The End of Week Quote

London is the second most expensive city in the world, and while billions are made in the City, ordinary Londoners often struggle to pay for the basics - housing, energy and transport. Being Green is about believing in a fair share for everybody, so I'm determined to cut the astronomical cost of living and make a fairer, greener London.

The somewhat daft comment from Sian Berry, the hitherto invisible Green London Mayoral candidate. Read the full piece on posted on One London.

Patientline - An Expensive Blot

Yours a twice monthly national magazine for mature Ladies (not on line) picks up on the issue of hospital patient groups who are becoming increasingly angry at the strangle hold Patientline continues to have on calls made to and from patients using bedside phones. This is not a new issue but one that continues to irritate.

Examples are provided from all over the country on page 21 of the issue published today (click above to read) of very unhappy patients and relatives. A particularly sad case is told of one elderly couple far too frail to visit their 30-year old son in hospital for the six weeks treatment for a brain injury. Unable to visit their sick son they telephoned him briefly every morning and evening to keep in touch. The poor souls ended up with a phone bill of £450.

The failing Patientline is exposed as the most expensive bedside phone provider - they operate in 150 or so hospitals. No doubt the company will respond with its well spun message about not costing the NHS any money to install and Mrs Peters the ultra loyal Pantieline Manager from North Tess Hospital will yet again wax indignant in the comments section below but the basic fact remains that Patientline continues as a blot on the landscape of the NHS.

It has already been suggested that the Editor of the Blog was 'connected' with the production of the article. Many may well well think that; we could not possibly comment.

Many People Assume

It really is very hard to tell whether our Prime Minister Gordon Brown, when he originally made his pledge to create "British jobs for British workers" at the September Labour Party conference, was attempting to deceive, or genuinely did not know that any such pledge would contravene EU law. Many people tend to assume that our masters ............ Dr North continues on EU Referendum.

From the Farm

Poor old farmers. Can there be a more smeared and sneered at group in Britain - or one that has had so much thrown at it in so short a time? And are journalists really unable to see a difference between farmers (people who farm) and those grotesque agri-barons who treat animals as mere parcels of protoplasm to be crammed behind the high walls of factories? Comment is posted our posted on one of our favourite sites Warmwell.

The Sunday Quote

''All progress is based upon the universal desire on the part of every organisation to live beyond it's income.''

Samuel Butler 1835 -1902

£4,000 every houshold

The case against big government is simple and devastating. Politicians have big ambitions, but low competence. This is not an issue of party political rhetoric, it is a matter of numbers. The Taxpayers' Alliance has suggested that every household in Britain has £4,000 taken each year in tax. A detailed comment on this is posted on the excellent blog, The Purple Scorpion.

End of Week Quote

The End of Week Quote is a Speech given by Major General John Sutherell at the medal parade for the Royal Anglians on Thursady.

There is no doubt that the tour you have just completed is the most demanding operational tour experienced by any Royal Anglian Regiment since its formation in 1964. For those involved this will live forever in the memory.

In spite of the heat and privations you have taken on a hard and fanatical enemy on their own grounds and driven them back. The fighting has been remorseless in its intensity and often at very close quarters.You have shown courage, endurance and professional skill and comradeship of a very high order.

But you have also shown the intelligence, restraint and humanity to discern between those who have been trying to kill you and the people we are in Afghanistan to help.

As a result you have made a very important contribution to a campaign that is strategically hugely important to the UK, its allies and all the countries in that region.

This considerable success has come at a cost. We are all mindful of the nine who died and so many of you who have suffered the pain of wounding, including the unseen wounds that are so hard to bear.

But the families that stayed at home, separated from their loved ones, also deserve a medal. No one who experienced this year shall forget it. This year, our regiment has come of age.

You all have served our country, our regiment, your families and each other magnificently.

A European No-Brainer

Channel Four News reports that: ''Financial support for Europe's regions will be suspended unless national authorities tighten controls against euro-fraud and mismanagement, the European Commission has warned.'' Europe's regions yes indeed really - that is actually quite true there are 12 European Regions in the UK.

The latest threat from Brussels was announced after after the EU's financial watchdog refused for the 13th year running to give the Union's annual spending a clean bill of health this week. The Commission oversees the handling of the £75 billion-a-year euro budget, but the member states are responsible for distributing the bulk - almost 80% - of EU spending, most of it in grants and subsidies. In fact a whole industry has developed around the misnamed ''European money'' handouts. The UK of course gets back, conditionally, each year about two thirds, of the billions that it pays over to the EU each year.

One wonders where the billions in grant money will go if the EU suspends payments to some or most of 'its regions'. At this point we must spare a thought for all those dependent on EU regional funding in the European Regions of the UK. Many poor souls in such hither too ever expanding organisations such as the Regional Development Authorities would be cast adrift on the job market - many would clearly suffer long term hardship since finding work in the private sector could be too huge a cultural shock for them.

So in summery the EU regions in the EU province of Britain - created primarily (at the time of the Single European Act of 1988 when few knew what was really going on) for the complex funding arrangements of the EU may not in future be funded with the the money that British Taxpayers unwittingly pay over (in ever increasing amounts) to the EU Commission because, say the EU, the EU system of funding for it's dear regions is not fit for purpose. This failing is blamed by the EU officials on the regions in the EU's member states. Oh dear what a sorry (member) state of affairs.

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Well now, to use modern parley it is a 'no-brainer' to conclude that it would be a lot more efficient and indeed beneficial if in the future we in the UK distributed our own funds to our very own own counities (some quite well establshed) and metropolitan and other unitery authorities (they are a tad more modern) on a national bases. Sounds very simple to me. Are we on this blog missing the point ?

The Admiral's Retreat

As Admiral the Lord West swims away from Downing Street with a large naval dirk sticking out between his shoulder blades, government policy on the issue of how long it wants to be able to hold suspects, is, as the retired sailor now appreciates, all at sea, he knows politics is no place for gentlemen. The detail of the Admiral's embarrassment is posted on the excellent blog, The Huntsman.

The Decline of the British High Street

Comments are bouncing around the inside pages of the newspapers this week concerning the all too obvious decline of our high streets in recent years. The connection that commentators and others are not making forcefully enough is between the draconian and expensive parking restrictions in most towns and city centres and the decline of our traditional high streets.

