Public Sector Fat Cats?
Thursday, January 31st, 2008This morning I was struck - as I browsed through - WH Smiths - by the front page of the Daily Express (I think this is the first time the Express has been quoted here).
The Express was considering the mixture of local public service cuts, rising Council Tax and the souring costs of senior pay [...]
The Decent Candidate Bows Out With Style
Thursday, January 31st, 2008For me the most impressive candidate in the US Presidential Primaries was John Edwards. Of course, Edwards was never going to win but his insistence of running a principled - and clean - campaign was admirable.
Over the last five years Edwards has devoted himself to the cause of poverty relief and, especially, to tackling the [...]
Labour in Your Area
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008Just a little rant …
I used the Labour website this morning. I typed in my new postcode into ‘Labour in your area’. It came up with a Google Map with some pins in it. The pins were the names of Labour MPS. There were no pins for Party branches, constituencies or membership secretaries ….
… the [...]
Facebook: Brokering Peace in the NW?
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008Facebook always entertains. On my home page this morning is the following news:
Hazel Blears and Salford Labour Councillors are now friends.
Nice to know that
More on Money
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008My little piece yesterday seems to have raised the pulses a little. As always people seem to be a bit worried about posting here - they prefer private emails. This is fine, I understand how difficult the thought Police can be at times
Still, one e-correspondent refers me to an interesting thread on LabourHome.org:
Labour Party [...]
It’s The Money Stupid …
Monday, January 28th, 2008On Friday evening I finally managed to complete my online application for Labour’s Spring Conference. This is only newsworthy in the sense that finally completing the process felt like a major achievement. But - like Proust - I suffer from an over-imaginative brain. One little experience can trigger off a whole series of thoughts and [...]
US Primaries: Seconds Out ….
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008I have to admit to feeling sorry for Barack Obama. With all respect to John Edwards (who I rather like) Barack is facing two formidable opponents and they’re both named Clinton.
Looking around the blogs - and around Facebook - it would appear that the Labour organising classes are beginning to openly back Hillary, a mirror [...]
Flash Gordon Wuz Here …
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008Looking at my blog spam filter I see that something called ‘Flash Gordon Wuz Here’ has tried to comment on a number of occasions.
Normal I wouldn’t entertain the thought that this could possibly be ‘our Gordon’. But then, the clunking fist now has his own Yahoo channel and maybe he’s just becoming - how do [...]
Spring Conference - Registration Fiasco
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008Sometimes I really wonder what kind of image our party is trying to present to the world.
I’ve just started the process to register for Spring conference. I say started because I don’t have all of the security data to detail, i.e. driving licence number; NI number; passport number ….
Birmingham’s International Convention Centre is an interesting [...]
The Full Costs of PFI?
Friday, January 18th, 2008The recent report by the National Audit Office into Private Finance Initiative contracts, within the public sector, raises important issues for politicians - both local and national.
PFI contracts are allocated - in the main - by price; the cheapest contract wins. But life isn’t that simple. PFI contracts are long. In many ways the trick [...]
