Balls family feud is a plot twist too far after Miliband drama

For a party still reeling from the Miliband of Brothers psychodrama, let alone the Blair-Brown soap opera, the idea of another family feud must feel like a plot twist too far.

Yet Ed Miliband knows he has to find a way of giving both Yvette Cooper and Ed Balls star roles in his shadow cabinet cast without creating more noises off that distract the audience.

Ms Cooper made one of her career's toughest calls this year in deciding not to contest the party leadership and to allow her other half a free run.

Partly driven by the need to spend time with her young family, she also knew the idea of a husband and wife battling for the crown would be frankly ridiculous.

A Balls v Balls contest would have made the Miliband fight look positively normal.

The supreme irony of today's hints that Ms Cooper could be offered the post of shadow shancellor is that this was the very prize on which her husband's eyes were fixed all along.

Way back in May, when he launched his leadership campaign, even his most loyal followers knew he was unlikely to win and it was merely a clever way to reinvent his political image on the road to the Treasury.

Having been foiled by a dogged Alistair Darling and wily Peter Mandelson — a setback keenly felt within the Balls household — it is hard to imagine his wife would want to add insult to injury.

When asked this week if his wife would make a good Chancellor, Mr Balls replied: “She's a fabulous, talented and gifted politician. That's why I married her.”

But the very fact that Mr Miliband is considering offering the post to Ms Cooper yet again underlines his ruthlessness and extraordinary ability to separate personal from political.

David was treated not as a brother but as a Blairite continuity candidate who stood in the way of the path to No 10.

As he proved with his swift and brutal removal of former chief whip Nick Brown yesterday, Mr Miliband is unafraid to assert the authority of a newly elected leader.

Although the general election could be as far away as 2015, Ed Miliband is already a man in a hurry.

Unlike Blair or Brown, he has very little time to plan his first shadow cabinet and he faces a tough call in balancing the array of talent — or lack of it — once MPs have chosen his top team next Friday.

With 49 candidates chasing 19 posts, Labour backbenchers will spend the next week involved in an election that is part Grand National steeplechase, part Wacky Races.

The shadow chancellor post has obvious totemic importance, given the economy will be the central issue of this Parliament, but the looming spending review on October 20 sets a tight deadline for a man who wants to reposition his party while sounding credible on cuts. It's going to be tight.

M4 bus lane comes to end of the road | News

At last the M4 Blair bus lane comes to end of the road

The M4 bus lane, which runs from Heathrow to the capital, is to be scrapped.

The 3.5-mile lane has infuriated drivers sitting in traffic jams, while it lies empty, since it was launched by the former deputy prime minister John Prescott in June 1999.

It was originally reserved for buses, coaches and licensed taxis under 50mph, but after three years motor-cycles were also allowed access and the speed limit was raised to 60mph.

Next week Transport Secretary Philip Hammond will announce that the lane will be suspended.

In his speech to the Conservative Party conference, Mr Hammond will say: “Nothing is more symbolic of Labour's war on the motorist than the M4 bus lane. It was John Prescott's idea and I think that says it all.

“I can announce today that from the end of December until the Olympics the M4 bus lane will be suspended. And once the Olympics are over, my intention is to scrap it permanently.”

The bus lane will return for a few weeks during the 2012 Games, when it will be part of the Olympic Routes Network to get people to and from events quickly.

It became known as the “Blair lane” when, within days of opening, the former prime minister's official car used it “for security reasons”.

Labour luvvie Guardian undermines Brown

The Labour house journal The Guardian cannot avoid the bitter truth that Gordon Brown is deeply unpopular.

Their latest poll shows Conservatives up to 40%, 9 points clear of Labour.

The poll shows that even Labour voters dislike Brown and that Cameron is more trusted and liked than Brown.

Someone in the Labour Party should have some guts and send Brown on his way.

Brussels tells Gordon Brown to curb UK Spending

Gordon Brown was dealt an embarrassing blow last night when Brussels gave warning that Britain must do more to curb its spiralling debt.

The European Commission wants Labour to outline further spending cuts and spell out where the axe will fall.

The Labour Police now knock in the night

This story should give you thoughts of there by the grace God go I and give you shivers up your spine.

In Labour Britain the police now think the nighttime call is a proper way of conducting their business. Have they lost complete touch with commonsense?

Will we ever recover from the damage Labour have done?

Why Labour should never be let near the purse strings again

If anyone out there still believes that the Labour party should ever be elected again read this.

I grew up in the sixties and as a young lad I believed in the socialist dream going so far as to join the Labour Party. Unfortunately along came the Wilson/Callaghan government, IMF bailout, winter of discontent, sadly etc, etc, etc..

I saw the election of the first Thatcher government and stood in disbelief as the massed battalions of the unions let her savage the people while they looked after themselves.