Quite deliberately planners have favored for mostly 'environmental' reasons out of town shopping centers with their huge free to use car parks Such locations by and large favour the larger retail chain leaving the independent retailer to struggle on in high street shopping locations that are well past their prime due to under use by more affluent shoppers.

Combine the growth of out of town shopping with the increasing mighty power of supermarkets who now retail far more than groceries the outlook for the independent specialist retailer - once a dominant business sector is looking grim. The solution is not easy though a cry of use us or loose us not only sounds pathetic it will not encourage consumers to return in droves. Maybe a general tax break for independent smaller retailers is a way forward to encourage their growth?

The independent food retailer has been particularly badly hit during the past 10 years. Ahead of the long awaited publication of the findings of the Commission's inquiry into whether the growth of the UK's grocery giants is hindering competition, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said certain tactics employed by large retailers must be dealt with. Though the difficulty is precisely how smaller businesses can respond to the march of the giants.

Selling items priced below the cost of production, bullying small suppliers and paying them late, spiraling high street parking charges and property speculation through land banks are among the corporate methods which the FSB claims supermarkets use to exert unfair dominance over independent shops. An all-party group of MPs recently estimated that by 2015 there will be no independent food high street retailers.

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The Commission's latest inquiry, the findings of which will be published later this week, is the third investigation into supermarkets in seven years; yet as far as small retailers are concerned the national solution to the problem of the slippery slope of overall declining sales remains elusive.

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A reversal of expensive and restrictive parking policies (a part of a strong anti-car philosophy) in our declining town centers by our cash hungry local authorities- encouraged by central government - would make a significant improvement to the fortunes of our High Streets. Two hundred years ago Napoleon commented that we are a nation of small shop keepers alas we are now a nation of expensive parking zones and four monster supermarket chains. I feel a campaign coming on.

The Wrangling of Car Emisions

The wrangling between EU institutions continues over the setting of medium and long-term emissions limits for cars, with the outcome likely to have very serious implications for Britain's specialist car-makers and the tens of thousands of people they employ. In a European Parliament resolution of 24 October 2007, MEPs responded to the EU Commission's aspiration. Fellow blogger Stuart Coster makes some valid points over on Pro-car.

The Remembrance Parking Fine

As most people in the UK and Commonwealth stopped what they were doing yesterday and stood in respectful silence at 11 o'clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in due dereference to our Nations 'Glorious Dead'. Halifax Parking Wardens in blatant disrespect were handing out fixed penalty parking fines actually during the two minute silence to vehicles while the drivers were attending the local war memorial service.

The vehicles were parked in a residential street with reserved parking for residents. Many cars had been used to transport elderly and infirm people and had for obvious reasons parked a short distance from where the service of Remembrance was being held.

The owner of one vehicle Malcolm Walker was furious about the incident and told BBC Radio Leeds that amazingly the fixed penalty notices were actually being affixed to vehicles during the two minute silence.

As reported on the BBC Leeds website Mr Walker said to the Council Parking Warden :

"I said, do you not realise why these cars are actually parked here? They've come to remember the fallen could you not just go round the corner for five minutes and cut them some slack?'' He added ''could you not hear the bugles playing and the bank marching. She just looked at be blank. ''

The Parking Warden responded ''A, I'm doing my job, and B, I didn't even know there was a parade on.''

An unnamed spokesman for Calderdale Council who employed the inflexible local parking tax collector commented that it had responded to "numerous" complaints from residents in Dispensary Walk. He said to the BBC:

"Residents living there are frequently unable to park close to their own home because of other motorists parking illegally in their residents' parking area, and this causes them a great deal of difficulty, particularly if, for example, they need to load or unload from their cars. This is a regular ongoing problem for these residents, not only a once a year event."

The spokesman added (completely missing the point) ''the parking area for residents was clearly signed and there were more than 200 alternative spaces available so there was no reason for any motorist to abuse the residents' parking area".

Unfortunately incidents and official comments like this are not uncommon. Whilst the actions of one ignorant and inflexible parking warden can be put down to crass stupidity the response of Calderdale Council is by any standard quite disgraceful. When the authorities, Police and politicians complain of the lack or respect given to themselves or the lack of cooperation they should not commission yet another focus group or consultation exercise in an attempt to understand the problem they should simply examine their own working practices of which this incident in Halifax yesterday is but one example.

It is the earnest hope of the editor of this blog that if the officials at Calderdale Council insist on enforcing the £30 fine (which if left unpaid will increase to £60) Mr Walker and his fellow parkers refuse to pay and attend Halifax magistrates court in mass and present a verbal case of mitigation. Lest the Councilors at Halifax meanwhile remind their officials that Nelson once put his telescope to his blind eye for a reason.

The Remembrance Sunday Quote

The Sunday Quote today the 11 th November - Rememberance Sunday - reflects on a little referred to meeting on the Day that Winston Churchill was appointed as Britain's War time coalition government Prime Minister. A meeting between the incumbent PM Chamberlain, Foreign Sectary Lord Halifax and Churchill then First Sea Lord. Churchill's uncharacteristic silence during a key moment at the meeting that day a reflection of his political genius.

I have had many important interviews in my public life and this was certainly the most important. Usually I talk a great deal but on this occasion I was silent . Mr Chamberlain evidently had in his mind the stormy scene in the House of Commons two nights before, when I had seemed to be in such heated controversy with the Labour Party,. Although this had been in his support and defense, he nevertheless felt that it might be an obstacle to my obtaining their adherence at this juncture. I do not recall the actual words he used, but this was the implication. As I remained silent a very long pause ensued. It certainly seemed longer than the two minutes which one observes in the commemorations of Armistice Day. Then at length Halifax spoke. He said that he felt that his position as a Peer, out of the House of Commons , would make it very difficult for him to discharge the duties of Prime Minister in a war like this. He spoke for some minutes in this sense, and by the time he had finished it was clear that the duty would fall upon me.

Extracted and abridged from: 'The Second World War Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm' by Winston S Churchill.

The two minutes silence that Churchill refers to at the meeting at number 10 Downing Street was on the morning of 10 May 1940 and has since been described as the most important two minutes in British History. If Halifax had emerged for that meeting as Chamberlin's successor as indeed the latter had intended without doubt the UK would have made deal with Nazi Germany who that very day had invaded Holland, Belgium and France.

