minister, is suffering from depression and whether he is being treated with medication.

To my knowledge, the mainstream media have not, so far, made reference to the theory but I am sure they are fully aware and are just waiting for the right moment.

If it were true, it might help to explain why we have seen so little of the PM over the last few months and why, when we have, he has seemed so unconvincing. It might also explain why the likes of Lord Mandelson and David Miliband are taking so much of the limelight and announcing initiatives that by right should be publically introduced by the PM.

If GB is depressed, it is fully understandable and should not be interpreted as a weakness. There are few of us who can honestly say they have never suffered from the ailment at some point in our lives - especially at times of stress.

Sadly, though, depression is a mental illness and anything that has the word 'mental' in it, is instantly judged as something we should all fear. However, many successful and brilliant people have lived with the condition for most of their lives and despite their personal burden, the public have not even noticed.

When it comes down to it, depression is really just a 'flu of the mind' and can easily be eradicated or controlled.

If the stories are true, I hope that the PM will 'come clean' and help to educate everyone who would stigmatize those who suffer from mental problems.

If they are not, then maybe he is just useless as a Prime Minister after all?

ITV Need More Than Just Product Placement

The government is expected to announce a trial to allow independent television companies like, ITV, to profit from product placement in their programmes.

This is another form of advertising where the bottles behind the bar in Emmerdale or the drinks in front of the judges in the X Factor will become paid space for manufacturers who have the money to pay for the exposure of their products.

The benefits are obvious as the broadcaster can make easy money and the manufacturer avoids the present situation where many viewers just avoid watching their expensive adverts, during the commercial breaks, by either flicking to another channel or putting the kettle on.

ITV have been campaigning for product placement for ages and have been using the excuse of financial hardship caused by a reduction of advertising, due to the economic climate.

What product placement will still not solve, however, is that if decent programmes are not being provided by the broadcaster, then neither the ad breaks or the product placement will be visible to the viewers as they will not be bothered to watch the channel in the first place.

It seems that ITV, in particular, have been slow to catch on to this most basic of theories!

Dying To Negotiate A Bargain!

According to a report in today's Independent, the average cost of bidding farewell to one's dear departed, is now £7,018 taking into account legal costs, funeral expenses and flowers etc. This is a rise of 42 percent over the last five years.

The funeral industry says the cost of new environmental procedures has been largely responsible for the steep increase, but others say it is a lack of competition amongst funeral directors, since many have been taken over in recent years by larger companies.

Another factor is that bereaved families are often loathe to haggle over the price at such a distressing time.

It seems that we no longer just have to struggle to survive financially when we are living but now we have to worry when we are dead too!

I think I have the answer....

I am going to refuse to die unless they give me a good price first!

Calling Time On Alcohol? - Mine's A Large One!

We have a habit in the UK of punishing the majority for the sins of the minority.

The latest attempt to deprive us of choice comes from the British Medical Association (BMA) who are campaigning for a complete ban on all alcohol related advertising and to bring an end to the supermarket special offers and happy hour deals that are so popular with all who enjoy a tipple.

Of course, the pub trade will be in a bit of a dilemma, as they blame the cheap supermarket deals for their own problems. They will not, however, want to back anything that will ultimately reduce their profits any further.

There has never been any firm proof that advertising bans work - although campaigners against anything at all will always try to claim success.

The advertising ban on cigarettes has not stopped people from smoking; the young, who see it as being a cool thing to do, are not that gullible.

The fast food advertising ban on TV during the hours that children might be watching, has not seen a rise in healthy kids, nor has it seen the likes of Mc D's complaining about a fall in profits. All it has done is deprive companies like ITV of the money needed to commission and supply quality programming for children and destroy an industry that was once the envy of the world.

Being rebellious is part of growing up and we have all drunk, eaten or smoked too much at some point in our lives. Most of us grow out of it but there will always be some who will not be able to break the habit. Their problems will not be solved by the absence of advertising, or of alcohol, or of any other substance.

We drink because it is what we want to do. Those of us who are responsible - and can handle it - should not be punished because of those who do not have the ability to know when to stop!