We have had two Labour governments in my life so far and both have destroyed the finances of the people. They are clueless with money apart from being able to accumulate money for themselves.

Socialism is a nightmare.

Labour's “open door” immigration policy put UK at risk

Labour's “open door” immigration policy knowingly risked allowing dangerous people to settle in Britain unchecked, according to documents seen by The Sunday Times

That's a surprise - I don't think.

The article goes on to show how the Labour Goverment have broken the law to cover the situation up.

That's a surprise - I don't think.

Another thing I am not surprised about is that the sinking ship is springing leaks all over the place

Another joy of our beloved New Labour government is the Investigatory Powers Act.

Contrary to undertakings given at the time the law was introduced it has been used for countless, yes countless, trival uses by Local Aurthorities. Of course originally we were told it was to protect us from terrorism,

Some times the stupidity of this Labour government beggers belief.

Jenny Paton is taking her council to court as they used the above act to check her child's school appliction.

Another New Labour scare bites the dust

How can any organisation be so wrong so many times and still find people to follow it.

Apparently the obesity in children scare is not as bad as we have been told. A new analysis of data shows the predicted huge increase in numbers of obese children has to be significantly downgraded.

We are being led by donkeys.

source article

PM Brown creating Police State

Sean O’Neill Crime Editor at The Times October 28, 2009

The Labour Government, hot foot from the Terrorism Act 2000 disgrace, are now creating a similar disgrace with the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Why are they so keen to use such heavy anti-democratic legislation against ordinary members of the public.

In a different part of the world it would be viewed as the creation of a police state prior to cancelling democratic elections.
*****************************************************************************
Draconian police powers designed to deprive crime barons of luxury lifestyles are being extended to councils, quangos and agencies to use against the public, The Times has learnt.

The right to search homes, seize cash, freeze bank accounts and confiscate property will be given to town hall officials and civilian investigators employed by organisations as diverse as Royal Mail, the Rural Payments Agency and Transport for London.

The measure, being pushed through by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, comes into force next week and will deploy some of the most powerful tools available to detectives against fare dodgers, families in arrears with council tax and other minor offenders.

The radical extension of the Proceeds of Crime Act, through a Statutory Instrument which is not debated by parliament, has been condemned by the chairman of the Police Federation.

Mass immigration was political not economic

Another key element of the "New Labour" shown to be based on falsehood and lies.

Keir must be spinning in his grave.

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Mass immigration “for political gain”, says adviser
heraldscotland staff Published on 23 Oct 2009

Huge increases in immigration over the past decade were partly driven by Labour ministers’ desire for a more multicultural Britain, a former Government adviser has claimed.

Andrew Neather, a speechwriter who worked in Downing Street for Tony Blair and in the Home Office for Jack Straw and David Blunkett, said Labour's relaxation of controls was a deliberate plan to "open up the UK to mass migration".

As well as bringing in hundreds of thousands more migrants to plug labour market gaps, there was also a "driving political purpose" behind immigration policy, he said.

Ministers hoped to radically change the country and by doing so "rub the Right's nose in diversity", added Mr Neather, but senior Labour figures remained reluctant to discuss the policy in case it alienated the party’s "core working class vote".

Terrorism Act 2000 - A Labour disgrace

Climate change activist held under anti-terrorist legislation

Paul Lewis at The Guardian on Wednesday 14 October 2009 reports another example of how the serious anti-terrorist legislation is being used in direct contravention of promises made by the Labour govenment when they passed the law.

As we have seen local councils have even used the legislation to spy on how people are disposing their rubbish and the Labour Government does nothing to curtail the trivial use of the law.
We the people will suffer from this misuse now and in the future but the so-called peoples party don't give a toss. Thank you BlairBrown.

UK border police used anti-terrorist legislation to prevent a British climate change activist from crossing over into mainland Europe where he planned to take part in events surrounding the forthcoming United Nations summit in Denmark.

Chris Kitchen, a 31-year-old office worker, said he feared his treatment by police could mark the start of a clampdown on protesters, hundreds of whom are planning to travel to Copenhagen for the climate change talks in December.

He said he was prevented from crossing the border yesterday at about 5pm, when the coach he was travelling on stopped at the Folkestone terminal of the Channel tunnel.

Kitchen said police officers boarded the coach and, after checking all passengers' passports, took him and another climate activist to be interviewed under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, a clause which enables border officials to stop and search individuals to determine if they are connected to terrorism.

The passports were not initially scanned, Kitchen said, suggesting the officials knew his name and had planned to remove him from the coach before they boarded. During his interview, he was asked questions about his family, work and past political activity. The police also asked him what he intended to do in Copenhagen.

When Kitchen said that anti-terrorist legislation does not apply to environmental activists, he said the officer replied that terrorism "could mean a lot of things". By the time his 30-minute interview had concluded, Kitchen's coach had gone.

