This coalition is like a camel!

This coalition is like a camel.

Some say a camel is a horse designed by committee because it is ugly, cantankerous and uncomfortable to ride.

Thing is though..

When the US cavalry tried camels over horses, they moved faster because the camels could carry all their supplies, the horses needed supply wagons which moved slowly, whilst camels were as effective as horses in battle.

Top that off with the fact that we are in a desert, what would you rather have? A horse or a camel?

Drastic cut for armed forces!

There will be a drastic cut for our armed forces at 8PM on Friday the 28th of May!

I am having my hair, pony tail and beard cut off to raise money for Help for Heroes.

There will also be an auction to see who gets to cut my pony tail off.

It will now be at the Wheatsheaf Inn, Broad Street, Cuckfield in Sussex.

You can donate online here.

Please Give generously!

Please support our wounded servicemen and servicewomen.

Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk, 70 years ago this week

From the 27th of May to the 4th of June 1940, 338,226 allied service men were evacuated from the port of Dunkirk and the beaches near by.

This turned the absolute disaster of the battle of France, where the French and British outnumbered Nazi Germany in terms of tanks, troops, artillery and naval power but were wiped out in less than a month in to some sort of moral victory.

And it was!

On the 26th of May 1940 prayers were said in both churches and synagogues for the safe return of our troops, such was the danger to our armies.

Operation dynamo kicked in, and in what has to be marked as an incredibly heroic effort, of the Royal Navy, the Merchant marine, private boat owners and the die hard troops, French and British that fought to the last man to hold lines, defend the indefensible and generally hold up the Nazi advance whilst those men were lifted from the beaches.

Particular mention must go to the crews of the 200 small craft that were lost, the French 5th core who held Lille with little point other than tying up German armour and infantry as well as the defenders of Bolougne and Calias who did the same.

May their souls rest in peace and perpetual light shine upon them. I will remember them.

Hair and beard shaved to raise money for help for heroes!

I will be having my hair shaved to a grade 3, and my beard shaved off to raise money for Help For Heroes. I have not had a hair cut since 1993!

I will be having it done at 8 PM on Friday the 28th of May 2010 at the Talbot inn, High street Cuckfield Sussex.

There will also be an auction for who gets to cut the pony tail off on the night!

If you can't make it there, then you can donate via my just giving site here.

David Cameron is Prime Minister so let the blood letting begin

So David Cameron is Prime Minister, and incidentally made a good speech.

This was, politically a good election to lose. There is much unpleasant work to be done and people will not be happy.

However I, and everyone I know in the Conservative party is in politics for the good of the country.

We did not win a majority. We wanted one, and we worked hard for it. We did not get it. The people have spoken, and what they have said is unclear.

What is clear is that this country needs a stable government capable of doing the unpleasant work that will need to be done to build a better future for our children and grandchildren.

The only way to achieve that was a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition. There was no other way to form a stable government.

I think that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat party have behaved in a statesman like way, put party interests aside, and indeed are prepared to take the hard stuff on the chin.

As a Conservative, all I can say is well done to the Liberal Democrats.

So to the blood letting.

There are many who will tear up their membership cards, of both parties. Then labour will attack the Liberal Democrats for not being "progressive". Well the term is asinine. All parties make progress, and in terms of social mobility the best times have actually been better under Conservatives.

Being in politics is a business that requires a thick skin especially when you actually win an election.

Gordon Brown resigns as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party!

Well, Gordon Brown has announced he will resign as prime minister and leader of the Labour party tomorrow.

So there will be a Conservative government, probably in coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

From GOATS To COAL!

It looks like Labour, having formed a GOAT (Government Of All the Talents) which did not work out that well will now try to form a COAL.

That is a Coalition Of All the Losers.

Fantastic.

And with that many parties in it, it will be about as stable as a blancmange.

On the announcement of formal talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats, after the close of the UK markets, the pound having gained 0.8 cents on the day fell by a whole 1 cent.

If there is a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats and various other parties it will be unstable and will collapse relatively soon.

Mid Sussex votes for positive campaigning!

After having posted the results of the Mid Sussex constituency in the General Election, I thought I would comment on my view of what it means.

The campaign run by Serena Tierney was frankly a nasty personal one attacking Nicholas Soames in disingenuous ways.

Well, that meant that the Liberal Democrats did squeeze Labour, but it also pushed up the Conservative vote by 4564, increasing Nicholas Soames majority and getting him over 50% of the vote.

I also note Serena Tierney's behaviour at the count. Her team had been working hard throughout the election and worked hard at the count.

Serena turned up half an hour before her result was announced, and left immediately afterwards leaving the Liberal Democrat activists to watch over the by election count on their own.

Contrast that with Nicholas Soames who arrived about the same time I did, around 11 PM during verification, and left when I did at 7 AM after the last result was announced.

Where is the evidence that "the people" want electoral reform?

I have heard many people claiming that the electorate want electoral reform.