Thus, this is how the the war time Leadership of Winston Churchill started with an assement of a situation that had the great man mishandled the political result would clearly have led to the and early end to the War with the appeasement of Hitler's military dominance of Europe. A policy that would have led to a Europe of unchallenged fascist domination.

Not before or since that short meeting in the famous terraced house in central London has the future of the western world hinged on a well calculated silence; if anyone doubts the vital contribution of Churchill's leadership to Britain and world civilization during the early years of the Second World War they need do no more than consider the alternative politician that could have led the nation from May 1940 - the appeaser Lord Halifax.

From the Farm

The Reform that dare not speak its name

by Dr Richard North

Keen though they are to call the EU constitution a "reform" treaty, the “colleagues” are distinctly reticent about applying the word “reform” to yet another round of er… reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy. Indulging in their love of circumlocutions and constructive ambiguities, this time they are calling it a "health check".

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Agriculture commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel tells us that the process underway is a more "nuanced" approach aimed at a way of achieving "a better way of handling available resources." This "nuanced" approach is an extension of what is known in the business as "modulation", creaming off subsidies paid to farmers and diverting them to rural development.

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The "modulation" level now being proposed is €100,000 which means, according to the IHT that amongst the losers will be the Queen (ours, that is) and the owners of East Germany's Communist-era collective farms. The EU commission is suggesting "by way of example" that payments above €100,000 could be reduced by 10 percent, those above €200,000 by 25 percent, and those above €300,000 by 45 percent.

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The plan, of course, must be approved by member states, and there they might have a little difficulty. In 2002 a plan to cap farm subsidies at €300,000 was blocked by Germany and Britain. And while the UK does, in principle, favour reform, the current scheme adversely affects British farming, which has the largest average farm size in Europe.

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However, the plan may be more "nuanced" than it appears. Jack Thurston, co-founder of farmsubsidy.org, calculates that the current proposal would affect only 1.7 percent of spending on direct farm aid. Given that total subsidies paid amount to €55 billion out of the total EU budget this year of €116 billion - and direct aid is less than half - this does not make a serious dent in the system.

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No wonder the EU Commission does not want to call their plan a "reform".

The End of Week Quote

'' Every day that Sir Ian Blair clings to office seriously damages the Metropolitan Police and its ability to provide safety and security in the capital. By undermining public confidence in the police force, it makes another terrorist atrocity much more likely.''

The first paragraph from the Leader in todays Daily Mail.

The column ends:

'' If the Commissioner hasn't the decency to resign by the time the Metropolitan Police Authority meets next Thursday, they must sack him.''

Which is in line with the comment that the editor of this Blog made in a posting last last week-end.

Move on Sir Ian

A vote from the members of the London Assembly calling on the Home Secretary to sack Sir Ian Blair the Metropolitan Police Commissioner was carried this afternoon after more than two hours of demanding and sometimes angry questioning. Members of the Assembly repeatedly clashed with Sir Ian as they demanded to know why he would not step down over the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Sir Ian Blair has restated his suborn determination to remain in his post dispite beeing told elected London representatives have no confidence in him - but has insisted this evening that he will not resign.

The unprecedented move by the London Assembly was designed to pile fresh pressure on Sir Ian in the wake of last week's guilty verdict at the Old Bailey over the Stockwell shooting. But the Commissioner said he retained the support of senior politicians, which for the moment is true though his fellow senior officers officers and the majority of Londoners are increasingly concerned that Sir Ian position is untenable.

As regular readers of this blog will know we called for Sir Ian to resign or be sacked shortly after the killing of Mr de Menezes. Tomorrow the Independent Police Complaints Commission publishises its Stockwell One report. It is unlikely that Sir Ian Blair will retain the support of the Prime Minister beyond Friday; his arrogant attitude will be far too much of an embarrassment even for Gordon Brown to tolerate.

Head over the EU

Fed up with unwillingly advertising the EU on my 'Driving Licence I have come up with a simple protest to the offensive ring of stars that we all carry and display on ever increasing demand. I have affixed a postage stamp on the top right hand corner. With a bit of trimming the Queens Head nicely covers up the EU Flag; as indeed it should. In the absence of a suitably sized Union Flag sticker it's a cheep and easy to apply protest. Here is one I made earlier ..........

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Brown's BNP Moment

If one was to cherry-pick two moments from yesterday’s encounter in the House of Commons between Messers Brown and Cameron, then Cameron’s highlighting of the Prime Minister’s BNP-style sloganeering and Brown’s taunting of Cameron over the issue of whether he will promise a referendum on a ratified EU Constitution are self-selecting. Today's post by a fellow blogger on The Huntsman makes the best point of the day.

The Queen's Speech

Entirely predictably, but nevertheless an important milestone in the passage of the EU Lisbon treaty from a draft to becoming part of the British constitution, the Queen's speech today, which was also entirely predictable, included provision for a Bill to ratify the treaty.

This drew a response from David Cameron that his Party would table an amendment to "give the British people the referendum they were promised".

Scared to Death

Never before have so few (Christoper Booker and Richard North) disturbed so many with a new book; well not since their last one.

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Today, The Sunday Telegraph publishes a whole page on a new book, Scared to Death, the latest from the Booker-North stable. James Delingpole wrote ''This brilliant expose of some of the most destructive delusions of our time should be compulsory reading for everyone (particularly journalists and politicians) and if people took heed the world would suddenly become a better place."

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The article in the Telegraph however, is a shorter version of that which Booker originally submitted, the full version of the article is posted on EU Referendum.

Follow the links to read more and to order the book.

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Christopher Booker & his colleague, Richard North, are courageous opponents of scares. They ought to be national treasures ... they are relentlessly unfashionable. Their unwillingness to run with the pack makes them sceptical of conventional wisdom and sets them apart from mainstream journalism, which is unsettled by their diligence and their originality.And then - like all sceptics - they are sometimes embarrassing even to their friends. They will insist on checking the facts of the matter ... this excellent forensic book ... Every politician, every journalist, every consumer of journalism should read, mark, learn and inwardly digest it.

Peter Hitchens in The Mail on Sunday.

What did you do ......?