Police are understood to be monitoring protesters on a number of databases, some of which highlight individuals when they pass through secure areas, such as ports.

Kitchen is a prominent activist who has taken place in a number of peaceful acts of civil disobedience, such as glueing himself to a statue in parliament, to call for more action to cut carbon emissions.

"The use of anti-terrorist legislation like this is another example of political policing, of the government harassing and intimidating people practising their hard earned democratic rights," he said. "We are going to Copenhagen to take part in Climate Justice Action because we want to protest against false solutions like carbon trading and to build a global movement for effective, socially just solutions.

"People who are practising civil disobedience on climate change in the face of ineffectual government action are certainly not terrorists, and I am sure that their actions will be vindicated by history."

Kitchen said police paid for a ticket for him to return to London after questioning and arranged for the coach company to give him a seat on another coach.

A Home Office spokesman said: "There has been no change in policy. Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 enables an examining officer to stop, search and examine a person at a port or in a border area to determine whether they are someone who is or has been concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

"The exercise of the powers by the police is an operational matter for each force."

Attorney General fined £5000 for breaking the her own law

You can't make this stuff up.

Baroness Scotland, the government's chief legal adviser who oversees criminal prosecutions in England and Wales and helped take legislation on employing illegal workers through Parliament when she was a Home Office minister has broken the same law.

She has now been fined £5000 for employing an illegal immigrant as her housekeeper.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown says that as it was only a technical breach she does not have to resign or get the sack.

How far will Gordon and his gang sink before finding some principles.

Harriet Harman fouls up

That well known product of private education, wealth and privilege with at least one Sir, Ladies and Lord in the family tree, yes champion of the poor inadequate lower classes and now women and minorities and husband of the Labour party treasurer who was unaware of the Labour party loans scandal Harriet Harman.

Well in her official position as Government Equalities Office boss she had a taxpayer-funded fact sheet produced for schools about Women in Power, marking the milestones of female politicians.

Some how Margaret Thatcher was left out of the document. Like marmite you might love or hate her but she was the first, and so far the only, female Prime Minister in British history.

How can you make a mistake like that?

Would you give Ms H responsibility to spend your money?

Election that never was cost Labour £1m

Gordon Brown's decision this month not to call a general election has left the cash-strapped Labour party with a bill approaching £1m, according to the Guardian.

Party officials had sanctioned hundreds of thousands of pounds of expenditure on booking hoarding sites, literature and recruitment of staff, and were at an advanced stage in setting up a media centre to handle daily press conferences.

The cost of detailed polling in marginal seats by Opinion Leader Research - the company run by one of the prime minister's most trusted pollsters, Debbie Mattinson - is also understood to have run to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Conservatives are thought to have spent substantially less in the week before the election was called off. It is understood their bill came to less than £200,000.

Meanwhile, Labour candidates in some marginal seats had already printed letters to go out to supporters. One, Martin Linton, who has a majority of 163 over the Conservatives in Battersea, south London, sent out letters to thousands of Labour members and supporters asking for their help.

The Guardian has been told by Labour and union sources that:
· Some three million letters - the first tranche of a series to key voters and supporters - were printed and had to be binned

· Technicians working on communication links at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool were called away by Labour on a contract to work on the election media centre in Victoria Street, London

· Furniture and equipment for the media centre was ordered, and a lorry delivering the equipment had to be turned away on the following Monday

· Hundreds of poster sites booked by Labour had to be pre-paid - the Tories also booked sites and mobile posters which are now being used to campaign for a European referendum

· Staff were recruited to work at union headquarters - notably the GMB and Unite - on campaigns in marginal seats


The cost of the election is certain to be raised when Labour's national executive meets next month. Some members thought Mr Brown should not have considered calling the election.
The party declined to respond to question from the Guardian.

Source: David Hencke, Westminster correspondent The Guardian (Monday October 22, 2007)

Labour government sucking the South dry

GORDON BROWN is facing a growing backlash over the way hard-working southerners fund northerners and Scots.

Workers in the South East believe the Scottish PM and his team don’t understand the pressures of life in and around Greater London.

Figures show well over half the economy of Scotland, the North West, North East, Wales and Northern Ireland is funded by the taxpayer.

Yet the economy in highly populated London and the South East – Britain’s engine room – gets just a third.

Critics in the South East believe they are becoming the cash cow for the rest of the country.

Currently 19 per cent of all UK tax receipts come from London and 37 per cent from London and the South East.

Only seven per cent of tax comes from Scotland.

And just TWO Cabinet ministers represent a southern seat.


The PM represents a Fife seat and his Chancellor Alistair Darling is MP for Edinburgh South West.

Defence supremo Des Browne represents Kilmarnock and International Aid secretary Douglas Alexander is the MP for Paisley, near Glasgow.