Where is the evidence?

69% of people voted for parties that have been traditionally hostile to changing the voting system.

If there were a referendum, it would be lost.

So where is the evidence that the UK wants PR?

Gordon Brown squatting in No 10 Downing Street

Some people seem to be whinging about Gordon Brown squatting in No 10 Downing Street.

Why?

Whilst it is clear that he has lost the election, it is not clear how a winning coalition could be formed either.

What is clear is that it is unclear how a government will form.

In the meantime our constitution provides that the Primeminister remains until replaced.

Seems fair to me.

Someone has to run the country after all. Anyone got any better ideas?

West Sussex County, East Grinstead South and Ashurst Wood, Conservative hold

John O'Brian, Conservative 2878

Catrin Ingham Liberal Democrat, 2771
Robert Wall Ind. 328

Mid Sussex District, Hurstpierpoint and Downs, Conservative hold

Anna DeFilippa Conservative 2362
Rodney Jackson Liberal Democrat 1848
spoilt 48.

Mid Sussex Dirtict, Haywards Heath Heath Liberal Democrat Gain

Ruth DeMere, Conservative 1310.
Sue Ing, Liberal Democrat 1350
Alan Yates, Labour 221
Spoilt 23.

Well,you can't win them All.

Mid Sussex district High Weald result

Conservative hold,

Simon McMenemy 1670
Anne Marrie Lucratf 922
Paul Brom (Green) 922

Mid Sussex District, Cuckfield,Anstye and Staplefield result

Conservative Hold,
Robert Salisbury 1597
Stephen Blanch 1362.

Mid Sussex result, Con hold with an increased majority

Nicholas Soames has increased his majority getting 28,329.

Serena Tiereney got 20,927 squeazing Labour

The Mid Sussex view

Well, there can't be much surprise that Nicholas Soames will win. Serena Tierney has thrown the kitchen sink at the campaign, but the nasty Liberal Democrat campaign has not gained traction.

The reception on the doorstep has been both good and warm.

I also think we will have done well holding our by elections.

That said, if I am wrong then I will have to eat humble pie.

Exit poll predictions

The exit polls predict:

Conservatives 307

Labour 255

Liberal Democrats 59

Others 29

Now this is based on UNS and does not include postal votes so I am not sure if it will be as accurate as 2005.

Exit polls are pointless!

with the number of postal votes out there, I can't see the point of it. Afte all sampling them is difficult.

BBC article on blogging

The BBC have published an article on political blogs here.

It covers my views and the views of 4 other bloggers on the election. They are:

Bob Balls

Thinking Muslim

Malc in the Burgh

Opinions of Tobias Grubbe

There is even a picture of me on it!

The longest day!

Spare a thought for all party activists. Polling day involves a lot of hard work before and after polls close.

Also spare a thought for the people running the boots and counting.

Liberal Democrat housing policy does not add up.

On the one hand the Liberal Democrats want to set a target to build 1,500,000 new homes, and on the other hand they want to add VAT to new homes.

How is increasing the cost of new homes by £15,000 going to help when money is already tight?

For more see policy diffusion here, or some others here.

Liberal Democrat Godfrey Newton- a strong voice for Worthing West!

Liberal Democrat Godfrey Newton- a strong voice for Worthing West, the only problem is that he is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Horsham, where one suspects they might like their MP to represent them!

Oops.. You can see the details here.

Gordon Brown warned on banking collapse in 1997

Gordon Brown was warned that the changes to the banking system he was bringing in, in particular removing the role of bank regulator from the Bank of England and putting it into the hands of the FSA would lead to a systemic banking failure.

When discussing the bill that passed the changes to the banking system the Conservative Shadow Chancellor, Peter Lilley said:

With the removal of banking control to the Financial Services Authority--the "super-SIB"--it is difficult to see how and whether the Bank remains, as it surely must, responsible for ensuring the liquidity of the banking system and preventing systemic collapse.

And further:

We have no objection to the objective of trying to bring greater simplicity and one-stop shopping to the business of financial regulation, but we fear that the Government may, almost casually, have bitten off more than they can chew. The process of setting up the FSA may cause regulators to take their eye off the ball, while spivs and crooks have a field day. We shall observe closely what is going on in the development of the proposed legislation.

You can read the whole section of the debate here (several pages), the quotes were drawn from here.

Now that Gordon Brown has admitted some liability for the banking collapse it is interesting to see Labour spinners, and indeed Gordon Brown lying about how the banks were run before his disastrous changes. They allege that the banks were self regulated before Labour came into power. This is, of course wrong. Barclay's did not regulate Barclay's, nor did Lloyd's regulate Lloyd's, the Bank of England supervised them all, keeping a close eye on balance sheets and risk which as we know is a movable feast. Previously they had taken failing banks over and had them restructured in a weekend.

You can read more articles on the Bank of England here.

I would seriously recommend reading the whole debate. Robert Chote gets quoted quite a lot!