Cheers!!

BBC - Face To Race!

Today's big 'storm in a media teacup' is whether the BBC should invite a spokesperson for the British National Party (BNP) to sit on the panel of the political discussion programme Question Time.

Of course they should. It is a no brainer!

The BNP are mainly known for appearing to be a party with extreme and racist views and their outlandish statements have been seized on by the media and our MPs as being unacceptable. But, they have managed to openly voice the concerns that are genuinely held by a large number of voters worried about what is perceived as being a huge increase in immigration in the UK.

There have been many varied and diverse arguments, both for and against an appearance on Question Time, but like it or not, the BNP are becoming a legitimate political party because an increasingly disenchanted public are using them as a protest vote against the humbug spoken by our mainstream political leaders.

Many of those in favour of the BNP appearing on the programme, have said it would expose them as having no other policies and no idea what they would do about things like the economy but hey....we have been watching the regular panelists for years who suffer with the same problem.

The real reason for them appearing, though, should be because we constantly preach to the world that we live in a democracy where everyone has a voice and we cherish the right to freedom of speech, however distasteful the words that are spoken.

We should remember that the leaders of Sinn Fein - who were accused of far worse things than the BNP could ever hope to achieve - were once gagged by Margaret Thatcher. Their voices were muted on newsclips and replaced by a commentary.

Today they are entitled to sit in the Houses of Parliament.

But whatever we all think, the real winners will be the BBC who will get an increased rating for a programme that most people would normally avoid watching.

I can't wait!

Wake Up Prime Minister And Face Reality!

On the day that Labour MP, Eric Joyce, resigned his job as parliamentary aide to the Defence Secretary, our Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has decided to try to convince us all that things are really going well in Afghanistan.

Mr Joyce, a former army major, said last night in his letter to the PM:

"I do not think the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets. Nor do I think we can continue with the present level of uncertainty about the future of our deployment in Afghanistan."

The PM said today that we need to train Afghan troops with more urgency to allow us to hand over control to them sooner rather than later.

He also said that the tactics of the Taliban had changed from a head-on military conflict to guerrilla warfare using explosive devices - 1,000 of which had been dismantled this summer.

Hello....!! isn't that what 'terrorists' do?

Probably the most stupid thing the PM said was that there was "nothing more heartbreaking" than meeting the families of those killed, or those who had been seriously injured, while in action in Afghanistan.

Sorry to disappoint you Mr Brown but there certainly is something "more heartbreaking".

It is to face the reality that your loved ones are returning to the UK in a coffin, after being killed in a conflict that has never been fully justified nor explained and in a country of which most of us have no idea of its location or politics.

Perhaps, Prime Minister, it is time to stop trying to justify the unjustifiable!

The Camera Never Lies - Except In Afghanistan!

The conflict in Afghanistan is taking a heavy toll on resources and human lives in both the US and the UK.

The media and public in both countries have taken a long time to wake up to the fact that it is not going to be an easy war to win against the Taliban and that our military might is easily matched by the terrain of the country and the unpredictability of the opposition.

Our politicians are panicking at having to face up to the the problem of convincing us all we are making progress, before there is a political price to be paid, domestically, for our continued involvement. They need to show us that normality is returning, due to our efforts and we are liberators and not occupiers.

Enter the media and Public Relations experts!

What is more normal than to go out into the streets of what was once one of the most dangerous towns in Helmund province - the area where the majority of deaths and casualties to our troops have occurred - and buy an ice-cream?

You can almost hear the collective brain of the media machine suggesting the idea as a classic illustration of normal life returning due to our military efforts in the region.

Cue Lieutenant General Jim Dutton, Deputy Commander ISAF (NATO’s International Security Assistance Force) as the man nominated to be sent into the busy town bazaar to purchase the ice-cream.

There is no doubt that it would make a convincing picture - just as long as the 50 US Marines, British army troopers, Royal Marines, Afghan army troops and the police who were providing his protection were not seen in the resulting image!

Just a few miles South, both US and UK troops were still in the thick of the fighting.

The camera never lies......or does it? Beware of false images!