It reveals Northern Ireland’s budget per head of population is 70.5 per cent of the nation’s wealth. Wales gets 64.3 per cent, the North East 63, Wales 55.6 and Scotland 54 per cent.
And their figures show the gap is widening, not closing.

Ministers keep pumping cash into northern regions because they need the votes to win an election.


source: GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON Political Editor at The Sun

Another Labour M.P. forgets his roots

How sad it is when someone forgets their roots and principles. Dear old Michael Martin, former sheet metal worker, went into politics with the Peoples Party to right some wrongs.

Some years later he was promoted above his capability to the prestigious position of Commons Speaker where he has to maintain order in the Commons without favour to his old People Party mates.

Unfortunately, like many of his mates, he now appears to think that the taxes gleaned from the sweat of working people can be splashed around for personal reasons.

Working class Michael got upset when people started having a go at how he was doing his job so he spent £20,000 of taxpayers having some P.R. people issue statements saying that he was actually doing a good job..

It is not known what Michael ( Red Mick?) would have done if his sheet metal work had been critised back in his youth. Maybe it was a P.R. statement to the effect of Go away you beggers.

Climate change model wrong - again

Apparently the brilliant brain boxes behind climate change claims have had to face up to another error in their calculations.

Surprise surprise nature is not as fragile as they thought.

The naughty trees of the Amazon jungle went and found underground water that the Brains did not know about and did not die as predicted. But don't worry because in common with most discredited experts the climate change Brains have shifted the goal posts.

They claim that the Amazon will die but later than expected unsurprisingly some time after all alive at the moment are dead and unable to argue the toss.

Researchers found that during the 2005 drought, many parts of the rainforest "greened", apparently growing faster.

This finding contrasts with some computer models of climate change, which forecast that the Amazon would dry out and become savannah.

Writing in the journal Science, the researchers say it is unclear how the forest would respond to a long drought.

"We measured the changes between the drought (of July to September 2005) and an average year," explained study leader Scott Saleska from the University of Arizona, Tucson, US.

Some of the models, in particular the Hadley Centre group, became famous for predicting collapse of the Amazon and a change into savannah

Scott Saleska"And what we saw was that there was more photosynthesis going on, more capacity to take up carbon dioxide than in an average year," he told the BBC News website.

He said, however, that a climatic shift to longer and more frequent drought conditions would eventually diminish the deep-water stores, and make the trees suffer.

(souce: bbc)

Speed Camera Con

A Department for Transport report has found that, in 2007, exceeding the speed limit was a factor in 14 per cent of deaths, up from 12 per cent in 2005.

You may be forgiven for having overlooked this piece of information as it appears to be buried by the Labour government and it's fellow trough users.

The stat means that whatever impact the much admired speed camera may have had it's effect is now declining. This is despite Labour quietly changing the law so that camera's do not have to be placed near accident black spots.

It also means that 86% of accidents are NOT caused by breaking the speed limit.

It also means that all the effort put into creating the vast network of speed camera's was either based on a misunderstanding or it is just another way of raising tax.

85pc of health cash goes to Labour areas

(ED: Tony does as Tony does, crooks the figures, crooks the weapons of mass destruction, sells honours for New Labour funds, gerrymandering tax spend to suit New Labour Party interests, is there enough space in cyberspace to list the acts of deceit Tony has been involved in. Was he always like this or has he been replaced by an evil spirit?)

Celia Hall, Medical Editor at Daily Telegraph

As much as 85p in every £1 the Government has spent on health has gone into Labour constituencies.

Details from a Parliamentary question show that of the 46 multi-million-pound hospitals built in England since Tony Blair came to power, 33 are in Labour areas. That amounts to £3.5 billion out of a total spend of £4.1 billion.

Government health policy has aimed at removing "health inequalities" and lifting health services in deprived areas many of which are Labour strongholds.

But the Tories say they are still waiting for the Government to tell them why one area is favoured over another and to explain the rationale of agreeing to new hospital developments in particular areas.

Andrew Lansley the shadow health spokesman, said yesterday: "Four in every five of Labour's new hospitals have been built in the constituencies of their own MPs.

The Conservatives say "Ministers are holding secret meetings with Labour Party officials to target up to 60 hospital cutbacks on the constituencies of Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs. These figures confirm what we suspected when Patricia Hewitt went against the advice of experts and ordered a new hospital to be built in a Labour constituency in south London.

A Conservative Party spokesman said that in 2005 Ms Hewitt overturned a decision to build a new critical care hospital on the site of Sutton Hospital, in the Sutton and Cheam constituency of Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow.

"Instead, even after seeking the advice of her independent advisers, who similarly recommended the Sutton site, Patricia Hewitt recommended that the new hospital should be built at St Helier, in the Mitcham and Morden constituency of a Labour MP, Siobhan McDonagh," the spokesman said.