Peter Hitchens in The Mail today has a tilt at the European Union and takes a swipe at the Tories as well. Of them, he writes:

When it comes to action, the Tory Party will continue to support the EU because they have been committed to it since the Sixties, and cannot admit that this was a mistake.But they also recognise how unpopular it is, which is why they pretend to be hostile and invented'Euroscepticism' to console disgruntled voters. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be to unscramble. My advice is not to be diverted by campaigns for a referendum that will get us nowhere.It is to consider, very carefully, whether you will be able to look your children and grandchildren in the face when, 20 years hence, they ask: "What did you do to stop the country being taken over by a foreign power?"

He adds that he will continue, week by week, to suggest ways in which you might be able to ensure that they never need to ask that question.

Pakistan's State of Emergency

Pakistan's President Musharraf announced a "state of emergency" that has all the appearances of a full military takeover and the imposition of martial law. In Vegas, a move like this at the craps tables is known as the "dead man's roll", a last shot with whatever chips you have left to win or lose it all. An excellent analysis of the implications is posted by fellow blogger on Joshuapundit.

The Sunday Quote

''The best indicator of a man's honisty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjustment on his bathroom scales.''

Sir Arthur C Clarke

Parking Fines

Now if we were telling you that a theft had been reported to the Police but the Police were refusing to make an arrest until the thief contacted lawyers to see if stealing was a crime then you would think the world had been turned upside down. Now consider this > Posted on Neil Herron blog.

We Do Not Tolerate Death Squads; Resign

When a business fails those who run it lose their jobs. Whether it is a Bank or a small business serious failure costs the livelihood of those in charge. It is a reflection of the difference between the public sector and the business world that when there is serious failure in the public sector those in charge of public institutions and indeed their sympathizers, think they are justified in clinging to their highly paid jobs.

Without doubt the failure of the Metropolitan Police over the shooting of the innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes as confirmed when the 'Met' was found guilty at the Old Bailey last week of serious health and safety charges, has been well documented in the national media. The court heard how there was a ''catastrophic'' series of blunders which led to surveillance teams believing they were on the trail of a suicide bomber rather than a totally innocent electrician going legally to work. The Police were fined £175,000 and ordered to pay £385,000 costs.

The events were without doubt born out of appalling communication failures, human error and neglect of duty which were compounded by the response and reaction of Sir Ian and other senior officers in the hours and days after the tragic shooting. Further facts will be detailed in the publication of the Independent Police Complaints Commission 'Stockwell One Report ' published next week.

The report is particularly critical of the Commissioner for the manner in which he attempted to keep independent investigators away from the scene of the killing in the immediate aftermath. The Metropolitan Police Authority will be meeting within the next ten days to hold vote of confidence on Sir Ian Blair as head of London's Police.

The intense pressure of the situation in London following the 7 July bombings in 2005 is frequently put forward as mitigation of the killing of Mr De Menzies. In fact detail of the events of his killing that are already well established in the public domain dismiss such arguments. The Police and the Security Services failed through unacceptable and basic neglect of duty to the public. Further more black propaganda issued to the media on the character and behavior of Mr DeMenzies immediately following his killing compounded the failings of the authorities and particularly Sir Ian Blair.

As we stated on this blog in the months after the horrific events in London in the Summer of 2005 the terrorists must not win the war on terror - for a war is what it is. If the huge errors and failure of duty by the authorities are allowed to go unchecked, if standards of Policing are allowed to fall, if it becomes acceptable to turn a blind eye in the name of 'security'; then public confidence in the Police will fall to even lower levels than it is now.

The British public sector is fixated in believing that lessons learnt is the silver lining in the black clouds of public disasters. If there is a lesson in the tragic killing of Mr. De Menezies it is that we do not tolerate death squads in Britain. Not then, not now not ever.

It is thus for all those reasons that Sir Ian Blair the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Britain's most senior Police officer the person in ultimate charge of the events that led to the death of Jean Charles De Menezes must resign. If he will not resign the Home Secretary Ms Jacqui Smith should sack him; if she won't then the Prime Minister should sack them both. The alternative is the contempt from the majority of thinking Britons of the Police will have serious implications on the future security of our great nation.

The End of Week Quote

The end of week quote this week is a copy of an email complaint and reply sent to Edinbrough Police and copied to us by a reader. The reply from a Police Constable is so very typical. The emails are reproduced on this Blog because the problem is also very common in other locations in the UK. The crux of the matter being that the Police are losing the confidence of the public in ever increasing amounts; though British humour apparently remains firmly in place.

Dear Sir/madam/automated telephone answering service

Having spent the past twenty minutes waiting for someone at Leith policestation to pick up a telephone I have decided to abandon the idea and try e-mailing you instead. Perhaps you would be so kind as to pass this message on to your colleagues in Leith by means of smoke signal, carrierpigeon or ouji board.

As I'm writing this e-mail there are eleven failed medical experiments (I think you call them youths) in West Cromwell Street which is just off Commercial Street in Leith . Six of them seem happy enough to play a gamewhich involves kicking a football against an iron gate with the force of a meteorite. This causes an earth shattering clang which ringsthroughout the entire building. This game is now in it's third week and as I am unsure how the scoring system works, I have no idea if it willend any time soon.

The remaining five walking abortions are happily rummaging through several bags of rubbish and items of furniture that someone has sothoughtfully dumped beside the wheelie bins. One of them has found a saw and is setting about a discarded chair like a beaver on speed. I fear that it's only a matter of time before they turn their limited attention to the bottle of calor gas that is lying on it's side between the two bins. If they could be relied on to only blow their own arms and legsoff then I would happily leave them to it. I would even go so far as to lend them the matches. Unfortunately they are far more likely to blow uphalf the street with them and I've just finished decorating the kitchen.

What I suggest is this. After replying to this e-mail with worthless assurances that the matter is being looked into and will be dealt with, why not leave it until the one night of the year (probably bath night)when there are no mutants around then drive up the street in a panda carbefore doing a three point turn and disappearing again. This will of course serve no other purpose than to remind us what policemen actuallylook like. I trust that when I take a claw hammer to the skull of one of these throwbacks you'll do me the same courtesy of giving me a four month headstart before coming to arrest me.

I remain sir, your obedient servant ..................

Reply.

Mr ............

I have read your e-mail and understand you frustration at the problems caused by youth playing in the area and the problems you have encountered in trying to contact the police. As the Community Beat Officer for your street I would like to extend anoffer of discussing the matter fully with you.

