Mark Alcock (and balls)

Mark Alcock, prospective Lib Dem MP for Barking (sorry, I mean South Ribble) has done his maths and he reckons the Lib Dems are going to win the General Election... and he's got a daft bar chart (or two) to prove it!

A good night to stop in and watch TV. Following on from Faith, a drama about the Miners Strike which has got Tory knickers in a twist because it is not balanced (maybe they want us to see the heartwrenching sadness of Ian MacGregor and the wicked witch of Finchley as they too endured the 12 month strike), and then you can switch to Channel 4 and watch Torture: The Guantanamo Guidebook. Seven people subjected to the conditions experienced by those hostages illegally detained and tortured by the United States Government. Wouldn't it be a good idea if we could have our own Big Brother type show where we could all phone in and nominate people to go into the Big Brother Guantanamo House. I just don't know how I could whittle the list down to seven though.

"Another Blairite minister admitted he had been taken aback by the hostility to the leader on the doorsteps..." Just exactly where have these people been for the last three years?

Politics matters

New articles on ZNet include a piece about Bush's newly appointed Director of Military Intelligence, When John Negroponte Was Mullah Omar. Also on ZNET The Case for Socialism in the Twenty-First Century, and if that interests you, you will probably want to read Tony Benn's review of Paul Foot's posthumously published last book.

Happy Birthday

This blog is 12 months old this weekend. It was inspired initially by Tom Watson and then by Tim Ireland's 'Why Politicians Need Weblogs'. My first commentors were Ingrid, who has published more good stuff on the crisis in Darfur than the entire British media, and Christine, who continues to entertain, and Tom Watson himself. Thanks to all those who have taken the time to contribute. It's a bit like canvassing really... you get one or two people who are really rude, but most people want to tell you what they think and enjoy the banter. At least the worst I get are a few sharp words, unlike Mohamad Reza Nasab Abdolahi (via The Committee to Protect Bloggers). So, here's to year two.....

Robin Cook on Britain's new Pass Laws. The Guardian also has a review of the new album by Rufus Wainwright, whose dad Loudon produced one of the great first albums... was it really 35 years ago?

"Mr Kennedy’s office said that it was still considering how to reply to Mr Sacranie’s letter of February 4."
Perhaps the slippery sod could reply for himself?

Military.... Intelligence?

If, as the Rev. Ian would have us believe, Sinn Fein have no place in the constitutional arrangements in Northern Ireland, even if members of their military wing were acting independently of the IRA... shouldn't he also want to exclude the British Government when it's military wing are guilty of this sort of thing? Also... why were there no Iraqis called to give evidence against their torturers? Was someone frightened about what they might say was even more horrific than the allegations against these soldiers? Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want..... (don't you dare!)

R.I.P. Terry

Terry Weir (centre), Aston Villa's acclaimed photographer for over 30 years, died today.

Acts of Faith

I am a confirmed atheist and more than a little frightened by those zealots who want to save our souls, but will condemn us to eternal damnation if we think they are talking tripe. This decision, taken after a piece of mafioso arm twisting by fundamentalist bigots, really does make you wonder about the sanity of these people. Some twerp was actually on the radio this morning saying they were making these threats "in the interests of people with cancer".

Vote for the President of the World. Bloggerheads' Tim Ireland wants your vote... but spare a thought for my man, the legend that is Sheephead.

Ken apologises? Does he hell! Good for him, and what a pity he didn't get the backing of his party leader.

Donald Rumsfeld comes to Wolverhampton

“Lets believe we can do it. Lets make the electorate, not only believe that we believe, But most importantly lets make them believe it too!”

Thanks to Tom Watson for highlighting what must be the election campaigning slogan of all time from Wolverhamton Lib Dem hopeful David Jack. Come on Charlie... give this to the nation!

Incidentally, David Jack scored the first ever goal in a Wembley Cup final... could they be by any chance related? Let's face it, to score in the Cup Final you've not only got to believe... you've got to believe you believe...

Last night we went to Warwick Arts Centre to see the African Soul Rebels tour. A terrific concert, starting with the hypnotic blues rhythms of the Toureg tribesmen (and one woman) Tinariwen. Next up were Senegalese hip hop rappers Daara J. Not entirely my cup of tea but real high energy stuff. My daughter Sian liked them best and before long she had forged her way to the front of the stage. Finally, Rachid Taha, an Algerian Rock n' Rai singer who looks like a cross between Pacino's Frank Serpico and early Bruce Springsteen, and the togetherness and fun of the band has strong echoes of The Boss. Three great acts... for less than £15, and the only sad thing was the fact the hall was nowhere near sold out. When you consider that Birmingham City want to charge £45 to watch a bunch of overpaid prima donnas ponce around for 90 minutes, the African Soul Rebels are real value for money. Still chance to catch them if you can get to Gateshead, Edinburgh,Shrewsbury, Leicester and London.

Daniel Brett, as so often, offers a thoughtful piece on Darfur, and warns of those who find simplistic solutions to complex problems. "It infuriates me that people with only a passing interest in Sudan, prompted by a few television pictures, can wade in and demand one or the other group be armed or favoured in any way."

"Labour candidates who opposed the war should not be punished;" Phew, that's a relief.

Ken Livingstone ups the anti and asks questions about the Daily Mail's Nazi theme party.

A popular local councillor... (Lib Dem chap also gets mention.)

Bloggers will rescue the right. In your dreams, Smithy!

Now that is truly shocking! Cunning stunt (via The buddah)

Regular readers of this page will know that the odious Blue Chip Casinos are attempting to convert a pub in my Ward into this monstrosity:


Local residents are up in arms over the idea of an all-night casino in the heart of a residential community. and have been blocking the proposal at Planning Committee and at a national Planning Inspectorate public inquiry. Eighteen months in, the latest battle took place this week at Planning Committee when once again Blue Chip’s plans were thrown out… to the delight of the dozens of residents in the public gallery. Once more the residents have spoken… we don’t want your bloody casino, now go away and leave us alone!

Casting the first stone...

It seems perverse to me that the man who refused to apologise to the nation for plunging the country into a war on a totally false premise, should be urging Ken Livingstone to publicly apologise for making insulting remarks to a journalist.

Rotten apples

Councillor John Hemming, Lib Dem Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council's Conservative dominated coalition is quite rightly upset over the issue of alleged fraudulent abuse of the postal ballot system by some individuals in the Labour Party last June. Where Hemming tips over the edge of sanity though, is when he accuses the Labour Party in general, or the Government of "undermining democracy." We need to be clear about this. The Labour Party issued strict written instructions to members about the use of postal ballots which made it absolutely clear that there should not even be a suggestion of interference in how individual voters cast their vote. If Hemming is suggesting otherwise he should put up or shut up. If the Labour Party has to accept the responsibility for people who "allegedly" (and that is important) fiddled the vote... will John Hemming and the Liberal Democrats accept responsibility for the Scottish Lib Dem MEP who so 'liberally' interpreted his expenses that he claimed mileage expenses in a single year equivalent to driving "three and a half times around the world?"

Also on his blog Hemming is getting concerned about kids and anti-social behaviour. A bit rich for a Party that have opposed almost all Labour's proposals on anti-social behaviour but who's Culture spokesperson wants to to reduce the legal drinking age to 16. That should stop the kids spraying graffiti... they'll be too busy getting pissed!