John Reid's dig at Peter "the tan" Hain the vain!

You have to laugh. Many will remember the controversy over the proposed stop and question powers leaked to the Sunday papers and indeed the furore over it, including Peter Hain's objections. (See here)

Well, John Reid did make a statement on anti terror measures in parliament and it seems to have been built mostly out of cross party cooperation. What is funny is what John Reid said about the proposed stop and question powers:

I want to make it absolutely plain that discussion on the stop-and-question powers is going on inside Government. I did not raise the matter, and neither did the police in mainland Britain. It derived from one source. However, it is also evident that at least one source has major misgivings about it. The problem is that the source is the same in both cases. [Laughter.] We will carry on with the consultation on these matters.

Very funny!

You can read more here.

Hat tip to Iain Dale here.

Interest rates remain unchanged at 5.5%

Well, that is the good news, the bad news is that experts expect interest rates to rise later in the year.

What is also quite interesting is the number of people who will have fixed rate deals coming to an end later in the year, who will then get hit with quite a rise.

The BBC has this.

Are interest rates set to rise in the UK?

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England is due to announce if interest rates are to rise again tomorrow.

It should be said that pundits don't think that interest rates will rise tomorrow, but they do think that they will rise again before the end of the year. (See the BBC here)

The issue that rears its ugly head though is growth in the business sector which seems to be taking a bit of a knock. Since the European bank raised the Euro zone interest rates to 4% yesterday and following on from US interest rate rises the equity (share markets) have been taking a bit of a hit. (See the FT here).

There is no sign of unavoidable doom, but there is a need for some deft economic management.

Lets hope the economy hangs together.

While Gordon Spins like a top, will John Reid announce the consensus?

I wrote this article on Gordon's Brown's comments on getting tough on terror on Sunday, in part based on information Iain Dale had put in the public domain in his paper review on News 24, particularly noting the use of Conservative and Liberal Democrat proposals which had been rebuffed in the past, and the intent to try and get more than 28 days detention without charge which is not going to happen.

The long and short of the position is that Tony Blair and John Reid have been talking quietly and behind the scenes to their opposite numbers in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties looking for a consensus. It seems they have come a long way.

Gordon Brown has not only stuck his oar in but seems to be looking to play political games with this, especially if you take into account this article by Iain Dale on the subject.

So the big question is this: Has Gordon Brown upset the apple cart and derailed the consensus that seemed to be building?

We will find out tomorrow, if John Reid makes his statement to the house of commons.

The Apprentice, don't they get it?

I am amazed at the number of people who get to the last stages of the Apprentice, without doing the ground work research on who Sir Alan Sugar is, and what is his business empire is about, yet still they come.

The other odd thing about the Apprentice was the way that the women with children, even one who had left home, were quizzed about child care whilst the men were not.

Killing childhood

According to a report by the Children's Society children are being smothered too much and not being allowed out to play and explore on their own. This results in child development problems and the inability to build deep friendships.

I remember as I child roaming far and wide and at all times of day in Beirut, where I grew up. I also did the same when we came back to the UK, at first in Croydon.

Parents it seems are worried about the safety of their children. In many ways I think this worry is misplaced. The likelihood of a child being abducted is no greater now than it was 30 or 40 years ago. Clearly there is real no danger there.

Where there may be of course is what may be regarded as general bullying, robbery and such like that seldom appears on either officially recorded crime, or the British Crime survey which excludes the young as victims.

Clearly we have two problems here, one is that fear is in one case beyond reality, whilst there is a huge crime wave in youth on youth crime which is is not being dealt with. We need to deal with this as it is killing childhood.

The BBC has this.

Save the Planet, Piss in the Sea!

One of the ways some scientists think may remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is increasing plankton, or to give them their full name, phytoplankton which absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Quite a lot of them are eaten by various forms of sea life, but those that die on their own then sink to the ocean floor, locking up the CO2.

That said, their is no point in relieving yourself in any part of the sea, it has to be in a desolate zone, where there is little or no plankton, because of a lack of the right nutrients for plankton to grow. It appears that nitrogen is one such, and urea, which is in urine is a good source that plankton can use.