Should you wish to discuss the matter, please provide contact details(address / telephone number) and when may be
suitable.

Regards PC.............

Dear PC ...........

First of all I would like to thank you for the speedy response to my original e-mail. 16 hours and 38 minutes must be a personal record for Leith Police.

Secondly I was delighted to hear that our street has it's own communitybeat officer. May I be the first to congratulate you on your covertskills. In the five or so years I have lived in West Cromwell Street , I have never seen you. Do you hide up a tree or have you gone deepunder cover and infiltrated the gang itself?

Whilst I realise that there may be far more serious crimes taking place in Leith such as smoking in a public place is it too much to ask for a policeman to explain (using words of no more than two syllables at a time) to these persons that they might want to play their strange football game elsewhere. The pitch behind the Citadel or the one at DKs are both within spitting distance as is the bottom of the Leith Dock.

Should you wish to discuss these matters further you should feel free to contact me on ......... If after 25 minutes I have still failed to answer, I'll buy you a large one in the Compass Bar.

Regards

P.S If you think that this is sarcasm, think yourself lucky that you don't work for the cleansing department.

Sir Ian Blair - He Must Resign

The Metropolitan Police has been convicted of a serious crime, albeit, as the Trial Judge, said, one that was born of “an isolated breach brought about by quite extraordinary circumstances”. Notwithstanding this unprecedented and astonishing turn of events, Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, clings by his fingernails to office. We recomend the piece by a fellow blogger posted on The Huntsman.

A Whinging in the Valleys

Welsh small businesses are yet again to loose out on a £1 billion of so called ''European Money'' (allocated by our true government in Brussels) to provide, so we are told, a shot in the arm to small businesses.

Although the aim of the so- called " EU Convergence Funding", which West Wales and the Valleys qualify for due to their low GDP, is to help small and medium-sized businesses to grow, there is serious whining in the valleys that once again the cash will be allocated to just every project other than those that could actually create real long term jobs.

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The Brussels approved 'Programme Monitoring Committee' (PMC) in Wales has 24 members, 10 appointed ''economic experts'' and 14 reserved for Welsh organisations only one of the 14 slots has gone to any one with business experience. Though Ann Beynon, a corporate Director for BT in Wales is not a person with with small experience.

The whole distribution programme risks repeating mistakes made in spending during the last seven-year round of EU cash handouts (then known as Objective One). Although Brussels declared itself happy with the way the Assembly Government had run that scheme, there was widespread criticism that it had been a missed opportunity, because the true engine room of economic growth small and medium sized businesses were excluded from support from the fund.

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Janet Jones, the voice of of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Wales, said in the Western Mail this week: "If the aim of the programme is to transform the Welsh economy, don't you think it would have been a good idea to involve more businesses. It's a travesty that out of all of 14 places available on the Convergence Funding PMC which were allocated to organisations, only one place was given to the private sector. There is also no dedicated small business representation on the PMC, despite the stated aim of the whole programme being 'to help progress the region's transformation into a sustainable and competitive economy by investing in the knowledge economy and helping new and existing businesses to grow', which is taken from the Wales European Funding Office's own website.''

John Wright the FSB National Chairman made similar comments which attracted a headline in the Welsh press during September about ''European money'' in Wales being in danger of failing to reach the small Businesses who are best placed to stimulate the local economy.

Well both the FSB 'chairs' (as they like to be referred to) are undoubtedly quite right to join in the criticisms. However, making a lot of noise about the issue is all that regrettably can be done. Meanwhile Welsh entrepreneurs will for the 8th year in succession fail to receive funding which would transform the economic life of Wales if it were properly allocated. No wonder there is much so whining in the Welsh Valleys

The actual long term remedy is of course simple. It is to stop paying ever increasing billions of pounds of British tax payers money over to ''Europe'' and await patiently for some of its conditional return from Eurocrats to whom we are supposed to be very grateful. Why not simply demand that our own accountable politicians (and we have enough of them) spend our money in a way that can be held accountable to the British people? It sounds really quite simple and preferable. Which is why the grass routes representatives of the Federation of Small Businesses have twice voted to leave the EU.

Happy Birthday to Hector

Hector - a (very) British Spotted Tabby - is 17 years old today (77 in human years) after a day spent sleeping in his favorite chair he sprung to life (slowly) when the smell of grilling pork chops reached his feline nostrils . Not content with a birthday treat of pork chop he went after the editor's well done steak. Clearly nothing wrong with his appetite these days. Hector was a poorly kitten when only six weeks old he was rushed to the Vet only to emerge with two drips on attached to two ting front legs. The sickly kitten was not expected to survive - his brother Alexander had died only a few hours prior. Yet Hector did survive to grow into a bagpus sort of cat.

What does Hector owe his long life to? Probably leisurely contemplation. Well he once caught a rabbit (whilst living on the North Yorkshire Moors) though the consensus of opinion is that the rabbit was suicidal. He has never caught a mouse or any rodent for that matter. Bird lovers need not concern themselves he talks to the birds showing no interest in catching them. The summer residents of the farm, a family of Swallows, are in no danger from the resident tabby moggie.

Hector has always enjoyed a comfy chair, open fire or knee, totally ignored the one time resident hound. He once persuaded a publican (Three Tuns in Thirsk) that he was a stray of no fixed abode and enjoyed a double life as the pub cat whilst also a resident of 21 Finkle Street until he could no longer fit through the cat flap. Hector is in fact a very laid back British cat. Happy Birthday indeed.

Patient Power Failure

From the Editor's Desk.

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When Blair's legacy is assessed from a distance in time where spin can no longer distort the facts the Government's Patient Power Initiative (launched in 2000) under which the troubled Patientline company was awarded contracts to provide hospital bedside TV, Radio, Internet and Telephone services the full scale of the distress this iniative caused to sick people in over 150 British hospitals will be revealed.

Seven years after the launch the Department of Health has distanced itself from the debacle of the poor service that Patientline is providing in its terminal decline. Following numerous complaints from constituents to their MP's Ben Bradshaw MP the Minister for State for Health Services has recently confirmed that when Patientline goes into administration the Government will ensure the continuity of service to patients. That help would emphatically not include the financing of the troubled company under any conditions.

