Nov

4

Rent or buy?

Category: Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

The Press Association reports:
MPs should no longer be able to claim for their mortgages or employ family members at the taxpayers’ expense, the long-awaited report by the standards watchdog has said…
In future, MPs should only be able to claim for rent or hotel costs…

Now, correct me if I’m wrong but I cannot understand this. A [...]

Oct

2

Lucky yellow socks

Category: Fishwick, Liberal Democrats | Leave a Comment | Trackback

After a month or more of campaigning, the Fishwick by-election concluded yesterday in a rather substantial victory for Labour county councillor Jennifer Mein.
It would be dishonest of me not to own up to feeling rather deflated but I’ve learnt a lot, received a tremendous reception from others on the ward and feel I can deservedly [...]

Jan

26

Gaza

Category: Politics, Television, grrrr | Leave a Comment | Trackback

I’ve just sent the following to BBC Complaints and have written to my local MP to encourage him to sign Richard Burden MP’s EDM. I would encourage my reader to join me.
I have been greatly impressed by the BBC’s impartiality over the years and applaud the Corporation’s continuing efforts to be impartial. However, I am [...]

Jun

12

Six weeks

Category: Christianity, Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

I’m not sure that I have ever in my life been truly impressed by the actions of a serving Tory MP (the Blue in the title of this blog refers to my footballing affiliations and has no connection with my political thoughts). However, as the Government continue to turn their backs on the dream that [...]

Jun

7

Peddling fiction rather than fact

Category: Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

I was surprised this morning to receive an unsolicited letter from my MP, Mr Mark Hendrick, accusing me of posting unfair criticisms of him. He claims to have been assiduous in responding to my communications and asks that I be big enough to accept that [he has] been responsive to [my] enquiries. He then suggests [...]

Dec

23

Fuel for thought

Category: Politics, Travel | Leave a Comment | Trackback

Via Steve’s blog, which has sourced its information in turn from Better Transport, I am reminded that the fuel tax has, in percentage terms, not been so low since 1993.
Even though I am reminded elsewhere elsewhere that VAT is payable on fuel, it appears that the VAT element actually serves to stabilise fuel prices.
I [...]

Nov

1

“After running onto a train, he is shot dead.”

Category: Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

Before you read the following, think back to July 2005 and the day you heard of the death of Jean Charles de Menezes. The BBC news website still has a contemporary timeline of the 2005 London alerts which features the following:
1: Jean Charles de Menezes leaves a house under surveillance in south London and arrives [...]

Jun

30

Korean War over

Category: Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

More than two months ago, I asked my local MP to intervene regarding proposed changes to the Highway Code which could have effectively banned cyclists from many roads in the UK.
This week I finally saw a sign of action: Mark Hendrick has forwarded my letter to the Secretary of State for Transport. Perhaps someone should [...]

May

30

Bingo

Category: Cycling, Politics | Leave a Comment | Trackback

Following a lacklustre campaign from the CTC and thousands of letters to MPs from individual cyclists, the CTC report today that we may have managed to get the Government to see sense in permitting cyclists to use the road even when substandard cycle facilities are available.
Rules 61 and 63
The Department for Transport is proposing the [...]

May

24

You’ll never guess

Category: Cycling, Politics | 2 Comments | Trackback

It is now Thursday, 24th May, one month and three days after I wrote to Mark Hendrick about the contentious subject of cyclists being allowed to use actual roads rather than dangerous, substandard cyclepaths.
He’s still not replied.
I’m reminded of this by yesterday’s debate in the House of Commons on this very subject.

keep looking »