The BBC has this, as well as 4 other ways to save the planet here, here, here and here.

It has to be said that my favourite way of saving the planet is to get Africa to grow our bio fuels as President Lula of Brazil suggested. There are a lot of people in Africa who can't make a living out of farming because the west dumps subsidised food on them which causes economic problems as well as stifling food production. With a demand for African produce this could all change.

Does anyone like the London Olympics logo?

Just thought I'd ask as it seems to have gone down like a bucket of cold sick.

People have sent the BBC these alternate logo's some of which look quite good.

There is even a petition against it, here.

So, anyone like it?

Cash For Peerages, More inquiries requested by CPS

Apparently the CPS have asked Inspector Yates of the Yard to carry out further inquiries.

From that we can deduce that there is not enough to charge people, or can we?

It seems to me that they could need more evidence to charge some of the people involved but have enough on others. It could be stalling for time. It could also be that the evidence shows some inconsistencies which need ironing out.

There is of course one other possibility. That the CPS want Tony Blair questioned under caution, and are waiting until he is out of office to do so.

Of course all the Labour bloggers will be wittering on about how long this is all taking how much information is being leaked and how it is all politically motivated, but they would say that wouldn't they?

The BBC has this.

Cycling is so complex!

Firstly I am a person who when he cycles does so to get somewhere, and feels the need for speed.

I do not like getting overtaken in a 30MPH zone, because I am already at or over the speed limit (on the flat) or at least I used to be when I was 25.

The problem now is this: When I was at University the "thoughtful" folks at the council put in cycle lanes.

I ride racers. Nothing else. If I can't get a good clean shave off the tyres, I am not interested. If the tyres can be pumped up at a petrol station, it is not thin enough.

Racers are very fast and very efficient at moving people about, more importantly very quickly compared to other sorts of bike. The reason is simple, less tyre on the road is less rolling resistance and hence the capability of more speed and what is more, whilst expending less energy. (The same argument applies with cars, my car has not changed in length or weight in the 20 years I have driven them, but it started off as the one of the longest in the car park and a heavy middle weight to being both short and light, and at 17" and a tonne and a quarter, that is barking).

The problem is that cycle lanes do not cater for racing bikes. They are rough than the road and just slow you down. I have no idea why, as they must also force touring and town bikers as well as mountain bikers to use much more energy to travel the same miles.

However cycling is so complex because of all the things you have to consider. I have sped along at 35 MPH on a slight rise at a full sprint, and have got up to 45MPH on a hill. All this on our rough roads. I could never achieve that on a cycle lane. What has really irritated me though is doing 31 on my bike in a 30 zone and being overtaken by someone who I would normally be stuck behind at 29 if I were in a car.

Brown to get tough on terror?

Interestingly enough the Sunday papers carry news that Gordon Brown is to bring in yet more anti terror measures when he gets in.

Hmm.. Well, John Reid has been trying to get a cross party consensus on new measures and is about to announce them next week, so it is interesting to see Gordon bluster into the middle of that field with his own take.

Brown proposes:

Another attempt to get 90 days with out charge. No chance.

Intercept evidence to be used in court (or at least looking at it). Well that is what the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have been arguing for for ages!

Allowing terror suspects to be questioned after being charged, again another opposition proposal.

Making terrorism an aggravating factor in other offences. (Conservative proposal)

Increasing the amount spent on the security services (Something with which I agree).


So he appears to be trying to steal John Reid's thunder whilst the only proposals he is likely to get through are ones that have been lobbied for by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

How interesting.

The BBC has this, the Sunday Times this, and the Observer has this.

Day 19 of the Great Grammar School debate, and Graham Brady shows that his education was worthless

Yes we are now in day 19 of the Great Grammar school debate, and Graham Brady, who went to a grammar school has demonstrated that his education does not stop him saying things which are patently untrue.

In this article for the News of the World, where he clearly seeks to do yet more damage to the party he says this:

"People are frustrated by a political establishment that talks about choice but won't let them choose a grammar school."

No, Graham, parents don't choose a grammar school, unless their children pass the 11+.