Thus when Patientline ceases trading in a few weeks, as inevitably it must, it can only get better for its customers. Non-profit making companies should replace Patientline and provide the bedside entertainment and communication service - a contingency plan that was considered when the original licenses were created.

So why do I continue to post on Patientline? Why bother? The answer is simple. In the eighteen months I was contracted to the company I witnessed first hand the distress that this company caused to sick people with it's greedy incompetent service. I worked with some truly wonderful people who were committed to providing a first class service whilst paid a little more than the minimum wage and plagued with faulty equipment and impossible sales targets. On many occasions I wrote to Patientline at senior level advising of the actuality of the stress the company was causing on the wards and indeed to its own staff. Their reaction was that of First World War Generals - ignoring the intelligence reports from the front in favour of their own propaganda. It is only fair that the truth be told.

The provider of 'phone and TV services has rightly been heavily criticized for charges dubbed “bedside robbery” with critics which include this blog saying its cheaper to phone Australia than to call a sick friend or relative in a local hospital on a Patientline system. Earlier this year it raised prices by 160 per cent to 26p a minute. It was condemned by patient groups and later scrapped the increase under media pressure.

I have received many emails from volunteers on hospital radio services (I was one once) complaining of Patientline's service. The company's next wheeze is to charge patients £1 for headsets that it was hitherto providing free. The very same headsets that can be purchased for 20p on market stalls and are mostly faulty. How nasty!

Nick Winks, Patientline’s chief executive, who earns almost £230,000 a year - not bad for managing a failing company that has become known as a national disgrace - should hang his head in shame. However as Geoff White, Patientline’s chairman, who recently proved when he said the future was “very challenging, we cannot continue year after year with the minimal level of investment in new equipment” that Patientline's Director's will continue to spin the truth for as long as they are able to pay themselves their fat salaries.

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For further reading click 'Labels' below as well as: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6690675.stm

Referendum Demand

On Saturday - 27 October - a Pro-Referendum Rally "in support of British Democracy and against the creation of an undemocratic EU superstate" was held outside the Houses of Parliament. The event was organised largely by Bob Spink, the Conservative MP for Castle Point, in Essex. The orderly but enthusastic demonstration was held at Old Palace Yard, directly opposite the House of Lords.

Speakers addressed the demonstrators from an impressively decorated open roof bus included Roger Helmer MEP, Daniel Hannan MEP, Tom Wise MEP, Bob Spink MP, Nigel Farage MEP, Jens-Peter Bonde MEP. A full account is posted on EU Referendum.

That's not nice Darling.

In response to the Pre-Budget Report, by the Prime Minister's puppet Chancellor Alistair Darling and the announcement of firm plans to raise the Capital gains Tax threshold from 10 to 18 per cent, four of the country’s business organisations – from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Institute of Directors, and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) – have come together to challenge the decision.

In a meeting with Mr. Darling last week the representative group urged him - which is in practice all they can do - to scrap the huge 80 per cent increase. At the meeting ''he agreed to give it consideration'', which is of course quite meaningless. David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said in a press release after the meeting:

“The Chancellor can now be in no doubt of the views of business towards the changes he made to Capital Gains Tax in the pre-budget report. The Chancellor has agreed to work with business on measures to stimulate enterprise in the UK and seek ways to find a way forward on the issue of CGT.”

John Wright, FSB National Chairman, (and a former NEC Member of The Militant Trade Union NALGO) in his press release reflected the comment of the BCC adding: “This was a constructive meeting and we hope that there is scope for a compromise that will meet the aims of the Government without damaging the many entrepreneurs across the country. The current proposals to change taper relief on capital gains tax go in the wrong direction and need to be changed.”

Fine placatory words from these two gentlemen, which together with other media comments will raise the issue in the minds of business people but will have no effect on any significant change to Darling's plans. It is all too little and too late the Chancellor's latest tax hike is all but a done deal.

A piece in The Times, introduced the hope that the Chancellor has left the door open to alternatives; though there is actually little sign of any evidence to that effect. This is confirmed by HM Treasury which has denied any reversal on the proposed policy, and Mr. Darling has insisted in a Treasury communication that he will not back down; the change in CGT will raise an extra £900 million a year. So much for his ''consideration''.

In a letter to the Chancellor last week regarding the proposal which will see small businesses and investors facing almost double the amount of Capital Gains Tax come next April, Richard Lambert, Director General at CBI, said it “undermines the 10 year effort by this government to promote enterprise and risk-taking within the UK” and will “hold back investment”. Which to say the least is something of a very British understatement.

Only when the present or any future occupant of 11 Downing Street asks his senior advisors how will the representatives of the nations business community react to the latest tax wheeze and worries about their response will any really effective direct pressure (forget lobbying) have had an effect. In the mean time all that is happening, as the media reports, is that representatives of the business organizations are merely responding - not reacting - to the latest government erected barrier to business growth.

For over 20 years the business community has suffered the well documented accumulative effect of increased regulation, interference and tax. Time is now right for direct action; it can only get worse. Placatory words abound as to how the burden of less regulation can be applied to businesses, but detailed examination shows that in reality UK businesses have in fact been further inhibited by government.

The time is approaching when Businesses, should perhaps follow the example of the Trade Union movement when furthering their cause by direct action a Tax strike could eventually be the answer!

To Celebrate or to Regret

“Slavery has without doubt poisoned the relationship between Europeans and Africans completely” That controvercial comment was just one of many heartfelt statements expressed in the raw at a well attended debate held in Stockton-on-Tees last week to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade.

More than 100 people took part in a vociferous verbal exchange, chaired by broadcaster Tony Baker, that lasted for over two hours at Stockton Arc to consider whether or not the landmark legislation of 1807 was a cause to celebrate or regret. The event was part of Black History Month, a national series of events.

The debate laid bare the deep-rooted sense of injustice felt by black people to the entire issue of slavery which many in attendance felt had shaped a two-tier world in which white people had denuded Africa and the Caribbean of both their citizen’s independence and their wealth. In turn, it had created, many at the event felt, a rift between people that was immensely difficult to bridge.

Erskine Grant, a member of the Northern Complainant Aid Fund which fights racial and sex discrimination cases, sat on the panel of four experts. He argued that slavery had poisoned relationships and perpetuated ‘ideologies’ about black people which persisted to modern times. He said: “Black people still face extreme discrimination in this country. Ideologies still exist in this country today. Deep down inside, it comes out in the most hideous way.”