"Instead of telling working-class families to put up with the schools they're given, we should be angry so many children are being let down. "

Well, Graham, if you had read past the bit on Grammars having a relatively low percentage of people with disadvantaged backgrounds the policy is to allow parents to choose any school, and what is more to allow them to set up their own if they don't think there are any good ones locally.

So do us all a favour and stop damaging our poll ratings.


You can read more of Graham Brady's "thoughts" in the News of the World here. (Please note that they will break the link next week.)

Quote of the day!

Apparently a Polish gentlemen by the name of Jan Grzebski has been in a coma for the last 19 years, following an accident at work.

When he has his accident there was still a communist government and there was food rationing.

So what has he got to say?

"What amazes me today is all these people who walk around with their mobile phones and never stop moaning,"

Priceless!

You can read the whole BBC article here.

Sorry about the lack of blogging so far today

I have been fixing my car.

I will be back later though.

Andrei Lugovoi accuses MI6 of Litvinenko poisoning

I would say you couldn't make this up, but clearly as the BBC and other media outlets show, Andrei Lugovoi can, and in fact has.

Apparently Alexander Litvinenko was a British spy and we fell out with him, and rather than have him run over in a car accident, or whatever, obtained polonium 210 from Russia (it is only comercialy produced there as I understand it) and poisoned him with it.

Please note that rumours that Andrei Lugovoi has been in consultation with Mohamed Al Fayed are totally unfounded, as Prince Philip was not mentioned in Andrei Lugovoi's allegations.

Pull the other one, its got bells on it!

The BBC has this.

The Great Grammar School storm in a teacup?

Look, existing grammars are safe, and not only that the grammar school system where it still exists is safe.

However I have found no appetite in Conservative circles for extending it to where it does not exist at the moment.

People seem to be getting very hot under the collar about what amounts to a non debate. What is there to discuss? Are we going to impose a grammar school system where the electorate don't want one? No.

What we are going to do is to put a grammar school in EVERY school, in EVERY subject so that someone who shines in maths and is rubbish at say German gets to fly in maths to the top, whilst he (or she) gets help in foreign languages to keep him (or her) up to speed.

I will be writing an article on the one key issue on public service reform on another day.

I was I have to say quite pleased that there was no disagreement at the wine tasting on the grammar school issue, though some people did feel that it had not been well handled which is certainly true.

Off to a wine tasting in London

Well, this evening I am going to a wine tasting in London. Should be good. I will be blogging more later.

International Statesman and nutter meet in Libya

Tony Blair, on his tour of Africa met with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in the Libyan desert yesterday.

Now the big question is, who is the deluded nutter and who the statesman?

The Telegraph has this.

Wales to go Blue, Green and Yellow in rainbow coalition!

It is with some amusement that I find that the Queen has congratulated Alex Salmond on hos election win in Scotland, but both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have only found time to congratulate Rhodri Morgan for hanging on by his finger tips in Wales (See this by Guido).

Well, it seems that Wales will only go Labours way for a little while.

The executive of the Liberal Democrats decided not to go through with a coalition deal with Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives but have now been over ruled by their members so have no choice. All we need now is Plaid to have a vote in favour and Rhodri can be chucked out on his ear!

I wonder if Gordon Brown will be so keen to congratulate Rhodri's successor?

Perhaps not!

The Telegraph has this.

The Damascene conversion of the Conservative party?

George Osborn gave a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank today, in which he said that the Conservatives are the true "heirs to Blair" on public service reform, whilst Gordon Brown is the road block to reform.

He was of course not talking about a lot of the things this Labour government has done or is about to do, like ID cards or scrapping grant maintained schools and fundholding GP's.

What I found exceedingly funny was watching and listening to David Milliband wittering on about how for the last 10 years the Conservative party have been voting against Labour policies and calling Tony Blair all sorts of things and so on.... so who is going to believe in this Damascene conversion?

The reason why is that we of course opposed reversal of the public service reforms we put in place. We could hardly keep on opposing when this government brought our policies back, like for example allowing some schools to opt out of LEA control.