Fellow panellist Julien Kotze, a researcher at Durham University, had earlier argued the abolition was a cause for celebration, saying: “It took a long time and very, very serious work from several devoted individuals to start this (abolition) process. These individuals spent their lives doing this. Human nature is such that shifts do not take place immediately, but it does take place. That, for me, is cause for celebration.”

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Linda Ali, a researcher on Black History and an executive member of the Set All Free committee, had a different take on it: “We haven’t won the struggle as yet. Far too many people remain in a state of slavery today. We still have work to do.”

Wendy Shepherd, project manager for the charity Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Street, lifted the lid on slavery of a different sort – the immoral or illegal abuse of people, particularly youngsters. She said: “Let’s not think that the UK is not part of the slavery of modern day human trafficking.”

The debate sparked an incredible amount of audience participation with panellists at times being reduced to mere bystanders in a dialogue that waged across the auditorium. Those who had turned up to watch the debate argued with great passion about their experiences and views of the legacy of the slave trade which continued to dog black people. One person recounted how this week she was the victim of racial abuse on the streets of Stockton as she hurried to a meeting – one member of a gang of three white men shouted “run, nigger, run” as she passed by.

Another participent decried the only written accounts of the slave trade as being written from the “white man’s perspective” and failing to grasp the full horror of the persecution of slaves. One audience member called on people to dispel the myth of “slavery mentality” which he believed was dragging people down. Another recognised the need to create positive change – “We need to leave a legacy for our children that Is better than what was left for us”.
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The thorny topic of recompense for the financial, moral and emotional impact of slavery was hotly contested, with Linda Ali arguing: “We don’t want cheques paying out to Tom, Dick and Harry. That’s not what reparation means. Reparation means going back and helping to restore and repair the countries affected by the slave trade – the Caribbean and Africa.”

Large corporations were criticised for propagating repression in modern times and exploiting labour to feed capitalist greed in the West.

Event organiser Sade Sangowawa, Managing Director of Cultures, aided by a well known Publicist later called for a celebration that people had acted in the first place to bring about the abolition of the slave trade. But, she added: “For me, the biggest issue is what does that mean? There are no chains, no whips, hence it is not so obvious and it becomes very easy to overlook or ignore. As a black person, it is very, very hard to succeed. It is a struggle and it is a fight.”


A second debate at Durham University in Stockton-on-Tees in May 2008 will examine 'The role of Black people in modern day British society' . Details to follow.

They Did Not Come For Me

Tempting as it may have been the authorites did not actually take me away as indeed one reader suggested being the reason for my recent period of uncharicteristic silence. Some very demanding business activities, my appointment as Chapter Director (Chairman) of The Warriers Chapter of BNI, together with a need for some robust legal representaion to defend my (and this glorious Blog's) reputation has somewhat diverted the limited resorces of this Blogger. So for the second time in a few weeks I now confirm that 'normal' service will contiune; this time it will be.

The Sunday Quote

''So let us have less talk of this narrow nationalism. It is not a matter of just any union, it is a matter of what are the effects of the union. Is it an aggressive one? Is it a damaging to others ? Is it selfish? Is it inward- or is it internationally minded? Is it power-hungry or is it satisfied? Does it erect barriers as well as pull them down? All these questions have to be asked, if we are to be honest, before we can decide."

Speech by Hugh Gaitskill leader of the Labour Party 'The end of a thousand years of history' on Britain's status within a converging Europe . Labour Party Conference 3 October 1962.

EU Injustice

We must now expect stories of injustice to become more commonplace as the tentacles of European Law wrap themselves ever tighter around the principles of British fairness in judicial matters and further infringe the rights of British citizens to adequate protection by our state.

How concerned is the government about the abuse of process? Comment is posted on The Waendel Journal, follow the links to Dr North's post - the story is an utter disgrace and an insult to all British Subjects. The problem is we can do nothing about it untill we leave the European Union.

''Ready for anything''

Congratulations are due to Rachel Loynes who's tandem freefall parchute jump with the Red Devils (the freefall display team from the famous Parachute Regiment) has raised over £2,000 for the Butterwick Hospice Care in Stockton-on-Tees. The cost of the jump was paid for by Carterbar Financial Services, where Rachel is a Mortgage Advisor. Sponsorship came from business as well as private indivuals inculding collegues from the Chapter of the business networking group BNI that meets in Seaton Carew where Rachel is the Secetary/ Treasurer.

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Note: Image - curtesy 'Red Devils'. The moto of the Parachute Regiment is Utrinque Paratus - Ready For Anything.

Interuption of Service

The Editorial team in response to many enquiries apologises to its many and regular readers for the lack of postings last week. There never can be an excuse to ignore our readers but in mitigation we have been seriously distracted by other matters which are:

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The Editor has had an exceptionally heavy business work load as well as being involved in a particular nasty and important piece of civil litigation which when it is prudent to do so shall be revealed on this Blog. The blog desk has also been refitted with state of the art technology which like all technology needed some 'bedding in'.

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Additionally and sadly our trusted retainer Hector - see picture - has suffered a bereavement this week. His niece Ginny lost the last of her nine lives and is assumed to be in the happy mouse hunting ground were all cats eventually go.

Shortly, in fact very shortly, we shall post more in our well established style. There is much to write about; not least is the details announced last week by the puppet Chancellor who has made life even worse for small businesses. Then there is those who by now should know better yet continue to talk about 'European money'. As we all know the country's mail service (and not just because of the strike) is getting worse, in consequence one blogger ended up in court (yes, you've guesses correctly). At last the parachuting mortgage adviser went into free fall and raised over £2000 for charity (whilst interest rates rose). So for now it is off for a touch of Sunday Lunch, back to the keyboard in time for tea.

The Sunday Quote

" Ninty per cent of the politicians give the other ten per cent a bad reputation."


Henry Kissinger, United States Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977.

Election Fever

Letter Published in The Journal today.

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Everyone and his dog in the media is now claiming credit for breaking the news that the general election is off, though the actual truth is that it was never really on. It was all hyped up by political hacks in the national press bereft of something to write about once they no longer had a daily dose of the Blair-Brown soap opera.

For sure, speculation will now turn to a Spring election - which I suspect remains extremely unlikely, as the amendment to the European Communities Act (otherwise known as the 'Reform Treaty') will be going through Parliament. To hold a general election then would delay ratification of the new treaty. It is unlikly that that Gordon Brown would not want to do that, especially as it would catapault EU issues to the top of the political agenda.

Ruling out 2009 - which is when the EU parliament elections will be held - the best bet from this political pundit is that that our Gordon will "go to the wire" and hold the election in the Spring of 2010.

Peter Troy

From The Farm

Christopher Booker's column in The Sunday Telegraph today concerns the plight of the sheep farmers who are about to see "huge quantities of perfectly safe meat, from animals in Scotland, Wales and parts of England.... incinerated, at further cost to farmers, who will see most of their year's income go up in smoke." Posted on Warmwell is a ''take'' on Booker.

The Sunday Quote

'' An important art of policiticans is to find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the public.''

Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord (1754-1838)

One Sunny Afternoon

From the Editor's keyboard.

''Your call is important to us'' is a common statement on commercial corporate telephone voice mails or holding systems. Most companies have long since learnt that ignoring calls from their customers will lead to failure. The British Police Service (once known as a Force) in the experiences of this (and I suspect other) writers have yet to understand this basic lesson.

Since Durham Constabulary apparently do not wish to take my statement I post as follows (actually it will probably be more effective):

This afternoon was a sunny and warm; a pleasant autumn afternoon. I was walking from the local convenience store with my early editions of the local newspapers to a tea shop, Sedgefield is that type of place. My short walk took me past the Black Lion Public House which has two bench style tables and seats on the pavement. As I walked passed I felt a thud and splash as a water bomb thrown by one of the drunken customers hit the ground just behind me. As I turned round another landed at my feet followed by taunted cries of ''all right mate'' from the drunken water bomber and his noisy mates. Two more water bombs thrown at great force one landed on the table of two ladies sitting out side the tea shop covering one of them with water. A fith missile landed on a vehicle with haled threats aimed at myself of: ''we will get you next time you bastard.'' A sixth was thrown inside the doors of a bus whilst unloading a group of senior citizens near the tea shop.

Being a typical middle-aged person I called the local Police on my mobile to reported the incident. I advised the Police control room that no less than two CCTV's were only a few yards away and if turned on to the troublesome group they could be observed until an officer arrived. My name and details were taken and I patiently waited on a bench nearby for a boy or girl in blue or possibly even a Community Support Officer to arrive. From my slighly phyisical (and perhaps moral) high ground accross the road I watched the group binge drink and occasionally harass passers by and eventually drive off in two vehicles in a clearly drunken and erratic state.

Ninty minutes later I recalled the Police Control room and was told by a somewhat abrasive controler that officers had attended but no one was available to give details. When I queried this I was called back a few minutes later by a senior control person an informed that the CCTV (which is apparently operated by Sedgefield Borough Council and not as we all assume the Police) had not recorded any thing adverse and that the one Police Officer on duty in Sedgefield had been dealing with other priorities and was not available. Clearly I was regarded as somewhat of a nuisance for perusing the incident report and repeating that I had waited and the scene with two other witnesses for a Police response.

The key issue here is that this is not the first time that both the CCTV and the local Police have lost the confidence of this particular tax payer at the exact same location. Back in June a young pregnant Romanian Big Issue homeless magazine seller was systematically abused by kids from the local school and disgracefully spat at by older individuals - it was only when I reported a particularly nasty incident and pointed out that the CCTV would have been focused on the 'crime scene' did the Police seek the evidence; but apparently took no action for reasons they never bothered to tell either myself or the hapless young victim despite a number of requests.

A week ago I witnessed a yob in brazen disregard for any decency stagger out of the troublesome Black Lion expose himself and eventually urinate in a nearby gift shop doorway in full view of passers by and indeed the CCTV (which by this time had two remotely controlled units on its 30 foot pole) which without doubt would have recorded the offence.

So in summary, three key points: One, what is the point of local CCTV's if they do not record anti-social behaviour so that the Police can act (do they just exist to record illegal car parking perhaps) ? Two, Sedgefield has 1,999 less police officers on duty as a routine in the town than on the sunny afternoon when one G W Bush visited, exactly four years ago. Three, I got a very strong impression that the Police (ok civilian operators working at police HQ) regarded my call as a nuisance, they did not call me back when the Police could (or would not) respond with out my prompting them with further calls; clearly my call was not important to them.

One wonders, since my experience this afternoon is not I know unique, if Police's Public relations attitude (or a basic understanding of who their customers are) would be improved if the Chief Constables were elected and democratically accountable by those they seek to serve.

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Update: This evening I received a call and visit from a very pleasant and good looking (a deliberately un-PC comment) young female PC who apologised profusely for the delay in the response but stressed she was the only officer on duty in the locality and had a serious incident to deal with this afternoon. I could not complain she was far too sweet and professional. Apparently the CCTV did record the yobs but the index number of the vehicle that they drove of in a drunken stupor was unreadable owing to the reflexion of the sun - funny that never happens when one is driving at 45 MPH in a 40 limit early on a week day morning on an empty road - I wonder why?

The ''Reform'' Treaty

The new draft of the constitutional "reform" treaty is up on the EU Council site – in all the Community languages. Officially, its title is the "Draft Treaty amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community" and it comes in four parts. See the Post on EU Referendum.

Non-Delivery

On the day the London's Olympic Park received the official go-ahead (last Monday), clearing the way for construction of the main venue complex for the 2012 Summer Games. The pride of our nation, the world-famous Red Arrows were told they have been banned from appearing at the 2012 London Olympics because, say the Olympic Delivery Authority, the Red Arrows are 'too militaristically British' and might be too 'offensive'.

The Red Arrows have been excellent ambassadors for British overseas trade, as they display their British-built Hawk aircraft all over the world. The Arrows performed a short flypast in 2005 when the winning bid was announced, their flypast at the Games was to have been (as it always is) truly spectacular. Thus is the thinking of those that are 'delivering' the 2012 Olympics and a truly phenomenal cost to the British Tax payer; an issue that we shall comment on regularly.

The End of Week Quote

''It was the theatre of sincerity, heavily contrived to look like it wasn't contrived.''

Melanie Phillips, in a piece 'Spinning from the Heart' .